Category: Uncategorized

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

As I was wrapping up my night a couple weeks ago, my front tooth felt funny. I couldn’t imagine why the bottom of it was so sharp. When I looked in the mirror, I realized that I had a chip out of it! During those first couple days it felt like I had a little razor in my mouth that kept cutting my lip before it got worn down a bit.

I scheduled a dentist appointment and found out that it was the same tooth that I had fixed several years ago through bonding. The dentist wasn’t sure how long it would last back then, but it did better than we ever expected.

He was going to try to use bonding again. He roughened the surface, put down an adhesive material, and applied a resin that’s the same color as my tooth. He shaped it and used an ultraviolet light to harden it.

Since this was the second time my dentist did this procedure, he didn’t seem too optimistic that it would be a long-term solution. He said that pressure on it could make it come apart, and he was right. Part of it is already off.

It seems to me the issue wasn’t with how it was bonded (put together) but what was bonded. It makes me think that trying to bond something fake to something genuine is going to be a bit of a problem. It might last for a surprisingly long amount of time, but eventually the pressure will make it come apart.

It reminds me of relationships. We can have a strong bond with someone immediately, but if there isn’t sincerity and genuine character, that bond will come apart under pressure. It will often leave someone being hurt by the separation, like my lip from the razor-sharp end of my tooth. A connection can’t hold with fake expressions.

On the other side of the issue, a more permanent bond can be made slowly with sincerity. It’s a stronger attachment. Just like with the bonding process of teeth, heat and pressure can make it more secure when dealing with authenticity.

It says in the Bible how a man leaves his father and mother and he’s united with his wife. That’s bonding in its strongest form! This is how relationships last. The adhesion becomes even better as two people face all circumstances as one with genuine and honest communication. Isn’t it awesome that we have the means to make that happen?

I challenge you to bond through honesty and sincerity to create a strong hold in all your relationships. I especially challenge those in a marriage to throw off fakeness today. Experience a true and lasting bond with your spouse, while allowing God to be the glue that gives you the strongest adhesion possible. Don’t treat it with dread as if you were going to the dentist…have fun with your bonding process today!

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14

Last week I went to the doctor’s office for my Lyme checkup, I got the full set of questions that’s asked every time. Was I taking a multivitamin? My answer didn’t change. I still was trying to get my nutrients through the food I eat.

Something clicked in my brain. Was this their way of telling me I should be taking a multivitamin? After all the months I’ve been there, I finally thought to ask if this was something they wanted me to do. The answer was simple. Yes, it was in the paper they gave me. Wait, what?

I felt like a child who failed at getting their chores done. I wasn’t doing as I was supposed to. I apologized and told her I didn’t know I was to be taking that and I didn’t think that I received the paper she was referring to.

Oops! After they looked in my chart, they realized they forgot to give it to me. Sometimes when we hope to be almost done with treatment, we get the information that almost no longer applies! I’m determined to answer my questions “correctly” during my next appointment.

I got everything I needed and started the new multivitamin yesterday morning. I remembered that I needed to take it with food because if not, I get sick. We’re talking give-my-hubby-heart-failure-because-I’m-suffering-morning-sickness-while-running-to-the-bathroom sick.

I took all my medicine while I scrambled an egg. Then, I promptly panicked because I figured I probably should’ve ate the egg first. I quickly grabbed a banana and ate it as fast as I could before devouring the egg. I thought I made it. Nope! Everything was coming back up.

I have to tell you that I almost NEVER get sick like that unless I’m pregnant. It taught me a lesson for sure. Unless I want to have come out what just went in, my body needs to be prepared to handle what I’m feeding it.

This incident got me thinking about the power going out last night. My kindle was plugged in while I was watching something on it. It never even paused for a second even though there was no electricity feeding it. It kept running because it had been charged. I had a backup power source. If the battery was low, I wouldn’t have been able to continue until it was fed more power.

First lesson…sometimes we need to ask for clarification. God’s thoughts aren’t always our thoughts, so just like I had to ask the nurse, we need to go to God to make sure we understand what He wants us to do in the situations we find ourselves in. It’s not always just handed to us and we should search.

Second lesson…I didn’t realize how much help my body needed while taking my medicine. It needed to have the extra help in order for me to stay healthy while my immune system was lower. If something did attack (like the power going out), I’d have the backup help I needed already waiting inside me.

Third lesson…refer to the first two. Clarify what God wants us to do in the first step. Then, recognize we need to have the Holy Spirit inside us to keep us powered when the lights go out around us. In the last step, we need to make sure that our body is prepared for what we’re feeding it so that it doesn’t just shoot out all the nutrients that need digested from God’s word.

