Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Go Outside and . . . Play?

Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved to read.  Her mother thought that she should enjoy the warm Kansas and Missouri summers where they lived, so she would find her on the couch and in her bedroom reading and say, “Go outside and play!”  The little girl would go, but sneak her book out with her. And then her mom would find her under a tree, in a tree, on a blanket, in a chair, in a hammock, you name it, but always reading a book.  To the little girl, that WAS going out to play. This little girl grew up, and she still loved to read.  And then this little girl had a little boy who also loved to read!

Now this little girl lives in Minnesota where the summers are oh-so-short. Shouldn’t her little boy be enjoying what few days of summer he can? But instead she finds him flopped on the couch with his nose in a book.

“Go out to play!” she says.

Her little boy sighs and goes, but he sneaks a book out and the little, grown up girl looks out her kitchen window and sees this:

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Sunday, July 25, 2010

Day Forty-one – Silver Stilettos

You know a pair of shoes like this has a story behind them:

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I got these shoes because Nathan lost a dare.

We were at TJ Maxx several years ago after Daniel was born, and I saw these shoes.  I begged for them.

“Please,” I said. “I’ve been doing the mom-thing for so long, and I just NEED a pair of ridiculous, stilettos.”

Nathan eyed them dubiously. “There’s no way you can even WALK in those things!”

“Oh yes I can,” I assured him.

“OK,” he said. “If you can actually walk from one end of the aisle to the other in these shoes without falling or wobbling, I’ll buy them for you.”

The dare was on. Nathan should have known better. Girls like me are born to walk in shoes like these.

I slipped them on my feet and just for added effect I not only walked in the shoes, I sashayed like a model on a catwalk for him, complete with a pivot turn at the end of the aisle. I came back to stand in front of him with “Right Said Fred” rolling around in my head.

“I’m too sexy for these shoes,” I said. “Pony up baby. You owe me a pair of shoes.”

He may outdo me in logic and math and all things electrical, but darn it, don’t dare me to walk in a pair of 4-inch stilettos!  I’ve got you beat hands down in that category. Bring it on Buster.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Day Forty – Embellished Sandals and a Horse named Shadow

Confession: I bought another pair of shoes. But, they were on sale for $4.98 at Target and they went perfectly with my outfit and they are sooo in style right now. Yes, I realize this is an addiction and I probably need an intervention.  But, I don’t suggest you be the one to try it. You’ll just get hurt.

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I thought I was just going to be wearing these shoes to a backyard BBQ last night. If I had known what my night would hold, I would have worn boots.  We went to a BBQ at my friend, Jodie’s, who is also the aunt of our honorary son, Jason. Jason was home on leave from the Marines and had to go back today, so we were having a farewell party for him.  Jodie’s backyard is not just a normal backyard, she also has a barn. And horses. And a lot of land.

I love horses. I’ve never grown out of my horsey stage.

So, I asked Jodie if I could go look at her horses. Of course that was ok. Shadow, the big, black gelding just happened to be all saddled up from giving the little kids rides earlier.

“Do you want to ride?” she asked me.

Well duh. Then I looked at my feet, and my capri pants. Boy, was I glad I decided against that skirt!

“Oh, who cares what you’re wearing,” Jodie said. Jodie is obviously pretty laid back about her horses, and safety.

So, she told me where her property ended and pointed me in the direction of some trails and a big meadow and told me to have fun. Shadow, the dogs and I set off.  Wow, to me, a horse-lover, this was the perfect summer evening.  We cantered up a hill and ended up in this vast meadow.  The sun was starting to set, the breeze was just barely blowing and it was about 75 degrees. I was a girl all alone on a big, strong horse. I couldn’t ask for anything better. I clucked to Shadow, he took off and we galloped at full speed across the meadow. There’s no bigger high to me. It was awesome. As we turned back around at the end of the meadow, I discovered Shadow had even more speed. He knew his head was turned back toward the barn, and it took every ounce of strength I had just to get him slowed down to a trot! I also discovered why boots are important.  My shins rubbed against the stirrups when we galloped. This morning I have bruises on my shins.

