My How Time Flies...

Today is Chad's 16th birthday! They sure grow up fast. It seems like only yesterday... yada, yada, yada. Anyway, as I was reflecting back over the past 16 years, I guess I've done a little growing up of my own. Well, at least you could say I've learned a few things along the way.

Like most expectant parents, Dennis and I signed up, and showed up, for childbirth classes. I must admit nothing they said in that class or that my doctor said prepared me for what was to come. For instance, I don't remember anyone saying that you shouldn't eat a foot long chili cheese dog (yes, all by myself), and try to run across the parking lot to avoid the freezing cold (no, I didn't have a coat on because I didn't have one that would wrap around my gigantic belly) the night before you go into labor. No, they didn't tell me that. I had to learn the hard way, around 3:30 a.m. when the foot long chili cheese dog decided it didn't like it down there. Nor, did anyone really explain that thing about the water breaking. Of course I had seen it on TV shows, but that was the depth of my knowledge. My first thought was - "What an idiot, now I've gone and peed on myself". Of course once I couldn't stop it I began to realize it might be something else.

Fourteen and a half hours later, we were parents. And we still didn't have a clue. And, I'm not sure we still do, when it comes to parenting. It's one of those things that you just have to keep working at and hope you don't totally screw up, especially when you only have one kid to practice on.

The great thing about kids is that they are resilient and ever changing. Each year brings new joys and new challenges. As far as I'm concerned, each year just keeps getting better and I wouldn't go back in time if I could. Oh sure, we could have done some things different, and probably better, but then we wouldn't have learned the valuable lessons that followed.

One thing I do know though, is that the birth of that beautiful baby boy was also the birth of a rekindled relationship with God. Today, I'm thankful for them both. I just hope that God thinks that life with me keeps getting better, too. Somehow, I think he does.

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." 2 Peter 3:8

My Prayer:

God, thank you for letting me see but a glimpse of your love for all your children, in my love for my son. Teach me to expand my love to all people and to act out of love in all things. Amen.

COME ON REF!

I yell at referees. I can't help it. I try not to. Sometimes I even try really hard not to. But then, they do it. They make some bone head call and here I go. "Come on.... That is NOT a charge. There's NO way he was set," or maybe, "That's a foul! COME ON REF! Make the call!" You get the idea.

For a while I quit trying not to yell. I had been to a basketball game and heard a nun, wearing a full habit, yelling at the ref, "Hey BUCKO! Quit trying to even up the score!" (For the record, her team was ahead by 20 points or so.) So, like any well intentioned basketball fan, I interpreted it as a sign from God. As long as I call him BUCKO, it's okay to yell! The problem is Bucko just doesn't flow for me. So I'm back to COME ON REF.

At least I was until last night. Last night, as we were walking into our son's basketball game, the referee was walking in at the same time. I offered to let him go ahead, as we were walking fairly slow. He chuckled and said he was in no real hurry. I laughed and told him I could understand that since I would probably be yelling at him in a little while. He replied, "Well, you won't be the first and certainly won't be the last." We all laughed together and then parted ways as we went into the gym. Then, an amazing thing happened. I didn't yell at him. Of course he made a couple of "bone head" calls. My husband's uncle even said, "Now, you can yell at him". But I didn't. Overall he called a pretty good game. Especially considering the other referee didn't show and he had to call the game by himself. But it was more than that. He had showed up knowing that someone (like me) was going to judge every call he made, and eventually, someone (like me) was going to yell at him. Yet, he still showed up. He showed up in spike of people like me, so the kids could play the game.

It makes me wonder. If every morning when I left the house, I knew that a crowd of people were judging my every decision, and if I messed up someone would yell out loud and point out my mistake, would I show up? "COME ON LADY! Get it right! What's wrong with you?" If that's what I had to look forward to would I ever leave my house? I wonder, would just quit showing up or would I have the fortitude to show up anyway.

Tonight, I'll get another chance to yell, or not yell, at the referees. Hopefully I'll remember last night's encounter and leave the yelling to someone else. If you don't judge or yell at refs this probably makes no sense to you. But, think about this: Who is your referee? Is there someone in your life that you are especially hard on? Someone that you judge or comment on everything they do? If so, that someone just might be your referee.

"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you- who are you to judge your neighbor?" James 4:12 NIV

My Prayer:

God, help me to remember that we are all your children and we all make mistakes. Help me to work on my own short comings and quit pointing out the other guy's. Thank you for those that have the courage to still show up even when they know they will be judged and yelled at. Give me the courage to keep showing up just in case I get it right. Most of all God, thank you for loving me even when I yell at referees. Amen.

