Featuring Your Newest Realtor

I have finally accomplished something that has bothered me for years and I finally have had the time to tackle and complete it! I can now mark it off my list! Today I finished organizing all my digital photo disks from 2002 to November 2010! My life is now flowing with milk and honey! I also have duplicates stashed at another location should something happen to mine here. See our house burned when I was in the ninth grade and many of our photos were lost, so I hope having them in two places will prevent that from reoccurring.

As I organized I looked and remembered so many good, good times. Watching my children grow up in print right before my eyes. It was a joyous walk down memory lane. I love pictures! I love documenting life, both in print and in words. For as long as I can remember I have had a camera in my hand, I was a photographer for the newspaper and yearbook at school and I always wanted to be a professional photographer, yet I never took a class.

Looking back I discovered pictures I had taken of each of our rooms in our first home right before we sold it. I am so glad I did. So as your virtual travel agent let me take you for a peek around our first home…

This was our front room. It makes me think about all the laughter we shared in this room, the many trips inside and outside the patio door to play. I remember the warm fires during the cold winters, the evening devotion times. The front room is where you would find us if we weren’t eating or sleeping.

This is another view of our front room. We transformed an oddly placed closet in our front room into a little computer room and what you can’t see behind the little curtain is not Oz but shelves that stored all our VHS and DVDs. I look at the sofa table and remember making it out an artillery box and purchasing a glass top. I catch a small view of the kitchen with my cute little Indian lady that holds all our Wal Mart sacks and our wooden trash can that Darryl and Brandon hated because it filled up twice a day, but I loved because it blended in, they eventually won.

Here is part of our kitchen and our dinning room. This part of our house reminds me of family dinners and birthday parties. It reminds me baby bath times, many first meals I learned to cook and my love for retro furniture. I find it odd that the refrigerator door was so empty of art, but I suppose it was because these photos were used for the realtor’s website.

This is Darya’s bedroom. I think about all the fun Darya had in her room with all her stuffed animals and her best friend Senor. I look at her bed and see her jumping and bouncing up and down to the songs of Barney. I remember painting the room with the help of Gaye and Katy.

The other half of her room, the top of the room said, “Grow old along with me, honor your parents and it will be”…a Biblical promise paraphrased. It reminds me of her favorite stuffed animals. All her books she loved to read. The parties she hosted at her table. The window ledge reminds me of Jayden clearing off all its residents so he could dance.

Next I step into Jayden’s room. I remember his Noah’s Ark themed room. I remember the first conversations and laughs I had with Jayden in this room. I can envision him sitting on the floor playing with his toys and although he had his own room, he preferred hanging out with his big sister (things haven’t changed there). I remember that before Jayden came into our lives, this room was an office/scrapbook room.

This was Darryl and my bedroom. I think my most memorable moments here were mainly in the master bathroom (not pictured). First when Brandon came in to the master bathroom and told me something was going on and he wasn’t sure what, but he thought a plane had crashed some where because they interrupted his cartoons. As I turned on the TV in the bedroom I, too, discovered planes flying into the twin towers. It was September 11th. Second, it was in this home that I discovered I would be a biological mom, not once, but twice.

Upstairs was Megan and Brandon’s bedrooms. When I look at their rooms, I remember the design challenge it was in my mind. I remember that we had to purchase window units because the upstairs did not cool very well and it would get hot in the summer months. I remember when we purchased the house they were both so excited to have stairs and when we sold the house the fact that the house had stairs was one of the primary reasons we wanted to move. It was no fun climbing stairs with bad knees, nor was it fun falling down them, which we all had done. I remember looking out Brandon’s window, listening to the tornado sirens going off and watching a tornado hit on S.W. 134th and being upset that my camera was downstairs.

When I look at Megan’s room, I remember she wanted to paint the room blue and we did. Putting glow in the dark stars on the ceiling and because of the dark paint and the window being at the far end of the room – the room became very dark. So Darryl put in that fluorescent light – wasn’t the nicest light fixture, but it sure did brighten the room. I remember that Megan had the biggest closet which was an Australian (boomerang) closet. When Megan moved out, the room became my new craft, sewing and scrapbook room.

While we didn’t and still don’t have the fanciest of homes, we don’t have the elite or high end items…we have a home of peace. Joy. Love. Acceptance. We had and still do have mismatched furniture in all our rooms, but we have a home that we all can say is a comfortable home. I can’t think of one material thing in my house that if it is broken, stained or lost that I would become upset over. I know some people have “special rooms” in their houses that you can’t sit in because it is all for show. I know some people who yell at their children for “messing something up”. Not our house, we live in our house. We sprawl out on the couches. We eat popcorn on the couches while watching movies. Our house is clean, taken care of, but lived in.

If someone was to ask me about the style of my house today, I would have to say visually it is a mixture of coastal living to the mountains with some Americana, a little bit of vintage and Native American living. I love finding vintage furniture and decorating on a shoestring budget. Regardless of the style I try to bring in our spiritual beliefs by sprinkling words of truth throughout the house, so no matter what room we are in we can be reminded of His amazing grace. His endearing love. His never-ending faithfulness. His forever kindness.

I don’t covet what others have, nor do I focus on what we don’t have. I don’t have to, because we have been richly blessed with all we need. God has poured His blessings out on us and there is no need to compare or covet. Not just because one of the Ten Commandments is not to covet, but because like all sin it is a trap and never brings joy or contentment. Instead we become never satisfied, disillusioned and often depressed. There is definitely more to this life than Pottery Barn, Martha Stewart Living, and the others. There is definitely more to this life, but the “more” is not found in anything of this world; it is found in one Person…Jesus Christ.

Yes, there is “more” to this life. It isn’t in what we can obtain in material possessions, it isn’t found through reality television, it is not found in another person, nor is it having the most friends on Facebook, it is not found in food, but the “more” to this life, the abundant life is found in Christ Jesus. I am afraid that I often miss the “more” He has for me in this life because I allow the things of this world to gain my time instead of being fully saturated by the Word. By the Spirit of God. By His Word. His truth. My prayer this upcoming new year is that I will do as Paul and count it all loss (garbage, rubbish) for the sake of knowing Christ in a deeper more intimate way and then I will know that nothing compares to Him.

