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Unexpected Acts of Warmth and Love…. Why don’t we????

09 Mar

Thursday night I received an unexpected text message… It brought such a feeling of warmth and love. On Friday I wasn’t expecting calls from two different friends but the calls came and along with them brought an undeserved warmth and another touch of love.  An email on Friday also did the same.  Then there was  a smile today and a hug that one more time brought that warmth and love.  Oh yes, and a note of appreciation that completely humbled me….Pretty overwhelming when I think about them all together.  You might be thinking that all of that is not really that uncommon.  Maybe not,  but what made it so special was it was unexpected…. not that the expected hug from my daughter before she enters her school building or other family and friend expected acts of warmth and love aren’t wonderful too…. this was just different… these were unexpected acts that were totally from the heart… from one heart to touch the heart of another… I just happened to be the recipient and I was totally affected.maryville-church

This afternoon I heard of the shooting in a church in Maryville, Illinois.  A gunman walked into the Maryville First Baptist Church and shot and killed the pastor during his first Sunday morning service leaving the congregation and community stunned.  Maryville was very close to where I lived in Illinois and I know exactly where the church is and even taught a child in school who attended that church.  It seemed to hit home.

When I started thinking about the situation……. the pastor, his family, the church family, their grief….. I wondered who might just have been that last person to have offered an unexpected act of warmth and love to the pastor.  You know, beyond his normal hugs and love from his family and close friends…. who offered him a hug of thanks or a note of appreciation?  Who sent him a text to see how his week was going and how someone could be praying for him?  Who told him that he had been a catalyst in a changed life?  I hope there were many…but the reality is, maybe there weren’t.  It doesn’t mean that people didn’t think it or feel it but maybe it was something that they felt was uncomfortable or timing was bad… sometimes it is just something we take for granted

I’ve been reflecting on this situation in Maryville because it happened to a pastor and I am a pastor but it’s not a setting irrelevant to others…… the Bible is specific that things happen without warning and without a lot of time to think about it … all the more reason to extend and Unexpected Act of Warmth and Love to others… A mentor, a boss, a neighbor, a friend, a family member and the list goes on……we all need them

An Unexpected Act of Warmth and Love is not to be confused with a Random act of kindness… a random act of kindness is meant to do good too, but an Unexpected Act of Warmth and Love is an act from the heart that is directed to the heart of another.

My eyes are open and my heart is ready… I don’t want to miss an opportunity… and to those who made the calls, texts, emails hugs, smiles and notes… I doubt you have any idea how precious that was to me…. Thank you!

Matthew 25

1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’9” ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’  10“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.11“Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’  12“But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’ 13“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

 
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Posted by on March 9, 2009 in Devotions, Faith, Fun, Life Stories

 

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A tribute to unconditional love and Dr. Seuss..

07 Mar

drs-764661Dr. Seuss was an absolute childhood favorite of mine.  Many nights I would lay in bed and read and reread a multitude of Dr. Seuss books… they are a wonderful part of my childhood memories.  Since I found out that his birthday was earlier this week I thought that I would tribute Dr. Seuss as I tell a story of a love that I was an eyewitness to this week…Enjoy

This is the story of Lydia McNoo
And the time she fell into the Gribbidy Goo

The house of Lydia was painted bright green
And in the town of Hooploo that meant she was mean

But mean she was not
Not the teensiest bit
Not a speck of the speckiest
Of mean in that kid

She loved to smell flowers
And dance in the rain
And rescue wild banzoos
That were hurt and in pain

The townfolks loved Lydia
At least those who knew
That Lydia was kind
Maybe kinder than you

But one day that changed
When she went into town
And all of the Hooplooligans
were standing around

They were reading a sign that flew in the air
It said” Green houses are bad. Does anyone care?”

Lydia saw people looking at her
And right at that moment she felt insecure

Her house was green
As green as a gleen
And then deep inside
She felt kind of mean

With tears in her eyes she ran far away
She could hear distant voices calling her name

Lydia felt tired and tiny inside
And with a her new meanness decided to hide

A Vonvoo tree stood dark and alone
And Lydia thought it was the perfect home

She climbed way up high as wild banzoos do
Way up high in the big Vonvoo
But the limb wasn’t strong enough for Lydia McNoo
It broke and tossed her into the gribbidy goo

It was stinky and dirty and in it she sat
She felt so alone ……she felt so sad
She squirmed and moved
trying hard to get out
She heard people coming
she heard people shout

“Lydia McNoo, we are looking for you!”
“We are looking for you,Lydia McNoo!”

She was quiet and wanted others not to see
That she was filthy, smelly and felt pretty mean

The crowd got closer and closer they got
The light shined on Lydia and the crowd quietly stopped

“Lydia, we’ve found you!” said Matthew McZee
“Here in the Goo under the Vonvoo tree”

“We want to help you get out of that goo.
We are here to help… we are here to help you.”