But it was worth it. The ride. And the shoes.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Day Thirty-nine – Ribbon embellished sandals

My mom got me these sandals. (see another pair of shoes from my mom!)

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Aren’t they fun!? Theoretically you are supposed to be able to change out the ribbon whenever you want to go along with your outfit. Unfortunately the ribbons are strung through these heavy rivets which made big blisters on the tops of my feet, so I put moleskin on the inside of these shoes. There was no way I was getting rid of these, totally cute, totally “Molly” shoes.  So, I found a way to wear them comfortably. Besides, I like brown and pink together.

Shades of Morning

Shame. Just one word with such huge implications. Shame can cripple and kill. Shame can take a life that was once whole and tear it apart.  Shame tells us lies about ourselves.

Marlo Shalesky’s new book Shades of Morning deals with this powerful and profound subject matter.  Shame.  Marnie Wittier was raised as a foster child where she never felt wanted, never fit in.  The one time she let herself love and be loved by Taylor Cole, she made the biggest mistake of her life. That mistake led to an even bigger mistake. And now she’s running from her past and the shame that haunts her.  Although she claims a relationship with God, she can’t let go of her guilt. 

Taylor, too, continues to live his life on the opposite coast haunted by the way he let Marnie down.  Until both Taylor and Marnie’s lives are changed by a special boy with Down’s syndrome, named Emmit.
The twist at the end of this book with surprise you, but also make you smile as both Marnie and Taylor realize the joy of being set free from shame through the grace of God’s forgiveness.

I enjoyed this book, but I still wish I could find a book out there that dealt with the foster care system and CPS workers fairly.  As a foster mom who works with amazing social workers it frustrates me that literally EVERY book I have ever read in the Christian market treats foster parents and CPS workers as the enemy and paints us all as greedy, evil people with an agenda. Perhaps that’s my next novel. :)

For those of you here at Fond du Lac, Shades of Morning will be on the church library bookshelves, and for anyone else interested in this book or others by Multnomah, you can check out this website: http://www.waterbrookmultnomah.com/

This book was provided for review by WaterbrookMultnomah Press

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Training – Part II

Yesterday I decided I was a maniac for choosing to train for a 5K. I hate to run and I felt like I wasn’t making any progress.  It hurt my lungs, my legs, everything to run, and I could barely manage a half mile.  How in the world would I ever go 3 miles by October? I wanted to quit. Watching Laura breeze ahead of me effortlessly was even more discouraging although she constantly is encouraging me to keep going. I was feeling my age.

But, I decided to give it another try. Laura wasn’t going to let me poop out anyway. Plus, I told everyone on my blog I was doing this, so I have a lot of accountability and face to save. As I started to jog with a super bad, I-can’t-do-this attitude, something occurred to me. 

I had been running too fast! No wonder I was exhausted!  I decided to try to run slower.  I mean who cares if everyone else runs faster than me and Laura is a 1/4 mile ahead of me? I need to only go at my pace, right? So, I slowed down and found a pace that worked for me: tortoise speed. However as I rounded corner number one, I was feeling great. At half a mile I was still feeling ok. At 3/4 of a mile I was starting to feel winded, but I knew I could push it and do a mile. At the end of the mile, I felt such a feeling of accomplishment. I know for some of you who run, this seems like such a small thing. But, I have NEVER run a mile in my life. I can walk miles and miles, but running, forget about it! I can do this!!!

It’s very much like the Christian life. When I try to run someone else’s race, it doesn’t work out so well.  I get burned out and exhausted.  I can only run the race Jesus has marked out for me.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Before I was even born, Jesus knew who I would be, and what my gifts and abilities would be and also what my weaknesses would be and prepared good works for me to do.  I glorify God when I accomplish those good works in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. I do NOT glorify God when in my own strength I attempt to do things not prepared for me. I only exhaust and frustrate myself.

Some people are fast and run a race like sprint. Some people are marathoners. More power to them! Some of us are the tortoises. Even the tortoise finished the race. That’s all God asks of me. Slow and steady wins the race.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Spiritual Birthdays

We have a tradition in our house that is a carryover from when I was a child.  We like to celebrate not just our physical birthdays, but also our spiritual birthday. In John 3 Jesus is talking to Nicodemus about being “born again.” He says this, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.”

