A Logical Argument

Today was supposed to be our well check for both kids.

I know, it’s a crazy time of year.  But waiting until January isn’t good for me.  It throws the whole “one well check a year” off kilter.

 At 8am the phone rang.  The doctor’s office said, “Dr. McD is sick.  We are going to have to reschedule.”

Ben, now 5, was very perplexed as to how this visit could not go as scheduled.  His comment was so funny, “She’s a doctor; why can’t she fix herself?”

Maybe I’ll Light The Night!

I was never a big fan of Halloween.

After 9/11, I totally decided to turn off all the lights in front and go to the back of the house.  I couldn’t answer the door anymore.

A kid came to my front door the year before with a mask that shot blood out of it. My one year old at the time was just mortified.

So, that was the end of it for me.  No trick or treaters anymore.

But then, a few weeks ago the station started a promotion called “Lite the Nite”  and it changed my mind. 

October 31st is the only time complete strangers come to your door.

What would Jesus do?  Would He hide?  I don’t think so. 

I think I am willing to be bold.  I am going to experiment; to stand up for my faith and give out good candy and maybe some glow-in-the-dark bracelets.  I’m going to get my kids to help, maybe have them meet some of the neighborhood kids.

I don’t want people passing by my house and saying, “Oh, we never go THERE!”

I think it’s time to step out of faith and not hide in fear.  I’m not saying we celebrate Halloween and put our kids in witch costumes…I’m saying maybe it is time to be in the world and not hide.

Let’s be a light to the world…and let it shine!

Which Sailor Are You?

This morning I was awakened by that stirring feeling.   It’s the kind you get when God really wants to show you something.  It’s a “Come, let Me show you something” type of call that speaks to your heart and not your head.

And, those are the best calls.  AT&T cannot reach out and touch someone any better than God can!

I said last night that I needed grace.  And although that is true, there is something that God showed me I need so much more.

Look at Matthew 14:22-32 with me….

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go

on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 

After he had dismissed them, he went up on mountainside by

himself to pray.  When evening came, he was there alone, but the

boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the

waves because the wind was against it.  During the fourth watch of

the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.  When the

disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. 

“It’s a ghost!” They cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them, “Take courage.  It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.  “You of little faith,” He said.  “Why did you doubt?”

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down  Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Which sailor are you?  Are you often the one who stays in the boat because you fear too much?  I know that I am very much like those other sailors.  I need FAITH!!!

I want to be Peter, but I fear the failure.  And not trying is so much safer because at least you don’t say, “Oh, I failed at that.”  Not trying is my safety net.

Or is it?

I think Peter was THE ROCK as Jesus said.  He went for EVERYTHING he could in life.  Sometimes it got him in trouble, but God still saw his heart.  And knew him to the very core.

I look around my house and my waves are massive in my mind….clutter, laundry, dishes, toys, yesterday’s mail, third grade schoolwork, last weeks newspapers.  I attempt to organize it during the day, but in the end, I fail.  So it gets ignored for a while, until I can’t stand it again.

What if I’m going about this the wrong way?  What if I’m looking too much at my waves, and not looking enough at the One who made them?

What if I could keep my blinders on and focus on Jesus and HAVE FAITH that all things DO work for good for ME because I LOVE HIM and I am CALLED for HIS purpose.

Not my purpose.  HIS!!

I think so many times we are so busy that we forget how big God is and that He cares about every little detail.  I think we lose faith so easily.

My son, Ben, has come downstairs and sat in my lap.  He has just informed me that he wet his bed!  Talk about little details.  So I guess this is where my test begins!  LOL!

Let’s make a deal; just for today, let’s focus on Him and the blessings He’s given us.  In faith, let’s remember the waves are not as big as God and decide that we can walk on the water.

Then, report back here and hit the comment button to let me know how your day went.

Good faith (not luck) Sailor!!!  Talk with you soon; I’ve gotta go change some sheets!

 

Desperate Housewives? The SUPER MOM Myth!!

Our topic tonight was Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God.  It is a new book coming out October 30th.  This book is AWESOME and dispels the myth of SUPER MOM!!

Stacy McDonald and Jennie Chancey wrote this book. Stacy has 8 children at home, Jennie has 7 children.  These moms know what it takes to raise children and run a household.  You can go to www.passionatehousewives.com for more information on the book.

Jennie is a former feminist who uncovers the true motive of feminism—to get women out of the house and away from raising her children.  To find out more about Jennie and her organization, Ladies Against Feminism, go to www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com

Stacy is a native Houstonian and author of a book about raising Godly girls.  She has a website and a blog.  To find her, go to www.raisingmaidens.com  Here’s a picture of Stacy and her family……

I can’t help but confess I’m a terrible housekeeper.  I need to learn more.  With God’s help, I am determined to get better.  I want so much to live a balanced and organized life.  I realize that at the stage of life I am in, it’s not going to be perfect 100% of the time.  God is merciful and gives me grace to survive!

When all is said and done, I want my kids to remember I was the kind of mom that sat down and read to them or played Scrabble.  I want them to take those memories with them as they walk through life. 

Whether the house was clean or not, I want them to know they were loved.

Let’s Go….GNO!!

Okay, so I’m a little excited.

Tomorrow, Rachel and I are going away for a night on a mother-daughter church retreat with another mom and her twin girls. 

Point of Grace is going to be there, and it is a Pajama Party!

So today, I was listening to Radio Disney in the car with the kids and what comes on but Miley Cyrus’ song “Girls Night Out.”   The song talks about going out with the girls and says, “Let’s Go, GNO, Let’s Go, GNO…” GNO=Girl’s Night Out. 

So now, that’s my mantra for the next couple of days!

Coming up this Sunday at 6pm on KSBJ (89.3fm in Houston) and www.ksbj.org   We’ll be talking about Desperate Housewives!  Not the TV show, but the book called “Passionate Housewives, Desperate For God, ” by Stacy McDonald and Jennie Chancey.  The book is due out October 30th.

We’re going to blow the lid right off the Stepford Housewife myth that housewives should be in pearls, high heels and fetch husband’s slippers.  In addition, we’ll also talk about what the feminist movement has done to marriages in our culture.  We will talk about how being a homemaker is NOT a waste of God-given talents.

I’m looking forward to this show.  Truthfully, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed with housework these days.  The house does not stay clean.  Part of me just gives up, why bother?  I know that is not the right attitude, and I could use an adjustment in my thinking.

I think our culture paints the picture that women can have it all, and that if we stay home (like I do Monday-Saturday) we are wasting precious talents and resources and losing brain cells by the minute.  NOT TRUE!!

I’ve gotta go pack….GNO!

Weighty Issues

Growing up I had my moments of hard times and rebellion.

Most of them dealt with food and self-image.  It started in the 4th grade.

My homeroom teacher took it upon herself to inform my mom that I didn’t get along with the other kids because I was overweight.  I did not think that was true. 

To look at me then, you wouldn’t think I had a big weight problem.  I had not lost all of my baby fat and I was pre-puberty. I was normal.

But the picture my teacher painted was far too real and hurtful for my mom.  It made her think of her own childhood; a childhood that was full of teasing and damaged emotions because she was “fat.”

So the logical reaction for my mother at the time was to take action; to put me on a diet.  I was around 9 years old.  Her efforts were, I believe now, well-intentioned.  After all, she explained to me that our family had fat genes and that she didn’t want me to end up big.

Unfortunately, well-intentions aside, she had begun a form of sabotage.

No self-respecting parent wants to sabotage their child on purpose.  They really want to do the best for their kid.

That is why I can look back and forgive her.

In order to look forward, I have to forgive.  I also have to talk about it.  I want to prevent other parents from doing it to their kids. I struggle with this even with my own daughter.

Rick Warren from the Purpose Driven Life says the very thing that is your biggest sin can become your greatest ministry.  My fear, since I heard him say that, is the sin I have struggled with is gluttony, and I haven’t wanted to “own” it.

But I do.

I can honestly say that I have been delivered from the crazy binge type eating I used to do as a kid.  The reason I did it then was because I felt unaccepted and a little unloved.  Not in the true sense….I knew my parents loved me. 

The binge eating was gross.  I believe it generally started out as me being hungry at 3pm when I’d come home from school and not having enough to eat during the day because of the dieting, I think I ended up sneaking a few extra snacks or nibbles.  But somehow, I ended up eating weird and stupid things.  Like concentrated orange juice from the can, still frozen.  And peanut butter out of the jar with some chocolate chips thrown in.  It gradually progressed to me hiding food under my bed and stealing money from my dad’s dresser to buy food.

One time, at my friend Brandi’s house, I ate almost an entire dozen chocolate chip cookies in one sitting.  I was around 11 years old.  Her mom made them for us.  She must have thought I was a pig.

I was, instead, a child crying out for help.  I went through every diet and fad you can name.

Until about a year ago when 2 books and one main realization changed me forever.

First, I realized that dieting was not an answer.  That eating healthy, which I had never learned to do, was the only way to change.  I learned this through a life changing program called The Maker’s Diet (maker meaning God).  I began to learn that the things I thought were fattening were actually good fats…I began to eat organic, live food and stop buying the preservative packaged food.  It was amazing the results.  I lost 20 pounds and 3 dress sizes. I gained more energy and self-esteem.

The second book that changed my life was “I Kissed Dieting Goodbye,” by Elliott Young.  She was a guest on my show this week.  She believes the more fresh food we eat, the better off we are.  She also encourages us to be sure to model good eating habits for our children.

She believes if children are 20 pounds or more overweight, they need to get help from a nutritionist/registered dietician. 

She urges us to get off the couch and get out with our kids and go play.  Go for a walk, get active.

I believe this show was life changing for many callers.

To get in touch with Elliott Young, visit www.kissdietinggoodbye.com.

It Boggles the Mind

It was bound to happen, sooner or later.

My daughter, who is 2 months away from turning 9, went to school yesterday with makeup on her face.

I didn’t see it until I was helping her out of the car with her backpack in the carpool line.

“What is THAT?”  I asked her.

“What?” She answers.

“You have makeup glitter on your face!” I told her.

“I don’t!!” She denied she put anything on.

It was OBVIOUS she was not telling the truth.  She has “that look” on her face when she lies.

I’m in the carpool line searching frantically for a handiwipe.

Found them!  AHA!

I wiped it off.  She continued telling me she didn’t do anything.

Later that day, I picked both the kids up and we went out for ice cream.  I broke the news to her.

“No Disney Channel for 3 whole days….No TIVO of any Disney programs.”  And I took the play makeup away.

Surprisingly, I didn’t get as much objection out of her as I thought I would.  I thought I would get the dramatic, award winning tantrum.  But I didn’t.

So, today since we were not doing television, I decided to get a few board games out.  One ended up being Boggle Jr.  We had never played before.

So we sat down with both the kids and played.  Ben did the 3 letter words, Rachel spelled the 4 letter words by looking only at the picture card and not the letters.

The game went pretty well.  Until Rachel forgot how to spell bowl.  She could not think of the W.

Then, THE Oscar/Emmy Award winning tantrum struck. 

She was angry at herself for missing that word.  She was frustrated and started screaming, “I hate myself, I’m stupid!”

Thank God my sweet husband had the day off and heard all the commotion.

We explained to her that everyone makes mistakes.  We also pointed out to her that the voice she was listening to was NOT the voice of TRUTH.  It was the voice of the Enemy.  We told her that it is important for her to remember who she is and WHOSE she is.

So many of us adults face that too.  It’s like the Casting Crowns song, “The Voice of Truth”:

“But the voice of Truth tells me a different story,

The voice of Truth says do not be afraid…”

“After all the voices calling out to me….I will listen and believe the voice of Truth.”

It boggles my mind that even at this tender age I see my child face the decision of which voice to listen to.  Does she listen to what God whispers in her ear or does she listen to the lies that Satan gives her?  Lies like “you are stupid,” and “you’ll never get it.”

As long as I am able, I will pray that she and her brother hear the voice of Truth and choose to follow it.

Who are you?  WHOSE are you?

An Incredible Moment

I’m avoiding housework! I’ve been to several costume sections of retail stores searching for the right thing for my son. 

A Mr. Incredible costume.  Reminds me of what happened last month on our trip.  (was it really that long ago? seems like yesterday) 

It was a magical moment. Ben and I had finished with the Playhouse Disney show at MGM and went to the place where the characters “hung out” to autograph kids books and take pictures.

There was no one inside.  We were first…

We rounded the corner and standing there was Mr. Incredible.

Words cannot describe how excited Ben was at that moment. There is something about the way a child’s eyes light up that make every care in your world disappear when you look at them. 

Hannah Montana is WHAT?

My daughter, Rachel, loves Hannah Montana.  I’ve only let her start watching in over the last few months.  You know, it’s a cute show.  And as long as I monitor it, I don’t mind her watching it.  Usually Hannah learns something; like she lies and gets caught.  So, Rachel and I will talk about the show.  Like, what could she have done different to prevent from getting into trouble.  Even the episode “Get Down, Study,udy,udy” inspired her to do some memorization in a creative way for a test at school.

But when she came home from school and said, “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus is pregnant, ” I nearly lost it! 

My first words were, “Hannah Montana is WHAT?  Rachel, that cannot be true.”

She argued, “My friend at school said so.  Someone at church told her.”

Great.  Gossip at church.  Isn’t there a Bible verse about that? 

I maintained two points to her, “First off, Miley Cyrus’ dad is very protective.  I knew people who knew him when I worked in Nashville.  He’s not about to let her go date anyone right now.  And, the second point is she’s touring.  I don’t think she’d be packing every arena from Houston to Cleveland with that kind of liability.”

Okay, so I didn’t say liability.  I said, “She’s touring and NOT married.”

This brought up the looming fact that I am going to have to tell this child where babies actually come from.  So whoever made up this little rumor; thanks a bunch.  Because now, I have to start researching ways to tell my daughter the facts about life.

But I’m going to do it from a Godly perspective.  There are a few books out there; I just got to find them.

And, by the way, Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana IS NOT PREGNANT.  She has come out in the papers and said that she is not, and futhermore, believes in waiting until marriage.

Way to go, Billy Ray!  Raising a kid right in this day and age is not easy.  And when you are in Hollywood or Nashvegas (the entertainment spotlight) it is twice as hard.

And speaking of hard, it is impossible to get Hannah Montana tickets!  Unless of course, you are made of money and don’t mind buying them on ebay for $1,000 and up.

I love my daughter; I want what is best for her.  That’s why I’m putting that $1000 in savings and not in Hannah tickets.

Something is really wrong when we are shelling out that much dough for something that only lasts one night! 

The Mundane

Now that I’m feeling better, Ben is sick.

He’s not as bad as I was; but a little bit fussy and coughing.  Not to sound bad, but there goes my Mother’s Day out just as I am finally feeling better.

I use those days to do the stuff I have a hard time getting done when the kids are home.  The annoying, irritating mundane stuff.

Like doing dishes, laundry, cleaning bathrooms.  Things that grate on me.

So today, when Ben was “home” we decided to run some errands. 

He doesn’t usually ask for stuff when we go out.  So when he asked for a donut, I found a place for him.  It was only 9:30 and he hadn’t eaten alot.

I enjoyed sitting with him while he ate his donut with sprinkles.

After he was finished he found a stool and climbed up there to watch this guy make kolaches (like large pigs in a blanket). The guy put the cheese on the dough, then the sausages, then rolled it up and set it aside.  He did this OVER and OVER. My son was fascinated.  I almost could not get him away from the window.  He kept asking questions and watching the man work.

Then, it hit me.

This man was doing the same thing, the mundane, over and over, day after day.  He still managed to do it regardless.  And my son found him fascinating. 

Why couldn’t I have the same attitude? Why should I complain about the mundane stuff in my life?  I should be thankful for my house, two healthy kids, and a husband who works hard to provide for us.

I went home with a new attitude and I spent the evening doing the pots and pans I keep putting off.

Then, my husband came home sick…..here we go again! 

But, this time, my attitude is better.  And I have an appreciation for the mundane.