fun?

Sometimes life can be crazy and we can get caught up in all that has to be done.     Keeping our lives in balance can seem like a never ending challenge.  Sleep, work, family, fun, responsibilities, commitments can resemble a  juggling act.

While juggling the many facets of our lives, it can be easy to take things for granted.   — i.e.  A few moments of a power outage and gratitude for electricity comes to the forefront.  An attitude of gratitude is a good way to start each day.

Our life is crazy busy.  Those of you who have followed my blog know that my husband and I both pastor and are employed outside the church.  In addition to that, he just started a graduate level class.   Along with all that, our son and daughter (in law)  moved in with us in December.      We are no longer empty nesters.    Our other son is in college.  Yes our life is full.  There is a to do list that seems to be a mile long.

I was asked recently what I did for fun?

I have given this matter quite a bit of thought this week.  What do I do for fun?

As I thought about this I realized that I have fun every day.  I love to laugh.  I am easily amused.  Fun is a part of who I am not just something I do.

Oh there are things I like to do:  date night, having coffee with a good friend,  shopping, going to a good movie,  traveling ………………..

Sometimes it seems like those things are few and far between.  I am grateful that fun is something I can include in each day.  It isn’t hard to find things to laugh about.  Laughter is contagious.

Today, among other things I found worthy of laughter, Curt and I stopped by the local bakery and picked up some scrumptious desserts.  As we were walking home he dropped mine.  Yes it fell right out of the sack onto the pavement.  My response to his shocked face was laughter!  (One hand over the mouth and one hand on the tummy – laughter.)

I did retrieve said yummy thing and thought about the 5 second rule.  That is just how appetizing this item was.   However, I am a germ-a-phob and couldn’t get past the dirty, gross pavement.

What was there to do but  go back to the bakery and buy another one?  The surprised waitress thought it was because I didn’t want to share.  Even that was funny.

Curt and I talked about it and I could have responded differently.  Sometimes we take things just way too serious.  Looking on the lighter side of things, seeing humor in a situation, or creating humor in a situation are all things we can choose to do.

Can you have fun without laughter?  Of course.   But can you have laughter without having fun?  Try it and find out.  I encourage you to look for things to laugh about.

Proverbs 17:22
“A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

til next time

ordination

Life in our fishbowl is adventurous.

A couple of things have managed to squeeze their way into our lives.  At a time when I absolutely was not going to add anything to my schedule, I found myself in the midst of the process required for  ordination.

Let me back up a bit — I graduated from college in ’85 but it wasn’t until the fall of 2000 that  I finally went through the steps needed to get my license to preach.  When the boys were little I felt that my first responsibility was to them.

One of the things that made licensing so special was having my mom there.  My dad died when I was 17.  He had no idea that I followed in his footsteps.  (My dad had a degree from a Bible college before he met and married my mom in ’46. I was thrilled to be able to use some of his textbooks for my classes.)  I know that situations came up and he never used that degree in the traditional way, yet I often wish that I had asked him more about it.

Jumping to the present -  as only God could orchestrate, one thing led to another and  the next thing I know I am studying for my ordination test.   Every free moment I had found me with my nose in my study sheets.  I had around a month and a half  before the test.   Of course Christmas and all that entails for a ministry couple was happening at the same time.  Yes life was full.

My mom, as some of you know, has dementia.  I miss having her to share this with.  I miss the excitement that I know she would have.  As it turned out, I used her Bible for my test.  It was my way of having a part of her with me in this process.

Yesterday I had the final step – the interview.   I guess it went well.   At least that is what Curt tells me.  It actually gave me a lot to think about.   I am excited for what the future holds.  (On a side note – My mom had left a pair of her shoes here when she moved to Florida to live with my brother.   I wore those shoes to the interview.  I miss my mom.)

On the heels of this process my husband decides to enroll in a graduate level class.   My “have a plan, be the plan, do the plan” husband didn’t have a clue how this would work.  Yet he felt strongly that the time was now.  God leads in mysterious ways.  God knows how to shake things up and bring about true adventure.