What can you do to keep from losing all that you’ve learned? What will keep you going when it feels like there isn’t a power source and the electricity is out? Will you remember that our Power Source never goes out? Will you go searching in the dark or find the Light amidst the blackout because you were able to fully digest what’s being told to you?

I challenge you to drink of the water the Lord gives so that you will continuously have a power source that you can plug into. Better yet, stay connected so that there isn’t even a blip when everything seems dark, don’t wait until it no longer applies, and remember, it won’t do you any good if you can’t keep it down!

For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3

My boys have grown! We were going through their closets and drawers the other day which led us to the conclusion that some shopping needed to be done whether they wanted to or not. A few piles of clothing sat unwearable due to growth spurts. At least we could pass them on!

I also needed some shorts, and for some crazy reason I thought that I’d order them online. What was I thinking? When I received them, only two of the shorts fit. Two was better than nothing, right? It wasn’t a big deal because I had checked their return policy and it said I could take them back to a local store.

Yesterday was to be the day of some shopping. My boys were so excited…ha! I’d return my shorts and get the last items on the shopping list for the boys. Guess what I got in my email that morning? There was going to be a huge sale in the very store we were going! How about that? They were even going to have music! Maybe my boys could break out some of their new dance moves they learned. Oops…that’s another story.

It was a rainy day in the middle of the week, and I thought it kind of odd they’d have such a large event when more people would be coming in on the weekend compared to a Tuesday. The front doors were propped open welcoming us in, but there wasn’t a DJ. I just figured maybe he was taking a break or had to cancel. There were sale signs up!

We gathered the clothes the boys needed and headed to the dreaded dressing rooms for them to do the awful chore of trying on clothes. I mentioned the big sale to the lady working back there, but she promptly burst my bubble by telling me I must have the wrong store.

Almost all the clothes on the list were being checked off. We did good! We usually don’t have so much luck in getting things to fit. Since I don’t know how to look at my email while out and about (even though I got one of those big, fancy phones now), I made my youngest son pull it up to find out what kind of mistake I made. It was the store I was in! It just was for Saturday. Right place, wrong time.

This led me to the debate of whether I should leave and go back Saturday or just buy the clothes. The answer had to be to buy the clothes because we already have plans for then. Also, I could picture all the clothes that fit being gone. My boys wouldn’t be happy to go through the process again.

I was left with needing to return those shorts that I ordered. I went in proud of myself that I was on top of things and taking care of this in such a timely matter. The lady at the counter wanted to know why I was returning so many. With a dejected sigh, I explained they didn’t fit.

She went through them and informed me that I could either get store credit or I’d have to return them through mail. I was confused. I checked the return policy before I bought them. It said I could return to a store for full credit. Apparently, I missed the fine print that said, “Oops, not if you paid through Paypal.”

Well, big surprise for me that I had another strike-out with the computer. Grrr. The sales clerk was helpful and gave me a bag to return them in while telling me that I had to pay for shipping. Wrong place, right time.

What did I learn yesterday? I need to pay more attention to the details. I could be in the right place at the wrong time or I could be at the wrong place at the right time. Think on that for a while. Not too long though because it could give you a headache like me.

Don’t we do this sometimes with God? Our thoughts are so strong in our head that we don’t wait for all the facts before pushing forward. It leads us into the right place at the wrong time or even the wrong place at the right time because we stop walking in God’s footsteps and go blazing our own path.

Do you ever say, “I must not have heard right!” Maybe you’re hearing fine, but you just don’t have all the details yet. Maybe you got out of God’s pace and started blazing your own trail. You don’t want to end up sitting unwearable like the piles of clothes on my boys’ floor simply because you don’t allow God to use you in his time.

Take a deep breath, don’t stay stagnant, but don’t get ahead of God. You don’t want to have to go through the process again.  When you listen, you’ll find yourself at the right place at the right time!

“Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests? Isaiah 60:8

I’m so excited! Warmer weather and sunshine have started to appear between the snow showers we’ve been seeing. You better believe that I’ve been taking advantage of every opportunity to sit with the light flowing over me and the warmth on my face.

My “businessman” oldest wanted to have a meeting on one of the most beautiful days we’ve seen in a long time. If it gets us outside, I’m all for it! He met up with a friend to grab some lunch, and my youngest and I were going to meet them later at a park nearby after training the pup.

We bought a pizza after giving the pup a good mental workout and headed over to the pavilion where they set up shop. After eating, the meeting was still going on because they were consumed with designing shirts. It looked like that might last for a while. My youngest pulled out his homework and got to work. My boys are so responsible. Me? Not so much. The swings were calling my name!

