Christmas Bluebirds

I just want you to know that I have seen tons of bluebirds this Christmas. No, unfortunately they weren't the tiny, fast-flying type that catch your eye as they flit through the air. But they were the blessings of a truly special Christmas season, one filled with family and good food and fun times and significance.

And so, here is a list of some of the beautiful "bluebirds" I enjoyed this Christmas:

• A responsible teenaged daughter who is helping take care of 3 dogs down the street while their owners are away. Abby has gotten up every morning on her own to walk down the street to tend to these dogs, most mornings in her pjs and a coat. She has to give one of the dogs a pill at 7:00 am & pm. She wraps the pill in cheese and the dog bites her hand each time he takes the pill. Another one of the dogs likes to dart out the door and jump in the ornamental pond in the backyard a couple of times each day. Subsequently, Abby has to get the dog out of the pond and bathe it. After the dogs have been in the yard for 20-30 minutes she lets them back in to eat. Inevitably they choose to then poop in the house, which of course she cleans up. I'm proud of her. She's been a real trouper about this ordeal!

• A son home from college. I LOVE having my son home. Yes, he sleeps most of the time. We rarely see him before noon, but just knowing he is here is a blessing to me. I miss his dry wit and charming smile. I miss hearing him go on and on about thngs I know nothing of, like calculus and computer science and all things technical. Today I will do some of his laundry and I will love it!

• A husband who insisted that he and the children clean up the dinner dishes, pots, and pans after the big Christmas meal yesterday. HUGE, HUGE blessing to this weary cook.

• Sitting around the dinner table with my small but so complete family. They thrill me.

• Sweet and precious Christmas cards from friends far and close. Many included pictures and/or letters. We enjoy these so much. I often feel very isolated out here in the 48th state. It is good to hear from loved ones at this time of year.

• Going on a spiritual Journey to Bethlehem with my blogger friends on my other blog, Off the Beaten Path. I'm sure there were many days when no one actually read my posts, but writing the posts each day certainly helped me to think more about the meaning of Christmas and our wonderful Redeemer. So thankful for an opportunity to take that spiritual journey.

• We woke up to a beautiful snow one morning this week, can't even remember which one it was now. But snow always completes a Christmas season.

• I've been watching the first season of The Waltons on DVD for the past couple of weeks. I started out watching the first season of Thirty-Something, but found my old addiction, I mean friends, to be too whiny.  No kidding, they're ridiculous! And I used to make sure I had my babies down for a nap each day by 1:00 so I could watch Michael and Hope and Nancy and Elliot and Melissa and Ellen and Gary on Lifetime TV. I guess I was whiny back then too and that's why I liked them so much. But after watching about 6 episodes a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't take any more. I asked my husband to get me The Waltons instead (he has NetFlix!). And I've been so grateful for this not-whiny-at-all family. And if one of them does whine, you know John or Liv don't put up with it!

• I have been a little sentimental lately about FaceBook. That's right, FaceBook. It struck me just the other day how glad I am that this crazy social networking site has allowed me to reconnect with friends all over the world. Most of my FB friends are people who are no longer part of my daily life - friends from high school, college, former churches, extended family relatives or military families who have moved away. I no longer talk to most of these folk on the phone or see them in person. Even if I did live close to them, I probably wouldn't be tightly involved in many of their lives. But FB has allowed me to see what kind of people they have become, a glimpse into their family life, and hear their views on politics and even Jesus. For the most part (probably 99.9%) I have been very delighted at what I've seen. It's so nice to see that so many of my high school classmates are raising their children in godly homes, active in their churches, and worshiping the one true God. I love that most of my friends have the same political views I do. And I love hearing about the little things that fill their days - visiting grandkids, cooking dinner, going on mission trips, going on date nights, taking the family camping, watching the whales, homeschooling, you name it. And it really tickles me when friends who don't even know each other and live in different states are doing remarkably similar things or having the same sentiments about some common, everyday type of event. Amazing.

Precious bluebirds, everyone. I guess it doesn't take much to please me. These are all so simple and ordinary. But lovely blessings all the same.

What are some of the blessings you've enjoyed recently?

Our Thespian

I've decided I'm not going to wait until the night I'm watching Abby receive her first Oscar to say, "That's my girl!" I'm going to claim her right now and hope she remembers to mention me during her acceptance speech on that dazzling night.


Our Abigail is quite the actress. Recently she was inducted into Buena High School's local chapter of the International Thespian Society. Each of the 7 inductees had to do a short performance of some kind. A couple of the students played musical instruments, one danced, and four performed monologues. I know I'm biased, supposedly, but Abby really was the best. And that's not to say the other students didn't do well. They all did impressively well. But Abigail somehow managed to even shed a tear in a two minute monologue. How in the world do you get a tear out in two minutes? But she did, and it seemed real and genuine.


We're proud of Abigail's talents, and petrified at the same time. She actually wants to pursue a career in the field of acting, or directing or editing - something to do with drama. That would be a little scary for most parents, especially parents who are trying to raise a godly young woman who will keep herself set apart from the world while treading lightly through it. I'm excited at the prospect that God may have a great plan for her in New York or Hollywood, but I'm daunted by the fact that Satan has plans for her too. Anytime someone tries to make an impact in such a godless portion of our world, a portion that is largely mastered by the deceiver and prince of this world, he is bound to get agitated and do his best to work against her. Lord help our Abby to make her mark without bearing the marks of this world. While we certainly don't claim to know for certain that Abigail will ever make it in the entertainment industry, we have already begun to pray for her protection and her godly influence in the event she does "make it there."

Recently I heard someone say, "Your talents and abilities are your gift from God; what you do with them is your gift to Him." It is simply our hope that Abby will always used her gifts for good and for God. Oh, and to Him be all the glory!

Happy Sweet Sixteen to My Sweet Abby

Today my baby turns Sweet Sixteen! I could do the normal trip down memory lane and reminisce about the beautiful Saturday she was born in Texas. I could tell you about how my labor lasted all of about 1 1/2 hours and I endured it with no pain medication at all. Or I could pull out baby pictures and weep about where the years went. But I have a better idea. It's Abby's day; let's talk about her!

