Card-Worthy Gratitude

Two minutes ago my husband and I were talking as we kissed our boys goodnight. I was complaining that after what felt like 4 million photos taken earlier this evening, we still might not have the card-worthy shot for which I was hoping.

My son sat up and said, "Mom, you just make everything so complicated!"

I admit it! And I laughed out loud!

Point #1:
Well taken, Will. Thank you for calling a spade a spade, my dear. And yes, momma has never been accused of being low-maintenance!

Point #2:
It is a lot of pressure to find that "right shot" for the Christmas card. To make your card stand out among those received from 200 hundred of the nearest and dearest of every person on your list.

A few days ago I received the Christmas card from my friend of 30-some years. I was cursing her name for one-upping us all, until upon my opening it, I discovered her sheer brilliance! It read something along the lines of Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, Blessed New Year. ...and to top it all off it was the most beautiful card I had ever seen with breathtaking photos of her 3 sons. Again I say: brilliance!

I called her immediately! I told her of her magnificence and admitted that I would be totally stealing that idea next year. Not only did her card get the time and attention it so deserves by arriving in a lovely state of pre-Thanksgiving solitude, but also she's done! finished! check-marked off on her to-do list!

And so begins the tale of the quest for that one card-worthy shot.

It started our very simply, really. The grandparents would come over for the family celebration of the boys' 11th birthday (side bar: how can I be that old? Admittedly I am 39, but in my head I am 24!), we'd do dinner, cake, and presents, and then just, real quick, grab that photo.

How hard could it be?

After color-coordinating 6 people, plotting out photo-op combinations and placement such that Tony Dungy might want to see my play book, and prepping the people (you will have to change into a red shirt, don't start complaining, etc.), we were good to go.

Then the drama began: after the first shot the boys got up and started to leave, shouting "we got one", we kept making them come back and try again since Gram's eyes were closed, Grandpa was making a face, Will burped, thank God they were digital so we could check after each one and make sure that at least they were good of me, I mean...really, Grandma started callin' the shots (interesting since I like to be the boss), the men started complaining heavily that this was taking too long...not at all understanding the aforementioned point #2...so now I am (loudly) reminding them that since I will be choosing their nursing homes, they might just wanna simmer down now & do what I say!...and finally, the dog was supposed to be in the picture, but in all of the chaos we didn't even notice that she was devouring Max's chocolate chip cookie cake!

When I think about THE picture that we take every year for the card, I am reminded of a recurring theme: Every single year we have had some National Lampoon-type back story...and yet we manage to capture a great moment springing out of it.

The same is true of life: Amid the utter chaos of our lives are those perfect snapshots of love, family, bliss, everything falling into place, even if only for a second...literally!
...And I am grateful that those are the moments that we choose to capture. Choose to remember.

Those moments that are card-worthy.

The men in our family were just "over it" and complaining relentlessly! But as I teased them that these are the moments of which funeral poster boards are made, I meant it. So sorry, my dear Will, if I do make it more complicated than it needs to be, but when we are dead and gone this will be the pictorial history that we leave behind.

And thank God we are able to capture those moments in our hearts and on film. I am so filled with gratitude that those fleeting moments can live forever as pictures...what a blessing!

Question: What is your most cherished photograph? Why?

I Hate My Stomach, but Thank God it's Not My Face!

I've always had issues with my body...er...temple.

I've been taller than my peers since before I can remember, reaching full height and a size 9 shoe (leopard-print of course!) in 5th grade.

Puberty reared it's ugly head long before I thought it should have & before any of my friends were experiencing it.

Braces, acne medicine, and every monthly issue of Seventeen Magazine still weren't enough to make this temple feel like the Crystal Cathedral!

All that aside, I can say that I was a late bloomer and feel much better about myself late-thirties than I did late-twenties.

Hence the moment that I looked down at at my saggy-fleshed, stretch-mark-laden stomach and thought with accepting resolve & a heavy sigh, "Well, I hate my stomach, but THANK GOD it's not my face!"

