To Age or not to Age?

Today I received a piece of mail that caused me to remember a statement I once made to my young nephew.  I told him that he had to stay little, because by the time he turned 12, I would be the old age of 27.  I'm not really certain where the turning point in this whole aging process happened.  I can vividly remember a time in my youth when I reveled in the reality that many people thought I was much older than my actual age.  Now I hope that they will presume I am younger than my actual age.  I find myself staring in the mirror trying to convince myself that I have not left the ripe years of my twenty-somethings. Despite my efforts, the constant recurrence of the stubborn gray hairs, the fine wrinkles around my eyes, the "baby" marks and the occasional aches and pains remind me that those days have passed.


So what was the piece of mail I received that sent me spiraling into this aging realization...it was an invitation.  It was an invitation to my nephew's high school graduation.  Yes, he eventually turned 12...and I turned 27 (and lived to tell about it)...now he'll graduate and soon be 18 and come December I will be...(you do the math but please don't tell me).  For years my mother, through her attitudes and actions, has taught me to never let age hinder your mind and your activities.  She is an inspiration to me at her soon-to-be 71 years young.  I think I will continue on my journey to remaining twenty-something in spirit...I figure at this rate, my nephew will soon be older than me!


"You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God." 1 Peter 3:4

I'm hooked!

Many of you may know that I am now blogging for books.  I just completed my 2nd book and am so excited to write about it.  For several years now, I have been a fan of Nicholas Sparks.  So much so that I didn't even know of another fiction author I would enjoy reading.  In my blogging for books quest, I took a leap and requested Kristen Heitzmann's book Indivisible. This book did not disappoint!  I began reading it much like I do with my others, a couple chapters before bed and then I set it aside until the next night.  On about the third night or so, I began reading around page 80...and didn't put it down until page 236, leaving me another 90 pages which I was anxious to finish the following morning.  This book had so many elements of suspense and romance, I found myself trying to predict what would happen next.  The first few chapters set the scene with a variety of characters and glimpses of their history together.  The history continued to unfold throughout the book, leading me deeper into the lives and struggles of each character.  The back cover of this book accurately refers to it as "a spell-binding tale of severed connections and the consequences of life lived alone." Indivisible is well written by a Christian author and a pleasure to read and recommend to friends and family.


I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

My Jesus!

Today I received an awesome privilege. Today after kindergarten round-up, Rockstar and I headed to our local grocery store to pick up a few items before we went to pick up Crazy Horse from school.  While at the grocery store, we met a woman whom I've recently met and God had been bringing her to my thoughts regularly this week.  I was prompted to say hello.  She introduced us to her 5 year old little girl.  Today was her daughter's birthday.  They were looking at cards, but there was no money to buy one.  I undeniably knew that God had a plan and I had a part in His plan.  I bought my groceries, picked up Crazy Horse from school and drove home in tears.  I told Preacherman what I needed to do and he said, "then go do it."  So I did. 


Rockstar and I delivered a birthday present to this little girl.  The little girl was thrilled and full of smiles and hugs. Her mom hugged me.  She told me that earlier today the little girl was really bummed about her birthday and she had told her daughter that maybe Jesus would find a way to make her birthday special.  


Please hear my heart, I am not writing this to tell you what I did.  I want you to hear what my Jesus did!  He took a "chance" meeting at a grocery store with an almost stranger, who already had access to her contact information, to send this precious child a birthday present and let her know that he loves her. What an awesome God we serve!



~And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.  Phil 4:19-20

Sometimes grown-ups get it wrong...

It never ceases to amaze me that God can use the smallest, mundane conversations to tune our hearts and ears to Him.  This conversation brought my mind back to a point from our recent Sunday School lesson.


Rockstar:  "Can I go get some crackers?"
Me: "No, I'm almost finished fixing lunch."
Rockstar:  "You mean dinner."
Me: "Yes."
Rockstar: "Sometimes you grown-ups get it wrong."


Yes, Rockstar sometimes we get it wrong.