I rested there on that swing and was still for a few minutes just letting the warm air wash over me when I realized I couldn’t just sit there; I needed to fly! The next thing I knew, my youngest was announcing that he had his homework done. Although I knew he was “too old” to swing, he couldn’t resist after watching me with my legs practically straight up in the air and my head almost touching the ground.

When an odd look was directed my way as he expressed interest in my technique, I just grinned. My youngest decided he wasn’t quite willing to let go and tip himself that far back! The difference between us was that I trusted my grip on the chains to keep me from falling, but he wasn’t so sure about that.

Sometimes we can receive some wonderful revelations when we just pay attention to the simple things in life. Have you ever seen a toddler get excited to fly high on swings? They rely on another person to push them or they start wiggling. You know what I mean! They shake themselves back and forth that produces quite a bit of movement but no forward momentum.

How often in life do we do a lot of wiggling but not a lot of letting go? When we’re too stiff to be willing to fall backwards, we tend to stay in one place. There’s a rhythm that needs to be happening as we move. To go forward and climb high, we must loosen up and allow ourselves to let go like when you allow your feet to touch the clouds when swinging. At the top of that movement is when we can allow the momentum to pull us back up and our knees to bend so that we can refocus on what’s ahead. However; we only stay like that for a moment until we are letting go again to climb even higher.

In life, it isn’t so much about depending on our own strength so we don’t fall, it’s about depending on God’s strength. When we truly want to fly, we must put your whole self into it. We’re never too old to fly!

Are you wiggling or moving with purpose? Are you relying on another person to push you? Are you relying on the grip you have on situations…or the grip that God has on you?  I challenge you to think about that today so that you don’t stop short of your destination.

A prayer of David. Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. Psalm 86:1-4

Have you ever had a time in your life when it feels like a war is raging? There’s battle after battle coming like waves upon the shore. One has barely left when another is coming in.

Have you recently said, “Are you kidding me? Now what? Not again! I can’t handle one more thing. Why is every area in my life going wrong? Everything is out of control. There’s so much darkness; where’s the light?” Oh my…those are rough thoughts. They’re scary thoughts. Those are the thoughts that the devil wants to hear out loud. I know I’ve said a few of those myself.

It’s been over three years now that the war began in earnest. I’ve seen some great victories (amazing victories); however, I’ve also faced several major challenges. After my oldest got out of the hospital, we were dealt another crisis. It brought me to my knees as I was just feeling the full impact of having a child in the hospital.

In the dark moment of another problem, I was reminded of a night in the hospital.  A nurse couldn’t get the medicine my son needed into his body, so I was waiting to see what would happen. We were both exhausted, but I couldn’t go to sleep until everything was resolved.

My oldest was dozing off, and in a world of computers, I still grabbed my pencil and pad of paper. I just started writing. Was it really coming from me? I barely lifted my pencil because the words were just flowing from one sentence to another. I was so tired that I didn’t know what was being written as page after page was filled up.

After we got home, I didn’t read what was written and didn’t remember what was there. After a few days, I told my hubby about it. He read through some of it and said that I shouldn’t throw it away. I tucked it away but felt uneasy reading it. Don’t ask…I don’t know why!

I needed a whole lot of motivation, hope, and inspiration by the end of last week. I was prompted to read what was written in the hospital. How surprised I was to see how much I could learn from it! It was able to snatch me out of that depressing place I was being pulled into.

As things were getting better, I decided to take on one more thing. Maybe I should’ve rode the calm for a few days! This was just a little thing…no big deal. I was going to attempt clipping my pup instead of taking him to the groomers. He’s a poodle. It’s more than a “get the clippers out” process, but I could do this. I had a couple people (including my hubby) cheering me on.

I started but panicked. I had mentioned that I was going to try this new endeavor to someone who looked a bit horrified because I was going to ruin my pup’s beautiful cut. It got into my head! There was an “Oops!” involved. It was this small thing after all the big things that we’d just gone through that pushed me over the edge. Why was nothing going right in my life? Total lie…I for sure knew that but couldn’t seem to comprehend it.

Did I make mistakes on the pup? Yes, sure did! Was it the end of the world? Not at all. It’s just what made me go a little loca. I had to pull out those papers again. When I was trying to wrap my mind around the words I’d written, while not even sure that I understood it all, I was told that I needed to share it with others that might need some hope and encouragement.

