A Quote

My husband:
"Today I realized I actually have a good life."

My response:
Uuuuuuugggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Unfortunately he will forget this realization within the next 48 minutes.

Passages

One day I felt that God had given me this passage for my husband.

Ecclesiastes 11

1Be generous: Invest in acts of charity. Charity yields high returns.

2 Don't hoard your goods; spread them around.
Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night.

3-4 When the clouds are full of water, it rains.
When the wind blows down a tree, it lies where it falls.
Don't sit there watching the wind. Do your own work.
Don't stare at the clouds. Get on with your life.

5 Just as you'll never understand
the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman,
So you'll never understand
the mystery at work in all that God does.

6 Go to work in the morning
and stick to it until evening without watching the clock.
You never know from moment to moment
how your work will turn out in the end.

Before the Years Take Their Toll

7-8 Oh, how sweet the light of day,
And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!
Even if you live a long time, don't take a single day for granted.
Take delight in each light-filled hour,
Remembering that there will also be many dark days
And that most of what comes your way is smoke.

9 You who are young, make the most of your youth.
Relish your youthful vigor.
Follow the impulses of your heart.
If something looks good to you, pursue it.
But know also that not just anything goes;
You have to answer to God for every last bit of it.

10 Live footloose and fancy-free—
You won't be young forever.
Youth lasts about as long as smoke.

One day I felt that God had given me this passage.

Psalm 20

A David Psalm

1-4 God answer you on the day you crash, The name God-of-Jacob put you out of harm's reach,
Send reinforcements from Holy Hill,
Dispatch from Zion fresh supplies,
Exclaim over your offerings,
Celebrate your sacrifices,
Give you what your heart desires,
Accomplish your plans.

5 When you win, we plan to raise the roof
and lead the parade with our banners.
May all your wishes come true!

6 That clinches it—help's coming,
an answer's on the way,
everything's going to work out.

7-8 See those people polishing their chariots,
and those others grooming their horses?
But we're making garlands for God our God.
The chariots will rust,
those horses pull up lame—
and we'll be on our feet, standing tall.

9 Make the king a winner, God;
the day we call, give us your answer.

The Wood Chip

On Saturday we were at the park with our children. My nine month old son appeared to be gagging. I do a quick mouth sweep ( a huge no-no) to check if there is anything in his mouth. There is not- however it sure seems as if he has just swallowed something. I don't immediately panic. This is just not my style I wait until I am lying in bed at night to envision all of the terrible things the wood chip could have caused. I pray; I ask for God to watch over him and finally fall into an agitated slumber. The next day while at Church my son begins to run a temperature. I am certain that the woodchip has logged itself in his body causing an infection and therefore presenting a temp. I call the nurse on call. They reassure me that he should be fine. The temperature is simply due to the ear infection he was diagnosed with on Friday ( while we were at his well visit). I calm myself and try to relax. So on Tuesday when his stool is a pooh and red muddled color I hit the roof. I call my pediatrician's office who set me an appointment within 45 minutes. At the office, I tell the nurse my concern and she says "he is on omnicef, isn't he?" (For the ear infection) Aha! The omnicef mixes with the iron in the formula causing the stool to become a red color. So our beloved pediatrician comes in, he apologizes for not telling me the side effect and reassures me the boy is going to be fine.

Today- he runs yet another temperature. I just can't believe I still can't put this chip to bed. I ask my healthy five year old to pray with me. I mean I seriously demand of her to join me in prayer to heal him and for God to give me reassurance. I ask for a miracle if it is lodged in his body or I ask for a blanket of peace. I immediately feel peace. I know I can let this dog lie.

Within 2 hours my daughter who was fine is also running a temperature.

Not only did God flood me with Peace; He gave me physical evidence that the temperature is not caused by the wood chip. Unless our girl had lunch at the park.

Ashton

My Beloved dog Ashton died on September 17, 2007. She has been a part of my life as long as my husband. Since her death I have reflected on what heaven is all about. Will there be animals there? My feeling of loss is so intense. I never expected to be so impacted by her death. I envision her walking around heaven keeping the Lord company. I hope she will be there.

Miss South Carolina Defends answer on NBC Today show

I am so proud of her. Good Job!

