The Best Gifts are the Unexpected Ones!!!

My sister and I have a long standing tradition of going to Bible Study and then going to eat lunch to hash out what was discussed in Bible Study.   We even go to the same place everytime, and most of the time we order the same thing, including the 99 cent cookie from the bakery.  Started out as "just our little treat" when all of our kids finally started school.  The tradition has continued for almost ten years and has seen our sweet children go from kindergarden to graduation.  Time flies and it doesn't seem possible that our conversations have gone from what will be their Halloween costume, to where will they go to middle school, to where have they applied for college.  Believe me, many many MANY dreams have been discussed  at our "post Bible Study" lunches.

I remember one conversation very well, just as I remember most conversations, thanks to my healthy "auditory recall" which I was blessed with in lieu of my bad eyes.  My sister and I were eating lunch and she told me that she had an idea and proceeded to ask me what I thought about it.  Her family had moved to a new home and she was praying for God to help her use her home for His glory.  Her idea was to start a summer camp for young girls.  The focus would be to make sure that each young girl claim the verse found  in Psalm 139:13-14 stating that she is fearfully and wonderfully made.  The goal would be to build self esteem and help each girl find her specific gift that God had given her.  I remember listening as she went on about ideas and details.   My form of processing is to listen and process, listen and process, add a nod of the head, and process some more.  I'm also known for nodding and saying "uh huh, uh huh."  But after an hour or so of her telling me ideas and me processing,  my response was "you are definitely on to something."  Looking back, my response should have been "You don't know it yet, but God is up to A LOT and He is about to use you in a mighty way."  The two of us had NO IDEA how quickly "Camp Wonderfully Made" would take off and how great it would be.  We had no idea the challenges that would come and the blessings that would be lavished on it.  But God knew.  He was looking for a woman in Brentwood, Tennessee who would say "Here am I, send me."

Well, "Camp Wonderfully Made" has grown and prospered.  Many many girls have come to camp each summer and many teenage counselors and adult counselors have been touched by the lives sent their way.   God has grown "Camp Wonderfully Made" into "Wonderfully Made Ministries" and now girls from all walks of life get the benefit of not only coming to camp in the summer but also learning and gaining the blessings from the original mission that the camp was started on.  "Wonderfully Made Ministries" makes it possible for girls to go to ballet classes and take music lessons and do things that they wouldn't normally be able to do.  It enables them to dream their dreams so that one day they might "pay it forward" and help other little girls realize their gift of being "fearfully and wonderfully made."  

Shadow of the Cross, Close to the Heart of "Wonderfully Made Ministries."

There have been those who have been involved with "Camp Wonderfully Made" from the very beginning.  My sister has one daughter and she was "on board" from Day 1.   It is not a coincidence that my niece has been given the "gift" of a servant's heart.  She literally loves doing for others and has since she was a little girl.  She has been involved with virtually every aspect of "Camp Wonderfully Made" from administrative duties to lifeguarding to counseling.  But she truly shines when she is working"one on one" with a camper.  Often she can be found with the camper who is having a bad day or one who just needs a little extra attention.    They literally cling to her sweet spirit and kind smile.   My niece is now a senior in high school and is now contemplating her next step in her education.  She has worked very very hard to do well in school and get the scores needed to get into the college that she has always wanted to go to.......the University of Tennessee.  Her resume' is heads and tails above most others because, as I mentioned before, all she wants to  do is help others.  But she has done her due dilligence......hours and hours of tutoring, speech classes since she was three years old,  ACT Testing, and more testing, homework and more homework, and did I happen to mention more speech and more tutoring...........and did I mention that she always has a smile on her face and never a complaint in her beautiful heart?  So it was completely fitting,  that "Sweet C" got her early Christmas gift from the One who formed her and created her perfectly.  My sister was hosting a fundraiser for "Wonderfully Made Ministries" so that little girls could be given the chance to use their God given gifts for a higher purpose, when her own sweet girl pulled her aside to let her know that she had been admitted to the college she had worked so hard to get into.  When we heard the "ARE YOU SERIOUS!!!!" shout from the kitchen, my older sister and I knew instinctively what was going on.  We both dropped what we were doing and quickly  made our way to our sweet sissie and niece to join in this celebration.  How fitting that these two who have given so much time to helping other girls find their gifts were now getting a huge gift of their own, with a Big Orange Bow.  I think that our Heavenly Father must have had a wonderful time coming up with this surprise for his two daughters who had so willingly followed his call to help others.   I can picture Him thinking "wouldn't it be great to give them this gift when they least expect it.  I know, I'll do this when they are busy focusing on giving to others."  Then I can picture Him, as we all gather and celebrate  in the kitchen, looking around at the angels  and saying "Well folks, that's what it's all about."    What a great gift from God to let us be there when "Sweet C" and her mom got this exciting news.

