Whirlwinds

I am totally getting old because time goes so fast I cannot keep up. Here is a rundown of everything that has happened since my last post:

• 5/20...Card open-house that I worked really hard to get ready for had mixed results. Sort of a let down, but I have lots to sell for next time
• 5/21...Babysat Sophie, got ready for Good Neighbor Day party and preschool picnic
• 5/22...Preschool picnic at Bethesda in morning, Good Neighbor Day party in my backyard with about 35 people until 8:30pm
• 5/23-5/25...Head up to Wisconsin Rapids to celebrate Rob's grandma's 95th birthday.
• 5/25...Get home at 1:30, run to Pick'N'Save and make something for the MomTime Picnic that night. Totally a fun time!

Even in the midst of all this busyness, I had so many chances to show others what God's love looks like. I seemed to be surrounded by people who don't know what He is all about.

A preschool mom is going to come to MomTime in the fall. She reminds me a lot of me when my older kids were little, working 2nd shift and feeling like the worst mom in the world.

I know God was with me at the Good Neighbor dessert party. I remembered everyone's name as soon as they walked up. I was ready with a big smile and a calm heart, even though it was 50 degrees and windy. I just put away the iced tea and brought out the coffee maker. In the book A Life That Says Welcome, the author talks about being hospitable to refresh, not to impress. That was my goal for the party, and it worked.

I was able to share my testimony with a family friend up north who happened to see my video. This guy used to be my boss at the Hilton so he knew me in the BC days. He kept looking at me like I looked familiar but he wasn't sure it was still me.

Even (or especially) in a whirlwind week, I just kept praying for the peace of God to surround my heart. Not to sound like a PollyAnna, because I still totally have my moments. This last week just really showed me how God stands by His Word. I prayed to be a light in the midst of the chaos, and He gave me opportunities to do that. All Glory to Him. I've seen me without Him, and it ain't pretty.

Lost and Found

In the words of the not-so-great Austin Powers, I lost my mojo. I have been thinking of lots of ideas for posts, but couldn't seem to put anything together. A month or so ago, God convicted me to spend more time with my husband and so I stopped doing projects after bedtime. But it has taken me until yesterday to realize that I was going about it the wrong way. Instead of listening to worship music and reading the Bible in the living room while Rob watches tv in the bedroom, I would just hop in the bed and watch tv with him. Instead of filling my spirit with Truth, I am filling my brain with Law and Order and CSI. Not really a fair trade, in my opinion. In the process of spending more time with Rob, which is cool, I lost my mojo. I was turning back into someone I didn't recognize, irritable and selfish and stressed out. I've also been trying to accomplish everything I need to do while the kids are up, which means those cards I've been talking about needing to make weren't getting done. Two nights ago, I kissed Rob good night and worked on cards until after midnight. I put on a stack of my favorite cd's and just got going. The song "Sinner Come Home" on Bart Millard's Hymned was like a balm for my spirit. I just let the words flow over me and realized I haven't been home in awhile. I am happy to report that I got my mojo back. Once again, I have been rescued from the pit, and He put my feet back on a firm foundation. All I had to do was ask. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Life In the Fast Lane...

The times, they are a-changin. And if you can sing along to that opening line, you are getting old too. I was in Joann Fabric with a friend today when the song "Get Down On It" came on in the muzak version. So we danced and sang and wondered when did we get old enough that the best roller skating song ever ended up on the muzak list. I heard a commercial on the radio for a new restaurant that should probably remain nameless advertise "Remember the grilled cheese sandwich that mom used to make for you? In today's hectic life, slow down and stop in for a grilled cheese. Or the specialty, sloppy joes with a slice of cheese on it. So good you'll come back for more." When did life get so busy that we have to go out to eat to get a grilled cheese sandwich to remind us of home? I want my kids to know what home cooked food is, even if it is grilled cheese and sloppy joes, which both happen to be a staple in my house. I let Connor help me make an apple pie today. I was so proud as he unrolled the pie crust from the red box and laid it gently on the pie plate that used to belong to my grandma. Hey, it's a start.

It's True!

I could possibly be having a mid-life crisis. I am almost 41, which could quite possibly be the half-way point. Time seems to go so quickly, yet at other times it doesn't go near quick enough. As my own daughter gets ready to celebrate her second Mother's Day, I think back to all the times my mom told me to enjoy the kids while they are little because it goes fast. I would smile politely and nod thoughtfully, all the while thinking she has no idea what she is talking about. Now that I'm not sure how I got old enough to be a grandma, I am the first to admit that it goes way too fast. Enjoy them, because they grow up too soon.

Sayings

I love sayings. Some are slogans, some are maxims of truth, as Pastor Guy has been preaching on. I think they become maxims when you can see the reality of them in your life. Here is my favorite saying: "God wants me to get where God wants me to go more than I want to get where God wants me to go." That came from the book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. I can see that becoming a reality in my life everytime I step onto the path God wants me to be on. As a matter of fact, it can be a gauge to see if I am headed in the right direction. For example, I decided a few weeks ago to stop saving projects til after bedtime when I could be spending time with Rob. The only exception I was planning was to get ready for an open house to sell my cards at, which was possibly going to be held before Mother's Day. That is a lot of work to do during naptime. But then it got pushed back a week and if I stayed off the computer during quiet time I could actually get my cards made. Anyway, I take that change in date to be God's encouragement and support of my commitment to spend more time with my husband.
If you have a favorite saying that inspires you or just makes you chuckle, please feel free to share. It's time for me to go make some cards.

We Are Free!

We are so blessed to live in a country that is allowed to have a National Day of Prayer. We are free in so many ways. AMEN!

Lunchbox Ministry

My husband gauges how well I take care of him by whether or not I make his lunch everyday. Most of the time I get it done the night before, but there have been mornings lately that I wake up at 5:30 to pack his lunch. Nothing special is required: two ham and cheese sandwiches with extra mayo, 2 chocolate puddings, and an apple or something. Leftovers are even better, as long as he liked dinner the night before. When my life started getting busy with Bible study and other stuff, the Lord told me clearly to make sure I still put my husband first. So not making his lunch because I had a meeting the night before wouldn't cut it. Not with God, and not with Rob. It's definitely not glamorous, standing in a semi-dark kitchen at 5:30 in the morning with hair reminiscent of Don King, slapping some mayo on some bread. But that is my ministry to my husband, showing him how important he is to me, using his measuring stick.