You Just Never Know

I'm not what you would call a speed walker but I do tend be like a woman on a mission when I'm going somewhere. When I walk into my office building it is even worse. My mind is racing, my hair is bouncing and my purse is slung over my shoulder as if I were a hobo. Most days I'm running late which makes me walk even faster. I fly by other people in the hallways and if I had a horn attached to my body I would probably use it!

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Today was no different. I was flying into the building all but running through the parking deck when I saw her. This sweet lady who works in my office but walks so slow! I debated on hanging back so I wouldn't have to speak to her and end up walking with her but it seemed like no matter what I did I could not get around it. There she was...there I was...I was stuck.

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I put on my fake smile and spoke to her and as she looked up at me her face seemed tired. Her eyes were not bright like they usually are and she was walking a little extra slower than normal. I asked how she was doing today and she looked at me with this smile as if I just made her day! She began to tell me how she has a daughter who is disabled and upon walking in the door last night she found out that her daughter had fallen during the day while everyone was at work and naturally a mess was everywhere. She talked about how she had scrubbed the floors, had to remake the bed, etc. I smiled and nodded and hung on to her every word. As we exited the elevator she stopped for a moment and smiled and we went our separate directions.

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Did I make her day? Oh probably not but she sure made my day. I have been trying to pray each and every day for God to put someone in my path to serve. And, when that person crosses my path I ask that God give me the words to say so that only he can get the praise and the glory for it! "...be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you." 1 Samuel 12:24. Want to know something funny? All these people that God is placing in my path for me to serve...they are actually serving me! God is teaching me so much through these people, not the other way around!

Fire Alarms

Have you ever wanted to pull a fire alarm just to see what would happen? Oh I have! Well, I have never pulled one but, I sure have wanted to. But, if I did my Daddy would skin my back side. Growing up my Daddy was a volunteer fireman and it has been embedded into my mind that you NEVER pull a fire alarm. But, just to see the results of pulling it just one time...oh man it just gets me every time.

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At church several months ago a little boy who is maybe 4 or 5 pulled the fire alarm! The lights starting blinking and I couldn't help but laugh. Everyone else seemed panicked and here I stood laughing until my sides hurt. I totally sympathized with him as he told his Mom "I just wanted to see what would happen!" I mean, seriously, who could blame the kid. They put those things right there in front of us and then expect us never to touch them. *Sigh*

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Do you have fire alarms in your life that you just want to pull? I am in the process of learning and trying to teach my children to allow God to pull our fire alarms, not us! Let God control our lives, not us! Even Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us not to go around pulling our alarms, "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track." (MSG).

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So many times I go through life trying to fix it all myself and all I end up doing is making an even bigger mess of it all. Why? Because I don't know what is best for me. Just as I feel that my own children don't know what is best for them...my heavenly Father feels the same way about me. And, just as I'm correct in my thinking as a parent...he's correct too! The sooner I quit going around pulling fire alarms and learn to trust God and listen to God, the sooner I'll have a little peace. How about you? Do you have any lights flashing and buzzers buzzing because you've pulled an alarm in your life?

That Which I Fear...

Have you ever gone through something in life that forever left you scarred? Have you ever thought "Why me?" or "Why did I have to go through that?" or "Never again!" I have. Many times I will approach a situation and think "Here we go again!" and at that moment I tend to back off, put my wall up and turn around and run. My scars reminds me of that pain so I often stay hidden, protected.

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I was talking to my Mom one day about to deal with past scars, current fears, the unknown and her reply was simply Job 3:25 "What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true." (NLT)

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As time has traveled on and life has happened I am beginning to understand that passage more and more. I am learning to not "fear" a situation but yet be "cautious." According to dictionary.com, the definition of fear is the feeling or condition of being afraid yet the definition of cautious is tentative or restrained.

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I do not want to go through life being afraid, scared to meet new people, scared to get hurt, scared to be me! Scars often hold me back. Scars keep me in what I think is a safe place. Scars prevent me from being a witness. The best definition of scar to me is the one used in botany...A mark indicating a former point of attachment. How true is that definition in your life? My scars are not burn marks or sores they are simply places that show a former point of attachment. Just like a knot on a tree!

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Although Job was a righteous man he was fearful, not cautious. He allowed his fears to control his actions, his thoughts, his life. That which he feared the most came upon him. Even when life is hard, times are tough I tell my Father "I will love you anyway!" When the storms of life come, when my heart gets new scars I tell my Father "I will love you anyway!" When I feel alone and feel as though I am most definitely walking through the valley of darkness I tell my Father "I will love you anyway!" My trials on earth, my heartaches that I feel are doing nothing but teaching me how to love my Father anyway! I am where I am because he has placed me here! I am who I am because he made me!

Pruning

Phew...I'm glad I was able to come to work today so I could rest! We spent most of our day yesterday (Memorial Day) working in our yard. We purchased a house last year and the previous owners liked their privacy and therefore they planted every single bush, shrub, tree, etc. you can think of! And, we are in the process of cleaning it all out. One by one we are chopping down, cutting back, digging up every inch of our yard it seems like.

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There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to the placement of all of these bushes/shrubs/trees. They are just randomly placed in the most peculiar places. Some of the trees were not pruned and therefore have gone crazy. A holly tree was planted right beside the house in front of what is Kristina's room. It is absolutely gorgeous but at the same time it is out of control. The branches lurk over the roof and cover the entire end of house.

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As Shane and I started working yesterday we began to work on cutting these holly limbs off the house. One by one we snipped and before long we realized that the only way to actually fix the problem was to top the tree. Cut everything off to where all we had left was empty branches. We worked hard to make sure all the remaining branches were cut at the same length so hopefully we will be able to maintain it a little bit better as it begins to grow again.

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As Shane was finishing up the holly tree I started working on another unidentified bush. I was cutting and pulling, cutting and pulling and the more I cut and the more I pulled the more I realized this couldn't be any sort of bush it had to be a vine that just grew out of control. Before I was able to cut too much back the skies darkened and the rain began to fall. Our work in the yard was done for the day.

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Do you have out of control shrubs or bushes in your life? What about vines? Do you have any vines growing in and out of your heart that you don't remember planting there but now they are so thick and full that you aren't sure what to do? I do! Every day I am learning more and more about the condition of my heart. Some days I think that I've pruned everything that can be pruned and I'm in good shape and then the very next day something will happen and some kudzu will appear that I had no idea existed and once again I'm chopping away. As I was snipping and chopping yesterday and then hobbling around today from being sore I am thinking that maybe the shrubs, the bushes, the vines and even that stinking kudzu keep appearing because I'm the one cutting them back and not God!

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God casts our sins further than we can imagine. Psalm 103:12 says "He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west." The east is from the west! Do you know how far that is? I can't even begin to fathom in my mind that distance. So, if he can throw my sin further than I can see, what makes me think that he can't prune the vines out of my heart? He's a much better gardener than me! Plus, he can REMOVE not just cut back those randomly placed bushes, the out of control shrubs, the endless vines, and the annoying kudzu!

Different

Ever noticed how different everyone is? I do...constantly! It may be because I constantly feel like I don't belong in this place, here with everyone else. I don't make alot of sense to myself or to others. I don't see things the way that everyone else sees them. I often feel as though I'm "tainted" for lack of a better word. I most definitely don't have the Midas touch. Nothing turns to gold but yet always turns to dust with each and every touch.

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My sweet precious daughter also has this unusual way of seeing the world. The older she gets the more I realize she is just like me. The older I get the more I realize I'm like my Mom. And, sometimes I wonder if the older my Mom gets the more she realizes how much she is like her Mom. Our minds are wired differently. We see both sides to every single issue. We struggle with the truth and knowing what we know. We question each and every turn of our lives, our families lives. We don't make friends easily and when we get burned we remember that sting forever. We go through life learning things the hard way yet always remembering.

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This week has been sort of a tough week. No different than anyone else's week but just a little more mentally/emotionally draining on our side of the world. As I sat down at my desk today I was flipping through my Bible and I came across Job 39. As I read on through the chapter I was stunned by verses 13-18, "The ostrich flaps her wings futilely — all those beautiful feathers, but useless! She lays her eggs on the hard ground, leaves them there in the dirt, exposed to the weather, Not caring that they might get stepped on and cracked or trampled by some wild animal. She's negligent with her young, as if they weren't even hers. She cares nothing about anything. She wasn't created very smart, that's for sure, wasn't given her share of good sense. But when she runs, oh, how she runs, laughing, leaving horse and rider in the dust." (MSG).

