Monthly Archives: October 2008

October 14, 2008 · 6:00 am

Family Vacation

As I was putting John Henry to bed, I asked him what he was most excited about for vacation at the beach.

“I’m just gonna lay on my towel, practice my reading, and reeee-lax,” he said.

I’ll be sure he gets a good foot rub, too. You know, it’s hard out there for a Kindergartener.

I’ll be taking a bloggy break for the rest of the week as we head south for some much needed relaxation. A big shout out to Papa Joe and Linda (Mimi to my children) for the family invite.

I’ll be back next Monday.

With stories. I’m sure of it.

I’m taking “The Shack” and “In the Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day” with me.

What are you reading? Any book recommendations?

Love ya. Mean it.

6 Comments

Filed under Kid Stuff, life

Tagged as books, children, relaxation, vacation

October 13, 2008 · 6:00 am

Gossip Girl

I was watching Oprah the other afternoon, wishing I had a wonderful glass of wine iced tea to enjoy it with. It was about how to handle various social situations. Perhaps, you saw it?

Well, one situation was where a gal found herself in a “real e-mail pickle,” to quote Oprah. She sent an e-mail gossiping about someone…..to the someone she was gossiping about!

Yikes! How to recover from that one?

She was given the advice to never, ever gossip via e-mail again. As a matter of fact, don’t write anything in an e-mail you wouldn’t want to see on the front pages of the NY Times. You know what happens. You send an e-mail. It gets forwarded. Forwarded again.

Even text messaging can produce the same “oops.” In today’s world of mass communication, these blunders are all too common. I can’t tell you how many times my husband has texted our pilot, Blue (yes, that’s his real name), telling him/me how much he misses me, wants to kiss me, wants to……

You get the picture.

As a result, Blue’s job is secure for the rest of his life.

I’ve written e-mails that were forwarded but meant for private eyes. (Just typing “private eyes” makes me suddenly break out into the Hall & Oates song. I’m so not kidding.) Anyway, I’ve also texted the right message to the wrong people.

Another issue that e-mail and text messaging presents is how we interpret the tone of the sender’s voice. That’s why we put the little smiley faces at the end of nearly every sentence these days. As if to say, “Hey! Don’t take me seriously!”

The art of communication can be lost so easily these days. And, the risk of Susie finding out how ugly you thought her dress was last night has never been greater.

Best thing to do? Don’t type it.

Has this ever happened to you?

9 Comments

Filed under Randomness, Virtue

Tagged as e-mail, gossip, Oprah Winfrey, text messaging

October 10, 2008 · 6:00 am

A Lunch Date.

There are days that going out to eat in public places with my three year old are as enjoyable as sitting through a presidential debate. Can I get an Amen? Or if you’re Sarah Palin, a wink?

Bad joke. Sorry.

The other day, I had the most enjoyable lunch date with Anna. And Jenny.

First of all, we dined at On the Border. And, you know how much I love my chips and queso. We talked about girlie things. Anna commented on how “lovely” the day was and fed Jenny a few of her chips. But not the queso upon my strong urging.

There are just those days where the stars are aligned just right. And, God’s grace seems a bit more abundant. And, you walk out of a restaurant to the tune of a princess saying, “That was a nice lunch, Mom.”

I think Jenny even enjoyed it. And, I’m sure she appreciated our respect for safe travel.

8 Comments

Filed under Kid Stuff, Motherhood

Tagged as baby dolls, children, lunch dates

October 9, 2008 · 6:00 am

I’m coming out of the closet.

You didn’t ask for it.

Here are some things you never wanted to know about me:

I’ve gone an entire day without showering. More than once.

I can eat the biggest bowl of cereal you’ve ever seen. Then, go for seconds.

I’m the mom who forgets Show-and-Tell days at school.

Sometimes I pray and my mind wonders off – and I forget that I was praying.

I’m insecure in the kitchen.

I want my kids to think I’m cool. Karate moves don’t help.

I laugh uncontrollably when someone falls down or bumps their head.

I’m easily startled.

Sometimes, I yell at my children.

I often work out then come home and eat more calories than I burned.

Sometimes, I speak without thinking and regret it later.

I have hurt people.

I’m not the best driver.

I have a lot to learn.

God loves me still.

Your turn. Anything hiding in your closet?

11 Comments

Filed under Randomness

Tagged as flaws, personalities, traits

October 8, 2008 · 6:00 am

As far as I’m concerned.

Did you love B Shaw Brittany Thoms or what? I’m telling you folks. She is a gem. I can’t wait to meet her sweet baby Carson next month. No doubt that baby’s first word will be “Go”, and his second word will be “Dawgs”.

