Hold On!

Who can explain fears? I certainly can't. As a child, I wasn't a complete scare-dy cat, but being outside in the dark was an issue and spiders continue to be problematic and one or two other things give me the creeps. All in all, I'm fairly brave….I think. Even though I know people who don't mind the dark and love spiders, it makes me want to ask those people what is wrong with you?? It's true that some folks will shake while walking in the dark and others will relish the peace and quiet found there. There are other things that leave some people wide-eyed and sweaty--like public speaking. Some will eagerly jump on a stage while others would rather clean a toilet than stand in front of a crowd.

Fears are strange creatures--often times unexplainable and often times- life altering.

This past week, we spent the week in fantasyland with my son and his three children. The fantasyland was Disney World where everyone sings and dances and life is good… except, if you are a child who has a fear of adventurous rides. I'm pretty sure adventurous rides were in Walt Disney's game plan from the beginning and were never intended to scare a six year old to death, but my youngest grandson, Aevin, must have missed that memo. At six, he was the perfect age for Disney. We were so excited to take him and looked forward to watching this little fireball laugh and scream his way through all the Disney parks. After all, he has no trouble facing another football player twice his size. He's a tough little kid. But, to our dismay, at Disney, the place for kids, he was afraid of EVERY adventure Disney offered. Rides that have brought thrills and chills to children for the past 40 years had Aevin trembling like a leaf on a windy day. Okay, there were two exceptions—the tea cups and Dumbo's amazing flight—the two oldest Disney adventures--built before new technology. I know; it's sad.
We should have seen it coming. Looking back, there were a few clues. The morning we arrived we happily paid our $14.00 for the privilege of parking our car and then, gathered our belongings. We headed for our first ride—the shuttle. The friendly voice from the front of the Disney shuttle calmly reminded us that children should be seated between the adults. Aevin, who never misses anything, got this. He made sure he was between us and then asked, "Is this ride going to be fast?" NOTE--clue number one. But we didn't recognize this as a clue; we just knew this was new territory for him. So we told him it's not very fast and went back to our trembling---caused by the unusually cold weather Florida had the week we were there!! (WHO KNEW??) This seemed to satisfy him and we still had high hopes for him joining us on Space Mountain.
The next "ride" we faced was the monorail. If you have never been to Disney, the monorail is the magical ride into the Magic Kingdom. It has been this way since Disney opened its doors. My grandparents lived in California during my childhood, so we were riding the monorail at Disneyland back when we had black and white pictures. At that time we thought the monorail was the "wave of the future' travel. I'm still shocked that it's not how we get to work today. As a kid, I was absolutely confident this would be the mode of transportation in 2010. In any case, the monorail is completely safe and no body part is even out of the train. Still Aevin had never been on one. Here came clue number two. The crowds were not as they can be in the summer, but still the monorail filled up quickly and we scrambled to get our seats. Of course, we couldn't all get a seat and our polite men were left standing. Aevin noticed this and just before "blast off" he looked up at his 2-papa and screamed, yes, literally, screamed"2-Papa, find something to hold on to!" Our hopes for Space Mountain were pretty much dashed. Little Aevin's fears were destined to keep him from "enjoying the ride"—Space Mountain just being one of them.
Isn't this true for all of us? As I said earlier, our fears can be as different as snowflakes and only those who share the same fear can understand the impact that fear can have on one's life. As we approached each "scary" ride, Aevin would start complaining about his stomach hurting. He even said he might throw up. It's easy to think this is pretty dramatic unless you have been there and, I believe, most of us have, at some point, been there. No matter how unexplainable a fear is, it is real to the person suffering through it.
Life is a roller coaster. It's a ride full of ups and downs and twists and turns and is often very scary. But, it's a ride we all want to take. There will be days when our fears will threaten to keep us from being as "in the moment" of that day as we need to be. We will have days that seem too frightening for us to face. It may be the loss of a spouse or the termination of a job. It may be dealing with a child who is challenging or an illness that threatens our current abilities. Our stomachs will hurt and our hands will shake if we don't take Aevin's advice and find something to hold on to. Matthew 10:28 in The Message tells us that God holds our entire life—body and soul—in his hands! Isn't it comforting to know that God is already holding on to us? Even on those days when we are too weak or too scared or too tired, He is already holding us in His mighty hands.
Have a great week—hold on to the one who can give your freedom from your fears.

