Oodles of Giggles

Okay - there is nothing like hearing a baby cackle for the first time; or hearing yourself laugh at your two year old retelling a story; even a 7 year old telling his first knock knock joke and laughing to encouraging him..... but let me tell you - there is nothing and I mean nothing like a good ol' roll on the floor laugh, holding your stomach, tears streaming and thinking "I may pee my pants... where is the bathroom" kind of laughing.... anyone know what I am talking about?

These laughing spells don't come often enough, but when they do, whew, they fill up that joy tank to FULL.

My husband has been under a lot of stress lately just being a husband, dad, youth pastor, RN and oh, yeah, pursuing his Master's degree.... and last night, before we went to bed, he got into what I call "Oodles of Giggles" state - he just laughed and laughed and laughed. Then I reciprocated. It was a laughing show down. I think he just came to the point where the stress needed an escape and it poured out in laughter, which then filled up his joy tank. It was so pure, so timely, and so attractive.

The Bible says this about laughter, "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." (Job 8:21) and "Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." (Psalm 126:2)

While life can get tough, and hit the max on stress, and we feel like we are about to burst through our skin - if we don't ooze of it first, right then we can open up a bowl of "Oodles of Giggles" and allow the medicine of laughter to overtake us!

So no, you can't drive to the local grocery store and pick up a carton of "oodles of giggles" but you sure can try and spot it, and when it happens, girlfriend, just soak it all in!

KURPLUNK.....

Oh the joys of being a car owner….

The regularly scheduled oil change, annual inspection, tires and brakes that need replaced from wear and tear. Sometimes even despite the avid car owner who never misses a transmission flush, there is always that possibility of BREAKDOWN when the car just goes….KurPlunk.

Last week, it was this Beloved’s turn, to go KurPlunk… to stop amidst a busy highway and my car would not go one inch.. oh, yes from a cruising 55mph, to a slow down around 45mph because a car was going to turn up yonder, to a push on the gas to speed up just to hear…. Vrooooooooom…. and go nowhere! Oh yes, the instant stress, you know that white gripped knuckle and that mumbled prayer, “Oh, dear Jesus help me!” came right out of my lip gloss lips. After the call to my husband and the AAA (Lord bless the founders and corporate offices for offering this service) I sat and waited. Only to follow the van to our mechanic’s shop and him to say, “I will call you with a diagnosis.” And the call came a few days later with a diagnosis came, “The only gear you have is reverse.”

What good does reverse do me? Not much. I don’t want to always go backward, the majority of the driving experience is going forward to get to a destination.

Sometimes in life we feel like everything has gone KuRplunk. Things seem to be unraveling. Our gears seem to be out, we sit idle in a highway with the traffic of life flying by at 55mph; we wonder how we aren’t in a collision… and the best news we get is “You only have reverse.”

Some would say, “Well at least I have something.” Others would say, “That’s worthless.” And people like my hubby say, “Let’s rebuild the transmission and fix it.” And boy, I have a wise man. I mean really, in life, when the heel on our pumps break and we have to take it off and carry it in one hand, while hobbling along with the other heel on (go ahead picture it), we forget half of what we actually needed on the grocery list, the car makes funky noises so we just turn up the music to cover it, the unexpected drains the bank account, the doctor report isn’t what we expected, a surprise pregnancy, a pink slip at the job and the list can go on… just the everyday taxi driver job of being a mom and we fall apart….. you know what….

When the mechanic says, “You are only left with reverse…” Say, “Good… because now God can rebuild me.” He is the glue, the Almighty, the Alpha, the Omega, the Creator. He can bring fresh perspective. Fresh air – a new breath… as you were created with God’s breath. (Gen 1:7) If you are feeling unraveled, down and out, not up to par, overwhelmed, stuffed, snuffed and your engine is sitting in a neutral position just revving up…. I challenge you sister, that you cry out to Jesus and allow him to breathe LIFE into you, that you surrender all and allow him to diret the rebuilding of your life so that you can continue to walk in those favorite pair of shoes, carrying that bag that you love knowing that you are fulfilling the plan and purpose he has for your life. (Jer 29:11)

How's your SNIFFER?

Okay, so everyday we wake up either make a list to do or look at the leftover list to do from the day(s) prior...lol - I know we all carry something over that just didn't get done.... (please, I can't be the only one!)

You know, just like we have our tasks for the day, God has a task assigned to each of us for us to accomplish in our lives! (1 Cor 3:5) What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.

Girlfriends, do you know YOUR task that the Lord has assigned? Have you sniffed it out like our noses that can quickly smell a dirty diaper or something rotten in the refrigerator? Or (and check your pretty pedicured toes, I might step on them here....) are you too busy sniffing out what your sister in Christ's task is and worrying about it?

