The Mark of a Good Friend

I am home sick today. As a result, I didn't get out of my PJ's right away. DH had a few meetings. DS 3 is off at school. DS 4 is also here with me hacking and coughing away. DS 2 headed out to school about 8:30.

Around 9:15am I was making some toast and I heard someone knock on the door. My first thought was, "WHO could that be? I look horrible and I don't have proper clothes on!" It turned out to be a friend of my older boys who lives down the road. Actually, he is more like an extra brother to my boys. They are very close.

Anyway, I said "Hi, M! Did you need something?" M said, "Yeah, your [DS2] asked me to drop by." I let him in thinking my son probably forgot a book or an assignment for a class today. And right after I thought how nice it is that my boys have such good friends, M said, "Yeah, he wants me to get his deoderant. Do you know where it might be?"

Uh, did he say "deoderant"??? Yep, he did! I helped him find it and sent him on his way I'm sure much to the approval of everyone who crosses my DS 2's path today! Now, THAT'S a good friend!!

What's a Little Wind?

We reached the festival grounds early Saturday morning. The sun was hidden behind the clouds, but we knew it wouldn’t be long before it popped through and stayed for all to enjoy. The wind blew as if to cry out to all who were outside, “I AM March!” Still, the vendors set up their wares and their information tables ready to serve the community and enjoy a beautiful spring day together with outside.

We were armed with seed packets, seed pots, and the beads and stickers to decorate them. We set up our information booth, with three display boards, just in case adults had questions about our church. This was just one of many of our church’s spring outreach events here in the community.

The wind doesn’t really gust here much in March. Really, it rarely gusts on a day when it’s pretty and sunny outside. We do live in hurricane alley! We get our all day wind gusts from June 1st through November. Not March. This day, though, was different. It didn’t just blow a little every now and then. It BLEW steady all day long with several bursts of air that were like those we get when a hurricane looms. (We later learned there were bursts of up to 42 mph. at times.)

It wasn’t long before one of our display boards blew over. Good grief it almost flattened a silver-haired festival attendee! All I could think was “Thank GOD it missed her! We’d have had to pay more than our entrance fee to this festival for THAT fiasco!” We shuffled things around, rescued some of the cool things that we have to share, and reorganized again trying to beat the wind at her game.

It wasn’t long until we removed the “event-required” plastic table covers from our tables. They were annoying anyone who stood near as they flapped around their legs. Then we made a run to a near-by church member’s house to get heavy glass bowls to replace our plastic craft containers that kept blowing off the tables. Each adjustment made the presentation look a bit more sparse when compared with the initial look, while also making everything less palatable for workers and visitors.

Our seed pots, which were made of pressed cardboard, blew easily out of kids’ hands as they tried to decorate. I can’t tell you how many flower shaped sticker backs have now blown into the cow pasture despite our best efforts to peel and throw away immediately! One little girl saw a bead fly and said, “Oh no! What if an animal eats it?”

Another little boy, whose Mother told me was Jewish, sat on the ground and picked up hundreds of tiny little beads after they flew with a huge gust of wind. She told me this was his mitzvah or “good deed” for the day. Maybe, but honestly, I sensed that he may also fall somewhere on the Autism spectrum. Still, he painstakingly picked up every. Single. Bead. I was thankful.

Many vendors experienced broken and/or bent tents/coverings and badly damaged displays. Some lost fliers in the wind gusts. Others were simply frustrated. By 3:00pm it seemed that many of them had had enough and they packed up to head home. We followed as soon as we saw that there really weren’t more than five vendors left at the event.

You might read this and think, “Wow, why DID you stay out there?” or “Why are you telling me this?” Here’s why:

Despite the wind changing our display and the procedure for completing the craft we had planned, and running into a few other little hurdles that had to be overcome, we still were able to talk to more than 200 people that day! We handed out bags of scrapbooking stickers to adults and made the craft with the kids.

When we asked the children passing by, “Do you want to make a flower pot craft?” or “Would you like some bubbles and a Frisbee?” Several people wanted to know “How much does it cost?” We said, “Nothing. It’s free!” They wondered “why?” We were able to say, “Because we want to show kindness to people in the community. It’s our way of saying, ‘God loves you’.” And they would reply, “WOW! Thank you! It’s so neat that you are staying despite all this wind.”