Abigail Grace is a beautiful young woman, inside and out. Let's face it, she loves dressing up, shopping, playing with her hair, and picking out just the right accessories for every outfit. Amazingly, she has a real eye for fashion, a keen sense of how to put herself together for every occasion, and a natural talent for doing intricately fabulous things with her hair. I learned how to do my hair a few years ago; she's lightyears ahead of the game! She's the same height I am (5'8") but so much more comfortable with her stature than I was at that age. She has no qualms about wearing 2" heels and holds herself with dignity and grace. Though she knows how to apply her makeup with a steady and light hand, she also looks equally beautiful with no makeup at all. I never want her beauty to go to her head, but God has truly graced her with lovely features.


But Abigail is also lovely on the inside. She is enthusiastic about most every day (you have to give her a day here and there to just chill with no disturbances - other than that she plugs right in with full gusto!), she is determined to succeed at anything she tries, she's extremely responsible and rarely requires any oversight, she's a great student, and she seems to have a plan. Abby also has a great heart. First of all, her heart belongs to Jesus. I truly believe that. When she was two there were a few instances when I could have sworn a demon had moved in, but now I'm convinced that the Holy Spirit resides in my precious girl's heart and that He is diligently chiseling, scrubbing, and polishing that heart every day! And I'm convinced He is able to keep that which she's entrusted to Him until that day... No more little demons!


Abby has a heart for people too. Just in the past year I've witnessed several incidences where Abigail could have just trampled over someone, but instead she compassionately and tenderly tiptoed around their feelings, careful not to hurt them if at all possible. While many girls her age get caught up in catty gossip and vicious attacks on one another's character, I've seen Abigail express true concern about the "underdog", befriend the friendless, and encourage the lonely. She's certainly not perfect and I know she has her moments like the rest of us. Still, I'm glad to report that I see Abigail maturing nicely into a young woman who is very aware of others and careful to help them feel at ease.


Enough of a proud mama's boastings. I think it's time for the blessing!

Lord, bless my precious girl, most importantly, with Your constant presence and unmerited favor. Shine Your light on her and illuminate her path every day until she walks into Your arms. Make her a warrior for Your truth, a blessing to those who encounter her, a reflection of Your glory for those who need to know you, and a princess in Your court. Help her to live wisely, discerning what is Your best for her and following Your path at all costs. Give her courage to stand alone, compassion to stand beside, humility as she stands in the limelight, and confidence to stand in the shadow when it's someone else's turn. Thank you for blessing our family with her presence, her lovely smile, her joy, and her somewhat twisted sense of humor. She is a delight to us and we thank You for her.


Happy Sweet Sixteen my precious girl!

So Past Due!

I probably do not have anyone even reading this blog at this point because I've been so unfaithful in writing it. I have no one to blame but myself. But today I am turning over a new leaf, a pretty green summer leaf that is!

I'm going to try to blog every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, at least, this summer. I have got to work some routine into my summer or I'm going to catch a full-blown case of my kids' contagious laziness. I'm determined to be productive. In fact, I need to be productive. I have college and braces to pay for!

Today, I'll begin with a little about Daniel's graduation from high school. He graduated May 21 ( I know, that seems like forever ago now! Like I said, I've been pitiful about blogging!). We had such a great week. Both sets of grandparents drove in from their respective states, Georgia and Texas. The weather threatened rain all week, but no wet stuff ever really materialized. So that simply meant that the temps stayed nice and low - in the 70s and 80s, tops.


James and I got to go to Daniel's dress rehearsal on Wednesday night and take all the pictures we wanted. It was such a neat night. All the parents could just get on the football field and right in there with the grads. The administration just conducted the rehearsal as though we weren't even there and didn't seem fazed by our noisy conversations, flashing cameras, and laughter. I'm so glad we had that opportunity. With over 600 graduates it's impossible for everyone to really see their graduate on the Big Night, so this up-close-and-personal experience made up for all that.

Here's Daniel receiving his parking passes, tickets, and commemorative program in lieu of his diploma on the rehearsal night.


Graduation night we all went to an early dinner at a local Italian restaurant and headed to the stadium. We were there nice and early. Graduation went off without a hitch and we got the boy graduated. But the neatest thing was the big party the grads had at the school afterwards. Project Graduation is sponsored by hundreds of community members and organizations. It's an all-night, drug and alcohol free party at the school with tons of games, food, and prizes. The theme was "It's a Jungle Out There", fitting for graduates, I thought, and they had decorated the whole school in a jungle theme. The grads had poker tournaments, basketball tournaments, BINGO, Guitar Hero, tricycle races, etc. And they all got to choose from hundreds of huge gift baskets that included things like microwaves, bikes, IPods, etcs. They also had huge cash prizes and even airline tickets as door prizes. Daniel had a blast and, of course, slept the entire next day!



The day after graduation we hosted a party for Daniel in our backyard. Lots of friends came to help us celebrate the big event. We had hamburgers and hotdogs. We had spent all day getting ready for the party, with grandparents doing the bulk of the work. They helped us plant flowers, string party lights, clean off the lawn furniture, and prepare the food. Kudos to great parents/grandparents!

Here's our all-grown-up grad with his two grandmothers, Nana and Mammaw.


Here's Abby with Tiffany and Blake.


Notice how we segregated into girls and guys tables/areas! Here's Carlos, J.R., Papa, Mike and Ben.


And some of the girls at the girls table, Abby, Tiffany, Blake and Lilly. Wasn't it a beautifuly evening? And our yard looked so pretty and festive.


Thanks to all our family and friends for helping to make this a great graduation week. And congratulations to Daniel! We're so proud of him!

Abby Had Good Day Number 2

It just thrills this mom's soul when her daughter comes home from the largest high school in the world and tells her she had a great day! For the second day in a row Abby did just that.

Abby walks in my office door beaming her infectious smile and says, "Another wonderful day!" and my hearts melts.

"What's so wonderful about it?" asks her oh-so-mature and not-so-emotive brother.

"Nothing bad happened!" chirps Abigail.

Daniel seems less than impressed and continues doing whatever it is he does on the computer (None of us know because he flips from one screen to another too fast for us to tell if he's trading commodities or sending encoded messages to a spy group or just reading political comics. Don't worry, I know he's not doing anything too wrong because my desk is right behind his chair and I can see every screen. I just can't read that fast!).

