Saturday, June 26, 2010

Time For Laughter

If it is at all possible, go and see the play The 39 Steps on Broadway. It is a family safe play that is very funny. Even better, have your daughter take you . . . (thank you again peanut!)

In our hectic lives we must (must!) take time to laugh. There is so much work to be done and so many folks who can't do it by themselves. If we are going to be a light to others we need (need!) to take time to laugh. How can we go to someone and tell them we want to help them if we are wearing an old worn out face. How can we say, "Be joyful in all circumstances," and then not be joyful ourselves. Hypocrite! When you can't find the humor or joy in your circumstances, find it somewhere else (like a play, for instance). And by all means, don't waste your time helping folks who should be helping themselves. I'm not saying don't lend a hand or a word of encouragement, but help the folks who need it. Let your joy be evident, let your light shine, crack a smile or even better, just laugh.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Hold My Hand

The kidney stones passed, the allergic reaction passed, the secondary infection is getting better, but this too shall pass. The day is ending and I think about all the things that are going on in my life, but all this too shall pass. And it's good to let these things pass, to let the anger and annoyance and impatience to pass. When my kids were little I used to hold their hand when I had to tell them something I knew they wouldn't want to hear. I'd say, "Hold my hand because it's hard to be mad at someone when you're holding hands with them." You know, they always let me hold their hand, even though they knew it meant I would be telling them something unpleasant. Well, right now, God has got my hand. And no matter what He's got to say, I'll keep holding His hand because I know I am safe. I would rather hold His hand and hear something unpleasant than to have my way and an empty hand. Wherever God leads, I'm following. I may not always like it, but I know it's way better to be in His hand than any other place on or off the planet. When He said, "Take my hand because I've got something to say," I knew in my heart it might be unpleasant, but I never hesitated and I'm not letting go . . .

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Birthing vs. Kidney Stones

Birthing babies hurt. God told us it would. Darn that Eve. However, God created our bodies in such a way that our bodies could accommodate the process. He gave us nice wide hips (thank you God), intermittent contractions, hormones and a flexible birth canal. I'm not saying birthing babies doesn't hurt, I'm just saying that God warned us about it and He made our bodies with all the right parts to do it. Now on the other hand, kidney stones hurt. Our bodies were not made to pass a stone. The path that a stone takes is not one that our bodies were ever expected to allow. I have heard women say, "My husband passed a stone last night, you'd think he'd just given birth." Or, "I told him try birthing a 9 pound baby!" Well, I am here to tell you ladies, passing a stone is equal to or greater than giving birth. Have a little compassion for those men in your life. Can you imagine if while you were giving birth your husband said to you, "If you think that hurts try passing a kidney stone!" Having done both now, birthing and passing kidney stones, I will surely have more compassion for those around me suffering. But, please don't don't go complaining about a hang nail, I would have to say, "Toughen up cupcake!"

Friday, June 11, 2010

In The Midst

Someone said, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to what happens." In other words, our attitude is what dictates how we handle life. I am sitting home right now instead of sitting at my daughter's high school graduation ceremony because I have a kidney stone that needs passing. Wouldn't want to pass it there . . . (my attitude stinks.)

Here is what I know. Deciding to do the right thing and have the right attitude is harder to do than just saying so. Not compromising your principles is easy until your principles are challenged. I can say all day long that I won't gossip and be very successful at it, until that is, the phone rings. I can say I will love all God's people and mean it with all my heart, until, someone speaks unkind to me. I can say I will not grow weary of doing good and then get so worn out I cry. When life is happening, when you're in the midst, how you react will be the truest measure of who you are; your character will shine through and people will take notice. If you do the right thing, if you walk close to God and follow His commands and live authentically, you will likely be hated by man. That's irony isn't it? People hate you when you follow God and hate you when you act like man. My daughter set her standards to God's word and in the midst she was true to Him. She made some enemies along the way, she even received hate mail (way to go honey). But in the end, she's walking at graduation with her principles in tact, her character strong and her attitude right. I'm so proud of her I could burst (and that's pretty much how my kidney feels, too!).

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Message In A Bottle

Did you ever write a message, stick it in a bottle and throw it out to sea? What would you say? What would you hope the outcome to be? Imagine tossing a bottle into the ocean. A small vessel that bottle would be in a sea. What are the chances of someone actually finding it, reading it and responding to it? It seems impossible. One tiny bottle (message), tossed (prayed) into the sea (Heaven). Hoping (hoping) it will be recovered. Then, if it is recovered, will the message be answered?

I am here to tell you that messages (prayers) are recovered (answered) and there is hope, there is always hope.

July 25, 2006 our family threw a bottle into the Pacific Ocean with a message of love and hope.
July 28, 2006 that bottle was recovered by another family. The bottle hadn't traveled all that far (15 to 20 miles) but it made a pretty unique journey past the Golden Gate Bridge in pretty rough seas. It traveled north, up the Pacific Coast where it was found by a lovely family of three. Imagine our surprise and delight to receive a letter (via the U.S. mail, which incidentally moved slower than a bottle in the sea) saying our message was recovered. It seemed impossible.

Say your prayers, toss them to Heaven, expect them to be recovered and know that nothing is impossible with God.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Good:
-My daughter is home from college for the summer and she found a job working with children - her passion (hence her major in Children's Ministry).
-My middle daughter is ranked in the top 10 of her high school graduating class of over 350 students.
-For her birthday she received 3 tickets to a Broadway play and she invited me and her dad to go with her **beaming**.
-The boy is playing baseball on a pretty good summer team and watching him gives me delight.
-I get to leave all my "stuff" behind and just sit in the great outdoors and be a spectator.
The Bad:
-I have been working with a public agency for the benefit of someone who can't do it for himself.
-Bureaucracy runs rampant. . .
The Ugly:
-I have been working with a public agency.
-My foot. Yes, folks, I have become a real klutz. I tripped over the cat racing to get the phone (I thought it may be one of the bureaucrats finally answering my calls). The cat flew threw the air like a football, but not before tearing up my foot with her claws. Someone wants to render my left foot incapable.
But to end on a Good note:
-The husband says, "Feethurt, there is never a dull moment living with you." (Do you suppose that could have a double meaning?)

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Dull And Stupid

I am exhausted. I have been working on a project (details to follow at a later date) that has taken up all of my energy and brain power. I have no sense of humor left, no time for rants, no desire to be clever or light or inspirational or creative. I have had a hot dog for lunch for 4 days in a row. I have become dull and stupid. Yesterday I tried to remove my terribly chipped finger nail polish using Sea Breeze face astringent. When my nail polish was not coming off I began to yell at the cotton ball and accused the blue colored liquid of plotting against me to make my life even more miserable than it already was. I tossed the cotton ball in the toilet and picked up the Sea Breeze to pour it down the bathroom drain. That is when I realized my error in grabbing the wrong bottle. I sat down on the bathroom floor and laughed, . . . then I cried. What a release of emotions! I now know why crazy people are always walking around laughing uncontrollably. It releases those bottled up emotions. I don't know how to do things just a little. It's all the way or not at all for me. There is no in-between. So, while I am working on this project, with all my heart, bear with me. Don't expect anything too inspirational or clever from me, just dull and stupid . . .

Superfluous Strawberries

Simplistic splendor satiates stomach & soul.