Category Archives: Yes, Indeedy

Tuning In To His Song

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SONG

Go…

Cringing and grimacing are often seen, along with some snickering thrown in for good measure, whenever I sing.  I can’t carry a tune to save my life.  Thankfully, I’ve never had to.

That’s why I find it so laughable that the man I call “husband” has such an amazing voice.

He doesn’t think he does, but, oh, how he can sing.  Not in a you-should-go-out-and-start-a-band kind of way.  No, no.  I’m talking about the I’m-gonna-stop-my-catterwauling-to-listen-to-you kind of way.  Others might move a few rows farther away when I get fired up, or wish they were in a different car.  Not so, when he does.  Others tune in and scootch closer.

He doesn’t think his song is all that special, because his brother sings, too. And well!  As in, already-an-artist kind of way.

But, each time that my man chooses to belt it out, and thinks he’s just blending in with the host of other voices around him?

My own singing ceases (thankfully).

I look up at him.

And I.

Just.

Listen.

To his song.

Because it’s always beautiful.

It’s Five Minute Friday time over at Lisa Jo Baker’s place. Dontcha’ just love it?  Today’s prompt is “song”.  You know you want to read what others had to share about this little word.  Click the button below and you can!

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Seek First

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When there are more tasks at hand than hours in the day,

And the heft of your circumstances exceeds the girth of your paycheck;

When you are tempted to check out,

And it seems like running away might be a good idea;

If you are on the verge of shutting down,

And all hope seems lost;

Seek God first.  

The Message puts it this way:

“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

And the New Century Version puts it this way:

“Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well.”

Does any of this speak Truth into your heart, my friend?  Because, it surely does mine.

Those times that I am in the throes of agony, mired in controversy, or trapped in indecision, I don’t always seek God first. In fact, sometimes?  He’s the last One I seek.

Can I tell you something?  That never works out that well for me.  And I am not using the word never, lightly. It may bring momentary stress relief or seeming clarity to a muddy situation – but after?

When Later comes, time shows me that I could have gained more peace and perspective had I simply sought out my Creator. First.

Truly? Who else could know me better?  Who else could know the situation better. 

Who knows the beginning from the end?

Seek First the kingdom of God.

Oh, do!

Yes, indeedy.

and

One way that I seek first is by filling my heart with God’s peace and perspective one minute at a time. Proverbs 31 Ministries has been a part of my spiritual sustenance almost as long as I’ve called myself a Christian. One ministry that has been a constant and easy encouragement has been the one minute radio broadcast that Lysa TerKeurst and Renee Swope provide. These broadcasts air on radio stations across the country. I can not tell you how many times I’ve been struggling, turned on my radio, and caught this quick broadcast, only to have it be on exactly what I’m struggling with!  I can. not. tell you! Click here to listen to today’s P31 Ministries broadcast or to learn more. 

Making The Shakes

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Sweetman’s blender blew up last week.  This was cause for a Five Alarm Freakout, as he uses it every. single. morning. to make his healthy shake.  A shake, mind you, that he’s attempted to get me to try no less than 22 times in the last 4 years.  I’ll give him an “A” for persistence.

Anywho, Sweetman is a bit of a health food nut. He puts approximately 42 ingredients into this poor blender and expects it to just be up and attem’ every time.  (I kid.  He only puts 10 ingredients in there.)

I’ve attempted to explain to him that if he’s trying to pack that much “health” into one blender, it’s bound to explode.

He just sighs at me.

I wink back at him.

It’s the way we roll.

The irony is that I had just taken a picture of the before and after of The Shake Process to send to my friend who wanted to know what all was in it.  She suggested I post it for those of you sweet souls who are into that sort of thing.  You know… healthy stuff.

Here it is, in all of it’s glory:

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The Shake Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt/Greek Yogurt (whichever your “pleasure” – can yogurt be a pleasure??)
  • 1 cup Frozen Mixed Berries
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen chopped kale (it’s all the rage, dontcha know?)
  • 1/2 cup flax-seed (he has tried chia seeds – they are gross tasting – just a PSA for folks who care about, say… taste)
  • 1/2 cup steel-cut oats (uncooked, and not regular ol’ oats – apparently the “cut” of steel cut lends to their health factor. Okayyyyy. )
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1/4 cup 100% pure cranberry juice
  • 1/4 cup 100% tart cherry juice
  • 1 big squirt of buckwheat honey

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He blends the flax and oats together first into a fine powder. (I asked him why he doesn’t just buy already ground flax-seed, by the by.  He claims they lose some of their health properties once ground – so potency is, apparently, key.  Whatevs.)