Love

Love. A simple four letter word that is anything but simple. If you're from my generation, you might remember the movie, "Love Story", from the 1970's, and the famous line that came from the movie, "Love is never having to say you're sorry." Everyone was saying it, but I just couldn't get it! What do they mean love is never having to say you're sorry. How lame! If you love someone, you would want to tell them you're sorry when you do something wrong or hurt them. That is insane. What are they talking about? Do they mean that if you really love someone they will know you are sorry? Or, are they saying the person you love would never require you to say you're sorry? I have to admit, I just never got it! Until today...

Whether they knew it or not, they were talking about the kind of love that many of us have never experienced. The kind of love that is only possible through God. It's the kind of love that Paul wrote about in Corinthians ("love is patient, love is kind...) and again in Romans. It is the kind of love that we can only experience with Jesus Christ living in and through us. The reason love means never having to say you're sorry is because love never causes hurt. It is only when we (or someone else) act without love that hurt occurs. Funny thing. I've read it many times, but just never got it. So for today, I am going to try to act only out of love. Hmmm. I wonder if I can make it until tomorrow before I need to tell someone I'm sorry. Well, here goes.

"Love never hurts a neighbor, so loving is obeying all the law".
Romans 13:10

My prayer:

Lord, thank you for making it all so simple (though often hard for me). Thank you that I don't have to memorize a list of do's and don'ts; that all I have to remember is to love. Show me how to love you as deeply as you love me; and, to love others, even when they don't seem very loveable. When I fail, give me the wisdom and grace to acknowledge my failures and to ask forgiveness from those that I have failed to love. Amen.

Trust Me

Our family has two dogs, Shasta and Easton (left, Easton; right, Shasta). Both of them are rescue dogs, yet they have completely different personalities and life experiences. Easton was adopted from Free to Live, a no-kill sanctuary in our area. Unfortunately, before arriving at Free to Live, Easton was abused. His scar tissued ears are an everyday reminder that people and life can be very cruel. Since his arrival in our home, Easton has flourished. He is still skiddish and afraid of many things (especially loud noises like the vacuum cleaner). For the most part, I think he knows he is safe and loved; yet he is still mindful of how things once were and how unkind the world can be.

This morning as Easton came to me for attention and his morning head rub, I looked into his deep brown eyes, and told him, "I wish I could get into your mind and help you to understand. To understand that you are safe and loved, and that I will always do everything in my power to keep you from harm."

As those words rolled out of my mouth, I thought of my relationship with God. He must have spoken similar words to me, time and time again. "You are mine and I love you. I will do everything in my power to keep you from harm." Yet, time after time I have doubted and strayed, even to the point of causing self-inflicted pain and harm. Then it came to me, if I can feel the overwhelming desire and need to love and protect a rescued dog, then surely, on some level, I can understand God's overwhelming desire to love and protect me; and I can trust that he is always there and only wants the best for me.

Perhaps it's time for me to show God the same trust that I seek from Easton.

""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."" Jeremiah 29:11

My Prayer:

Thank you Lord for loving and protecting me, for only wanting the best for me. Help me to trust you in all things and to always be willing to answer your call and to seek safety in your love. Amen.

Happy New Year!

For many the new year is a time of resolution to do better, to start again. I'm not much on New Year's resolutions. My son would tell you that's because I can't remember most things for 365 minutes, so I'm sure not going to be able to remember to do something for 365 days! He may very well be right. But whatever the reason, I haven't made New Year's resoltutions for several years.

Instead of making resolutions for an entire year, I am learning to make daily resolutions. My daily resolution is live by "WWGHMD". I'm sure you have heard of the saying "WWJD" (what would Jesus do). It's a great saying, and the world would certainly be a better place if we all lived by that moto; but personally, I've always had a hard time grasping it. I just couldn't get my mind around the concept. How could an imperfect someone like me, possibly know what a pure, sinless person like Jesus would do? It's just too overwhelming. Instead of WWJD, I found something that does work for me: WWGHMD. Admittidly, it's not near as catchy, but it works for me: WWGHMD - What Would God Have Me Do.

Although I can't imagine what Jesus would do in a given situation; through prayer and study, I can determine what God would have me do. Actually, Jesus gives us the big picture answer - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your might AND love your neighbor as yourself. Now all I have to do, with God's help is to learn to apply it to all situations. And, the really good thing about daily resolutions is I get to start over every day! So for today I resolve to ask WWHGMD.

"I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Then you will call my name. you will come to me and pray to me. And when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me." Jeremiah 29:11-13 NCV

My Prayer:

God, what would you have me do this minute, this hour, this week, this month and this year. Teach me to love you above all else and to love my neighbor as myself. Amen.