The girls in our lives

For years I worked with children in our church. Changes in my life moved me to a new church and I haven't gotten that involved in work there yet. But God has this interesting sense of humor. I've never really liked working with women that much - sorry ladies - but face it a lot of the members of our sex are a wee bit difficult a big part of the time. I am just not into drama and hysteria and irrational moments or whining (much) or yelling (I really dislike yelling) and so when God started moving all these young women into various circles of my life - I really like them and for some really strange reason they like me. I mean face it - I've already told you I'm not funny. I'm not thin and cute or even perky. But they like me, arthritic knees and all. How weird is that and how wonderful!
That a lovely young woman would ask if I could be her Mom for a talk or would I disciple her or can we talk about............. - that is huge. God is laughing but He is also watching. Who am I? The queen of having messed it up - more than once thank you very much!
What if I do it wrong? Say the wrong thing? Offer the wrong words or get tired and grumpy - I do grumpy real well.
God reminds me that He has called me to be faithful. In each situation, it is so much fun just to be with the girl or communicate on line. It is good medicine for me, actually manna for the soul. The lovliness of their hearts and the desire to make right choices - wow, find me faithful, Father.
Perhaps someday I can tell you about them all but right now let me share three: for a number of years I have prayed for three young women who are married to awesome young men and they have been unable to have children. It's the craziest thing - what incredible parents they would be! They have done the infertility thing, months have turned into years now - within the past three months, two of these couples have their first child!!!!!!!!!!! Rejoicing? Oh yes we are.
But I'm still praying and waiting for #3 cause I know that I know that I know - there is a baby coming and that is going to be a WOW day beyond WOW days!
I really am learning to like women -guess who has changed?
Change our hearts, Father, find us faithful to Your call and Your ways.
Rushing ahead................................

It is a beautiful morning on the Oklahoma prairie. The wind is blowing, it is cloudy, the trees are getting green and my flowers show promise of living past the storms of last week. Of course, in Oklahoma we know that can all change in five seconds and - surely there will be no more snow this year!!
My dog, that rascal yellow lab named after one of our favorite foot ball teams, Sooner, is treeing squirrels and barking himself silly. He stands at the bottom of the tree and barks like crazy then takes a break to look at the squirrel as if to invite him down to play. Sure!! They don't fall for it. Then its back to barking. Sometimes it takes him awhile to figure out that the squirrel has hopped branches and is in the tree behind him, laughing at the silly land bound creature.
I know there are lots of mental and spiritual implications in all of that story. But today, I'm kicking back, at least in my head, and enjoying the beauty of the day and the simplicity of home and life.

Raking Leaves With Grandma's Broom

Watching my grand daughter work so hard in my yard was a delight but she also made me think of how often we get stuck in a rut. Would you have thought to rake leaves with a broom since big brothers had all the rakes? Of course it helps that Grandma has an outside broom and is good with the idea. It is just a broom.
What is it I miss everyday because with age and routine I don't see that brooms can 'rake' leaves? Tomorrow I will try to see with her eyes and recapture the wonder of everyday things. Things like my dog - he can shake hands! The baby calf running in the pasture - all legs and awkward newness! As I drive to work - how does the traffic light know it's my turn to go? I know there are electronics and gizmos and such but it's fun to just pretend it knows that I am there and would change - just for me. Silly, yet simple. The delight of people we can watch, the stories we can concoct in our brains and perhaps, just perhaps you will rake leaves with something exciting like --- a broom.

I am hacked or maybe should say have been abused by a hacker

Can any of you explain to me how hackers do what they do? No, probably better for me not to know. It's way over my head and makes me sort of angry. I'm trying to remember to err on the side of mercy as I have been taught - but this one hit too close to home. I dont need to go into this too terribly deep for you to get the gist -but enough to tell you to change all your passwords especially if you use facebook. And go into settings on FB and make sure everything is marked so that only your friends can see anything. Not friends of friends or everyone etc. That will help a bit but in this case, not.

Long story short, someone became friends of a friend by looking at another persons friend list, finding her name, sending her a friend request stating he was friends with 'XYZ' who was her friend so he okey'd him. He hacked her personal email, facebook account, phone and has been harrassing her. Today he began to send messages to her friends that were very upsetting - it has been bizarre. It will get straightened out with the help of law enforcement BUT go check your security settings and passwords. And if you have kids, make sure they change theirs also.

It is a strange world out there. Probably good for me to be reminded occasionally that I need to be a littel more security concious. Not pretty. So I think this falls under the category of 'racing ahead' - sure isnt 'kicking back' is it?

Im sure there is a lesson of great importance in this for us. But tonight I need to pray and think on it. I feel a little like David facing Goliath. How do you deal with someone who is so irrational and twisted as to do the things this person has done. Some of the messages were very ugly. In I Samuel 37:45 David told Goliath, "You come to me with a sword, with a spear and with a javeline. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied". And you know what happened after that.
So perhaps we cant pick out five smooth stones, rock this guy and chop off his head but perhaps there will be legal connections that will put someone in his life to make a difference. I will pray and err in mercy in that direction. He is a sick young man who needs healing - mentally and spiritually.
To quote a wonderful friend, "Run to the battle". Tonight it will be in prayer.

Being Funny

I always wanted to be funny. You know - the Mom everyone loved because she was such a hoot. Things were great fun at her house. She always knew just what to say, or not to say. Thats not me. I am the Mom you call if you are hungry or ripped your pants and need them mended or have injured yourself and need that repaired. I am the Mom who gives 'looks' before I even know Ive done it, I promise.

Funny is over rated though fun is not. But I think back now to days of listening to my son play in his clubhouse - just outside my kitchen window. That club house became a fort or ship, it was a hideout for the cowboys to avoid the bad guys, or a camping spot for the night (only until it got dark of course or they needed ice cream or drinks). I could hear it all from my kitchen window - that was fun.

Imagine this scene: The football team trying to grind meat on an antiquated meat grinder with what had to be the dullest blade in history. But one of them killed the deer (we are hunters but we generally eat what we kill in this neck of the woods!). They cleaned it and had great plans for chili that day. So picture this - 3 BIG boys - line men - all over 6 foot, all over 200 pounds of solid muscle. All holding and trying to turn the handle. You never heard so much grunting and laughing, directions being given and efforts not to curse because after all, Mom is right there. The deer lost his life but he won the meat grinding battle. And Mom? She cooked supper and cherished the memory in her heart after laughing till her sides hurt.

I may not be funny but God has given me glimpses of His idea of fun and I think I like it better. Do you have those memories hidden in your heart? Share them here so that we call all smile and remember and be a bit lighter today.