Good Morning...

I woke up this morning and sat in my recliner as I usually do, enjoying the last few lights of the Christmas tree. Yes. It is still up. As I looked out the large picture window next to the tree, I could see pink and orange streaks in the sky, telling me that the sun was close to popping up over the mountains. I rarely see a sunrise, both because I’m rarely up early enough, and there is no telling where it will come up. Well, as I sat there praying and thinking about the day, the sun popped up, right in front of me. As if only for me. Right smack in the center of my window, blinding me with it’s brilliance. Seriously, I was seeing spots for several minutes! Isn’t that just like the Son?! It just filled me with such warmth and peace and thankfulness. I pray that your day is blessed, that you feel the warmth of the sun and the Son, no matter what time it is, where you’re sitting or how your heart is. May God bless you richly…today and every day.

“Let us acknowledge the LORD;

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises,

he will appear;

he will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth.”

Hosea 6:3, NIV

Smitten.

I am smitten. Totally smitten. At the moment, the object of my ‘smittenness’ is not my husband, but my five-year-old. Al needn’t worry; he is bound to be top of the list soon. Very soon because ‘smittenness’ with a five-year-old does not often last long. Mood swings, defiance, laughter over bodily functions and that sort of thing can turn the tide rather quickly. Not to mention this five-year-old is a girl, so that adds a whole other list of … I’m digressing … I was talking about being smitten.

This afternoon, as we were getting ready to leave for the evening, I put on a bit of make-up and lipstick. Not enough to be dolled up mind you, just enough to not scare people. As I was tying her shoes, my darling (for the moment – refer to above paragraph) five-year-old looks up to my face and in a soft voice, full of awe and tenderness said to me, “Oh mommy, your lips are beautiful! I just want to kiss them. Can I kiss your lips mommy?” After tenderly kissing me, she then says, “Mommy, do I have lipstick on my lips now?” She didn’t, but I must admit that is a good way to get lipstick if you’re a smart five-year-old girl.

When we returned home, I asked the same five-year-old to please gather all the dirty laundry, which is one of her chores. She gathered and brought me a basket full of dirty clothes telling me, “Mommy, there is a blue shirt in here that smells SO good. It smells like your body.” It was the shirt I wore all day and night yesterday…lol…nothing special, but clearly it was to her!

Not 20 minutes later, as I was tucking into bed the five-year-old, I leaned in close to hear a whispered question and mid-question she switches thoughts and says, “Mommy, you smell so good. I just want to smell you some more.” Which she did. I gave her a few squeezes and hugs and another kiss or two and she said, “You smell like garlic.” Oh well. She likes garlic, so I guess that’s a good thing!

Smitten, I tell you…totally smitten. At least for a little while.

Nine Years Ago…

It doesn’t seem that nine years could have gone by so quickly (but then I have a hard time believing that I graduated from academy 25 years ago, that seems like yesterday, too)! Regardless, today is the day that we pull out the wedding video, album and audio tape – or at least one of them – and spend time reminiscing. It’s so funny to see the girls react to the video; they shout out everyone’s name and get all excited when ‘The Moment’ arrives.

It was a hot, humid, stormy day in Washington, DC nine years ago…like most days in August. It was full of activity and excitement. Al’s family had safely arrived from New Mexico and Arizona; the rehearsal had gone well; ‘The Boys’ had practiced their music the previous night over and again, and I’d cried so many times it was doubtful I would again that day; and the wording of the ‘Giving Away’ of the bride had been written and re-written. It was time to get on with it, as it were...the transferance from one family to another...

It figures that the most touching moments of the ceremony were ones involving my brothers. Mom always said that one day we’d stop fighting, become friends and get along. Of course she was right.


On August 6, 2000, one of those brothers walked me up the aisle to meet my husband, and the other composed and along with his wife read a beautiful reading from inspirational and scripture appropriate to the day.

Have you not heard? Long ago I ordained you.
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a helper suitable for him.”
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother
and be united to his wife,
and the two will become one flesh.
So they are no longer two, but one.
In days of old I planned it. Now I have brought it to pass.

All night long I looked for the one my heart loves;
I looked for him but did not find him.
How long, O Lord, will you hide yourself forever?

Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares;
I will search for the one my heart loves.
So I looked for him but did not find him.
How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.
“Have you seen the one my heart loves?”
My soul is in anguish. How long, O Lord, how long?