Too ashamed to look up, Lydia looked down
“You don’t understand,” she said, “I’m bad for your town.”

“My house is green and you should care,
that its best for Hooploo that I not live there”

Matthew smiled and held out his hand
And lifted Lydia onto dry land

“Here now Lydia, let’s get you clean.
We never ever thought you were mean.”

Lydia looked up and saw all the smiles
and knew then and there
She was off by a mile

The people still loved her and they didn’t care
That her house was bright green
They wanted her there
The moon over Hooploo shined brighter that night
and Lydia felt good… she felt all right

She was thankful for friends and glad that it was known
that Hooplooligans loved her and wanted her home

The story’s not over because to Lydia’s surprise
She arrived home to a sight for sore eyes

To help her know that their love was true
Her green house was now painted a bright shade of blue.

So if you’re squirming in Gribbidy Goo
Lift your head up and see who loves you.

 
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Posted by on March 7, 2009 in Faith, Fun

 

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Pride vs. PRIDE…… will the real jerk please stand up…

04 Mar

In the past few days I’ve had to do some dealing with pride…. I think there are two different kinds of pride- the first kind of pride is the standard definition of pride… something to the tune of the “quality of being proud” or “a reasonable self respect.”  When I have worked hard at something and it meets the goals that were created there can definitely be a sense of pride in a job well done.  I’m not so sure that there is anything wrong with that … But there is also the other definition of P.R.I.D.E.  –

Personal

Respect

In

Doses

Exceeding

(Necessity)

I suppose maybe that is more likely PRIDE(N) but you get the picture… this is the kind of pride that gets us into trouble … this is the kind of pride that keeps us from allowing ourselves to be humble… this is the kind of pride that is not only dangerous but can be hurtful… this is the kind of pride that make us look foolish in the end anyway…

My daily reading led me to the story of Balaam and his donkey. (Numbers 22:21-24)

The story in a nutshell is about Balaam on his way to visit Balak who thinks Balaam will place a curse on the Israelites for him.  On the road, Balaam’s donkey suddenly takes off into a field.  He gets so upset at her behavior that he beats her and she gets back up on the road.  Then the next thing the donkey does is as they are passing through a walled area she pushes Balaam’s leg up against the wall and again he gets upset and beats her. Finally the donkey just stops and lays down… again, Balaam(seems like such a pleasant guy)takes his frustrations out on her.  This time, little miss donkey has had enough and turns around and asks Balaam (yes, she spoke) why he keeps hitting her.  He said he was embarassed (his pride was hurt) because she was making him look like a fool in front of others who were supposed to respect him.  Little did Balaam know that his faithful donkey was only protecting him from an angel that the Lord had sent that would have probably killed him and Balaam finally sees the angel and is so sorry for his actions.

So all of this takes place and I noticed something… The writer of this acts as if a donkey speaking is a natural thing.   There are no double takes from Balaam and his traveling crew, nor are there any out of control screams of horror or even laughter… there is nothing.  So here is my take on this… Balaam was so focused on his pride and looking like a fool that he forgot he was conversing with a donkey…and I’m pretty sure looked pretty foolish anyway..

Yep, that is the way PRIDE(N) works… or at least in my life… I focus on what I don’t want others to see because it may embarrass me only to find myself talking to a donkey I end up looking foolish anyway.  There are times I don’t ask others for help and it haunts me later…

Are you experiencing PRIDE(N)?  Balaam saw what he had done wrong… and he was sorry…. me too.


Numbers 22:21-34

21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.

24 Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her again.

26 Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff. 28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”
“No,” he said.

31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. [i] 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.”

34 Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”



 
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Posted by on March 4, 2009 in Devotions, Faith, Fun, Life Stories

 

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Super Communicator …. Helping the Misunderstood and Saving the World

26 Feb

American Idol is one of those shows that I said I would never watch…. Never say never.  I’m not addicted but I sure don’t like to miss it.  Several weeks ago there was the airing of auditions at their stop in Louisville.  Well, as a Kentuckian, naturally I wanted to watch…. as if I wouldn’t have watched any other city… but you know what I’m saying. I wanted to watch people from my region have their 15 minutes or less of fame.  mark-mudd-jrOne guy, Mark Mudd, definitely got his 15 minutes.  He was in multiple commercials and highlights giving what looked to be the look of death (Say those last three words with a deep, melodic voice for a more dramatic reading)  I, like the rest of America, was on the edge of my seat waiting to see exactly what happened and what we Kentuckians are like.

