Category Archives: Relationships

August 31, 2009 · 6:00 am

Family Time And Gratitude.

Our kids had their first tubing experience this weekend.  Well, John Henry tubed once when he was two and was completely unimpressed.  So, that hardly counts.  Friends invited the four of us to enjoy their lake house, amenities, and friendship.  Our kids had the best time.  And, we had the best time watching them.

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It’s nice to get away occasionally and have uninterrupted time with the people you love most.  Away from the laundry.  Away from the phone calls.  Away from the things that compete for your attention.

Away.

It’s in those times you can see your son.  I mean really see your son and soak up his expressions and wonder about his thoughts.

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It’s in those times you can appreciate the character of your daughter.  Where you imagine what she will be when she grows up or you just smile, because, you recognize how much she loves life.

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It’s in those times you can hold your husband’s hand without a thought of tomorrow’s bills or who is picking up the kids from school. 

It’s in those times you refill your gratitude tank.  You thank your heavenly Father that you get to wake up with these people every single day.

And, you know…..

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Life is good.

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 5:20

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August 28, 2009 · 7:21 am

Meet Sarah Markley.

Sarah Markley and I have never in “the real life.”  Cindy Beall introduced me to her blog, and then we became friends on Twitter.  Her writings always astound me.  Her ability to paint a picture with words makes me appreciate her.

And, I’ve never even met her.  Not in the real life. 

But she is a very real person.  With a very real story.  She is sharing it this week with honesty that I admire.  And, a heart that I love. 

It’s a five-part story, and I’m posting links to each below.  If you’ve ever felt that redemption was impossible, or God’s grace wasn’t enough, this will encourage you.

My New Name:  Part One

My New Name:  Part Two

My New Name:  Part Three

My New Name:  Part Four

My New Name:  Part Five

In Him we have redemption through His blood…  Colossians 1:14

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July 20, 2009 · 7:38 am

I’ve Had Wounds.

If we’ve lived any length of time, we’ve wounded someone and been wounded by someone.  As much as I love my children, I’ve still hurt them from time to time.  I’ve become very accustomed to asking them to forgive me and acknowledging to them that I was wrong.  I instruct my children to do the same thing when they hurt one another.

“I’m sorry.  I was wrong.  Would you forgive me?”

This is a very important part of the hurt individual’s healing process.

But, sometimes, the person who hurt us doesn’t ackknowledge their wrong doing, nor do they ask for forgiveness.  And, then, we have to, on our own, choose forgiveness.

Yep.  It’s a choice.  Always.  And, it’s also an instruction from our heavenly Father.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  (Col. 3:13)  It’s just not always an EASY choice.  Especially, when we don’t feel like forgiving.  Or, we fear that if we forgive, it will seem as though what they did to us didn’t really matter.  And, let’s face it.  Some things are just much easier to forgive than others.  It’s a lot easier to forgive a friend for running late than it is to forgive a spouse for betrayal. 

But, here’s what I’ve learned from unforgiveness:

It’ll hold us captive to our wounds and what our wounds mean.  Like a prisoner.
It will cause bitterness, and bitterness can wreck our lives and the lives of others around us.

Forgiveness releases you and the person who hurt you.  It doesn’t make sin tolerable.  But, it makes us so profoundly aware of God’s mercy on us.  When we follow God’s instruction and forgive, we put ourselves in a place where He, our Healer, can mend our broken heart. 

I’ve had wounds.

And, I choose forgiveness.  Always. 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalm 147:3

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June 19, 2009 · 6:00 am

Guest Blog: Barbara Goss

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Randomness Readers, it is with the greatest of honors I give you my mama today.  Love her.  Lu-huv her.  Take it away, Mom.

Do You Know Him as Father?

I would like to thank Dusty for giving me this opportunity to be a guest on her blog.  I do not take this lightly.  I consider it a huge honor just to be asked.  So, in an attempt to be half as interesting and not nearly as funny as my wonderful daughter, here it goes.

This Sunday is Father’s Day, and I would like to share a little of my life and what I have learned from my father.

To provide for our family, my father was a truck driver.  He was rarely at home, so I did not have a relationship with him.  I saw my dad one week a month (sometimes), and then when I did see him, it truly was a strain and very stressful time.  I won’t bother you with those details.  Growing up in a family without a “father figure” would become an issue with me later in life as one would probably imagine.

After giving my life to Jesus and growing in my faith, I still felt I was missing out on something.  I was longing for something more.  A part of my heart ached.  There was a part missing.  