No way. Uh-uh! That was way out of my comfort zone. I’d really be putting myself out there. Not many people even know that I’m attempting to understand Gullah. Why? Because if I fail, it won’t make a difference would it? That was totally untrue since I’d know. Someone also reminded me that Coleman Hawking said, “If you don’t make mistakes, you aren’t really trying.”  It was time to do more trying even if a mistake was made.

Well, making mistakes is a part of life. We must put ourselves out there and be willing to make mistakes to grow. I learned with my pup that my mistakes aren’t the end of the world but the beginning of growth and adventure. I’m sure hoping that sharing with you what I had written in the hospital can help even one person; that would make it all worth the possibility of a mistake by putting it out there.

The more I read it, the more I recognized (besides the Gullah talk) that this may not have been written just for me. Maybe it was meant to be shared. Just maybe I’d been holding it hostage when it could’ve been helping another person. I’m giving it to you just as it was written. There’s no paragraphs or any fancy editing…not that you see that in my posts anyway!

There will be tests and trials, but you’re never alone. There will always be help to hold you up and carry you through. Questions will be made about your worth and sincerity. That’s ok. Turn the other cheek. Treat your children as you want me to treat you. Guide them with the love and patience I show you. When the voices of life get ready to overwhelm you, hope, pray, show your faith that I’ve given you. This is a faith that I’ve given few in order to lead others to me. A lighthouse shines in the dark just as I expect your light to shine during the tough times. Bring hope to the hopeless. Guide people to their full potential as I show you yours. Have faith in my love and examples. Read often, learn Gullah, and never hide or be ashamed with the gifts I’ve given you. When you’re tired, I’ll carry you. When you’re angry, I’ll calm you. When fear threatens to take over, I’ll protect you. It is better to give than to receive, but when you accept, do it in gratitude and in thanksgiving. Look to the cross to find true sacrifice. Don’t let the wolves in sheep’s clothing fool you. You see the real people, the true intentions, the energy generated from the heart. There may be stories behind ever person, but there are also walls to break down and barriers to crumble. You’ll find yourself in the most unexpected places doing work you don’t even know you’re doing. You’ll continue to grow, but you’ll help grow others. People are put in your life as a set up to your future. You’ll understand after the facts have emerged of renewal and desperation. It is up to the few to save the many. Jesus died on the cross for the individual love, and the guidance he wants to give is given whole heartedly without worry of payment. In the same way, love the unlovely, help the poor, listen to the heartbeat of the lost, help the difficult heal in mind and body. There will be a time when it seems that hurt is destroying, but in every hurt is healing. A time to rejoice in the angels here on earth. There is hope in every situation. The time has come to help and not hinder. To be the example is the greatest gift to a person in need. Have a faith so strong that the lines of communication will break down the greatest of barriers. Welcome new thoughts and many great blessings. Keep aware of the bad, but don’t let it push out the good. Guide the children of the world to new heights and victory over all things. There’s been a time of testing. Love is patient, love is kind, love does not envy. Help is always available to lead you into victory. Praise at all times, see the good around you, be a helper in times of need. Be strong amongst the weak. Don’t fight battles that aren’t yours to fight. Move forward to a new horizon with the past in the rearview and the future glowing brightly ahead. Many will stumble, but you will not fall. The hands are ready to catch you before you hit the ground. Hands as soft and gentle as a cloud high above the earth. There is one who is so fiercely loyal that you will run to in times of trouble. My thoughts have not changed. Plans made by humans come and go, but plans made from above will bear good fruit. The work from above is being done here on earth. Wealth doesn’t mean anything when coupled with bitterness. The way to the right path is through the hope and love of Christ. One step in front of another will make you strong and able. It is the weak who will not see the prizes that were planned for them from the beginning. Guidance and wisdom are waiting beyond every challenge. There is nothing that comes into your life that isn’t first vetted through the One of high. Welcome visitors as if they are the most important people on earth. Hold them to high standards, not because of the result of a higher status, but of a mark of respect for who they could be. Who are you? Answer that question every day with honest and healing. Do not let anyone make you hold your head down and harm you with small thinking. Remember that God did not give them your works, your thoughts, your heart, your wisdom. It is as individual as a pea in a pod. There will be naysayers. Celebrate. That means you’re closer and drawing nearer to me. Love shines through in the most unusual ways. What may seem like a disaster is really a set up. You may not be like others, but you can relate to others. Some will stop growing as they get older, but wisdom should outweigh complacency. Arrange your life to let your light shine. Relax your hold on the future and be ready to see where you’ll be taken. See the beauty among you, hear my creatures surrounding you, grow in knowledge tempered with wisdom. When all seems right, be careful with what is going on deep in the inmost dwelling places. Listen not to the words spoken but to the love shown. Action is a matter of movement and momentum. You can’t have one without the other. Forward progress is not delayed as long as love is there. Hope guides when trust fails. Fly in the middle of the pouring rain. Rise above circumstances to become nearer to me. I’m drawing you closer as the spirit of fear and anger are fighting to win even the simplest of people. The weak minded is tempted, but the strong in spirit holds firm. How can one see the necessary letters of mankind but through rest and the love of one another?