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:7-8)

I am looking forward to starting my new Bible Study in January excited to see what God is going to do in my heart and life.

Choking on M&Ms? I know the Heimlich maneuver!

I am probably going to step on some toes with this blog, but I hope it is with flip-flops and not steel toed boots.

Have you seen or heard of the thick silicone wristbands that are so popular among the young people?

Well, of course, Darya wants one of those large wristbands, while at the mall we went into Hot Topic. They had the thick wristbands but most had sayings on them that I did not approve of - that should have been my first clue.

But there was one that said “Recovery” with a red cross. In my mind those two items together mean Red Cross…Search & Rescue, first aid, you know something good and notable. Fortunately, my husband was with us and is wise and aware. He immediately said no to the recovery wristband. I asked, “Why not? It says recovery, that’s good, right?” He said no that it is Eminem. Which sounds a lot like M&M. I thought, okay recovering those who choke on M&Ms, that can’t be bad? I know I am so hip! Actually Eminem according to Wikipedia is an American Rapper who has 11 Grammys so far in his career. He is listed on Rolling Stone’s Greatest Artist of All Time and his most recent album; you guessed it “Recovery” is his seventh album. Apparently a lot of people like him and his music.

You may know who this M&M guy is, I didn’t and I am thankful my husband did and I wasn’t sporting a Recovery wristband, thinking it was something good when in fact the lyrics this man sings promotes things I don’t agree with.

I googled his lyrics and let’s just say they made me sick. All kinds of profanity, the degradation of females and love, the lyrics sing praises and glorification of drugs, sex, violence and hate. Belittling Godly values such as purity, honesty, integrity and holiness. All this from an Eminem song which I picked out because I thought it would be positive since it was entitled, “Mom”. Wow, is that what wins Grammys?

Which takes me to a topic which I know many Christians face and that is if it is okay to listen to secular music? I’d be the first to admit I love some country and western music.

I am no expert on the Bible or on music, but I do know when the Spirit of God that lives within me is grieved, when my thoughts are taken to places that are not true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). When a song transports me to a time or place in my life that did not bring glory to God, I probably should not dwell or entertain myself with it. As soon as I am resolved to be consecrated, the songs pop up in some of the least expecting places like

Sesame Street

or on Megamind! There I go like the Starship Enterprise being beamed out to a place in my life I would rather forget about. No wonder that childhood songs says, “be careful little eyes what you see…be careful little ears what you hear”.

Clearly I am trapped in a secular world where the prince of the power of the air rules.

Anyway, before I break out into a song, I want to share a few items on this topic that the good Lord has dealt with me personally about. They are completely my convictions.

While the Bible doesn’t speak against any style of music, it does teach me as a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ not to be conformed to the pattern on this world (Romans 12:2 ); to think upon things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8 );

For me the best kind of music is that which praises and glorifies God. Talented Christian musicians work in nearly every musical genre. I love me some Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, Casting Crowns, Third Day and Norman Bebo just to name a few. For me, there is nothing inherently wrong with any particular style of music, but it is the lyrics that determine whether I should listen and entertain myself with it. For me if anything leads me to think about or get involved in something that does not glorify God, I do my best to avoid it. Many times we want a hard list of do’s and don’ts, can’s and cant’s - a list of rules to guide us; but it is a heart issue. What does my heart desire? What does my heart crave? Is it holiness, purity and integrity or is it to devalue these? I want a heart that is tender, soft and responsive to the things of God; to His holiness. Things that harden and numb my heart I want no part of it. Why would I want to entertain myself with things that my Savior died to set me free from? The Lord has been so good to me, for His Spirit that convicts, teaches and changes me. What grace that He, the King of Kings, Creator of the universe would take the time to change, make and mold me into something better. May the Spirit of God dwell in me richly and may I bring Him glory by being not only hearer but a doer.

Reflecting on Brandon...is he really 21?

One day I was a single lady, then on June 7, 1996, I became a wife and mother of two! Although my dad thought I had lost my mind by having “a microwave family” he would not trade any of them and loves them greatly. One of those two children is Brandon, my oldest son and although he did not grow in my belly, he certainly has grown in my heart and today he turned twenty-one! 21! It certainly doesn’t seem that a decade plus five years have past since he came in to my life. Where did all the time go?

The early years of being Brandon's Mom.

Look at that handsome 3rd Grader!

Brandon has always been a great brother.

I am certainly thankful for my son Brandon, he has brought much joy into our lives. He is quick witted, funny, endearing, kind-hearted and giving.

When I became Megan and Brandon’s mom, I had a quick learning curve. One was learning to respond to the name of mom. One day after work I had stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few items before heading home. During that shopping trip some kid kept yelling, “Mom!....Mom!....MOM!!!” I thought somebody answer that kid! Then when I got home and Darryl and the kids got home, Brandon told me he went to the grocery store with his grandma Bea and he said, “Mom I saw you at the grocery store and I kept yelling your name, but you never looked me!” I felt about as tall as an ant! Then I knew I had to recondition myself to respond to the name of mom. I told him next time just throw a bag of cookies at me or come grab me!

Brother time!

Still trying to prove you are stronger than dad.

Brandon, I remember when:

• You thought the sun had an on/off switch when it went behind the clouds.
• You accused your dad of being on the devil’s side when he disciplined you.
• You drew me a sign that said, “Mom you better cook!”
• Your dream job was to be a fireman.
• Your ears where stuffed up, you called it "puffed up".
• You were hungry you would say you need to feed your pet.
• You said that the raw ramen noodles tasted like Jesus’ ribs.
• You used to sing all the commercial jingles as we drove around town.
• You attempted to pierce your ear and ended up on the bathroom floor.
• You entertained us by modeling grandpa’s old bathing suit.
• You helped me so much prepare for Jayden’s Choo-Choo Birthday Party.
• You wrestled almost daily with your dad.
• You had your first airplane ride.
• You first saw the beach.
• You and Megan devoured a whole bag of Oreos in one sitting.

