“That’s Not What That’s For!” July 27, 2008

I found myself telling that to my kids tonight as they chased each other around with their Elefun toy.  Moms, do you know the one I mean?  It is a plastic elephant that has a long tube for a trunk.  Air blows thru the trunk sending little papery butterflies up into the air and kids try and catch them with little butterfly nets.  The goal of the game is to catch as many as possible.  Well, my kids thought it would be funny to chase each other around blowing the air into each other’s faces.  Hilarious.  As often happens with toys, they eventually get used for a purpose other than was intended by the designer.  Not such a big deal with a toy. (Unless of course an eyeball is poked out)

I wonder if the one who designed us is sometimes yelling that same thing from the heavenlies when we are doing things with our selves and using our time in ways other than how He intended?  ”Hey!  That’s not how I intended you to use that!”  Hmmmm….

~kp

Road Maps or Road Signs, which do you prefer? July 24, 2008

Our house is filled with anticipation today.   We are in preparation mode for our long awaited vacation – which by the way, begins tomorrow.  I haven’t started packing yet, (not unusual for me)  but at least I have started my list(s).  The first item on my list is a map!

Unlike my oh so wise friend Kim who loves to get out her map and pre-plan all the routes she will take, I’m not much of a map reader.  Sadly, neither is my husband.  We tend to jump in the vehicle, start our journey, and while we know the general direction we are headed in, we don’t necessarily pre-determine the specific paths we will take.  

This can be a fun way to travel for a while;  you know – keeping things interesting, adding a bit of excitement.  But it often forces us to pay very close attention to the road signs and do a lot of hoping. Hoping that we are still going the right way, hoping we are not lost. Consequently, while our attention is directed towards looking for signs, we tend to miss out on the beautiful scenery along the way.  Not to mention some colorful discussions or alternatively, dead silence to add to our repertoire of “most fun” holiday memories.

Don’t get me wrong signs are very useful and I’m thankful for them; but God gave us a road map (His word), so that we could spend less time looking for indicators, less time wondering if we are lost or if we are on the right path and more time enjoying the adventure.  

I’m getting out my map for this trip – how ’bout you?

~dl

Till Death Do Us Part? July 23, 2008

Kelly and I attended a wedding this past weekend.  The groom is a good friend of our middle son. They have known each other since seventh grade.  As you can imagine, they spent a fair amount of time at our house.  It felt as though I was watching one of my own get married. 

The bride came in, radiant, as most brides are.  Then this young couple stood before God, and a church filled with people and declared their covenant vows.  As I listened to each one, take their turn at pledging their unconditional love and commitment to one another, I thought back to my own wedding vows.  This couple was “ooozing” with love for one another.  For a brief moment, I missed that feeling; the racing heart, weak knees, and butterfly stomach I used to get, when I looked at my man.

Then I remembered,  I love my husband with all my heart, but it isn’t that kind of love anymore.  It’s a love that has stood the test of many trials.  We have shared years of laughter and heartache, some sickness and some health.  Till death do us part, was absolutely the commitment I made, when I stood before God on my own wedding day.  I meant it as much as I possibly could mean it, as much as I knew what it meant, without knowing what was ahead.  Marriage is hard work, plain and simple.

It was God, and by His Grace alone, that I have been able to keep my vows. 

The enemy is circling our homes, waiting to pounce and destroy.

Need a little help keeping your covenant?  Ask the one who understands covenant, more than any of us ever could.  His Grace is sufficient for all of us.   Let’s pray ON OUR KNEES for all the married couples we know. God honors those prayers. 

~dl

Consume without delay! July 13, 2008

My in-laws were recently here for a visit.  We had a great time and made some memories.  We also made many trips to the grocery store.  It seemed the thing to do and I love shopping with my mom-in-law (Mum).  On one outing I picked up a package of specialty crackers.  Fig and olive flavored crackers.  I know.  Yuck.  But I saw the word FIG and grabbed them just for Mum, who I knew is a fig-lover from way back when.

I came across the half eaten box today in my cupboard and chuckled when I read what was printed on the side of the box, “Consume without delay for maximum taste experience!”  Doesn’t that just sum-up the mentality that the world loves us to have?  We are constantly encouraged to “consume without delay.”   Hurry!  Buy now!  Don’t wait!  One-time offer!