When I was home later that afternoon, wind burned and tired, I thought about these words from Matthew 7:23-25

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is
like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the
streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not
fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

And to that, I say: “What’s a little wind?”

I'm going to church today but...

I already had a "sermon moment" on Friday afternoon at shool. I was out on my regular afternoon duty--directing cars in the parking lot. Here's what that looks like:

Kids line up in clusters of letters that are color coded. For example, A/B is yellow, CDE is red, and FGH is orange. Cars wait until there is a hole at their child's color and then we pull them in there. My job is to keep them in line and direct them when the openings occur. Even though it may seem to be a pain for parents, we move about 400 children and their cars out in about 10 - 15 minutes. I don't think that's too bad.

As you might expect, there are ALWAYS those who don't WANT to wait in line and try to scoot around other cars. I usually stand in the middle of the passing lane to prevent this from happening. I've sent them back around to put themselves in line properly if they try and cut in line.

Honestly, this whole thing has taught me that apples don't often fall far from trees. The parents who think the rules and procedures don't apply to them are the same ones who wonder why their child can't behave in school.

OK, back to Friday. One tattooed, ear-pierced, rough-looking father pulled in driving his battered van. He immediately pulled around the first ten cars in line to a spot that was "open" near the front. It was a space, but it was there for cars that may have needed to exit from another direction. He was heading to orange. There were three other cars in front of him waiting for the same spot.

The minute the car at orange started to pull out, he started to ease out of his spot ready to make a bee-line for it. I stood in front of his car and motioned for him to roll down the window. I smiled and said, "You have three cars waiting for orange in front of you. And, by the way, you may have also passed some other cars waiting for orange when you cut in front of all those cars behind you."

His reply was priceless: "I'm only doing unto others what they do unto me!"

I said, "You still have to follow the rules and it's "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." In other words, treat others the way you WANT to be treated! Thank you for waiting."

He smirked and although I knew he wasn't happy, he waited.

I am fairly certain he didn't know that he was was trying to quote scripture to me. And I'm certain he didn't know that just a few weeks ago the entire school read the book pictured above called The Golden Rule.

For me, I wondered just how many times I twist my own faith lessons to meet my own desires. The second thing I thought was: "In my opinion, this story will preach!"

When "Normal"...isn't!

The teacher called me yesterday and told me that she received an email from the school registrar. She’d been concerned about a student who has not missed a day this year and suddenly has been out for three days. The boy’s Dad is a bit different and makes them toe the line, and then some. In fact, it’s caused concern in the past. The boy, his brother and their Dad are considered “homeless”—although they do have a roof over their head.

The email read something like this: “The boys’ Dad took them to see their Mom in another city about three hours away this past Friday. He told the Mom he’d return for them on Sunday. He didn’t come. On Monday he still didn’t come. By Tuesday, he called and told her he wasn’t coming. She’d have to figure out what to do with them.” Abandoned, in a way. Just. Like. That.

******
He entered our school yesterday; a Kindergarten student who was quite reluctant to be here. There was concern among the staff because he’s living with his “cousin” who is also in one of our K classes. The cousin is rather unstable and a bit whiny. This new boy arrived and the struggle began.

He kicked. He flailed. He cried. He screamed. He broke things. He made it quite clear he did not want to be here. He made it less than an hour and was sent home because he simply disrupted the entire campus.

All I can think is, “He’s FIVE!” Later I learned that his Mom’s in jail. Dad is living with a Stepmother and he, too, has “issues”.

*****
She came to me a few days ago with huge crocodile tears in her eyes. She was visibly shaken and angry. When I asked what was wrong--words flew out of her mouth. It was a “he said/she said” school bus story-knot that I could barely follow.

It turned out there had been a referral for her behavior the day before. She was to take it home and have it signed. Instead, she tore it to shreds. One adult at the school put the shreds into an envelope and explained that she WOULD take it home and show her Mother.

She was scared. Except it wasn’t the normal kind of scared. It was true FEAR. Besides, it was her Mother who told her, “If someone hits you, you stand up and hit ‘em back!” It’s a survival skill she’ll need for her neighborhood and probably for the rest of her life.