But back to my happy daughter... isn't it grand that she was so thrilled with her day just because nothing bad happened? I don't know if that means that usually terrible things happen at that huge city they call a school, or if she's just extremely content. At any rate, I'm happy because she's happy. You see whoever made the wise-crack that "Ain't nobody happy if momma ain't happy" didn't really know a mom's heart. The truth is momma ain't happy if her chillun's ain't happy. That's just the honest-to-God truth of the matter.

Today, I'm happy!

All Is Not Lost

Abby lost the election. I'm sad, she's sad, everyone who loves her is sad. She would have made an excellent class president and would have received the title with humility and grace. But it didn't happen. Put bluntly, she lost.

But all is not lost. Abby admits freely that she made some new friends this week. She put herself out on a limb for a noble cause and I imagine she will stay out on that limb. She's still on the Student Council (no small feat in itself - you have to go through an extensive application process and few are chosen) and I know she will make a great contribution to her school through her part on that council. She'll also continue to make new friends, offer leadership where it is needed, and share a positive attitude in everything she participates in. Abby has learned the mechanics of campaigning, the agony of losing, and the grace needed to lose well. She shed a few tears and said a few demeaning things about herself, but she is fine today. She has other irons in the fire and she is moving on to tending them well.

Abby's family is so very proud of her. Her dad and I, her big brother, her grandparents, and many friends were rooting her on. We share her grief, but we're still rooting her on. We'll always believe in Abby whether others recognize her greatness or not. We're her fans. And one day when she sits in Los Angeles, California, waiting to hear her name called for an Oscar, we'll still be rooting her on. And whether she wins that night or not, we'll think she deserves it.

Abby lost an election, but she's really quite a winner. She has so many people who love her and believe in her, she has great potential and talent, and she has a winning attitude - even about losing. Indeed little has been lost and a great deal has been gained.

Good Shooting!

Well, Abby and I began our four year tradition of registering her for high school this Monday. Other than standing in long lines with hundreds of other newbies and their newbie parents, the day was fairly uneventful. She got what appears to be a great schedule and we didn't have to pull a "Daniel" and wait in line to beg a counselor for a schedule change. What a relief! The only snag that day was one we had already anticipated. The school nurse confirmed that Abby had to have a shot before she could go to school.

So on Tuesday I sent James and Abby out the door bright and early to get her shot at the county health department. Meanwhile, I headed to the next town over to get my hair cut. Unfortunately James and Abby forgot to take her shot records with them and by the time they came home and returned to the shot clinic, the line was too long and she couldn't get her shot that morning. You know what that means. I had to take her back in the afternoon.

Now the reason I sent James with Abby in the first place is that she doesn't do very well with shots and I thought she might do better for him than for me. Now my plan was foiled. Abby and I headed off for the afternoon shot clinic a little after 12:00. The clinic didn't begin until 1:00, but I had a sneaking suspicion that we needed to get there early. Sure enough, they put out the numbers for the clinic at 12:30 and they were gone by 12:35. We got number 6 and continued to wait among all the other restless kids and tired parents. I decided the wait was far worse than any shot could be, but who was I to decide this? Abby was the one facing the needle.

When they called our number I had to take some completed forms and Abby's shot record to the front desk. This is where I got the bad news. Abby needed not one, but two shots. In fact, they highly suggested two more shots for a total of four. Sorry, but I know my daughter and I knew there was no way she could endure four shots after sitting there for an hour and a half. She might get up and storm out when I told her she needed two, in fact! But, alas, she didn't. She took the news like a trooper and we continued to wait.

Now I get to the real point of my story. You see Abigail desperately hates needles. She doesn't just dislike the pain. She can't stand the thought of the needle going into her skin. She has major, major problems with shots and blood tests. The only thing I can liken this fear to is my own dislike of possums. Yes, you read correctly, possums. I can't stand possums. Of course I am not required by law to go anywhere near a possum on a regular basis, so I don't have to deal with my fear very much. But if someone did require me to sit down and hold two possums for even a few seconds, I am sure I would behave much the same way Abby did when she had to sit down for two shots. I would try to beg off, whimper, whine, and shake. That's exactly what Abby did. She tried to be brave, bless her heart, but she just had a terrible time of it.

That was the one downside, I figured, to taking her to a crowded public health clinic for her shots. Would the nurses be frazzled, impatient, and even mean? You know the typical caricature of a public health nurse? I was a little concerned. But guess what? Turns out two of the nicest nurses I've ever met gave Abby her shots. (That's right, I said two. Though technically the second one didn't have to do anything. She just popped in, I assume, because she could hear the tears and whining and knew something was up. She just talked to us and tried to distract Abby a little.) As a mom, I was so grateful for nice, caring, professional, and empathetic public health care nurses. Who would have thought? Abby took far more than her allotted time to receive her shots, but the nurses didn't seem bothered by that at all. Even when I apologized for taking so much time and tried to hurry Abigail along, they hushed me and assured Abby that she could take as long as she needed. I felt sorry for all the folks still in the waiting room, but I felt so grateful for two nurses who were completely focused on helping my daughter work through her fears. What a blessing.

Just goes to show you, blessings can pop up in the most unexpected places. In fact, that's what makes them blessings to begin with, I suppose. We left that day thankful that Abigail doesn't have to have another shot for 10 more years, unless we opt for the other two optional shots they recommended. I'd kind of like for her to get them, but right now we've done all the shots we can handle. (Before you write me a comment telling me I should get her those shots, consider whether you're willing to go with my extremely needle-phobic daughter to get them! I'm telling you, it will wear you out!) We ended the day with a trip to Starbucks (whatever happened to ice cream?) and headed home for naps. Blessing, yes. But very stressful still!

Vacation's Over!

We're home from vacation! Our family spent a week with my parents and my brother and his family, celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. We ate out, took lots of pictures, went to Six Flags, and "visited" a lot. We had a blast. And I'm so proud of my parents for enjoying 50 years of marriage. More on that near their actual anniversary date in August!

But not only did we enjoy visiting with family; we enjoyed just some time off and time away. It's always good to take a break from normal. Not that normal is bad. Our normal is very fulfilling and good. But a change of scenery and pace is often needed to jump start our souls a little. We had that and it was good.

Now we're back to normal. James and I take our walks around the city parks each morning, I feed the dogs and he waters the plants, I eat breakfast and drink my coffee while reading my Bible, he hurries off to work where he has his quiet time and prepares his messages. Meanwhile the kids sleep. They do eventually get up and do their normal things too! Of course normal also means paying bills, doing laundry, cooking dinner, writing queries and articles, and running errands. Some of it is a blast, some of it is a drag. In the end it all balances out and the good outweighs the bad! Normal.

