In my head I have written this blog post no less than five times. Chris has been out of town on the East Coast doing ministry for the past 5 days and single parenting makes me want to consume large amounts to ice cream and chocolate.
I was stuck the other day by the ridiculous things I say to my kids. Here they are with what I am sure they are all thinking as they hear me say them.
1. Do you want a (insert appropriate punishment here)?
~Why yes, Mom, I do want a (insert appropriate punishment here). That is why I am doing
this slightly naughty, high annoying thing, so you will punish me!
2. Tell your brother you are sorry!
~ Sorry (but I'm not sorry. I'm only saying this because Mom just told me to and I am trying
to avoid the "Do you want a (insert appropriate punishment here)" question.
3. Why did you do that?
~Uh, gee, Mom...
4. Who left the toilet lid open?
~ Not me!
5. There is no dating until you are 25.
~ Dating? Who wants to spend time with girls, unless of course it is the neighbor girls, they
always share their treats!
6. We're going to (insert destination here), please use the bathroom.
~ They do have several bathrooms or even a tree there, Mom.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Saturday, March 21, 2015
The Power of Friendship
These two facts have led to an obsession with high school basketball. Taylor and his team, the Hanson Beavers, are playing for the State B Championship tonight. I know no other young man on the Beaver team. Just Taylor. Still, I found myself cheering and holding back tears watching them play last night. As excited for other young men in Beaver blue as I am for Taylor.
Why? Why am I nervous for a bunch of boys I do not even know? Why am I in tears, my heart spilling over with pride in how these boys conduct themselves? It all seems silly, the workings of an overly emotional girl.
The power of friendship. Sarah is important to me so Taylor is important to me. I have shared in his growing up for the past five years. I have prayed for, hoped for, and seen God's guidance on his life. Sarah and I have walked through a tough boss, job changes, babies, surgeries, Bible study, college choices, heartbreak, and more.
The power of friendship makes these games important to me. Even though I can't be there, I cheer and pray. I exclaim out loud at text messages.
The power of friendship opens the window to what may be in the future. With four boys I can imagine sitting in the stands, praying for my sons to perform their best.
Tonight, our house is going Beaver crazy as we cheer for Taylor and the boys. Ge Beavers! Beat those Lions!
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Fear
When my blue-eyed boy learned to walk at ten months old I nearly had a heart attack every day. That precious boy got himself in some humdingers! He has rarely sat still since. I spent most of last summer waiting for him to return from adventures in the "forest" or a bike race around the neighborhood.
Those sweet memories make this year's reality bitter. Two years ago John got bit in the back of the leg by an over-excited dog. For two years fear has been leaching onto John, slowly dragging him into a pit of fear. His fear is one I understand well. I was terrified of dogs as a girl. There was a man-eating St. Bernard I had to encounter each walk to the park. There was a vicious lab who terrorized the park. Somehow I didn't let the fear keep me from adventures, although I do remember at least once my beautiful sister had to fetch Mom to rescue me from the vicious lab who had surrounded me while I was up on the slide.
Fear has fenced John in. Our neighborhood is teeming with dogs, all friendly. Sometimes the furry friends get out of their spaces and run as wild as the children. So John remains within sprinting distance of the house. His fear convincing him that at any moment the licky-monsters are going to turn into "vicious man-eating dogs!" His fear has convinced him that all dogs are to be feared, even dogs he layed in the grass with last summer.
It has broken my heart. So we bring it to God. Every night we pray together asking God to heal him from his fear. When he goes outside we talk about being courageous and that God is bigger than his fear.
And we, my blue-eyed boy and I, wait for God to answer....
Those sweet memories make this year's reality bitter. Two years ago John got bit in the back of the leg by an over-excited dog. For two years fear has been leaching onto John, slowly dragging him into a pit of fear. His fear is one I understand well. I was terrified of dogs as a girl. There was a man-eating St. Bernard I had to encounter each walk to the park. There was a vicious lab who terrorized the park. Somehow I didn't let the fear keep me from adventures, although I do remember at least once my beautiful sister had to fetch Mom to rescue me from the vicious lab who had surrounded me while I was up on the slide.
Fear has fenced John in. Our neighborhood is teeming with dogs, all friendly. Sometimes the furry friends get out of their spaces and run as wild as the children. So John remains within sprinting distance of the house. His fear convincing him that at any moment the licky-monsters are going to turn into "vicious man-eating dogs!" His fear has convinced him that all dogs are to be feared, even dogs he layed in the grass with last summer.