He then adds all the rest and blends it up for a good 1.5 minutes.

Hopefully, your blender will last a good while before going on strike.

Enjoy!

* Sweetman most certainly does not need to know this, but, I don’t actually mind The Shake.  I just have to pretend that I can’t stand it so that I don’t end up drinking it every morning for the next 4 years.  Do ya feel me?*

Do Something Fun

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Barely able to contain her excitement at mama’s reaction, I watched my Sweetgirl out of the corner of my eye, yesterday, as I opened her Mother’s Day gift to me.  I unwrapped a lovingly made preschool painted print of her hand as a tree and her fingerprints as the flowers. Beautiful.  Then, I unrolled this interview paper:

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I’m thrilled beyond belief to know that I’m still in my first decade of life, and that she recognized my deep and abiding love for ice cream. However, do you see that arrow up there on the left?  I had to work so stinkin’ hard not to cry when I got to that line.

Immediately, I started wondering what mental image, of me, my children will take into their adulthood’s.  “She doesn’t do anything for fun.”? OUCH!

Oh, how I want them to remember that mama did indeed have fun doing this most difficult and important job. Most of all? I want them to recall a mother who enjoyed being their mama.

The word “intentional” comes to mind here.  If that is truly how I want to shape their memories, then I do believe I’m going to have to do a little less of the head-down-finger-dance on the keyboard and a little more of this:

boogie_board_missindeedyThat is my mothering goal, moving forward.  It turns out that my Mother’s Day gift was a lesson.   One I’ve heard before, but clearly forgotten.

“Good, better, best;never let it rest.
Until your best is better, and your better is your best.”

If you’ll excuse me,  it’s time to go do something fun.

Be a mama to the two sweetest kidlets I know.

Yes indeedy.

Have You Called Your Mother?

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The Nana and I have fought, and hard, for our relationship over these last 40 some-odd years.  It’s been worth it.

Where we are now?  It’s a good place.

There was a period of time, an altogether-too-long period of years, where my mama would be the last person I’d call for advice, comfort, or inspiration to carry on.   Is that a harsh thing for some of you mothers to read?  I’m sorry.  It is a true story.  One that, I hope, makes what I write next, about my mom, all the sweeter.

Ours is a relationship redemption story, if there ever was one.

Walking down that road of pending motherhood, I realized that all of these hopes and dreams that I had for my own sweet children, were tied up tightly with every fiber of my being. And that was a frightening revelation, a scary prospect, and a depressing way to behold the future of my children. Does that make sense to some of you? The thought overpowered me that, “I was only going to be able to do the best that I could with what I had.”

Sadness permeated my heart at that thought, followed by no small amount of resentment.  I didn’t feel like my mother had prepared me for this mighty job that I now had.

And, at that point in our relationship, I didn’t feel that I could or would ask her for her help. Nor did I think, for a moment, that she would have any constructive or encouraging words of wisdom to share.

Redemption sometimes comes unexpectedly. As I lay with my firstborn nursing him in the wee hours one morning, it dawned on me that my mama truly did do the very best that she could with what she had.

That brought a softening to my heart.  And, ultimately, opened the door to some Grand Scale Healing in our relationship.

Is it sunshine and unicorns now?

Nope.

It is progress.  And Love.  It’s a blooming friendship built on the hope of continued trust and a committment to slather on the grace whenever and wherever.  It’s all of these things, and so many more, wrapped up together to strengthen the fibers of my being.

And, hopefully, hers too.

Now?  I do ask her. All the time, it seems, I ask her what she thinks I should do, could I have handled this better, which outfit should I wear to this event. It’s almost like these last 8 years or so, we’ve been making up for lost time, cramming each interaction with as much mother-daughter love as it can possibly hold.

And I am deeply grateful.

My mother, The Nana, my mama?  She is a gift to me; a precious gift that truly does keep on giving, with each new day that we spend knowing that we are mother and her daughter.  This redeemed relationship is a gift from the God who sees; and isn’t afraid to reach right in and continue to draw us closer to one another, and to Him.

Dear Mama,

I love you.  I’m so glad you’re MY mom. 

Now, turn on your phone, you’re about to receive a call.

Love,

Pooh

Sole Comfort

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Charles Schulz penned a Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy sits atop his doghouse wondering “Who comforts the comforter?”  I can’t even tell you how many friends have sent that to me over the years.

The first few times I received it, I laughed uncomfortably.  They were all emailed or snail-mailed or Facebook messaged with little notes saying things like, “Take time to fill up your own tank, too.” and “Who’s helping YOU through this?”.

The next time or two that this cartoon drifted into my inbox, I sat up and took notice.

It slowly dawned on me that in all of my desire to comfort and encourage others, I had missed how necessary it was to accept comfort for myself!

Although there are sweet friends who have done a lion’s share of comforting over the years, my sole source is God.  It is He who stands with me and for me, and never leaves me to stand alone.

It is He who provides the experiences that allow me to then pour comfort out onto others.

And that is a gift.

Yes, indeedy!

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT)

I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker , and all of the writer hearts that join her, for her Five Minute Friday write.  The only rules are to write on a one-word prompt that she gives for five minutes and to encourage a couple of other brave souls who have shared as well.  If you’re curious what others thought of when they heard the word “comfort”, just click the button below. 

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The Iris of My Eye

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Do you have an Iris?

Probably.

No two are alike, you know.

Here is mine:

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The (in)courage webcast, this weekend, included much talk of Mentors; both being one, and having one.

My mentor is my friend.  And her name is Iris.  She is creating a legacy that is born of a desire to live for God.  I want to honor her today, by sharing her, a bit, with you.

My Iris is infused with joy. She has a twinkle in her eye and a laugh like a giddy little schoolgirl.  Her hair is a different color almost every time I see her, and the woman wears accessories with the panache` of a runway model.  She knows her limitations, and has learned well how and when to use the word “no”.  She wears wisdom well.  Grace and humility adorn her.  Her heart is strong in the Lord. And her arms are always open to me.

And that?  That is just scratching the surface of this funny, compassionate, and adorably short woman,  I assure you.

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“Isn’t it such a privilege to serve the Lord? It’s such an honor, isn’t it? We get blessed in just so many ways when we do, don’t we?” These are all standard refrains from my Iris.

The more time I spend with this woman, hearing her stories and seeing her delight in life, the more my own appetite is whetted to pursue God in every area of my own life. She has logged countless hours at the feet of Jesus. And the Godly wisdom and counsel she has readily available, because of that time, is precious to all who are blessed by it.

“God gives us children and they are our mission field.   We are blessed to be able to spend time with our children. It’s a crucial time for them – this time that you have at home with them.”, she often reminds me.  When I’m weary of the daily, I can count on her to swoop in with her encouragement to just keep relying on God’s strength, not my own.

She never follows these positive reminders with “Don’t ever forget that!”. And, she doesn’t begin them with “You really should…!”.  No, no. She never chides.

My Iris only encourages.  And mightily.

“I think what you’re doing now – putting your children first, is the right thing.” Each time I consider embarking on a new adventure, this woman, who has been down many of these same roads before, challenges me to consider what I will be giving up for it.  And, more importantly, she asks me what God might be whispering in my ear about it? “Have you prayed? I will pray for you about this.”, she will say.

I’ve been mistaken for one of her daughters more times than I can count. It makes me smile each and every time.

I say she’s my sister.  And, indeed, she is.

What’s more, the legacy she will eventually leave, is one of a woman who loves well and often.  Who laughs at all the days to come.  Who joys in the very moment she’s been given.  Who lives life with zest and enthusiasm for each new challenge. A woman for whom the word adventure is an intimate friend and who is well acquainted with The One who has given her every breath.

I am deeply honored to be mentored by my sweet Iris.  Any legacy I am creating is shaped, in large part, by her influence in my life.

“We’ll keep you in our prayers.”, she ends every conversation with.

And I’ll be keeping you in mine, sweet Iris.

Yes indeedy.

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Alpacas, Gerbils, and Community – Oh My!

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“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.”

Matthew 18:20

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Did you know that Alpacas spit?  Maybe you were already privy to that information, but I always thought they were far too cultured for that.  Apparently, while they won’t spit at you, they will indeed spit out into the great beyond to share their disdain for something that you might be trying to introduce them to. Like, say… a harness for the first time.

And, did you know that there are Gerbil Rescuers? Oh, yes. There. Are. You know how you can bring home “two male gerbils” and 2 weeks later you awake to miraculously find that there are approximately 23 more are in the cage now, too?  There are kind folks who will swoop right in and help you make that right.

I learned these things, and so much more, from these beautiful new friends that I made at the inRL Meetup that took place at my home this weekend.