While I love vacation and could use a few more weeks of it, I am thankful for a very good normal. I'm glad that we returned to a nice home, a full schedule, a mail box full of mail, friends we enjoy, and jobs we feel called to. We are not sick or in want or lonely or injured or scared about where our next meal will come from. We are, in fact, blessed.

Yes, the vacation may be over, but normal isn't so bad either. In fact it is good.

Precious Grace

Today I had to grovel. Is that how you spell it? I'm not sure, but I did it. I figuratively got down on my hands and knees and begged for a huge favor. And trust me, only a desperate and extremely loving mom would do such a thing when her son is the one who should have been groveling.

Daniel missed the deadline for registering for his all important AP Music Theory test. I was livid. He certainly had plenty of notice, according to the counselor who was the object of my groveling. I do not in any way hold this woman responsible for Daniel's irresponsible behavior (and I told her so at least a dozen times!). But I'm a mom who wants good for her son and so I begged for her to show a little grace. After two phone calls, getting choked up several times, and finally expressing that "my son is very bright, at the top of his Music Theory class, and he is not only trying to get in to college; he is trying to get scholarships...because I can't afford to pay for it myself..." the wonderful woman on the other end of the line showed a little mercy.

She took my number and promised to call me back within 30 minutes. I have no idea what she did during those 30 minutes, but I attribute that precious time to her putting a little grace on the table. She owed us nothing, but she got off the phone and went to bat for me and my son. She called me back in less than the 30 minutes and offered to let Daniel sign up for the test if he got his money in first thing in the morning. I thanked and praised and adored her over and over. She gave me a lecture about how parents have to let their children go and no one is going to extend deadlines for him in the real world... and I just listened with humility. That's hard for me, but that's how grace is accepted - humbly.

This all serves as a huge reminder to me of the grace we are shown over and over by our precious Savior. We don't even have to gravel; we just have to come to Him with a recognition of our need for a little grace and accept it humbly. Amazing. In fact, just recently I made the off the cuff remark that certain Christian songs like Amazing Grace are over done. In fact, if you'll notice, it's true that most TV shows portray churches and Christian groups singing Amazing Grace because I suppose it's the only hymn the producers know. That still irks me a little, but I take back what I said. You can never "over do" Amazing Grace. After all, grace is always amazing - whether it comes from a school counselor showing an irresponsible student a little mercy or whether it shows up in the beautiful words, "You're forgiven." Grace should amaze the recipient every time.

I don't know if Daniel's counselor is a Christian, but somehow God used her to hand me the gift of grace today. Not only that, her gift has inspired me to show a little grace to others as well. After all, we're all quite irresponsible when you get right down to it. And only a little grace can fix some of our irresponsible mistakes. Thank God for grace.

Faking It

Do you ever have to do anything that you feel like you're just "faking your way through?" I spent the better part of my day filling out spreadsheets on Excel for my Women's Ministry budget and calendaring process. Believe me, I had no idea what I was doing! But in the end, I do believe I produced a product that made me look quite proficient at Excel. Of course, those who peruse my forms will never know about all the times I just had to quit the form I was working on, scratch everything I'd done up to that point and start all over again simply because I didn't know how to just back up one step. No, I had to start over! But they'll never know...
Come to think of it, I fake my way through a lot of things in life. Sometimes I still feel like a little girl who's just pretending to be an adult. For instance, I'm not sure I load my dishwasher correctly. Is there a right way to load your dishwasher? If there is I never learned it and I'm just faking my way through the whole dishwasher thing every day. I'm not sure I make the bed the right way, I doubt I bathe my dogs correctly, and I have no idea if I'm using the right cleaners and polishes and soaps on all my furniture, appliances, windows, and fixtures. Worst of all, every time I go to the store to buy simple things like hairspray or shampoo or mascara I have to read all the labels and try to figure out what in the world it is I need from these beauty products. Other women seem to just know these things, but maybe they're just faking it too.
I remember Tom Hanks (or was it Meg Ryan) saying on You've Got Mail that Starbucks simply presents those who can't make a simple decision in any other area with the opportunity to make one very clear and concise decision each morning so that they'll feel like they know what they're doing rest of the day (or something like that). I find that amazingly true. I take great satisfaction in ordering my "grande, decaf, iced, caramel machiatto with fat free milk." But the best part of all is when they call your order back to you after they've finished making it and you walk up to the counter to get it, feeling like everyone around you must be so impressed that you managed to order such a specific beverage! And yet, you know you're just faking it. You only managed to order such a sophisticated drink because it's the same one you always order and if you had to order something else you'd be up a creek!
The good news is, I don't have to fake it with my God. He knows me too well and when I stupidly try to fake it with Him, I can almost see Him shaking His head and chuckling at me. He doesn't condemn me for it, He just gets tickled at my silliness. So I don't try to fake it with Him very much. And what a relief that is. I can sputter and second guess and shrug my shoulders in confusion over and over and He loves me just the same. He knows what He's doing, so I don't have to. But I don't have to fake it either. What a blessing!

Transitions

Today I had the opportunity to talk with my MOPS group about "Life After Preschoolers." What a thrill - not only because I always enjoy sharing time with these young moms, but because we got to hash out a subject close to my heart. I still remember how confusing and difficult it was for me to decide what I should do once my daughter started to kindergarten.

