fWhat if we just pulled up the stakes and left? Just WENT and DID?
The best decisions of my life never made any sense on a pro con chart. Those Excel spreadsheets are handy and all, been when it comes to a life of faith they rarely work.
When I was in high school I quit volleyball and decided to go to Ghana on a 3 month short term missions trip instead. The coach was not pleased; she was down right irate. Despite what she thought, it was a good decision, one of the best I've ever made.
Later I married my husband, who at the time, was a landscaper making a smidge over minimum wage. I alway told my mom I was going to marry rich because I wanted a maid. HA! A pro con chart would suggest falling head over heels for someone with a trust fund, not a landscaper. But, alas, my husband is no longer a landscaper. He is a intelligent, godly man full of integrity and his groundedness is the perfect match for my flightiness.
Then there is always our decision to add to our family through fost to adopt. The social workers at the county make no apologies for requiring prospective parents to lay their hearts on the proverbial rail road tracks. It made no sense. No pro con chart would recommend such action. But, as long as I live, I will never ever regret choosing to bring Baby into our home.
Some of my dumbest decisions, the ones I regret the most, are the ones where I didn't take the risk. I played it safe and lost.
I am not promoting recklessness here, well not precisely. I just wonder, "What if we jumped? What if we WENT and DID? What if we engaged the battle? Or took the road less traveled? Or went on some crazy adventure for Jesus?"
I think my life would count for more, and I might have more grey hair. I think I would know Jesus better, and feel more alien in my own country. I think I'd have better stories to tell my grandchildren, and more scars on my body and in my heart. I think I might know what Paul meant when he said, "For me to live is Christ..."
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Baby and a laser Pointer
You know those mean people who make their dogs chase the light of laser pointer? We would never do that. Never. Turns out that a 21 month baby is way more fun.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
On my ipod
I have to share what I've been listening to on my ipod recently: Alan Jackson singing hymns. It's definitely folksy, borderline campy and I LOVE IT! Bub listened to it the other day too. And watching a 5 year old jammin' out to "I'll fly away" is fun enough to make your entire day. It made mine.
"What's on my nightstand?" you ask. As per my MO it's a little crowded. Here's a sampling:
-Celtic Daily Prayer
-If You Want to Walk on Water you have to get out of the Boat
-The Holy Bible
-Season's of a Mother's Heart
-Seizing Your Divine Moment
-Whirlpool (mindless suspense and brain candy)
And last but not least, "What's in my crockpot?" Today's dish features a combination of hydrogenated oils and cholesterol. That's right, I'm making some nacho dip with sausage and Velveeta for a Superbowl Party at our digs tomorrow. Feeling snubbed because you weren't invited? Please don't. It's an exclusive little get together for the people in our cell group at church. We're very chic and well-to-do, as I said the dishes I'm preparing feature hydrogenated oil. :)
"What's on my nightstand?" you ask. As per my MO it's a little crowded. Here's a sampling:
-Celtic Daily Prayer
-If You Want to Walk on Water you have to get out of the Boat
-The Holy Bible
-Season's of a Mother's Heart
-Seizing Your Divine Moment
-Whirlpool (mindless suspense and brain candy)
And last but not least, "What's in my crockpot?" Today's dish features a combination of hydrogenated oils and cholesterol. That's right, I'm making some nacho dip with sausage and Velveeta for a Superbowl Party at our digs tomorrow. Feeling snubbed because you weren't invited? Please don't. It's an exclusive little get together for the people in our cell group at church. We're very chic and well-to-do, as I said the dishes I'm preparing feature hydrogenated oil. :)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
"Don't sleep through your dreams..."
"Don't sleep through your dreams..." - Erwin Raphael McManus
When I was young I wanted to be a fighter pilot. Never mind that I am legally blind without corrective lenses. Never mind that I have absolutely terrible hand-eye coordination and get stressed out when I have to react quickly to situations. Being a fighter pilot seemed romantic and adventurous.