I wonder just how you draw that line when they have to learn to survive in a world that I have only briefly glimpsed. It’s a fine line, for sure.
*****
Her Mother dropped her off yesterday in the wrong uniform. It’s not the first time. It won’t be the last. She is dirty and unkempt. Her long blonde hair appears to have been un-brushed for days.

Her teacher saw her in the hallway and asked where she was going. The girl replied, “I have to go get a uniform shirt.” The teacher said, “Where are your shirts? Don’t you have five?” The girl sheepishly responded, “Yeah, I have them, but some are at my Grandma’s and none are clean at my house.”

As the girl headed toward the uniform loan closet, the teacher shook her head and said, “One of our suitcase kids.” She never knows where she’ll be staying from night to night.
*****
He comes to school with his two brothers. They are 10, 7, and 6. There are four MORE brothers (4 and under) at home. Seven boys! They live in a two room hotel room where Dad does caretaking for the manager. The boys sleep on army cots that can be easily folded and stored during the day. They have been given many things by people at the school and in the community. Still, they struggle.

The oldest boy (remember he’s 10) sometimes misses school because it’s his day to “babysit. his siblings.” Babysit? Four young children? That’s right. Babysit.

The three school-aged children are part of a program where they take food home every Friday. A HUGE bag of food! Yet, they have told adults at the school that each family member has to rotate a night going without food so that there is enough to stretch out for the week. When it’s “your night’ not to eat…you are famished by the time you get to school the next day.
****

These vignettes are not "race specific". In fact, of the families discussed above, there are four different ethnicities represented. I could go on and on with these stories. They are part of my everyday life. And these are just a few of which I am aware. They break my heart. Here’s the thing that just rolls over and over in my head, though.

It’s “normal” for them. They don’t know any different type of life.

I can tell you that one thing I have learned in my time working with this population: just because I have a “different” normal, doesn’t make mine more right and theirs wrong. Initially, while working in the inner city of Tampa (which was MUCH rougher than where I am now), I learned that I wasn’t there to “save kids”. I wasn’t there to “rescue them” from their environment, their dysfunctional families, their upbringing. I was there to show them how to be the best young man or woman they could be. I was there to give them educational skills and strategies that would help them.

Some will leave it. No doubt. Some will not. Helping them means giving them tools for survival and hope for their future no matter where that happens to be.

For me, it is my calling. It is what I was designed to do. Every day I am thankful that I have the chance to hug a child that may not have been hugged that day. I have the opportunity to speak positive words into their lives. I have a chance to show them unconditional love. I get to smile with them, laugh with them, and talk with them. I am able to wipe away tears. I get to assure them when they're mad that I still care for them. I get to teach them. I am blessed to work in a place with so many adults who share that calling. It's quite special to me.

For me, there's nothing more normal than that!

What a Weekend!!

This was quite a busy weekend! Although it was busy, it was also fulfilling.

Friday night I went with three friends for a "Girls' Night Out" as we went to see the musical Wicked! Our seats were fabulous...and we treated ourselves to a great dinner at PF Changs before the show. We laughed and enjoyed our "Estrogen Only" evening! We decided we are going to do it more. Our next adventure will be to see the new "Menopause the Musical" type show called "Waist Watchers" in Tampa. I CAN'T WAIT!!

I got home from the show around 1:30am and enjoyed a little middle-of-the-night conversation with my DS 2. He's a night owl and was up playing Nintendo at a friend's house. He came home about the same time and we visited for a bit before I really called it a night.

Saturday, DS 3 and DH went to an airshow. They love doing this and this is the month when there is one (or more) happening every weekend in our state.

DS 4 stayed home with me. He couldn't decide WHAT he "wanted to do"...and after going outside for just a few moments, I knew we HAD to be outside. It was absolutely GORGEOUS out! So, he and I headed to the beach. We stayed and played and relaxed for three hours out there. The weather was perfect.

I have to say I have crossed a new threshold in my life. Before we went to the beach, I needed to stop and get sunscreen and restock a few "beach essentials". For the first time EVER in all my 44 years, I bought a floppy straw hat to protect my head and face. I was sitting on the beach with my hat and my sunglasses thinking, "Wow...this must be a sign of aging." Oh well...I'm not burned and I was quite happy under my hat!

