Archive for January, 2014

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All 3 Same Day

Thursday, January 30th, 2014

I hate driving at night. I’m blind to normal sights thanks to darkness. I misjudge distances and think I see things that aren’t there. But as I drove home last night at 7:15pm in the dark, I couldn’t stop smiling.

My heart was full of joy because I was able to see, touch and love on all 3 of my kids in the same day!!!

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Driving an hour plus in the blackness didn’t even faze me!!!

I had to pick up a prescription from our doctor back south and lucky for me, my youngest had class cancelled.  I picked her up on my way by and we did the running around stuff together.

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I loved being out & about with my girl.  I’ve missed seeing her and we got caught up on all that life’s been dealing us.

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We ran by Gavin’s too.  He left his Alabama beanie at our house, so we dropped it by on our way.  Good hugs make a mama happy.

I ended the day with both girls.  A TJ Maxx run and a chili dog from Rally’s.

BEST DAY EVER!!

Love,
Mama of 3 grown awesome kids

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Cut-n-Dry Gospel

Tuesday, January 28th, 2014

I'm simple.  What you see is what you get, literally.  I don't teeter in my beliefs and I certainly don't do a good job of hiding how I feel about them.  Some call it, intolerant.  I call it, just being true to who I am.  I take God's Word as truth.  I believe what it says and I don't think of it as a playground to jump on and slide around on however I want.  The world tries to pursuade me (and you) to water it down or manipulate it to fit our particular wants or needs every single day.  Lots of people fall for that malarkey.  While I won't get into who is right or who is wrong, I will just say….I'll take my chances that I'm on the right track.

I didn't watch the Grammy's.  I didn't need to.  I knew I'd hear all about all the risky or "acceptable" performances the next morning on all the talk shows.  (Which, I did)  Still, I pretty much ignored it.  The people who participate in WOWing the audience & viewers have an agenda.  You've heard about the giant group wedding, right?  With every performance, every chance at a microphone and every opportunity to make a stand…..these folks want to tell you and me WE ARE WRONG!

We're wrong to believe scripture says homosexuality is a sin.  We're the mean ones for sticking to a belief that is ignorant, outdated and old fashioned.  We are the ones who hate.  We are cruel, unfair and evil.  And the more outrageous the show….the more fun they poke or humiliation they hurl at those who claim to be a Christian.

I don't have an agenda against anyone who is gay.  I don't hate gay people.  I don't behave in a way that is cruel or embarrassing to someone who chooses to love someone of the same sex.  EVER!  But, I have been hated, argued with and made to feel ashamed many times by someone who calls themself gay.  I've been judged, I've been snubbed and I've been talked about.  Again, something I never do to a person that believes their sexual preference is NO BIG DEAL.

Let me take this to one level higher.

I don't have a THIS SIN IS BIGGER THAN THAT SIN attitude or belief.  If you are a person sleeping with and having sex with a person that you are not married to….you are sinning against GOD.  Not against me, against what scripture teaches as righteous and holy behavior in the eyes of God.  If you are cheating your boss at work, you are sinning against God & His word.  If you are not paying your part in the government tax system, you are sinning against God.  If you are vandalizing someone's property and breaking a law, you are sinning against God.  If you are not being honest with your wife or husband about something, you are sinning against God.

Sin is sin.  No matter the vice you choose.  There are no levels of good & bad.  Or wrong & right.  Either you are choosing what is right (in the eyes of God) or you are choosing to go against God.  This whole concept of playing games with truth is a big fat joke.  Only it's not a funny one, as many will see on judgement day.

One of my biggest struggles is with understanding.  I can't understand how so many justify sinful behavior.  I also can't understand how so many people claim to be Christians yet do the complete opposite of what God & scripture teach.  Even better, when they claim the Bible doesn't contain instruction or they twist it to be OLD RULES in order to fit their current desires or circumstances.  Sadly, this blatant disregard for truth will come back full circle….someday.

The real truth of the matter is that those living like hell aren't genuine followers of Christ.  They don't have a real & personal trust in Jesus.  They may call out to Him when they need him but they don't truly have a grasp of WHO JESUS REALLY IS.  He's a saver, not a saviour!

If I remember this nugget of knowledge….then I can understand a little better the how's and why's of their choices.  It makes much better sense when they lash out at Christians on Facebook for their beliefs or post pictures of themselves in questionable situations (that leave no wondering what's going on in the imagination) or when they jump on a bandwagon of STICK IT TO YOU JESUS FREAKS justice for all (except you mean Christians) movements. 