As always, goofing off and stealing Santa's thunder!

I remember when Brandon was about six and a young boy came to our door dressed in a suit and when he opened the door, the boy asked Brandon if wanted to go to church and he replied that he went to church – when the boy asked Brandon where he went to church, Brandon said, “the city”. The boy asked Brandon the name of the church and he said, “Glorieta Baptist Church”. The boy then asked Brandon if he knew Jesus and he said, “Yeah! I know Jesus, I am saved!” The boy asked who saved you? Brandon thoughtfully answered, “Gary!” Who was the guy that counseled him. The boy went on to share the gospel of Jesus Christ using these colored circles as illustrations in a book. Brandon watched intently, but he was checking him out, looking him over, up and down and then with his chest puffed out with pride he blurted out to him, “I’ve got a Bible bigger than that!” Then the boy not to be out done replied, “I do too! At home.” As Brandon studied the boy longer he asked the boy why he was wearing that tie, the boy replied, “my mom picked it out for me.” Then a couple of months later Brandon came home from school and told us that he had asked a boy at school if he went to church and the boy said yes. Then Brandon asked him if he knew Jesus and the boy said, “Get away from me!” and took off running. The name of Jesus is powerful!

Just like your father, you have a love for the sport of basketball.

You made it! Senior year

Brandon, as I look back and reflect on your life, I pray that you will know that you are deeply loved, not just by dad and I, but even more by Jesus. That you will remember all the precious memories and know that they are all a snapshot of God’s goodness to you; graciously bestowed to you by the Giver of all good things. As I reflect and remember, I see grace. I see goodness. I see mercy. I see Jesus, the indescribable Gift. I pray that you will see it too. So many graces, so many gifts, so many memories. The Lord has indeed been good to us; glory to His name!

Now as a man, you have two beautiful ladies in your life to lead.

Napkins for a quarter? What a rip off!

I’ve become a stranger to my own blog. It’s been since December 5 that I have had the opportunity to sit down and write and I am not even working right now! Well not technically. I am still doing my best to stay up on emails just so that when I return to work in January I don’t have to call in the Geek Squad.

My “bloglessness” is certainly not due to lack of content to write about but because I have been working on getting myself promoted. I know that sounds horrible, it does to me anyway especially since God has been working so hard on humbling me. However, in my line of work, we are required to have on file an updated CV, CV Summary Sheet, an Officer Statement and a Reviewing Officer Statement. In addition we have to maintain readiness for deployment, which requires maintaining annual physical fitness standards, up to date immunizations, online courses and anything else they decide they want us to take on. Well I am happy to report that all is complete and now I have to just fax in to Headquarters and wait to see if I will gain the ranks of Captain.

If I would have blogged I might have blogged about:

• How hard it was to get motivated to complete my promotion items.
• Eraser burns
• The battle whether to remove my acrylic nails or keep them going.
• Being haunted by the “Do you dream in chocolate” commercials.
• How I love how my husband keeps me grounded in what is right.
• Answered prayers

This weekend Darryl and I were reminded of an upcoming parental responsibility that is coming sooner than we realize and that is the differences between boys and girls.

So we went to the BX to do some Christmas shopping and Jayden needed to go to the bathroom. I don’t like him going in the men’s bathroom alone, so I took him into the family restroom. While we were in there, Jayden exclaimed, “That is a rip off!” I asked, “What?” while I was washing my hands and he replied, “A quarter for a napkin!” I wanted to laugh so hard, but I maintained and agreed, “That is a rip off!” He went on to ask, “Are you going to pay a quarter for a napkin?” I said “No, I think I will just use one of these free ones.” Whew! I managed to wimp out of explaining what kind of napkins cost a quarter; despite the trauma of my chest pains...for now any way.

I know real spiritual stuff, but trust me God reminds me in the ordinary day to day items of my daily need of Him. Of His wisdom. His Word. His mercy. Grace. Love. And all though I am not worthy of any of them, He has granted me by His divine power all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3) Great and precious promises! That little ole’ me can be a partaker of His divine nature.

Fancy-dancy specialized pizza ordering menu straight from Daisy, OK

I woke up this morning needing Joseph or Daniel and their favorable interpretation of dreams. In my dream I did not see a vine, nor seven heads of grains, or a rock cut out of a mountain but specialized ordered pizza in Daisy, OK!

Okay, let me remind you…I am periodically on pain pills during recovery from my surgery. I take them as needed and had not had any since Friday morning, but Saturday night, the pain was getting unbearable so I took my pain meds which launched me into the REM sleep that produces those vivid dreams or it could be just my low muscle tone producing these dreams, that’s debatable.

Not sure why I dreamed about Daisy, OK or the Couch Family that lives in Daisy, but I did. I never even knew there was a Daisy, OK until Frank & Andrea Couch moved there. Now one would think since I am dreaming about visiting the Couch Family that we have strong family ties, but that is not true. We all went to the same church for a short period of time, firm believers in Christ and are distance friends via Facebook, but we have never even had a meal together and here I am dreaming of Daisy, OK and the Couch Family!

Here is the dream:

Our family was going to Daisy, OK to visit the Couch Family and their church. I had been asked to make our evening meal before church. I decided to make White Chicken Chili. Something easy and that I have made before that most everyone likes. Well, it did not turn out like it usually does, it tasted awful! But no fear, like Barney I had another trick in my bag it was Tuscany Soup! Another easy meal that is yummy! But guess what? Yes, it turned out awful too! Nobody would eat anything I made. Andrea very thoughtfully and kindly suggested we order pizza! I really thought from her FB posts it would have been a quick swing through the Sonic, but hey pizza works!