For those of you who wake up in the night praying for your child,  holding tight as ever to the faith that God loves that child more than you do and He will not disappoint......but then realizing that there are  certain things that  are out of your control...........Keep holding on........Keep praying.........Keep believing...........Keep following His call on your life.  That's my Story and I'm Stickin to It. 

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."  Psalms 139:13-14.

A Shout Out to "Second Tier" Blessings!!!

Hallelujah!!!!!  There is now a TV show that my entire family can enjoy together.  Not since "Friday Night Lights" have we had a show that we could all gather in the den and watch and genuinely enjoy together.  I have tried, on occasion, to get my 4 boys into one of  "my programs."  My husband does try to sit and watch "the girly" shows with me, just to be nice, but I can tell when he is about to throw in the towel.  Last week during "said girly show" he actually got up and went to iron his clothes for the following day.  Dead giveaway when he would rather iron than watch "my show." 

There are so many reasons to love "Duck Dynasty."  You have to actually sit and watch several episodes to really get the "Duck Dynasty fever."  But when you do, WATCH OUT, because you will find yourself watching and waiting for the next DD marathon.  It's one of those rare shows that is funny, pure, feels good, and sometimes, seems all too familiar, at our house.   These people all feel totally comfortable in their own skin and it shows.  They are thankful for their "redneck roots."  Things like family, religion, eating what you hunt, morals, forgiveness, and laughing are all in a day's work.  They don't apologize for their way of life, and it almost makes you yearn for the simpleness of it.........and then you realize that this is a "reality show" and some of it is staged and some is not.  Never the less, the concept is unbelievably inviting.  Seeing a grandfather take his grandchildren hunting and fishing and sortof weaving the wisdom of life into these times are what make this show special.  Phil isn't afraid to talk about the "birds and the bees" with his grandchildren, although he does it in a way  that is so appropriate and refreshing.  They respect nature, they respect guns and what they can do, they respect their wives and daughters, and they respect each other.  There's no bashing of either political party, there's no discussion of anyone's sexual preference, there's nobody sleeping around with someone else's wife,  or anything that gets one's feathers ruffled.   What it does focus on is hard work, family love and very funny stories.

When someone asks me what I am thankful for I immediately go to the biggies.   I try to never take my good health for granted.  Free country, family, all of the things that are the things we are most grateful for.  There are also things that don't really fit into the "first tier" of blessings, although they are huge in our everyday lives.  These are the things that almost on a daily basis you smile to yourself and think "I love that."  But it might not register on the list of biggies right here at Thanksgiving.  So today I'm gonna give the "Second Tier" of "Thankfuls" a "Shout Out"....... Those things that warm my heart and make me smile. 

I'm thankful for:  High School boys who "step up" to encourage the  younger guys.   I'm thankful for unexpected texts from my college student.  I'm thankful for brothers who aren't too cool to engage in an all out snuggle fest.    I'm thankful for the three women at Battle Page Insurance who make my husband's work day a little more bearable.  I'm thankful for Tuesday Bible studies with my parents and sister. I'm thankful that God invented music and the Brentwood Baptist Choir.  I'm thankful for the kids who totally make my day when they seem glad to see me and give me a hug.  I'm thankful for belly laughs with my sisters.  I'm thankful for much needed glasses of wine and dinners with my husband.  I'm thankful that I can talk politics with people who disagree with me and we still love each other.  I'm thankful for trips to the grocery store where you run into so many of your friends.  I'm thankful for melatonin to help me sleep better and good coffee to wake me up.    I could go on and on but suffice it to say, that when you get to this age it's the little things that totally brighten your day and make you sit back and take notice. 

So here's to "Second Tier" blessings and Duck Dynasty.......Happy Thanksgiving!!!!  That's my Story and I'm stickin to it.

