In the Name of Love

As a mother you field all kinds of weird requests. Like the following:

• Nightly, I am asked to scratch my kids backs before they go to bed.
• My daughter likes to get "skin" when she needs comforting. "Skin" is simply her rubbing my arm, usually under the sleeve. Or sometimes she gets sneaky and tries to get up the back of my shirt and rubs my back with her hand.
• One son likes chocolate, the other not. Same goes for mayonnaise. So I make specialty sandwiches every day.
• "Mom, can _________ come over today?"
• "Don't tell Dad....Please!!!!"
• "Can I have $5 bucks?"

These are the usual at my house. But last night, actually VERY EARLY this morning I had the strangest request EVER.

My Daughter had awaken and joined my husband and I in our bed around 4am. That was not so unusual. But after about 30 minutes of tossing and turning she started to cry and this was her request, "Mommy, will you rub my feet, they are hurting?" I asked her to repeat herself, first to make sure I heard her correctly, and second to make sure she was awake. She repeated the same request, so at 4:30 AM ON A SATURDAY I sat in my bed and grabbed my lemon body butter from my night stand and rubbed away.

After a few minutes I grew reflective and started praying over her. I prayed for where her feet would take her in her life, that she go the way of the Lord. I prayed for her hands, that they would always be helpful. Her heart that it would always be kind. Her eyes that they would see truth. And right when I was about to end, I smoothed her hair out of her eyes, and then she made this request(she had been asleep), "Mommy, will you scratch my belly?"

Dear Friends, what is the strangest request you granted for love?

5 Things

Just for fun, since I do not want to clean my house:

5 Things I was doing 15 years ago:

1. Finishing up my Sophomore year at BIOLA University the Greatest Christian University in the country.
2. Packing for a girls getaway...to MAUI!!!! Good times, good times!!!
3. Getting over a breakup....one of those "unanswered prayers" a la Garth Brooks things.
4. Enjoying my 3rd year as a Swim instructor...best job EVER!!!
5. Probably wondering what life had in store for me...never imagining the true journey.

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago:

1. Enjoying my newborn son Jake
2. Chasing my 15 month old son Jared
3, 4, & 5. More of #1 & #2

5 Things I was doing 5 years ago:

1. Anticipating the arrival of our daughter.
2. Enjoying a surprise visit from my family from California
3. Taking our very first vacation, that was only us...as in not going to visit other family or going with other family...we spent 5 days in Florida...it was amazing.
4. Praying for my baby girl, we had some complications during the pregnancy and I was a wreck
5. Putting an addition on our house.

5 Things on my To-Do list today:

1. Frost a birthday cake for a friends party tonight
2. Sweep the deck
3. Get a new inspection sticker on my van
4. Go to Walmart
5. Get in the Word

5 Things I like to do:

1. Read
2. Cook
3. Hang out with my family
4. Float in a swimming pool
5. Find a great bargain

5 Things I love to eat

1. Artichokes and Asparagus
2. Medium Rare steak
3. Strawberries and Angel food cake
4. Dark Chocolate
5. Cheese-any kind but American

Top 10 5/30/08

10. New favorite coffee creamer : CoffeeMate Italian Sweet Creme
9. My niece, affectionately called "The Beast" counting to 10 all by herself she's only 1 1/2.
8. Tomatoes and squash on my plants in the garden!!!!
7. Starbucks, twice in one week.
6. Napping
5. The Cubs winning 2-1 in the 10th...Go Gubs Go!!
4. Surviving the news that my sister, who lives right behind me, is moving 90 miles away in six months...I think that "the Beast" will have to stay here though.
3. Cooking with my daughter.
2. Playing Marco Polo with the family ALL WEEKEND....so much fun!!!
1. Jake getting his FIRST base hit last night!!! I have to admit that I kind of lost my mind and became one of those crazy moms...it was wonderful.

That Sparkle in His Eye

I just had a conversation with my Grandmother about my brother Sam. We have both been praying for him for so long, that it is still hard to believe that our prayers have been not only been answered, but they have exceeded out wildest imaginations. I had shared with her my conversation with him on Mothers Day, and how it was REALLY him I was speaking to...not some shell of my brother...but really him. She told me that when she saw this photo of him, that she felt the exact same way...that Sam was back. She could see it in his eyes. I knew exactly what she was talking about, so I wanted to share it with you and give God some glory.

The sparkle in his eye is not a sparkle at all. It is LIFE!!! He has his life back, and we as a family will be forever grateful.