See, God doesn't care what I look like , as long as I am making the most of what he has given me and I am healthy. And no matter what I (as we all are) am beautiful to him even at my worst. He does want me to love and accept myself, though, and not spend time obsessing about my body and its imperfections. That time and energy spent obsessing should be put to better use for something that expands His Kingdom!

Not that I think he wants us to let it all go & just give up...something tells me He just wants us to take some cotton pickin' action, get it under control, and move ON!

I could have fed a small nation with the money I have spent on diet aids and personal training.
Then I finally heard the call: "Take some cotton pickin' action, get it under control, and go feed that small nation that is waiting on you to better the Kingdom!"

And so what if my stomach isn't my fav.? Everybody has something they don't like...what we are supposed to do is learn to focus on the beautiful parts of our outer and inner selves and then teach the young girls in our lives to do the same...and then go better that Kingdom!

Question: What's your favorite part of your physical appearance? Take a moment to thank God for it.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come

Come, Lord Jesus, Come...

Can you hear it in your head?

The praise song I mean?

...great song...but that is not what I am referring to here...

I mean literally...

Yep.

The Rapture.

Been praying for it for a while now.

Open heavens, angels, 7 golden lampstands, thunder, locusts, seals, scrolls, emerald-encircled throne, trumpets, 24 crown-wearing elders...the whole 9 yards! Seriously! (You can read all about it in Thessalonians & Revelation if you are not familiar...)

Why?
A.) I'm exhausted!
I have a lot going on... wakeupgoteachkindergartenfor3hourscomehomeworklikeamaniacfor3morehourspleaseJesus
helpmefindafewminutesforprayerandmeditationwalkdogboyscomehomefromschoolgetsreally
loudstartrunningthemaroundtobasketballspellbowlbaseballdohomeworkcookdinnercleanitup
meetingatchurchmake5deliveriescallsevenpeopleturnonthecomputer20emailsdownloadthat
actuallyalldoneedrespondingtohelpwithhomeworkmassagehusband'sfeetfallinbedgetupdoitall
overagain...
(No breaks between words here to drive home the point that during my day I often do not have time to catch my breath, eat lunch before 3:00 or wee-wee!)
and frankly I don't know what will slow the pace short of just shuttin' the whole operation down.

B.) There is a lot going on in the world today that I can not explain:
God calls me, and all of us, to Shake the System (shake, baby, shake), and I am trying my darnedest as are most of my Christian friends. I know that every bit of what we do honors the God of Justice that we serve and still, no matter how hard we try, there will still be those who suffer. If I think Jesus is making a slow descent (meaning I feel He's on His way), I won't give up and stop fulfilling my purpose...I'll just know that some serious help's comin'.

I don't mean to make light here.
And I know He is not planning "the big entrance" just because I am exhausted....
It's just that I'm not afraid.
I mean, I have plenty of unanswered questions that I have been researching in my Book 'O Truth (Bible)...it's where all the good secrets are, but I am not afraid.

Things always remind me of songs...the lyrics of another great one:
Come to me all who are weary
And find rest for your soul
Come to me all who are burdened
I will lead you home

Lesson already learned years ago:
Whatever it is, it'll be in His time not mine!
I guess in the meantime if I want to find a little rest for my oh-so-weary soul I need to go hunker down with The Good Book.

So Dear God, not that you (of all "people") need my permission, but you can go ahead and come anytime now...I mean I'm ready...though I'm guessing you want to "press in" on all of us a little more firmly first.

And I will do my best to press on. Rev. 2: 3 "You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary."

Hmmmm....to endure that kind of mental pain and anguish (ya know, the locusts and all) just might take a new pair of animal print shoes...

Rev. 22: 20 "He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

Question: Are you ready? Are you afraid?

That God's a Funny Guy!

Do you ever wonder what God is thinking as He watches you?

I do.