We have taken our role as parents very seriously.  Not just making sure our kids are healthy and happy, in fact that is one of our lowest priorities.  But, we make sure we bring them up in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Our greatest goal in parenting is that our children know and glorify Jesus Christ with their lives.  We have told them about Jesus since they could hear the sound of our voice.  And we have invited them to walk with him in a personal relationship. We have been privileged to be present with all three of our children when they made this decision to follow Christ and we continue to encourage them to follow through in this decision daily. Truly this is one of the best arguments I can give for being a stay-at-home mom.

While I firmly believe that the moment of salvation has absolutely nothing to do with a “special little prayer” and everything to do with the believer’s heart attitude.  And while I also believe that “you shall know them by their fruit,” we also like to celebrate with our children their “spiritual birthdays” as a reminder of the most important “birth” of all. Truly our physical life here is just a vapor, but their eternal life, hidden with Christ in God, is for eternity, and so we celebrate that.

Two years ago, over the 4th of July, Daniel chose to put his trust in Jesus Christ for salvation alone. Talk about a TRUE Independence Day! So, we celebrated his spiritual birthday just a few days ago. We made him a chocolate chip cookie cake (we usually do angel food, but we forgot til the last minute!!) and gave him a “Life is Good” shirt, because life IS good in Jesus Christ!  And Daniel has made the decision to follow Jesus command in baptism this summer at our church baptism service in August. I am encouraged to see the tiny seeds of fruit growing in Daniel’s life.  Just last week we were picking strawberries and I overhead Daniel talking to the man in the row next to us.

“Are you a Christian?” he asked the man.

“Do you know for sure you’d go to heaven if you died tonight?” he went on.

This was all coming from my shyest child, yet he was bold enough to stand up for Christ.

“And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man shall confess him also before the angels of God;” –Luke 12:8

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Day Thirty-eight – Brown Leather Wedge Sandals

My sister bought these sandals for me at, where else, DSW.

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What would two shoe-loving sisters do without a DSW to shop together in?

I realized as I began to think about this post that at least 1/3 of my shoes, other people have bought for me.  Which got me thinking, “Wow, lucky me, I have a lot of people who love me.” This is not to be at all narcissistic and self-centered, but just thinking: what are we always most thankful for when we count our blessings?  Usually the first thing to come to mind is our friends and family. 

My love language is gifts. I love to shower gifts on those I love, and I feel most loved by the expression of gifts from my loved ones. So, when my mom, or my sister or Nathan buys me a pair of shoes, it’s not the shoes that I am so excited about (although those who choose to misunderstand me would disagree), but it is the love I feel from that person.  The same way you might feel if your loved one took a walk with you, or said something encouraging or washed the dishes for you, I feel most loved by a gift. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it can be as simple as Laura picking me a bouquet of wildflowers.  It’s truly the thought that counts. When I wear a pair of shoes bought for me by a loved one, I remember the love behind the gift and the giver that I love so much.

“People see me as a birdbath, I am a well.”

-Lisa Samson “Straight Up”

Friday, July 9, 2010

Picking Blueberries

Yesterday we had a wonderful, uniquely Minnesotan experience. We went picking blueberries. Our family stumbled on a very good, loaded-with-blueberries spot several years ago, and have been telling our family in Alexandria about it. This year Nathan’s sister, Joanna, along with her husband, Peter and their kids, Cai and Solvei, joined us for the blueberry picking adventure.

It was a hot, sunny day that we all ventured into the blueberry fields and started our quest for berries. The bushes were just beginning to ripen, and many were just loaded with berries and so we spread out and began picking, enjoying the sun and each other’s company, but not so much the horseflies.

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Solvei particularly loved the berries and it was hard to stay ahead of her! If you weren’t looking, you would pick a handful, and then she would reach into your bucket and eat that handful! Not just one berry for this little lady, she was eating them by the fistful!

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We ended up with about a gallon of berries and enjoyed blueberry muffins with our lunch.  And of course, we enjoyed a wonderful, memorable family outing.