The time came for American Idol to focus on the life story about this guy who would eventually give the doomed evil look.  From that biography we found out that he was really a pretty sweet guy who had actually gone through a lot during his life.  He came in, sang his little song and didn’t make the cut.  As he left he told the judges, “Take care and be careful.”  The judges went ballistic… or at least Paula did. Well, I think they all did to a certain degree.  They took his words as a threat…. as if the guy was telling them to be careful where they go because he might “git ’em” ….Paula jumped at the guy and told him that “you don’t say that to people…”   I started thinking about it. You know,  I say ” Be careful” quite a bit to people.  It is an endearing goodbye as I want the recipient of those words to know that I want to see them again.

I became a little frustrated. I wondered if Paula had gone into another country like Italy and someone said, “Ciao,” would she have the nerve to say, “You don’t say that to people, you might make them think you want to eat them”?  I doubt it.  Good grief, we live in a huge country. Even though we are a United States, I’m thinking it wouldn’t hurt for these folks to do a little studying up on the cultural sayings of the area before they head into a region…. super-communicator

Regardless, the guy was just misunderstood.  I would have liked to have swooped into that room, just like a superhero (I shall name me, Super Communicator) and taken that young man back in front of the judges and explained to them that he was being endearing… a gentleman.  They would have seen the error of their ways and apologized before the guy was made out to be some weirdo in front of millions of people watching.

Super Communicator must have entered into the picture somewhere because American Idol posted an apology for their misunderstanding.  Unfortunately for Mark Mudd, it came after the airing and more so, came quietly where most won’t even know it happened… and probably don’t care.

The American Idol judges misunderstood the intentions of a young man and in doing so they seemed to have missed out on an opportunity of warm Southern hospitality from a regular good guy.

Okay,  so I’m not really Super Communicator out saving people from their state of misunderstanding but maybe someone else is (though I do like my Superhero alter ego outfit)

I’ve been there before and I know being misunderstood stinks…

In Mark 5:1-20 there are a couple of incidents of someone being misunderstood…

The whole incident is about Jesus ridding a man of a legion of demons.  The guy was off living in the tombs (burial caves) by himself because of his demon possession.  The community around him had given up on him and he could not be subdued by anyone nor bound by chains.  So there he was among the caves literally tearing himself apart in misery.   When Jesus arrived he cast out the demons into a herd of pigs.  The pigs…. lots and lots of pigs …went running down a steep bank and into a lake where they drowned.  Those watching the pigs (would they be considered pigherds?  just curious) ran to tell the townspeople.  When they went to check things out they saw the cave guy sitting up, dressed and acting normal.  Others who had seen all of this take place started telling the story about what happened… verifying it… and the townspeople became frightened and begged Jesus to get out of town.

Okay, so Cave guy, he was misunderstood…. well, maybe not so much him being misunderstood as it was people just giving up on him and being frightened of him.  He was obviously dangerous and violent.  As a parent I can totally understand why I would be glad that he was up in those caves away from my family. I can’t say they were wrong in their fear.  But there is also something else I see here…..  This guy just needed Christ in his life.  He was mean, unkept, weird and definitely scary to those around him, but Christ met him and changed his life.  He took those demons out of his life and Cave guy became Normal guy.  Sometimes I think that is how we view people… we fear them because we are unsure that they are really like us so therefore we stay far away.  We misunderstand actions or looks as mean, weird or scary when we don’t understand the demons that they are wrestling…. maybe not the exact same kind of demons that Christ sent out (or maybe they were) but similar… you know, demons of worthlessness, demons of divorce, demons of addictions, demons of abuse, demons of neglect, demons of depression, demons of eating disorders and on and on…. “Cave guy” can be a neighbor, a co-worker, a teacher, a student, a friend, an enemy…. someone who needs Christ to help him get rid of those things that keep him from being able to be close to others, being loved or loving others- in reality, living life as intended…Yes, he was frightening. Yes, he was dangerous and different than others, but Christ didn’t leave him when Cave Guy bowed before him.

Then there is the rest of the story- Jesus- he was misunderstood too… Now here is a man (actually God) who has just taken this demon possessed, scary man and turned him into someone new and the people who were originally scared of this guy aren’t pleased… the words don’t really say exactly why they pleaded with Jesus to leave but I have some speculations.  Other scriptures refer to disciples being terrified when Jesus calmed the storm or others thinking that Jesus was not doing the work of God but of Satan when he healed… I think Jesus’s work was too big to understand… too powerful and too much to grasp.  I guess they could have been upset about the pigs dying too, but I’m leaning toward the frightened theory.   Isn’t that the way we are today though? We see Christ at work but we don’t really know how to handle it.  We misunderstand the intentions of God and then  just like those people, we seem to want to put him on a boat and get him out of town….in other words, we don’t understand why we must go through something and we send Christ on his way all because we could not see the big picture….