Like why do we come to that place? Worrying about what "SHE" is doing and how God is using "HER?" We allow jealousy, bitterness, discontentment, dissatisfaction to come into our lives when we SNIFF out what someone else's task is. It's like we have to see if he gave her a better pair of pumps to wear over the ones he gave us? Why can't we just be happy to what he has ASSIGNED to us?

Hmmm......

Here's a reality, if you do your assigned task and I do my assigned task, then God's plan and purpose comes together! Everyone's task is packaged different, because we are all different and have different talents and gifts - so don't look and see how pretty HER PACKAGE is wrapped, take time and unwrap yours!

Get your sniffer going, if you haven't sniffed out your ASSIGNED task - seek the one who wrote the list and begin taking one step at a time to complete your task. It may take your entire lifetime for it to be done - matter of fact the completion may not come in your lifetime, but in the next generation! Just stay focused on your task and do it in a PRINCESS FASHIONABLE way.

When you sniff it out - it will smell of God, the aroma will fill you with God's presence, and everyone around you will see the reflection of God because a passion and joy will be beaming from your face. Oh and what a beautiful reflection that will be...

Go sniff, Go step, Go be pretty!

Twinkle, Twinkle

Girls, do you like things that sparkle?

Come on, glitter, glitz, sequins, rhinestone - DIAMONDS?

Just like many of us girly girls love to wear something that has a shimmer,

hey, I even have cream that has a shimmer in it to make my legs glow (thank you, Avon.),

did you know that you are called to twinkle?

Philippians 2:14-16 says, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing."

Wow! "SHINE LIKE STARS!"

I recently watched a DVD that talked about the stars....

Stars aren't just some little dot in the sky and we show them to our kids and say

"Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are?"

Stars are intense and BIG!

Stars from down here seem little and pretty, dainty in the sky - they are even

awe striking on a clear summer night looking at the vast darkness full of shimmering

beauties.

But there are some key things to note about stars!

One would be they are huge! The sun is not the BIGGEST star in the universe.

There are many other stars (thanks to HUBBLE telescope) we can now see.

Second, stars were BREATHED into existence by our God. (Psalm 33:6)

Wow - that is like even hard to wrap our mind around. How big is our God?

But what is interesting is just that we are called to SHINE LIKE STARS!

You know what I take from that....

When darkness is around and there seems no hope, that the love of Christ who lives in me,

should shimmer, sparkle, twinkle and impact people... the darkness should fall into the background and the beauty of Jesus should stand out... and people should stand in awe of who I am in HIM or who He is in me! (whichever way you wanna put it) They should see my God is an awesome God. My twinkles should reflect his love, his grace!

Philippians says to do everything (clean the toilet, trim the hedges, wash those dishes, etc) without complaining so that you are BLAMELESS and PURE! Reflecting his TRUE LOVE...

Wow, girls!

You can sparkle and twinkle just because he is in you, not only because of the glittered purse, shoes, clothes or accessories that you have in your wardrobe (although add them to your already glowing twinkle from Jesus and you will be sparkling all over)!

Study his word, seek him with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding.... in all ways acknowledge him and sparkle, sparkle, sparkle!

Pregnant?

Oh, that exciting feeling... you take the test...you wait 5 minutes... you look... you are so surprised, overwhelmed and happy all at once! Many of us have had that experience already and are called Mom or Mother, sometimes "HEY".... this blog isn't to focus on the "Mom Factor" though what an important factor MOM is, hello, mom of 4 here! What I really want to look at is the pregnancy factor? Even the pre-pregnancy factor?

Should I get pregnant? What do I need to do to conceive? Is there a right day to try? When to start the prenatal vitamins and cut out the caffeine? All these questions! Did you know that as you read this you are pregnant? Maybe not with an actual baby that will be birthed in 9 months at a hospital and requiring OBGYN appointments monthly, but you are PREGNANT with a PURPOSE AND A PLAN! Some of you even have visions.... dreams that have been implanted in you..... and boy, girlfriend, that is so EXCITING! I'm just overjoyed that there are so many of you reading this that already have babies within you that are just waiting to mature and grow and be birthed! (Again, not human babies, but spiritual ones!)

For some, we are still in the beginning thinking process, should I try and conceive, you know, ask God to give me that dream? We are just unsure, unknowing at the moment, we are kind of exploring the possibility. For some gals, they have been doing the preparation work (taking their vitamins, making life adaptations), the studying, seeking, searching and for some the baby has been planted in your womb and its time, girlfriend, its time to start growing it!

God is calling you to take your FIRST STEP OF FAITH and trust not in your own strength, trust not in your own understanding, actually throw it all out there and shout, “BY THE GRACE OF GOD I’M GOING TO BE A MOM!” and go out there and make that first phone call, send that email, knock on that door --- he knows your steps girlfriends, get your best pair of pumps and cutest handbag and get ready to go on a walk with God!

More on this to follow in another blog!