Well, we discussed the matter for over an hour, so I'm not going to try to cover the whole conversation here and now. But I'll give you a few of the nuggets we all walked away with:

• It's a myth that "I can have it all!" The truth is "I may get to have it all, but probably not all at the same time. And I may not ever get to have it all!" But you know, life is not about me getting it all. It's not about acquiring possessions, or success, or degrees, or positions. Life is about fulfilling God's plan for me. There is nothing sweeter or more completing than that!
• Whatever else I may be, I am first and foremost, a servant to my family. Wow! That sounds really demeaning, but the truth is that Jesus told us the greatest position we can ever hold is that of a servant. And Titus 2:5 tells me I am to be a keeper of my home. I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and do it in a snazzy Channel suit, but part of my God-given purpose is to serve my family and keep my home. If I don't do that well, that bacon grease is going to start smelling!
• I need to have a plan. If I stay home and do not work full-time, I'll need to plan what I am going to do so that I stay industrious, productive, and frugal! If I work outside the home, I need to plan for how I'll take care of my home, my children, the pets, etc. Without a plan, I'm just asking for frustration. With a plan, I'll be more likely to fulfill God's plan with creativity and style!
• My children need me no matter what age they are. Parenting does not end when my children enter kindergarten. In fact, for me, it just began at that point. I love my children more now than I ever did when they were toddling around in diapers. They were darling then, but they have so much personality, potential, and promise now. I love spending time just listening to Daniel play his guitar and I'm thrilled to watch Abigail light up a stage. I'm mad about them and I intend to give them my very best every day. With teenagers, that often means I have to be available when they're ready "to let me in a little." I urged moms to stay available no matter what career path they take. It's worth it.
• Be true to yourself. If God leads you to work full-time, make a plan for your family and do it with gusto! If you feel led to work part-time to bring in a little extra income (like I do), work out that balance and go for it! And if God keeps you at home where you can keep the home fires burning 'round the clock, make no apologies and enjoy! As long as you and your husband are in agreement, you need explain your decision to no one else. Don't let the world's standards get you down and don't let any elitist group make you feel "less than." You just be true to yourself.

Transitions are tough aren't they? But they're oh so necessary. They're what propels us forward many times. Instead of dreading the transition staring at you - whether it be preschoolers entering kindergarten, children heading off to college, or grandchildren entering the world - count it as a blessing. God has a plan. And it's good!

I'm Starving!

Just thought everyone should know that I am starving! Like most Americans in the month of February, I am trying to lose a few pounds before spring. I've actually never tried quite as hard as I am right now. Usually I just pump up my exercise efforts a little bit, but continue to eat whatever I darn please. Not this time. This time I've really cut back on eating. I'm watching my fat and calorie intake and increasing my fiber, protein, and calcium intakes. Meanwhile, I am walking really fast most every day I possibly can. I'm starving! Did I tell you that already? (No, I'm not literally starving and you don't need to worry that I'm not eating enough. That has never been a problem with me. I'm eating every calorie I'm allowed, believe me!)

So today the greatest blessings to me seem to be things like mealtime, legal snacks, bedtime, and slightly looser waistbands. I'm thrilled with things like tomato soup, crystal light, double fiber bread, coffee with fat-free creamer, and fruit. I'm starving!

Funny thing is that I haven't really craved the foods that I can't have - chocolate, cake, cookies, cheese, etc. (Have you noticed that you can't eat anything that starts with a C when dieting? - Cake, Cookies, Cheese, Creamed Potatoes, Canelloni, Custard!) Sure I'd love to have some of those. But what I crave is simply more of what I can have - more skim milk, more salad, more fiber rich bagels, more yogurt, etc. Interesting. That makes me think of another possibility. Could it be that if we put ourselves on a steady and healthy diet of God's Word, prayer, meditation, worship, and ministry, that we would also crave more of those wonderful things, instead of craving the unhealthy things of this world - TV shows, silly novels, clothes, beauty products, etc.? I have a feeling a steady diet of godliness breeds a greater desire for godliness. Why don't we all give it a try and see what happens. Our waist bands may not shrink any, but I bet we'll all be able to say with a holy shout, "I'm starving!" and God will smile, nod His head and say, "Now that's My kind of diet!" And then He'll gladly give us our daily bread. Fortunately we can have all of that kind of bread we want and never gain a pound. What a blessing!

Hey, I'm starving!

Come on! Ring that bell!

I rang that bell yesterday! You know the one. The Salvation Army bell! Here where I live, the Salvation Army was looking for volunteers to ring the bell outside of stores during the Christmas season. Since I don't have much money to give, I thought I could certainly donate my time. Yesterday was the second time I've rung the bell. I rang it two weeks ago in front of Dillard's department store and yesterday I rang in front of Fry's grocery store. Let me tell you a few things I learned while ringing in front of Fry's yesterday.

People are very generous. Despite the doom and gloom reports by the media about the economy and the lack of change in people's pockets, people are still willing to give what they have. I don't know the exact ratio of people who gave to people who walked by yesterday, but I do know that my kettle was pretty full by the end of my three hour shift. I was pleasantly surprised at people's generosity.

People are also quite receptive to a "Merry Christmas!" Being at the Salvation Army kettle gives you the built-in privilege of saying a hearty "Merry Christmas!" with no apologies needed. The SA has already acquired permission to be in front of the store, so the ringer has the right to wish passersby a merry Christmas and even say, "God bless you!" I did both. And no one looked the least bit offended. And this is in Arizona, mind you. Not the Bible belt. In fact, many people looked me right in the eye and said something like, "Merry Christmas to you. None of that 'Happy Holidays' for me!" Some even wished me a blessed Christmas. Good for them!

One last rather sad observation. There are a lot of people out there who have a really hard time getting around. Hear my heart on this one. I have often wondered why in the world we need so many handicapped parking spaces. Like many of you, I have often scoffed at the number of people riding around stores in little carts with baskets. Couldn't most of these people just get up and walk around the store like most of us? Aren't many of them just plain lazy? You know what? They're not lazy. They're hurting and struggling.

As I stood at the entrance of Fry's for three hours yesterday I saw so many people come through the doors who were struggling just to stand up and put one foot in front of another. Every time I turned around there was someone either using a cane and barely making it, using crutches and obviously struggling, or moving so painfully slow that it made me hurt just watching them. There are a lot of people out there who obviously have a hard time just getting up and getting around each day. I was amazed and grieved. I could tell that the circumstances were different for each person. Some had obvious injuries, some had physical defects or handicaps, some were very old and time had robbed them of strength and flexibility, some were very overweight (but which came first, the handicap or the weight gain I do not presume to know), and some were a mystery, but obviously struggling all the same. I kid you not, for every 5-8 people who came in with good mobility there was another person who struggled to walk or move about.

And here's one more thing you need to know. The clear majority of those people walked into Fry's. They did not opt for a motorized cart. They moved slowly and laboriously, but they walked. They used canes or crutches or leaned heavily on a grocery cart, but they walked. Bless their hearts and their aching bones, joints, or muscles. A few did use carts, but after seeing so much struggling going on, I was thankful for those carts and thankful those people could use them to go in the store and do their shopping. I have to tell you, I've had a complete heart change on this issue. My eyes were open to a struggle that I had no idea was shared by so many. After standing at Fry's for three hours my legs ached and I was ready to sit down. But I was so glad I could stand and I could walk. By the looks of things, mobility is something none of us should take for granted. It's a huge blessing. Take it from me, you need to thank God for those legs of yours. There are a lot of people who would if they could!