Catching up

Hello there, you long lost and deserted friends. I am the worst kind of blogger, I know. Somehow, selfishly I let my life get in the way of our relationship and I am truly sorry. Here is quick re-cap of our last week.

Thursday: I spent the entire day in the ER. I know it was inconsiderate of me not to bring you all along for the ride. But believe me, there where things happening in that exam room that you REALLY did not want to be a part of. In the end, it was a mystery illness, and although they wanted to admit me for overnight observation, I opted for my own bed.

Friday: Mostly spent recovering from a fore mentioned mystery illness. Then, eventually got with the program and got the family all packed for our weekend away. Somehow, everyone had plenty of underwear. That evening, we went to Jared's ballgame, funny, but I can not remember if we won or lost. Then we hit the road and headed to the outlaws house.

Saturday: The kids and Jeff spent the day in the pool, I spent the morning sleeping and eventually made an appearance. The pool felt great, and just being away from our own house was vacation in itself. We played "Marco-Polo" ALL DAY...every couple of hours changing the rules to spice it up some.

Sunday: re-read Saturday except add me to the entire days activities.

Monday: re-read Sunday.

Tuesday: Re-read Monday, but add a shopping trip by my lonesome. I went to Michael's to get all the stuff for camp in a few weeks. I am in charge of crafts...and on a side note I am really NOT that crafty. So I will keep you updated on that. After I returned, we made one last dash for the pool and ended of course with Marco Polo. Then we loaded up the van and headed for home...with a stop at Starbucks on the way. We got back into town just in time for Jared's ball game, it was good one. We were down 2-0 the whole game until the 5th inning...Jared tied the game with a beautiful hit, and then we kept it going and ended up winning 4-3. Good times!!!

Starbucks side note: I am a bargain shopaholic. I can feed me and the kids on the McD's dollar menu for less than ten bucks. I never pay full price for anything that I can wait on, and then get on sale. I am known for going into Dillards(which I could not afford at retail price) and get $700 worth of clothing at 75% off for less than a hundred bucks and then have the kids summer clothes for next year...and vice-versa for winter. So, when the opportunity arises to indulge at Starbucks...I do on occasion. That has since taken a whole new meaning since all the kids now have their favorites too. So, a few times a year, I go from feeding the fam at McD's for less than 10 bucks to getting Blended Cremes and Frappacinos for twenty....not including the husband who swears that he would have to physically stop being a man to order a drink that you can not get in a small, med or large. He swears it is un-American to say"tall, grande or viente" Never a dull moment.

Here's to many more Summer Days...especially, since today I am house bound cleaning the castle.

Tuesday

Tragic Loss

Pray for Steven Curtis Chapman’s Family May 21, 2008 •

The Tennessean is reporting tonight…
Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child
died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage
brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.
Maria, one of
the Christian singer’s six children, was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt
Hospital, which confirmed the death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman
for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

What a tragedy. SCC is truely one of the good guys. Pray for their family as they journey down this path of loss.

Top 10 for 5/16/08

10. Having a fight with my husband, that turned into a really meaningful conversation.
9. My Mother's Day present...A HUGE COFFEE CUP planter...it is so me!!!
8. Going to the grocery store, spending $46 and saving $39.
7. Pomegranate Mango body wash.
6. Watching the Beez eat FIVE artichokes the other night!!!! It was amazing...I was very proud.
5. Overtime. Enough said.
4. No Baseball games Monday or Tuesday which meant we were home two night in a row!!!
3. A long and beautiful rain shower on Thursday.
2. Going to see Prince Caspian TODAY!!!!
1. Sam, gosh I love him.

Unexpected Joy

A few weeks ago my sister and I got up early and headed out to go bargain hunting. She was looking for a bed for The Beast, and I was up for the field trip. As we headed down the highway, we came upon a man out jogging. He was just about to cross the road when we noticed that he had a bouquet of wild flowers in his hand. We both gushed, knowing that he had picked them along his run, and was most likely going to hand them over to his beloved upon his return home.

I remember those days...not that my husband went running, but he did on MANY occasion surprise me with flowers that he picked himself. These days, my kids are the ones who bring me flowers freshly picked. (He taught them well!) And, I am surprised in others ways, by my beloved. After 13 years, flowers just don't do it, but I love when a simple gesture is made on my behalf. Especially, when it is something I mentioned in passing, or him simply doing a chore I hate.