The Festering Zit

Okay, so we all have had the "honky tonk" huge bulge on our face....like the under the skin zit that is growing, festering, but just hadn't made its ugly face appear... oh, come on, you know what I am talking about and someone is just chuckling thinking about it. Well, here I am, age 31, and have one of these indescribable blemishes on my cheek... yep, its smack in the middle of the cheek bone that even a gallon of concealer won't hide this baby - but that blessed white head hasn't even appeared - but I know it's in there somewhere!

Well, of course, being me, I can't help but look at it a gazillion times hoping that its ready for the glorious pop so I can douse it with medicine in order to kill the ugliness and dry that baby up. However, some of these zits can be annoying, they just sit there and don't come completely alive and you wait... go to bed, wake up and nothing, brush your teeth and still nothing, even shower and hope that hot water pulled something together and still nothing.... so you poke, you squeeze and you just keep messing with it and guess what's left..... a festered zit with fingerprint indentations, redness and possible bruising the next day. Humph. And double humph humph.

You know sometimes in life, we have situations that arise that we poke, push, prod at just to find out we cause more bruising, heartache and hurt than if we allowed time to pass and the festering to stop, calm down and the healing to emerge on its own. We so often get into a "tiff" with someone and all we do is toil over and keep going back over the situation and over it and over it just to find out that we have left more bruises and markings on this "zit" (your situation) than we did healing, sorrow, love and forgiveness.... really think about it.

Sure we as women need to get things out in the open, talk about it so we can "get it all out" - but really, sometimes, we need to sit back, zip the lips and allow God's timing to emerge as when to "pop" it all out and allow the healing to come thru love (1 Peter 4:8). The more we push (and not in all cases, but in quite a few I have experienced) I hurt more, I look worse and feel ugly, verses the times that I have sat back, meditated, prayed and sought God for the proper way to deal with the festering zit (your situation.)

Hope you chuckled but yet got the message... and the next time you get a zit, girlfriend, leave it alone the ugly head will emerge and you won't have the bruises and redness to show you put up a fight, instead a little concealer, blush and a good dose of prayer will make that baby look pretty.

Obedience: To do or not to do? That is the decision....

Wow, everyday we wake up and have multiple decisions to make. I know as a mom of 4 that I am constantly making decisions not only for myself but for everyone else in the family - from the kids clothes to wear for school, to when to feed the dogs! It is a never ending cycle, question, answer, question, answer... all the day long! It's no wonder by the end of the night that I am exhausted!

But - everyday I wake up and know that is what my day holds.. and I also wake up and know that the day is GIVEN to me by the grace of God... and decisions are so much easier when I get up and have my God time, then when I sleep in and slack in it!

But sometimes decisions just aren't clear cut answers, unlike these, "No, Samuel (Age 7) you can't play with steak knives! or Yes, Sarah (age 3) you can wear the pink dress again!" Those decisions are simple, you could even say "easy." Man, though, there are some tough decisions... like what's my purpose in life? Who will I marry? What career choice should I make? What's my future like and so forth.

Believe me, at the age of 31, I am just starting to really get this! Without giving a long drawn out story of "me", let me just say this.... the reason I am writing this blog today is because one year ago, I created the account, I even titled the page, "Obedience: To do or not to do" and I let it sit... and not just for a little while... let's say well, over a year. This blog was created on July 1, 2009...haha, I am just getting to it and not because I necessarily want to, but because after a year of petitioning God, seeking, knocking, waiting and listening... I really believe the Holy Spirit is leading me to write blogs. I am not even sure what this all will entail, what will become of it, how much or how little it will be viewed or read, but this I do know... I am choosing to be in OBEDIENCE to God. I would rather be called insane and be obedient to God then to be known as sane and disobedient to Him.

There have been multiple things that I have chosen to do that don't meet the average Sue's criteria, and frankly, they weren't always things I thought I would ever do, but, God said go and because one day I surrendered to Him and gave him my hands and feet to be his vessel, guess what - I go. The choices aren't always easy nor are they comfortable, but this I will say... having the security of knowing God's on my side and if he is for me, then who can be against me is so peaceful when I lay down every night to go to sleep.

I don't know where God is taking me, what exact path he has laid out before me, but I am going to continue to chose obedience, because the blessings that follow it are worth more than the agony and misery of living in disobedience. Where are you girlfriend? Are you running from a choice? Are you in limbo and unsure of a decision? Does the weight of what tomorrow will bring keep you back? Do mistakes from your past paralyze you from propelling to your future? I am not you and not sure where you are exactly, but I can tell you this, when I lived in disobedience I always had this "urgency" in me that said you should be doing THAT! (and your that may be different from my that, but whatever "THAT" is - let's get this baby rocking!) Don't hold back, let go and let's go for the journey of your lifetime! You never know what beautiful sceneries, sights and memories are waiting to be discovered!

May you choose obedience from this day forth and may the blessings of God that go with your obedience to HIM abundantly bless your pretty socks off!

Much love!