I challenge you to realize you’re never alone in your tests and trials. Do something when you feel life is about to overwhelm you. Pray, then seek encouragement. If this letter will help you, I’m thrilled. If not, don’t give up.

I think most people have been where you are sometime in their life…maybe even right now…maybe over and over again. Have hope, fly in the middle of the pouring rain, and rise above circumstances!  I know that the sun is getting ready to shine again.

Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14

After a week of being in the hospital, we were able to come home! My son was healed without surgery. He had a perforation in his intestine and it would have been a major, difficult surgery if it needed to be repaired. God is good! We found out on Good Friday that the hole had sealed off. Not only were we thankful for all Jesus did for us many years ago, we were extremely grateful for answered prayers.

I have one more story from the hospital. We’d been receiving visitors of the furry kind around there. These dogs had been certified as therapy dogs. Their owners brought them into the hospital with the hope of putting a smile on a child’s face. There was a great range in type of dog, size of dog, and personality of dog.

All the pets were calm and quiet in the hospital, but they each related to the patients very differently. If you knew what clues to look for, you were able to see how comfortable the dog was in his position. The connection, or lack thereof, between patient and therapy dog is also an interesting sight.

It was fascinating to be standing on the side of a patient instead of seeing things as a handler. I’ve taken classes with my pup that would prepare for therapy dog testing. I was using those classes more for obedience and exposure to many different situations rather than training for a therapy program; however, I was able to learn quite a bit about therapy work along the way.

We had a couple dogs that were a bit disengaged but did the basics of what they were supposed to do. Let’s say…they tolerated the attention, but just didn’t seem thrilled to be there. The others were all nice, could do some tricks, and did their jobs well.

There was one outstanding dog that I believe had the instinct, that innate ability to connect to a patient and recognize the importance of her job. She wasn’t the most experienced and didn’t have all the tricks, but she simply was the most focused on her patient.

She put her front paws on the bed, looked adoringly with soft eyes at my son, and promptly lifted one paw up for a belly rub. She stood like that with a focused attention that impressed me tremendously. The happiness radiated off her and there was a connection made.

I asked her owner about her behavior because her breed is known for their high energy and the need to keep their minds occupied. Since she was so young and calm, I thought she went against the normal breed standards. All I saw was her instincts to give of herself in the gentlest way possible.

Her owner was very young too, but seemed to have a natural, relaxed control. She told me that the dog I was seeing and the dog she was at home are totally different. She had the typical border collie energy at home, but as soon as she walked in those hospital doors, she knew she was working. I was amazed at the professional she became.

I found out those instincts kicked in for the first time when her owner’s grandfather was around. The granddaughter was worried about her pup’s exuberance and was concerned about her being too rambunctious; however, that pup took one look at Grandpa and let her energy seep out of her to slowly approach him with an amazing gentleness that went against her normal actions. That’s special!

There was one more dog that stood out from the rest. He was a smaller dog that got right up onto the bed with my son. He was hilarious without meaning to be! He was doing his job but found himself getting a little sleepy.

On one hand, my oldest can be crazy with his littermate (our pup) at home. On the other hand, he can make our pup drop off to sleep with a little massage between the eyes. He put his hands to work and that little dog couldn’t help himself. He started going in circles to find the perfect spot to curl up in the covers.

Figuring it was his turn to be taken care of, that dog looked at my son and seemed to be relieved to not have to work for a few minutes. He received that massage in bliss and promptly fell asleep. His owner was a little horrified that he was sleeping on the job! My son loved that special time with a relaxed dog that allowed him to give a little instead of just taking all the love that he had been receiving from others.

When it was time to go, the owner tried to get him up. The look he gave her made me chuckle out loud. It was as if he was saying, “You go ahead and finish the visits. I’m just fine right here; you don’t have to worry about me.” Finally, his training kicked in, and he decided he didn’t have a choice other than to leave the comfy bed he found.

I had two things that really stood out to me with these very different dogs. First, I want to be like the dog that brings happiness and peace by simply connecting with a human being. I want to be present and focused on God so that He can give me the instincts and gentleness to help another person. I don’t want to be disengaged where I’m just going through the motions.