A few weeks ago, after much rain, I noticed that our back yard looked more like a meadow, than a yard. All sorts of clover and random little white flowers were spread beautifully between the house and my garden. When my husband said he was going to mow the back, I told him how Micah and I had been running and skipping through the meadow everyday, and loving it.
He went out and got started and then called me outside about an hour later. He said, "what do you think?" I couldn't believe my eyes. He mowed the entire yard but kept my "meadow". There it was, a rectangular meadow, probably 10X20 right smack in the middle of his precious grass.

I was so happy. It was so strange, yet utterly joyous for me. The UPS man even asked me why our yard was "landscaped" in such a fashion. I smiled and said, "Because my husband enjoys making me happy"

Who would have thought? A patch of weeds to some, but joy to me. I am grateful.

What has your beloved done for you that brought you joy in an unconventional manner?

Slay the fatted calf, my brother is home.

The following was originally posted back in January of this year. My brother Sam, who will be 21 this month has lived a lifetime as an addict...in just 5 years.

My brother Sam is a Meth Addict. He overdosed(which I think is a horrible word because there is no good "dose" when it comes to Meth) on Monday and is detoxing right now in a county facility in California. He is not even 21 yet and he has already been through rehab once. The hallucinations that he has had during the past 48 hours are truly demonic in nature...really scary, and a total reality that my family has to not only live through but witness. The paranoia is unreal...it alone could kill him. My parents are devastated as are all of us who call him brother. This is not a kind drug. It is horrible beyond comprehension. Worse than what you could ever imagine. I believe it is Satan's new drug of choice. It is life altering...brain damage is not unusual...and it actually changes who you are...even when you have come down off of it. It does not discriminate...rich, poor, young or old...the list could go on...it is simply death. Please pray and intercede on behalf of my brother Sam. Pray for his ears to open and his eyes be made to see. May he seek the Lord not to save him from himself but to REDEEM him for eternity. He NEEDS JESUS...and Jesus is so courting him...and we pray that Sam hears and obeys. I am begging you to intercede...please.

Well, while the whole story is far too intricate and long winded to share here, here is the gist of it all. The last two years of high school, for Sam were a blur. I believe mainly using alcohol, he barely kept his head above water, and in the end was expelled from school. (which on a side note, my mom was the principle of, just to complicate things!!!) Within two years he had been busted by the cops for drug use and a DUI, which we all hoped would wake him up. But to no avail. Finally, under pressure from the family, he entered U-Turn for Christ. A drug re-hab for men in SoCal. The program was , I think about three months long. While he made it through the program, and even entered the follow up half-way house...it was short lived. He ended up turning back to addiction, but this time it was gambling and alcohol.

Obviously, during this time, my parents were beside themselves. Sam, being the youngest, has really put them through the ringer. After the episode that landed him in the ER from the OD last January, we all hoped it would be the turning point. Once again, it was not. Each time I have interacted with Sam in the past 5 years, it has been as if it weren't really him. At least, not the Sam I remember. He has been distant at best, and at the worst of it, completely out of his mind.

Then about a month ago, my Dad hopped in Sam's car to crank it, after working on it, and was surprised to hear Christian Radio. He mentioned to me that it gave him hope that the Lord was continuing to deal with Sam in ways, that none of us could even touch.

I love the line from C.S. Lewis in Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Mr Tumnus says of Aslan, "He is not a tame lion." and Lucy replies, "No, but he is good" I have often thought of Sam when I think of Aslan. The giant beast on the move. Wild yet good. The lion and the lamb.

Well, the Lion, has truly been in pursuit. And it seems, like the Prodigal has come home. Sunday, while my family in SoCal gathered for Mother's Day, Sam gave his life to the Lord. My Mom and Sister both said, that for the first time ever, he seems at peace with it. Like, this time, maybe he is done running. Maybe he has finally been captured by grace, and freed from guilt. I can honestly say that I will NEVER forget talking to him that night. For the first time in years, I felt like it was actually Sam on the other end of the line. Not some shell of my brother, but the real thing. He told me he couldn't wait to come out and visit us, and to spend time with us as a family. And my sister , KC that lives here in MS said that for the first time Sam asked her how Kannon(my niece) was. Kannon is 18 months old...KC said it melted he heart that Sam not only asked about Kannon, but actually cared about her.

How blessed we are, to have family that not only loves us, but believes the best for us, and in us.

I can honestly say, that we all believed in Sam, even when he did not believe in himself. And that, while we waited expectantly on the Lord to do a good work through Sam, He did a good work in all of us.