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I wrote here, back in March, that I had taken the leap and signed up for the (in)courage inRL (that’s in real life) meetups that were going to be taking place this past weekend, around the world. And not only did I sign up to attend, but also to host at my home. (‘Cuz I’m just extroverted like that).  I wrangled a sweet friend with Mad Decorating Skills to come help me in that area because God so clearly neglected to give me that particular skill set.  True story. (And that would be the beautiful lady on the far right up there!)

My friends, if you didn’t get a chance to make one of these this year?  Put it on your calendar for next year. NOW!  It was amazingly refreshing and uplifting and encouraging. And I have pictures to prove it, of course.

But first, I must show you how I started the morning.  I put on my brand spankin’ new white inRL t-shirt, and proceeded to get lipstick right on the front of it.  Lipstick that is, apparently, immune to any sort of stain stick. Trust me – we tried a few different ones.  I took it as a reminder, from the God that provided this opportunity for community, to Keep It Real.  Amen?

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As each new woman walked in, I reminded myself to breathe and to just brightly say, “Welcome!”, instead of rushing to explain what was staining the front of my t-shirt.

And do you know what was amazing?  No one noticed.

Do you want to know what else was amazing?  These women!  Not a single one was at the same stage of life as me.  Not a single one had a child with Autism.  There were two without any children at all. (Although, we’re all counting the Alpacas as children after our conversation!) We were all at various places in our faith journeys, in our work lives, and relationships.

We may not have been a large group, but God brought five women together to learn about what community can feel like -with all the pain and joy it brings with it – in real life.

And it was so good.  So. Very. Good.

With the icebreaker over and the gabbing winding down, we gathered around the screen to watch the webcast on Staying in Community. There were so many heads nodding throughout, that I thought heads were going to fall right off of bodies! Such wisdom was conveyed during the telling of these genuine and heartfelt stories during the webcast.  A few of my favorites were the following:

  • “We all need to be told it isn’t too late to make it beautiful.” –Angie Smith
  • “…we walk around and pick up a few of each other’s shards to add to a few of our own. Because that is what good friends do.  Become safe places to break wide open and share the shards of our mess.” – Kristen Strong
  • “The thing that wounds us is often the thing that God will walk us through again to heal us.” – Mary DeMuth
  • “Sometimes when we stay, it’s because our testimony isn’t about us at all- it’s entirely about Him.” _-TeriLynne Underwood
  • “You need imperfect people in your life to perfect your practice of love.” –Ann Voskamp

These were just a few of the many many thoughts I tucked into my heart during this webcast!

The talk of mentors had my head spinning for the rest of the day. I didn’t write down who said, “Mentors are like anchors. They ground us when things get rough.”  I chewed on that for hours!  And Marina Bromley spoke of the importance of being real: “One of the best gifts you can give to a mentee is to not be perfect – but perfectly open.”  Oh. My. Soul! Don’t we all just crave someone to be real with us?  Someone who will let us be ourselves and not turn us away when we botch it up and good? Who will call us to the carpet when we’re turning away purposefully?  And love on us when we aren’t?

Are you feeling like you missed a great opportunity?  Don’t! If you missed it, I do believe it will be made available later on, in DVD format. I’m going to tell you straight up to run and get yourself a copy, when it does! You will be so thankful.  And encouraged.  Who doesn’t want that?  Who doesn’t need that?

This is one event that I plan to take part in forevermore.  It did my heart and soul good to know that I was part of a larger community of women who are trusting in God to see us through every stage of life. And that we’re better… together.

Yes, indeedy!

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A Little Vacation is Good for the Soul

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I won’t be around much, until the end of next week.  Actually, I won’t be around here at all.

You see, I’m leaving for vacation with my sweet family.

And I aim to bring back stories.

And pictures.

I’ll let you know how that all worked out for me real soon.

Consider this my own little “out of office” notification.

Yes indeedy!

 

We Need More Sock Puppets

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This week has been so tumultuous.  I’m trusting in this, right here:

via Pinterest via Renee Swope

So… I thought we could all do with a joyful little story.  Here ya go.

A week before Sweetgirl turned five, The Nana kept telling us to watch the mail for her card.  I thought it was odd that she would make a bunch of fanfare about a card, but thought it wise to indulge her. I am nothing if not respectful of thy mother.

Each day, we eagerly checked the mailbox for a card from The Nana.

Nothing. Nada. Zilch!

And then, one day, this arrived:

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And we instantly understood.

Is this not the most fabulous card?  I’m not sure who played with Princess Slipperfoot more, me or Sweetgirl.

Therefore, I do believe we need more sock puppets.  It’s fun for the whole family.

Or, at least, for me.

And, a note to The Nana – I will never doubt your enthusiasm for a card, again.