DS 2 met DS 4 and I later that afternoon for ice cream. It was a nice little treat on a beautiful day.

Yesterday was a great service at church and a lovely lunch with DS 3 and I. I love spending 1:1 time with my kids! Then, I pretty much lazed around the rest of the afternoon.

It was the perfect weekend to remind me just how blessed I am to have a wonderful family and a fabulous place to call home. Have a great week, everyone!!

A Masterpiece

I know several people who are currently expecting babies. Each time I see a young mother, I am reminded of my own pregnancies and the births of my boys. I remember details about each of them and recall the events with joy. While they were in my womb, I was constantly amazed at the little life that was growing inside. But, boy, when they were born, all I could think is "WHAT A MIRACLE!" There is no question that as I examined tiny fingers and toes, that we had a true masterpiece.

It's easy to think about the miracle of our own children. But I wonder, is it harder to think about the miracle that we were to someone else? Is it harder to imagine that just like I believe that God created four beautiful human beings for my DH and I to love and raise, that the same was true for ME? And YOU, too?? Every human being is a masterpiece.

The next verses in Psalm 139 make it very clear that God has his hand on each and every little person that is created:

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my
mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was
not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven
together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed
body. All the days ordained for me were written in your
book before one of them came to be.

Here's the deal: God knows us intimately. He made us. And, while I think most of us "could" accept that, I'm not sure we REALLY handle verse 14 as well. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

When I read this, I am led to ask: "Do I really praise God because I am God's handiwork?" I think many people have trouble really saying, "Yeah...every nook...every cranny was created by God. Nothing was hidden from him." AND, in verse 16, the Psalmist reminds us that he ordains our days and he knew what each day would bring before "one of them came to be".

Are you getting it? He KNEW us before he made us. He MADE us. We are HIS handiwork. He KNOWS exactly everything about us. Rather than ask ourselves if he really means us....we should give him praise for we are fearfully and wonderfully made! Do you know it fully?

Hey you...reading this and thinking, "Yeah but I've done _____________ or said ___________." STOP! You ARE a masterpiece made by the hand of God too! There's no where you can go and nothing you can do to keep him from loving you right where you are and who you are today.

That, my friends, is simply AMAZING!

The LIGHT that is in Psalm 139

The next part of this Psalm made me think of the little children's song, "This Little Light of Mine":

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night
around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night
will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

In the second verse of "This Little Light of Mine" we sing, "Hide it under a bushel, NO! I'm gonna' let it shine." Then we sing, "Won't let Satan blow it out...I'm gonna' let it shine." I know this is based on the words of Jesus when he talks about our light and the city on a hill and such.

Jesus is the light of the world. Sometimes we try to hide in the darkness. We make decisions that are against our beliefs and we seek out sin. I know there are times when it'd just be "easier" to throw caution to the wind and forget my relationship with Jesus and let the "light become night around me."

That's where this Psalm hits me between the eyes. You see, when I want to "turn out the light" and hide in the darkness...God is even there. He doesn't see the darkness. Because the darkness is as light to him.

Isn't it amazing that God can see right through our "stuff" right down to the person HE created and loves? He sees our LIGHT and our potential and a different person than we see when we look in a mirror.

I am sure there are scholars out there that would disagree with my interpretation. But that's what it means to me this week. And I'm clinging to it. If you're like me...it's time to shed any darkness left and step into His amazing light...cause that's what He sees anyway!

And the blessing of Psalm 139 continues.... One sermon I found online said this about this Psalm: "It’s the ultimate feel-good Psalm, the equivalent of five self-help books, or a long, hot bubble bath with candles and chocolate. It has the power to soothe, comfort, ground you and inspire you, if allowed." I agree....let's lean further into the words:

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Up to this point (in verses 1-6 below), it feels to me like the author has been talking in terms of God taking the actions. He knows our thoughts. He searches us. He hears our words before we speak them. He goes before us and he follows us.



Suddenly, in these verses, it's the author who is taking the action and asking the questions. He asks, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" I saw one commentary that said, "Why would someone want to flee God?" I think we flee those situations that make us a bit squirmy, uncomfortable, and vulnerable.