When Andrea said we can order pizza she whipped out this fancy-dancy specialized pizza ordering menu! It was grid-shaped by pizza selections, with each person’s name. You selected how many slices of each pizza you wanted! WOW! Daisy, OK has it going on! If you know me things like this get me really excited, it is organized and means less waste! Not that pizza is ever wasted in America! So we all had our specialized pizza orders in and we were starving!

Darryl, Jayden and I were in the bedroom when we noticed there was no more noise in the house, everyone had left! I then remembered that Andrea said we would just swing by the pizza place before service and eat. Dilemma! I didn’t know where the pizza place was or the church. Did Daisy have a pizza place? Okay, I know there are cell phones, but at this point in my dream, I had forgotten that important piece of information. I really need to quit taking those pain pills. That was the end of the dream. I don’t know if we found the pizza place or the church, or even the most important fact did the pizza place deliver all those specialized pizzas! At least I was taunted by the “Do you dream in chocolate?” commercials.

I know there is a God in heaven that reveals mysteries, but Andrea if you have my other child Darya send her home and would you please share your fancy-dancy specialized pizza ordering menu with me?

I am so thankful my citizenship is not of this world. One day I am going to sit at a feast like no other. Isaiah 25:6 says our Father in Heaven; He Himself will prepare for us the finest foods. The best tasting food on the New Earth, I’m certain will blow pizza away. I am looking forward to eating and drinking at His table, at His banquet are you?

Divine Intervention for the Hulk

A believer's spiritual maturity can be measured by what it takes to steal his joy.

~Dr. John MacArthur

Yes, Dr. MacArthur, I failed (again). When will I learn how to not give into the flesh? When will I learn to not allow things and people to steal my joy? I am obviously still spiritually immature. I can totally relate to Paul, when he talks about how he does what he doesn’t want to do, but yet he does it.

So here’s the story: I am out of the pain pills from my knee replacement surgery. The doctor gives me another prescription and when we went to get it filled, we were informed that specific medication had been pulled off the shelves by the FDA. The other pain pill options have made me sick in the past, so they sent in a new prescription to our local CVS. When we went to pick it up they said it was never send in, so I called the doctor’s office back and they said they would call again and fax it. So we went back to CVS and they still said they had not received it. While Darryl was standing there waiting I was calling the doctor again after 5 pm, knowing full well they weren’t going to be there. I was hoping for after hours contact number because I was down to my last pill and facing the Thanksgiving weekend. During this time the CVS Pharmacy folks finally found it! I was so upset that we had made two trips there, the doctor’s office had made multiple calls, and they overlooked the script several times. I’d like to report that I was calm, that I rejoiced or I prayed for divine intervention, but nope I had a full blown melt down like those drug addicts on Intervention. I told Darryl to tell them they are idiots! I said it again, IDIOTS!! Now if you know my husband, you would know that he did not do as I asked.

Just call me the Hulk! I turned green and puffed up it was really ugly, but I was so angry that they had overlooked my prescription not just once, but several times. I was a little overwhelmed at the thought of facing the weekend without something to help with the pain that starts to show its ugly head about every 5 hours. On top of that I was trying to cook some items for our Thanksgiving meal. As I sat at the dinner table contemplating my fate Darya walks in and asks me what was wrong because my face looked white. Well at least it wasn’t green!

Mistakes happen. Mishaps comes. Anger comes. What will we do with it? I obviously don’t have the answer; certainly I have not achieved turning the other cheek, trusting Him completing to take care of my needs, casting my anxiety on Him, rejoicing in all things

Here is the Truth to which I find I must learn to cling to when mishaps happen, when anger creeps in to steal my joy:

Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you.1 Pet. 5:7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil. 3:6-7

When will I learn that my “Father knows what I need...” Matt. 6:8 I must purposely live today how I want to be remembered tomorrow. When I pass from this world to the next I hope others can look back on my life here and say:

That girl loved Jesus with everything in her. Her passion was to live each moment reflecting of the Savior who died for her and although she failed many times, she always looked to the Lord for correcting, for help and by His Spirit within her she begin to succeed, bringing glory to God.

Now may I purposely try to live like it…again.

Waiting and wondering when my next test will be and maybe then I can report that I have matured spiritually.

Confessions of a Green Bean Thief

All of our children have been interested in Darryl and my childhood. What we had, what we did, what we ate, etc…Jayden primarily is the one now with all the questions. He could hardly contain himself when he heard we had only 7 TV channels to choose from. Then he wanted to know if we had Disney Channel. Nope. Nickelodeon? Nope. It was quite shocking to him that cartoons came only on Saturday mornings.

After answering all his questions about my childhood he appeared grateful and bounced off to choose from the 200+ channels on TV. I was left reminiscing about my childhood. I grew up an urban Indian that is not on a reservation. In fact, the only dirt my feet touched was the school playgrounds and softball fields. I grew up in a two parent home with a big sister and brother. Yes, I am the baby! You know it has it perks.

The New Birth Order Book has a whole chapter on the baby of the family – Chapter 9. It begins, “First of all, I want all you babies of the family to know that I’m on to you. I know you have just skipped the first eight chapters and started right here.” Okay, I am believer because as the baby of the family that is just what I did.

It goes on to say, “Youngest children in the family are typically the outgoing charmers, the personable manipulators. They are also affectionate, uncomplicated, and sometimes a little absent minded.” Aren’t you glad you know me a little better? This is the one that cracked me up, “Last borns are the most likely to show up at the elementary school concert or the Sunday school picture (or in my case at Six Flags) unzipped or unbuttoned in some delicately obvious area. It stands to reason, then, that the family clown or entertainer is likely to be the last born.”




Unzipped in an obviously delicate area screams baby!