Energy

Today I woke up to my alarm clock at 6:30. I bounded out of bed, scurried to awaken my teenage son who can't seem to wake up to his own alarm clock, and rushed to the shower. I had stuff to do!

Most days I do not, I admit, wake up with such vigor. Often I lie in bed for several minutes before slowly shifting my body to a somewhat standing position. I then lumber to the bathroom, look in the mirror and groan, and head off to the kitchen for a cup of coffee. While I actually consider myself a morning person, I still have a hard time jump starting my engine most days. Not so today.

Not only did I get an early and energetic start this morning, I've bound through the rest of my day on high octane as well. I spoke at a MOPS meeting this morning, straightened my house and did some dishes, did some research on line for upcoming articles and prepared for a mentoring session this afternoon, all with energy to spare. And as I type this blog entry now, I can barely keep from jumping from my chair and scurrying off to another chore. Man! I've got energy today!

Don't worry. I'm not on drugs and, while I have had several cups of coffee this morning (that's what we do at MOPS meetings, don't you know!) I don't even think it's the caffeine that's keeping me super charged. I just have energy. Maybe it can be attributed to the fact that I slept until 12:00 noon Saturday - something I haven't done since I was a teenager. You see, we had a terrible wind storm all night Friday and I could not sleep. The winds were raging at more than 50 miles per hour and things were flying! So I finally went to sleep about 6:00 am. Consequently I slept in until 12:00. What a luxury. I knew I had really slept in late when I finally got up and found my 17-year-old son was already out of bed. Oh my!

But that was days ago. No, I don't think my energy today is attributed to sleeping until noon on Saturday. Too much has gone on since then. Here's what I think. I think I have simply been blessed with a clear since of purpose and drive today. So many times I let distractions, emergencies, and "little things" cause me to lose focus. Losing focus causes me to bog down on the insignificant and trivial. Bogging down causes me to get sluggish and lazy. What a mess. But today, I have managed, by the grace of God and a good and blessed quiet time with the same, to stay focused. Thus, I have energy to do just what He has called me to do.

Energy. What a blessing! Especially the older I get!

My First-born Blessing

Yesterday was Daniel's 17th birthday. I can hardly believe I have such a grown up son in my home. It does indeed still seem like just yesterday that he was toddling around the house, watching Barney, and singing songs from our Disney Sing Along tape (the tape itself would be considered an antique now!). Today he drives himself around town, watches movies on his ipod and strums eclectic music on his guitar. What a contrast!

Daniel is a blessing to his family and to many other people. While he is not perfect and is a work still in progress, he has always been a mighty fine boy. Now he is becoming a mighty fine man. Daniel is brilliant. Anyone who knows him well, knows that. But he is also talented, witty, responsible and sweet. Some people who know Daniel, don't know that. Like most 17-year-olds, Daniel does a pretty good job of hiding many of his most valuable and admirable characteristics behind sarcasm, silence, and hesitation. But I am pleased with the young man I see Daniel becoming. I believe God is pleased too. I celebrate Daniel and I celebrate all that God is doing in his life.

Last night as we celebrated Daniel's birthday with dinner at Quizno's (his choice), James said a sweet dinner blessing. He thanked God for the many people who have invested in Daniel's life - family and friends who have loved Daniel, watched over him, given generously to him, taught him, and treasured him. He called many by name, but there are more than we could have prayed for during a short dinner blessing. We are indeed thankful for the many people all over the country who have helped us raise both Daniel and Abigail. You know who you are. Just please accept our deepest appreciation and know that you have only added to the blessing that our children are to us.

Our son Daniel, what a blessing!

Thanksgiving Blessings

Our family had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. I hope yours did too! We spent the morning at the VFW (not to be confused with the VHF, which I told several people we were going to!) helping the Salvation Army pack turkey dinners in to-go boxes for the meals-on-wheels recipients. It was a delight and gave extra meaning to the day. What a blessing!

Later that day we shared a scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner with the Ed Radmore family. Ed is our Senior Adult and Pastoral Care Minister at the church. His son-in-law Pauguin and daughter Beth cooked a huge dinner of turkey, turducken, tilapia, ham, and all the fixin's. I think there were about 12 pies! We have spent many Thanksgivings with other families and enjoy it every time. God is always good to supply someone to share the day with. Let's see, we've had Thanksgiving dinner with the Lyons, the Dallys, the Rolls, the Burnetts, the Radmores, and probably several others. What a blessing!

We rounded out the day watching movies together as a family. Abby and I enjoyed the Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Vertigo, and then we all watched Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. We had to fast forward through a couple of language explosions by Steve Martin, but the movie is such a Thanksgiving classic. And with two busy teenagers it's a treat to occasionally sit down together with popcorn and cokes. What a blessing!

Because I missed my opportunity to write this on the day of Thanksgiving, I'm stretching Thanksgiving into a season. I'd like to share a few of the things I am most thankful for. Yes, I am most grateful for many of the things you are also thanking God for during this time - family, friends, health, etc. But I would like to go a different route and tell you a few additional blessings I am counting this season.

I'm grateful for opportunities. Opportunities are what make the days exciting and challenging. Opportunities to serve, opportunities to love, opportunities to grow. I'm grateful for opportunities to start over and opportunities to soak in. Opportunities for my children, my husband, my family, my church, myself. Thank you God for giving us opportunities. Help us to take advantage of every one of them! Opportunities. What a blessing!

I'm also thankful for memories. Oh I have such wonderful memories. I still take the time to recount memories of my childhood - memories of family vacations, times with friends, special holidays, growing times, interventions by God, and even little insignificant moments. I also remember teenage days, college days, early marriage, and the births of my children. Memories are special little gifts that are definitely worth carefully unwrapping every now and then. Memories. What a blessing!

Finally, I am thankful for God's Word. It continues to grow more and more special and meaningful to me every day. It is truly my daily bread. I do not know how one handles the complications of life without it. It is a light for my path and a lamp showing me how to navigate that path. It actually causes my heart to quicken within me when I read the truth I need for a particular time. It blesses me and I know it blesses others who read it, treasure it, and obey it. The Word of God. What a blessing!