Second, I like to be the one to help others. It feels unnatural to be the one who accepts help from those that I’m not closest to. That week in the hospital taught me to be on the receiving end of the kindness being handed out. Just like that little dog allowed my son to simply be there for him, I needed to let others be there for us. I saw how much joy it gave to my son to be the giving end.  It was special for him to be the one to relax that dog and make it feel comfortable.

What my son gave was just a tiny fraction of what he got out of it. If I wouldn’t have accepted from others because of pride, I realized how they would lose the blessings from giving. I had to graciously accept the kindness and not let it stop with me. I could pass it on when I see a need I can fill. I didn’t feel guilt like I would’ve in the past because I recognize that no one can outgive God! I fully believe that those who were so wonderful to us will be paid back in interest for their kindness.

I challenge you to be God’s hands, voice, joy, gentleness, and peace for someone today. On the flip side, I challenge you to receive with just as much excitement as you do when giving to others. Praise God for all givings and blessings. When healing is received, remember to go back and thank the Lord. Check out Luke 17:11-19… We thank the Lord for my son’s healing!

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

It was my turn to provide the amusement at the hospital. All the nurses had to do was listen to my side of the early morning telephone conversation. The snickering started when I was trying to get laundry accomplished even though I was at the hospital.

My hubby received a pass from washing clothes some twenty years ago after allowing a pen to burst and ruining several new pair of jeans. About a week ago, I was told that I needed to start teaching the boys and that hubby of mine to do some of their own laundry. It was in the plan to teach the boys because I want them to learn independence and be ready for the world. My hubby is a different story because I couldn’t quite grasp why this should be a priority now after all these years.

What was the reason that I haven’t given an in-depth lesson? Is it because I’m worried about job security? Is it because I love to do this ultimate hobby of mine? Is it because I enjoy touching their gross clothes? Nope! You see, all three of my boys have issues with the basic, beginning steps of laundry. It’s been years of listening to this broken record (that would be me) giving them the first step and still failing the test.

Let’s start with cleaning out pockets…impossible task. They remember for a while, but go right back to full pockets.  At least I haven’t found anything alive! The next monumental achievement would be to put the clothing the right way instead of inside out. Those stubborn pant legs just refuse to obey, right?

There I sat in a hospital room, trying to explain the intricacies of the washer and dryer. No, you couldn’t shove as much as possible into the washer. No, you couldn’t just gather and dump; you had to separate. No, they all don’t use the same temperature. No, you can’t dry everything in the dryer because some pieces of clothing must be hung.

The snickering got louder as my hubby was trying to explain what each piece of clothing was so that I could tell him what pile it went into. Do you know how hard it is to figure out what he’s talking about when he doesn’t even know the names of clothing?

It may have taken a lot of effort, but he was doing it! I was so proud of him. Just as a precaution, I might have strongly suggested putting a Shout Color Catcher sheet in each load…just in case. Those things are fantastic! They keep loose dye from bleeding into other clothes by absorbing and trapping that dye into the sheet.

Just like a pile of laundry, we need to deal with our sins (the dye: anger, bitterness, jealousy, resentment, unforgiveness) that can bleed into other areas of our lives causing the white and pure to become stained. How do we do that?  Guideposts had this prayer that would be a good place to start so God will absorb and trap before the staining takes place:

God, hear me and answer me. You know I am troubled by thoughts and feelings of anger, resentment and bitterness. You also know why. And You know how deep the hurt goes and how long I have lived with it. But I don’t want to live with it any longer. I don’t want to be an angry, resentful and bitter person. With Your help, I release my anger into Your hands. I surrender my resentment. I let go of my bitterness. Help me to keep letting go and release these toxic emotions as often as they try to return.

What if the dye has already bled into another piece of clothing? It’s next to impossible for us to turn a pair of pink underwear white again. If you weren’t relying on Him as Color Catcher in the first place, and you already see the stains, unlike us, He’s able to get the white back.

Today, rely on the greatest Color Catcher of all time to prevent unnecessary bleeding!

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Saturday held fear for my oldest. He’s been a champ through everything, but he wasn’t thrilled with having to get an IV. He didn’t really want to experience it a second time but managed to tough it out. The next challenge on his list of firsts was having a PICC line inserted.

When the doctors told him that there would be no eating or drinking for a week, he was not amused. My boy likes to eat! They decided pretty quickly that he needed nutrients and fat in his body. Since he wouldn’t be getting those through his mouth, they were going to have to go directly into his body. He looked at me and said, “I don’t agree with this.”

