uh oh--the theme is "over"

Well bloggies--can we just say that it's crazy insane these days! I can't really even blame it on Christmas like it's so easy to do this time of year--cause this week has had very little Christmas prep in it for me. (does thinking about it count??) All I can manage for my weekly company girls post is a list...that's the only way my brain can organize it's thoughts right now.

1) This Sunday is my talk/sermon on Christmas from Mary's perspective, so that has been a focus of my week. (well, in theory, not so much in practice...it's been squished out of my days for the most part.) I finished writing my thoughts on Tuesday (thanks for praying!!) and now just need to learn it so I can present it as Mary without notes. (keep praying!) I am definitely looking forward to it...but in all honesty, bloggies...I'm looking forward to Sunday afternoon when it's over even more. :0)

2) Oh the weather outside is frightful! Below zero wind chills all week--snow days and delayed starts--and all of us so bundled up that getting in and out of the car seems difficult. We are supposed to be above freezing today--so thankful the cold streak is over!!

3) This has been a rough week for Pickle. She has been experiencing stomach pain on and off since last Friday. It goes away, so we think it's over, just to have it return. It was the worst in the mornings before school--which made us think it was emotional or that she was avoiding something. She didn't think she was..but we were getting pretty suspicious of her, which didn't feel good. We tried everything. I finally took her to the doctor yesterday morning who was able to have a clear diagnosis of reflux. So she is on a bland diet and meds for 6 weeks (no chocolate at Christmas--boohoo) and hopefully that will take care of it. We are so relieved to have a diagnosis, cause it has been emotionally draining and confusing for all of us...and hard to see her doubled over in pain. Another rough morning today...can't wait til the meds start kicking in and this ordeal is over.

4) Tonight and tomorrow night we have a dessert theater at our church and my kids both have small parts. Hubby is on the sound board. It's a fun night of comedy sketches and drama...and we always enjoy it. The church is transformed and it's great fun. However...getting to that point has been a push, with Pickle's pain and Hubby's work deadlines, and cancelled rehearsals due to weather. On top of that we lost a dear woman from our church and her funeral is today...so we need to transform the church from funeral to dessert theater in record time. Normally, there is a group that spends several days over the week working on it. We'll do it--but I'll be relieved when it's set up, looking good, and my kiddos remember their lines!

5) If you saw my post on Tuesday--you know I had tire issues this week. We haven't had a chance to get it fixed, so I am driving around on snowy roads on the donut, with the real tire banging around in the back of my car. Look forward to getting that fixed this weekend and putting that whole thing behind me.

6) My dear hubby has been under serious stress at work--and he carries that stress around with him all of the time. The reasons for the stress are real...he is not worrying about nothing. I am trying hard to have hope that some resolution comes soon. At least the deadlines he faced this week will be over by tonight.

7) Bubba--poor bubba. I have nothing to say about him...he just keeps going, keeps a smile on his face, and is low maintenance enough that I could almost forget about him at times. (yikes!) Do you have one of those?? I hope that when the craziness of this weekend is over--I get some serious snuggle time with my favorite little man.

I'm realizing as I write that the common denominator in my list is how much I want things to be over...my talk, the performances this weekend, the theater set up, my daughter's illness, hubby's stress, the weather. Isn't that terrible? Living life wishing things away. Man, I need to stop and be in the moment. Enjoy what the moments bring. Be present at the funeral today, and celebrate Michelle's life, without thinking about all the table decorations that need to happen right afterwards. Be present and enjoy my kids performances tonight and tomorrow night, without worrying about the Mary talk on Sunday. Grab a few minutes of quality time with Bubba and Hubby.

Even the "crafty" (heehee) stuff--Pickle's pain, Hubby's stress, the car issues, the weather...I think I need to be present in those things too. What is there to embrace, to give thanks for, to learn in the midst of it all?

As usual, rattling off my list-o-life has given me some insight...stop wishing things were over!

Be present in each moment, in each season. Embrace the things that come my way. As we learn from Mary, God has a plan. He is in control, and nothing is impossible with Him.

home warm home

confession: not my fireplace. my camera is broken and this one's way prettier anyway.

So, it's freezing outside. Like, wind-chills-well-below-zero freezing. There is packed snow on the roads, the sky is gray and tiny flakes blow through the sky.

Monday I worked at the library for a while...I was kinda chilly there. Spent the afternoon at work...67 at the warmest point of our office...so chilly there. I left about 4 pm to slide my way down the slippery roads to pick up my son from school (20 minutes away) and realized I was VERY low on gas. I decided I should fill 'er up since who knows what could happen on a snowy highway...don't want to be caught on empty! Drove (slowly--it was the only option) towards a gas station that apparently isn't in business anymore. Crept through a walmart parking lot and around a corner or two to another gas station. Open pump--yay. Fill the car and hop back in as fast as I could--it was stinkin' freezing!

When I started to pull out I heard a loud honk...and saw that a pickup was pulling up alongside of me. The driver rolled down the window and told me my rear tire was very flat and I was sitting on the rim. Ma-huh? I had just left work and it was fine. We think I punctured it somehow...and couldn't tell 'cause the driving in the snow masked all the signs of driving on a flat. He offered to fill it with air for me. What a nice guy. I took him up on it...but no air came out of the pump. Too cold? Who knows. He asks if I have a spare (I do) and he offered to change it for me. Again, I felt bad, but said yes. He said I could stay in the car...but since I didn't think my weight in the car would help...I stayed outside shivering and making conversation. After digging out the spare, and searching for the jack...and freezing our bottoms off...we could not get the lug nuts off of the wheel. Frozen on? Who knows. I thank him anyway.