We misunderstand people because we don’t understand them completely and we misunderstand the work of God because we can’t understand it completely.  It seems we sure can miss out on a lot of good when we misunderstand and refuse to take another look at people and situations.

Now there is one more thing to be said about the demon possessed man … he had a serious issue and we see that Christ was the only one who could help him. I think that is important.  I’m not advocating putting oneself in danger or staying in a dangerous or abusive sitution just because we are trying to understand why another person acts the way they do… Christ can open doors for professional help and treatment. Our job is prayer and listening to God for direction, protection and strength.

So that makes Christ the Super Communicator, able to take demons out with a single sentence, able to change the way we understand and able to save the world…


Have you misunderstood what God was or is doing in your life?  Have you missed out on seeing his work because you asked him to go?  What about a person who is hurting, alone or is aching and needs Christ to renew them?  Is God asking you to be the person who goes to the caves to get that person and guide them to him?   Just think what you could be missing.

 
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Posted by on February 26, 2009 in Devotions, Faith, Fun, Life Stories

 

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My Very Own Personal Oscars…. And the winner is…..

23 Feb

CB056255I’m not a fan of all the Hollywood Hoopla and hype and often feel like it is way out of control so watching the Oscars is not on my list of things to do…I do however, find some value in honoring some highlights in life.. so I created my own Personal Oscars… Same categories, real people and no one competes against the late Heath Ledger. Here are the winners in each category

Actor in a Leading Role- My husband! Chris told our friend Jeff, who was not in a position to watch a recent college basketball game, that the UK Wildcats were down by 20 points. Chris was amazing as he kept a straight face while watching Jeff in anguish until I blew the whole scene when I revealed that Kentucky was actually winning by 18. uk

Actor in a Supporting Role- My husband! There are so many times when I know my husband is tired or doesn’t feel good but yet is always doing things around the house to help…and almost 100 percent without complaining.

  • Actress in a Leading Role – My neighbor, Alex! Alex planned a wonderful surprise anniversary party for her mom and dad. She planned the whole event, ordered the cake, prepared a cookout at a friend’s house, got everything in order then called her parents to come get her because her car was “broken down”….. Not bad at all for an 18 year old young lady. It was too bad that her parents couldn’t be there though. They were actually at a fundraising event and couldn’t leave. So we all had the anniversary party without them. We did take a picture of everything for them though and later her mom was able to get away and come by. Alex was excellent in not only her call to her parents for car help but in hiding her frustration throughout the whole situation.
  • Actress in a Supporting Role- My daughter Allison! Allison was in the local middle school production of “The Lunch Bunch”. This was the first year that she had the courage to audition and came out with flying colors. Hopefully more stage limelight for her!
  • Animated Feature Film- my daughter Leah! If stop motion is considered animated then she gets the award for “Barbie doll Zombie” (not the original title) on my Iphone
  • Art Direction- My husband! Chris is an amazing behind the scenes kind of guy. He is incredibly creative and often is my go to guy when I need direction in my creativity
  • Cinematography – My friend Marcia! This was a tough one because during our recent ice storm there were so many incredible photos taken of beautiful scenes with great lighting and settings but it was one of Marcia’s photos that inspired me to go take some for myself.
  • Costume Design- Libby Lou’s! My 6 year old spent the day at the mall with her older sisters. I went to pick them up only to find her with pink streaks in her hair, glitter and sparkly hearts and stars on her face.  She was also sporting a Libby Lou’s pink sash along with other Libby Lou paraphernalia… I don’t know why that place is going out of business… We are one of the many who should have paid enough to keep it open.
  • Directing- My daughter, Allison! She is great at directing her little sister to do things and some she herself could even do.
  • Film Editing- My husband and myself! Key phrase, “Turn that off!”
  • Foreign Language Film – My daughter Catie! Catie is often known for her ability to make people tilt their heads and ask, “What did she just say?” A few months ago in my attempt to go “greener” I bought a pack of bottled water in which the plastic bottles were made from corn. Catie took one to school for lunch and her friends were commenting about how hippie-like Catie was with her “green” bottled water. Catie said, ” Well, I’m just saving the fresh water so there will be more for others.” All of her friends stopped talking and looked at her in silence with question marks on their faces. “What?” they all asked. Catie, very proudly, chimed back in, “The water is made from corn so therefore others can have the fresh water.” Her friends all had a good laugh when they finally explained to her that it was not the water but the bottle that was made from corn. The girl does make really good grades… really.
  • Makeup- My friend, Robin! This past summer our church had a Family Adventure. The theme was Adventure Island and we took on a theme similar to Pirates of the Caribbean. Robin’s son Alex was a nightly actor and his eye makeup creeped out some and the others of us  laughing until we cried!  Johnny Depp’s makeup artist has nothing on Robin.alex-mobley-eyes
  • Music (Score) – My car riders! While listening to music in the car we concoct “Life Soundtracks.” These are songs that play as we see people walking on the sidewalk, jogging/running or doing other activities. So often the song will match the beat they are walking to, making it seem as if that song was meant for them… their “Life Soundtrack.” Try it.. you’ll be amazed and it will probably bring a smile to your face.
  • Music (Song) – My daughter Catie! She finally showed the world her beautiful voice by singing a solo in the State Traveling Youth Choir.
  • Best Picture- My daughter, Allison! Normally I love school pictures but this year Allison forgot it was picture day…. and so did her hair. When she brought the proofs home we were pleasantly amazed and humored as we looked at her hair, pulled back and sticking out all over….. matching her cocked smile… oh if I could just show you!
  • Short Film (Animated)– My daughter, Allison! She is amazingly animated when telling a story… just ask her to act out Bon Qui Qui at King Burger… Su-curity!
  • Short Film (Live Action) – My daughter, Allison! An incredible Stunt Person … read here to find out why this Live “action” award would go to her.
  • Sound Editing- My daughter, Catie! When picking her up from school she is barely in the car 2 minutes before she asks one of two questions, “Can I put my music in?” or “Can I change the channel?”
  • Sound Mixing- Me! I often call my daughter Allison, Catie…..my daughter Leah, Allison … my daughter Catie, Allison and ashamed to say it but sometimes I have called our dog, Moe, Leah.
  • Visual Effects-All of my girls! It is amazing how clean their rooms get when they really want to go somewhere… very visually appealing and almost just as if it was a magical special effect of sorts
  • Writing (Adapted Screenplay)- My friends Melissa and Stephanie! They took a script and made it into something incredible for our Family Adventure… Oh, Snap
  • Writing (Original Screenplay) – My daughter Catie! She wrote a children’s book about a cabin boy on the Mayflower.