Someone to lead

Saturday night my husband and I went to a wedding shower for a wonderful couple we know. We are so excited that they are getting married to each other. Tim and Jamie have to be the most intelligent yet most down to earth couple we know.

After the shower en route to the house we came to a stand still on the interstate. The interstate we were on was under construction (much like every other interstate in TN). My impatient husband coerced me to turn around on the shoulder to try to go up the last on ramp. He says, "Be a leader, all it takes is one car. People are followers they just need someone to lead them." So I pull onto the shoulder going the opposite direction. I just get out of my mouth, "not one car has pulled out behind me " when I see a set of headlights. He starts jumping in his seat.

I am a rule follower. I obey the rule to follow the flow of traffic. Jer on the other hand's philosophy is innovators find ways to rationalize there way out of following the rules and in the end get home when the other guys are sitting on the interstate.

Well in theory.

But to Jer's dismay there was a small bridge under construction that was completely demolished so our hopes of getting to the ramp was shattered. I had to turn around. By this time there were 10 cars following my lead all of them unaware of the gaping hole in the ground preventing our escape. A little purple metro was in front of me leading the pack. I now follow him. I looked ahead and there were blue lights. The metro jumped back into the stand still traffic into the passing lane and I follow into the open space beside. The police car passes.

We were giddy. This was so much fun.

Miss Teen South Carolina

This is why I never speak in public. My heart aches for this girl.

Small miracles

Today my husband accidentally left his computer at home when he went to work. I took his computer to him and while taking him the computer a little car repair shop that had a homemade sign out front saying " AC Special" caught my eye. Later that day my father-in-laws air conditioner went out in one of his cars. This affects me directly because I happen to be borrowing that car. My car is another story. I began to panic because I could not fathom driving a car without air conditioning in 100 degree heat nor could I fathom telling my father-in-law yet another vehicle in my possession has malfunctioned.

I recalled seeing the marketing challenged sign in the repair shop lot. I made a bee line for the shop. The man there was working in this heat so he felt sorry for me and my poor children. He pulled my car under one of the cars he had on the lift and opened the hood. He fiddled around with some wires and boxes. To my amazement cool air shot out of the vents. I cried. I was so overcome with emotion. I was so thankful to feel the breeze, I was thankful I had solved this problem without consulting my husband, I was thankful to not have to tell my father-in-law his car was not as he had lent it to me, and I was so thankful that it was a fast and easy solution. He then tells it will be 25$. I could not believe it. I told the man " you just don't know what a blessing you have been to me." He says, " Yes I do, it is over 100 degrees."

Thank you Mr. chain tattoo man.

Communication

My daughter is simply amazing. She surprises me with her integrity. She shocks me with her versatility. She burdens me with her love for sweets. I am in awe that she was once a part of my body. I am certain that she will always be a talker.

She has recently started kindergarten. Before she started I told her you are going to be a star. The teacher is going to love you. You are going to love school. Ohh it will be so much fun. Boy did I leave some things out. I left out; you will have to sit in one spot for a while, you will have to carry a tray with pinto beans and broccoli on it, and the biggie in our family; you will have to be quiet.

Everyday since she has started school she has been reprimanded for talking. The teacher will move her away from her friend during circle time. This just gives her an opportunity to make another friend and talk some more. She has been moved to the table closest to the teacher and yet she still talks.

Her father is known as the Yapper. I have been so burdened by her talking that I can't quit talking to her about it.

Yesterday I finally got some relief.

The beauty of her being such a talker is that we are created for relationship. What better way to cultivate healthy relationships than to communicate.

Not So Perfect

My sister-in-law and I were discussing our need for personal perfection. We are constantly bombarded with opportunities for improvement. Our ability to pile every object we bring in the door on the dining room table, our ability to raise some of the most talkative children in the universe, or our ability to stick our foot in our mouth daily hastens this desire for perfection.

Thankfully, we are not called to perfection. We are called to recognize we need forgiveness for our imperfections, therefore drawing us to the cross with deeper understanding of what Christ has done for us. Negating the need or desire to be perfect. Allowing Christ to fulfill that position in history.

Am I ever thankful that the burden of perfection has been lifted; now I can get to work on living the life I was created for.