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And, no I won’t tell you my spot. Blueberry pickers guard their spots closely.  Go find your own and have fun!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Freaked Out by a Rainbow

Yesterday I saw a video on the Internet that first had me laughing and then got me to thinking.  It’s a video of a hiker who comes upon a full, double rainbow and then totally freaks out over it. He’s just literally overwhelmed by the rainbow. You can watch the video here:

http://thebubble.msn.com/#/video/?id=d70a19a2-6248-406f-9e31-a44c6cdbbcef

At first I thought, “Man, I think the air must be a leeeetle too thin where this guy is, or maybe he’s just smoking something.” I’m still not convinced he wasn’t just completely out to lunch, as he kept taking the Lord’s name in vain through the video, however, it did get me thinking.  The guy ends up sobbing and saying, “It’s too much, it’s so beautiful.”  Which seemed a little excessive over a rainbow. Until I thought some more.

I’ve been reading and studying Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love with my women’s Sunday School class.  In the first chapter he asks us to read the description of God in Revelation 4.

“Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. 3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4 And around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.  And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6 and before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7 And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” 9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.”

In the book Francis asks, If you came into the throne room of God, into this scene, before this God, what would be the first words out of your mouth?  And then to realize, this is the God we approach every time we pray.  I think we might all sound a little bit like the babbling idiot in the video.

It just got me thinking that maybe I need to laugh at the guy a little less (although the video is still pretty funny), and enjoy and worship God more.  I need to cry out, “God it’s too much!” when I see evidence of his majesty and mercy and glory in creation. I probably need to be a little freaked out by a rainbow.

Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

This American Life

I’ve been thinking a lot about this American life I lead, this week. Particularly because I’ve been doing things so ridiculously American. Things only Americans are privileged to do.  It’s just struck me in a new way, maybe because of the 4th of July holiday, or maybe just because lately I’ve been taking a look at my life and what counts for eternity.

On Wednesday, our family went to Valleyfair, a big amusement park in the Twin Cities.  Just the words “amusement park” are so very American.  We rode roller coasters all day long.  Seemed a funny and oh-so-American thing to do. Riding roller coasters, screaming your head off, when most of the world is starving or on the brink of poverty.  It was also interesting to me that whenever we were thirsty we could stop at any food vendor and ask for a drink of water and they had to give us cold water. Because that’s the law here in Minnesota. When it’s hot and people get dehydrated at these places, they at least have to provide you with safe, clean drinking water. That’s a right we have in America that we don’t even think about. Cold, clean water. In fact, we so take it for granted that when we were satisfied, we dumped the water on the ground and threw our cups away. In fact, 1.1 billion people in the world lack access to clean drinking water. And, 1.8 billion people who have access to a water source within 1 kilometer, but not in their house or yard, consume around 20 liters per day. In the United Kingdom the average person uses more than 50 liters of water a day flushing toilets (where average daily water usage is about 150 liters a day. The highest average water use in the world is in the US, at 600 liters day.) This is not to make anyone feel guilty, it’s simply a fact.

Yesterday I took the kids to Fincke’s Berry Farm to pick strawberries. As I picked I thought, “You know, strawberries are a luxury.” I mean do I really NEED strawberries to survive? No. But, I have the time and resources to afford strawberries.  And the people out there picking were doing the menial labor of picking, not because they had to, but simply for FUN! We have that luxury here in America. While my kids eat strawberries, around 27-28 percent of all children in developing countries are estimated to be underweight or stunted. The two regions that account for the bulk of the deficit are South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

On this note of food, I also had this thought at the grocery store the other day in the produce department. I had the luxury of picking the exact size of potatoes I wanted. I started to realize it was really kinda silly. Not, “Oh wow, I can eat potatoes!” But, “No, that potato is too big, I want just the perfect size baby potato for my grill.” I mean, seriously, the scope of the produce alone at SuperOne is enough to boggle the mind if you really stop and think about it.

And all silliness aside, the fact that I can write a blog everyday about my 80 some pairs of shoes while 80% of the world lives on less than $10 a day, is kinda sobering.