There you have it… my 2009 Personal Oscars…. And as every good award winner says…. “I want to thank my family, my friends but most of all I want to thank God for making all of this possible.  Thank you.” And you know, I actually mean it!

 
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Posted by on February 23, 2009 in Fun, Life Stories

 

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Where’d She Go? … Falling down again…

19 Feb

Several weeks ago a nice little rainstorm came into our area and left behind some reminders in our yard.  We have one area that, though it seems to drain well, doesn’t get a lot of sunlight so it takes a while to dry.  The ground is very soft and in the summer, even in dry times, is very mushy so you can imagine what a good winter rain leaves it looking and feeling like… pretty much a muddy slip and slide.

It seems that with three daughters we are always trying to rush to get to where we need to go.  This story begins on what just happened to be my oldest daughter’s birthday celebration night.  We were all rushing to go meet grandparents at a restaurant and impatience was running rampant.  My husband and oldest daughter were in the other car while our youngest and myself were in our van.  We were waiting for our middle child.  She knew she was holding everyone up and could probably sense our frustration so when I looked up I noticed that she was rushing to the passenger side of the van.  I looked back down and continued digging for something really important in my purse when I noticed in my peripheral vision … pretty much a slow motion scene… I noticed her laying horizontal in midair and then disappeared… It was like a magic trick gone wrong… Being the sympathetic and compassionate mother that I am,  I laughed….and got out to check on her.  As I rounded the hood of the van there she was sitting in a cushion of mud.. Now, Allison has always had the ability to be a tad bit dramatic… well, really a lot dramatic especially when sympathetic mom is not being so sympathetic … so now was her time to shine.. She was not about to fall, have mom laugh at her and then not make us all feel guilty for it… So she got up, with tears in her eyes and a cracking voice, held on to me as she limped her way into the house to change clothes… something was surely broken… Well, apparently Cheddar’s can cure a broken something because she was fine and laughing about the whole thing a little bit later…

Now, you would think that Allison and I would have both learned our lessons… Her little drama was remembered and smiled about from time to time but for the embarrassment she experienced (our neighbor asked her later if she was okay) and for the guilt that I endured, it was not something that any of us wanted to relive…

Well, then it snowed and rained ice and our driveway became a downhill skating rink.  Again, we were running late for something and I was digging for that ever important something in my purse when I looked up and noticed Allison coming out to the car.  I went about my business and the next thing I know, Allison was once again, horizontal in midair and then disappeared.  I knew better than to laugh.  I quickly opened my door to get out and check on her and I saw her shoulders bobbing up and down and I heard laughter so I joined in… I felt a sense of relief as I was able to laugh this time, not at my daughter but with with her.  As I made my way closer I laughed a bit harder and louder… my daughter looked up at me with tears in her eyes and said something like, ” I can’t believe you are laughing at me!”  It was at that moment that I realized that Allison wasn’t laughing after all, she was sobbing.  She got me again, I was completely guilt-ridden.  I tried to comfort her by explaining that I thought she was laughing and so therefore I thought I had the freedom of sharing a humorous moment with her… She looked at me like I was crazy.  I helped her up, nearly falling too, and directed her back to the house so she could get dry clothes on.