 

My family can testify to this truth, “The last born gets the family together for the big Thanksgiving or Christmas photo, working tenaciously to maneuver everyone into place and to snap the shutter.” It goes on to say, “Only a last born baby of the family is likely to grow up, get a degree, become a therapist, and still keep a handle that sounds like a nickname or pet label of some kind.” Yes, I know I didn’t come out a therapist, but a Public Health Officer, whose goal is “protecting, promoting, and advancing the health and safety of the Nation”. Instead of one degree, I have two and I enjoy my chosen profession and get deep satisfaction from helping others, but my cherished avocation is living in the realm of creation. I love writing, photography, scrapbooking, sewing, decorating, just about anything that has to do with creating, and I do it whenever and wherever I can. The last positive trait of a last born is being “tenacious, persistent, driven, determined” they seldom take no for an answer until it is quite obvious to everyone around them that there is no changing their mind, they will just wait and let them see on their own misdirection. Unfortunately, I have far too many of these stories of tenacious determination; but the most recent is that I was determined I would be back at work two weeks after my knee replacement. Several people told me, even doctors, that is not likely possible; but I was determined, optimistic and WRONG!



Not only do I ensure group photos on Thanksgiving & Christmas, but any time there is a group event.
A self timer on a camera and tripod are the last born's favorite inventions!



Certainly those are all positive traits of being a last born, but we do have a dark side too. Some of the weaknesses noted are: “manipulative, even a little flaky, seeming to be too slick and a bit unbelievable, may come across as undisciplined, prone to talk too much and too long, may push too hard because they see things only their way, can be gullible, easily taken advantage of; make decisions too much on feeling and not enough on thought, may appear to be absent-minded, a little out of focus – like an airhead; may appear having a big ego, temperamental, spoiled or impatient.” Excuse me? Airhead? Gullible? Okay, but Airhead? Puh-lease!

As I continued to think on my childhood several things stuck out in my mind. I remember being so excited when I finally discovered that the buildings downtown actually had bottoms! I remember being terrified that there was a monkey hanging from the shower curtain rod in the bathroom only to discover it was a black bra hanging to dry. See, gullible!

I remember taking my dad’s boots off when he came home from work. This was one of the highlights of my day! I know gross, smelly all day work feet, but to me, my dad’s feet didn’t smell stinky. To me, it was fun. I would straddle his leg, grab hold of the bottom of the boot and move forward and occasionally he would put his other foot on my backside and give me a push and I would go flying. I know that sounds crazy, but it was a lot of fun and a highlight of my day. Not sure why Gaye and Levi didn’t want to do it, but I didn’t care that was my job. It was like I was his own personal welcoming party, ready to give him a warm friendly welcome home from a hard days work and it meant time to relax! This would fit in the category of the last born of being affectionate and engaging, caring, lovable and wanting to help.

I remember the super first born, great housekeeper Gaye drawing an imaginary line down the middle of our lime green room and distinguishing her side from mine. I always wondered what made her tick. I was the first born’s worst nightmare. I loved a messy room growing up, it fed my creativity, now I can’t stand a messy room.




Oh how I wished a had a picture of our lime green room to share with you.

 

I remember lots of gymnastic and softball practices, meets and games. Bar-B-Q-cups were my most favorite meal outside of a Big Mac at McDonalds, but we didn’t get to go out to eat often and I had to hit a homerun to earn one. Athletic bribery at it’s finest. It worked though and people thought I had a big ego when I actually just had a big appetite for a Big Mac.



I played softball from T-ball through College, here is just one of the co-ed teams I played on for fun.



Finally, I remember hiding vegetables under the table in the corner crevices once everyone had left the dinner table because I didn’t want to eat them. See, manipulative. However, that didn’t last long because when mom moved the table to sweep, out rolled shriveled up green beans.

Hopefully as I have matured I have taken on more positive characteristics of Christ and not the last born’s strengths or weaknesses. I can either be preoccupied with my weaknesses or concentrate on my strengths, either way it is pride and sin. Yes, there are truths about myself that are worth affirming, but it is nothing of me, but all from God, such as:

I am loved with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)

I am chosen and redeemed. (Galatians 3:14)

I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)

I am a partaker of His divine nature. (2 Peter 1:4) I am casting down vain imaginations and bringing every thought into captivity (2 Corinthians 10:4,5) because I am being transformed by the renewing of my mind (Romans 12:1,2).

The truth is I don’t have what it takes. It is not “All About Me” as many of the t-shirts say it is. It is not I’m awesome. I’m cool. Look at me, but rather look to Him, Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). It is Him who I choose to fix my eyes upon, His endurance of the cross for my shame.

Psalm 139 describe the wisdom, the foreknowledge God has our very being and each of our days. No where can we go or flee from His presence, He is acquainted with all of our ways. He knows our sitting down and rising up. He knows those green beans that I attempted to hide from my parents, yet He loves me. His thoughts toward me are precious and they outnumber the grains of sand.

What childhood memories do you have to share? Did you hide green beans because you didn’t want to eat them? Or were you a first, middle or only child? Which ever one thing is certain, we are each fearfully and wonderfully made.

Simply stated, "Because she is my friend."

Darya came home last week and announced to Darryl and I that she wanted us to adopt a girl at school. After Darryl and I picked up our jaws, I asked who and why. She informed us that her name was Jennifer and that she was a foster child and that many of the kids at school were mean to her and she felt bad for her. She told me once one girl was making fun of Jennifer and Darya stepped in to protect her and pull her away from that taunting girl.

On occasion we get to eat lunch with Darya at school. She is allowed to invite one friend up on stage to eat with us (school policy). This week we took pizza to school for lunch, partly because I was so wearied of her insistence of coming. I managed the three steps onto the stage without falling and giving the entire school a show. Hannah, her BFF, usually eats with us, but this day Darya invited Jennifer to eat with us she wanted us to meet her.

Jennifer was very shy and quiet at first not wanting to make eye contact, but we were able to put her at ease pretty quick. She told us that she was placed in foster care at age 2, her parents’ rights were abolished at age 4 and she has been in 19 different foster care homes. She shared that she had a little brother and just recently they had been split up in to different homes. She went on to explain that her current foster parents were very mean to her. She said they yelled a lot. I guess the shocker was that she said they went to church. The whole thing saddened us very much. I think we both just wanted to rescue her and could see why Darya was concerned for her. But we both knew becoming foster parents or adoption isn’t a fast and easy process, not to mention we hadn’t even prayed about it!