Remember, God is always good to us and every good and perfect gift comes from above. But if you want to see those blessings with clarity, you have to really be on the lookout. Blessings, like bluebirds, are worth looking for, gazing upon, and pointing out to others. Seen any bluebirds lately?

Behind the Scenes Blessings

Have you ever aspired to be an assistant? While that question sounds ludicrous to me, you may be the kind of person who truly loves serving in the background. I confess, however, that I have a huge affinity for the limelight. While I don't always have to be center stage, I don't want to be far from it. I'm ok with a supporting role, but at least put me on the stage! I can honestly say I've never desired to be an assistant.

But the Lord has shown me recently just what a position of honor the humble assistant holds. In fact, Jesus taught and demonstrated over and over again how crucial it is for His followers to willingly assist others. The story of the Good Samaritan teaches us that helping those in need is what makes us good neighbors. Jesus admonished His disciples to seek to be last in order to be first. And He demonstrated the calling to service when He washed His disciples' feet. Jesus elevated the role of assistant to great honor and He continues to call us to assist those around us.

Last week I spent several days in Nashville, Tennessee, at the National Women's Ministry Leadership Forum. The attendees had the huge honor of meeting almost all of LifeWay's women's ministry authors: Priscilla Shirer, Lisa Whelchel, Mary Kassian, Vicki Courtney, Shaunti Feldhahn, Angela Thomas, and Jennifer Rothschild, to name a few. During a Meet and Greet Reception, I was able to speak personally with each author, get an autograph on their latest book, and snap a picture if I chose. Each lady was delightfully personable and enjoyable. I'm grateful for these women, their gifts, and the ways they have used them to minister to thousands of women around the country through their Bible studies. But as much as I enjoyed meeting these anointed authors, I was actually more impressed with a woman whose name I can't even recall.

Jennifer Rothschild, one of the authors I mentioned, is blind. Therefore, she didn't sit at her station alone. She was accompanied by an assistant. As I approached the table with a friend to meet Jennifer, her assistant took from us the books we had brought to be autographed. She glanced at my name tag and said, "Jennifer, this is Kay." I took Jennifer by the hand and told her how glad I was to meet her. We talked for a few minutes and then Jennifer signed my book, which her assistant had opened to the title page and positioned in front of the author. Before I left, the assistant offered to take a picture of my friend and myself with Jennifer. Walking away from Jennifer's table, I knew I had been in the presence of not one great servant of God, but two.

I'm ashamed to say I can't remember the name of Jennifer's assistant. She wore a name tag and was extremely friendly. But the truth is, I'm not sure I could even describe her appearance to you. Still, her service and assistance affected me profoundly. And I'm almost certain the reason I don't remember her name or face is because she did her job so well. You see she wasn't there as the main attraction. Though I'm sure she enjoyed meeting the women who approached Jennifer for autographs and she probably has invested greatly in Jennifer's ministry, she didn't insist on being in the limelight. She didn't even try to share it with Jennifer. Mmmm, mmm, mmm. To a limelight hog like myself, that's pretty amazing!

This lovely assistant reminds me of a man who, of all things, wore animal skins and ate locusts. You probably know I'm referring to John the Baptist, who paved the way for Jesus by preaching repentance in the wilderness. When asked if he might actually be the Christ, John didn't hesitate to say no. In fact, he claimed only to be a "voice" of one crying in the wilderness, "Make straight the way of the Lord." He was an assistant who knew his place. Later, when some of John's followers tried to force him onto center stage, John resisted the temptation to accrue a following by saying, "He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease." What humility! And yet Jesus Himself would later say, "among those born of women, there is no one greater than John."

At first glance the role of assistant may seem menial and insignificant, but Jesus has elevated this position in His kingdom. He said those who desire to attain greatness must instead serve and seek no acclaim. Then He will elevate you in the proper time. Servants, assistants, helpers - call them what you will - they are in Jesus' spot light.

I'm thankful I got to meet the lovely authors who have penned so many of the Bible studies I have taught and learned from. They have obviously made significant contributions to God's work for this age. But I am even more grateful for the opportunity to meet someone of perhaps even higher stature in Jesus' kingdom - a pleasant, gentle, humble and nameless assistant who showed me what true service looks like. May I step out of the limelight today, help someone else to shine, and serve with joy and humility.

Of MOPS and Mentors

I spent the morning with one of my favorite groups of people - one of my two MOPS groups. No, I wasn't cleaning house. They're not that kind of mops. MOPS are Mothers of Preschoolers. And, no, I'm not a mother of a preschooler. I'm a Mentor Mom. That's a "been there, done that, don't give up, you do get to sleep again one day" mom. I prefer that definition to the less flattering one: older mom with a slower metabolism and more wrinkles.

When my children were preschoolers I actually ached to be in a MOPS group. I would listen to the little MOPS moment on the radio where Elisa Morgan, the founder of MOPS, would assure me, "Mom, you're worth it!" Occasionally I would try to locate a MOPS group in my area, but I could never find one. I didn't realize that I could actually start a group with a little ingenuity and will power. So I struggled along, hundreds of miles from my mom and close girl friends. I desperately needed some MOPS to come alongside me, befriend me, swap stories with me, and chill out with me. But that never really happened.

On the other hand, I did find a number of Mentor Moms. Not affiliated with the MOPS organization of course, but mentors and moms all the same. Most of these women were years ahead of me, some with grown children and grandchildren. Women like Pearl, Evelyn, Nita, Susan, Beverly, Eunice, and Mary in Bowdon, Georgia, helped me wade through my first few years of mothering. They were my friends, my shopping buddies, my neighbors, my babysitters, and my spiritual mentors. They assured me, prayed for me, taught me things, doted on me and laughed with me. And when I suffered from extreme morning sickness with my second pregnancy, they would take Daniel off my hands for a few hours so I could sleep and vomit. They were absolute treasures.

When I moved from Georgia to Texas and left my mother behind, I desperately sought the companionship of MOPS again, but to no avail. Still, I found more Mentor Moms. Frances would take Daniel to eat pancakes and feed the ducks while I had some "me" time. She also taught me how to make play dough, how to clean my oven, and how to make meatloaf. Beverly and Marillas would take me to lunch and assure me my children were normal. Cindy lead me in aerobics and prayed for me. Barbara took my children to Mickey D's while I taught Bible studies. Patty played with my children and invited my family for Thanksgiving dinner. Janice would buy me little gifts and take me to tour old homes and botanical gardens. And that's only a few of the names and precious acts of service. There are so many more!