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts,
and every day have sorrow in my heart?

He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.

Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves.
I held him and would not let him go.

Delight thyself in the Lord and
He will give you the desires of your heart.

Houses and wealth are inherited from parents,
but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

He who finds a wife finds what is good
and receives favor from the Lord.

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.

She is clothed with strength and dignity.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also and he praises her
a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on His law he meditates night and day.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yield its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatsoever he does prospers.

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.
Can two walk together unless they be agreed?

This is my lover, this is my friend

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”

I am my lover’s and my lover is mine.

And in Him, you two are being built together
to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit.

This is my lover, this is my friend.

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Honor one another above yourselves.

Carry each others burdens.

Love never fails.
It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.

Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.

Commit your ways to the Lord. Trust Him.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.

Taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.

Blessed is the woman who takes refuge in Him.

Together, both of my brothers sang ‘The Wedding Song’ to me and despite the tears shed during practice the previous night, I cried again that morning.





But the most special moment was during the vows I gave and those I received. It was as if the world fell away and Al and I stood alone, promising our lives and futures to each other.

I pray that it is a long future, and that we have even more opportunity to grow together. I love you, Al!

Hi! Sorry, I know it’s been a while…

Last weekend we went to a little place in Edgewood (well, not SO small…it’s over 120 acres) called Wildlife West Nature Park www.wildlifewest.com for their ‘Chuckwagon Suppers and Show’. I was certain I was going to be served my dinner from an actual wagon! Not so, but it was still good. Better was the band. Syd Masters and the Swing Riders were such a fun group to listen to! Here is a clip of them singing ‘Under New Mexico Skies’ our official state cowboy song! Enjoy!

OOPS! I forgot to include the lyrics...they are beautiful and tell of the beauty of living in the state!




‘Under New Mexico Skies”
by Syd Masters

VERSE 1:
Where the Piñon Mesa rolls
And the campfire cures your woes
Watchin’ the sly roadrunner flee
On the tail of an autumn breeze
I’m leanin’ against a juniper bole
As the creek water takes a stroll

CHORUS:
That’s where you’ll find me
Where the big back country lies
There the cowboy’s free to ride
Out under New Mexico skies

VERSE 2:
Where the lean jack hops along
And the coyote sings his song
Up high the rocky spires shade
The sunny desert days
I’m leanin’ against adobe walls of old
Their stories to be told

CHORUS:

VERSE 3:
Just me and a covey of gamblin’ quail
Lopin’ down the Turquoise Trail

CHORUS:

It all turns out ok

i was just looking thru some things i'd written a while back and the title of this struck me...then i re-read it and it struck me all over again...how relevant this is for me. often. so with you i share it:



I am a worrier. I know the verses, thank you very much; I recite them to myself all the time. Still, I am a worrier. I am a ‘make sure all the doors are locked before driving away!’ worrier, a ‘what if the plane crashes into the ocean while we’re flying from Atlanta to Boise!!’ worrier (places were changed to protect the innocent…or embarrassed), a ‘what if all the guests at my dinner party are allergic to the beautiful salmon I just slaved 4 hours over?!?!’ worrier. What if, what if, what if. I am a worrier. I admit it, though not proudly. This is the first step in receiving help, right?

This morning, I had an ‘AHA’ moment. I love to read. Most anything, really – cereal boxes, gossip magazines (I’m admitting to a lot here, aren’t I?), best-selling novels, and occasionally a devotional or two. Currently, it is a book about mercury poisoning, which kept me up way past bedtime last night, and does not help in the least with the issues about worrying. But back to my original thought, sorry.

This morning, I was reading my devotional book, a compilation of some of my favorite women speakers and writers. The theme is joy and it has been very inspiring, but the nugget I found today isn’t directly related to joy, although there is a correlation. Five little words. “It all turns out ok.” Stuck in the midst of a little paragraph that goes like this (remember, the topic is joy):

“…add your voice to the song that the stars began long ago. You don’t have to carry the tune; just join the chorus. Join the happy chorus made up of the morning stars that know the goodness of God and perhaps even know the end of history – and they are happy! It all turns out OK. The stars are rejoicing and applauding because the Father of all love is on the throne of the universe, and what a reason to celebrate. ”

It all turns out OK. It all turns out OK. It ALL turns out OK!!! No, I’m not wishing for home…or maybe I am, but here it is. We know the Author of The Book. In it, He – the Author – tells us that life won’t necessarily be easy, that we will not know what every chapter will hold, that we will struggle, and that there will be sad times. But He also – and more importantly – has told us the ending already! He has told us exactly what will happen, and it ALL turns out OK!!!