I cried out to Jesus. 

I will never forget to this day how He spoke to me.  I can even recall where I was standing at that very moment.  He spoke these words to me:   “You know me as Jesus, and you know me as Lord.   And, My Holy Spirit you know and have experienced.  But, do you know me as your Father?   Have you opened that door”?   In Psalms 68: 5, He said He would be a Father to the fatherless.

Overwhelmed, I couldn’t hold back the tears. 

It was then and there that I realized I didn’t know what a father was.  It was once said to me the way we see our earthly father is the way we see and accept our Heavenly Father.  For me, that was so true.  I petitioned God to teach me – show me what a father is, and does!  And, it all started from there.  He began to teach me about fathers, and how a father loves his children. How a father will protect them, never leaves them, guides them, and how a father longs to give and bless his children.

The Miracle?  God restored and gave me an amazing relationship with my earthly father!  My father went to be with the Lord in 1985, but I had a wonderful relationship with my father for almost 10 years – one that I would have never imagined. God, our Father, is an awesome God and an amazing Father.  Do you know Him as your Father?

I would also like tell my dearest and best friend, who not only happens to be a wonderful father to our daughter, but great father to an incredible church (Eagles Way):  Happy Father’s Day Buren Goss.  I love you!

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June 4, 2009 · 6:00 am

Praying This One.

Both of my kids love the Mathew West song, “The Motions.”  I’m pretty sure they can sing every word.  The chorus says:

“I don’t wanna go through the motions
I don’t wanna go one more day
without Your all consuming passion inside of me.
I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking,
“What if I had given everything,
instead of going through the motions?”

I cannot tell you how much I pray this very thing over my children.  How much I don’t just want them to go through the motions of life.  But to go through them intentionally. 

Intentionally.

With purpose.

With resolve to do life in a way that makes a difference.

Where they live beyond themselves.

And, quite possibly, change the world.

My Dad begins a new series this Sunday called “Intentional.”  Intentional in our pursuit after Christ.  Intentional in our marriage.  Intentional in how we parent our children.  Intentional with one another.

I’m pretty excited about it.  As a matter of fact, I’m building my life on it.

Are you doing life intentionally?

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March 23, 2009 · 6:00 am

And, if I see a set of scales, I’m gonna holler.


Back home.  And, what’s done is done.  The display I put on last week in the Peach State – then on a getaway to Amelia Island – is somewhat regrettable.  I don’t even want to see the numbers.  There is simply no sense in weighing myself until I fast all things edible for the next twenty-one days.  At least.  More to come on the Amelia Island getaway tomorrow. 

I’ve received numerous e-mails – okay, two – requesting a posting on Bigmama’s thoughts.  I always love coming home and visiting my almost 90 year old grandmother.  Her words of wisdom are, well, they’re enlightening.  I recorded a few of her comments the first day of my visit.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

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Upon complaining to Bigmama about the weather, she told me to “Hush.  This is God’s weather!”  So, I did.

When watching TLC’s “What Not to Wear,” Bigmama responded in defiance, “I’m gonna wear what I got!”

On the Playtex bra commercial:  “They used to not show stuff like that.”

Parenting advice from Bigmama:  “Don’t yell at your kids.  It makes ‘em mad.”

After looking at my iPhone:  “Show me how to press buttons on that thing.”

When learning how much the iPhone cost:  “That’s not so bad if it’ll do all that.”

I have to agree with Bigmama.  I can also appreciate that a woman who won’t buy canned salmon unless it’s on sale could actually justify buying an iPhone.   She is a woman who surely knows how to prioritize her life. 

 

 

 

 

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February 20, 2009 · 6:00 am

Six years and one more little person later…

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Six years ago tomorrow, Kris Takle entered my life.  No, it’s not our anniversary.  But, it is a special day that we have acknowledged every year since.  Because, since that day, my life has never been the same.  Our commitment is based first and foremost on our commitment to Christ.  To live a life fully devoted to Him.  So, we can then be fully committed to one another.  Believe me.  We are well aware that when our “connective-ness” is out of whack, our relationship with Christ usually is, too. 

Our journey together isn’t without challenges.  We’ve faced difficulties and disappointments.  But, we keep on pursuing Him.  We keep on pursuing one another.  Because, we know that in every situation, the goodness of God can always be found. 

I can honestly say that I love him more today than I did the day I married him.  Cliché, I know.  But, it’s true.  So very true.  I hope fifty years from now we are still bringing glory to the One who saved us by His completely amazing, breath-taking grace. 

