Author Archives: therealmimi

The Life & Times of Sunny

Posted on by
Reply

Today, on National Dog Day, I thought it only fitting to put down for posterity some memories of our family’s dog, Sunny.

We adopted Sunny from an animal sanctuary out in the desert near Las Cruces, New Mexico where we lived when the girls were little.  We always remember how old Sunny is by comparing with our youngest’s age, because Krissy was two when Sunny joined the family.  She was a golden brown, fluffy ball of fur with a curly tail and black snout.   Gentle and timid, it wasn’t unusual to find Krissy IN the crate with Sunny sometimes, or Sunny laying on the floor with one of the girls laying their heads on her.

We probably should have taken her to puppy class but never did so she was rather unruly when we tried to go for walks, Continue reading →

Final Scene

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve heard lots of songs, read lots of blog posts, and had lots of conversations with people lately about disappointment, having to resort to Plan B, C or D, disillusionment over life not turning out the way we expected it to, and wondering why God doesn’t stop bad things from happening or doesn’t answer prayer how we think He should.  It has made me wonder – are people feeling like that more than before?  Why?  Or am I just noticing it more because I’ve felt like that this year? Continue reading →

“I’ll tell you who you really are”

Posted on by
Reply

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”  There seem to a rare, lucky few who actually know the answer to that question, even from a young age.  You know, kids that say they want to be a doctor and end up actually becoming one.  I was not one of those people.  In elementary school I knew I was going to be a veterinarian.  I liked animals so it just seemed natural.  My girls had various aspirations growing up like nursing, teaching, being an artist, etc.  I’ll never forget the surprise and giggles we got as a family when my youngest (about 10 at the time) once told us at the dinner table that she wanted to be a monster truck driver.   I think she’s changed her mind since then…I think. Continue reading →

Shifting Gears

Posted on by
1

My dad learned the hard way:  never bring hot coffee along when teaching a 16-year-old how to drive a stick shift.  We bounced around the high school parking lot in the rusty little 70’s Dodge Colt, almost banging into curbs and barely missing light poles.  It took me a while but I got the hang of it and then I loved it.  There was that one time, though, when I was still getting used to the whole idea and accidentally put my clutch in instead of the brake as we rounded a corner.  My mom shrieked.  My little sis and brother laughed and flew around in the back seat. Continue reading →

Promoted

Posted on by
Reply

In the short video I was watching on facebook, two soldiers stood side by side in their fatigues, one talking about the other.   The one on the right was my cousin Karl.  I remember playing with Karl when we were kids.  He was one of my favorite cousins.  He was “Karlie” to me then.  Now he stands having served overseas many duties over many months, and years here at home, helping keep all of us safe and free.  The video was of the brief ceremony promoting him to his new rank of lieutenant colonel.  I wish we could have stayed closer over these years, he and his family and mine, but distance and life transitions have made that difficult.  I was still really proud as I watched.  What a good man he is.  Who knew when we were goofing around and riding go-carts as 12-year-olds with his sister and my sister and brother that He had this in him?

One thing his friend said before he was officially promoted that really stood out to me Continue reading →

The Buck Does Not Stop Here

Posted on by
Reply

I know God doesn’t have an actual desk, but if He did, there’d be one of those signs on it that reads “The Buck Stops Here.”  He gave me that image the other day when I was letting myself get weighed down with concerns.  How often I forget that I’m supposed to pass burdens on up to Him, I’m not supposed to try to carry them all by myself.  Have you ever seen a little child wanting to help or prove how big they are by dragging a suitcase or carrying a bag too heavy for them?  “Here let me take that,” the mom says.  “No,” the child says as they strain and grunt to pull it along, “I got it.” They eventually have to give in because they just can’t do it without help.

Jesus said to come to Him when I’m worn out from trying to lug heavy stuff along.  He said that His way of life is light and easier to carry and besides that He’ll be with me, helping the whole time.   (Matt. 11:28)  The buck of burdens doesn’t stop with me, it stops with Him.  He’s the only One who really knows what to do with them.  He is the only One strong enough, wise enough, patient enough.

The buck of decision-making doesn’t stop with me either.  I used to work in a doctor’s office as receptionist and enjoyed greeting the patients and getting to know the “regulars.”  Continue reading →

Tags

Posted on by
Reply

If you look to the right column on my blog, maybe scroll down a bit, you’ll see a bunch of random words jumbled up.  Those are “tags.”  Bloggers tag posts by choosing words that people might use when searching the Internet or their blog to see posts about that topic.   So, if you want to see all the posts I’ve tagged about “parenting,” click on that tag and you’ll see a list of those posts.

Some of the words listed there are larger than others – that’s because the more I’ve used that word as a tag, the larger it appears in the list.  I’ve used “parenting” quite a bit Continue reading →

Can we survive the fire swamp?

Posted on by
Reply
Buttercup: We’ll never survive.
Westley: Nonsense. You’re only saying that because no one ever has.
This was Buttercup’s response when with Prince Humperdink and his men catching up behind and the fire swamp the only way in front of them, Westley suggested they forge ahead through the dark, foreboding woods.
You know how when you’re scared it helps to have someone with you who actually makes fun of the situation or who doesn’t seem frightened in the least?  That’s how Westley was for Buttercup.  He led her in by the hand with confidence, thinking no one would follow them through the swamp so they were surely going to find freedom and the chance to be together on the other side.
After her gown caught on fire from bursts of flame shooting up out of the ground and almost “drowning” in a deep quicksand pit, Buttercup became a bit frazzled. Continue reading →

Tied down

Posted on by
Reply

I’m so glad God never changes.  He is the same as He was from the beginning of time and will be the same until time ends.  That’s a really good thing for all of us puny humans because everything and everyone else in this life changes all the time!  Just as sure as I start to count on something it falls apart, blows away, shape shifts, or turns out to be something other than what it appeared to be. Continue reading →

Can I get an Amen??

Posted on by
Reply

This morning I wrote to my mom and sis to vent, as I often do.  I’ve been praying and thinking about ways John and I can tackle the $24,000 2nd mortgage that we’re responsible for, even though our house foreclosed in Missouri this month.  Rather than feel sorry for us, I know we just need to buckle down and do what we can, one day at a time.  I wanted to share my sister’s reply with you because they lifted me so and made me smile:

I love you so much and just want to write and support you and remind you that to God, $24,000 is nothing!  In the grand scheme of things, when you are are the creator of everything and the owner of every cow on every hill…what’s $24,000?!  Continue reading →