To let you know just how quickly this college class came up, we had to change my interview time in order for him to get to his class afterwards.  Yes yesterday was a day full of adventure.

Just following our leader (Jesus) into the great unknown.  Life is a great adventure!

(reminds me of an old Steven Curtis Chapman song)

The great adventure

til next time

God can use chocolate

Sometimes reminders come in sweet little packages.

I love Dove chocolate!  Sometimes it is just the reminder that I need.  God can use chocolate.

“Get a good nights sleep.”   This one was a shocker to me.  I had never, nor have I since, gotten another Dove wrapper with that on it.  On that particular day I was really struggling and asking God for wisdom.  Wala…..it came by way of Dove chocolate.

“It’s ok to not do it all.”  I have gotten this one a few times.  Hmmm?

“Don’t forget that after darkness comes light.  Don’t give up the fight.”   (Psalm 130:5-6)

“Always bring your own sunshine.”  This one pretty much says it all.  Where ever I find myself, I try to affect (in a good way) the atmosphere around me.  In the same way that crankiness can be contagious, so can cheerfulness.  After all I am a child of the King and God goes with me everywhere.  He is the reason I can bring my own sunshine!

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.“  I’ve heard it said that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you handle it.  Problems will come — God is still God.  “He is an ever present help in trouble.” (Psalms 46:1)

“Happiness is the experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”  On my own I could not begin to walk this one out.  However, with the love of God in my heart and as much of His passion as I will allow to flow through me,  I can live every minute to the fullest with love, grace and gratitude.  That said, I do not always manage to do that.  As with most things in life, it is a learning process.  I am closer today than I was last year.  That is really what counts.  I am growing.

By the way, I opened that particular Dove on a day that I truly needed to be reminded to walk in love and grace.

“Do all things in love.”  see above notes

“Live every day up to your expectations, not others.”  Wow, this one was so timely.  There was a particular individual that was letting me know that I was not jumping to her timetable.  Sometimes being a PW is quite challenging.   Two of my expectations — Walk in obedience to God’s will ….. More of Jesus and less of me.

“You do not have to clean like your mother.”   You could eat off the floors in my mother’s house on any given day at any given hour.  Enough said!

“Indulge in the moments that matter most.”  Why is it that we sometimes find ourselves too busy to enjoy life?

“Live on purpose.”  Again a reminder to make the most of the day.

“Dare to dream.”  Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,”   Don’t put God in a box.

“Love yourself”  Sometimes I can be my own worst enemy.

I love Dove chocolate.  The way it melts in my mouth reminds me of how my problems melt at the feet of Jesus.  However it does me no good  if I just let the chocolate sit there covered in foil – even though I know that there is yummy chocolate underneath that wrapping — I still need to take action and  unwrap it.  In the same way, it does me no good to ‘know’ that Jesus will help me if I refuse to unwrap my problem from my fingers and leave it with Him.  Again, I have to take action.

I think I will go find me some Dove chocolate.

til next time

traditions

Memories light the corners of my mind………….

It is hard to approach a holiday season and not take a walk down memory lane.  This year I miss my mom.  I talked with her tonight but even though she sounds like my mom, the dementia has taken its toll.  Tonight she informed me that ‘they had made it safely to Florida.’  I didn’t ask her who ‘they’ were.   After all, she has been in Florida for a year and a half.   I just consider myself blessed to be able to hear her tell me she loves me and that she looks forward to seeing me.

It did get me to thinking about Christmas and traditions.

There are traditions that have gone by the way side.  For us, one of those traditions  was the need to have oyster soup for Christmas Eve.    One year  (early on in our marriage) the weather stopped us from going home for Christmas and so I sent Curt out to find us oysters.  We absolutely must have oyster soup for supper.   If I couldn’t go home, at least I could have the traditional meal.   It was Christmas Eve and I don’t remember how many different places he went to before he found  oysters.   Imagine his surprise when I dipped myself a bowl of broth — no oysters, just the broth.   That was the end of that tradition.   Now we have chili.

