Tonight around the dinner table, the Poppa pulled our Daily Family Bible Verse/Question card from the holder & read...
I Corinthians 13:5
Love does not demand its own way.
Love is not irritable.
Then he flipped the card over to ask the discussion question:
What does irritable mean?
To which the boy immediately replied "I know, I know, it means: Do not pick your nose!"
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Me & my shadow.
As much as I love having a little boy, there is nothing that compares to
having a little girl. She is truly heart of my heart. I adore her, she
makes me laugh every day and stretches my heart in ways that I could
never have imagined. I dream big dreams of her.
She follows me everywhere. And I mean everywhere.
If I'm in the kitchen, she's at the counter "helping" do dishes. If I'm in the laundry, she's jabbering away while folding (scrunching) clothes up. If I'm watching Judge Judy (a guilty pleasure) she's sitting there beside me laughing it up. When I put on makeup, she's got a set of brushes and some powder she likes to swirl on.
She's such a paradox. She's really, really loving. Very motherly. 90% of the time she's dragging a baby doll along with her. Her favorite person to take care of? Bubby. She makes sure he has milk to drink, snacks to eat, toys to play with. (She also is the first to whack him upside the head if the mood strikes, but then she soothes him, saying, "Sorry Bubby. Sorry Bubby. You ok?" over and over.)
I am so aware of my influence in her life. By the very way I am living my life I am teaching her BIG, BIG lessons. She will love her husband the way I love the Poppa. She will love herself the way I love myself. Silently, without saying a word, I am the one she will compare all things female to.
The power of this relationship scares me at times. I feel inadequate. Unprepared. There is so much of my life I need to repair, to fix, to correct. I cannot lead her in the way she should go. Many nights I fall into bed knowing that I have failed. I have not imparted wisdom. Tears fall from my eyes and I do the only thing I know to do in those moments.
I pray.
I pray very, very hard.
And if somehow, someway I can pass that one nugget of truth along to her........that in her moments of weakness & failure, there is a God who loves us beyond all human understanding........then I will have considered my parenting skills to be complete.
She follows me everywhere. And I mean everywhere.
If I'm in the kitchen, she's at the counter "helping" do dishes. If I'm in the laundry, she's jabbering away while folding (scrunching) clothes up. If I'm watching Judge Judy (a guilty pleasure) she's sitting there beside me laughing it up. When I put on makeup, she's got a set of brushes and some powder she likes to swirl on.
She's such a paradox. She's really, really loving. Very motherly. 90% of the time she's dragging a baby doll along with her. Her favorite person to take care of? Bubby. She makes sure he has milk to drink, snacks to eat, toys to play with. (She also is the first to whack him upside the head if the mood strikes, but then she soothes him, saying, "Sorry Bubby. Sorry Bubby. You ok?" over and over.)
I am so aware of my influence in her life. By the very way I am living my life I am teaching her BIG, BIG lessons. She will love her husband the way I love the Poppa. She will love herself the way I love myself. Silently, without saying a word, I am the one she will compare all things female to.
The power of this relationship scares me at times. I feel inadequate. Unprepared. There is so much of my life I need to repair, to fix, to correct. I cannot lead her in the way she should go. Many nights I fall into bed knowing that I have failed. I have not imparted wisdom. Tears fall from my eyes and I do the only thing I know to do in those moments.
I pray.
I pray very, very hard.
And if somehow, someway I can pass that one nugget of truth along to her........that in her moments of weakness & failure, there is a God who loves us beyond all human understanding........then I will have considered my parenting skills to be complete.
Friday, September 4, 2009
T.G.I.F.
Whew. I'm glad to mark this week off the calendar.
Some highlights in no particular order include:
....a large leak found under the shower in our bathroom, MAJOR $$$ & repair time needed...
....a notice informing me I had paid our house payment late (first time ever)...
....stood in the "express" 'lane for about 25 minutes...
....bombarded by interpersonal conflict with persons I really love & care about.....
....the dog pooped in the bathroom (three times).....
....went out with the 2 year old and did not have a pull up or wipes (will NOT elaborate)...
....was given the wrong bag of food at the drive through line...
....my kids seem to have a serious case of the grumblebees.....
....am finishing up a round of antibiotics because of an infection in my body....
....visited the Walmarts 3 times in 2 days & still forgot detergent....
....dropped a cup of hot coffee all over my shirt....
....killed a HUGE nasty spider in our basement....
....got stuck in a major traffic jam on the interstate on my way to work....
Often, it's the little things that rob our joy. This week it's been easy to see how much more grace I need in my life. It's doubtful that my FRUIT would have been very tastey in the above mentioned moments.
Some highlights in no particular order include:
....a large leak found under the shower in our bathroom, MAJOR $$$ & repair time needed...
....a notice informing me I had paid our house payment late (first time ever)...
