As I Sit Here Thinking......

     As I sit here thinking I look down at my pretty blue, freshly painted toenails.  Why blue?  It's not my favorite color but I like it alright.  The reason I used blue this time though is because it reminds me of our vacation last summer.  After a relaxing day on the beach (relaxing meaning being  in and out of the water and up and down the beach because I'm not very good at sitting still for very long) we spent some time in the pool.  So at the pool a lady and her daughter both had on some beautiful blue nail polish.  Of course when I got the opportunity to buy some blue polish at the Saks in the Pearl, MS outlet mall that's just what I did.  Thus blue nail polish reminds me of our amazing child free anniversary vacation.  And therefore, blue nail polish makes me smile. :)
     Speaking of a lady and her daughter (remember.....the ones with the blue toes at the pool by the beach) I saw another mom and daughter this weekend.  At first I notice that mom was wearing a black outfit with bright silver letters on front.  It didn't hit me just what the letters said until I read the daughter's message on her shirt as well.  I couldn't help but smile and wonder just how could they could be so brave as to wear their 'complimenting' outfits.  Just what message where they sharing with all who would look?  Well in huge shiny silver letters the mom's shirt read 'HOT!'  And in the appropriately sized letters for the little girl?  Well her shirt read 'LOL NOT!' 
     Keeping with the subject of clothing, my daughter and middle son went shopping Friday night.  I knew the store they were going to had a really good clearance sale going on so I asked them to see if there were any cute skirts I might like for a really good price.  Choosing an absolutely adorable short full skirt in a nice gray with sort of a quilted look, they texted a picture to me for approval.  I liked it but I loved that it was only $7.80 minus the 30% off coupon they had!  Putting it on Sunday morning with some black leggings and a black sweater, I started off for church but had a quick stop to make on the way.
     As I've probably mentioned before we have a couple of sons who work at a pizza place and we often have left over pizza at our house.  So on my way to church I stopped by the fire station as hubby had asked that I drop off that left over pizza along with his favorite drink he had left in the fridge....that delectable delight known as V8.   Being in a hurry and not realizing the wind was blowing, I hopped out of the car when I arrived at the fire station and grabbed the pizza and V8.  Just as I got to the door from the outside, my husband got to the door from the inside.  And then it happened.  The wind blew wildly and not only did my hair blow in my eyes where I couldn't see but my skirt flew up as high as it possibly could go!  As my husband opened the door he couldn't help but exclaim "Marilyn Monroe!"  I have to trust him that no one else saw my wardrobe malfunction because I was unable to see anything until he took the pizza and V8 and I got my skirt down and my hair out of my eyes.
    And that brings  me to one last thing I have on my mind tonight.  Hair.  Last week I was looking for a picture of one of our kids.  It was an adorable picture of a little guy in a yellow Easter suit.  We were visiting dad at a fire station on our way to Grandma's for Easter.  At age 2 this boy was already constantly bouncing a basketball almost as big as he was and that picture was of him wearing that yellow suit and carrying a basketball across the fire station parking lot.
     Instead of finding that picture though, I found several others including one from 1989 just 20 days after we were married.  Oh my the hair!  I had long brown hair that had been permed.  He had the style of the day for guys.....ummmm yeah.....basically a mullet!  His hair was curly so it wasn't as mullet-ish as most.  But oh my the hair.  Couldn't help but make that picture the background on my iPad.  I remember that picture being taken.  I remember before we went to eat out with family that night.  I remember the restaurant we ate at in the next town over.  I remember so many things about that night.  But mostly I remember the sweet guy with all that hair who sat by me on the piano bench at our house and who just happened to look at the camera and smile. 
     Now my hair is no longer permed.  It's no longer brown either!  And his hair.  Well there isn't nearly as much of it as there once was.  But that smile.  I'm sitting here looking at that picture.  And I'm sitting here thinking about that smile. 