I am blessed today, for I have felt the breath of Aslan, breathing new life into Sam. The roar of the Lion, the comfort of the Lamb.

Please continue to pray for him, for us.

Top 10

Better late than never...here goes.

10. Mowing and weed eating the yard for my husband, who has been working outrageous hours lately.
9. Watching "Enchanted" with my kids, a really cute movie that we all enjoyed.
8. Sunday afternoon with my daughter at the mall, while the "men" all went to the movies together. She is so hilarious about having "gawirl time" (aka girl time)
7. Seeing the hand of God at work.
6. Getting our curriculum for next year...I am really excited about the changes I have made.
5. Finishing a good book.
4. Spending the afternoon at the beach with my kids...twice. Looking forward to many more times this summer. ( I should clarify that we live in 'Small Town' Mississippi, but we live in a private lake community. I spend 8 months out of the year complaining about all the hassles of living in a community governed by an association, but then the summer comes, and I head to the shore and it all seems to fade away.)
3. Heeding my husbands wise counsel which saved me from showing my backside to a whole lot of people, which would not have been good.
2. Burned bridges being restored.
1. Watching Jake lay down a perfect bunt, work the count for a walk, and then hit a sacrifice fly...Yeah for Snake.

Random Childhood Memories

I have really random memories. I am amazed at the truly quirky events, conversations, and meetings that are burned into my memory. Some, with great significance, others with no relevance to why I would remember such a event.

One night, several years ago while my mom was here visiting, we sat up till the wee hours remembering together. She was so surprised at the randomness of things I remembered. Like little vignettes of our life strewn together, she held some memories, I held others.

I have a handful of memories from before the age of 5 or 6, but the majority of my memories are after that. I have often joked, that the Lord gives the first few years to figure out how to parent, and hence the first few years of life our kids thankfully will not remember!!! Being a mom now, I wonder what crazy things my kids will remember.

Here are a few of my random memories:

• Going to Cuba(yes, the communist country) when my Dad was stationed there. I was about 4years old. I remember a lot about that trip. I ate mushrooms for the first time. They were on the pizza we ordered, and my Dad told me that if I was hungry enough I would eat them, and I was/did. My Dad and I would sneak into the base pool after hours, he taught me how to swim there, under the cover of darkness.
• Still in Cuba, I remember seeing the HUGEST frogs ever!! Seriously, the size of dinner plates just roaming on the road.
• I remember going to visit my Aunt Sippy at some country club were she was a lifeguard. I think there was a pool and a lake with a pier.
• I remember we use to get dairy product delivered to our house. My mom would order this super yummy stuff called "keifer". My favorite was raspberry. It was like a smoothie. So yummy.
• I remember going camping and playing poker with wooden matches as chips.
• I remember being in the 2nd grade and watching a video at school that showed the lungs of someone who was a smoker. They showed them next to a pair of healthy lungs. I remember vowing, right there and then to never smoke. Here was my reasoning...if I smoked even one cigarette, my lungs would turn black as night, then I would die in a tragic car accident, and my parents would be sad until the doctor showed them a picture of my lungs, and then they would be mad instead of sad, since I was a smoker.
• I remember watching Land of the Lost...thinking it was the coolest thing around. And also Sigmund the Sea Monster...I loved that show.
• My very first cassette was Olivia Newton John's "Lets get Physical" I would carry my tape player to school(the classic style, shaped like a shoe box, with the flip top to open it. It weighed a ton!!!) and we would all go out in the field and turn it up as loud as possible and sing at the top of our lungs.

I wonder what some of your random memories are?

Here is my top ten list for this week.



10. African Blue Basil...not only does it smell divine, but it is such a beautiful plant and looks gorgeous in my herb garden

9. CoffeMate Creme Brulee...yummo!!! If you love coffee...you've got to try this.

8. I'm still loving Romans...Been studying chapters 1,6 &7

7. Febreeze...more on that later

6. Can I just have a moment...GOAT CHEESE rocks!!! Anywhere, anytime!

5. Summer Storms...I love a good rain shower on my tin roof.

4. Corn stalks in my garden that are 4 inches high.

3. Our Adventure Camp Fundraiser raised over $1200...God's people showed up in a big way.

2. My kids eating Brussel Sprouts last night, and my daughter saying they were just like baby artichokes...because she peeled each leaf off one at a time. The boys were not so excited, but they still ate them.

1. SCHOOL IS ALMOST OUT!