That day Darya came home and said that one of the kids asked her why she invited “her (Jennifer)” to eat lunch with her. Darya told her, “because she is my friend”. I was so proud of Darya and how she reached out to Jennifer, how she stood up for her and how she responded positively to the inquiries of including someone that “in their eyes” didn’t seem worthy. She truly exhibited the meaning of her name through her actions and she displayed the character of Christ. Darya’s name is of Hebrew origin and means compassionate. Over the short 12 years that God has allowed us to be her parents, we have seen her fulfill her name, mostly to the little furry creatures, but this time to another human being.

Then on Thursday Darya came home said that, her foster parent came and checked her out of school about 1:30 p.m. and told her she was being send to another foster home. Right in the middle of the school day, imagine her shock and probably embarrassment. Darya said that some of the classmates hugged her and a few cried that she was leaving. I’m sure that made Jennifer feel good, at least to know that some of them did care.

Darryl looked on our state Adoption and Foster Care webpage and discovered what it takes to become foster parents or to adopt. No we aren’t doing it (yet), not sure if we will, but it sure opened our eyes. I think about the movies I have seen where foster children dream of being apart of family, but are often disappointed as they spend year after year in foster care wishing and hoping to be selected, only to be pushed out to the cruel world at age 18. I can only imagine the pain, the doubts, the fears and feelings that these children must experience when the two people in your world who are supposed to care and love for you are not there. I understand being a foster parent or adopting is not easy. I understand it is a call from God. I also understand God’s Word says in James 1:27 that “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress." Because this is what God has done for me. In that while I was still a sinner, an enemy, living in rebellion Christ died for me. (Romans 5:6)

While we ate lunch with Jennifer, I shared with her that I was adopted. Her eyes light up and she asked, “Really?” I told her indeed I had been adopted into the Family of God.

I have been adopted not because of anything I have done, or who I am, not for any reason except God’s grace, mercy and love. In Ephesians 1:5-6 “In love He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of His glorious grace.” First adoption is “from Him”—from God. And if we ask when this predestination happened, we can back up one verse to 4 and the when is made plain: “He chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.” I am so thankfully that adoption was part of a God’s plan from the very beginning and that He chose me and that I am secure. My adoption is not based on my worth, my distinctiveness; rather it is rooted in God’s eternal plan, by His love.

Since tomorrow, Saturday, November 20, 2010 is National Adoption Day I ask you to join us in prayer for Jennifer and her little brother Richard, and the other approximately 4,628 children in Oklahoma who are awaiting adoption. We all know the statistics that the older the child becomes, the less likelihood that an adoption will occur. I leave you with what a beautiful statement that I found on one of the internet adoption sites I visited. Sorry it didn't have a name to attribute it to.

Our aim is not to take a child’s low views of self and replace them with high views of self. Rather our aim is to take a child’s low views of God and replace them with high views of God. Our aim is not take a child with little sense of worth and fill him with a great sense of worth. Rather our aim is to take a child who by nature makes himself the center of the universe and show him that he was made to put God at the center of the universe and get joy not from seeing his own tiny worth, but from knowing Christ who is of infinite worth. We adopt to lead a child to the everlasting joy of making much of the glory of the grace of God.

Boy Blog Makes His Debut

Jayden wanted to have his own blog like me. I said, “Why don’t you write it and I will just post it on mine?” So brace yourself for a boy blog, the following is what he wrote today after he finished his school work - unaltered, straight from his mouth, with the exception of the omission of the “uh-uh and say”.

Jayden's First Live Event

One of the Superstars, Rey Mysterio, who is a good guy spotted Jayden in the crowd
and showed him some personal attention.

I want to be a WWE Superstar. WWE is a company of wrestling stars. WWE stands for World Wrestling Entertainment. Mostly I want to be a real famous superstar on WWE. My name will be Thunder like the basketball team. It would be cool if my second match would be a WWE title match. A title match is when a regular wrestler and championship wrestler wrestle with a title on the line.

My cousin R.J. told me about WWE and he showed me how to get on WWE on YouTube. The first match we saw on YouTube was Big Show vs. Triple H, a lumberjack match. A lumberjack match is 14 wrestlers around the ring and when a wrestler gets thrown out of the ring they get beat up by the lumberjacks (wrestlers) and then thrown back into the ring. It was pretty cool then my cousin R.J. told me what channel and time WWE comes on. WWE comes on Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Awh! The good ole days when Jayden and his cousin RJ were only
concerned about slamming down some milk!

I read a book about Shawn Michaels and how he was little and got in the business when he was out of college. The person who ran the whole WWE business was called Vince McMahon and he was mean. My favorite part in the book was when Shawn super kicked Triple H. My mom thinks wrestling is stupid and idiotic, but I think it is pretty cool. She says it is violent, but I say there is no bad language in it. My mom says it is fake and I say it is real. She says fake. I say real. She says fake. I say real. She says fake. I say real. I did a trick on her and I said it is fake and she said real! Ha! Ha!

Now I am going to tell you about my childhood, even though I am still a child. I watch Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown every time it comes on or I record it. I play WWE with my friends on the trampoline.

Finally, Big Show said he is paid to have fun. Big Show is fat, funny and climbs over the top rope to get in the ring. LOL! I wonder if I will get paid to have fun on the WWE Monday Night Raw? Bye.

Oh my, where have I gone wrong? I think it is funny that Jayden still says it is real, even after reading Shawn Michael’s biography because in the book, Shawn repeatedly describes how they had meetings to plan the next match, who would do what and what would get the most cheers. Shawn tells that it is staged, it is entertainment.