When I reflected deeply on these verses, and searched some of the commentaries, this is what came to my mind:


If I head to the most spiritual of places, God is there. If I choose to go to a dark place filled with the most negative of influences, God is there. If I am in Heaven or Hell, he is there.

In vs. 9, the writer notes "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea." I wondered about this. What does it really mean? Again, turning to the commentaries, one thought was "the sun rises in the east (dawn) and settles in the west". In the area where the Psalmist was writing, "the far side of the sea" was the west. The commentator suggested that this is almost like the thought, "as far as the east is from the west"...forever...everywhere. It covers every inch of every place on earth. Even there...every place I could possibly go....up, down and side-to-side, God's hand will guide me.

And I love the last words here..."your right hand will hold me fast." He's not letting go! God's hand holds each of us whether we want it or not. And he will NEVER. LET. GO. He's holding fast...tight...with a firm grip.

Can you picture it? It's like the child who finally decides he doesn't need to hold the parent's hand in the parking lot full of cars. Yet, the parent holds on. The parent KNOWS that the child needs the guidance of that hand. And no matter how squirmy or fussy the child becomes, the grip remains.

Can you think of a better place to be? Even when I'm squirmy and fussy, I can't.

May we all find ourselves firmly and securely in God's grip today!

More of Psalm 139

The next part of Psalm 139 is

4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

"Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely..." He knows exactly what we're going to say before we do! Very few of us really measure our words and "think before we talk"...in fact they are almost simultaneous events. I've heard many people talk as though they are thinking out loud. Sometimes it's helpful and other times, it's not.


Think about it, if God knows completely the words that we are going speak, then He knows the impact those words will have on those who hear them. He knows all of our words, whether they are blessings or cursings, encouraging or discouraging.


The Psalm continues with an interesting word picture: "You hem me in--behind and before." The New Living Translation says it this way: "5 You go before me and follow me." Think about that. God, in his infinite wisdom and awesome power, will be somewhere before we get there AND he will follow us at the same time.


When I was about 4 years old, my Mom and I were heading out somewhere on a day when there was ice and snow on the porch. She said to me, "Stay here. Let me go first. I will come back and get you." She walked down the steps to the car. I guess I've always been an "I can do it myself" kind of girl...so I took the first step and did not listen to her words.


I slipped. I fell. I cracked my head open. I needed stitches. It probably wasn't seconds before my Mother was there behind me scooping me up and taking me to get my wound stitched up.


This is the picture I get when I think about God, our heavenly parent, going before us AND following us at the same time. He goes before and guides us "in the paths of righteousness". BUT when we get the "I can do it myself" or "I don't need God" attitude, he's there too...following us. And whether he's before us or following us, the Psalmist reminds that his "hand is upon us". I love that!


The next verse sums up the magnitude of these realities of God: "6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!" To that, I say a resounding AMEN!


Are you getting the picture?


Here's SUSAN'S version of these first six verses: "He has investigated your heart and soul as well as mine (v. 1). He KNOWS you and me quite intimately--the good, the bad, and the ugly. He knows us when we are working or resting. He knows our every thought. He knows which thoughts will make their way across our lips. He walks with us WHEREVER we go...whether it's on the path of obedience or it's completely astray. There's no where on this earth that we could be where God is not. No nook. No cranny. No fortress. No where.

Isn't that AMAZING? It's almost too much to comprehend!"

Extraordinary Woman

I have just returned from the Extraordinary Women conference. For me, there were some speakers that I thought were extremely WORTH it and others that were not. Chonda Pierce was worth it!

Early on Friday evening, Chonda Pierce shared Psalm 139 with us. It is not the first time I have heard this beautiful Psalm, but it really spoke to me this weekend. In many ways, it summed up the entire event for me. I'm going to spend the next few posts exploring this beautiful piece of writing a bit at a time.

1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

The central theme of this weekend's event was "Free to Be Real". Each speaker explored the importance of us being able to be WHO we are and WHERE we are. So many of us, women and men, have spent time trying to hide from God. King David was no different. He had tried hiding from God as we see again and again in his writing.