In fact, my wondering about that has prompted me to be in continual dialogue with Him throughout the day, throwing out statements, asking Him questions & sharing personal jokes with Him...ya know, just so He and I are (hopefully) both on the same page... and also to clarify in case at any time He is hanging His head, shaking it slowly, thinking, what the heck is she doing...I mean, I know He already knows and all... but just in case...

I do believe that if we want to be in deep personal relationship with Him (which is what He wants us to want), we must engage Him in the same banter that we would share with our dearest loved ones on earth...yet still mixed with a healthy amount of reverence and a slight dose of fear.

I just have to believe that God has a sense of humor since, first of all, He created it and second, how would He put up with us otherwise????

I mean, I ask for things, then when I get them I'm still complaining & wanting more!
A prime example:
I prayed to get pregnant. Let me clarify...asked, pleaded, begged with relentless pursuit.

When God answered that prayer I guess He decided to show me what all that beggin' could get a girl: twins with all the trimmings! Double the weight gain, double the elbows and knees in the bladder... Did I mention the stretch marks? Mercy! Don't you even think I could breast feed at the mall by throwing a blanket over us!!

Now, please don't mistake my thoughts for one second as my making light of it. TRULY the conception, pregnancy, and delivery of my little angels was nothing short of a miracle and I don't take one ounce of that for granted. But I am sure God got a good laugh as He watched me doubt His plans for my life knowing what He had in store for me!

What did I learn from all of that? Well, it was the ultimate lesson in "God is in control" and it's all gonna happen in his time, not mine...

Yes, in this one and oh, so much more of my life, God got the last laugh!

Question: In what ways do you think you make God chuckle as He lovingly gazes down on you?

For the Beauty of the Earth

"For Thyself, best gift divine

To our Race so freely given...

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise."

For the Beauty of the Earth is a great old hymn that I have grown up singing. The lyricist wrote it as he reflected on the beauty of nature. For it is true that God has given us such a rich and beautiful pallet to absorb in nature and I feel especially blessed to live in the Midwest where, despite the cold which I don't like, we have to glorious change of seasons.

I probably view nature with the same awe as does a 5-year old boy (since I do have quite a lot of experience with "those guys"). I am mesmerized by the earth's rich and vibrant color, by sunsets, by a clear/still/silent winter night, I am fascinated by snowflakes...each individual one of them. I love leaves, flowers, rocks, butterflies, blades of grass, mud, centipedes, raindrops, worms....coooool....

Really, this is the stuff that I look at and think, "how did God dream that up?"

He must see each sunset and continue to marvel at it...

But do you know what He marvels at even more than the beauty of His earth?

US

I believe that God must think that His own best and most beautiful creation is not the earth, but those of us in it. For He crafted our every cell, every breath, every part of our being and to Him it is good.

WE are the beauty of His earth.

Therefore, it is our job to maintain that beauty. It is our responsibility to preserve His most beautiful creation by honoring Him with our physical, mental and spiritual beauty.

Sometimes we forget what beautiful creations we are! We don't take care of ourselves...we let our minds lapse...we let our spiritual beauty wither...we let our physical beauty take a back seat to everything else...

But God deserves our very best and so do those around us...and we deserve to create the very best versions of ourselves possible. It is our living tribute to God...and He will say, "It is good"!

Question: In what ways are you honoring God by taking care of yourself? Where could you improve?

Following is my favorite quote ever...I think it sums this up perfectly!

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant,gorgeous, talented, fabulous?”Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God.Your playing small does not serve the world.There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.We are all meant to shine, as children do.We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our own fear,our presence automatically liberates others.
-Marianne Williamson

What 3 Things?

A: The Bible, my make-up, and leopard-print shoes.
Q: What 3 things would you want with you if you were stranded on a deserted island?

First of all, ...ahh...to be stranded...I can think of nothing lovelier! ...Peace...quiet...no email...no phone...no TV...I repeat...peace...and...q..u..i..e..t...aahhhhh.....

Second, let's just assume that my husband and 2 boys are with me...it would be just too much to bear to think otherwise, so they are obviously on the other side of the island happily catching fish for dinner with their bare hands, of course.