Bippity Boppity Boo (Or How I Want to Be Like Cinderella)

     Last week I texted my daughter and asked if she would like to go see the new "Cinderella" movie with me.  Boy was I surprised when she answered in the affirmative!  Even though this new movie isn't really what you would call animated, my family loves to tease me because I enjoy movies like "Finding Nemo" and "Cars".  It's been said that I wouldn't even allow our kids to watch a movie when they were younger unless there were at least talking animals in it!  (Ummm....be prepared if you haven't seen this new "Cinderella". There might be a talking animal or two!)
     So Sunday afternoon matinee here we came!  The theater had only a few people in it when it was time for the show to start.  And we were having such a good time talking that we didn't even notice when the screen was still dark 20 minutes after the show was supposed to start!  I wasn't sure what to expect but I knew I loved Cinderella.
     Growing up I had seen the Lesley Ann Warren version of "Cinderella" probably every time it came on.  It was amazing!  My heart ached for Cinderella when she was ridiculed and abused.  And my heart soared as the glass slipper finally went on her foot, she was transformed, became a princess and lived happily ever after.  But this new Cinderella.  It was different.
     I suspect Disney had no idea the life principles they were encouraging.  Let me start at the beginning if I may.  This Cinderella didn't start with Cinderella already living with her wicked step-mother and crazy step-sisters.  It started with "Ella".  A beautiful, full of life, happy and cherished little girl.  She lived with her mother and father who adored her and each other.  She was living a 'fairy-tale' of sorts already.  Her mother, although never mentioning God or the Bible or Christianity, instilled in her godly principles.  Other than the fairy-god-mother stuff (and that fairy-god-mother bippity boppity boo stuff is the only real nonsense I even saw in the movie), her mother taught her to always be kind and courageous.
     Unfortunately Ella's world was rocked when her mother took ill and died.  Her father, many years later and after much thought and Ella's blessing, married a widow with two daughters.  This new woman took their quiet home and turned it into a house of feasting and parties and a life Ella's father never planned for her.  Because his work took him away for months at a time, Ella was left with this woman and her nutty daughters.  One day Ella answered a knock at the door.  It was a neighbor coming to tell her that her father had died on his journey.  Instead of getting upset, Ella thanked him and told him how hard she knew it must have been for him to deliver such news.
     Immediately Ella's world was changed again.  The household and farm staff, all of whom she had befriended, were let go.  Ella had to take on all the chores and was banished to the attic to sleep and be away from the 'family' and be with her only friends, some mice she had conversations with and who seemed to talk back to her. (Oh and she had to save them from step-mother's cat Lucifer....appropriately named cat for sure!)   Sometimes it was too cold to sleep up in the attic so she would bed down by the fireplace.  One morning as she served breakfast her step-sisters teased her about the cinders she had on her face from the fireplace.  Thus Ella became known as "Cinderella".
     To keep from letting anger get the best of her, Cinderella rode off into the forest on her horse where she came upon a deer.  Because of her kind spirit Cinderella was able to communicate with the deer and told him to hurry away as there were hunters coming to kill it.  Then she stopped one of the hunters.  Oh!  Guess what!  She had no idea who this hunter was but he was actually the handsome prince!  He told her he worked as an apprentice at the palace but didn't tell her any more and she told him nothing of her life either.
     The prince was immediately smitten with her of course or we wouldn't be coming up to the happily ever after.  And then the ball was coming up....you know the one...where the prince would select his princess.  It was really all planned out for him to marry royalty.  But the prince had other ideas.
     You know how the story goes at this point.  Ugly step-sisters get new gowns.  Cinderella tries to make her own from her mother's old one.  Step-mother and step-sisters make fun of her and rip her gown to pieces.  Fairy-god-mother steps in.  Cleans Cinderella up, fixes her hair, repairs the dress and makes it the grandest of ball gowns.  Coach of pumpkin.  A goose she loved and fed who lived in the yard became the coach driver.  And so on.  She arrives at the ball.  No one, not even the step-mother or step-sisters recognized her.
     Ah but the Prince!  Kit as she knew him from the forest.  Kit recognized her and knew she was to be his Princess!  You know what happens here so let's skip over to the glass slipper fittings.  Cinderella's step-mother had become wise to her and figured out what was going on.  She trapped Cinderella in the attic and told her how she had been a nice person when she was younger and how much she loved her first husband.  But then he died and she married Cinderella's father, not for love but for a place to live with her daughters and a way to take care of them.
     When it's discovered that Cinderella is locked in the attic (gotta leave some of this for you to see at the movie!) Cinderella is brought down to try on the glass slipper.  And of course, it fits.....awwwww.....  But here's the part that really amazed me.  Instead of Cinderella magically turning into a princess like in the versions I had seen in the past,  she stayed exactly the same.  She asked the prince if he could accept her as she was.  Of course he said he could and asked if she could accept him as he was.  No magic.  No bippity boppity boo.  No hocus pocus.  Just love.  Just honesty.  Just kindness.  Just courage.  Just truth.  As Cinderella turned to leave, something even more amazing happened.  She looked over at her step-mother and, no she didn't banish her to a far away country.  She said three simple words.  Words that, in addition to the take me as I am part, forever changed the way I viewed Cinderella.  She simply looked at her step-mother and said "I forgive you."
     In the last few weeks we've had a deer walk up to our front door and apparently nibble on our wreath.  (It had snowed and we saw the hoof prints in the snow plus some flowers that were very secure on our wreath were pulled off.  That makes us fairly certain that's what happened.) This week I noticed a bird had worked very hard to build a perfect nest in the spring wreath I had put up just a couple of weeks ago.  So the attracting animals part of Cinderella I believe I am accomplishing.  Not intentionally.  But it does seem to be happening none the less.  But the always kind, courageous and the way she forgave.  Oh my.  Now do you see why I want to be like Cinderella?  Oh if it were as simple as a bippity boppity boo.
     You know what?  It kinda is.  But it's really just a prayer away.  Dear Heavenly Father.  Thank You for showing me this wonderful story this weekend!  This story of kindness, courage and forgiveness.  Thank You for showing me that good ALWAYS triumphs over evil even if it looks for a time like evil is going to win.  Help me to be kind, courageous and forgiving.  In Jesus Name I thank You.  Amen

No Fear

     "Do not be afraid--I am with you!  I am your God--let nothing terrify you!  I will make you strong and help you;  I will protect you and save you."  Isaiah 41:10  That's a promise!  God has never broken a promise.  Ever!  And He never will.  Is He on your side?  Of course He is. 
     But here's the thing.  Without accepting Jesus as your Savior and Lord, you have nothing BUT fear!  Is He with you?  Nope.  Even though He does see everything you do, hear everything you say and know every thought you think.  Is He protecting you?  Only if you have someone praying His protection around you.   Do you have reason to fear?  You'd better believe it!  Isaiah goes on to say that if someone goes up against God's child, God will show that person the shame of defeat.  In fact, as translated in the Good News Bible, the Prophet Isaiah says that those who fight against the child of God will die and disappear from the earth.  Wow.  So which side are you on?
     Seriously.  Which team are you on?  Wanna win?  There is only one way.  Team Jesus always wins!  Team Jesus may appear to be defeated at times but it has never happened and never will!  How do you know if you are on Team Jesus?  1.  Ask His forgiveness for you sins.  2.  Repent....turn completely around and go in the opposite direction from which you have been going!  God never blesses anything that goes against His Word.  Is there anything you haven't repented of that is against His Word?  Sin is sin and sin separates us from God.  Just because someone else is doing something you consider a bigger sin, well it's not in God's eyes.  And it's really not your business either.  It's between them and God.  Big sin or little sin, it's all the same to God.  You're separated from Him and you'd better be afraid.  Very afraid. 
     So what else puts you on Team Jesus?  Obedience.  If you really wanna win, obey Him.  Jesus will never guide you into sin.  He will NEVER tell you to do ANYTHING that is against the Word.  And He will always forgive you if you really ask Him.  Yeah He knows if you mean it or not.  He knows if you're gonna do it again.  But guess what.  He provides all you need to NOT commit that sin again!  
     "I am the Lord your God; I strengthen you and say, "Do not be afraid; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:13)  Would you like to live without fear?  Sure the devil may tell you that you are right or that you are winning.  But who are you gonna believe?  The devil even lied to Jesus in the wilderness!  The devil has limited power and will spend eternity in hell.  God is all powerful and will spend eternity in Heaven!  Turn or burn.  You can either not be afraid or fear for your whole life and eternity.  Which is it?
     I chose to live without fear.  I know God has chosen me as His child.  Do I make mistakes?  Of course I do.  Does God forgive me when I ask?  Beyond a shadow of a doubt.  God answers the prayers of His people.  Are you one of His people?  If not, He doesn't hear your prayers and what you claim to be a blessing from Him is actually a lie straight from the pits of hell.
     "Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God."  (Gal 6:7a)  Claiming your life is blessed but you're living a life of sin?  God won't let that go on forever.  Are you afraid?  Don't let the devil fool you.  You have reason to be afraid. 
     Let me invite you right now to come to know Him.  Dear Lord.  I pray for this person reading these words.  I pray, Holy Spirit, that You will speak to their heart.  Open their eyes to truth.  You Lord, are truth.  I pray Your best for them.  God I want each person who reads this to have reason to have no fear!  This can only be accomplished if they truly accept You as their Savior and Lord.  Please bless them with Your salvation and eternal life.  Today dear Lord.  Let them start their new life of peace and no fear today.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen
    

What I've Learned From My Boys

     "I've been given all these boys so that I can change the world!"  That's what I decided after boy number 4 was on the way.  That had to be it.  Why else would I be entrusted to raise four men?   Haha, yeah right!
       I was just watching an episode of "Leave it to Beaver" and was thinking.  While I love to wear pearls like June and often wear dresses, styles have certainly changed.  Just this morning I put on a cute little short dress with some boots and was greeted with "You're gonna wear that to church?!?!?!" by one of my 'boys'.  Anyway, something I've learned from June Cleaver though, mom has a 'place' in raising sons but dad is the real key there.
     Thanks June.  I've needed that reminder many times.  When June asked Ward what would have happened when he was a boy if a certain scenario had occurred that just happened involving the Beave, he said he would have 'clobbered' the other boy!  Now that's something us moms just don't get.  Clobbering?  We try to solve things with words.  And ummmm.....with boys that just doesn't usually work.  Something dads already know.
     While I tried to reason and then often ended up yelling, I just never quite got the hang of changing  those boys into men like I thought I would be able to do back then.  Wrestling that started out as a game eventually sent someone through the wall more than once!  But when one would come tattling on another about a wrestling match where someone got hurt or sabotaged bike wreck that caused injury or big brother convincing little brother to eat dog food, well I did get pretty good at saying "if there isn't a broken bone sticking out through the flesh I don't want to hear about it!"
     And trying to convince a bunch of brothers that getting into the pool gently would be better than yelling 'cannonball' and jumping in as their little sister turned her head away and clung to the ladder for her dear life was absolutely a waste of time.  Now they would 'clobber' anyone who hurt their sister or even looked at her funny.  Probably would have back then too.  But they ignored her pleas to stop 'cannonballing'.  I suppose that's part of what a boy is.  No fear.  And she did learn to cannonball after a while herself!
     Ok so back to changing the world.  What's really happening?  My sons have changed and are still changing me.  It's taken me a long time to realize it but I'm now convinced that God gave me all these sons to change me.  Patience?  Oh my........they've tried and tried and tried to teach me patience.  It's said that experience is the best teacher and they've certainly given me lots of experience in learning to be patient.  My lower blood pressure says that maybe that's a lesson I'm finally learning.
     A mom's heart for her sons is like no other.  Cross her son and a mom will go to any length to defend him.  That can be a good thing.  But running out on a basketball court or football field when a son is down.....not a good idea!  That's where dads have the advantage over us moms.  They are much better at sitting in the stands and watching as their sons take a step into manhood while writhing in pain in front of a huge crowd.  Us moms, well we want to pick up our baby and carry him off and take care of him!  Good thing dads stop us.
     Over the last few years my boys have started telling on themselves.  I wondered why they seemed to always be watching the original "The Parent Trap" when they were little.  Now I know.  One would stand guard in the hall and would give the high sign that mom was approaching.  The TV would be quickly changed from whatever  forbidden program they were watching to an approved  recorded movie.  And mom beamed with pride at her amazing obedient children.........Oh my.
     From announcing each other's deaths on facebook to paying each other to cover up a planned party when mom and dad were out of town (yeah the neighbors didn't get paid so that didn't work so well) to pretending some girl who just didn't seem to 'fit' was their girlfriend to you just about name it and they've done it.  These guys have done more than their share of supplying gray hair for their parents!  (Even though mine are currently covered with NB 9 1/2 Excellence by Loreal!)  Would I want them any other way?  Well.........
     There are two things that I've learned boys do best.  The first is push buttons.  Whether it's on the TV remote or the buttons associated with mom's frazzled nerves, they are experts.  Sometimes it's one on one  with the mom button pushing game but often I'm ganged up on.  And seldom do they ever walk away unsatisfied with their button pushing performance.  However, even though they probably wouldn't agree, I believe I'm getting better at not letting them get to me.  At least I'm getting better at hiding it from them! 
     The second thing they do best?  Make me want to be a better mom.  While we may not agree very often, when it's all said and done I hope my sons (and my daughter) can look back and see that their mom had faith in God, a desire to obey His Word and a fierce but gentle love for their dad and them that was never ending.       
     Have I been able to change the world through my sons?   Don't know yet.  Has God changed me through my sons?  Most definitely. 
     
    

100

     Yes.  This is blog number 100 for me.  So I've been thinking and praying about what it should be about.  Funny?  Serious?  Hmmm.....  What has come to mind over and over and I pondered was this:  Prayer.  So this blog will be just that.  A prayer.
     Dear Heavenly Father,
          Thank You for all Your many blessings.  For health.  For food.  For our jobs and home.  For our family and friends.  Thank you Lord for Your Word which guides us and for making it possible for us to open it and read.  But most of all I thank You for sending Jesus, faultless and pure, holy like none other, to take our sins on Himself as He died on the cross to save us.
     God I pray, as I do pretty much every time I post a blog, that You will use this to touch even just one life who needs You.  One life who is struggling.  One life who is confused, deceived by the devil's lies.  One person who just needs a lift, a word of encouragement or a laugh.  I pray that these words will uplift someone today.
     Lord You know who is reading this.  You know their circumstances.  You know their hurts and their hearts.  You know their truths and their lies.  Lord Your Word says in Proverbs 5:21 that You see everything we do.  That you are watching wherever we go.  Knowing this Lord, may we ever be mindful of the fact that there is no thought we think, action we do or word we say that You don't know about.  Hmmm....and yet You love us anyway.
     God You keep Your promises!  Numbers 23:19 tells us that you aren't like us in that humans lie and change their minds.  But You don't Lord.  You keep Your promises!  You speak and it is done!  Oh yes Lord!  I trust You for this!  "I trust in God and am not afraid; I praise Him for what He has promised.  What can mere human do to me?" (Psalm 56:4).   Yes Lord.  You keep Your promises!  All I need to do is trust in You with all my heart and never rely on what I think I know (Proverbs 3:5).
     Lord God, You don't turn away anyone who comes to You!  There is no sin too big and no sinner too bad that Your blood, Lord Jesus, is incapable of cleansing!  Seems everyone knows John 3:16 Lord.  "For God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not die but have eternal life."  Oh Lord, that's a wonderful thing You've done there!  But you go on to verse 17 and tell us, "For God did not send His Son into the world to be its judge, but to be it's Savior."  Oh my.  You don't want to judge us God.  You want to save us!  It's our own unrepentance that brings Your judgment Lord.  Please forgive us!
     Father right now I ask a special blessing for hurting hearts.  Those who are lonely or afraid.  The ones at their wits end about what to do next.  I pray they do look to You and not rely on what they think they know.  And I pray for the deceived.  The ones whom satan has lied to and twisted things in such a way that they think they are living according to Your will.  Oh dear God, please show them Your light.  Draw them in, Holy Spirit, with truth.  And for the prodigals Lord.  The ones who have known You and lived for You in the past but have been lead away by the schemes of the devil.  Dear God may they wake up today in the pigpens they have chosen above Your palace and realize that all they have to do is ask Your forgiveness and You will forget their past and welcome them Home!
     God You are more than amazing.  I don't know how anyone survives without You!  Thank You for saving me.  Lord if there is anyone reading this who doesn't know You, I pray that right now they will stop what they are doing and ask You to be their Lord and Savior.  And if there is anyone who has strayed Lord, I pray that they come back to You now, at this very moment, finding life anew in You.
      Let us always remember God, that You are in control.  And anything we do against You will only make our lives miserable in the long run.  That while sin may be fun for a season, there is always always always a price to pay.  But we know that Jesus already paid that price for us if we just give it all to Him.  Thank You that You always have our best interest at heart.  I thank You and I praise You in Jesus' wonderful name, Amen.