Who Would Play Me?

A family member the other day suggested that my book would make a cute movie, so that night at dinner my kids started talking about what actors would play us. Both my kids felt that the best person to play them was ...themselves. Then they went to Jeff, my husband. That one was easy. Tom Hanks would play Jeff. The two looked a lot a like in the Forrest Gump years. Now it was my turn. What lovely actress would play me? In my mind, I was thinking of glamorous, yet funny actresses that could play the part. But before I could speak a word, my ever so sweet son blurts out that Betty White would be the perfect cast! He did not receive dessert that night!

More Than Dos and Don'ts

My daughter will be sweet sixteen very soon. I want her birthday to be special. We have planned a party to her specifications, and I think it will be fun. But I was wanting to do something more than a party. Something memorable. I was wanting to take her on a little trip...just the two if us. But every time I suggested it, my suggestion fell on deaf ears.

My husband and son were both going to be gone this past weekend; so being the mom, I planned a little trip anyway. I think my daughter thought, It beats staying at home. So she went.

And to her surprise...we had fun. We laughed, we shopped, we ate. We had a great time. Turns out, the trip wasn't at all what she imagined it to be. She had come to see me as "the dos and don'ts person." How could she have fun with that?

My daughter needed to be reminded that I am more than the person that divys out the rules. I am the person who loves her, who has her best interest at heart, who wants to spend time with her, and who wants to have fun with her.

I wonder, how many of us see God as "the dos and don'ts guy." We just think He has set up all these rules and that is all we know about Him. We forget that the rules are there for our protection and to safely guide us through this life. We need to remind ourselves that God loves us, He has our best interest at heart, He wants to spend time with us, and yes, He wants to have fun with us.

Take some time to be with God--just the two of you. I think you will discover He is a blast.

He is so much more than dos and don'ts.

Lift My Hands and Spin Around

I love to sing. I can't sing, but I love to sing. So most of my exuberant praising is done in private (mainly to keep my family from being embarrassed and keep the dogs from howlin').

Awhile back, I had one of those days where a culmination of prayers had been answered. I was so happy, and I was feeling like I needed to express my joyful gratitude to God. Since no one was around, I began to praise Him. The song Marvelous Light popped into my head, so I started singing the song. Well, there is a part in the song that goes Lift my hands and spin around, see the light that I have found, the marvelous light, marvelous light. With all my heart, I lifted my hands and spun around only to find out that my equilibrium didn't keep up with my rejoicing. I just about spun myself into my carpet fibers before I was kept upright by the wall.

Without any dignity left, only a childlike faith, I praised my Lord. And I think I might have made Him laugh.

1Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."...no matter what you may sound like or look like.

The Gas Pump

Picture a gas station. God is the gas pump. We pull up in the morning running on empty (getting there on fumes).Some may not even be able to get to the pump; they have to carry their red containers in. (Those may be the ones who need others to pray for them.) We turn the key off, don’t answer our cell phones (don’t want to cause an explosion), so everything is quiet. Then we put in our debit card to access the pump. That’s Jesus. He’s paid the price so as born again believers we have access to the fuel. Our praise and prayer time with Him starts the fuel a pumping (which is the Holy Spirit). We just rest in His presence until we are filled up and start overflowing. We have to stay there long enough to get a full tank. If we get just a little bit, it may get us through the day but there won’t be enough to overflow on others. Think about it, when we overflow the tank, it spills out and leaves a mark or stain and has a lingering smell. The same is true with us and God. If we stay long enough in his presence, we will be so full of the Holy Spirit that it overflows and makes a mark and lingers wherever we go.

A New Adventure

I'm new to a lot of things. New to writing a book. New to blogging. It all stretches my comfort zone, but that is what God does best. He stretches my comfort zone. He is always leading me on new adventures. Life is never boring with God. That is what I learned when I wrote my book.