So why, then, those particular 3 things to have with my stranded self?
1. The Bible.
Need I say more? It's the Bible. The B-I-B-L-E. Yes, that's the book for me. (Sorry, I digress as I am reminded of an old-school song!) Just picture it. Sitting in the sand for hours, under a palm tree, tropical breeze blowing, cabana boy bringing me a drink with a little umbrella (oops! There I go again...), with uninterrupted time~ hour upon hour (remember the peace, quiet, no phone, no email thing?)~ to basque in the Word and unlock the secrets of the Kingdom of God? ...time to process them...time to journal about them...and quiet enough to hear Him speak to me through them.

2. My make-up.
I really do not care that this is completely impractical! When I look pulled-together, I feel pulled-together! Having on make-up makes me feel ready for the day, presentable, polished, smarter, and like I care enough about myself to put forth some effort (which is actually the case). ...And of course, my vitamin c with sunscreen is in my make-up bag, so that my family and I are protected from the harsh uva and uvb rays during our "stranded phase" as it will come to be known...I mean, really, only an irresponsible women would let herself become stranded without it... (!!!!)

3. Leopard-print shoes.
This just goes without saying! Maybe a peep-toe, platform, heel is a little much for island life, so possibly I should go for a sassy leopard flat here? (I very well may have an animal print addiction, just so that is "out" right here and now!) My theory is that I can think better in leopard-print shoes (and also zebra) than plain black, flip-flips with sequins, and even strappy snakeskins. They bring out my God-given creativity and sass! I think that if stranded on a deserted island wearing leopard-print shoes, I really could start a fire with 2 sticks, build a grass hut, kill/clean/and cook my own dinner (cause let's face it, even if the men in my family are with me, I am still going to be the one calling the shots people!)...all of that stuff...bare-handed...just as long as I am not bare-footed!

Question: What are your 3 things and why?

The Sacrifice of Praise

You have probably heard the phrase "the sacrifice of praise" and you may even know what it means.

But have you really experienced it? I will admit to not getting it for a long time. But I sure do now.

God wants our praise.
He wants our worship.
It is what we are made to do.
He even gifts us to offer our praise and worship in different ways…through our various talents such as vocal or instrumental music, art, loving the unlovable, giving our time, serving through physical labor, etc.

It is so easy to praise Him when things are going well. When things are good. When things are exciting. When you can see God working. (Anyone can praise through the good times.)

However, God calls us to live right, which includes praise and worship, even when it is not easy. When things are not going well. When you feel like crap. When it’s all falling apart. (This shows a maturing faith, a faith that you are serious about.)

THAT is the sacrifice.

It is sacrificial to dig deep and find a way to rejoice in the moment that you feel you are dwelling in the pit of hell. You don’t want to praise, you want to lay in a heap of your own despair and cry and stomp and throw a fit.

Whether in the really big, deep trenches of life or the little daily annoyances, God wants us to find the reasons to praise Him. This kind of sacrifice brings God ultimate joy because he knows the deepest caverns of our hearts and He knows how hard this is for us as humans. That’s why it is called the sacrifice of praise.

In the big stuff…
When I couldn’t get pregnant and "thoroughly disgusted" didn’t even scratch the surface on that subject, it was hard to find something to praise about. But over time I learned to praise God for the experience, to praise Him for the chance to help others who might go through it, to praise Him for helping me learn to rely on Him, to praise Him for the reminder that He is in control (Jer. 29).

And in the small…
He wants our praise for the chaos of life: Thank you God, for a rich, and exciting life…it sure ain’t boring at my house!
He wants our praise for the worries of life: Thank you God, for the opportunity to solve problems in a creative way and to give You the glory…cuz’ I know you are gonna help me figure this out!
He wants us to praise him for the annoyances of life: Thank you God for your protection…surely my running late has helped me avoid some kind of accident or problem.