....stood in the "express" 'lane for about 25 minutes...
....bombarded by interpersonal conflict with persons I really love & care about.....
....the dog pooped in the bathroom (three times).....
....went out with the 2 year old and did not have a pull up or wipes (will NOT elaborate)...
....was given the wrong bag of food at the drive through line...
....my kids seem to have a serious case of the grumblebees.....
....am finishing up a round of antibiotics because of an infection in my body....
....visited the Walmarts 3 times in 2 days & still forgot detergent....
....dropped a cup of hot coffee all over my shirt....
....killed a HUGE nasty spider in our basement....
....got stuck in a major traffic jam on the interstate on my way to work....
Often, it's the little things that rob our joy. This week it's been easy to see how much more grace I need in my life. It's doubtful that my FRUIT would have been very tastey in the above mentioned moments.
"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards,
our vineyards that are in bloom."
Song of Solomon 2:15
Friday, August 28, 2009
Perspective
Yesterday afternoon, I was renewed.
The weather was perfect.
A warm breeze was blowing.
And the sky so blue it took my breath away.
I looked up at the puffy, clean, white clouds and lost all track of where I was going and what needed to be done. I was still for a few minutes and allowed the beauty of the world around draw me in. Closing my eyes, I listened to the birds singing and drew in deep, cleansing gulps of fresh air.
And then I bowed my head in amazement to think that the God who painted the skyline with such magnificent, galloping clouds also formed every part of me that makes me Me.
He is such a good, good, GOOD God.
I just don't say that enough.
The weather was perfect.
A warm breeze was blowing.
And the sky so blue it took my breath away.
I looked up at the puffy, clean, white clouds and lost all track of where I was going and what needed to be done. I was still for a few minutes and allowed the beauty of the world around draw me in. Closing my eyes, I listened to the birds singing and drew in deep, cleansing gulps of fresh air.
And then I bowed my head in amazement to think that the God who painted the skyline with such magnificent, galloping clouds also formed every part of me that makes me Me.
He is such a good, good, GOOD God.
I just don't say that enough.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
I'm a wanna..be
I want to..... never give up.
I want to care more for others than for self.
I don't want to desire what I don't have.
I don't want to strut, Or have a swelled head,
I don't want to force myself on others,
I don't want to always be "me first,"
I don't want to fly off the handle,
I don't want to keep score of the sins of others,
I don't want to revel when others grovel,
I want to take pleasure in the flowering of truth,
I want to put up with anything,
I want to trust God always,
I want to always looks for the best,
I never want to look back,
I want to keep going to the end.
(A Momma paraphrase of The Message I Corthians 13:4-7)
I want to care more for others than for self.
I don't want to desire what I don't have.
I don't want to strut, Or have a swelled head,
I don't want to force myself on others,
I don't want to always be "me first,"
I don't want to fly off the handle,
I don't want to keep score of the sins of others,
I don't want to revel when others grovel,
I want to take pleasure in the flowering of truth,
I want to put up with anything,
I want to trust God always,
I want to always looks for the best,
I never want to look back,
I want to keep going to the end.
(A Momma paraphrase of The Message I Corthians 13:4-7)
Monday, August 17, 2009
Breathe In. Breathe Out.
Gasp! Has it really been a week since I've posted anything here? You
must be hanging on the edge of your seats wondering what is happening to
us? Ha! Ha!
Ahh, you know what they say about good intentions. I kept meaning to fill you in all the excitement that occurs 24/7 in our house. You know, like the grocery shopping and the laundry and the cleaning and the cooking and the working and the church attending and the laundry and the dog grooming and the kid wrestling and the yardwork and the laundry and the bill paying and the neigborhood meetings and did I mention the laundry?
If your life is anything like mine, the routine of our days seem to ebb & flow like the waves of the ocean. I wake up, pour the coffee, wake the kids, take a shower, kiss the husband, dress the kids, turn on cartoons, groom myself, kids to preschool, sit at my desk for a few hours, pick the kids up, make dinner, sort the mail, straighten the house, bathe the kids, go to bed; only to wake up the next day to do it all over again.
Ho.Hum. Mundane. Same ole' same ole.
EXCEPT:
If I were homeless, I'd think the routine was a comfort.
If I were dying, I'd find the routine to be healing.
If I were hungry, I'd declare the routine a blessing.
If I were lonely, I'd know the routine was love.
If I were broke, the routine would be so rich.
Ahh, you know what they say about good intentions. I kept meaning to fill you in all the excitement that occurs 24/7 in our house. You know, like the grocery shopping and the laundry and the cleaning and the cooking and the working and the church attending and the laundry and the dog grooming and the kid wrestling and the yardwork and the laundry and the bill paying and the neigborhood meetings and did I mention the laundry?