Holiday Hugs,
Chrys

God-Our A Spiritual Retainer

The past two weeks have brought two milestones to our family. First, our oldest grandchild got his LEARNER'S PERMIT to DRIVE—that's huge!!! My, oh my, where has the time gone? I can remember-- in PERFECT detail-- picking him up—him being first born grandchild, John Luke— from Mother's Day Out and purposely taking the back roads so he could sit in my lap and "drive" us home. He had such good driving skills then. He could turn the car on a dime. Backing out—no problem; parking—a breeze; right turn, left turn—easy! Propped up tall and straight, I trusted him completely. Yeah, right! What I trusted was my ability to control his little hands, making sure we stayed safely between the oncoming cars and the ditch that could potentially harm us. With me in control, I knew we would be safe. It's a different story now. He begs to drive everywhere we go and I reluctantly say yes. I told him the other day that I'm just nervous because I can't sit right beside him or with him in my lap. He smiled his sweet smile and patiently listened to me give him driving tips and say slow down a few hundred times.

Milestone number two. This same grandchild, John Luke, came over last night to reveal a smile so bright it could melt an iceberg. Well, if the iceberg were his grandmother (trust me, if you're not a grandma yet, it doesn't take much). He had just gotten his braces off. Most of you either went through the braces ordeal personally or with your children, so you know the excitement of getting them off. Remember that slick, smooth feeling your teeth now seemed to have? After my FOUR years of braces, I loved to run my tongue over my smooth teeth. What a great, freeing feeling that was!. Those poor teeth had been "controlled" for months. But would they stay that way? Could they handle their newfound freedom or would they ease back into their original crookedness?

Oddly enough, these two milestones have so much in common. You may be ahead of me and have figured it out on your own. Both of these milestones have to do with control and freedom. John Luke has reached the next stage in his life, just as his teeth have. With the twist of a wire or a well placed tiny rubber band, the orthodontist had the power to make John Luke's teeth straight or crooked. And, as I held John Luke's tiny hands tightly in my own, I had the power to make our car go straight or crooked.

Just as it is for John Luke, it is for each of us and for our children. Letting go is never easy, but the alternative isn't welcome either. There isn't a parent alive who would wish their child to stay in a state of childishness. Oh, we all cry from time to time at the swift passing of years. We sometimes look at pictures with a sense of melancholy, thinking it would be fun to hold our teens as a baby just one more time. But, in reality, no one wants their children to stay children. It's not natural. But, it's not easy giving over the control we once had and letting them make decisions—decisions that could determine whether their path stays straight or becomes jagged.

To keep teeth straight, the orthodontist fits us with a retainer. I'm sure you remember that as well. A retainer is important as it's job is to keep newly straightened teeth in place. It helps "control" shifting. Obviously, no two retainers are alike and the length of time needed will vary because every mouth is different. Hummm….that's a little like the learner's permit, don't you think? For a length of time, an adult will still have a little control. The newly trained driver cannot go out alone--yet. But, it's not permanent. A learner's permit and a retainer are only for a short time. Ultimately, our teeth and our children will be TOTALLY on their own.

That could be very scary EXCEPT, as Christian moms, we know that our children are never totally alone and niether are we. We have a loving Father who stands ready and is capable of holding our hands while we drive and acts as our "spiritual retainer" to guide our steps and keep us going in the right direction. I love how the Message says Psalms 54:4: "Oh, look! God's right here helping! God's on my side, Evil is looping back on my enemies. Don't let up! Finish them off!" Don't you love it?

God is right here, right now, right there for YOU and YOUR children!

Have a great week, leaning on the awesome God who loves to sit right beside YOU and "drive" YOU to Godly greatness.

Hugs, Chrys

Put the Thanks Back in Thanksgiving

Have you seen the cute commercials running right now advertising Disneyworld? The Disney marketing team has apparently found actual video footage from families who have told their children they are taking them to Disneyworld. I just love it! The kids are at first stunned and stare in disbelief, then they question the parents again, then they start jumping up and down on the couch screaming with excitement. So adorable!

When was the last time you got so excited about something happening in your life that you jumped up and down on a couch? I'm sure it's been quite a while. Even if you had an event that evoked that level of excitement, as adults, we rarely express it that way; right?

Well, we have an event coming up that you should be "jump up and down on the couch" excited about and that is Thanksgiving. "Oh…is that all?" you ask. IS THAT ALL! It's just the one day our entire country sets aside time to be THANKFUL. That's all! Now, think about it. We have a holiday that's only purpose is to exercise our vocal cords with two little words, "Thank You."

In one of the original Thanksgiving documents it reads "All ye Pilgrims with your wives and little ones gather at the Meeting House, on the hill… there to listen to the pastor, and render Thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings."