Alas, I have given up the dream. I decided to become a mom and wife, which, if you think about it is kinda like a fighter pilot. Except for the flying and the fighting parts. Okay, maybe not so much.
But all of my dreams have not gone down in flames. I still dream of working in a children's home in Africa. I dream of teaching adults on the margins... ESL, or life skills or something. I'd like to write a book, and learn to paint. I want a really big flower garden and a home full of character where I can invite in lots of people who need a little extra love. I also dream of having a full time maid in that big house. Someday, my husband and I would like to build our own house. I'd like to go to grad school...because I kinda like school. I want to visit chateau's, and climb a few more fourteeners. I'd like to do something big to advocate for the world orphans...I might even bring home a few for keeps. AND I'd like to weigh what I weighed in college:)
Right now...I serve as a mommy taxi, homework assistant, lunch maker, breakfast maker, dinner maker, toilet scrubber, nose wiper. But the dreams remain... someday I'm going to learn to live the adventure right here, right now, in my ordinary life.
Baby's up...enough rambling.
When I was young I wanted to be a fighter pilot. Never mind that I am legally blind without corrective lenses. Never mind that I have absolutely terrible hand-eye coordination and get stressed out when I have to react quickly to situations. Being a fighter pilot seemed romantic and adventurous.
Alas, I have given up the dream. I decided to become a mom and wife, which, if you think about it is kinda like a fighter pilot. Except for the flying and the fighting parts. Okay, maybe not so much.
But all of my dreams have not gone down in flames. I still dream of working in a children's home in Africa. I dream of teaching adults on the margins... ESL, or life skills or something. I'd like to write a book, and learn to paint. I want a really big flower garden and a home full of character where I can invite in lots of people who need a little extra love. I also dream of having a full time maid in that big house. Someday, my husband and I would like to build our own house. I'd like to go to grad school...because I kinda like school. I want to visit chateau's, and climb a few more fourteeners. I'd like to do something big to advocate for the world orphans...I might even bring home a few for keeps. AND I'd like to weigh what I weighed in college:)
Right now...I serve as a mommy taxi, homework assistant, lunch maker, breakfast maker, dinner maker, toilet scrubber, nose wiper. But the dreams remain... someday I'm going to learn to live the adventure right here, right now, in my ordinary life.
Baby's up...enough rambling.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Keeping you posted
This post is about keeping you posted. I just didn't want you to think we'd fallen off the planet.
-We've had the stomach flu. Twice. In 7 days.
-We need to register our kids for school next year. This involves cash. Do we leap? Do we put our money where our mouth is and trust God to work our the details? Probably.
-I "auditioned" (and I use that term VERY loosely) for the worship team at church. They need somebody to sing back-up; they need a little harmony. While I don't consider myself a particularly gifted musician I can sing harmony. So I will. This should be no big deal to me, but sorta it is. I have gotten comfortable being unseen. Doing something that will be visible to people outside my family feels a little uncomfortable. And while I will be in front of people, I hope I'm still somewhat invisible...worship is so NOT about me and my insecurities. If I can help create a space for people to meet with God I'm all about that, but no spot-light, thank you very much.
-We've had the stomach flu. Twice. In 7 days.
-We need to register our kids for school next year. This involves cash. Do we leap? Do we put our money where our mouth is and trust God to work our the details? Probably.
-I "auditioned" (and I use that term VERY loosely) for the worship team at church. They need somebody to sing back-up; they need a little harmony. While I don't consider myself a particularly gifted musician I can sing harmony. So I will. This should be no big deal to me, but sorta it is. I have gotten comfortable being unseen. Doing something that will be visible to people outside my family feels a little uncomfortable. And while I will be in front of people, I hope I'm still somewhat invisible...worship is so NOT about me and my insecurities. If I can help create a space for people to meet with God I'm all about that, but no spot-light, thank you very much.
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