What does a mother do at this point? It was necessary to have the PICC line, but I respect his thoughts and opinions. So, we had a discussion because this was the first time he balked at anything the doctors decided. He may not have been thrilled about not eating and drinking, but he was fairly easy going about it after a few mumbled comments. I think it boiled down to fear of the unknown and not having any say in this treatment.

After we discussed why it was important, he agreed. The only problem was thinking about how it would be done. It was the first time I was uncomfortable not being with him because I knew how he was feeling about it. The fantastic part was he never had to leave his room; they came to him.

They sure came to him in all their glory! We had a team of three who breezed in and the comedy routine started. My oldest relaxed faster than I’ve ever seen him do before, which allowed me to not have any reservations about leaving the room.

I was shaking my head as the “class clown” was spouting off one crack after another…he was great! The other two seemed to balance everything perfectly. They worked together like a well-oiled machine and were done within an hour. The star patient was all smiles when we came back into the room.

The PICC line that would be used to administered his TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) while he’s at the hospital got me thinking about the necessity of having our own TPN.  Our TPN would mean Transformative Personal Nourishment.  Just like my oldest needs his TPN to keep him healthy and growing, we need ours too.  We just don’t need a PICC line inserted, we have a direct line already established through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Let’s get our TPN today with some quality time with God!

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

My boys were watching a lecture on music when my oldest stood up, then dropped to the ground in pain. I wasn’t sure what was happening, but it was clear that he needed medical care and he needed it right away. After he was able to catch his breath, he gingerly made his way to our vehicle while clutching his stomach and not standing up straight. The pain that he was going through was scary, and I wasn’t sure if I should be the one to take him somewhere. I was wondering if we should call an ambulance.

Stop one told us he needed an emergency room for images and stop two thought for sure we were heading to surgery for an appendicitis, but that was not to be. They couldn’t get a clear picture of his appendix. What they could see didn’t seem to show what they expected. After being strapped onto a stretcher, we headed by ambulance to stop three.

That afternoon, we arrived at a fantastic hospital with a team of doctors and surgeons ready to figure out what was going on with my son. They had met and discussed his case before we even arrived. After performing a test, they were ready with a game plan for the next step almost immediately. After several tests, a diagnosis was made. We’d be in the hospital for a while.

I’m sure that all hospitals strive to make a stay comfortable and serene. This hospital does that too; however, it also turns darkness into sunshine, cries into laughter, and stress into hope. When a frightening experience is turned into one that has seen blessing after blessing, it humbles you. It wakes you up in a way that nothing in the world can. God can speak to us the loudest in emergency situations. His peace has wrapped me in a cocoon of joy amid all the shenanigans.

Shenanigans? What a crazy word for hospitals, right? I’m talking shenanigans in the best possible way. The type that makes you laugh out loud and makes you reevaluate your own seriousness. Laughter makes problems shrink within moments.

I could talk about the brilliant people we’ve met, I could talk about the steps that had God’s hands all over them, and I could talk about God’s saving grace and mercy. I could go on forever about the overwhelming gratitude that I’ve been feeling. I have thankfulness for everything from insurance, to my hubby’s job, to where we went and when, to a flooding calmness, to finding the amusement in situations, to help from others, to private bathrooms, to the amount of people who cares and prays, to not allowing fear to overcome the truth that we know Who’s in control.

All the medical professionals that we’ve dealt with during the past several days, from our first to last stop, have been amazing and I’ll be forever grateful to their kindness and sunshine. As I sit here in this hospital listening to the laughter drifting through the door beside our lime green wall, I recognize what we’re looking for isn’t always in the perfect places.

Joy is not only found on vacation or when things are going right. The joy that surpasses all others is found in the places where nobody wants to find themselves. When you catch yourself finding extreme amusement and having the best time you’ve had in a long time within a hospital that carries uncertainty and unanswered questions, you see the true joy and peace of God.

The shenanigans of the day: hospital gowns. First step…learning to put them on with the opening in the back. Second step…teaching a boy to lie in bed with a blanket draped over their legs or keeping their legs together and flat on the bed. Another thing I’m thankful for is boys being allowed underwear beneath the gown. Third step…not allowing the nurses to corrupt your teenager with said gown and “giving someone a show” hilarity.

We won’t even mention about the use of portable urinals and the great conversations about how awesome those bottles can be…even when not in the hospital. You see, these shenanigans are just as special in overall well-being as all the other medical miracles. I believe that God is at work shining through these individuals who bring laughter and joy out of serious situations. God is certainly not only interested in healing the body. He’s interested in healing all those dark, depressing places that only he’s willing to go.