What happened to: “Slow and steady wins the race”  or “Look before you leap”  or  ”Haste makes waste”

Ha ha!  I am pretty much the President of the Impatient Club.  It is difficult for me not to jump first and figure out the details later.  I don’t do “wait and see” very well.  As demonstrated in my seeing the word FIG and grabbing the box without noticing the “and Olive” part.  Mum ate a few and said they were “nice.”  Dad also ate a polite 2 or 3.  My hubby and I secretly made the gagging motion when no one was looking and I may have to pitch the rest of the box unless I can convince a girlfriend that they are super-yummy.  Any takers?

~kp

Make a Wish July 7, 2008

Twinkle, twinkle little star, make my dreams come true.  Blow out the candles, close your eyes, cross your heart and hope to die, and swear you’ll never tell.  How I wish on a shooting star, for love and fortune too. Throw a coin in a well.  Then your life will turn out swell.

Do wishes come true?

Last weekend my family and I were out to dinner at a local restaurant.  In the middle of the patio dinning area was a wishing well.  Kelly (my husband) gave Taelyn (our five year old son) a coin to throw into the well so he could make a wish.  I remember Kelly’s words as Taelyn turned and ran excitedly away,  ”Here you go buddy, go make a wish.  But remember, you can’t tell anyone or it won’t come true.”   

I hadn’t thought about this silly little myth in years.  It made me want to know; Why do we wish on a star or in a well?

The idea of wishing wells granting wishes came from European folklore.  Water was seen to have healing powers and therefore wells became popular with many people drinking, bathing or just simply wishing over it. People believe that the guardians or dwellers of the well would grant them their wish if they paid a price. After uttering the wish, one would generally drop coins in the well. That wish would then be granted by the guardian or dweller based upon how the coin would land at the bottom of the well. If the coin were to land ‘heads-up,’ the wish would be granted. If the coin landed ‘heads-down,’ the wish would not be granted.

That just makes my heart ache.  That someone might be “wishing” when what they really need is a miracle. AND then your heart pounds as you release the coin, you close your eyes, cross your fingers, and the outcome; determined when the coin lands right-side-up, or face down.

If the “wisher” could only see that twinkling star up-close; what makes it shine.  And if they only knew that star was formed by a spoken word.  If water has healing powers, where did the water come from when it first appeared?  If they knew, would they count on a falling star to fulfill their dreams or trust their desires in the bottom of a well?

The tradition of dropping coins in ponds and fountains stems from this. Coins would be placed there as gifts for the deity to show appreciation. This is apparently not just some silly ancient folklore. In November 2006 the “Fountain Money Mountain” reported that one in every five adults throw coins in a well and tourists throw just under 3 million pounds per year into wishing wells.  Thats a lot of wishes.

I don’t know if wishes come true and I’m not about to have my hopes dashed by the wrong turn of a coin. Here is what I do know;  

When you pray, and place the desires of your heart in the hands of Jesus, MIRACLES HAPPEN! 

~dl

Community July 3, 2008

We have had such a great first week of summer vacation that I have been blown away!  Each day has been filled with fun and laughs and something else that I finally was able to put a label to today…   community.

Check out this picture:

Isn’t it great?!  Now THERE is a happy bunch of kids.  I am in process of reading a book by Greg Ogden called Transforming Discipleship.  Our Pastor has recommended it and it sets forth a vision of changing lives through developing deep discipling relationships in smaller groups.  The goal being for discipleship to become a self-replicating process that impacts generations.  And there is no better example for us to study than how Jesus did His ministry.  

A couple of friends and I have formed a small-discipling group and have been intentional about getting together to talk about scripture, examine our heart-questions and to pray.  I can’t imagine a better get together than we had this week ~ while the kids played in the sunshine and ate ice cream and enjoyed each other’s company.  Community.  Doing life together in community.  That is what the early disciples did in the book of Acts and I love that we have found a taste of it in this fast-paced, “don’t open up too much for fear of rejection,” “everybody should mind their own business,” “look out for #1,” mentality that permeates our culture.  Thank you GOD!

~kp