So, two times down (literally) and one to go… Tonight,  for a change, I wasn’t truly in a hurry but my daughter was.  She was semi-pushing for us to make our way out to the car, but for whatever reason I was able to get there before her.  I was doing my thing … you know the routine by now… looking in my purse for something important when I saw her coming to the car.  It had been about six weeks since the first fall and about three since the other so they were long forgotten… but quickly remembered when I, once more, saw Allison disappear …. This time though,  it was a bit different. Before I even had time to maneuver my way out of the car to check on her, she popped straight back up, looked at me through the window and laughed… she shrugged her shoulders and said, “I’ll be right back.”  I chuckled as I watched her go into the house to change out of her muddy clothes…

You know, I fall quite a bit too.  Not physically fall so much, but I fall in other in ways.  I fall in patience, or understanding, or compassion or giving of my time… those are just a few of many.  Falling isn’t really the same as failing.  Failing is at the end of the road, falling is a bump in the road.  After each fall, Allison went back inside, changed clothes and finished what she had started.  She may have been a bit dramatic about it but she didn’t let it keep her from doing what she had intended.

I don’t know where you are as you read this… maybe you are feeling a bit overwhelmed after a fall… maybe it is a health fall, an emotional fall, a financial fall, a spiritual fall… maybe you really don’t have the support that you need to help you get up after that fall.  Sometimes those falls are easy to pop up from, other times a good cry is a natural precursor to getting up and then sometimes we can be totally embarrassed or angry… whatever the case may be, Christ is there with a hand held out to offer you help and hope… holding that hand and allowing him to be the strength is what directs us home….

Mark 5:35-43

35While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?”

36Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

37He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!“). 42Immediately the girl stood up and walked around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.


 
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Posted by on February 19, 2009 in Devotions, Faith, Fun, Life Stories

 

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Moses P. Diddy Hall, I owe you an apology….

11 Feb

At 3:30am this morning(not a myth either) my dog, Moses P. Diddy Hall aka Moe, began barking.  This usually means one thing…. He is an attention seeking, self absorbed dog… okay, maybe it might mean he needs to go potty and therefore is sending us his little dog message… if only he had a big dog bladder in his little dog body… Long story short, he woke us up.  I laid there for a few minutes and fortunately, he stopped barking and didn’t need us after all…  But that is not the part that makes me so proud of Moe,  this is……..

My daughter came running up the stairs as we were all getting ready this morning.  I was concerned because there was a bit of fear in her voice.  She asked her dad if he had been in his car this morning and gotten into his glove compartment.  He said that he hadn’t…. That meant that it had happened again… Our car had been broken into…  They didn’t take much, just a little money.  This is the third time that this has happened since we have lived in this neighborhood.  We live in a nice enough neighborhood and don’t really fear this kind of thing but still yet, always try to remember to lock the car doors.  This just happened to be a night that Chris forgot to lock up… again, not much taken, just some quarters from his change dish and a few dollars from my daughter’s purse….

So really Moe wasn’t barking to go out because he needed to potty, he was barking because he wanted to go outside and bite the thieves’ legs off…. Good Moe.

I find it interesting that my reading yesterday was Leviticus 6-7.   It began like this:

Leviticus 6:1-7

1 The LORD said to Moses: 2 “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the LORD by deceiving his neighbor about something entrusted to him or left in his care or stolen, or if he cheats him, 3 or if he finds lost property and lies about it, or if he swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that people may do- 4 when he thus sins and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to him, or the lost property he found, 5 or whatever it was he swore falsely about. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day he presents his guilt offering. 6 And as a penalty he must bring to the priest, that is, to the LORD, his guilt offering, a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. 7 In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any of these things he did that made him guilty.”

Well, what do you know…. God just told our little car robbers that they need to pay us back plus some.  I’m feeling some justice here… but then I started thinking about it… Yes, this robber guy took something that didn’t belong to him and yes, he is wrong and should fix his wrong, but the robber guys are not reading this passage… I am…

So what have I taken from someone else?  Maybe it isn’t something material but maybe it is something just as important if not more … something like dignity, respect or esteem.. I hope I haven’t, but the reality of it is, I am human and there are things that I regret saying and regret doing.  I would like to think that I have the wisdom and compassion now that I didn’t have years ago and if given the opportunity I probably need to apologize… why not?  It might be giving back plus more… I’ll start with Moe…

Moe, I’m sorry I named you Moses P. Diddy Hall..( I’m sure that has to be a dignity issue when he is around other dogs), and I’m sorry I wasn’t respectful of your barking at 3:30am when I mumbled, “Stupid Dog!”  For the most part you are a good dog.