I see it clearly then.  There is no grey in following God.  It's either black or white.  For me there is no in between.  And, I'll never apologize for it.

 

When the world tries to tell you to accept this or accept that…..don't be afraid to filter it through Christ.  It's okay, to disagree.

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Granny’s Chest

Monday, January 27th, 2014

Many years ago, I inherited a piece of furniture that belonged to my grandmother.   I’m not sure how old it is, possibly a gift to her in the seventies.  I remember it in her bedroom and it seemed fairly newish then.   With a large famiiy like mine, treasures like this are very special.  I cherish it because of her.  She was good to me and from my memories…..I know that she loved me and enjoyed every bit of me!

I can still hear her cackling laugh.  I loved her so much!

For years my hubby and I have hauled this cedar chest from house to house. We’ve used it to pile quilts on, pushed it against walls as a cabinet and allowed it to get damaged in storage.   Lucky for me, my hubby makes promises that he keeps and salvages what matters to me when we mess up.  I cried when I realized the chest had lost its legs due to water damage….but then I happened to see a rehabbed chest at an antique store.  Some genius had put tall legs on a boring old cedar chest to give it new life and I was sold!!

I snapped a pic and the dream was set in motion!

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This is my granny’s cedar chest with new legs. I am so excited!  It’s still so cold here so we had to bring it inside to get it warm enough to finish it up.  You can see the sanded spots if you look closely.

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I’ll post the finished pictures as soon as we can get the painting done.

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Having something special from a person you loved & admired is indescribable.   I love having a little piece of my granny with me and I really love its new look!!

I imagine her surprise and joy at its creative new life.  She was one of a kind!

I miss her…

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Practice What You Preach

Friday, January 24th, 2014

self controlI saw the strange charge on her account but couldn't reach her to ask her about it.  What alarmed me was that her account was $87 dollars in the negative.  Quickly, I transferred a $100 dollars to her account because that's what parents of college punks do. 

Save them.

Or ourselves from paying tons of fees later.

I forgot about the whole ordeal until my hubby mentioned talking with our youngest daughter about the charge.  The story was murky and didn't make any sense to him but he accepted it as being "handled".  I decided to discuss it with her and what I heard from the other end of the phone was almost unbelievable.  My girl, scammed.  My smart girl fell for a "supplement" trick?  How?  She knows better.

I wish I could say that I handled it like a trooper.  Perhaps I did handle it like a trooper, a state patrol trooper who'd just caught a serious bad guy doing serious bad guy stuff. 

I overreacted.

I was full-on harsh!  I didn't realize it until I heard her tears through the phone.  I hurt her with going on and on, the questions and the lack of understanding.  I did exactly the opposite of what I had JUST ENCOURAGED OTHER'S to do on Facebook –>

~~You will never regret saying something nice to someone.

 Go quick….pay someone a compliment right now!

Oh yea, that's what I said but didn't do for my already roughed up and embarrassed kid.  As a mom, I hold the power to build up or tear down (my kids).  Sadly, I make huge errors as I react to mistakes or flubs and I hate that about myself.  We made peace before hanging up but I know how something like that sticks with you.  My frustration will probably affect her throughout her day.  I regret missing the chance to handle it gracefully.

Isn't it ironic how we can say one thing and do another?

Note to self:  PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!!

 

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I Have a Gift

Thursday, January 23rd, 2014

wasteI've come to realize that I am loaded with gifts.  Some of them brag worthy…others of them, not so much.  Being blessed with fancy abilities seems like a winning problem to have, huh?  Sometimes, its a license to be totally awesome and other times it's a pile of pressure that feels like too much to handle.

Oh, the struggle to be… all of that.

Take for instance my latest discovered gift.  Day wasting.  I have taken day wasting to a level of near professional status.  I've gotten so good at it that it's starting to look like normal everyday living.  See, I'm that good.  I even GET UP EARLY to start my day wasting right.  I mix in productive things within the day too.  Like….cooking breakfast, putting on lounge around the house wear (comfy pants/bra), going outside with the dog and running to the front window to see if anyone's delivered a package from the Amazon.

Don't judge.

I never planned on becoming a day waster.  Matter of fact, I had plans.  I had big plans.  I was going to get out and about….and do important things.  Things that I didn't have time to do before I quit working.  Thrift shopping, DIY projects, decorating my house, making my yard look awesome possum and of course, GETTING INTO SHAPE!

But alas.

I am a certified day waster.  I wander around from early morning until late at night accomplishing very little (thank you WINTER WEATHER fun buster).  I hear more winter is coming our way for February (as I sit here with 6 degrees temp outside).  Oh and another 2-4" of snow coming tonight, then again for the weekend and some more for next week.