If your life is anything like mine, the routine of our days seem to ebb & flow like the waves of the ocean. I wake up, pour the coffee, wake the kids, take a shower, kiss the husband, dress the kids, turn on cartoons, groom myself, kids to preschool, sit at my desk for a few hours, pick the kids up, make dinner, sort the mail, straighten the house, bathe the kids, go to bed; only to wake up the next day to do it all over again.
Ho.Hum. Mundane. Same ole' same ole.
EXCEPT:
If I were homeless, I'd think the routine was a comfort.
If I were dying, I'd find the routine to be healing.
If I were hungry, I'd declare the routine a blessing.
If I were lonely, I'd know the routine was love.
If I were broke, the routine would be so rich.
May God continue to help me find the extraordinary
all around me in this wonderful life I live.
A history lesson.
I was privelege to share this during the Friday night service @ the Culloden Campgrounds a few weeks ago.)
Culloden Campgrounds…
In 1969, my parents dated on these grounds.
In 1976, at this very altar, my dad, with my Mom by his side, was ordained as a minister of the gospel of Christ as part of the Wesleyan Church.
My entire childhood was spent in parsonages within the state of WV. My parents moved a few times, but the one constant for my sisters and I was the campgrounds of Culloden Camp. At least 3 weeks each summer were spent here (Youth Camp, Kids Camp & then District Conference & Camp.) Even now, when we are together, we spend lots of evenings staying up late, laughing and recalling good memories of people we loved & knew from our summers here.
In 1984, I was introduced to the Poppa at a youth camp. Truth be told, I didn’t like him very much at the time.
In 1985, that same young man at a youth camp service, was called into ministry here at this altar. Because of the workers at the camp, he then went on to attend United Wesleyan College & Southern Wesleyan College.
In 1993, the Poppa & I dated on these campgrounds. In fact, it was during Family Camp at the Milton Dairy Queen, he gave me his infamous marriage proposal.
In 1994, at this very altar, the Poppa, with me by his side as his new wife, was ordained as a minister of the gospel of Christ as part of the Wesleyan Church.
In 2001, at this same altar, with the Poppa by MY side, I was commissioned as a Lay Worker of the gospel of Christ as part of the Wesleyan Church.
And then in 2008, we brought our miracle babies to Family Camp for the first time. I wish I could fully describe to you their excitement at just being here. I wrote in my journal last August….
…10:15 pm and the boy just fell asleep. There is just something special….. dare I call it holy ground….. here at this place, this camp. Instinctively, without knowing any of the important history this place has played in his life, he feels safe & loved here. Life has brought us back full circle to these grounds. Through my children’s pure joy at being here, on the campgrounds, with these people, in this little house, I am being renewed & reminded of God’s faithfulness in my life……”from generation to generation” has been fulfilled in my life tonight……. My prayer is that this place will always be a place God uses to bring me & my family closer to Him……
Culloden Campgrounds…
In 1969, my parents dated on these grounds.
In 1976, at this very altar, my dad, with my Mom by his side, was ordained as a minister of the gospel of Christ as part of the Wesleyan Church.
My entire childhood was spent in parsonages within the state of WV. My parents moved a few times, but the one constant for my sisters and I was the campgrounds of Culloden Camp. At least 3 weeks each summer were spent here (Youth Camp, Kids Camp & then District Conference & Camp.) Even now, when we are together, we spend lots of evenings staying up late, laughing and recalling good memories of people we loved & knew from our summers here.
In 1984, I was introduced to the Poppa at a youth camp. Truth be told, I didn’t like him very much at the time.
In 1985, that same young man at a youth camp service, was called into ministry here at this altar. Because of the workers at the camp, he then went on to attend United Wesleyan College & Southern Wesleyan College.
In 1993, the Poppa & I dated on these campgrounds. In fact, it was during Family Camp at the Milton Dairy Queen, he gave me his infamous marriage proposal.
In 1994, at this very altar, the Poppa, with me by his side as his new wife, was ordained as a minister of the gospel of Christ as part of the Wesleyan Church.
In 2001, at this same altar, with the Poppa by MY side, I was commissioned as a Lay Worker of the gospel of Christ as part of the Wesleyan Church.
And then in 2008, we brought our miracle babies to Family Camp for the first time. I wish I could fully describe to you their excitement at just being here. I wrote in my journal last August….
…10:15 pm and the boy just fell asleep. There is just something special….. dare I call it holy ground….. here at this place, this camp. Instinctively, without knowing any of the important history this place has played in his life, he feels safe & loved here. Life has brought us back full circle to these grounds. Through my children’s pure joy at being here, on the campgrounds, with these people, in this little house, I am being renewed & reminded of God’s faithfulness in my life……”from generation to generation” has been fulfilled in my life tonight……. My prayer is that this place will always be a place God uses to bring me & my family closer to Him……
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