I'll Take It!

My heart goes out to the parents of teens.  Plain and simple.  Whether you have a "good kid," or one who brings constant heartache and turmoil to your home, the pressures and temptations that surround our high-schoolers these days are enormous.  Many kids who began kindergarten with my son, now a senior in high school, have given in to evil desires by turning to drugs, violence and promiscuity.

I've been grateful for the bond of friendships both my children have made through their involvement with the school band.  Yes, I have to admit, we're a band geek family.  Granted, band is not without its problems, but it has given the kids involved a core group all working toward a common goal and purpose.

I've had my teary-eyed moments of pride watching my kids on the marching field or participating in their rehearsed and impromptu performances.  But yesterday, my heart swelled with happiness and pride once again over a very simple thing.

My son and his two best buddies (a.k.a. The Three Stooges), all piled into my kitchen to make lunch.  Now, this is my newly-remodeled kitchen with the granite counters and stainless steel appliances - the ones I meticulously clean each day.  I took a deep breath at my son's announcement of the three of them creating breakfast burritos in my little domain.  Afterall, the kitchen is "command central" in our house. I don't hand over the reins to just anyone.

So, I hung around for several minutes before returning back to work from my lunch break.  But before I left, I found myself actually laughing at the run-away raw egg left to roll across the counter and splat on the floor.  I admired their resourcefulness as they mushed up tater tots and called them hash browns.  And it's amazing we didn't have a kitchen fire as the other boy vowed to cook the bacon until it turned black and crispy (and smoking!).  And I watched as, for some reason, little pats of butter went into every pan to "add flavor."  I just shook my head, begged them not to burn the house down and figured I'd clean up whatever mess I found when I returned home.

As I left, I realized how blessed I am.  The boys coming over to cook lunch in my kitchen was definitely something I could handle.  And, I was pleasantly surprised that my son cleaned up their mess before I got home.

Thank you, God!

A little discouraging

So, I write.  I rewrite.  I move things around and tweak here and there.  Then finally, after weeks, even months of staring at the same article, I take a deep breath and hit the "send" button.

That's when the agony starts.  I check my email every hour on the hour in hopes of placing well in the contest I've entered.  I spend 2 solid months hoping the judges will "get" my sometimes twisted sense of humor and at least toss me an honorable mention when all is said done.

Finally, the results are in!  I click the link with bated breath.  There, in a bright red congratulatory font the winners names are spelled out.  Below it, those receiving an honorable mention.

I don't see my name!  How can this be?  There has to be some mistake.  The 3 people who read my article were nearly rolling on the floor with hysteria!  Don't those judges know an entertaining read when they see one?

With trepidation, I run my cursor over the name of the actual winner, and in an instant I see why she won.  Her essay is pure genious, I sigh and shake my head.  She deserves to win with writing like that.

So, I spend the rest of the day licking my wounds and search through my works in progress for the most promising.  And once again, I'll write.  And write some more.  I'll move things around and do a fair share of tweaking here and there.  Then, I'll take another deep breath and hit the "send" button.

Relying on the Lord

I am weak, but thou art strong 

Jesus, keep me from all wrong

I'll be satisfied as long

As I walk, dear Lord

Close to thee

Just a closer walk with thee

Grant it, Jesus,

Is my plea

Daily walking close to thee

Let it be, dear Lord

Let it be

I find that lately, I'm relying on God for absolutely everything!  I need him to help me love the unlovely.  To forgive those who have trespassed against me.  To provide compassion when I have none.  To open my eyes to understanding.  And to guide me in making tough decisions.  He's there.  Hallelujah!  He's always there.

I need a personal app for patience, and I need it now!

I'd love to know how to be still and leave everything in God's hands.  I tell others to do that, but I can't even do it myself.  I'm impatient.  I fret.  I worry and wonder.

I've sent the first 3 chapters of my book to a publisher knowing their normal response time is 1 month.  I've also entered a humor essay contest.  More waiting there too as the results won't be listed until March!  Still, I check my email inbox so often that my computer mouse instinctively hops over to the "Check Email" button every 2.5 minutes without my prompting.

"Keep writing other projects," my fellow writers urge.  "Keep your creativity flowing," they say.  My creative powers are knee-deep in Mississippi mud, thank you very much.  I really hate how my preoccupied brain gets bogged down with wondering about an editor's response to my work.  Will they like it?  Will they want to see more?  Will I win the essay contest?  Can I even hope to receive as much as an Honorable Mention or will they understand my twisted sense of humor at all?

Only God knows...

I suppose my fellow writers are correct.  I need to jump back in the saddle and continue on with my writing.  I need to train myself to consider the work in God's hands as soon as I hit the Send button.  Besides, what if they really DO like my story and they want to see beyond the 3rd chapter???

Uh-oh, there's panic again.  Maybe I'd better get busy:)

The Joy of Cooking

Some things in life just make my heart sing; those unique, precious moments with my husband, or the witty, unrehearsed laughter with my children. 
I feel my heart sing at times when I'm alone, as well.  When I'm able to catch a few minutes of solitude to hear my own heart beat, to hear God's voice or to simply enjoy some of the pleasures of life.
I'm talking about the pleasure I find in gardening, in writing and in cooking; all of which involve self-expression.  They can be done alone and don't require the input of anyone else's creativity.  I can throw in a dash of red in an all-white flower bed, or an extra adjective in a sentence or even a little wine to a sauce, and it's great fun!
I love experimenting with cooking - but it wasn't always that way.  I thank God for giving me a husband who graciously consumes every creation I put before him; even in the early, deep-fried days of our marriage. 
I came from a family who loved to fry and had no issues with butter, either.  Eggs were cracked in a pool of oil, then my mom would flip the oil over the top to cook the yolk for "sunny-side up," OR they'd sit there and suffer for several minutes, getting flipped and tossed about until they could practically bounce right out of the pan for "over hard."
Now it's a different story.  Thanks to the Food Network and the endless supply of tried-and-true recipes found on the internet, even I can cook!
I've learned not to be afraid or intimidated by a recipe or the desire to change it.  It's not like Martha Stewart is going to come at me with a Santuko knife and demand that I do it her way!  Cooking is one of those open-ended pleasures I don't think will ever become stale because there's always going to be a new recipe to try, a new method, and a new kitchen gadget I just have to have!

Rejoice! ALL things are possible!

I LOVE the fact that ALL, not just some, but ALL things are possible with Jesus!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-gt9Ig8dpk

A Praying Mom

“In Jesus’ name,” I said with a nod and rose from the bathroom rug. Yes, once again I’d headed to the closest room with a locking door. I’d been there a lot the past few months praying and asking for His protection upon my family.
What an awesome God we serve, I thought; a God who through all that clutters our air waves, all the chaos and all the chatter can hear the most inaudible sigh of our hearts. When I feel like I’m holding onto a kite string with Jesus way up at the top circling high above my family, all the fears, worries and frustrations that come with being a mom become His concern. How awesome that He hears the prayers of a mother who’s willing to hand over those she loves to His capable hands - a mother determined to keep Christ in her home and bind the hands of the enemy.

Lord, I thank you for the gift of my family. Help me to trust in you for their care and protection. Thank you for remaining Lord over my home and over my life. I pray for your guidance as I strive to be the wife and mother you want me to be. Amen.

“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:7 & 8 (NIV)