Life's Disappointments

Life is full of disappointments.  It's literally always something.  Sometimes the disappointments are huge and other times it's just a momentary "shrug of the shoulders" disappointment.  This week  has just been a "losing" kind of week for me.  First, my candidate, Mitt, gets beat.  Then, several of "my teams" get beat and before you know it, heck, I've been on the "losing end" the entire week.  It should come as no surprise that the weekly Bible Study I go to on the Book of Daniel, was about the approaching tribulation and end of the world prophesies.   Just perfect to go with the kind of week I was in the middle of.......stinky, loser week.  As usual, I'm really trying to see the glass "half full."  I'm hopeful,  I'm praying,  I'm even listening to praise music to lighten my spirits.  I end the stressful week by making a full recipe of fudge tarts and enjoying every bite.  Nothing seems to help............

I think we can all agree that as "middle agers" we have dealt with our share of disappointments in life.  I'm talking about disappointments, not devestating events that are truly life changers.  The things like presidential elections, football games, failed tests, missed opportunities........those types of things.  By the time we reach 40-50 years of age we have learned to shrug our shoulders and probably mutter something under our breath like "Unbelievable," or, if you're a little more disappointed you might emaphatically say, "Man, that sucks."  (I know, I know..... Southern ladies should not say "sucks" but that sortof goes out the window when you're truly disappointed.)  Having said this, disappointment rises to an entirely,  I mean hugely, entirely, different level when our children suffer disappointments.  I have been known to literally turn red starting with my toes and ending with fire coming from my mouth and ears when I feel that my kid has been "wronged."    Whoever said that the "wrath of a woman is like none other" was a very very wise person.   The problem comes when you know deep down, as a parent, that your child must suffer disappointment in life in order to learn how to deal with life.   We would love nothing better than to go in "firing with both barrels" but we know deep down that is not the answer.  I think about how many times I have been disappointed and hurt through the years by friends, coaches, teachers, and sometimes, family.  I also think about organizations like schools, churches, teams, work places, politics, etc.... that I feel have treated me unfairly.   I have spent the past week going over some of these in my mind because I have truly had a "poor pitiful me" week and have, oddly enough, pondered through a lot of the disappointing moments in my life.   I can say that most, if not all, of those experiences had a pretty profound way of shaping who I am today.  I don't really remember if it was by nature that I dealt with these disappointments in a certain way or if my parents taught me how to deal with them.  It was probably a combination of the two.

What I know for sure and for certain, after having a pretty miserable time at my pity party this week, is that I don't want to be that person.  I don't want to be negative, and skeptical, and bitter and yuck.  I want to be joyful and happy.  Do I feel the need to have a "pity party" every so often?  Yes!!!  ...But I am thankful for friends and family who refuse to let me "park" there.  They encourage me to "move on."   I always said that I NEVER want to be the older person who is bitter and griping and complaining.  I want to be encouraging to younger folks and give them hope when the world disappoints them.  I'm finding that harder to do, the older I get, and the more I learn about how mean and unfair the world can be. 

This week as I was rounding the corner on my street I saw my precious neighbor, whose name I don't even know.  She gives me inspiration even though she has no idea who I am or that I am watching her.  It might be very cold or very rainy but she finds the strength to walk every day.  She "keeps on, keepin on." (And might I add that she had 4 Romney/Ryan signs in her yard.)    I also went to a college football game this weekend.  There I saw all kinds of people on walkers or in wheelchairs.  They had obviously struggled to get there.  Most were smiling and laughing and holding on to their mate.  They were loving life.  I see "Wounded Warriors" riding bikes while missing arms and legs,  I see posts on Facebook about parents who are taking care of premature babies and then I see posts about children who are fighting cancer, and winning.   I think that it's OK to vent every once in a while.  It's even OK to say that something "sucks" when it does.  It might even be OK to question God and why he allows certain things to happen in this world.  But it is never OK to lose our joy that comes through God's new mercies that he graciously gives to us every morning.   The joy that the creator of this universe loves us and has our backs, even when we don't realize it or even believe it.  He still does.  This, my friends is what I will ponder this week.  No more whining and griping..........I will ponder the amazing love that I never even earned or asked for.......I just received it.  Unbelievable.

 "And HOPE, does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts, by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."  Romans 5:5 

Lamenting......and a little Preaching

Well, here we are, the morning after the 2012 Elections and sure enough, the sun came up,  I got my children off to school, and I am planning to go to work and pay bills.  I've read all of the positive upbeat comments from people about the sun still coming up and God still being in control.   I want to say that I agree whole heartedly with these sentiments, in fact, that's not only my "hope" but what I place my faith in every day of my life.....not just this day.  However, I believe that my job as a citizen and a parent is to learn valueable lessons through life and then try to use those lessons to help others.