Then we moved out-of-state and found ourselves far from extended family.   With having a Christmas day service (thus making it difficult to go home for the holidays) we needed to come up with new traditions.  Gone were the big extended family gatherings.  My kids don’t know what it is like to go to Grandma’s for Christmas.  What they lost with that we made up for in other ways.

We created new traditions. 

Decorating the tree means cheese and crackers and Christmas music.   Our tree is loaded with ornaments that the boys  made and an assortment of sentimental ornaments.

The second to last ornament is always Santa and his sleigh, with the last ornament being the tree topper.

A tradition we started when the boys were in school was something we called the ‘early present.’  On the final day of school, before Christmas break, they were allowed to open one present.     This was a big hit.  I still look forward to my early present.

So much of the time pk’s have to share their parents.  We made the decision that the holiday meal would be  just the 4 of us.    It became about family time.    We pull out the china and go all out.

This year we are blessed to have one son home for Christmas.  Our other son and ‘daughter’ will not be here for Christmas BUT are moving back home after Christmas.    Traditions are good but flexibility is even better.

We are blessed.

Merry Christmas!

til next time

black friday shopping can be great!

Black Friday — you either embrace it or you stay far away from it.  We embrace it!

Since we left the house at 11:30 p.m. can it really be called Black Friday?  For the record, I am not a fan of starting on Thursday evening.  Although I am sure that the stores loved it.  There were way more people than any other year that  I have gone.  More people equals more profit.

This year we had hats!  It made it easier to locate which aisle one of us was in and it made people smile.  Making people smile is hugely important when you are surrounded by strangers who might just be a bit cranky.

Black Friday — rule 1 — wear hats!!

    We began our journey at Target.  It was by far the longest line ever.   It was dark but it wasn’t cold. The way to not get  irritated in  line is to look for ways to make it fun.  We laughed and chatted with those around us.  We weren’t interested in the big screen tv’s — good thing because before we even got into the store, people were already coming out the door with them.

Black Friday — rule 2 –it is about the experience not about the items

Expect the unexpected — is a good rule of thumb for Black Friday shopping.  This year was no different.  There was a malfunction with the check out lane in electronics at Target.  Coffee and pumpkin muffins were handed out for us to enjoy while we waited again.  You can either get frustrated or you can relax.  No one likes to wait.  At least no one that I know.  However, it is what it is.

Black Friday – rule # 3 — there will be lines – expect it and make the most of it

It was during that wait that we decided that my sister didn’t know the rule about ‘stranger danger.’  We did learn more than any of us really wanted to know about the person in front of us, but there was lots of laughter!

We did not experience any rudeness.  For that I am quite grateful.

We went from Target to Kohl’s.  Now Kohl’s sets a new record for the longest amount of time waiting in line to check out– 1 hour and 45 minutes.  Wowzer!!

It was at Kohl’s that I got my hug from a stranger.  Guess I didn’t get the memo either about ‘stranger danger.’

Black Friday – rule #4 – it is a great opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life.

From Kohl’s we went to JC Penny’s.

Then it was on to breakfast.  All that shopping (or should I say waiting in line) makes a person hungry and very thirsty.

Last we ended up at WalMart.  By this time my niece  was exhausted and really didn’t even want to continue.   She is  now labeled as the “I can’t handle it” girl.

Oh and I mustn’t forget the rings.  Last year it was matching socks and bracelets.  This year it was matching rings and hats!  Another year of fun and laughter — Black Friday shopping — we love it!!

Black Friday – rule #5 –  Keep it fun –smile and laugh

Final thoughts on Black Friday shopping — reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 would be a great thing to do before heading out.

til next time

to get rid of or to hang on to?

It has been over a year since I started to declutter.  (click here to read how it started)  The unthinkable has finally happened.

Yesterday as I was baking it dawned on me that I really didn’t need these huge containers anymore.  When the boys were younger I got so tired of running out of sugar that I bought a container that held 5 (yes 5) bags of sugar.  I did a lot more baking back then and we went through a lot of kool-aid.