Will I ever see my grass again?  Worst winter, ever.

I'm not above playing the blame game.  I feel it's clearly OLD MAN WINTER'S fault that I'm a day waster!  There, I said it.  Owning it!

What are you doing to be a productive human being during this winter wonderland? 

 

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The Good Life

Tuesday, January 21st, 2014

our loveWhat does that really mean?  The good life?  Who decides what the good life is?  Is it perfect health?  Tons of cash?  A big loving family?

I don't know and I bet you don't either.  Why?  Because the good life is probably something a little different for everyone.

Happiness can't be a one-size fits all entity.  What I like and what makes me feel warm & fuzzy may not mean a hill of beans to someone else.  Honestly, I'm glad.  Otherwise, we'd all be these boring robots focused on all the same joys.

Over the years, hubby and I have often wished for and dreamed outloud together for what WE THOUGHT could make life just perfect (for us).  Everybody does it.  That's what dreams do, they excite us…..drive us to change and fill us with hope.  For a very long time, I had dreams of quitting my job and coming home.  Now that it has happened, it's almost disappointing.  Don't get me wrong, I like it…but its a big change and mixed in with a lot of exclusitivity, it's a little more than I bargained for.

I'm not going to fall into the pit of misery & circumstances.  Mostly because I'm not miserable with my cirumstances.  I'm happy, just a little lonely.  Which brings me to my original thought…..WHAT IS THE GOOD LIFE?

For me?  The Good Life is…

A happy marriage.  Not to be confused with a "perfect" one.  I've been around long enough to know, the perfect marriage DOES NOT EXIST.  Every single day, it is a choice to make marriage work or not.  Many people spend their married days miserable.  Some out of selfish needs or unrealistic expectations….other's out of immaturity or foolishness.  I love my marriage.  I love the very idea that someone loves me enough to think everything about me is important and valuable and I love that God picked me to be HIS wife!  Being happy about it…..only makes it all better.

Well-rounded kids.  Again, not to be confused with "perfect" kids.  For the longest time I wondered how my mothering was going to fare in the end results of my kids.  Looking back, I had no clue what real success looked like.  So, I fantasized that they would be good adults.  The kind that made other's feel comfortable to be around.  More than that….they wouldn't SUCK FROM SOCIETY.  Or SUCK TO SOCIETY.  Perhaps that's a little selfish of me, I don't care.  I wanted them to be productive in our world and I wanted them to be proud of THEMSELVES!  I think they are.  They get it that the world has enough jackholes and I can see that they try to steer clear of being like everybody else.  Being different may be weird to some….but not to me nor to Christ.

A good reputation.  Oh boy!  Here goes, not a perfect reputation…but one of grace.  I don't ever proclaim to be awesome in every way but I sure do try to be.  I heard it over & over during some important formative years (early ministry) that GOD EXPECTS EXCELLENCY!  I believe He does.  I know better so I should do better.  Being just so-so isn't acceptable.  I am a walking face, hands & feet of Jesus at all times.  What I do, say and act like is a complete reflection onto Him.  I don't want to give misleading vibes out to others, ever.  HE IS HOLY!  All the time, it's my job to try to emulate Him. 

Giving & generosity.  I love doing for others.  I would give everything away to bless someone else.  But there are times, I'm selfish.  Not because I think so little of others….but because I think so highly of myself.  My favorite attribute and most frustrating one at the same time (in my hubby) is his generosity.  He is a giver.  He will give you his very last dime.  How he isn't rolling in the blessing dough…I don't know because he is the most let go let God person I've ever met.  I know every good penny that's been given to us is because of our faithfulness and I believe we have also blocked ourselves from blessings because of little doubts of faith or lack of trust when times were rough.  To me, the good life….is being able to give give give and still want to do more.  PS- giving is sometimes painful.  Look out!

Freedom in Christ.  There is real freedom in being a child of God.  My security comes only from Him.  I know, He is able.  He is able to protect me, care for me and save me.  I'm totally living off of Him and His grace & mercy.  His love is neverending!  His glory indescribable!  I'm free because of Him and what He did for me.  He gave me a very expensive ticket for free.  It cost Him everything….but He gave it lovingly to me.  I read a Facebook post earlier today by a young person that reminded again….how confusing life is without God.  I am free…..because of what He's done for me.

These are some of the special ways that I consider myself LIVING THE GOOD LIFE.  What about you?  Are you living it up or are you still searching for whatever it is that floats your boat?  Either way, think about what it is that matters most to you and go, make it happen!

 

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