I told you on Monday one of the two statements that stayed with me since my Willow Creek experience. I thought it only appropriate to share the other.

By Nancy Beach, of course. Sure. You love Bill. I love Nancy.

Nancy said that we should strive to always be able to say, “As far as I’m concerned, I am at peace with everyone.”

This means we’ve done all we can do to make a situation right. To forgive and be forgiven. What if the other person is resistant to walking out forgiveness with you? What if he or she is allowing bitterness and resentment to take root?

If you have humbled yourself and tried to make peace with that person, then all you can do is rest in your effort to make it right.

It’s hard to be the best you or the best me when we have unforgiveness in our hearts. Or when there is just uncomfortable tension between you and a friend. I’ve been there before. I’ve hurt and, I’ve been hurt. And, trying to do life with those hurts robs us of perfect peace. Nothing was so freeing as making those relationships right.

You can’t make someone forgive you. You can’t make another individual nail their bitterness to the cross. But, as far as YOU are concerned, you can be at peace with everyone. It doesn’t mean the other person’s unforgiveness doesn’t hurt. I’m afraid it often does. But, it doesn’t have to rob you of peace. My mom always tells me that “peace of mind is worth its weight in gold.” She is so right.

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

Is there a relationship you need to make right?
Have you ever experienced the hurt of unforgiveness?

3 Comments

Filed under Relationships

Tagged as forgiveness, peace, Relationships

October 7, 2008 · 6:00 am

Guest Blog – Brittany Thoms: “Free Throw Shot”

I’ve known Brittany (B Shaw) Thoms since she was a tot. Throughout Britt’s adolescent years, she considered me a mentor. Now, we mentor each other. You’d be hard pressed to find another girl with greater passion for Jesus. And, I couldn’t be more blessed to call her my friend.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Brittany Thoms.

“Free Throw Shot” by Brittany Thoms

It’s hard to imagine thinking the way God thinks.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts [higher] than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:9

But I feel like every now and then, God gives us glimpses of what it really means to be made in His likeness. Parents know this very well and as a soon-to-be mom (November), I’m crazy excited about learning more about God through my son. J

In his book, “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day,” Mark Batterson writes:

One of my most memorable moments as a parent happened during my son Parker’s rookie season in little league basketball. His team hadn’t won a single game all season … [and Parker] had a 98 percent air-ball percentage from the free-throw line.

So Parker got fouled and went to the free throw line. And to be perfectly honest, I felt bad at first because I knew my son had a 98 percent chance of being embarrassed. But I prayed like it was the day of Pentecost! I wish I could say that I prayed that Parker would make the free throw, but I didn’t have that much faith. I just prayed that he would hit the rim. But Parker stepped up to the free throw line and renewed my faith in the power of prayer. Parker defied the odds and made the first free throw of his career.

And I cried.

There is tremendous joy in watching someone achieve greatness. Why do parents rejoice when their children do something right? Why do moms carry around “brag books?” Because, our Heavenly Father is no exception. Don’t you think God rejoices all the time when His children operate in the gifts He placed inside of them?

The other side of this coin is sorrow. I think of God more and more every time I consciously forgive someone. Forgiveness isn’t second nature. It hurts. And what’s worse? We are constantly reminded of our wounds and have to forgive the same person for the same thing multiple times – whether it was 20 years or 20 days ago.

And I think, “Wow. God, you REALLY love us … because we do stupid things that hurt you all the time.”

Consider this:

My sins nailed Jesus to a cross.

I bet that hurt REAL bad.

Yet, He still loves me.

Wow.

So, when I’m reminded of wounds where others have scarred me, I think of the scars on Jesus and how it drives His love for us to an even deeper level: unconditional. And when I catch someone being great, I’m equally reminded how much God gets excited over us.

But most of all … I want to love like Jesus loves.

8 Comments

Filed under God Stuff, Love

Tagged as basketball, forgiveness, free throw shots, God's love, Mark Batterson

October 6, 2008 · 6:00 am

Transcendent Moments

I’ll never forget attending the Arts Conference at Willow Creek in 2002. I was pregnant with John Henry at the time. But, the flutters I felt in my expanding belly were more than just the little guy growing. The entire experience was amazing. However, two statements made by the great Nancy Beach have stayed with me. One was “Never underestimate the power of transcendent moments.”

The Willow Creek website reads,

“Today’s spiritually searching culture is less inclined than ever to attend church. Yet no time of the week is filled with more life-changing potential than Sunday morning.”