Yesterday Jayden informed Darryl and I that he wanted to look like Dolpf Ziggler, he was going to grow out his hair and get a nose job. A nose job! Can you believe it?? Jayden then played Dolpf Ziggler’s theme song and demonstrated what Dolpf does, which is throwing up his hands, running his hands over his hair and throwing up his hands in victory. I asked him is that his signature move, thinking I was using the correct terminology, which I wasn’t – so Jayden corrected me and informed me, “no, that is his showboating”. Oh boy, and then he said Dolpf is all about being pretty. I asked him is that why you want to be like him? He replied, “Yeah, I want to be pretty.” LOL! I told him, you don’t need to be pretty, you are handsome. Then to top it off Dolpf’s theme song is “Perfection”! The one good thing about WWE is that it has given us opportunities to talk about pride and humility.

Can we go back to the trains, dinosaurs and Lincoln Log days? Our oldest, Brandon went through this wrestling stage too, with the all the figurines, the ring and attempting to wrestle his dad any time he walked by and it passed, so shall this.

Brandon and his wrestling ring, he was about the same age Jayden is now.

So what’s the answer? First of all, I think it helps knowing that the draw of muscles, strength, and power is normal. It is how God created boys. Secondly, I look back on what I wanted to be when I grew up and it was a Cashier at the T G & Y!

The Dragon is Singing Tonight

Last evening during our family worship time my husband reinstated a time of singing for our family. If you know me at all, you know I can’t sing well. Which is actually an understatement, it is very possibly my singing could be used in a torture chamber to push the enemy into submission. It’s not that I have a fear of singing, it’s just that I don’t sing well…at all.

You may think I am over reacting on this singing thing, but trust me I am not. If you ever need to be brought out of a great depression by a roaring good laugh just ask me to sing. Don’t get me wrong, I love music, songs and I even LOVE to sing, but the only places I can sing without worry of someone near me falling out is at very loud concerts and in my vehicle, but in only those two places. At church I sing as soft as possible, some may even thing I am lip syncing. I have always teasingly said that I am not sure what I am going to do in heaven since I can’t sing. I am so glad carrying a tune on perfect pitch is not a requirement to enter heaven.

If you saw the recent animated movie Alpha and Omega, Garth the Wolf can’t howl and is often called “Barf”, I could so relate to Barf Garth in many ways. When he attempted to howl it was such a horrific noise that birds dropped dead out of the sky. I have a similar effect when I attempt to sing, people fall out. If they sit in front of me once, they don’t ever do it again.

It would be nice if there were some treatment option I could sign up for or just take a pill to fix my voice, but there is a way out and my dear husband continues to point me in that way.

The other morning he told me we were going to start singing during our family worship time again. I pouted like a little kid, because I don’t like to sing, because I can’t. He said my bad attitude about singing was wearing off on the kids and that is why they don’t like to go to choir or sing. That singing to God isn’t about singing on perfect pitch and in tune but that the worship comes from our heart. UGH! Excuse me? I’m to blame? I have corrupted my children? Ashamedly, I knew it was true, my bad attitude was corrupting my children’s view of singing praises to the Lord. So I said those three little words that are so hard to say to a spouse…”you are right”. Like my grandpa says Darryl just “sat there like a lump on a log”. So I said it again to make sure he heard me, “you are right…you are right, how many times do I have to say it?” He was soaking in those words like a tea bag soaking in water.

Later that day, the time to for worship came. Guess what my wise husband gave devotion on? Yes you got it! Singing. The Bible says a lot about singing especially in the Psalms like:

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! (95:1)

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;

Break forth into joyous song and sing praises! (98:4)

Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of the godly! (149:1)

Well the Lord had it right on with me when he said noise, I just don’t know if it is so joyful, but I am sure it would qualify as a new song…one so off pitch and out of tune that not even the music minister would know what song I was singing.

Well it took us probably 15 minutes to decide on a song to sing! 15 minutes! During the time we were trying to agree on a song we all knew, Jayden was performing “Hero” by Skillet for us, which I actually preferred. Can we just count that as our time of singing? We finally decided on “Beautiful Lord, Wonderful Savior, I know for sure all of my days are held in your hand, crafted into your perfect plan.” I don’t even know the name of the song but that is how it goes. As soon as we tried to make a joyful noise, Jayden’s giggle box got turned over. This made the rest of us start laughing especially when we were howling out the words, I laughed so hard I almost cried. Finally after we laughed for another 15 minutes, we finally got the song out. It’s okay because laughter is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22) and a joyful heart makes a cheerful face (15:13). I then read on the web that:

Laughter lowers the levels of cortisol in the body. Cortisol suppresses the immune system. Lowering these levels enhances the work of the immune system and may prevent disease. <since cold and flu season is here, this could be a good thing>

You can stimulate your heart and lungs, elevate your blood pressure and improve breathing capacity by laughing. <which could help with singing>

In terms of exercise, you can get the same benefits from laughing 100 times a day, as you can from 10 minutes of rowing. <this I love>

15 minutes of laughter equals the benefit of 2 hours sleep. <wow, I really need to laugh more>

One good belly laugh burns off 3 1/2 calories. <are you sure you don’t want me to sing for you?>

Laughing for 15 seconds adds 2 days to your life span. <I figured I added 30 days to my lifespan last night>

Yet there is hope! Barf Garth eventually learns to sing because he sings from his heart. I sing from my heart too but I still sound like a dragon, but I have the hope one day when I reach my eternal home that my voice will be healed, I will sing perfectly in pitch and tone, until then I will continue to make a joyful NOISE. I look forward to when my voice will not be "defective". When I can be confident and at ease singing and praising my Lord unhindered. When my voice matches what is in my heart. That will be the day!

Until then I will praise His name deep within my heart. I will quit crying around that I can’t sing and I will do my best to look forward to singing at night during our devotions. He is not only able to change our minds, but He is able to change our desires. As I spend time with Him in His Word and as I seek a fresh and new perspective on singing a new song, as He changes the way I think through His Truths, I am finding He is already changing my “wanter”.