Next, I am on to real people… Mrs. Ricker, I’m sorry for giving a smart alec remark when you were taking role in fourth grade.  You may not remember but I have never forgotten it… and since I can’t give back that respect, I do want to tell you this…..  One time in church you gave your testimony about feeling called to be a missionary….You said something to the fact that you weren’t sorry for your life as a teacher, mom and wife as it was but you were sorry that you hadn’t been obedient when God called you into that ministry field.  You then encouraged others to be obedient to what God had called them to do so as not to later regret… I remember it well and I took those words and eventually put them into practice. Thanks for that.

Now, who is next??

What have you taken from someone? Can you give it back?

 
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Posted by on February 11, 2009 in Devotions, Faith, Fun, Life Stories

 

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16 Ways to Keep My 16 year-old Off of the Road

09 Feb

My daughter recently turned 16.   I’m pretty laid back about things but the other day when she said she was ready to get her driving permit it hit me that she was really at that stage in her life.  She needed several things to take with her to the DMV; her birth certificate, her social security card and a paper stating she is enrolled in school. Well, she did her part to get her school info but I kept dragging my feet getting her other documents.  My mind started racing… What would she do if those documents just happened to be “lost.”  Now I am not the type of mother to manipulate my daughter but it did run through my mind.  What if the document thing didn’t pan out though….. what would be next?  What would I stoop to?

I’ve made my list-16 ways to keep my daughter off of the road…

  1. Tell her that all licensed drivers must spend a two year stint of public service driving daycare vans – and then top it off with horror stories of vomit and stinky diapers
  2. Give her the keys to the car-  a set from the lost and found at Wal-mart that belong to someone else and then look at her like she is crazy when she says they don’t work
  3. Tell her when she loses the next tooth the tooth fairy will give her a key under her pillow… sometimes vanity is beautiful
  4. Sell the cars- I can do without
  5. Tell her that I fibbed about her actual birthdate and she is still only 14.temporary-poster-1
  6. When she asks to take the car, I will respond, “No hablo ingles”
  7. Paint her bedroom windows black… she’ll sleep for months
  8. Duct tape pool noodles all over the car … for safety… again, sometimes vanity is beautiful
  9. Tell her that there is a warrant for her arrest and going to get her license might land her in jail
  10. Everytime she mentions driving I will scream a B movie horror scream….I’m thinking Pavlov’s Dog, you know.. conditioning will kick in eventually
  11. Have a group of actors storm the house and tell her she won the teen publishers house sweepstakes… she is so rich she can afford a limo with driver
  12. Super glue the car doors shut
  13. Explain the new family tradition where the youngest qualified driver now purchases all gas for all family vehicles as well as washes all cars on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and buys dinner on Friday nights…
  14. Everytime she mentions the words drive, I will respond with “Dive? You want to dive?”
  15. Tell her she must learn to drive a stick shift before she can take her driving test
  16. And the one that I know will work for sure…. give her the minivan

Ephesians 6:4

4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Okay, I’m not going to lie to my daughter… and I will take her this week to get her permit….I don’t want to exasperate her….. but I can stock up on pool noodles and get an enormous bow for the minivan

Sometimes we parents have to be creative.

 
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Posted by on February 9, 2009 in Fun, Life Stories

 

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Five o’clock in the Morning is not a Myth after all….

07 Feb

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not a morning person. My family, close friends and co-workers can vouch for me here.  Fortunately, I’ve never had to travel any distance in the morning to work or school that would require me to get up extremely early.  In fact,  until this morning I thought 5:00am was a myth.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve stayed up many late nights and I’ve seen the clock pass by 5:00am, but in those cases I just thought it was some fluke of nature or science.  You know, kind of a Quantum Leap or a Close Encounters type thing.  I’ve also been up at 5:00am when the girls were babies.   But again, I thought that was only caused by some postnatal hormonal collapse or something… Regardless, I never realized that I could ever get up at 5:00am and be civil much less star in my very own sitcom episode…

Here’s how the episode played out….My thirteen-year-old daughter plays violin for orchestra at school.  They won some award that gave them the honor of performing a special concert in front of the governor.   Like any normal performance they have a certain look they must achieve.. black pants and white shirt… but this time her teacher added something a bit more to the attire…. She told them to look “elegant”.  Well,  apparently elegant means curls in your hair because my daughter asked me to do the honors of curling her hair so she could sleep in them.  When all of the curlers were in we laughed a little about her curler head appearance and then she went on to bed.