It has broken my heart. So we bring it to God. Every night we pray together asking God to heal him from his fear. When he goes outside we talk about being courageous and that God is bigger than his fear.
And we, my blue-eyed boy and I, wait for God to answer....
Friday, February 27, 2015
Take-away's from #RealTime2015
~ Never underestimate how delicious it is to eat a meal you did not have to prepare or clean up
~ Bathroom humor + farting noises = hysterical. Jeff Foxworthy can make a girl nearly pee her pants when retelling his colonoscopy story.
~ You can always find a friend when you are out of town with 1300 co-workers
~ Perspective makes a world of difference. Case in point, to a Northerner, 60 degrees means shorts and a t-shirt for a 6 am run. To a Southerner, 60 degrees means tights, shorts, two shirts, and a fleece. I had one Southern belle tell me she never works out outside if it is below 61 degrees.
~ Craig Groeschel taught me that the quickest way to forget what other people think about you is to become OBSESSED by what God thinks of you.
~ Dr. Tony Evans can preach and it is fun to be amongst those who worship in ways far different than me.
~ Hearing a prayer in a different language moves this girl to tears
~ Going to Sea World without your children and riding a roller coaster is a lot of fun.
~ Your face can hurt from smiling so much
~ If a supernatural power is within you then it should also come out of you. The Holy Spirit is just waiting for the invitation.
~ Meeting new people is fun; as is their expression when you tell them you are from SD, or that you have four boys, or that your beautiful sister is taking care of them plus her own four.
~ Flip flops in February are fun
~ a stutter (Neal Jeffry), a hearing impairment (Tamika Catchings), or a massively, messed up childhood (Jim Daly) are not enough to disqualify you from ministry
~Mandisa can bring out your inner dancer without you even noticing. Old dance team moves may or may not have slipped out.
~sometimes God can bring encouragement from people you don't even know. One FCA-E huddle member shared how impactful a teaching Chris had done was on his life. If, for no other reason then that, the weekend was worth it.
~ Bathroom humor + farting noises = hysterical. Jeff Foxworthy can make a girl nearly pee her pants when retelling his colonoscopy story.
~ You can always find a friend when you are out of town with 1300 co-workers
~ Perspective makes a world of difference. Case in point, to a Northerner, 60 degrees means shorts and a t-shirt for a 6 am run. To a Southerner, 60 degrees means tights, shorts, two shirts, and a fleece. I had one Southern belle tell me she never works out outside if it is below 61 degrees.
~ Craig Groeschel taught me that the quickest way to forget what other people think about you is to become OBSESSED by what God thinks of you.
~ Dr. Tony Evans can preach and it is fun to be amongst those who worship in ways far different than me.
~ Hearing a prayer in a different language moves this girl to tears
~ Going to Sea World without your children and riding a roller coaster is a lot of fun.
~ Your face can hurt from smiling so much
~ If a supernatural power is within you then it should also come out of you. The Holy Spirit is just waiting for the invitation.
~ Meeting new people is fun; as is their expression when you tell them you are from SD, or that you have four boys, or that your beautiful sister is taking care of them plus her own four.
~ Flip flops in February are fun
~ a stutter (Neal Jeffry), a hearing impairment (Tamika Catchings), or a massively, messed up childhood (Jim Daly) are not enough to disqualify you from ministry
~Mandisa can bring out your inner dancer without you even noticing. Old dance team moves may or may not have slipped out.
~sometimes God can bring encouragement from people you don't even know. One FCA-E huddle member shared how impactful a teaching Chris had done was on his life. If, for no other reason then that, the weekend was worth it.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Dear Sister
I heart you!
Tomorrow you are letting me get on a plane to fly away to a warmer place. To do that you are taking in my four squirmy, germy, rambunctious boys.
I heart you!
You never bat a beautiful eyelash at the work it involves. You just do it. (Better than Nike, I might add).
I heart you!
I heart you for about a million other reasons but right now, the opportunity to escape my life for a few days is the top of my list.
I heart you!
Tomorrow you are letting me get on a plane to fly away to a warmer place. To do that you are taking in my four squirmy, germy, rambunctious boys.
I heart you!
You never bat a beautiful eyelash at the work it involves. You just do it. (Better than Nike, I might add).
I heart you!
I heart you for about a million other reasons but right now, the opportunity to escape my life for a few days is the top of my list.
I heart you!
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