Verse 1 of Psalm 139 alone could scare some of us. BAD! I mean, think about it...God himself has searched each one of us. And this verse tells us the he KNOWS us. One study Bible says that this verse would be better described as "investigated and thoroughly acquainted yourself with my soul and conduct".

The Psalmist goes on to share a couple of "minor details" of which God is keenly aware: "you know when I sit and when I rise." The Message version translates these verses this way: "I am an open book to you." He discerns our "going out and our lying down." This tells me that he knows every single move I make. He knows every movement of my fingers, my toes, my arms, my legs. Everything.

Then, the words that just struck me in such an amazing way: "You perceive my thoughts from afar."

Is it just me or is it overwhelming to think that God, in his very nature, "perceives my thoughts..."? Every one of them. No one on this earth knows all of your thoughts or mine. No one! One commentary says this means that God knows what I'm going to think in an hour or in a day or next week.

For the past few days, I have been keenly aware of when I sit and when I get up. I have tried to pay attention to just how many times I am "going somewhere" and the times that I am simply lying down. It's a lot. Each time I do one of these things, I've been telling myself "God knows it." He knows it.

Now, that thought alone could get a little creepy. So, I must close with the MOST important characteristic of God summed up in Romans 8:38 - 39

38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

He knows you and he knows me. He's investigated EVERYTHING about us. And this verse from Romans assures me that despite knowing everything there is to know about me, HE LOVES ME right where I am! NOTHING can and will separate us from his LOVE!

And you can be confident that HE LOVES YOU TOO--no matter what! Isn't that GREAT news??

Saturday Snippets

I think I'll stick with the Saturday Snippets from Susan theme for this week as well. Here are my snippets in no particular order.

YFirst of all, I have been sick this week with a terrible cold. I took Monday off of school and then pushed to go in the other days since the dreaded FCAT (Florida's State Test) came in this week and has to be prepared for administration. Thank goodness I have some great help and we are almost completely ready.

YThis sickness has shown me what a blessing my friends are. See my last post. They've blown me away this week cause it's not like a dying sickness...only an "I don't feel like doing anything" sickness. Still their care and compassion has been so touching.

YWhile I didn't mention it in yesterday's post, I am also VERY THANKFUL for my blogging friends. I love your emails and your well-wishes via comments. You also are a BLESSING to me in so many ways! I don't know if I'll ever really get over how neat it is to have people you can call "friend" that you have never seen face-to-face.

YFor my blogging friends that I've had the blessing of meeting...I also don't think I'll ever get over the "coolness factor" of meeting someone for the first time and feeling so connected to them! I mean who goes and spends the night with a bunch of "total strangers" and has a total BLAST??? (Can you say "Bloggin' Babes"?)

YDH finally got home last night. He worked in Texas all week. I have missed him!!

YDH, DS 2, and DS 3 flew to Jacksonville today for a really cool audition for DS 2. I'm not going to go into it too much yet, but if you read this today, please send up a prayer for the three of them and for DS 2 as he reads his monologue sometime between 2:00 and 5:00 today. I'll fill you in when I can.

YDS 3 made it over the pole vault bar at track practice on Thursday! They practice with it at 6ft. He was so excited! He is looking forward to this week's track meet on Tuesday where he will once again try and clear seven feet. He is still amazing me!

YDS 4 has a very full social calendar today. He is going to two back-to-back birthday parties. I'm looking forward to the total quiet that will be in my house while NO ONE is home! ;-)

YDS 1 called this week. He is at AIT in Texas. He is being trained as a "combat medic". He told me he is determined to get top scores on everything. Today I read some of the notes from his basic training platoon comrades. Wow! Talk about being proud. Their comments about him actually made me tear up a bit! They are just seeing what we've known all along.

YWe're going to a friend's 50th birthday celebration tomorrow. She is collecting children's shoes for gifts so that she can give them to needy children in the community. I love that.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Friends

Do you remember the song, "Make new friends, but keep the old; One is silver and the other gold."? Last night as I lay down to sleep, that song came to my mind. I have had this amazing week with "old" and "new" friends. (Note: I am considering an "old friend" anyone I have known ten or more years.)