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Maybe I'm the ostrich who doesn't understand why she even has wings if I can't fly. Maybe I'm the Mom who leaves her eggs laying on the ground living in faith that the elements of the world will not devour them knowing all the while they will somehow survive because they are in my Father's hands. Maybe when I run I run like a child who laughs and enjoys the smallest things in life and when I do run, I run so fast I can outrun a horse! However, I believe most everyone, anyone, could identify with these verses. Somehow each and every one of us knows what it is like to be an ostrich. Some days I think we all walk around with our feathers poked out acting as if we were a peacock but in the end, we are just an ostrich. And, the thing is, there is nothing wrong with being an ostrich. After all, God created us to be an ostrich, he created us with a purpose, he created us to be different. Why? I don't know...maybe so we can outrun the horses!

Sunglasses

Oh how I love sunglasses. Big ones. Small ones. Round ones. Square ones. I love them all. I like the way the world looks when I put them on. Images are sharper, things are clearer and depending on what type of lenses are in the sunglasses some things almost appear in 3-D to me.

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I remember watching the movie Big Daddy with Adam Sandler. In this movie he is taking care of his friend's son all the while telling everyone he adopted the boy. The little man was very scared of new people and places so Adam Sandler's character gave him "magic" sunglasses and when he had them on he believed that no one could see him. I completely identified with that message. Sunglasses do make you feel invisible...or at least they make me feel that way.

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Sunglasses are a comfort thing to me I guess you could say. I feel protected because others can't see my eyes which in turn makes me feel like others can't read me. I'm an eye watcher. As I walk up to someone I first look at their feet (because first and foremost I'm a shoe lover!) and then I go straight for the eyes. Eyes tell me alot about a person. Sometimes they are soft and gentle. Other times they are cold and hard. Sunglasses make me feel protected because I'm not too sure what my eyes say.

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"Just as water mirrors your face, so your face mirrors your heart." Proverbs 27:19. Wow! Maybe instead of worrying about what my eyes reflect I should focus on what my heart reflects! After all, that is where my Heavenly Father resides! My heart is his home. Is my heart warm? Is it comforting? Is it big and open? How's the condition of your heart? Are you hiding behind anything?

What's The Point?

Have you ever just sat and wondered what the point was? What's the point in doing those dishes, they're just going to get messed up again? What's the point in folding that laundry, it's just going to get worn again? What's the point in making the bed, I'm just going to mess it up tonight? I could go on and on wondering what the point is but, as I sat and read Psalm 136 I think the point is made loud and clear.

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Thank God! He deserves your thanks.

His love never quits.

Thank the God of all gods,

His love never quits.

Thank the Lord of all lords.

His love never quits.

Thank the miracle-working God,

His love never quits.

The God whose skill formed the cosmos,

His love never quits.

The God who laid out earth on ocean foundations,

His love never quits.

The God who filled the skies with light,

His love never quits.

The sun to watch over the day,

His love never quits.

Moon and stars as guardians of the night,

His love never quits.

The God who struck down the Egyptian firstborn,

His love never quits.

And rescued Israel from Egypt's oppression,

His love never quits.

Took Israel in hand with his powerful hand,

His love never quits.

Split the Red Sea right in half,

His love never quits.

Led Israel right through the middle,

His love never quits.

Dumped Pharaoh and his army in the sea,

His love never quits.

The God who marched his people through the desert,

His love never quits.

Smashed huge kingdoms right and left,

His love never quits.

Struck down the famous kings,

His love never quits.

Struck Sihon the Amorite king,

His love never quits.

Struck Og the Bashanite king,

His love never quits.

Then distributed their land as booty,

His love never quits.

Handed the land over to Israel.

His love never quits.

God remembered us when we were down,

His love never quits.

Rescued us from the trampling boot,

His love never quits.

Takes care of everyone in time of need.

His love never quits.

Thank God, who did it all!

His love never quits! (MSG)

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Did you get the point? Have you been wondering when God's love for you stops? Well, girlfriend, I'm glad to tell you that it NEVER stops! There is not one minute of one day of one week of one month or one year that he stops loving you! When you sin, he loves you. When you fall on your face, he loves you. What's the point of your love for him? How long does your love for God go? Do you have a point or is it endless?

My Reasons

As I was in the process of giving Kristina instructions on what to cook for supper I almost already knew it wasn't going to go like I had instructed. Have you ever had that feeling? You are explaining to someone what you want done but by their tone you know that they aren't paying attention or they don't care. Well, that is how this conversation was going.

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As I walked in the backdoor I looked straight at the stove and saw there were no pots sitting on the eyes. "Kristina," I said "did you not cook the veggies and mac-n-cheese like I said?" She stood there with this blank look on her face as if I were speaking Greek and then she finally muttered a response. "Well, ummm, I just thought I would wait until the pork chops were done before I cooked that stuff."

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After having a typical Monday at work I just lowered my head and looked at my feet while I thought carefully about the next words I would utter. After a few seconds I looked back up and said "I knew it wouldn't take long for the pork chops to cook and I know how long it was going to take for the veggies and mac-n-cheese to cook so that is why I told you to cook it all at one time!" The more I talked the louder and more aggravated I got. By the end of my sentence my teeth were gritted and with each word her eyes got bigger and bigger knowing that I was about to my limit.

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"But, Momma" she said "I just figured I would do it this way..."

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I cut her off in mid-sentence, "Kristina, I am your Mother, I don't have to explain myself or give reasons why I tell you to do what I tell you to do. You are the kid. You do what I tell you and how I tell you and don't question my thinking."

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"But, Momma, you're just not understanding..."

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I snapped around and with this look across my face that must have said "ENOUGH!" without actually using the words because her response was a swift "Yes ma'am!"

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We worked together and finished cooking supper with not much idle chit-chat between anyone. Gabe tried to lighten the mood to no avail. After some time I calmly finished my conversation with Kristina explaining to her that I know she is 16 and she knows absolutely everything about everything but as long as she was living in our house she needed to understand that I expect her to do what I say when I say it without questions, arguments or frustration.

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How many times do we question God? How many times does he tell us to do something and we sort of do what he instructs us to do but then we sort of change a few things to suit us? Isn't it funny how we as adults/parents expect our kids to do as we say but we are so guilty of not following what God says? I'm the worst of them all! I get scared, embarrassed, nervous, etc. What about you? This is not the day that we are to understand the laws. This is the day that we obey because our Father told us to!

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"But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, 'You should know the Lord.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins." Hebrews 8:10-12 (NLT)

Fear

Well the time has arrived that Kristina officially is driving. (Blue Honda Accord...watch out! heehee) I'm just teasing. She is a really good driver. I can't complain. I have been blessed with a child who is very cautious and very "fearful", for lack of a better word, of the roadways.

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But, oh Momma and Daddy aren't handling this new situation well at all. I poke fun at Shane for stressing and worrying about her but honestly, deep down I'm scared to death! I fake it in front of other people, smile when I really want to cry, tell Shane "Oh, let it go, she'll be fine" when in reality I want to scream "YOU CAN'T GO!"

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Which leads me to this morning. I walked in her room and asked how much longer before she left for school and as she was applying her make-up she explained that she had about another 5 minutes before she headed out. I gave her a kiss, told her to be careful and said "Text me when you get to school."

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"Mom" she said in that teenager tone I so frequently talk about "I have no service at school!" (Funny how she has service at school when she wants it but when I want her to have service at school there is none!)

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"Well, just, ummmm.... okay" I said as I walked out of her room.

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Gabe and I loaded up in the truck and out the door we went. I dropped him off at school and immediately began to pray for Kristina's safety in that death trap...I mean car! As I continued down the road the Holy Spirit pressed upon my heart "Don't fear, I'm with her."

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"Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me." Psalm 23:4 (NLT) My thoughts and prayer began to change for other things and I continued on my way to work. I still haven't heard from her this morning and every time my stomach get a little antsy I just remind myself that My Father is with her! He can protect her waaaaaaay better than I can.

Manual? Flashlight!

So, yesterday I was reading an article on-line about a pastor who has written a book about what the Bible says about sex. The journalist was criticizing the pastor for writing the book but, the pastor's stand was that there were tons of books out there on the topic and he felt like it was worth discussing God's standpoint on the issue. As I scrolled through this article I got to the bottom of the page and saw where people could post comments about the article. I begin to read them one by one intently thinking about each commenter's point of view when I came across one comment that read something to the effect of "why do Christians have to have a manual for everything...first the Bible and now a book about sex." (Don't quote me word for word on that but that is the main jest of it.)

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This comment immediately offended me. I sort of slid back in my chair in surprise. This commenter was so blunt and so abrasive. What about this one article made them react the way they did? Then I began to wonder if other people feel this same way. I began to think about my life before my salvation and not one time did I ever refer to the Bible as a "manual" in a derogatory way. As my day rolled on I just could not get that comment out of my mind.

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As I was walking into my building this morning I was thinking about my day, Kristina's theater production this weekend, Gabe's upcoming soccer tournament when that comment once again began to filter to the front of my thoughts. As I entered the elevator Psalm 119:105 came to my mind. "By your words I can see where I'm going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path." (MSG).

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God's word isn't a "manual" for us it is a "flashlight"!! Many people can go through life with tons of manuals giving them instructions on how to fix a car, pay a bill, work a remote control, etc. but no matter who cool and awesome you think you are with all your manuals stacked ten feet high, you still can't see in the dark! There is no manual out there in the whole wide world that can tell you how to see when there is no light.

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Oh, but if you have a flashlight you can see. Even a small child knows that if the lights go out to go get the flashlight. I can remember when my kids were little and storms would pop up, they would immediately begin to ask where the flashlights were. Psalm 119:105 doesn't say God's word is a manual on our dark path...it is a LIGHT! Do you have your flashlight handy today in case the lights go out?

Under Attack

Have you ever felt under attack? I'm not talking about physical attack I'm talking about personal attack. I have been in situations where I have felt that someone was attacking my character as a person, as a woman, as a wife and many times as a mother. Am I the only one who has ever felt like that? I seriously doubt that I am.

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I would love to say that when this happens to me I begin to pray and ask for strength. I would love to say that I handle myself in the utmost way and I'm the better person and behave like Christ would in the same situation. But, I don't. Many times, most times, all the time when this happens I get fired up. My toes begin to curl, my ears start to burn, I start wringing my hands, my mouth begins to throw out words that I am completely unable to control, and truth be told steam begins to billow out of my ears! I get so angry that my voice shakes, I start to sweat and I get such an adrenalin rush that I feel like I could run a marathon.

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After everything is all said and done I replay the "battle" in my mind over and over. I critique everything I said, everything they said play by play. I just have a hard time letting it go. My feelings are hurt, I'm angry, I'm offended, I'm just, well, every emotion that you could possibly have I guess.

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So, I'm sitting here today thinking how should you react to being under attack. David tells us how he handled just this very thing in Psalm 27:1-3 "The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident." (NIV) I'm beginning to think that I will memorize these verses so that when I feel under attack, I can bring out the real ammo...not my words but HIS words!

Relationships

I have been reading The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. I am absolutely enjoying this book and even though I haven't always been able to read it every single day I am reading a chapter at the time as much as I possibly can. It will take me well over 40 days to finish the book but I'm learning and experiencing so many new things. My eyes are opened to things that I never even thought about.

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Yesterday, the chapter I read was on mending broken relationships. This chapter was obviously written just for me. I am the type of person who tends to draw lines in the sand and when someone crosses that line it is as if I cross them off my list. I have said many, many times "I'm done" and when those words roll off my lips people around me gasp and look because they know there is no going back. I have a cold, hard shield that I draw up time and time again to protect myself but what I am learning is that all that shield does is put a barrier between me and someone else.

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At the end of each chapter, Mr. Warren gives you three things to think about. One is a "point to ponder," second is a Bible verse and third is a "question to consider." The scripture for this chapter is Romans 12:18 "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody." (TEV). The scripture verse really made me think but the other two really got me thinking. The "point to ponder" is "Relationships are always worth restoring" and the "question to consider" is "Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?"

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I am beginning to see that God brought people in my life years ago but I never allowed God to use them to teach me, guide me, bless me. I swiftly put that shield up and moved on. How do I know this? Because these people are beginning to show up in my life again. People whom I have not spoken to in years are beginning to resurface and I'm having to remove scabs and rip old wounds like band-aids. Are there relationships in your life that need restoring?