Now, I’ve never had to struggle with the effects of being victimized. I’ve never had to personally struggle with a debilitating illness (although having the flu when you are home alone with your active and healthy pre-schoolers sure feels debilitating). I’ve never had to wonder where my next meal will come from. But my book has some ugly chapters in it. Chapters full of sadness, depression, unbearable grief, guilt, regret and severe anxiety…worry. Here’s the thing: the author of my book is The Bread of Life, The Creator, The Redeemer, The Great Shepherd, The Source of Life. And He has told me the ending already! No matter the sad chapters of my book, no matter the paragraphs I never want to revisit, no matter the dog-eared pages from when I haven’t been able to move forward, no matter the pages warped by fallen tears. What matters is the ending. It all turns out OK!!!

I know that despite what I have going on, or how I feel or how successful I perceive myself to be, that in the end, what matters is that I have a home, an eternal one and it is waiting for me on a hilltop. I know that the Lord of the universe has chosen me…ME…to live there, get this – With Him – FOREVER!!! Now that is a great ending, better than OK, and certainly enough to put aside the worrying…at least for the next chapter or two!


“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Matthew 6:25-34, New Living Translation


Nicole Johnson, A Standing Ovation for God; Contagious Joy: Joyful Devotions to Lift Your Spirits, Mary Hollingsworth, Gen. Ed.; (W Publishing Group, 2006) p. 253

Happy New Year!

So the new year has begun and hopefully that means more blogging...but who knows. Regardless, I hope yours was a lovely Christmas and that 2009 is full of blessings for you and those you love!

Baby Fever!!!

In MOPS, I am always around moms who are either pregnant or have little babies…and at church, I teach the 0-4-year-olds, so again there are always babies around me…except at home.

Lately I have been contemplating a return to the work force…as my youngest will be in kindergarten next year (boo-hoo). Throw in all these little babies around me and I have been thinking that perhaps having another child would be preferable to going back to work! It also would mean someone to fuss over as my girls grow away from me. Needless to say, all of this has caused a terrible case of BABY FEVER in me!!

Then this…the other night I had this dream:

I dreamed that I was pregnant and had a baby boy. When I saw him, he looked like a ‘South Park’ character…flat and unmoving, with big brown eyes and a fixed open smile full of teeth…teeth that were ringed with gold as if he’d had dental work. His eyes were brown and his skin was dark, like a little Peruvian boy. As I sat there looking at him, Kelly walked past the doorway. I called to her and when she entered, I held the baby out to her and told her that I couldn’t keep the baby, to please take him. She seemed startled, but took him.

The next day as I was still recovering, Kelly returned to my room with the baby in her arms, they were about to leave the hospital. Vonda was already there in another chair, visiting with me. Feeling badly, I asked to see the baby again. As I held him, I felt engorged, and asked if it would be alright to nurse him…figuring it would serve both of us. Kelly agreed, and while nursing the baby I realized that I could not give him up. I looked up to Kelly and told her how sorry I was to take him back, but that I could no longer deny my child. She was sad, as she and Rick had always wanted a son but she hadn’t wanted to get pregnant again. I felt awful and suggested that I honor their willingness to have taken him, by giving him the name they had chosen. I asked Kelly what his name was and she said that they had agreed to name him ‘Skeeter.’ Gulping (and trying not to look horrified) I said, “well, how about Skip?” She agreed and then sadly left the room.













Later that day we were being discharged and I went to find Al. He and the girls were eating at the cafeteria and I walked up to them with the baby in my arms, saying it was time to go. With that, the baby was now a young cat (!!!) and jumped from my arms onto the table and began eating the food…I picked him up gently saying “no, Skip, you cannot jump onto the table” and thought to myself, ‘we are all allergic to cats…how are we going to live with this baby?!’

In the next moment, we were at the van, with the baby (no longer a cat) in a loaned carrier and about to leave the hospital. “We’d better head right to Wal-Mart to get a travel system,” I told Al “because we don’t have a stroller or our own car seat for this baby.”

With that I woke up…spared from dreaming any more oddities!!



By the way, the baby fever is pretty well gone after that!!!