Last Saturday I went to "Girls Night In" with some of my friends from school. It was hosted by one of my newer friends, Kelly. My long time friend, Debra, and I went. There were 9 or 10 of us there--some "old" friends and others newer to me. Some of the ladies were sleeping over. We sat around laughing and talking and eating and being "women" for an evening. Even after I left (which was after 11) they watched movies and played games into the wee hours of the morning. It was an absolute blast just hanging out and being with a bunch of "girlfriends".

By Sunday, I was starting to get a bit of a cold. I received an email from a friend I've made in the last few months at church, Connie. She knew that DH was out of town and said, "May I bring you all dinner this week? I like to do things for working Mom's once-in-a-while?" I thought, "We don't NEED her to bring us dinner." But I told her that while she didn't have to do it, that it would be nice. She said she'd bring it on Wednesday.

I ended up staying home on Monday. One of my newer friends, Katie, saw that I was sick when she read my Facebook page. She sent me a note to ask if she could do anything. I declined as I had everything I thought I needed. Still, it was so nice that she asked because I absolutely know she'd have been there in a second.

By Tuesday, I had to push back to work because the state tests were arriving and I am the test coordinator at my school. While there, I received a phone call from another newer friend from church, Carrie. She had also heard that I was under the weather and she wanted to bring me some homemade soup! I never could coordinate getting the soup with our strange schedule and the track meet that day. Still, I was moved that she wanted to do that for ME!

Wednesday morning I woke up and checked my Facebook status and there was a message from an "OLD" friend, Kelly. Kelly and I were friends from about the time we were 4 - 9 years old. She lived down the street from us. They moved away and we lost touch after that. I did hear from her for a brief time when we were in high school, but other than that...we had not heard from each other. Low and behold, she found me on Facebook! And she only lives about an hour from me now! The conversations we have had via Facebook over the last 24 hours have been like a good soup for me.

Wednesday night, our dinner from Connie arrived. I felt worse Wednesday than I have all week. I have to say that dinner suddenly became a double blessing, because I did NOT feel like cooking. I know my boys enjoyed it as much as I did.

Later Wednesday night, I reconnected via my old friend Kelly, another old friend, Cindy. Cindy also lived on our street when we were very young. We played for HOURS together. We have tons of pictures together--which I cannot wait to share with these girls.

Needless to say, last night I went to bed so thankful! I believe in the power of friendship. I know that there are different "kinds" of friends. Some are really close and intimate, others a bit removed from that level. Some are seasonal and others are lifelong. Some are "fun time" friends others are "anytime" friends. Still, all are important; each one a gift. And I am richly richly blessed by mine!

Here He Is...

Although he didn't make it over the bar, DS 3 showed such character and sportsmanship yesterday (see post below). He stayed until the bitter end to be there for his teammates and he has goals to make it the next time. I am glad I was there to see it and I couldn't be MORE PROUD of him!

Tenacious

I think this is a perfect word to describe my DS 3 for so many reasons! He knows what he wants, and he goes for it. It's admirable, in my opinion.

One thing you may not know about him is that he has muscle and coordination issues. When he was a child, the doctor noticed his "abnormally" large skull and encouraged us to go have it checked. At that time, he said he thought it could be a "tumor". He took that "giant leap" of a potential diagnosis based on the fact that DS 3, at 6 years-old, could not do a somersault and appeared to have some balance and coordination issues. No one wants to hear that their child might have a tumor. No one.

We went through a ton of tests with the neurologist and worked with experts at the Children's Hospital. After many tests and much discussion, they determined that DS 3 did NOT have a tumor. They said his brain had "extra growth" in that area. They also told us that the extra growth would increase his intelligence while decreasing muscle coordination and balance. The only thing we were told not to do was put him in team sports (a decision I don't think they would make today---and I have often regretted).

So, we pursued things like violin, piano, and drama to enrich him. He liked all those OK, but nothing lit his fire like the day he discovered aviation and airplanes around 11 or 12 years of age. If you've followed my blog at all, then you know that he is quite passionate about them. He flew solo in a glider on his 14th birthday. He plans to fly solo in a regular plane on his 16th birthday. And he KNOWS that he really wants to do something in the field of aviation.