Family

Yesterday was a sad day for our family. Shane's grandmother passed away this past Friday and her funeral was yesterday. She was the last grandmother for Shane's family and the last great-grandmother for my kids. The day was rainy and somber. In the worst way possible and with no other words to describe it, the day was the perfect set up for a funeral. Overcast, a slight breeze, drizzle off and on, etc.

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When we first arrived at the funeral home very few people were there. We greeted the few family members that had already arrived and then found our place in the corner. Shane walked around talking but Kristina, Jason (Kristina's boyfriend), Gabe and myself just ended up sitting in the lobby. It wasn't that we did not want to participate but we knew no one. Don't get me wrong, we met people while we were there but overall I would have to say that we did the notorious stand, smile, shake, nod and sit routine.

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As I sat there in the lobby I watched everyone. As people drifted in the door Kristina would look at me with this look of "Who is that?" on her face and each time I shrugged. Sometimes we would eventually figure out who they belonged to or learned their name but often they remained a stranger to us the entire time. How bizarre...family who is nothing more than a stranger.

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Naturally, this got me thinking last night and again this morning. The moment you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life you have a huge family! You have brothers and sisters, a wonderful Father and the greatest family to the point that there are no words to describe it! "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..." John 1:12 (NIV).

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It doesn't matter if you recognize the face, if you know the name, what does matter is that we are all one family. When one feels hurt we all feel hurt. When one rejoices we all rejoice! Things of this earth are just that...things of this earth but, our brothers and sisters through Christ are our eternal family! Are you a part of that family...God's family? Do you know that if you closed your eyes at this very moment and took your last breath that you would greet your brothers and sisters in glory? Do you know that beyond a shadow of a doubt? If not, why not? Are you a member of God's family but you have someone close to your heart who isn't? Our Daddy is tugging at their heart...Daddy hears your worries! Don't give up...continue to pray for them, with them, over them.

Mothers

Happy Mother's Day! The day is upon us to recognize our mothers and recognize us as mothers. Whether you have children of your own or not, women have always "mothered" everyone and everything around them. Some women are mothers to their neighborhood children, children at church, their husbands (LOL), animals, etc. Just because you haven't given birth doesn't mean you're not a mother.

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Today I thought we would laugh a little bit! You know, as Mothers we often do without so everyone else can have. That $10 bill we hide in our wallets is given out at ballparks, movie theaters, shopping malls, etc. all to buy the most ridiculous items just to see the ones we love smile. We cook huge meals on holidays (and Mother's Day) spending hours in the kitchen just to see the ones we love smile. We get up first, go to bed last. We are the ones pushing them at the start line and catching them at the finish line. Our arms are always big enough, our shirts are always ready to dry tears, our bank accounts are endless (maybe not but we make it that way if necessary) and our hearts can always hold more. We are...MOMS!

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But, what about all those little things they do that drive us nuts and make us laugh. Here are the top 10 things I think that children do and/or say that make being a Mom...priceless....

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10) "Mom! I forgot to get a towel and I'm already in the shower!"

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9) Daughter: I have no shoes!

Mother: Sweetie, go look in my closet. I have a pair that would look cute with that.

Daughter: Are you kidding me?!?! You wear Grandma shoes!!

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8) Shaving cream can rings on the tub because your daughter doesn't know how to put it up!

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7) Soured clothes left in the washing machine for 2 days!

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6) Mother: Son, did you remember to take the trash out like I said?

Son: Yes ma'am!

Mother: Then why isn't there a bag in the can?

Son: You didn't tell me to put another bag in the can!

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5) Mother: We are going on a budget! No call waiting or caller i.d. anymore!

Child: If we don't have caller i.d. anymore how will we know who is calling us?

Mother: Pick up the phone, say hello and I guarantee you the other person will tell you

who they are.

Child: Is that how YOU did it when you were a little girl?

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4) "I'm not talking mean and hateful, Mom! Gah, I'm playing the playstation! We are at war

here!!"

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3) "Mom, you don't have to look beautiful! I love you just the way you are!"

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2) "I would fix you breakfast in bed but the thing is...I don't know what kind of cereal you

like!"

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1) "You said clean my room! You didn't say where to put all the stuff. I just figured I keep it

all on the floor anyway so under my bed was an easy fix!"