People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."  Mark 10:13-14

A Special Day

Today was a very special day.  Today we celebrated Crazy Horse's profession of faith in Jesus Christ through her baptism.  Family and friends were able to celebrate with us.  Grandma M, Grandma and Grandpa D, Aunt Sonia and our friends John, Sarah, Big A and Little E were all able to make the long drive to share this wonderful day with our precious daughter.  Words cannot express the joy that I experienced as I watched Preacherman speak so fluently the words of baptism and lower Crazy Horse into the symbolic waters of new life.  It was a very tender and sweet moment in the life of our family.  


After church, we came home and served Crazy Horse's favorite meal, tacos.  Preacherman stopped at the store for me on the way home to pick up paper plates and dessert.  When he arrived home he came bearing a sweet bouquet of flowers for Crazy Horse.  Her first flowers.


Since Crazy Horse is the first of our princesses to experience baptism it was my opportunity to begin a tradition for this milestone with our girls.  Tonight we presented Crazy Horse with a small heart shaped locket with a cross on the outside, inside I had printed and cut two small hearts,  the first with - January 2, 2011 - the date she gave her heart to Christ. The second - March 27, 2011 - the date she followed Christ in obedience through baptism. 


This is my daughter, whom I love; with her I am well pleased.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  Matthew 3:16-17

Yes, He did! (a review of God Gave Us So Much)

God Gave Us So Much is a three book treasury by Lisa Tawn Bergren that includes God Gave Us the World, God Gave Us Love and God Gave Us Heaven. God Gave us the World is a new addition to this series. In this new book, Mama Bear takes Little Cub to the museum to learn about the different bears around the world. Little Cub learns that all bears are not alike, but that all bears are created by God. This story focuses on God as the creator of the world and everything in it.

The second story in this treasury is God Gave Us Love. It is a wonderful story about love for each other. Throughout the story Grampa Bear teaches Little Cub about love. It highlights the many ways God shows His love for each of us including the most important way, “he sent his Son to save us, to show us the way.”

The third story is a dialogue between Papa and Little Cub about heaven. Little Cub has many questions and Papa answers them all. Here is a sampling of some of the questions Little Cub asks Papa: “What's heavn'n? Can we take our stuff to heaven? What will God look like? How do we get there?” This book provides thoughtful answers to many questions that children often ask about heaven.

I requested this book to share with my three little girls. I am so glad I did. My girls enjoy many types of books and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed the dialogue that Little Cub has with special people in her life. The illustrations are well done and add untold elements to the story. I would definitely recommend this book to friends and family. I also think it would make a great birthday gift or baby shower gift and a great addition to a church library or nursery.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

4000+ emails

Yesterday I began a daunting task of cleaning and purging my inbox. Have you ever let those pesky emails you don't intend to read, just sit in your inbox?  I did.  This seemingly impossible task provided me some time of reflection during the quiet napping of my children.  As I sorted, first by unread, then by sender I began deleting.  I realized that my inbox can be reflective of my life at times.  I thought of the constant work God does in my life, trying to rid my person of all the baggage that doesn't need to be cluttering my mind, body and soul.  One by one I deleted emails.  Then I realized that some of the same short cut keys that work in other programs work well in my inbox too.  Once I was armed with that realization, deleting emails became much easier.  As I continued on my deleting spree I found numerous emails from my favorite stores, newsletters and forwards from friends that I often enjoy.  They had gone unread and were now old and useless.  Then there were the emails that I didn't even request that should have been out as soon as they came in to my inbox.  The huge amount of unread emails cluttering my inbox often caused me to overlook the emails I received from important people in my life.  This morning as I opened up my freshly purged inbox, I found it so much easier to purge the new unwanted emails and to quickly read the important ones.


I think that God works much the same way.  He takes hold of the things that we are willing to release easily at first. Then, as we realize we are better for it, we release more life clutter to his deleting power.  The more we release to him, the more he is able to clear from our lives and the easier it is for us to see and hear him when he speaks to us.


In the past, I have jokingly remarked that sometimes I wish God would just send me an email.  Maybe he just did.


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3