Just to show how big they are I put one of my favorite knick knacks in front of it.  (‘Simple Treasures’ is 1 1/2 inches high.)

This got me to thinking about my old canister set.   I love Tupperware.

I asked Curt to go on a hunting expedition.  In our basement one never knows what you will come across.  The last time I went down there I almost stepped on a dead mouse.  That did it for me.

Sure enough he came upstairs with my beloved old set.  I was excited to see it but then it hit me.   The reason my mom would hang onto things was because you just never knew when you might ‘need’ that.

Now this comes along and on the one hand I am so glad that I still had my old set but on the other hand I should have gotten rid of it long ago.  How many things have I gotten rid of that I am going to miss later?  Should I really get rid of this item? ……….

We have gotten rid of over 1,100 items.  I say we because the guys have gotten on board.  It has kind of mushroomed into a family thing.   (I keep track because it motivates and challenges me to reach the next hundred.)

The greatest change that has come out of all this decluttering  is the huge decrease in items that come into our house.  Impulse buying has practically disappeared.  This is a huge plus for my husband and his (ok our) budget.

The clear set does stack inside each other so I could hang onto them.   I am sure there is room in the basement.  However, this time I am giving them to the Salvation Army.  I am sure some young mom will be thrilled to get them.

It almost derailed me but I am once again motivated to give gently used things away so that some else can actually use them.

On a side note the pecan pie/cake that I made yesterday is already gone.  Guess I shall go bake something else today.

til next time

FYI– my blog ends here.  Apparently wordpress is now into advertisements and it has come to my attention that they are posting them right at the end of the blog.  (Cleverly disguising them to look as if they are a part of the original blog.)

arms outstretched

One of my favorite classes in college had to do with communication and body language.  A person can say volumes without ever saying a word.   We have all been around people who will be saying all the ‘right’ things but their body language is screaming a different tune.

Yesterdays challenge (45 day love revealed challenge) was all about living in God’s love.   What is your approach to the love God has for you?   Some people have an “arms folded” approach to God.    Others have an “arms wide open” approach to God.

^{Jude 20-21}But you, dear friends, carefully build yourselves up in this most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!

Feeling weak?  Check your prayer life.   Recently I have drastically increased my prayer life.   Everywhere I look people are facing huge issues.  Only God can give me the words to say that will encourage and strengthen those around me.  A word fitly spoken (Proverbs 25:11) makes a huge difference.

Where is the best place to be? — in the center of God’s love.   God’s love flowing through me enables me to love others.  Are people getting on your nerves?  Check your love tank.  How much time are you spending with the One who loves you most?

“keeping your arms open and outstretched.”

Open — outstretched — what a picture.   Are you feeling overwhelmed, sad, stressed??  Open your arms and reach up.    God is reaching down to you.   His mercies are new every morning.  His love is available every moment of every day.

Yes I come to God with my arms outstretched.

til next time

for more on the 45 day challenge click here

camping

It was a beautiful weekend to go camping.  The weather was picture perfect.

The two-year hunt for a camper that fit our requirements was well worth the wait.  The fact that it has even more than we wanted is just another sign of how great our God is.

We have a wonderful arrangement when we go camping.  I am queen of the camper.   Curt loves everything about camping, where I am not a fan of some of it.   Camping can be a lot of work but not if you are queen.

He spoils me and I am ok with that. 

However, he doesn’t let me win when it comes to games.  At least I made some points in ladder ball.

Curt loves to canoe or take any boat out on the water.  I, on the other hand, love to sit on the shore and read a book.

I have an irrational fear of boats.  There is a reason why I sit on the shore, take pictures, read a book and have a wonderful time.   Empty nesting, however,  means the boys weren’t with to go do all those ‘guy’ things with their dad.

So I decided to give it another try.  Some friends decided to go with us.  They were having a grand ol’ time.