I never got to be a part of MOPS, but I had Mentor Moms galore - probably more than my fair share. And I loved every one of them to pieces! Is it any wonder then that eight years later God would lead me to my first MOPS group so that I could officially be, not a MOP, but a Mentor Mom? I obviously owe a debt and now I have the privilege of paying back. While I sometimes feel like I don't have much to offer, I am determined to do at least the one thing each of my mentors did for me so well: I'm going to be available and willing.

What has God blessed you with an abundance of? Have you traveled the road side by side with others who are at the same point on the path as you? Or have you, like me, been accompanied by more friends who are a few steps ahead? I'd love to hear about your experiences. Meanwhile, thank God for the blessing of companions, whether they be fellow travelers or seasoned veterans. It's good to know someone is on the road with you.

PS - For more info on MOPS, visit http://www.mops.org/

Bring on the Boulders!

Today, huge boulders are being delivered to my backyard. Boulders and dirt and rocks! I'm thrilled. You see, out here in Arizona that is what constitutes a yard. And am I ever ready to finally have a yard.

Recently I confessed to my husband my only fear of eternity. I'm a little concerned I'll get to heaven, be escorted to my lovely Mediterranean-style mansion (I can ask!) and shown around the palatial rooms, only to look out the window and find nothing but dirt in my yard. I'll turn to the angel who has escorted me to my heavenly abode and ask, "What gives?" He'll shrug his shoulders and sigh. "The yard will have to come a little later. Don't worry. It will be done soon." But I'll have to wonder.

My husband and I have only owned two homes for a total of five years. The rest of our married life we have either rented, house sat, or lived in parsonages (homes supplied by churches for their pastors). Lest I sound like I'm complaining, you must understand that we have parked our possessions in some very lovely parsonages, rental homes and apartments. The only problem with those generous living arrangements was that we were not gaining any equity for the future. (Of course, after five years of making house payments we still don't have any equity, but we're working on it!)So we built one house in Texas and lived there about three years and now we're in a new house in Arizona that we've been in for a little over a year.

Because my husband and I really try to live within our means (he'll laugh at that statement, but I really do try!), we have to "delay gratification" often. One of the greatest delays of gratification we've experienced is waiting to put in the yard around our homes. Of course we've had land that is technically the yard, but those yards have consisted of dirt, dirt, and more dirt. Now, I'm really not very hard to please (he's laughing again!) and my parents raised me to be able to wait for things (now they're laughing), but I've really wanted a yard, an oasis, a place to entertain, a refuge, just some ground covering for pete's sake! In fact, we did get some trees and some flower beds (no flowers, just beds, mind you) at our house in Texas about six months before we moved. But then... we moved. And when we moved, we moved to a rental house that had lots of rock (Arizona, mind you), but that's all it had. Lots and lots of rock. No trees, bushes, or even boulders.

So today, I'm quite excited. I'm getting boulders. I have a lovely patio that extends into almost half of our postage stamp sized yard, thanks to the generosity of a friend of ours. That patio is begging for patio furniture and potted flowers, but right now I'm just glad to be getting boulders. James, my husband, says there will soon be rocks, a water feature (that's a little stream of larger and different colored rocks that looks like water...if you use your imagination!), dessert flowers, a few trees, and a fountain. Dare I believe this could happen any time soon? I think I'll take the plunge and believe it with all my heart. I'm getting boulders today! What a blessing!

Looking for Bluebirds

When I was a child I loved to look for red birds. They were always easy to spot and seemed to be most everywhere. While the red feathers are dazzling, the spotting of red birds became fairly commonplace after awhile. At one time my mother even told me I could make a wish each time I saw a red bird. Then one day I realized I was making wishes left and right - red birds were too abundant to be rare.
I didn't really even know blue birds existed until I was an adult. Sure, there are songs about bluebirds, but I thought they were mythical creatures like unicorns. Then one day I saw my first bluebird. It was so tiny, so fast and evasive. I tried to point it out to my children, but they couldn't seem to land their eyes on it. In fact, I remember now that my mother was spotting bluebirds before I was able to. Perhaps it takes adult eyes to see bluebirds. Mmmm.
I began to see a bluebird or two when I would play golf at the country club we belonged to and also when I would occasionally walk at the city park. Once again they were hard to spot. And just when one would come into focus, it would quickly fly on. They certainly didn't make themselves readily available for casual observers. Only those truly looking for them would spot these flashes of glorious blue.
And bluebirds are truly beautiful. The ones I spotted in Texas were delicately small and very bright blue. Somehow, just seeing one would magically lift my spirits. Indeed, I couldn't have been more enchanted had I seen that mythical unicorn!
Well, by now you know that I am no birdwatcher. I love to go hiking and I do notice many birds on my adventures, but I don't know a blackbird from a crow. (Or are they the same thing?) I just happen to love sighting bluebirds. And here's why.
Somewhere along the way, it began to feel that sighting a bluebird was a sort of reminder of God's wonderful blessings. Each time I would see one of these tiny blue creatures flying by I would be struck with awe by such a small, but significantly beautiful, creation of God. It would make me plum happy! I think sometimes, actually pretty often, God just wants to do something special for each of us. I believe He delights in delighting us! And I began to feel like every time I saw a tiny bluebird God was saying to my heart, "Look, Kay! Look at this beautiful little blessing I've sent your way today! What do you think?" And I began to tell God, each time he blessed me with a bluebird sighting, "You are something else! You are good!"
And so, I am calling my blog "Bluebird Sightings." Not because I will talk about bluebirds often or because I hope to attract other lovers of bluebirds to this blog. That really is totally insignificant to me. I've given my blog this apt title because I want to write about the little blessings God sends my way on ordinary days. While I may not write an entry every day, I'm sure there are blessings I could report each day. But, like sighting bluebirds, I must sometimes be very diligent to see them.
So won't you join me in looking for bluebirds? No, not the bright blue flashes in the sky, but the supernatural hand of God in your common life. Let's make it a point to look for these little miracles, these gentle blessings, these tender mercies each day. And let's point them out for others to see. Maybe if we point them out often enough, they will develop sharp enough eyes to see them for themselves.