And, I hope we’re watching our children and grandchildren do the same.

Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.  Psalm 34:3

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February 13, 2009 · 6:00 am

He gives me love, love, love, love, crazy love.


My Valentine left yesterday for a trip.  I asked him before he left if he’d like his Valentine gift today, or if he preferred waiting until Monday upon his return home.

“Err, Monday will be good.”  He answered.

“Aha!  You want to wait until Monday, because you do not have me a gift!”  I responded, aware of my own marital trap.

“Exactly.”  He said.

“That’s okay.  I was just messin’.  I don’t have you one either.”  I told him.

I laughed.  He thought I was kind of mean.  I thought I was kind of funny.

I’ll miss him on Cupid’s little holiday.  But, I always miss him when he’s not sitting right beside me.  And, I can look into those Scandinavian eyes anytime and celebrate our crazy love.

While Kris’ love for me is pretty wonderful, it cannot compare to the love God has for me or for you.  He lavishes us with extravagance every single day.  Perhaps, we become jaded from over-exposure to things such as a bird chirping, a sunrise, or even our child’s laughter.  But, His love is extravagant. 

Even, when we mess up unbelievably, He still loves us.  Much like when our own children make a mess of things, our love for them never wanes.  Don’t we love them more today than we did the day before?  {Okay, so don’t answer that if you couldn’t get your kids in bed fast enough last night.  I feel your pain.}

I am forever amazed that we are the center of a divine love.  Wow.  It’s really hard to grasp sometimes.

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  Ephesians 3:18

Oh, and Happy Valentine’s Day, Kris Takle.  You are my favorite person, and I love you big.

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January 26, 2009 · 6:00 am

A Safe Place.


I’ve been blessed over the years to have people in my life who are a safe place for me.  By safe place, I mean friends who let me be Dusty without passing judgment.  I can tell anything to these friends and know that my words – my feelings – spoken in confidence will remain in confidence.  These same friends can speak into my life when I am out of line, because they truly love me. 

They would never let me wear bulky shoes with a feminine dress.  Nor would they let me eat a hot Krispy Kreme donut all by myself.  And, they would never, ever uncover any yuck part of me. 

Whenever we uncover another, we create a path of destruction for that person to have to travel down.  Unfortunately, I have had moments in my life where I have done just that. 

But, I have learned from those moments.  And, I have become a safe place for others.

I’m grateful for these safe places.

Do you have a safe place?  Are you a safe place for someone else? 

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January 6, 2009 · 6:00 am

More On Bigmama & Aunt Kate


I don’t have a picture….Let me re-phrase.  I don’t have a DIGITAL picture of my Great Aunt Kate and Bigmama together.  But, just to show how much these two favor, I’m posting their photos side by side.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Exhibit A.

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Ya know.  The more I look at these two photos, the less resemblance I see than I used to.  All save their still beautifully dark hair with gray on the sides only, which they do not dye thankyousokindly.

Well, scratch Exhibit A, and I have no B.  But seriously.  Don’t these two look fabulous to be just a few years from reaching a CENTURY old?  Okay, Bigmama, I know  you’ve got another ten to go.  Simmer down.

Bigmama and Aunt Kate are the two remaining siblings out of NINE.  And, oh the stories they can tell.  They experienced everything from the Crash of ’29 to looking down wells on nights with a full moon to see the reflection of the man they were supposed to marry.  They believed those legends. 

Their dad died of a farm accident before Bigmama was even born.  And, their momma died of “the” typhoid fever a few years later.  I emphasize the “the”, because Bigmama prefaces all diseases and ailments with “the.”  As in, the SARS, the diabetes, the Cold.  And, let’s not forget that all stores end with an “s.”  As in, Walmarts and Krogers. 

Their two oldest siblings, Woodson and Mattie, raised the younger seven.  As a matter of fact, when social services showed up at their door, Woodson stepped out onto the porch with a shotgun and demanded they leave.

They did.

I spent the greater part of my childhood with these to ladies.  If I wasn’t crocheting at Bigmama’s, I was across the street at Aunt Kate’s dipping snuff.  Oh, it was just pretend.  Aunt Kate would help me stuff tissue {pronounced “tisha”} down my training bra and spit in a red Dixie cup while I snapped peas from the garden.  Good times.

Bigmama and Aunt Kate still have their sibling spats.  But, the last phone call they make before they go to sleep is with each other just to say “Goodnight.” 

I have wonderful memories with these gals. 

What are some of your special childhood memories?

 

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