I was trying to remember to breathe and not to scream or move especially when our friends managed to get hung up on a sand dune.  Leaving them stranded wasn’t an option, well not a good one anyway.  LOL

Yes, I am wearing my life jacket.  I can swim and the water wasn’t deep but none of that matters with irrational fear.  I wasn’t taking any unnecessary risks.

Here is our campsite.  It was truly beautiful floating along the backwaters.  Maybe next time I will be able to enjoy it a little.  For now I am just grateful that I looked my irrational fear in the face and won a small victory.   Thank you God and thank you Curt for being someone I can trust to help me with my fears.

til next time

45 day challenge

How’s your love walk?

Awhile back I read a book that drastically changed my love walk.  “Reduce me to love”  by Joyce Meyer is still the 2nd best book I have ever read on love.    (The best book you ask?  Of course -  the Bible.   The Bible is a living love story from the God of the universe.  It doesn’t  get any better than that. I recommend reading a portion of it everyday.)

“Reduce me to love” used scripture and did a great job of showing me how much deeper my love walk could be.    I highly recommend it but be warned it will show you things about yourself that may surprise you.

At a conference I was at recently, all of us pw’s were encouraged to take the 45 day “love revealed” challenge.  It is a book by Kerry Clarensau.   Each day contains a devotional about one aspect of love.  It concludes with a challenge point for that day.  After all, it really doesn’t do any good to know something if you don’t apply it to your daily life.

Yesterday was day 1

“Unfailing love”

Reminds me of the Chris Tomlin song by that title.

Unfailing love

God holds everything in His hands and yet He still has time for me and you. God loves us — really truly loves us.  I don’t have to be, nor could I be, perfect.   I can’t earn His love no matter how hard I try.  Yet He offers to me His gift of love.  He loves me and He loves you.  Yes, Jesus loves me.  Now there is something to ponder.

today – Day 2

“sacrificial love”

What conditions do you put on love?  What if God put those same conditions on His love for you?  — I am so thankful that He doesn’t.

Let the day begin.

til next time

everything has a story

This week-end my son had his senior recital.   Getting to this point was no easy thing for him.    If  I were to list all of the various road blocks that he has faced you would quite possibly think that I was making some of them up.  It is no wonder that many music majors never finish.

His recital was mostly classical numbers.  This was a switch from the style I was used to hearing him play.   Yet it really showed his level of ability.   He ended with a couple of jazz numbers.  It was phenomenal!!!

Getting to his recital was challenging for us.    As ministers, taking a week-end off requires advance preparation.   When the date was set we made the necessary arrangements but ……….. (yes there is a story).

I have been known to tell people that I would like to experience what “uneventful” is like — to be able to  tell this story — “We made the necessary arrangements.   We went.  It was wonderful.  We came home.   Praise God!”

It seems that everything in my life has a story behind it.  I used to wonder why and then  I realized that God is the greatest story-teller and that many of His stories seemed to be filled with great detail — quite eventful.  Why should mine be any different?

As our story seems to go,  plans changed.   We found out  our worship leader and piano player were not going to be there after all.  One by one our options for music fell through.  A little over a week before we were to leave and still we had no one for music.  Three days later we found out that we would also need to make arrangements in other areas that we thought were covered.

This was not going to be that uneventful story.  Maybe next time?

Why do some things happen?

Some things happen because the enemy of our souls is doing all he can to discourage us and push us to quit.  I also think that God allows some things to happen so that we grow in our trust in Him.   Another reason some things are allowed is because then we have no doubt that God came through in a huge way because it has God written all over it.  Finally, some things happen because we are then forced to make necessary changes in how we do things.

Changes …………… One thing that we are doing different now is how we do our trips back home.  Our trips  used to involve a lot of van time as we tried to see everyone.   Now we do a pool party at the hotel and anyone that can make it is welcome.    Sometimes things happen to force a needed change.

I can see this hotel change really being a good thing.  Here we are playing a ‘friendly’ game of UNO the night before the recital.

When all is said and done, we were able to find someone to cover music and the other necessary arrangements.      God came through in a huge way.   The recital was fantastic.  I am soooo proud of you Christopher!!!!!

til next time