So simple. So sweet. You mean there was no mention of school being dismissed, booking your airline flights, stocking up on Stouffer's Stuffing Mix, making plans for Black Friday, looking up the recipe for pecan pie, designing a cute centerpiece made with little pilgrims and corn stalks, watching two or three football games, assembling a 1000 piece puzzle, gobbling up sweet potato casserole, catching the latest movies, snapping pictures at the school program, and settling in for the Macy's Day parade??? I can almost hear one of our forefathers saying, "I just meant for everyone to be thankful. That's all. Ye have taken Thanksgiving to another level!"

Yes, YE have! Somewhere down the line, apparently some people got "jump up and down" excited and started adding more and more "things" to our list as a way of celebrating Thanksgiving--all good and fun things, for sure. BUT the one most important thing may have slipped off the list—saying thank you and being thankful.

I love school programs and the Macy's day parade as much as you do, if not more, but we have to go back to our roots on this one and put the "thanks" back in Thanksgiving. Let's all be sure we include time in our celebrating to let our children EXPRESS their thankfulness to God for the blessings in their life.

Colossians 3:15 says it so well,"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." It really IS that simple.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving week. Give God the glory!

Hugs,

Chrys

What a Deal!

And the debate continues. Seasoned psychologists, educated child experts, experienced doctors, nervous moms, and sleep-deprived dads-- everyone has an opinion. Should or shouldn't children be allowed to come into their parent's room at night? Ask any child and the answer is "Yes, of course". Ask any parent who has had a wiggling, kicking, bed-wetting child in their bed lately and the answer is a resounding "NO!" Ask any grandparent who only remembers snuggles and giggles and the answer is "Sure, what does it hurt?"

For many, including people from other countries, they can't figure out what makes this topic so controversial. But for those who argue against the practice, we are warned that children could form an irreversible dependence on the parents or a child could be smothered as a soundly sleeping parent might roll over without realizing it. Truth be told, I'm guilty of having one or two grandchildren in our bed quite often. So, I'm not one to debate the issue. In fact, for the better part of the past two weeks, I have found my half of our roomy king size bed reduced to approximately six inches, give or take an arm or a leg.

While the debate rages on, I think most people would agree on why a parent's room is so enticing for children. In a healthy family environment, children come into a parent's room looking for safety, security and warmth. For a brief time, parents love this about their children. Often, the first night young parents hear the sound of tiny feet scampering across the room, they actually smile. They reach down and help their little darling, who isn't quite big enough to climb up yet, reach their destination. Then mom and dad settle in for what they believe to be a sweet, one-time, precious moment in parenting history. But, soon the joy of the moment is gone. The trip to mom and dad's room becomes a way of life and night, after night, the child wedges between mom and dad. He or she falls quickly to sleep, leaving the parents to spend agonizing hours trying to get comfortable with an extra limbs flailing around the bed. Yes, once this fun begins, children seem to set an internal alarm clock telling them exactly when mom and dad have dozed off and it's safe to go to their room.

A few years ago my son, who loves his children very much, found himself dealing with this issue. He had finally reached the breaking point and came to the conclusion most of us parents (that excludes grandparents) eventually come to--children have stay in their own beds! In an effort to put a positive slant on it, he took the route that I'm sure psychologists would find most appropriate---offer money. One night he sat his two little ones down for a little talk. They were three and five at the time, so I'm sure they weren't too happy about this conversation. But, he had a good plan. He told them that if they stayed in their bed all night he would pay them one dollar, but if they got into his bed that night, they would owe him 25 cents. Feeling rather proud and confident of his plan, he kissed them good night and put them to bed.

Awww….a night with no feet in my back, he thought. But, around 2:00 AM, the familiar pitter-patter of little feet was heard once again, only this time it was followed by a clinking sound and then a little warm body settled in for the night. The next morning my son discovered the source of the clinking sound as he found two dimes and a nickel on the nightstand beside his bed. A very smart five-year-old had decided it was worth the money to share his parent's bed, so he paid his way in.

Oh, what lessons our children teach us! Twenty-five cents was nothing to pay for the warmth, security and love one little boy needed during a dark, lonely night. What price would you pay for warmth and safety on a dark lonely night? Twenty-five cents? Twenty-five dollars? No price would be too high if the return was what you needed, would it? But the reality is the price has already been paid. I love the words to the song that says, "He paid a debt he did not owe. I owed a debt I could not pay." A long time ago, God put two dimes and a nickel beside our bed and said, "Climb in. I'm here to hold you tight and keep you safe."

Have a great week, resting in the arms of Jesus.

Hugs, Chrys

A Sweet Reward

Okay, I heard the sweetest thing last night. After a very busy "out of town" weekend, I rushed home to attend a church event. I threw some cookies in the oven, unpacked the toiletries, freshened up my makeup, grabbed the warm cookies and flew out the door. My suitcase was still to be unpacked and, since I hadn't had internet reception, emails were waiting to be answered. But I could get to that later in the night.

I picked up my daughter and her four children and we headed out to enjoy the fellowship of people we love. It was so fun getting to share some car time with my precious grandkids and listen to the things they had done for the weekend. But, that wasn't the sweetest thing of the night.

As I arrived at the church event, I was greeted by three more of my grandchildren. I had only been gone three days, but you would have thought it was three months. Each one jumped in my arms (even the ten year old—I told my back it was worth it), and gave me the biggest hug. But, that wasn't the sweetest thing.

Later, after we ate and fellowshipped with our church family, we went down to a campfire area where we sang songs of praise and worshipped under the stars. It was such a blessing to have three generations singing and praying together as we looked up into the clear, starry sky. It was amazing, but that wasn't the sweetest thing.

As the evening came to an end, the youngest grandchild, Aevin, began asking to spend the night. My brain was saying, "it's not a good night" but my heart and my mouth said, "Sure." After all, work can wait, but little children grow up way too fast.

So, home we came and, since Aevin had been outside in the dirt all evening, a bath topped our priority list. I ran some water as he scrambled out of his clothes and encouraged me to make it warm. There's nothing like a warm bath on a chilly night, even for us moms, right? Rare, but nothing like it!

As Aevin played with the bath toys and chattered about the things we did at the fellowship that night, I listened with one ear and unpacked my suitcase. Then he said, "I made up a song last night for daddy." Of course, that got my attention. "Well, then, sing it for me," I said. "You know that song, we sing about God? I changed the words," he said. I was intrigued and then came the sweetest thing.

"Oh, Dad, you are my dad and I will ever love you. Oh, Dad, you are my dad and I will ever love you, "Aevin belted out with a twinkle in his eye. How precious is that?

My son is a single dad who works hard every day to make his home one that is God-honoring and secure for his children. His journey has been a difficult one and I have certainly helped him, but I have not taken the job of raising his children away from him. He has risen to the challenge and I think this song of praise from a child to his earthly daddy is proof that he has been successful.

Many of you are living through difficult times, perhaps you're a single mom. Psalms 3:5 says "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me." Many nights you may go to bed thinking you cannot handle another day, but you do because you know that God will sustain you. He will wrap you tightly in his arms just as a loving earthly father does and when you wake up, you will be renewed and armed to face a new day. Your rewards may not be monumental in worldly terms, but a song, a touch, or a smile from a child who loves you will tell you that you matter and make a difference!

Have a blessed week resting in your Father's mercy and grace.

Hugs, Chrys

The Silent Treatment

Recently, we were able to spend some time with good friends we have known for a very long time. When "old" friends get together, generally the conversation goes back to something that happened in the past that was funny or something that involves our children.

One friend reminded us of a story he had told us many years ago about his daughter. She was one of those challenging children. You know the kind—they LOVE to question everything a parent says and they think having the last word is their God-given right. She was definitely one of those and they spent many years molding and shaping her to be the sweet young lady she is today. But, on many occasions, she certainly helped them fine-tune their parenting skills. You may be in that position yourself right now.

Well, on one particularly trying day, this child had challenged and challenged until her mother had no recourse but to get right in her face and say, "Do NOT say another word and if you do, there will be severe consequences!" (Sound familiar? Yeah, it does to me too.) This normally patient mom was worn completely smooth!

Surprisingly for mom, the child ceased talking and the mom felt as if she had really made some progress. Hearing no sound coming from her normally very vocal daughter, the mom confidently walked away to continue making supper. But, dad, who was peeking from behind a newspaper, noticed what the mother could not see—the now silent daughter had her hand over her mouth guaranteeing no sound could come out, but her head shaking violently "NO."

Many years ago, a man named Art Linkletter bought stories of children who said, as he put it "the darnest things" to the American public's attention. In the above story, this child didn't say a thing, but her insides were speaking loud and clear—she was NOT on the same page as her mother.

There are many lessons to be learned from this child's response. One would be that even as adults we may be silent, but our body language sends messages to our husbands and children that may not be God-honoring. Another and a more important one would be concerning God. How many times do we silently let God know we are unhappy or disappointed or in disagreement with Him? We don't verbalize it, but our actions speak for us and those actions tell God that we do not trust Him to handle the situation.

Our God is a deliverer! It's that simple. What He promises to happen, will happen! And we are promised that if we put our hope in Him, He will take care of us.

I will leave you with the same message Paul gave the Romans found in Romans 15:13:

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Don't give God the silent treatment. Open your heart and let him FILL you with joy and peace.

Hugs,

Chrys

 

 

 

 

Put God on the Decorating List

Well, the rush is on. While pumpkins are snuggling down in the pumpkin patch, the Christmas trees pace the floor to gained the prized position. In fact, Christmas decorations no longer get their own season as the familiar green and red colors now share shelf space with scarecrows, pumpkins, and an assortment of pilgrims and turkey platters. No wonder time goes by so quickly these days. Marketing geniuses have us living three seasons in ONE! I find myself confused as to which holiday I'm supposed to be decorating for!

This marketing strategy is also partly to blame for the "stressed to the max" feeling we can get this time of year. What's a busy mom to do? Here's one thing we can do. Don't get distracted by all the glitz and glamour of upcoming holidays and forget about what is really important. Take a minute to breathe and remember the words to an old hymn, "I need thee every hour." Now, here's where another distraction could happen. Don't be distracted by the word "thee", which is "old school" talk to us today. Rather take a minute to think about what that hymn really says. I'm going to modernize the words for us all so we can eliminate one distraction. Read with me:

I need You every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Yours can peace afford.
I need You, O I need You;
Every hour I need You;
O bless me now, my Savior,
I come to You.

We do need God every hour, don't we? Sometimes we have him on our calendar book in terms of weekly or maybe daily, but in reality, we need Him hourly. In around 1968 hours, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but we shouldn't let one hour pass without celebrating His greatness, goodness, and love. As the "stressful" holiday season is fast approaching, you can quickly de-stress by closing your eyes and praising God. Truly, there is no voice like His, no comfort greater than He can give, no joy that can measure up to what He can supply.

So, while you're out and about either looking for a candle to make your home smell as comforting as an apple pie on chilly day or new decorations so your home will look as festive as the White House at Christmas, remember to stop, look and listen for God. He's the decorator of all things beautiful and He never has to be put up in the attic.

Have a GRRRR-EAT day.

Hugs,

Chrys

Test Assured

Friday night football, backpacks, new clothes, homework, book reports, mediocre lunches. Does that list sound familiar? If you pretended you were on the game show The Pyramid and answered, "Things associated with school" you would have won the prize. Here I am on the first day of school with five of my ten grandkids.

Reading the "school" list may have sent fearful chills down the backs of some of you and others of you were smiling thinking back to the "good ole days!" Here's another word associated with school that will probably cause all of you to squirm just a little. TEST. There it is. Probably the most dreaded word in "school vocabulary." If that's true then I would guess the worst two words are POP QUIZ. I can still get butterflies if I think about it very long.

To be quite honest, I really had a love-hate relationship with tests during my school years. I hated a test that I didn't study for, but I loved a test I was totally prepared for. Are you with me? Remember how fun a "fill-in-the-blank" test was when you knew all the answers? I would write as fast as I could so I wouldn't forget an answer before I had the chance to put it on the paper. Now, educators are smarter than they used to be and most tests are of the multiple choice variety. We had them when I was in school, but they were the "easy" tests because the answer was at least on there somewhere and the choices weren't too hard.

But somewhere in the eighties, educators learned that memory work is the lowest form of learning (who knew?) and sought a way to measure higher level skills of thinking and processing information. Thus, the new multiple choice tests were born. They now include at least five choices, sometimes six, with two of them sounding alike, one totally opposite of the other five, one having nothing to do with what was taught, but you're not really sure, maybe you didn't hear her say you were to read that chapter, and then just for good measure they throw in "none of the above" and "all of the above". Those are the tests that cause you to walk out the door with a headache yelling, "I have NO idea how I did!" And you truly don't.

Yes, school is tough. Measuring a learned skill is tough. For most of us, those kinds of tests are now either happily tucked away in our memory banks or, if your had a very organized mom, in a plastic bin waiting for your own kids to discover and taunt you with later. In any case, most of us would rather not relive those days of studying and cramming information into our brains and are quite content to help our children get through the ordeal without ever mentioning our own "test" history.

But on closer examination, a test isn't always a bad thing. A good teacher uses tests to measure how well he or she was able to get across a new skill and a serious student does the same. Actually, testing can be a most effective tool for evaluating many areas of our lives.

II Corinthians 13:5 says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless of course, you fail the test?" Just as a serious student of math or history would need to be tested, we, as serious students of God's word, need to take the time to ask ourselves the hard questions. Not just the memory work, but the multiple choice questions that really make us think. And if we don't come up with the right answer, we need to study a little harder. Then be ready for a pop quiz or two, every now and then!!

Here's wishing you all a great week. Live this week and every week knowing God loves you!

Hugs,

Chrys

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

A few weekends ago about seventy friends and family members headed out to Atlanta to see the Braves play the Cardinals. Well, truth be known, some of us went to see the game, but the majority of us went to see my son- in-law, who is Willie Robertson, The Buck Commander and one of the stars of the reality show by the same name, sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at the seventh inning stretch.

It was a much anticipated event and many have asked me since, "Is he a good singer?" thinking that is the reason he was asked to sing. My answer remains the same, "He does sing pretty good, but this wasn't about his singing ability, it was more about his celebrity in the hunting world and the fact that he is quite a character." Due to Willie's reality show, event planners had seen evidence that he could entertain the crowd of 40,000 plus that day.

They were right. It was successful from everyone's angle. Although just a beat behind the pre-recorded music, Willie led the crowd with gusto and finished with a strong, "For it's one, two, three strikes your out at the old ball game!" The crowd cheered and our little "drop in the bucket" seventy fans from Willie's hometown smiled at the accomplishment of our hometown hero.

I am rarely in a stadium that the scripture in Hebrews 12 doesn't come to mind. "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

The word "surrounded" is perfectly depicted in a stadium. Synonyms for surrounded are words like encircled, bounded, bordered and enclosed. A stadium is all of those words and Willie stood right on top of the dugout, surrounded by fans of both the Braves and the Cardinals, most who had never heard the name Willie Robertson before that day. But, they were all witnesses that day to his singing ability and his connection to the duck and buck hunting world.

Another question I've been asked is this one, "Was he nervous?" And I have to say, "Yes, he was." But, he threw off everything that could hinder him from performing this task which he considered a high honor and persevered in front of the fans, friends, and family who were pulling for him. The picture I posted with this blog is one of my favorites from that day. After he sang, his wife, children, and other family members encircled him and told him, "You did great!"

The previous scripture I mentioned is found in Chapter 12, but in Chapter 11 of Hebrews we are told the names of men and women who have walked this road of life before us and are witnesses to God's goodness and power. In verse 39, it says each of these men and women were commended for their faith.

Just as Willie stood, surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, we are also. Moses, Abraham, Sarah, David, Rahab and many more have gone before us and now say to us by their example, "You can do it! We've walked the walk you are walking and we surround you with our message of hope, love, grace, mercy, peace. Keep up the fight and, in the end, you too will be commended."

Just think, one day we will walk through the gates of heaven greeted, surrounded, encircled by those who have walked before us and they will say, "YOU DID GREAT!"

Have a great day. Live today God's way.

Hugs, Chrys

Say Thank You

Like many of you, last Friday night meant the first high school football game of the season. We were thrilled to discover a tiny cool front had made its way to our hometown which translated into a much welcomed pleasant evening. Usually, the first game of the year involves lots of sweating from both players and fans, so this was a very nice change for us southerners.

Another change we noticed this season is our grandkids are older and no longer trample on our feet and sit in our laps while we weave and bob to catch a few of the football plays. Now, they run up and get money for water or popcorn (I know, we're mean grandparents and refuse to support the candy addiction in our country), then they go back down to play with friends. We actually get to watch the game in peace (except for my constant worry that they have been hurt or lost).

As we watched the game, I remembered a time when our grandchildren were younger. We had given John Luke, the oldest and eight at the time, money for a coke along with the proverbial instructions on getting change and giving it back to us. Off he went. When he returned, he had one hand behind his back and no change. "Two-mama, I bought you something," he said smiling sweetly. Then, from behind his back, a glorious foam rendition of a green hand pointing one finger in the air came bouncing in front of my face. Of course, I praised him for such a lovely purchase and I held it high in the air. Pleased with himself, he ran off to play with friends.

Later, he returned and sat down beside me. He smiled up at me and said, "Do you know why I bought you that prize?" "Why?" I responded. He said, "Because you're always buying things for me and I wanted you to have something."

Doesn't it feel great to feel appreciated? I was totally willing to forget that John Luke had used my money to buy a large green finger because, in his way, John Luke was showing value and appreciation to me.

One of the surest ways to keep a relationship rock solid and positive is to show appreciation. Saying thank you is one of our earliest learned tasks. Parents are filled with pride the first time a thank you is uttered from the lips of their toddlers. As a child gets older whether or not they say thank you appropriately is soon the dividing line between a child who is well disciplined and one who is not. But sometimes, as adults, we forget this most basic nod of appreciation.

If surveyed, most people would readily admit that a hug, a simple note, or a verbal "thank you" are among the most meaningful of gifts, because those are the ones from the heart. John Luke's gift of a green finger took on so much more value once the words from his heart were added. What I love is that he looked for a way to say "thank you" to me.

Do you ever wonder how to thank God? I hope you do. Just as John Luke wanted to give back to me, we should want to give back to God. Psalm 116:12 puts it this way in The Message:

"What can I give back to God for the blessings he's poured out on me? I'll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God! I'll pray in the name of God; I'll complete what I promised God I'd do, and I'll do it together with his people…"

Wow, that's really pretty simple--just complete what I promised God I'd do and do it with His people.

Look at your life and see if you're giving God all you promised Him on the day He became Lord of your life. If you are committed to striving every day to do just that, I promise God is waving a big, foam number one just for you and cheering you on.

Have a great day!

Hugs,

Chrys

Change Happens

What a difference a summer can make! Close your eyes for a second and imagine yourself as a young teen the second week of August. You're thirteen and you've grown over the summer, your braces have come off, and the excitement is building to the first day of school. So many things happened over the summer. You're eager to tell your friends all about it. In fact, you know your English teacher is likely to ask for a one-page paper detailing the events of your summer. Fast forward to today. Now you're a part of the work world. Summer doesn't mean quite as much as it once did because you no longer have three months vacation. (We could always ask.) Basically, you go to work every day, it's just hotter when you leave the building for lunch.

But still, there's something about summer. Changes just seem to happen in the summer, whether we're on vacation or hard at work. Look at your own personal life. What big or small events happened this summer? In our family, two of our precious children (my grandchildren) were baptized. To me, that's in the big category. Making the decision to follow Christ and give your life to Him is BIG. Then, the long awaited desire for my bangs to grow out finally happened. That's definitely in the small category. The world would absolutely still rotate just fine if I had bangs or didn't have bangs. Speaking of world issues, what changes have happened? Let's see, terrorism is still a threat and our young men and women continue to fight for our freedom, but many troops have returned home to their loved ones. The gulf has gone from a complete disaster to hopefully being saved and up and running by next summer. Many families have found work after months of being without, but many others are now facing months with no income. I'll say it again, what a difference a summer can make!

I'm reminded of one of the summer themes we had a few years ago at our local Christian youth camp. The theme was "Things Change, He Doesn't." In our ever-changing, ever-growing, fast paced world, it's so comforting to remember that God is always there, unchanging. We may not be able to depend on many constants in our lives, but on this we can be sure of! God is our refuge and strength, our ever present help in trouble. Therefore, we do not have to fear, even if the earth gives way or the mountains fall into the sea…Does that verse sound familiar? It's Psalms 46. Read the entire chapter and you will be comforted knowing that whatever happens on this earth, God is in control.

School beginning is full of changes as well. It's not all about new markers and fresh, clean white paper. It's about developing new relationships and acquiring more knowledge and tackling never-before-tried projects. As you encourage your children to "do their best" remind them that God is watching over them. Not in a bad way, but in a GREAT way--to help them through each new adventure. He's their constant source of strength, their refuge in any storm and change has never thrown Him for a minute.

Have a great week.

Hugs, Chrys

When God Listens

Teenagers are strange creatures, wouldn't you say? I now have two teen grandchildren. They have typical teen traits like a seemingly unending source of energy into the wee hours of the night, but not an ounce of it in the early morning hours; confidence and independence when they decide they can cook or drive (scary), but are filled with insecurities when faced with the decision to attend a teen event and don't know who else will be there; complete love and devotion to parents and grandparents, but the ability to look right past them when they are in a group of their peers in a public place. Yes, it's both fun and alarming to watch any teen as they navigate the turbulent teen years like skittish horses waiting for the gun to be fired and the race to begin.

Last week, our oldest grandson (to be left unnamed for his privacy and my protection if he ever reads this) came over to help me move something (here's where they do come in handy). We finished up that job and had a fun time playing a challenging ping-pong match. Youth won the first match and experience the second, so we decided to stop there. The heat was near unbearable that night, so we headed to the kitchen for a drink. Then, we settled in to "talk." This is the part I love. I learned a long time ago that when a teenager talks it's better than E.F. Hutton and you really need to listen. He talked a little about his day and what's going on in his life, but determined the bulk of his conversation would be about a book he's reading. As he talked, I realized I did not care one bit about that book (however, happy he's a reader), but I used the conversation time to examine him. I noticed the way his face was changing and how straight his teeth are now and thought he should be getting his braces off soon. I marveled that his arms had muscles and his legs had hair. While he still sounded like himself, his voice was low and manly and I spotted a few hairs above his upper lip. He seemed so grown up, telling me about this 700 page book he was reading, but to me he is still my little "buddy"-- the one who followed me around like a shadow the first four years of his life. I could still see the bright smile and deep dimples that absolutely charmed me as he toddled around my house with a bag of popcorn, his favorite treat for many years. As I watched him talk so fluently, using big words, about the characters in the book, I could still hear him chatting on and on, in a little boy voice, about a Disney character in a movie we had seen together or a cartoon character he loved. I used my "talking" time wisely to observe this little boy who is growing up too quickly.