This morning I made sure she got up (well, lets just say I set the alarm) at 5:00am to finish getting ready.  Just as I was about to doze back to sleep I heard this howling laugh coming from the other room.  I covered up my head and was just thankful that she hadn’t woken up anyone else .  Then the laughter came again only this time a bit longer.  Then I heard footsteps and she stood at the bedroom door and said, “Mom!  You have to see my hair!!”  I uncovered my head, squinted my eyes and turned to look…… she began singing, “Animal Crackers in my soup…” and “On the Good Ship Lollipop..”  My first reaction was to say… no, it was 5:00am, “say” is too gentle……My first reaction was to yell,  “What are you doing?!?”  And I did….. but when I did, I saw what was making her laugh…. at that very minute, I was stunned as a 5 foot 3 inch Shirley Temple stood at the bedroom door… It was a remarkable resemblance.  I know, I know… it was early in the morning but I’m telling you I know the secret to Shirley Temple’s hair.  .  shirleytemple1Allison continued her song and I jumped (literally) out of bed to get a closer look… My daughter kept bobbing her head and singing.  I couldn’t stand it, she was hilarious and her hair was horrible!!  I began using my fingers to loosen up the curls but like those little animals that grow when exposed to water,  her hair started to expand.  It got bigger and bigger and bigger.  Again, we doubled over with laughter.  Finally after about 15 minutes of laughter, intermingled with trying to create an elegant (wasn’t happening) look, my daughter shook it all off an put her hair up in a ponytail.  We even laughed at the ponytail’s awkward appearance… looking somewhat like a second head.

As all sitcoms seem to do, our “episode” ended with a happy ending when I dropped her off at school.  As she walked into the school I thought to myself, “this is a morning I want to remember.”  My teenage daughter was incredible.  I was so proud of her….If I had been in her shoes I would have probably been sobbing  in my room and trying to figure out how to get out of going to the performance.  She didn’t though,  she remained calm,  laughed it off and used plan B; the ponytail.

What an example she set. After all, why do we worry?

Matthew 6:25-34

25“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? 26Look 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? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?

28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 
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Posted by on February 7, 2009 in Devotions, Faith, Fun, Life Stories

 

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The Legend of the Lobster (or How the Lobster became a Rich Man’s Delicacy)

03 Feb

I once had an assignment that asked how the lobster became a delicacy of the rich man.  I didn’t have an answer and I was too lazy to research so I created a little poem that told the story… This is purely fiction so quoting it at a Red Lobster Poetry Slam will do nothing more than provide entertainment… Have fun!!

The Legend of the Lobster (or How the Lobster Became a Rich Man’s Delicacy)

Years ago in the village of New Acklam,
a bounty by the sea could be found.
The poor, hungry villagers would trek there
to search for food on the ground.

Large lobsters by the hundreds
much more than man could eat
were taken, oh so for granted,
and provided little of a treat.

Yet they scavenged for years upon years
preparing lobster in all soups and all dishes,
until young William John Adams picked one up that shined
and granted him three mighty wishes.

Young William wished for two things,
and long forgotten those wishes be.
But the third wish, oh that third wish,
changed his family, the village and the sea.

William wished for all the poor villagers
to never eat lobster again,
but instead have bountiful portions
not only of the sea but dry land.

The lobster granted his wishes
and the villagers ate from the land.
They forgot about their years of lobster
and always had plenty food at hand.

It was years later when William was older
and a father and grandfather he be,
that he told of the tale of the lobster
and that treasured day at the sea.

Yet as he spoke of that day,
that moment he praised so much,
he began to crave the white meat
that he had as a boy for lunch.

He wanted to taste another lobster,
as it had been so many years.
He walked to the ocean and searched,
yet his search only ended in tears.

What had he done? He was remorseful,
for those had been pleasant days.
As he sat on the beach on the rocks
he saw something coming his way.

It was a boy he saw walking
with a large pack upon his back.
He noticed the pack had movement
and so asked what was in the sack.

“A lobster, a large lobster,”
the young, curious boy replied.
It was to feed his poor family,
his family of quite large size.

William gleamed with excitement
and offered to pay for the sack.
But the boy refused greatly
for he had no other food to take back.

William had grown into wealth
from hard work or a wish he had gained.
So he offered the boy and his family
a lifetime of fortune and fame.

He paid the boy for the lobster
enough to feed plenty for months.
Then he and the boy worked together
to catch lobsters for others to munch.

The lobsters were few to be found
and costly to seek and to catch.
Yet those who hadn’t tasted the meat were curious
and paid greatly for a batch.

The taste they grew very fond of,
The texture, they begged for more.
It was the boy on the beach with the lobster
whose family opened a store.

They sold only to the wealthy
and gave profits to the poor.
Their fame spread through the Northeast,
Through the country and the world.

So lobsters today aren’t many,
their value is highly prized.
And now William John Adams is famous
and in New Acklam immortalized!

 
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Posted by on February 3, 2009 in Fun

 
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