I pray:

That my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever. (Psalm 30:11-12)

P.S. - If you hear something at night wailing, don't fear it is not the tornado sirens, it is me making a joyful noise unto the Lord!

In the beginning God..Need we need more?

What have I been doing lately? Not blogging that’s for sure. My days pretty much consist of physical therapy right now, broken up in two pieces – AM PT and PM PT. I have been working on getting more strength and increasing my flexibility. I have been attempting to sleep in this machine called a CPM that keeps my leg moving all night long. I have been walking down memory lane by going through the millions of pictures I have stuffed in photo boxes, wondering when they will ever make their way on a scrapbook page. I have been turning my daughter down for lunch at school every day because (with a knee replacement) going up there for lunch just isn’t that easy;…however, she still thinks I am Wonder Woman. I’ve probably been packing on more pounds due to the yummy foods and desserts my church family have brought over and my lack of activity. However, I am glad to report the caffeine habit has been conquered! It no longer has mastery over me. Thank you Lord! I have been snuggling with my son in the mornings talking about the things of God, which I love! Finally, I have been camping in the Word.

The other morning as Jayden and I lay snuggling in bed talking he announced, “In the beginning God created…a machine that moves legs”. Which was followed by our laughter and a profound question, which I’m sure many of us have pondered? “Mom, how did God make something…out of nothing?” That’s a question that many of us have asked, the Bible says God simply spoke it into existence. “Then God SAID, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Gen 1:3) “Then God SAID, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.” (Gen 1:6) “Then God SAID, ‘Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together in one place, and let the dry land appear’; and it was so.” (Gen 1:9) Then God SAID. Then God SAID. On and On. And it was so.

Jayden then said, “My mind can’t comprehend that.” Jayden is made so much like me. We question everything, we want to know how and why and where from. That is why we are often mislabeled as “Chatterboxes” because we have a need to know, we ask a lot of questions and if you don’t know the answer then you get our chatter! Maybe I should have titled this blog The ChatterBlog. Jayden can talk for hours. If you ever have a long road trip and need to stay awake he is your passenger! I recall one time he inquired about the electricity lines, he wanted to know how they got there, how the electricity got into the lines, where did it come from, where does it go, on and on. Then you have my preteen Darya who cares only if she can plug in her iTouch and if it is charging. Seriously, some days I want to hide and cry and wonder why Lord, why? Then when I go to my loving parents and inquire for help, they just smile and tell me Jayden is just like you Dione. You talked our ears off. Which is weird to say and I don’t believe because they still have ears!

Then came the bigger question, “So who made God?” I tried to explain to Jayden, God is not a created being. He is Spirit. He is eternal. He always has been. The Bible says, “In the beginning God” (Gen 1:1) He was already there. The writer of Ecclesiastes says of God. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” (Eccles 3:11) “The secret things belong to the Lord our God.” (Deut 29:29) God can not be proven, because to prove something in this world you have to use scientific methods. You must be able to repeat it with the same outcome over and over. There is no cause and effect to consider with God, He is an uncaused cause, He is God and He always has been since the beginning. I know it is hard to comprehend, even for us adults, but God by His grace and mercy put with in each of us a measure of faith to believe (Rom 12:3). I choose to believe by faith, “In the beginning God.” When I see a building, I know there was a builder. When I see a piece of art, I know there was an artist. When I see individual unique people, I know there is a Creator. When I see the Grand Canyon, I know there is a Creator. When I see the morning frost or dew, I know there is a Creator.

The Apostle Paul puts it this way, “God has made it plain…For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Rom 1:19-20).

Without excuse. His creations and powers are so obvious. It is not Mother Nature, Father Moon or Cousin Sky. It is God Almighty. In the beginning God. That truth is sufficient for me.

Take a look out your back window

What an exciting day it was! One morning last week Jayden was screaming for me to run to the back door to see what was outside! He was filled with excitement and joy, he could hardly wait for me to arrive at the window as if “what was there” was going to be gone soon. I thought what is it? A deer? Hello Dione! We live in a city with a big picket fence. Was it a rabbit? That is likely. Off I went to investigate what had my 8 year old son jumping for joy. I arrived at the back window and looked out but I didn’t see anything different. I inquired again as to what was I looking at, when he replied, “Look Mom, there is frost on the grass!” I ashamedly thought, “Is that all?”.

Sure enough there was a layer of dew/frost gently covering the blades of grass, waiting to be burned away by the day. That is when the Holy Spirit hit me with how many times do I overlook the blessings of God, how often do I overlook His creation, His miracles and dismiss them as normal or expectant? I hated to confess that it was often. Daily. Hourly. That I look at and experience the goodness of God that surrounds me day in and day out and expect it to always be the same way. This was a new revelation to me, it surprised me, I always thought I was much appreciative of God’s handiwork, His creation, until I was “frost-bitten” by my casual attitude to my son’s excitement over frost on the ground.

<reality check>

Consider what Abraham Lincoln said:

“I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”

Why is it when we look around the universe and see the things made by man we exclaim, “Wow! Isn’t that remarkable? Wonderful!”, but when we are shown this incredible universe and the different people, how each snowflake is unique, each person having three billion unique pieces of DNA, and how the sky can leave frost in the morning we say, “Is that all?” How could I say “Is that all?” when God’s creation both simple and complex are more complex than any thing we know, more than any thing that man can create?

I believe we get caught up in the ordinary routine of life and expect certain things and we often go without pausing to thank the Giver. We expect to breathe. We expect our hearts to beat. We expect to see. We expect to hear. We expect to smell. I expect to see dew on the ground on cold mornings.

Yet this expectation can confirm the truth, that I am nothing apart from Christ. It keeps me depended on His sufficiency and His grace.

But his favor is like dew on the grass. Proverbs 19:12

Does the rain have a father? Who fathers the drops of dew? Job 38:28

Look around with fresh new eyes and see the favor of Lord’s dew in your life. You shouldn’t have to look too far. I didn’t, just need to look out my back window.