And He wants our praise in the disappointments of life, too... I had a series of about 4 really big disappointments this past spring. A couple of things that I had worked very hard for that had fallen through, and something where I truly believed God was leading me in a certain direction only to have the door slammed. I was devastated and exhausted, especially with it all happening at once.
But somehow through my earlier "God School" education (this is my version of "home school", but where God is teaching you stuff that you must know in order to proceed on the path He has laid out for you), I knew what I must do: dry the tears if only long enough to thank Him for what I knew He must be doing... even though I had not one clue what it was at the time. (I can actually look back on it six months later and see what "the point" was! I truly praise Him for the learning!)

That, my friends, is faith.

It’s not too late…
No matter how far into the pit of hell you have fallen, I am convinced that finding a way to praise Him through it is the first step in climbing out.

Question: What can you praise Him for today no matter how bad things seem?

My Husband IS the Diamond

The other day I heard a commercial on the radio for a jeweler. They were advertising some special where you could come in and get some great big sparkly diamond for a great price...

or

...you could UPGRADE.

Then they went on to talk about how you may have gotten a tiny little (sounded almost dull and yucky) diamond when you first got married and you could come and trade it in (!) and get a newer, better, bigger, sparklier version.

Of course, they romanticized all of the benefits and reasons for doing that.

I had never really thought about that before.

My diamond isn't very big. And I know that even though my beloved had to save for it, it wasn't really that expensive as far as diamond engagement rings go.

Then this thought popped in my head:

My husband IS the diamond!

Ok, stop rolling your eyes! I am serious!

MY diamond walks in at 5:30 every day. MY diamond puts up with me even when I am not nice. MY diamond does the laundry. MY diamond eats what I cook (even when it stinks!) without complaining, whether it is fish sticks or Fillet Mignon. MY diamond isn't show-y. He is quiet, strong, subtle, loyal, smart, wonderful...a gift from God and truly my soul mate.

So when I got home from that car ride where I heard that commercial, I went into the bathroom and wrote on his mirror with a dry-erase marker, "My husband IS the diamond". Later when I told him the story, I swear he didn't have a dry eye...

Maybe with our men just like our jewelry, some of us have gotten in just too big a hurry to up-grade. (Some of us, however, should have upgraded sooner!!) Maybe we need to consider all that is wonderful about our men...even if they seem a little more like a "diamond in the rough" than a "polished gemstone".

Question: What do you most appreciate about your husband? Tell him!!

Hooks

Hooks.

All I want is hooks.

In every bathroom. Every time.

I really don't think I am asking for that much...really....am I?

So why is it that I continually "eliminate" while staring at the two holes where the hook used to be on the stall door?

...While juggling my purse clinched between chin and chest, right hand holding up my calf-length coat, left hand trying to help thyself shimmey up the tights while somehow preventing my skirt from getting tucked into the back of them.... Oh, crud! Lip gloss falls out of the chin-and-chest-clinched purse and rolls under the stall door and out by the sink...all this while wearing 3-inch leopard-print heels and cussing the name of whom ever has done this to me.

Cause WHERE is the cotton-pickin' hook, for the love of Pete!

Seriously? Where IS the hook? Every hook in America...With every lost sock from the laundry and every pen that was only used once?!?!?!?

Once on a rare occasion when I did find (music swells, spotlight casts) A HOOK, I went straight to Customer Service and thanked them for having a hook. The associate looked at me as though she might be pushing a secret button under the counter to call for back-up. My son said I had just terribly embarrassed him. I was just simply expressing my gratitude for the simple things in life.

And DO I need to seek some good counsel just because I just don't want to place my purse on the floor of a less-than-sterile gas station bathroom? What if I forget that I sat it there and then go home and set it on my kitchen island?

I really don't need tons of stuff in life...

To be in the presence of God.
To wake up next to my beloved husband.
To be loved by my children (even when I embarrass them or make them mad).
To have my dog wag her tail when she sees me.

And to have a @(*#^(*% hook on the back of the bathroom door!
EVERY TIME!!!!!!!!!

Question: What simple thing in life have you been taking for granted?