His name was Drew and I pray that God blesses him for his kindness to me--trying to change my tire in the bitter cold with only a hoodie and a pair of my gloves to keep him warm.

Well, eventually hubby was able to rescue me...and AAA came and changed the tire...but not before I was ice cold and longing desperately for my home and my fireplace.

Made me think of earlier that day when I saw a bearded man sitting in the snow at a stop light with a cardboard sign asking for financial help. In the cold. In the snow. Sitting.

At least I knew I was headed home eventually.

Today I am unwrapping the gift of having a warm home to come home to. It doesn't matter that it's smaller than I'd like. It doesn't matter that I'm not done with the christmas decorating and there are boxes everywhere. It doesn't matter that my kids have left out every manner of trash and blankets and dishes. It's home. It's warm. And I have the key. And a heated mattress pad on my bed. And a flip-the-switch gas fireplace. Home warm Home.

How often I take for granted the simplest of things...and am thankful to Emily at Chatting at the Sky for reminding us to unwrap the gifts of the everyday each Tuesday.

someone's in charge!

My Bubba and me

This week has been full (which one isn't?). It's the end of my in-laws November visit--they leave today. Bubba had an awesome 3rd grade Christmas program last night--where he sang a solo! A friend's sweet 5 year old daughter has been battling pneumonia in the hospital. A young mother from church lost her battle with cancer. My kids are preparing small roles for a drama production at church next weekend. There was Christmas shopping and Christmas decorating and other busyness of the season. And oh yeah--work and school. Whew.

Pickle with a pickle

All that aside, probably the biggest event this week is that our new Sr. Pastor started on Tuesday! WAHOO! We have spent the last 11 months without a lead pastor or boss. We've done really well as a staff considering...but we were more than ready for him to be here. I can't tell you the relief it brings to have someone in charge! It has been a good week of beginning to learn each others' styles, and starting to dream and plan. There have been one or two tough things to deal with at church this week--and having an authoritative leader has made a huge difference. Whew.

In all of this, hanging over my head is that I am giving the message at church a week from Sunday in the first person as Mary...and I've done NOTHING but some reading. YIKES. I plan to do the whole thing without notes as well, so I will need to leave time to practice. I anticipated being able to prepare much more than I have. Now it feels down to the wire and this coming week is full too. The talk needs to be the main thing on my agenda today for my day off.

I think I could feel some panic about now. BUT, I am reminded Someone IS in charge! Not our new pastor, but my lifelong Leader--my Lord. Just as I am relaxing into and trusting our new leadership at church, I need to remind myself that all along Someone has been in charge. Of our church. Of my life. Of this Mary-message. None of my recent life has come as a surprise to Him. I can trust Him. As my mom says--if He calls you, then He makes you capable. So I am choosing to trust and lean on and count on Him. And do my part to work diligently to pull this off!

Please pray that I use my time efficiently today and in coming days. Please pray that God gives me His words for our congregation. Please pray that I can continue to remember that He is in charge. I am just His vessel. He can stretch time and use even me. WHEW!

Linking up with the Company Girls today.

unwrapping the prayer of everyday

There was a time in our lives where I was so aware of how desperate I was for God's help to make it through every moment. Hubby was in a very dark time and unavailable to me emotionally, physically, spiritually. I had an infant and a five year old. I was still grieving the loss of our four month old a year and a half prior. I was lonely and scared and very, very tired in every way.


It was during that time that I learned the practice of falling on my knees at the side of my bed each and every morning--before I even attended to my kids. My head was down, my hands open to receive.


I prayed my everyday prayer. I confessed my sin. I emptied myself of any agenda I had for the day. I asked God to fill me with His Holy Spirit. I pictured Him filling me to the tips of my fingers and the bottom of my feet--and especially filling my mouth. I asked Him to allow me to exhibit the fruit of His Spirit indwelling me (not an easy task for the Holy Spirit in my pitiful state). I asked for His strength to show kindness and gentleness and patience to my kids. For joy as I changed diapers. I asked for His love to flow through me to my husband who had nothing to love me back with. I asked for His encouragement and guidance for the day, for the morning, for the next few minutes. He refreshed me in that quick everyday prayer. And by His strength alone, I got up and was mommy and wife and daughter and friend. In many ways that time was a blur...but I survived. And as far as I remember, I don't think I killed anyone.


Most importantly, I learned in a new way that His grace is sufficient for me.


Over the years my everyday prayer has changed a bit. I still confess and empty myself. I still ask for the Holy Spirit to fill me, and that I could exhibit His fruit. What has changed is that instead of praying for strength to make it through each moment, I pray for sensitivity to hear His leading. That He would control each part of my day--who I run into, conversations, what I accomplish or don't. That He would allow me to complete His agenda for me that day. I want to "keep in step with the Spirit".


Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galations 5:25


I realized recently that I've gotten away from my everyday prayer. My mornings look different as we hit the ground running. I don't feel as desperate everyday. (I am, just not always as aware of it--yikes). And so, what do I accomplish during the day if I'm not careful? MY agenda. Seeking to fill my needs, my priorities--with my family, and even in ministry.


I do pray in the morning and throughout the day. I talk a lot, and I talk to God a lot. But I'm missing my everyday prayer.


Today I'm celebrating that each day is a new day, and that I can start again. I can pray the prayer of everyday. Have your way, Lord.


Unwrapping the small and sacred gifts of the everyday with Emily at Chatting at the Sky. Click here to read what other gifts are being unwrapped today.