And So It Goes

Last night I calmed an entire set of hoodlums who were really good kids in disguise, I picked up my Honey Baked Ham from a Baskin Robbins and I invited Bruce Willis over for Christmas, ending the conversation with him with "Don't worry. My kids won't pepper you with a million questions. They have no idea who you are because we don't have tv. I can't speak for the rest of the family though." Oh, and Bruce said yes.

Either I've moved to Hollywood over the weekend, the weekend was more intense than I thought or else that Wok Roasted Chicken we had for dinner was making me way more creative in my dreams than normal.

I'm going for the last one. But man, it sure hit the spot after this weekend and all the "festivities" involved.

First, thank you again for your prayers. You have no idea what a comfort they were to the entire family. Not once was I sitting in the waiting room, writhing with fear or stress. It was very good.

So here's the run-down since last we've talked.

• As the family was tootling around town on Thursday night, we ran into several friends at the farmer's market. One of them offered to keep The Girl that night and all day Friday so that she wouldn't be bored out of her gourd at the hospital the next day. The Girl quickly thanked the family for letting her avoid that entire prospect.
• We all went to bed Thursday night to sleep only to find out on Friday that none of us really did.
• We finally got up around 4 AM to get ready for the hour drive to the hospital. The heart institute that Ron was going to use just "happens" to be one of the top three heart hospitals in the country. (That God is so good.)
• We arrived at 6 AM for check-in. We found out later that Ron's surgery wouldn't be until 10:30(ish).
• At least 3 nurses came in and asked many of the same questions over and over again.
• We did lots and lots of waiting.
• We discovered that there is such a thing as "hospital time". If a nurse says, "In about 30 minutes...", then you can bet your bottom dollar it will be at least an hour. (It was a nurse who told us about "hospital time." She would know since she's actually there all the time.)
• While we were waiting for the procedure to start, we also discovered that Larry, one of our good friends, was also in this hospital. He was rushed in the day before with heart issues. Finding nothing, our friends thought the hospital was going to send Larry home after a night of observation. But no, by his wife Kareen returned, Larry had a pacemaker installed. Surprise! We hated to see Larry there, but we were thrilled to visit with them after not seeing them in so long. We've also promised to come up for a Ucher night. (I bet they whip our tails. It's been soooo long since we've played.)
• Ron's surgery finally happened. It took three hours and he did have to have a quadrupal bypass. Avon, Ron's wife, did remarkable well for all the situation. I could see her lips moving in prayer often and I know she was being bathed in prayers from friends around the world.
• The hard part of the entire event came after the very successful surgery. Ron was having a hard time coming off the anesthesia. An hour recovery time turned into 8 hours with a heart that wouldn't get the proper rhythm. Every time Avon walked back to Ron's room, there were several doctors and nurses hovering over Ron. I think it was then that her nerves started to feel the effects of the day. But she was a trooper!
• Some friends came by to visit Ron and Avon. That's such a wonder comfort to not only know that others are praying, but that some would take the time to drive an hour to sit and hold hands for a few minutes or for hours. Kareen was in and out all day giving Avon hugs and telling us that Larry was demanding updates on his good friend Ron. (They were both elders at church. They've really gotten to know each other throughout the years.)
• We convinced Avon to finally leave for a little bit for a spot of dinner. That poor woman needed some nourishment. IHOP never tasted so good.
• Around 10:30 PM the doctors said that Ron was finally in a great position. His heart was doing much better and that he would get the much needed good night's sleep. We finally felt comfortable enough to go home. We were all exhausted after that 20 hour day, longer if you factor in the fact that none of us really slept the night before.
• Avon and Alan (Mr. Right's brother) went to the hospital. We stayed home to get The Girl, to pick up The Boy from camp and to do a lot of things for Ron and Avon around the house: mow, clean bathrooms, vacuum, laundry, cook meals. We knew that Avon would have enough to do without needing to worry about that aspect of life when Ron came home.
• Sunday we finished up some tasks that Avon needed done and then we visited with Ron and other family members for the afternoon. Then we headed home and had much needed Chinese food. There's something about Chinese food that just says relax to us. So we did.

So that's the run down. We're back to the scheduled program around here. Last we talked to Avon, Ron had a GREAT night. He was sitting up in his chair and taking his prescribed walk. The kids are set to be Grandma's and Grandpa's helpers over the next couple of weeks, and we all feel really good about the way God handled everything. We had all decided that even if God had taken Ron home this weekend, He was still very good. And He is.

Since I'm way out of the loop, would y'all please tell me something that's going on with y'all? I especially want to hear about She Speaks if you attended. I couldn't be jealous during the weekend, so I'll take the time to be jealous now when you tell me about the wonderful time you had with all the our blogging friends. :o)

Gratituesday 7

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.

Why is it that I constantly need reminders as to how good God is? I mean, I know he is good, but somewhere along the way, I forget his promises for his children. Then I start thinking about how hopeless things seem, how much of we need to get by and what we don’t have, knowing that things are going to be mighty tough soon.

On Thursday, I started nagging Mr. Right about his lack of follow-through that may help us in the long run. Then I thought about the medical bills that we can’t pay at this moment, the ones that are coming up and lots of lean times and creative accounting to make sure that we can get by until some unknown, long-lost relative passes and leaves us a small inheritance to pay these bills. In other words, things were looking bleak in my eyes.

By bedtime, I could feel my heart racing and my worries growing to epic proportions. I was moody, exasperating to Mr. Right and depressed. After one long big sigh, I realized that I couldn’t keep it in, so I turned to Mr. Right and said, “Mr. Right, can I just tell you that I’m struggling with a bunch of financial worries. I know I shouldn’t be feeling this at all, but I can’t stop!” Mr. Right in all his wisdom, grabbed my hand and said, “Then let’s read.” He didn’t try to take the place of God and make things better. He loved me with all my fears and sought to offer relief for me. I know that he started praying for me too. And my spirit felt more at ease immediately. I even had a full night’s sleep, something that I thought would evade me when I was in my panic mode.

The next day when I was looking at our bank account online, the account balances page showed an incredibly high amount in our checking account. Surely this must be a big mistake! I opened the checking account to find that our IRS “bonus” check was electronically deposited to a tune of triple of what we expected, just enough to cover the present bills and the ones that will be coming in a month. I immediately called Mr. Right to tell him about this blessing, and I just started bawling. Once again, it was as if God said to me, “See? I know your heart, silly girl. Now quit your useless worrying and find something worthwhile to do. I’ve got everything under control. Just trust me.”

Throw in the fact that HE sold our house since the time I've written this post, and I can really see God smiling and shaking his head at me and my doubts. O me of little faith... I can only hope that God will continually help me in my unbelief.

So it’s for mercy and grace that I’m extremely thankful, not to mention God’s excellent sense of humor. When God says that he’s got it, He does, even if I can’t see it.

Nip and Tuck This Info Away

Did you know?

• Melanoma - Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of pigment-producing cells. One American dies from melanoma almost every hour (every 62 minutes) and is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old. If detected in the early stages before it reaches the lymph nodes, melanoma has a 99 percent five-year survival.
• Breast cancer - Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. An estimated 40,930 breast cancer deaths (40,480 women, 450 men) are expected in 2008. Early detection remains the single most effective way for combating the disease with regular mammograms suggested for women once they reach age 40. When detected early before it spreads, women have a 98 percent survival rate after five years.
• Cervical cancer - Cervical cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the cervix or the lower part of a woman’s uterus. While cervical cancer was once a leading cause of cancer death for women, the number of deaths has decreased dramatically due to prevention and early detection. When detected early before the cancer spreads, women have a 92-percent survival rate after five years.

About three years ago, Mr. Right had moles removed, tested and diagnosed as the worse cancer a mole could contain: Melanoma. Couple this discovery with this statement: “Although the incidence of melanoma is lower than other types of skin cancer, it has the highest death rate and is responsible for 79 percent of all deaths from skin cancer,” you could see why I would be “slightly worried.”

Do you want to take a gander at how often I was praying for a change? Not just me, but the church, friends, family? That pray without ceasing thing was finally understood by me. We had many friends who offered to help pay for tests and to do whatever it took to ease our burdens. We have mighty good friends is all I can say.

When Mr. Right went back to the doctors, the specialist was amazed. After rerunning the tests a third time, the moles weren’t just benign; they were shown to be healthy, with no hint at all that cancer was present. So not only did God remove the cancer, he sponged away any insurance comments that would have been left on a record. That God… he sure is good.

Now I have a new pray without ceasing moment: My gynecologist ordered that I have a hysterosonogram and an endobiopsy due to some abnormal results that "just don't look right" and some pain with my menstrual cycle. God’s been really good to me because I really don’t think about it. I have a good peace right now and I’m not worrying about it, but you know that I’m going to be there, checking things out despite the impending bills we’ll receive. Some things are worth the cost, especially knowledge.

So with that memory and my up-and-coming procedures running around in my head, I want to encourage you to head over to Karen’s place, Simply A Musing Blog. She has a wonderful Q & A idea that involves our asking questions and some doctors at Texas Oncology answering them. She’s doing all she can think of doing to “nip cancer in the bud with early detection.” Hey, like she says: “If we are only able to help save one life with early detection, it will be WORTH it.”



Here are a few details about the event, but please head over to her place to post your questions.

Her objective is to promote early detection and yearly screening as the best tool for preventing the deaths of thousands of women from skin, breast, and cervical cancers by taking is taking questions straight to the doctors at Texas Oncology to have them answered.

Leave your questions/send your questions to Karen starting today through Sunday. Comments will close Sunday, May 18 at 9pm central. By Friday, May 23, you can find the answers your questions back at Simply A Musing Blog.

We blog about all sorts of fun things, tidbit and memories. We share tips and recipes. Why not share something that just may help save a life or two or possibly yours?

Gratituesday 4

It's time for a little shout out to the Lord, so you know that it must be Gratituesday, where one can be vocally thankful for something in life.

I'm so grateful that there is an entire family of believers around the world.



You don't have to live next door to someone to be a member, nor do you have to look remotely the same or even speak the same language. All that's needed is to have the belief in Christ. God, who is Love, will take care of the rest.



I find that simply, utterly, beautifully amazing.

And God Laughed...

Who ever said the Creator doesn't have a sense of humor?

Dwight Nelson recently told a true story about the pastor of his church. He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc. The kitty would not come down.

The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and drove away so that the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten. That's what he did, all the while checking his progress in the car. He then figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved the car a little further forward, the rope broke. The tree went 'boing!' and the kitten instantly sailed through the air - out of sight.

The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. No, nobody had seen a stray kitten. So he prayed, 'Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping,' and went on about his business.

A few days later he was at the grocery store and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food.

This woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, 'Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?'

She replied, 'You won't believe this,' and then told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing.

Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, 'Well, if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it.' She told the pastor, 'I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed right in front of her.'

Never underestimate the power of God and his unique sense of humor!

Happy Friday y'all!

In The Space Of A Few Hours

Yesterday morning on my way to work, I was praying about being led by God's hand, that I would follow his lead willingly and be of use to him as he wanted, not how I wanted. I was asking to help me take myself out of any equation so that he could be the only right answer.

The morning proceeded normally. I ran by Panera's for a continental breakfast for a meeting. I made it to the meeting place in great time. Everything went beautifully, for my part at least. Then I headed back to the office until it was time for me to set up lunch for the group.

I thought I might as well use that time wisely (for me) to swing through the drive-thru at my bank to deposit one of our state refund checks.

While at the window, I turned into a teenager. And I don't mean that I looked youthful and weighed only 85 lbs like I did back then. I mean it in the way that you want to slap some 16 year old silly if they acted that way to you.

When attempting to deposit the check, the teller very politely said, "Mrs. Shalee (she used my last name of course, but I'm not going to advertise it here even though I'm sure you could never find anything about me with such a common name like Shalee...), I'm sorry, but I will need your husband's signature on the check since his name is on the front as well." Really she was as sweet as could be.

Me? I did the biggest eye-roll ever known to man. I'm amazed that I didn't injure myself with the stretching of optic nerves that I did at that moment. It was a fantastic expression of impatience, annoyance and self-pity all in one movement. I'd have slapped myself if I could have seen me.

The teller? She said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Shalee... I just don't want to make a mistake on a government check."

Do you want to know what brilliant words came from my mouth? "Yeah, yeah, yeah." (Sigh) "I'll be back later after I get his signature. Thank you." And then I took my check and drove off.

My very first thought was, "Well there was a fabulous example to Christ, don't you think, Shalee?" Remembering her name from her tag and I thought, "Sule probably would have preferred to see God and you totally got in the way again, Shalee." And I wanted to park the car and go apologize to her for my rude behavior.

But I didn't. I can be such an idiot sometimes.

I returned to the office to work for a bit, left to set up lunch and then continued on my way to meet with Mr. Right for lunch since I would be driving right by his work. While waiting for the light to turn on the interstate, I noticed a homeless person standing on the median, holding a cardboard sign that said, "Please help me. I'm homeless and anything will help me SURVIVE."

As I waited for that light, I had multiple thoughts run through my mind as I avoided looking at him.

• I never have money on me.
• Why is he standing on that corner? He looks completely capable of working.
• What would cause someone to succumb to panhandling for money?
• He probably won't use it for what it should be used for...
• Is he cold?
• Will this light ever change?

And as I waited for the light to turn green, I actually turned to look at him. He looked downcast, embarrassed to be there, broken, not making eye contact with any of the drivers. And I realized that all of my thoughts were meaningless in the scheme of things. Here was a person asking for help from anyone who would give it.

I quickly pulled out my wallet to see if I had anything to give. And there I found some forgotten Christmas money that I had left over from a recent purchase. I grabbed it quickly, as the light had just changed. I rolled down the window and extended my hand to him and said, "If you'll come quickly, I'd like to help."

Amazed that someone had noticed him, he stumbled for a moment and then ran to the window. He smiled a beautiful smile. "Right on! Oh, thank you! God bless you!" Those were the words I heard as I sped up to make my turn.

Driving down the interstate, I burst out into crying. Was it the loss of the money? Was it that that man was standing there needing help and I was the only one to see him? Was it that this is a broken world that we cannot fix by money alone? Was it because I know that I can behave so badly one moment and then be better the next? I really don't know why I was bawling. It just felt like the right response.

And as I recalled his words, "God bless you!", I realized that he does. Every single day. In ways that surprise me and make me want to know him all the more as he's taking me from a selfish, inconsiderate twit in the morning to a kinder, open-handed person by the afternoon.

It was a direct answer to the prayer I prayed that morning. God took me out of the way and made himself known, at least to one man standing in the middle of the road.

And I have to tell you, I liked losing myself.

I liked it a lot.

Refined Like Silver

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study, and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.  As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.  He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."  She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?"

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I did not write the above, but I liked the message so much, I can't help but share it with you.

When was a time you felt as if you were tossed in the fire, but only later discovered that not only did you not get burned, you were more beautiful to behold and had a greater sense of purpose? (Not really rhetorical - I would love to read some of your answers.)

Some times in our lives when we felt the fire was when Mr. Right was let go of jobs, two in a row, right after purchasing our house. Times were tough, pride was broken and many a tears were shed on my part.

BUT! God never let us go hungry, others were gladly willing to be of service to God (we had a few anonymous donations that paid our mortgage), friends came rallying for us and we became so much more defined in our prayers, in our faith and in our speech to others about how God is good in all things. And he still is. He's never changing. It's we who are the changelings, thanks be to God.

Share if you feel comfortable. If not, perhaps you will feel encouraged by others. Blessings on each and everyone of you today, and may you too feel the heat of being loved.

Snippits

Yesterday we ran to H&R Block to have our taxes done.  The kids were so good as they sat in the waiting area; all the tax advisors there even commented on their surprisingly most excellent behavior.  (Evidently our kids'  behavior was the exception, not the norm.)  Our advisor suggested in a joking way that we should take them out for ice cream.

Since we found that we were actually getting money back, we decided that we would treat them to Cold Stone Creamery.  It was to be their first time ever to this heavenly place.  

On the way to the creamery, The Boy asked for a snack when we returned home.  We said he could have a snack, chuckling on the inside because they were about to have the best form of snack ever!  We went, they gasped, oooed and ahhhed over everything, took 5 years to make a decision because there were SO MANY CHOICES!, and then they smiled with realization that God made ice cream and it was good.

With full tummies we made our way home.  The Boy quickly quipped, "Do we still get to have a snack when we get home?"  and then he laughed gleefully.  

That Boy... he's such a kidder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Girl is finding that though she is now a member of the body of Christ, The Boy annoys her just as much as he did before she became a Christian.

She's struggling to find the right reaction to him, but at least she's trying.  Oh girl, this is just the beginning...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was reminded again last night how incredibly blessed I am to be married to Mr. Right.  This realization came as we were watching the fourth hour of Pride and Prejudice, and he was enjoying it as much as I was.  But he likes chick flicks and always has.  We love to watch When Harry Met Sally, Return To Me, While You Were Sleeping, Notting Hill, Always and many more.

Sigh.  I just love that man.

Edited to add:  Mr. Right would also like it pointed out that he likes Enter The Dragon, LOTR series, The Dirty Dozen, Tora Tora Tora, The Matrix, the Die Hard series, Gladiator, Mission Impossible series and many more.   He's not a wuss.  (Lucky for him, I like all those movies too.)

What A Perfect Weekend

Some weekends are just so perfect, you don't want them to end. I'm really happy that we have Monday off as well. We're going to soak in the beauty of an extended break.

Well, you know that the best thing in the entire world happened Friday night. The Girl specifically requested that it be a small gathering with selected friends. "Not that I'm ashamed to get baptized, Mom. I just don't want to do it in front of everybody!" So we chose Friday night, after work and in time that her grandparents could join us for the festivities. It was such a beautiful, special time for her and for us.

After she had been baptized, I had a special moment with her in the changing room. As I was blowdrying her hair, she asked me what it was like for me when I was baptized. Thinking back to that special time, I recalled how I, too, was 11 years old. One Sunday morning, I had this feeling, this shivering, exciting feeling inside of me that made me step out into the aisle during the invitation. I knew, deep down in my heart that it was time. As I walked up to the front, I walked right by my parents. I could hear my mom say to my dad, "Don, that's Sha!" I think it surprised them because they hadn't discussed it with me, but because my dad was the evangelizing type and because I'd gone to church for as long as I could remember, I knew what I must to make myself right with God.

My dad baptized me that morning, April 10th to be exact. I've a baptism certificate somewhere, but I don't need it to remind me of that day. It's ingrained in my memory.

As I was talking to The Girl about my baptism memory, she was nodding, as if agreeing that that was exactly how she was feeling at the moment. And for just one moment, I had a glimpse of how it will be when she has her wedding day. That moment of connection when we're on the same page about the events that we will share. It was an exhilarating, yet mind-boggling thought. I'm not ready for her to grow up, yet I can't wait for her to have her special times.

Most everyone celebrated the entire event with a run to Dairy Queen because nothing caps the night like a hot fudge sundae! (Yes, Susan, we did see your son there. He was slaving away in the back.) Laughter, joy, family gathering... these were just icing on the cake to complete this most glorious day.

Saturday began with homemade biscuits and sausage gravy (Grandpa's favorite!) and really great coffee. The rest of the day involved working around the house some more (will we ever be ready?!), a run to get our taxes done (yay, we're getting enough back to pay off the last credit card! Hallelujah and thank you God!) and because we knew we were getting money back, we splurged for pizza that night. Ahhh, no dishes to clean... see, I wasn't kidding when I said it was perfect.

Sunday was church, where we witnessed The Girl taking her first communion. I cried. Oh, what joy to celebrate all over again. We had lunch with our friends and we asked them if a couple of their kids could spend the night that night. The kids have played well all night and all this morning. I can hear the boys playing some kind of superhero imagination game as I type and the girls are upstairs doing girl things.

Today, at this moment, I am realizing how God has blessed us and is continuing to bless us in ways that are beyond my comprehension. Isn't it such a humbling thought when you realize that though hard times will always cycle into life, goodness and blessings will always be prevalent too? May we all have such realizations today.

I Call Dibs On Sitting By Her In Heaven...

Guess what family just got a little bigger....

Yours, I hope!

Say hello to your new sister.

There is no greater joy for a mother than this moment!

The angels are rejoicing in Heaven...  What a glorious day Friday turned out to be!

Would you mind saying a salutation to The Girl, your new sister in Christ? (But I wouldn't recommend that you pull the old "Now go around the room and tell everyone's name bit" yet... Give her a week and then pull it on her.)

Free As A Bird

I'm not sure I've made our plans known to you as of yet, but we're putting our house on the market (again) so that we can move into a house with a smaller mortgage.  Our hope is that we will be able to use the money that God has given us to do two things: pay off debts and have money at the ready to give away to others.  Our plan is as simple as that - not lofty, but still a way to honor God with the possessions that he has given us.  

(And if it sounds as if these decisions were easy for me to make, I suggest that you head back to my archives about a year ago and see how much I fought God regarding these choices.  I'm entirely too stubborn for my own good, but God is way more stubborn/stronger than me.  He's softened my heart to see the goodness of this plan.)

Knowing that we would like to get the house on the market in March, I took some time this weekend to clean out the kitchen drawers, giving away items that we no longer use, throwing away older items that should have been tossed before moving into our home in the first place and straightening things in general.

I was doing well until I opened the pantry.  It dawned on me how much God has given to us.  Look at this pantry...  every shelf is filled all the way to the back!  

That got me thinking about all the other places that we have food or items that are pure fun...

A few of these bottles were gifts, but for the most part, we purchased them.  For our amusement.  Whenever we feel like having a drink.  And to avoid dusting, as you can tell from the picture.  (Hey!  I'm short.  If you can see it, I'll just hand you a rag and you can dust it.)

This freezer is in our garage.  It is so packed with meats, vegetables and cheeses that I have no need to purchase anything for months.  MONTHS!  How insane is that?

Our fridge doesn't have much space in it either.  And most of what you see in there are extras, like ice cream, cookies and after school snacks like yogurts and fruits.

I didn't even take a picture of the snack cabinet that has peanuts, crackers, fruit snacks and the such.  And I avoided the spice cabinet and the ones above the stove that has all the oils, teas and hot chocolate mixes.

I have to tell you:  Alone in my kitchen, I wept from embarrassment and shame for the ludicrous amount of food in one place for one family.  It dawned on me how incredible blessed we are financially (even though we're considered on the low end of middle class) and how pathetically selfish we have been with what we have been given.  We are spoiled beyond belief!  There really is no need for a family of four to have this much food - no reason at all, especially a family living in America where there is food everywhere.  It makes me think that I have my stomach set as a more important thing than the welfare of others or trusting in God to provide what we will need.  And if the truth be known, it's really starting to show on me.  My tummy is becoming a visual representation of where I'm putting my trust.

I think that God is challenging me to really understand these verses from Matthew 6:

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (19-21)

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (25-27)

Suddenly my desire to have a full array of choice dining options is tainting my thoughts about food.  Already my portions have gotten smaller, and my heart is lighter, knowing that I am in the position to help others in need.  And I really am enjoying the idea of being worry-free.

I truly believe that this "fever" to make a change in our dependence on the idea of having a lot of  food is God-given. I have high hopes that it's something from which I will never be cured.

A Wise Man Once Said...

I've been working my way through Proverbs at a slow pace lately.  I want to really let the wisdom of the words sink into my heart before charging on to Ecclesiastes.  Here are few things I've gleaned by taking my time:

• I've always thought it admirable that Solomon asked for wisdom when God opened the entire world up to him from his bag of goodies.  He didn't ask for riches, fame or power.  He asked for wisdom.  I have to be honest; I'd have asked for either money or a sense of style.  They're both pretty close...  But when I read through chapter 4, it dawned on me why Solomon asked for wisdom.  His father, David, had told him these words when Solomon was a young boy: "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding." (7)  No wonder he chose wisdom.  His dad already told him that it's the best, most important thing to have.  Which just makes me wonder: what am I telling my kids is important in life?  
• Solomon has several verses that discuss the importance of not bringing disgrace upon one's father and tears to a mother's eyes.  See, even back then guilt was a mighty big motivator!
• I used to have this verse on my college dorm room door: Prov 27:14 - If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.  Take that, you morning people.  Oh wait... that verse was totally talking to me.  I'm such a morning person.  I just think it's funny because I'm juvenile like that.
• Because of the verse that says "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." (31:10), Mr. Right originally designed my wedding rings to hold rubies.  But after he looked at it, he didn't like it.  He chose emeralds instead.  I sometimes teased him that he found the wife with "a little less than noble character".  He hasn't laughed at that joke once yet...
• Should I be worried that more of the "a foolish man" verses apply to me rather than the "a wise man" verses do?  Gulp.  I've so much still to learn...  

A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

One of the things I love, appreciate, adore about this wonderful world of blogging is the relationships that can be built via the web. I've already met some of the most precious women out there and I love that we're connecting on a real level, not the "oh you're such a wonderful writer how do you do it" basis, but a level where we can yell at each other over something silly, apologize and then know that we've reached new heights in acceptance and grace. A sisterhood where each can be herself and not feel embarrassment or shame. And where we can see each other in a bathing suit and not compare body parts – or lack of body parts in my case. These are some things that I think I was searching for when I started blogging; I just didn't know it.

Many bloggers I've not met (yet), but I know that if I need a good "come to Jesus" talk or a shoulder to cry on, they are there at a moment's notice. Sometimes they even call to talk with me for my maximum talk time. It's a situation that I love to reciprocate as well.

Just yesterday, Laurel Wreath needed such a vent time. I won't go into all the details, but she's received some bad news about a good friend (cancer), her church is still feeling the effects of a very disruptive sin, Wednesday was a restart day that led to her starting the day with a talk with a policeman and being locked out or her office – the office where she is the lone employee. Her email ended with her saying that she's not really feeling the presence of God right now.

Has any of us ever wanted a restart day? Oh my lands… I cannot count those days for there are many. I lost track at 4,268, and I'm not even to my college days yet!

Have any of us ever felt alone, even though we know that God Almighty is with us every step of the way? Loneliness, table for one, I say.

Have any of us ever spent time on our knees for someone else, hoping that God will answer our prayers our way? Kelli, anyone?

Knowing that I've been in her position time and time again, I wrote back to her, offering support as best as I could from 2,000 miles away.

Then I asked if I could use it for a post, and she gracefully agreed and approved it. Perhaps it will offer you some encouragement as you're making you're way through your turbulent days as well.

Oh LW… I'm so sorry for the turbulence that is disrupting your life and more importantly your walk with God. You should be proud (in a good way) that you and your man have kept it together for the past 14 years. Marriage seems to be a dying art form only because this present generation lived through horrible modeling and they have been fooled into thinking that sex and/or selfishness is the most important thing(s) in life.

Let this time of mourning be a healing time for you. God has so many things to teach you, but it is only through fire that gold is refined. The fire hurts and so does the shaping/pounding/hardening time afterwards, but what you will be in the end is a shining example of Christ.

You're not alone in feeling like a judgmental, sorry sinner. Throw in stubborn, mean and selfish and you'll have me to a T, too. But remember that with God NOTHING is impossible, even the changing of your (and my) heart. Remember that feelings have nothing to do with fact. God's words are fact, but we're foolish to judge his facts against our feelings which are changing, temperamental and irrational for the most part (at least mine are.)

Love you!

Shalee

PS. I have to tell you that in the middle of responding to your email, I ran to empty the coffee pot of yesterday's coffee. When I returned to my office door, I found myself locked out. With no one here yet due to the snow, wrecks and extremely slow drivers out on the road. I sat on the stairs, which thankfully was inside but only bare-thread carpeted, and I thought of you and your post from yesterday. I totally get that sense of helplessness and frustrations of knowing exactly how to get in if only you had the right keys. Maybe God's showing us that we've got the right tools all along, but we have to make sure that we know where they are at all times, keeping them close to us so that we won't be locked out from feeling his love/grace/acceptance.

Oh, and my landlord walked up the stairs (he doesn't office here), saw me and sweetly let me in.  Sometimes God shows us that we need to let others help us when we've locked ourselves out. The keys are universal.

Or maybe I'm making too much out of it and he's just telling us to drink more coffee in the morning so that we won't do stuff like this anymore.

The Center of Things

Since Psalms is part of my reading challenge this fall, I thought I'd share this tidbit of information that came my way.

Q: What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalms 117


Q: What is the longest chapter in the Bible?

A: Psalms 119


Q: Which chapter is in the center of the Bible?

A: Psalms 118


Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalms 118

Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalms 118.  Add these numbers up and you get 1188.


Q: What is the center verse in the Bible?

A: Psalms 118:8


Q: Does this verse say something significant about God's perfect will for our lives?

The next time someone says they would like to find God's perfect will for their lives and that they want to be in the center of His will, just send them to the center of His Word...

A:  Psalms 118:8

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man." 

Opposites Attract

I’ve always said that Mr. Right and I were opposites. Last weekend I had my opinion validated scientifically. In other words, written proof – which really makes me happy down to my core.

We attended a Marriage Retreat this weekend, a very informative, very worthwhile time with about 20 other couples from church. There was deep fellowship, great fun and time spent on understanding each other, not only our relationships as a couple, but also the relationships that we have with each other as a spiritual family. After the retreat, we were blessed to be able to stay an extra night with a few couples for dinner and bowling. It was a perfect getaway in all.

However, Friday night was pretty hard on me. Although I was really excited and willing to participate last weekend, I was at the end of my rope with being able to function. I don’t know if it’s the change of season, the change of schedules or me just being me, but for the last week, I’ve had a very hard time sleeping. Little sleep = tiredness = emotional. So when we were instructed to take a timed test at 10:20 PM, my cranky side kicked in.

Did it matter that the “test” was just a personality test that had no right or wrong answers? Did it matter that I wasn’t penalized in any way for not wanting to take the test at that moment? Did it matter that no one was going to think less of me if I was having a hard time? Yes, but only to me. As the words were literally jumping around on the page, I put my glasses on, read the first box of words to select my answer and thought, I don’t know if I’m more or less for each of the words. I looked at Mr. Right and said, “I think I’m going to cry.” The stress/work was just too much for me.

He did what he always does. He took my hand in his and gently reminded that everything was going to be okay, that I should just take one box at a time and that he loves me no matter what my answers will be.

Needless to say, I finished the test in the proper time. He gave me the reassurance I needed to hear.

We stayed up for a very little bit to talk with the other couples and then hit the hay because we were the cranky, old couple at this Young Marrieds retreat. (Young Marrieds is really a misnomer… The group has couple ranging from newlyweds to 15-years married. Some really don’t want to move up into the Young Families Group until everyone decides to promote.)

The next morning’s sessions began at 9:30 AM with another devotional and then we hit the ground running on the results of the tests. Everyone had agreed that we would share our results as a group, so it was interesting to see the difference in couples and individuals.

The names discussed were as follows:

• D for Dominance (Lions) are daring, adventuresome, direct, demanding, decisive, results-oriented, inquisitive, forceful, self-assured and competitive. 
• I for Influence (Otters) are enthusiastic, influential, impulsive, emotional, gregarious, trusting, persuasive, self-promoting, pleasant, social and generous. 
• S for Steadiness (Golden Retrievers) are patient, loyal, deliberate, team-oriented, serene, undemonstrative, protective, relaxed, passive and possessive
• C for Conscientiousness (Beaver) are accurate, fact-finding, diplomatic, systematic, conventional, cautious, careful, restrained, analytical, sensitive to criticism and detail oriented.

What a great goldmine of knowledge was found in these sessions! We discussed not only how we think our mate wants us to be, but also how each of us react under pressure or stress, which are not necessarily the same. Then it gave a chart about how we really are. The extra bonus of information included was now that we know how we are, how do we work as a couple to emphasize strengths and how to deal with each other well when we have stress and disagreement. (What can I do to help Mr. Right understand where I want to go and why? What can Mr. Right do to help me understand where he wants to go and why? Good stuff! I only wish we had it 10 years ago… Oh the misconceptions and arguments that could have been avoided had I known all this back then…)

When the leader pulled out our charts to compare Mr. Right and myself, he asked what we thought we were. I said I know I’m a D/I. Mr. Right replied that he was a C/S. We were dead on.

When the leader showed our charts under pressure/stress, we were as opposite as opposite can me. The group gave a quiet groan when they saw our chart. It was perfect X, which really means that we need exactly the opposite things from each other when confronted with difficulties. Where I need to DO something ASAP, Mr. Right needs as much DATA and TIME to make a decision. Me? Data and time are the last things on my list to need. Mr. Right? Making a quick decision sets him on edge and gives him absolutely no sense of security. He likes to analyze and reanalyze and then, just for good measure, go over all the options one more time until he makes a decision. You can see how we aren’t the best when it comes to arguing or making decisions and how we have been unintentionally frustrating and compounding the problems by not understanding each other’s needs in order to feel safe and secure.

When the leader showed our chart of how we really are, again it was opposite from each other. Where Mr. Right is quiet, reserved and slow to change, I’m outgoing, outspoken and quick to jump into an activity and participate. Crowds are intimidating to Mr. Right; I love being in the center of things. I’m quick to make a decision or just to jump into a situation without reviewing everything; he’s slow to accumulate all the details, facts and sees each process in his head before he makes a move. I dive right in wanting a solution when we argue (and I want to be right!); Mr. Right shuts down, needing time to process every bit of info that I’m throwing at him, feeling more and more freaked and clammed up when I push him for agreement. In other words, I leap before I look, thinking that everything will work itself out, and Mr. Right looks 29 times before he leaps, thinking of all the outcomes in detail before he moves a foot. Exact opposites.

Yet, with all these polar differences, I still know that God put us together with forethought and goodness in mind. He might have chuckled a few times when he thought about the fireworks that would ensure from our union, but he still blessed it by allowing us to love each others’ hearts. And I can’t tell you how many times I have thanked God for his divine wisdom, for putting me together with a man who makes me slow down, forces me to think things through before making big decisions and encourages me to think about others as I make decisions. In return for all these wonderful things (and more!), all I have to do is to help Mr. Right to make decisions at a quicker speed, loyally love him with all my heart and encourage him to have more fun. I so got the better end of the deal.

So don’t tell me that God doesn’t perform miracles. I’m living one every day.  And I love it.

And God Humbles Me Yet Again...

Okay, I've got to be straight with you.  I've been feeling really down in the dumps lately, especially about blogging.   One of the things I love about this blogosphere is the camaraderie, the conversations that ensue from posts, the general feelings of being accepted among the internets.  But I've noticed a sharp decline in comments over the past few months.  Add to that the drop of Blogline subscribers.  It really made me wonder if I had offended half of blogland, and they just took their marbles and left without telling me.

Recently, Mr. Right asked about the blog and for the very first time in my blogging history, I said, "Anhh."  And then I couldn't look at him because I wanted to cry, and knowing him, he would not only let me, he would hold me and tell me that everything was going to be okay.  But I really didn't care to look like a blotchy, big-nosed blowfish last night, so I just sat on the bed and pretended that everything was okay while I tried to figured out what to do and if I wanted to keep doing whatever it was I decided to do.

And then the next morning, God gave me some blessings that I didn't see coming.   

Ashley at twenty six cats awarded me this heart-warmer and these sweet words.

Shalee’s Diner: She cracks me up. I’m especially enjoying her recent posts about life lessons. I will also forgive her for using Comic Sans on her blog.

Thanks for the forgiveness, Ashley.  I can always use a bit more of that in my life...  But mostly, thanks for letting me know that I still make someone smile.

In addition to the first award, Kim at The Bitter Ball passed a really nice award on to me along with kind words when I needed to hear them.  This was how she announced in the comments that she was giving me an award:  Although I don't comment here often, I read your blog everyday. You have a way of making my day a little brighter. Stop by my blog if you get a chance... I passed an award on to you!  

That comment alone was like a balm to my soul and an award in and of itself.  And then, of course, I cried.  Hey, I just can't not cry two days in a row when the feeling is there...  I gave in and enjoyed it, blotchy face and all.

Here's what she gave me.

Shalee at Shalee's Diner. She is just one of the sweetest ladies in the blogging world. Her kindness and love show in each and every post she writes. Reading her blog just makes you feel good! Check out her blog, it will leave you with a nice feeling and a smile.

Thank you, Ashley and Kim, for letting God use you to lift my spirits.  He knew just what I needed at just the right time.

And in addition to the wonderful awards, I've been blessed incredibly the last two days by Barb, Jeana and Chili.   When they each asked how I was doing, I was able to dump on them and they each in their own way comforted me.  These are the true, deep rewards to blogging: having friends across the miles.

Barb thanks for verifying that I've not offended anyone.  Your kind words set me at ease.

Jeana, thanks for honesty between us.  When you pointed out that I may be loosing readers due to my posting numerous posts I've not actually written, I hadn't even considered that those posts would be a deterrent.  I was just posting some things that had spoken to me lately.  So I'll get back to writing my own stuff and letting y'all into my "real life."  (But I'll still post things that speak to me.  I'll just scatter them out a bit more.)

Chili, thanks for telling me to just get my funk on and get it out of the way.  I'm one of those "I shouldn't even have a funk because my life is so good" people, so your advice gave me the freedom to accept my funk and then let it go.  I feel much better now, thank you very much.

I'm going to wait to spread the blog love.  This post is long enough and I want to focus on others properly when I do pass them on to various bloggers.  But if you've made it thus far, thanks and cheers to your wading through to the end.

The Duck & the Devil

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it.

He was shocked and grieved! In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."

But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.

Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make supper."

Sally just smiled and said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you."

Thought for the day and every day thereafter? Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done - and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred, anger, bitterness, etc.,whatever it is - you need to know that God was standing at the window and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life. He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven. He's just wondering how long you will let the devil make a slave of you.

The great thing about God is that when you ask for forgiveness, He not only forgives you, but He forgets.

Life Lesson - Faith Like A Child

Well, for the record, yesterday's post was a bust. For some reason, I could not get the Hoops and Yoyo page to work from the blog. It was really cute too. And it really reeks because I was going to do a whole series on manners using them... Grrr. I'm going to keep trying because I think it would be a fun way to teach us some lessons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't mind posting these life lessons. It's when they are learned first hand that they're harder to take.


Gulp.


Last week, the kids and I were hurrying so that we could make an appointment on time. As it was, I had already caused tears of heartache just by yelling at the kids, the girl in particular. I did some major backtracking, apologizing to my girl and admitting that I was entirely at fault. She fortunately forgave me quickly.


So then I hurried everyone into the car, speeding down backroads in order to make up lost time. A couple of times I thought of turning up other streets, but I decided to go to the last road to make the best time - only when I got to the last road, I found it closed due to road repairs. Arrrg! You should have heard the grumbling I was voicing in the car. It was loud. It was very complaining. It was gruff.


Out of the backseat, I hear the girl say, "It's okay, Mom. God's just protecting us somehow."


As I bit my tongue to keep from snapping at her, I thought that she was actually right. If I trust God to take care of me in all things, then that would have to include this obstacle. I thanked her for her wisdom and continued with a lighter heart.


Until... I realized we weren't going to make our dinner plans either due to the detour. Then I began grumbling again. I pulled into McDonald's because we had to have some dinner prior to our appointment. Seeing that the drive thru line extended all the way to Texas, I thought I would run into the restaurant to quickly grab the food.


Heh.


I waited ten minutes to get that food. Ten minutes for three hamburgers and two fries. I guess everyone in the drive thru was more important than the customers at the counter. So as I grabbed my food and ran out the door, I entered the car doing what? You got it - complaining. I complained about the wait, about the line, about how late we really were going to be. I didn't even make it out of the parking lot before the girl piped in, "Mom, it's okay! At least we have food to eat and our food is really fresh. God's got it all figured out."


And she was right. Gosh I wish I had a trusting heart like hers.


As we're traveling north, I asked the kids to pray that we would hit all greens, which we did. I gave a prayer of thanks for allowing us to make great time through town.


Until.


I saw the traffic on the interstate. S L O W E R T H A N M O L A S S E S ON A VERY COLD DAY. And guess what I did again? Go on. You'll never guess.


Oh, well. I guess you can.


I started complaining AGAIN. I actually said that I just couldn't catch a break... after making all those lights and having fresh food and having a wonderful Jiminy Cricket in my backseat. I am such an idiot.


Again the girl piped, "Mom, when are you going to get it that God has got everything under control? It's okay that we're here in this traffic. It's okay if we're going to be late. It's just okay."


I looked back at that sincere face which was full of trust and it hit me. I need faith like a child. Or a tweener in this case. To be that trusting and that hope-filled in the face of trials is the essense of perfect peace. And she was absolutely right. Everything was absolutely okay.


I just hope she remembers that the next time she whines that she has a bookbag full of homework.


Oh, and our appointment? Yeah, it started half an hour later than what I thought. If that's not God having a bit of fun with me, then I don't know what it is. That will teach me to think that I've got anything under control.

Life Lesson - Sacrifice

Again, would you mind saying a prayer for my mom? She goes in for exploratory surgery this morning for pain that she's been having in her abdomen. Her name is Cora and she means so much to me, even if I don't tell her enough. Thanks in advance for being prayer warriors on her behalf.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Many years ago, when a woman worked as a volunteer at a hospital, she got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.


The doctor explained the situation to her little brother and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. The little boy hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her."


As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as the medical team did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"


Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.


(Lord, let me remember that my brother Jesus gave all of his blood for me. The least I can do is to follow his example to give all of me for others. Teach me to do so with a joyful, grateful heart.)

Life Lesson - Challenges

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.


Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.


The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.


(Lord, please teach me to see all conditions in my life as a learning lesson from you. Make my grumbling heart keep silence and let praise for you be heard by all those around me no matter my situation at that time. Help me to always find treasure to take away from the obstacles that you put before me. Let me also remember that the biggest room in this world is the room for improvement.)

Speaking of challenges, would you mind saying a prayer for my mom? She goes in for exploratory surgery tomorrow morning at 6:30 AM for pain that she's been having in her abdomen. Her name is Cora and she means so much to me, even if I don't tell her enough. Thanks in advance for being prayer warriors on her behalf.