One of his dreams is to make it into the Air Force Academy. My gut reaction, when he told me this, was "Great! I know you could do the mental part...but you weren't supposed to play team sports. It's that physical part that concerns me." He set his mind to it and researched the attributes of successful applicants for the Academy. He could tell you the list. I cannot.

One of the activities that many of the cadets share is that they "lettered in a varsity sport". Uh, OK. DH and I told him that perhaps he should think about track and field. We talked about maybe training for cross country or some other event.

Several weeks ago, DS called DH on the phone from school and told him he was going to stay for track team try-outs. DH called me to tell me that he has decided to try out for Pole Vaulting.

WHAT!?! Did he say "pole vaulting"????? Yes, he did.

So, my 6ft. 3in fourteen year-old with "balance and coordination" challenges, who could not turn a somersault as a child, has been working out with the pole vaulters and the track team. Everyday. He has done things in the past few weeks that I'm sure he never thought he could. He came home and told me that he needs to learn to climb a rope upside-down. Upside down? I can't even climb one right-side up! DS 3 continues to press on with our support.

Yesterday, he came home to tell me that he was going to "vault in the first track meet of the year on Tuesday." He was a bit frustrated about that. I said, "Have you ever made it over the bar?" He said, "Not really." I asked him how he felt about the meet, he replied: "I just hope I can make it over." Then he told me, "It'll be fine, MOM!"

I have to hand it to him. In a similar circumstance, I would most likely have quit. I'd say "Nope. This is NOT for me." But he has his eye on the ball. He is challenging himself to be better today than he was yesterday. He wants to grow and learn.

Not only am I proud of him...I ADMIRE HIM! I don't know if his future holds a stint at the Air Force Academy or not, but I DO KNOW that his tenacity will take him farther than even HE can imagine at this point in his life.

{If you get a chance, please whisper a prayer for him as he participates in his first track meet today at 4:00pm EST. I'm sure there will be more to come on this story!}

Director's Cut

Our recent series at church has been titled "The Director's Cut". It's based on a well-known concept in the entertainment industry. There is usually a "final cut" version of a movie. And then there's the "Director's Cut". That cut is one that has everything that the director WANTED and PLANNED to include in the movie. It's usually his or her picture of what the film "should" be. For many reasons, movies are cut down, however, to a "final cut". It could be financial, or time restraints, or simply someone's preference to remove a scene or two or three from the movie.

We have looked at people in the Bible who either took the "Director's Cut" and went the full length of a situation the way God (the ultimate Director) had planned (i.e.,Joshua and Caleb). We also looked at those who took shortcuts and missed important pieces (i.e., Jonah).

Honestly, the whole thing has made me wonder how many times in my life I've chosen a different way from what God had planned for and wanted from me. Last week, this verse from Romans 12 hit me right between the eyes:

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Honestly, there is not a time in my life when I've been exposed to Romans 12 that I didn't squirm a bit. The whole chapter is challenging and worth investigation. Here's where the verses above impacted me this week:

During the week, I am surrounded by people from all different faith backgrounds and belief systems. I work hard to be "real" in my daily walk. I want people to know that, like all human beings, I don't always get it right. I make mistakes. I hurt. I struggle. But, I also want to be bold enough to tell people when they ask that "God's mercy and grace---the Director's Cut---makes a HUGE difference in my life!"

As I gnawed on Romans this week, I also devoured new artist Francesca Battistelli who has written my new favorite song: "Free to be Me". Here are partial lyrics (just change the "twenty years of age" to "forty (or so) years of age"):

At twenty years of age
I'm still looking for a dream
A war is already waged for my destiny
But You've already won the battle
And You've got great plans for me
Though I can't always see, 'cause...

I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
And on my own I'm so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me

Here's another song off that album that makes me think of that "Director's Cut". It's called, "I'm Letting Go":

My heart beats, standing on the edge
But my feet have finally left the ledge
Like an acrobat
There’s no turning back

I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go

This is a giant leap of faith
Trusting and trying to embrace
The fear of the unknown
Beyond my comfort zone

I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go

It's a challenge...choosing the Director's Cut. I know that sometimes I do it well and other times I fail miserably. I'm thankful that I'm "Free to Be Me"! Here she is to remind us of this important lesson: