Dad May Come July 18, 2009

My oldest son spent several days with a buddy up at our lake house fishing and boating around, cooking the fish they had caught and just hanging out.  I was really proud of his independence.

However, I’m not ready for him to be completely independent, yet.

I talked to him one afternoon to tell him his dad may come up.  I wasn’t sure if he might think that his dad would be intruding.  I shouldn’t have worried.

“Good!  Dad would make it perfect, ” was his response.

What blessed parents we are to have a seventeen-year-old son who still wants us around.  My heart is full.

Neighbors July 17, 2009

Speaking directly about those we live nearby, Solomon instructs in Proverbs:25:17,

“Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house -

too much of you, and he will hate you.”

Not only is this important for me to be aware of, but I also want my children to understand this principle in dealing with their friends.  Allow time for your friend to reciprocate.  Don’t always be the one to call and suggest being together.

I think it takes humility to accept the fact that someone needs space.  Don’t take it personally.  Even Solomon recognized the need for space in relationships.

Texting July 13, 2009

Trigger and Meredith

We arrived at Newport at about 2:00, by 2:30 there was sweat rolling down my back and saturating my hair.  Meredith got her horse saddled as quickly as she could and set off to find her friends that she only sees on horse show weekends.

I saw her occassionally ride past in a herd of small and large horses, some sorrel and painted and brown and white.  They were like a little band of outlaws weaving their way through the people who were signing up for assorted events or warming up their horses.

By the end of the day, I was tired and sticky.  Meredith had placed in 7 of her 8 events and was pleased with the day.

Barrels were last and she had a good run and placed 5th.  I waited for her to show up at the trailer so we could load the horses up and go home.  I waited and waited.  Finally I saw her at the far end of the arena with a few friends.  She was on Trigger and he was our last horse to load, so Scott went to go get her and convince her we were ready to go home.

On the ride home, she was asking me about texting.  How much does it cost?  Did I know Sydney texts? (Her older cousin in Texas.)  Did I know that Sydney pays for her own texting?

I thought it was cute that she wanted to tell Sydney about her horse show.

The next morning Meredith asked me about texting again.

Meredith:  How much is one text?

Me:  I’m not sure, maybe 10 cents.  Why?  Who do you want to text?

Meredith:  ……Emily’s cousin.

Hmmmmm——–

Me:  What’s his name?

Meredith:  ……….Cody.

I’m glad she is making friends, but we will not subscribe to texting any time soon.

Facebook Friendships May 20, 2009

Do you have a Facebook account? Do you facebook people? What is it about Facebook that draws so many of us?

What are some things that you like about Facebook? What are some negatives associated with the social network site?

Analyzing FB seems daunting because it is so complicated, but there is an aspect of “Speed Friendships”. We ache for friends but are pressed for time. We want connections, but not risks of rejection. We want to be involved with people, but that gets messy. Don’t call, you might get stuck on the phone. Facebook them, and then at your convenience, respond…quickly, neatly, and efficiently.

I have heard the time in which you are Facebooking called “nearly now”. You are not really in the present, but neither are you in the past. It’s just “nearly now”. Nearly Now has no pressures. It’s not risky. You won’t be put on the spot. You have time to formulate your response. You have time to formulate how you are perceived. You have much more control. It’s not messy.

People are messy. Relationships are messy.

Just a thought….

Small Towns May 8, 2009

Wal Mart was holding my medicine hostage this afternoon, so after searching for any and all excuses not to go, I went to get my medicine. I was determined to pick up my medicine and with my head down as if braving a nor’easter, I would fight my way back to my car. I glanced up at one point and caught a glimpse of an old childhood friend that I haven’t seen in 20 years. We took a little time to catch up and then had to leave. I almost missed her!

————————–

Tonight I was at the girls’ softball fields. I didn’t really want to go. I was tired and had a lot on my mind. Once I pulled up to the field, I tried to justify sitting in my car and watching my daughter from there.

I couldn’t do it. I thought I should be on the bleachers, cheering her team on to victory…or on to a good time.

I went to the bleachers and enjoyed the game. Meredith even caught a pop fly! Then as we were leaving, I ran into several dear friends and visited for nearly an hour in between the fields.