It is so easy to get caught up in life’s daily responsibilities and use Sunday as a day to recover by sleeping in – and missing church in the process. Why is it that we are more likely to give up the Sunday experience than a soccer game? Believe me. I’m writing this post to myself as well. But, I know the power of experiencing that transcendent moment. Being with the body of Christ can provide that opportunity.

Yesterday was no different. It would have been easy to scrap the whole going to church thing. Anna decided to hide from me. For.A.Long.Time. I searched outside. I searched inside. I did the “I’m gonna count to three, and if you don’t come out…..” Well, you know what I said. Still, no Anna. Finally, I set her up.

“Okay, John Henry, let’s leave Anna here.”

“Rrrraaaggghhh!!!!” Anna yelled. From behind the couch. Covered in blankets and pillows.

She immediately prayed the Lord would be with her when I followed through with my warning.

In spite of our hectic start to the LORD’S day, we made it. And, I experienced that transcendent moment. The transcendent moment is where a message connects to your heart. Or a song moves your soul. Or something happens that leaves you awestruck. TRANSFORMED.

It might be a moment of peace. Or in my case, an hour of peace. My children were under the care of someone else. Now, that’s transcendence.

You might experience a transcendent moment at a Broadway show or a Celine Dion concert. Well, at least a few chicks will. But no transcendent moment will transform your life like the one you experience in the house of God.

It’s those moments that bring about life change.

When is the last time you experienced a transcendent moment?

4 Comments

Filed under Spiritual Journey

Tagged as church, Nancy Beach, Sunday experience, transcendent moments, Willow Creek

October 3, 2008 · 6:00 am

Help!

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

It’s hard to carry another’s burden when you don’t know what that burden is. Asking for help is not one of my strong suits. I’m not sure if it’s pride or just not wanting to bother a friend. But, I have a really hard time asking someone to give up his or her time.

When we help one another, we fulfill the law of Christ? Really?

Sounds to me like we need to start leaning on each other a little more.

What do you think?
Do you have a hard time asking for help?

10 Comments

Filed under Friendship, life, Relationships

Tagged as burdens, friends, help, law of Christ

October 2, 2008 · 6:00 am

Pippi Longstocking called. She wants her socks back.

Here we are again. I wish I had some life-changing wisdom to share.

I’ve been too focused on proving improving my baking skills to learn any life lessons. Especially after all of your encouraging comments from yesterday’s post.

No, really. I feel the love.

I even invited my friend, Lance, over to try some tasty confections….well, spaghetti. He gave some lame excuse about being too busy hanging out with Bill Hybels. I suppose tomorrow he’ll be dining with Bono.

I did re-dedicate Anna to the Lord yesterday. After I saw THIS.

“Lord, she is yours. Use her. Mold her.”

Granted, I purchased those socks. However, they certainly were not meant to accessorize corduroy CAPRIS.

Watch out Project Runway.

John Henry’s Kindergarten experience is going quite well. He won the desperately sought after “Respect Award” for his school. ‘Cause that’s how we roll.

Well, I’ve bragged on Anna’s ever-progressing appreciation for the fashion industry and John Henry’s impeccable manners. It’s your turn.

Go ahead. Brag on your bundles of joy. It’s Fall for crying out loud. (And Sting’s birthday.)

17 Comments

Filed under Kid Stuff, Randomness

Tagged as awards, baking, Bill Hybels, kids, recognition

October 1, 2008 · 6:00 am

Oh, Autumn. You’re just too marvelous for words.

Hello Fall! Well, almost. October is here. Hip, hip hooray! I’ve never heard a living soul say “I don’t like Fall.” The foliage turns into the most perfect colors. It provides the most enjoyable months, weather wise, in the Sooner State. The winter months here are COLD, and I’ve experienced far too many icy road conditions and power outages. Spring brings tornadoes and hair destroying winds. And summers are so dang hot, it melts my make-up. So, Fall it is.

I remember when I first moved to Oklahoma (a.k.a. tornado alley). I noticed an umbrella broken in half lying in Kris’ backyard. (I’m sure cleaning that up was on his list of things to do.) “High winds”, he said. High winds my, um my….my hiney. In the words of my grandma, Callie Mae, “I’m not going to gee-haw with you,” I told him. Try TORNADO. I suppose he thought I would turn myself right ‘round and head back south if I knew the truth. Thus, the lies began.

Oh, I kid.

Anyhoo, I do love this time of year. I celebrate my birthday – my favorite day of the year. Right, Cindy? I light pumpkin-scented candles and bake pumpkin bread. I sit on my back porch and enjoy my 2 inches of yard. I pull out my yummy sweaters and embrace them as though I’m seeing an old friend. I LOVE this time. Did I mention that?