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Are you laughing yet? Yes, these are all things that happen at my house on any given day! It is like a three ring circus! But, I must say that my most favorite thing about being a Mom is Proverbs 30:17. "The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures..." Yeah, read that verse to your kids and then say "Pop off now!"

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I hope everyone has a great Mother's Day! =) Hug your kids, kiss your husband and think about your Mother because don't forget...you are just getting back ten fold sweetie! =) (Now we know why our Moms have gray hair!!!)

Well Then...

I came in this morning not really having anything to discuss. My mind is sort of in the clouds I guess you could say. On the way to school this morning Kristina was sharing with me some things on her mind so instead of praying and thinking about this blog on my ride into work today I spent the time praying and thinking about my child. I'm sure everyone has had days like that and now I just feel unprepared.

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As I rounded the corner to my desk I sat down, opened up the internet and logged into post my blog. Not having a clue what I was going to talk about. I bowed my head and said a really quick prayer. "Lord, I need a word!" I no more had taken another breath when I pulled up Titus 3.

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"Remind the people to respect the government and be law-abiding, always ready to lend a helping hand. No insults, no fights. God's people should be bighearted and courteous. It wasn't so long ago that we ourselves were stupid and stubborn, dupes of sin, ordered every which way by our glands, going around with a chip on our shoulder, hated and hating back. But when God, our kind and loving Savior God, stepped in, he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit. Our Savior Jesus poured out new life so generously. God's gift has restored our relationship with him and given us back our lives. And there's more life to come—an eternity of life! You can count on this." Titus 3:1-8 (MSG).

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So I took a big sigh and thought to myself...well then! I am so guilty of this. It's not that I look down on people or think I am on some sort of high horse but I do, however, get in a rut where I look at people and think "You're wrong! That's a sin!" or when I'm at work I seem to catch myself in a compromising position of gossip and idle chit-chat that quickly turns into talking about someone. I am so guilty of forgetting that I once did those exact same things. I once thought that the only way to get ahead was by following the crowd and doing what I thought others wanted me to do and not doing what God told me to do. Are you guilty of this? Am I the only one out there who does this?

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I really don't think there is a point in me elaborating any further. I think God's word says exactly what needs to be said today without me adding my own take on it.

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Lord, I asked for a word today and you gave it to me in a big way! Just this morning I was thinking thoughts that should have never been in my mind and you quickly have shown me how I need to remember what it is like to not know you! Thank you, Father, and help me, give me strength to reach out to others with your love and not look down on others with my words. I ask you, Father, to lift up anyone and everyone who is reading this today that they may too be kind hearted in their walk today and that may we all be witnesses instead of judges!

To:

Say at this very moment I handed you a beautifully wrapped present. The paper was the prettiest red and gold that you had ever seen. The ribbon around the box was so perfectly placed that it looked as if it was nothing more than a picture. And the bow! Oh gracious the bow was just gorgeous! Big, fluffy, flowing...just everything a bow should be! But, as I handed you this present I refused to tell you what was inside and gave you the instructions that you couldn't open it or keep it. You had to fill out the attached gift card placing someones name in the "To:" section. Whose name would you put?

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Suppose I told you the gift was filled with your memories. Memories of your childhood, favorite Christmases, your first love, your prom, your graduation. Memories of college, friends, late nights. Memories of the day you met your husband, fun dates, your first kiss. Memories of your wedding, the cake, the people, the music. Memories of your children being born, their first steps, first words. What if I filled the gift with laughter and love? Whose name would you put on it now? Would it still be the same person as before?

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Now, suppose I told you that I filled the gift with your storms. Your heartaches, your tears. What if I filled it with your disappointments, your fears? Your sins and mistakes. That time that you stole a piece of bubble gum when you were a kid. Or, what about that time that you lied to your parents about where you were? I could fill it up with past due bills, bounced checks, a late mortgage. Whose name would you put on the gift now? Would it still be the same?

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"In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears...He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters." Psalm 18:6 and 16. We are to run to God FIRST. Not after we have tried everything else and it didn't work. Not after we messed it all up. Not after our friends couldn't help us. We are to go to him FIRST! But, also, we are to go to him with EVERYTHING. Not just our problems. Not just our distress and worries! He isn't our "fix all." He is our Lord! He is our Savior! He is our Friend!

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Imagine what your life would be like if your friends only came to you with their problems and issues. You never were able to share in their joys, their happiness, their memories. God is just waiting on us to share our lives with him. He already knows every single little thing about us but, he is just waiting on us to take the time to share it with him! He wants to hear the excitement in our voices, he wants to see the smile on our face. In times of struggle and storms he is there to wrap us up in his arms and cradle us but he is also there to throw his arms around us and rejoice with us as well! Whose name would you put on the "To:" line today?

Hot/Cold

Right now our country, well the world, is dealing with something called "swine flu." Well I don't know much about nothing but I do personally think that this topic is being blown out of proportion. But, as I have sat and listened to the radio and watched the news I have noticed how hot/cold we Americans are.

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For a day or two everyone was just all up in arms over this epidemic. It was all you heard people talking about. People were scared, parents were making their kids wear masks to school. After school activities were being canceled. It was if the sky was falling.

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Then, just as quickly as people got all upset about it, it seems to have died down. We have had a rash of thunderstorms come through and now all everyone is talking about is the weather. I think back to when the gas prices shot up really high. Everyone jumped on that band wagon for a few days or weeks and now you rarely hear anyone saying anything about the price of gas.

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So, I'm thinking...do we do that as Christians? Do we get all excited and jump on the band wagon for Christ to only let it die down after a few days...a few weeks? "'You prophets who do nothing but dream — go ahead and tell your silly dreams. But you prophets who have a message from me — tell it truly and faithfully. What does straw have in common with wheat? Nothing else is like God's Decree. Isn't my Message like fire?' God's Decree. 'Isn't it like a sledgehammer busting a rock?'" Jeremiah 23:28-29. (MSG)

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So many times we get on fire for many different things to only allow our flame to flicker out like a birthday candle being blown out. If you feel like you are losing your flame read God's word! It says right here that God's message is like fire! Re-ignite yourself! Ignite your church! Ignite your community! Ignite your home! Better yet...start an out of control blazing furnace of a fire!

Green Lights

Well the day has finally arrived. I cannot fight it any more! My daughter is driving!! She should be getting her actual driver's license through her school this week or next week and this past Friday Shane and I gave her her car. *Sigh* I can't believe it! Okay everybody, hold on to your hats because there is another teenage driver on the road! If you would like a description of her car and the tag number you just message me and let me know!

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Oh, I'm just teasing. She's a good driver. Tends to not pay as much attention as I think she should but all in all she is a very good driver. This past Saturday my Mom, Kristina and me went to the mall. Naturally, Kristina had to drive her car and she just chauffeured me and my Mom around all day long. She even made the statement that she was driving Thelma and Louise around! Can you believe that?

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Well, as the day rolled on we decided to head back home. As we turned off of the highway onto a two lane road heading towards our neighborhood we began to approach a green light. The cars in front of us were still stopped but Kristina just kept on going. Finally I couldn't take the stress anymore and hollered out "Kristina! Stop!" She slammed on her brakes and said "Mom, the light is GREEN!" And, naturally, she used that tone. You know the one I'm talking about. The one that is letting me know how ridiculous I am. I quickly replied by saying "I don't care what color the light is! You have to pay attention to what the cars in front of you are doing. If you would have hit them you couldn't have told the policeman 'but the light was green' because he would have laughed at you!" I'm just so frustrated with her at this point I could have screamed. My Mom just sat there looking out the window and whether she would admit to it or not I'm sure she was thinking "Oh yeah, I remember these days!"

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We all ended up sort of joking about it but it just got me thinking. How many times in our lives do we just barrel on through something because the light is green? We don't pay attention to the obstacles in our way! "Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10. There are times in our lives that we must just stop and be still. We can't just push on through just because the light is green! We must pay attention to what God has placed before us! That "stopped car" is there for a purpose, for a reason. For whatever reason we aren't ready to go through that green light. There is no point in us fussing about it, trying to push our way on through, creating unnecessary drama, we just need to accept it, and thank God for it! So many times I tend to get all in a tizzy about obstacles in my way. I just want to push on through life. But, as I'm learning more and more on my journey with Jesus I am learning that the obstacles are where I find the peace, the comfort, the lesson. Rushing on through the green light don't teach me anything...except that I'm missing out on the blessings that God is placing right in front of my face but I'm too blind to see them!