The cold I’ve been fighting is of the obstinate, lingering kind and so I’ve not felt like blogging or doing much conversing for the last week or so. That is definitely NOT usually my nature. I’m a verbal processor to the core. I need to talk to people when I’m working through thoughts, making decisions, questioning and trying to figure something out, brainstorming -you name it, I need to talk about it. Continue reading
I’m thankful for airplanes that cross miles in such a short time…which makes me think of
Destinations…which makes me think of
Possibility…which makes me think of
New experiences…which makes me think of
Trying something I’ve never eaten before at a restaurant…which makes me think of
The Japanese Grill we visited last week…which makes me think of
Catching scrambled eggs in my mouth in surprise…which makes me think of
Laughter…which makes me think of
All my wonderful friends…which makes me think of
Community…which makes me think of
God’s family of beautiful, diverse, and varied adopted kids…which makes me think of
Being accepted for who I am by Him…which makes me think of
Love and not just surfacy, shallow affection but the deep, wide, and utterly amazing love of God….which makes me thankful all over again.
You may have noticed, if you’ve read my posts in the last few weeks, that my relationship with and parenting of one of my teenage daughters pretty much consumes my thought-life lately.
You know, parenting is really hard! I hear all parents everywhere shout “amen!” I have always loved being a mom and there have been other difficult times along the way, this is just a different type of difficulty. It’s new territory for me and for John but thankfully not for God.
After a particularly challenging day and evening yesterday, I drove to work this morning I talking with God, Continue reading
I’ve not had time to really sit down and think about writing lately. I wish I did – I love to do it and it helps me process what’s going on inside. It might help if I jot down a few things going through my pea brain the last few days.
Time for an emptying of the mind from the last few days worth of ponderings and thoughts:
Time for an emptying of this too-full bucket of thoughts I call my brain.
If you read all those random thoughts, you are a good friend.
I had some nice time with just Kimmi this past weekend and was glad. I’m still bracing myself for the adjustment to her being away from home and “klotzfive” changing to “klotzfour” for a while at home. All weekend I found myself sighing and thinking things like, “oh, this is her last Sunday singing on worship team at church for a while”, “this is her last weekend at home”, “look at her room empty and all packed up”, etc. Then I could just imagine her thinking those same thoughts but with a different perspective: “Yes! My last weekend at home for a while,” “Room packed up and ready to go – yes!” I keep trying to remember how I felt at her age and when I was about to go to college at AU. I had no sad thoughts, only excitement for getting out on my own. My parents lived in Anderson so it wasn’t a long distance, sad departure for me. I was ready and glad!
Two more days…I think with mixed emotions, quietly
Two more days!! Kimmi must be thinking with a big smile on her face
In staff meeting today my boss gave me a great mind picture of what it is like for us to live in tune with God’s Spirit. He likened the promptings and guidance the Holy Spirit gives us to a spell check on the computer. I imagined as I’m going through my day, my mind rolling through thoughts and words, if I pay attention I just might see the little red squiggly line in my mind under something that needs correcting…hopefully before I speak or act.
Jesus told his disciples when he was about to physically leave the earth that he wouldn’t abandon them but send His Spirit to be with them. He said, “The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you.” (John 14:26 CEV)
I know when I’ve turned in projects or worked on something important on a job, something that would be printed and sent to hundreds of people, I was glad to let the spell-check correct me. It was a handy little helper. The Holy Spirit is so much more than that, filling so many roles in my life: counselor, advocate, intercessor, helper, companion. I guess I need to pay better attention to Him as teacher/reminder so I’ll catch those helpful “red lines” from God, keeping me on track and in check, especially since I’m representing him to everyone with whom I talk or interact. If I remember He’s living in my heart and mind all the time and I don’t have to click on “Holy Spirit check”, there will be a lot fewer verbal and behavioral typos.
Holy Spirit, keep me in check. You know my thoughts and words before I think or speak. Make me aware of your correcting and give me the grace to accept it.
“Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, LORD…” Psalm 139:14 CEV
Did you hear it? The wails of three teenagers echoing across the entire state of Indiana when we told them we were having an “unplugged” no cell phone, no facebook trip to see their grandparents in NY this weekend?
John and I decided we’re going to leave cell phones at home (except for his in case of emergency) and not allow anyone on facebook either. It’s only for five days but you would have thought we asked each of the girls to personally cut off their own arms and forever live in caves as hermits.
We live in a deluge of input, information, communication, entertainment, and technology and it seems to have caused American Christians to become spiritually malnourished, weak, subtly distracted and preoccupied. I have to admit I have allowed it to make me that way. When was the last time I sat down just to be quiet? How about an evening without turning on the TV or sitting down in front of the Internet? How about going for a walk outside and not taking the iPod? Continue reading
This morning I have so many thoughts, lessons, convictions swirling around in my mind I felt a little overwhelmed as I drove into work. I talked with God about it but thought it would also help me to put some of them in writing.
I laid out a beautiful sermonette to John last night about how we need to trust the girls and God during these teen years when we can’t really control what happens and we oftentimes have to just sit, watch and pray. Then today I woke feeling anxious. God rewound the tape from my “message” last night and played it back right in front of me – the nerve! Living by my own words is tough today.
If I really trusted Him completely I wouldn’t worry. So, I’m practicing faith and trust, leaning on Him even though I still feel uncertain. Sometimes letting go hasn’t been that hard but there are days…
What if my daughters choose ways and lifestyles other than what I hope for them? Continue reading
Along the Narrow Path 