So, what’s my point in all of this? Do I think Valleyfair, clean water, strawberries, shoes and lots of food are wrong?  Absolutely not!  I just think that we need to be more mindful of this American life we’ve been blessed with.  I think we need to slow down and think about what we’re doing and where we’re going. I think we do need to consume less and give more.  I think our lives need to have more margin in them both financially, spiritually and time-wise. I think we need to be grateful and not waste this American life we’ve been given.

On a purely physical plane we need to be grateful for the sacrifices made and being made on our behalf.  I have a friend in the Navy, who is currently deployed. She works all night long in a dangerous country, so I can sleep in peace here in America.  I don’t take that for granted.  She’s exhausted right now.  She’s far from home. She’s young, only 26 and she’s willing to serve her country. She has a huge burden on her, and yet she bears it willingly. How wrong it would be for me to just traipse through my life not stopping to thank her and think about the blessings in my life because of her and the thousands of others like her both home and abroad. And I think we do these brave men and women a great disservice when we continue to live our lives selfishly, thinking nothing’s going to change. Rushing around from our jobs, to our vacations, to our big SUV’s, to the next pleasurable pursuit without giving anything back to our country at all!  How can you serve your fellowman?  Volunteer at the homeless shelter? Write an encouraging letter to your congressman? Pray for your congressman?  Get involved in the foster care system? Pick up litter on the side of the road? Volunteer at the local animal shelter? Be a Big Brother or Big Sister? Write to a serviceman or woman overseas? The options are limitless. The point is, in the words of Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.”

Then I think there’s the gratefulness we need to have on a spiritual plane.  In our church we sing patriotic songs on the 4th of July Sunday. I have to admit this bothers me.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m as patriotic as the next person. Hearing Lee Greenwood sing, “God Bless the USA” always makes me cry. But. . .when we join together on Sunday as a Body, we are joining together to worship Christ, not America.  I believe there is a time and a place for patriotic songs. A parade, a 4th of July celebration, but not church.  We need to remember as a Body Who gives us this American life we live. 

Romans 13:1 “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

I think here in America we like to think WE established our country ON Christian principles, when in fact, it was GOD who established our country and HE can do away with it at any time HE chooses. Remember, this life is not about YOU, it’s all about GOD. Don’t forget that.  HE is the main player here. 

Not only that, but if we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we are not first and foremost citizens of America.  We don’t first pledge our allegiance to the flag, we pledge our allegiance to the Lamb of God.

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22

In light of this, don’t waste this American life you’ve been given by God. We have incredible freedom to serve Jesus Christ here in America. We are not persecuted for our faith. Anything we would in our naiveté term as “persecution” is NOT! We are not arrested, we are not attacked or killed. So, share the Gospel boldly! Be willing to sacrifice your life by going to another country where there IS persecution to share the Gospel. Give generously and sacrificially of your time and especially your money.  Don’t come to the end of your life and just retire in Florida!  Keep serving. Finish strong!

So, this 4th of July, be grateful for the soldiers who bled and died to give you this American life you lead. 

Be even more grateful and utterly in awe of the Savior who bled and died to give you an eternal life in heaven and who allows you the incredible privilege of serving Him here on earth in this American life.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Day Thirty – seven – Crocheted Flip Flops

These flip flops conjure up some great memories:

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I got them in Saint Augustine, Florida four years ago on the most perfect vacation ever. Seriously. I had just come off of another long, depressing, cold Minnesota winter. AND, I had just had my fourth and final sinus surgery, a frontal sinus obliteration. My parents rented a beach house and our family, my sister and her daughter, my parents and my grandma all stayed there. It was such a wonderful week.

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We would wake up in the morning, run over the sand dune, lay on the beach, jump in the ocean when we were hot, fry in the sun some more, pick sea shells. It was just the most relaxing week ever. Oh, and did I mention warm!?  Plus, it was a week to be with my entire family without any interruptions, which is always priceless.

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Wow, this really makes me want to go to the beach right now! And it makes me miss my family. I can’t wait til the end of July when my sister’s family comes for a visit and we can sit and visit. So, maybe Park Point isn’t Florida, but it’s still a beach!  And the relationships that grow and the memories made are always more important that the destination!