I thought about making this about being exposed, but there’s something even more important shining through. It has to do with the joy of bright colors, positive attitudes, and relief through laughter. It has to do with true peace and joy.

It took someone with a kind heart to come up with taking a scary CT scan and turning it into an underwater adventure for children. To my delight, I found the whole room transformed into this amazing place where I wanted to be. I was experiencing my own ocean exploration. It was fantastic! This is again seeing the silly as an enormous blessing. I’m sure there have been many smiles from children during a scary time.

My son got on the bed and was taken into the machine. A voice said to take a deep breath in. I listened. A voice said to hold that breath. I listened. A voice said to let the breath out. I listened. This is when it dawned on me that I wasn’t getting the scan done, my son was! Yet, I listened.

Do I listen as quickly as I did with that voice when I’m told that I will not be crushed when I’m pressed on every side? How about when I’m told that I won’t be in despair when I’m perplexed? Do I immediately listen when I’m told I won’t be abandoned when I’m persecuted? Do I take it as fact when I’m told that I won’t be destroyed when I’m struck down?

I challenge you to allow the peace of the knowledge that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. What an awesome statement of God’s love in us when we experience pure joy during the struggles. What a freeing thing to laugh and celebrate all the shenanigans amid the trials! It isn’t a crime to find the small things to celebrate or to laugh while in the rough spots of life; it’s a testimony!

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Proverbs 4:25

I had a brilliant idea, if I do say so myself, to buy an exercise ball that could be used as a chair for my desk. It would help my posture and maybe even work my core. After finishing a workout the other day, I was using that ball to simply relax and stretch out sore muscles. My back was on the ball, my arms were out to my sides not quite touching the ground, and my toes were helping me balance…barely. I guess I didn’t have great stability in my backbend position, plus I’m a little short.

My oldest son was sitting behind me on the couch with an ottoman in front of him. The pup started barking, and my ever so helpful son told me that his dad was home. I would’ve never guessed! I’m still sprawled out on the ball when out of the corner of my eye I saw the dog pivot away from the window and head in my direction towards the door.

What do you think happened? Did the pup knock me off the ball? Absolutely not; he didn’t even get passed me before I lost my focus, and therefore, my balance. The ball started rolling backwards with me still on it. My arms and legs were completely off the ground at this point, and all I could do was tuck and roll. I believe that I performed some sort of awesome backward somersault that would impress even the best gymnast. There was only one problem that kept me from a solid 10. I slid sideways, and the ottoman stopped my momentum. I took a corner to the leg.

Please remember my considerate son that is watching all this go down. Did he try to stop the ball from its out of control rolling? Nope! Did he reach down his hand to help me up? Nope! That would be too hard to do when one can’t stop laughing. It had nothing to do with his strength since he finds it so amusing to lift me right off my feet a little too often.

I was lying there a little stunned while that wonderful son of mine met me hubby at the door to tell him he needed to help me up, which sparked another series of guffaws from himself. My hubby rushed into the living room with a worried look on his face and confusion radiating off him due to the laughing hyena still at the door. The look on his face sent me into a fit of giggles as I explained the situation and how I could already feel my leg bruising!

With as much dignity as I could muster, I informed my hubby I didn’t need help and could get up on my own thank-you-very-much. I promptly told him it was his fault because he started the chain reaction when he pulled into the driveway. He just shook his head, and I could tell he was thinking that we were all nuts and wasn’t ever sure what he’d be walking into when crossing the threshold into our circus that we call family.

The next day, my oldest asked me how my leg was while one side of his mouth kept creeping up as he was trying to hold in another laugh. I took great pleasure in seeing his eyes bulge when I lifted the bottom of my pants to show him the two-inch by one-inch dark purple bruise that took up residence on my leg. It was the perfect opportunity to say, “And you just thought it was sooo funny.” A little guilt might’ve been good for him; however, I ruined it with another chuckle.

How often do we try to stay balanced when we know that any given moment the slightest thing could cause us to topple? The pup never pushed me over; that was all my doing. It all had to do with my focus. As soon as I looked off to the side, I was a goner! As it says in Proverbs, we need to let our eyes look straight ahead and fix our gaze directly before us.

Instead of having a wobbly foundation, I challenge you to allow your faith to become planted like the roots from the strongest of trees so when the wind blows from the east or west you’re able to bend but won’t go tumbling down. When a situation crops up that you weren’t expecting, you can stay balanced without toppling over because you’re focused on the promises of God. Your eyes will be directly on Him.

I challenge you to have a couple verses that can be referred to for you to stay balanced. Don’t allow distractions cause you to tumble!