One of the things that has continually "gnawed" at me during the past four years is the back and forth that has gone on regarding the different "classes."  There are certain "hot button" isues that don't hardly even get my attention and others that just really get "in my crawl."  The "class warfare" is probably THE ONE that really makes me angry.  It makes me angry because I thought we had moved past the whole rich vs. poor, black vs. white, man vs. woman, etc... etc....  I guess I mistakenly thought this, because in my world,  I had.  As I have said before on this blog, I was brought up being taught that "Joe Blow" down the street, "puts his pants on just like you do.....one leg at a time."  The thought process saying "I deserve this or that" just doesn't enter my mind.  The botttom line is that there will always be those who have more than me, financially speaking, and there will always be those who don't have as much as me, financially speaking.  I am "called" to love people and to me that means to genuinely love them.  To love their hearts, to talk to them, bring joy to their lives, tell them the Truth of God's word, to help lift their burdens, but ultimately point them to the only joy there is.......their eternal HOPE through Jesus Christ, God's son.  So hopefully everyone reading this blog understands where my heart is.......However, I do live on this Earth and God has given me a brain and a conscious, not to mention discernment to help me distinguish between right and wrong.  I believe  that at the young age of 48 I still have a lot to learn and will until the day I die, but I also believe that at the ripe old age of 48, I have enough life experience to preach a little and lament on things.

Allow me to lament a little.........I am sad that  half of our nation didn't choose to give a man with a proven record a chance to try to fix our economy.  I am sad that a wonderful, American made, family like the Romneys aren't going to be the famiily representing the United States of America.  I am sickened that half of our citizens still even give an ear to Bill Clinton, who doesn't know the difference between "having sex" and "having intercourse."  I am sad that our President sees the need to call his opponent a "BullShitter" to Rolling Stone magazine, just to achieve the cool factor.  I am sad that God was "booed" at the Democratic National Convention.  I am ticked that President Obama thinks that small business owners didn't "build their businesses."  I hate that 4 Americans were killed in Libya and that our leaders are flat out lying about the events that led to that.  I hate that Jay Z is cheered on like he is one who we should be inspired by.  It makes me sick that Joe Biden is our Vice President.  It is disturbing that President Obama is the most pro-abortion president in history and that women's issues focus on birth control and abortion.  All of this leading to  another bottom line........The leaders who were elected last night don't like me, they don't like anything that I stand for, and they don't like my family and most of my friends.  They don't even like our part of the country. Yet, I'm supposed to like and trust them?  Well, I don't.  

There are always, always,  always lessons to learn. My kids get so sick of this, but I'm forever saying, "what can we learn from this?"  Well, here goes that part.......and really this is to the next generation because they may not hear me now, but hopefully they will at some point.  Everyone has their most important lesson but here is mine.........NEVER let anyone else tell you what you should believe or how you should think.  Use your brain.  Research, study, ponder, talk to people you trust, and most importantly, pray, and then decide who you are and what you stand for.  Through your life, ask yourself this question every single day.  "What do I stand for?"    That's my most important lesson but I've got plenty of others:

2.  Do Not Lie.  Tell the truth.  If you will tell the truth you won't have to backtrack and "hem haw" and use the annoying filler word "Look" to get people's attention. Let people know that you will tell them the truth and then do it.

3.  You don't have to try to have the "cool factor."  You don't need swag or brag or bad language to be cool.  You are cool because you know who you are and what you stand for. 

4.  Do not give up on voting just because it's obvious that your vote doesn't count.  It might seem that way, but always vote.

5.  Quit blaming.  Are you kidding me that President Obama, and frankly half of the country, are still blaming the George W. Bush era for problems that have gotten worse over the past 4 years.  Take responsbility for your actions.  It's past time to figure out a way to fix problems. 

6.  There will be  those who look down on you because you are from the South.  They will make fun because you might be conservative, you might talk with an accent, and you might not drive a hybrid car.  NEVER EVER let these people make you feel like you are ignorant or narrow.  ALWAYS be proud of your Southern values. 

I will wrap it up today, but not in a tidy little package.  I'm mad, I'm disappointed, and I'm sick to my stomach.  I will pay my taxes and I will continue to influence my part of the world, but I will NEVER change my values.  I will never think it's right to abort babies, I will never think its right to lie and cover up,  and I will never look at how much money one has to determine what "class" they are in.  That's my story, and I'm stickin to it.