That’s a small town for you! I love this town that’s full of friends, new and old. I’ve got to remember to keep my head up and notice the people around me. I’m so thankful for friends.

Cheer Up? April 30, 2009

What do we do to help someone who is down?  Do you cheer them up or do you cry with them?

I think every situation is different and you have to pray for godly wisdom, but consider what Solomon says in Proverbs 25:2o:

“Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather.  And like vinegar on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.”

I think we need to be careful when we approach someone who is discouraged and down.  We don’t want to take away their ‘garment in cold weather.’

Oh, My, Barbie April 29, 2009

Many afternoons after school and long hot days in the summer, Lori and I would meet in the park near the creek under the big oak tree and play Barbies.  She had the plane and I had the camper…or vice versa.  Our brothers played G.I. Joe’s not far from us, but rarely included us.  We could play for hours.

Barbie turned 50 in March.  Wow!  Stephanie, my friend and fellow blogger, has a post that gives the problems with Barbie’s proportions were she an actual human.  As you have probably heard, she would have serious health problems.

I enjoyed reading the proportions related to actual human size.  I’ll keep my own imperfect body.  Click HERE to go to her post.

Not Giving Up April 28, 2009

I am so far behind in my one year Bible reading.  I have broken all the rules anyway.  I started in March for one.  I’ve been trying to catch back up the last few days.

I was ready to give up and convince myself that another season of life would be better to try and accomplish this monumental task.

Then my dear friend, Jill, came and spoke to my Bible class and inspired me to continue.  I know that it is a worthy goal and I would be hard spent to find one better, but it takes so much time and a consistency that seems out of my reach.

Jill talked about several things in class, but what inspired me to continue my reading of the entire Bible in a year’s time span is the desire to be the ‘aroma of Christ’.  I’m not sure she used those exact words, but the thought was that we need to smell like Jesus.

How do we “smell” like Jesus?

She gave this example.

One Sunday morning, a young family needed help with their baby.  Jill offered to hold the baby while mom and dad gathered up their other children and got them situated for church.  To her delight, she ended up with the baby for most of the service.  She said the sweet baby nestled her face into her neck and wallowed around on her lap.  After church, with the baby back in her mother’s arms, the young mother approached Jill to thank her for helping and said,  “She smelled so good when you gave her back to me.  What perfume are you wearing?”

Jill said she realized that the baby smelled like her because it had been with her, held in her arms, nestled in her neck, sitting on her lap and that is how we smell like Jesus.  That is how we become the “aroma of Christ”.  We have to be near him, in his arms, on his lap.

Stay near to him, in his word, doing what he would be doing, spending time with his people and with those he loves.

¹⁵For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  2 Corinthians 2:15

I want to be the “aroma of Christ”.  One way to help me smell like him is to be steeped in his word.

I am not giving up.  Thanks, Jill!

Spotting a Fake Smile April 23, 2009

Your face has 43 tiny muscles that tug and stretch and lift your mouth, eyes, cheeks, eyebrows and forehead and can convey a full range of emotions. How good are you at interpreting others’ thoughts and feelings?

Can you spot a fake smile? Try the website below and see how you do. I did terrible at the beginning and then got them all right by the end. I’ll tell you my trick for spotting a fake smile later. If you are interested, take the quiz. It’s free.

Spot the Fake Smile

Try and Guess March 24, 2009

Do you find yourself missing the mark with people because you try and guess what they want you to do?  Have you ever felt that you have lost yourself?  You’re not even sure what you like or what you think because you are always looking after everyone else?  Consider this quote from The English American,

“…we’re always putting the other person first in our family, we try and guess what the other person wants to do.  And we never tell anyone what we want to do, in case there’s a clash with what the other person wants to do.”

Is this what it means to “consider others better than yourself.” ?  Phil. 2:3  The entire verse says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself.”

How do you mesh Phil. 2:3 with being honest and having integrity when dealing with people?  Can you be assertive and open, yet consider others better than yourself?

Can you maintain your own identity and opinions yet possess humility?  How do you nurture your family, put their needs first, be on call all day and long into the night, and still maintain some sense of self?  Do you?