Our earthly relationships always mirror our heavenly ones and I envision God listening to us, His children, as we talk about events he already knows have happened and those that will happen in the future. I imagine that He watches us, not listening so much to our words, but looking for changes physically and spiritually and then listening to our hearts. I know He marvels at us, too, when we seem grown up and young both at the same time. He smiles at us as He remembers our past when perhaps we were insecure about our faith and now looks at us with pride as we mature in our faith and speak confidently about topics such as grace, peace, and the hope of heaven. He weeps when we talk of the hurts that have entered our lives and He cheers us on when we struggle to overcome them. He never gets tired listening to us talk on and on and on because He loves us and we are His children.

I love how The Message says this verse found in Psalm 4:3, "Look at this: look Who got picked by God! He listens the split second I call to him." Don't you love that you are picked by God and one of the blessings of that choosing is that He is ready to listen at any second. I hope my grandchildren feel that special when they come into my presence—like they were handpicked and chosen to be my grandchildren and I am ready to listen at the split second they call on me. But reality tells me that often I'm busy on the computer or on the phone or listening to someone else when they call out to me. So, my greater desire is that they know they have a Heavenly Father who IS ready to listen the split second they call Him.

Have a great day, knowing someone is listening to YOU!

Hugs, Chrys

Rules Rule

We have a pool. That means we have a constant pile of wet beach towels in front of my washing machine. That also means I spend a lot of time saying these words, "Do NOT sit on the couch wet!" It seems that no matter how many times I say those words, the kids love to come in the house, use the towel until their skin is dry and then plop down on the couch, never considering the bathing suit they are wearing is still soaking wet. Yesterday, we repeated this process for the approximate 40^th day of summer vacation. All I want is for them to put on dry clothes. Then they can sit anywhere and I won't say a word.

I got to thinking how we sometimes wear our faith like a child asked to dry off and change clothes. The Bible is full of God's words that promise good results in our lives, but we continue to ignore those requests. There's a continuing debate about whether our God sits on His throne and decides if good things should come to you or me or the person next door. I'm not prepared to debate that issue on this Monday morning, but I do know this. God's laws, rules, commands—whatever you want to call them---were never meant to bring harm, only good to those who choose to follow them.

Many years ago, as the director of a summer camp, I allowed the teenagers to play a game of basketball with no rules. They could run with the ball; they could kick it; they could foul anyone they want to foul. They looked forward to this "fun" way to play basketball. But, you can just imagine the chaos that occurred within five minutes of the game beginning. It was a great opportunity to sit the kids down after a few bumps and bruises and tell them that God's "rules" for our lives are intended to bring peace and harmony to what promises to be a chaotic world. Every game comes with a set of rules. If this were not true, no one would enjoy the game. The rules make the game enjoyable. They give the game boundaries and direction. If we choose, and it's a choice, to live life respecting the principles in the Bible, we can avoid so many of the pitfalls of life, keep the bumps and bruises to a minimum, and find life more enjoyable.

But, like children, we sometimes get lazy in our faith and believe we can get away with sitting on the couch in a wet bathing suit. In other words, we get lazy in doing good. The Bible warns against this in Galatians 6:9 where it says, "So let's not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing
good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don't give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith."

Today is Monday. It's a great day to get to some of the "God rules" you might have let go in your life. Again, I don't know all there is to know about God answering prayer, but I do know that the scripture above tells me--I will harvest a good crop if I don't give up! And you will to. Keep on keeping on and following God's rules better living.

Have a great week.

Hugs, Chrys

Bumper Sticker Devo

       With summer camp in full swing, I have not been at the computer lately, hence, no blog for the past few weeks. I am grateful for my time at Camp Ch-Yo-Ca, a camp our church operates for four weeks each summer. I am serving as one of the directors this summer. One of my jobs has developed into the "errand runner." Now, running errands is not the best job in the world, but it's not on the same level as scrubbing the toilets and does involve an air conditioner, so I feel quite blessed to make the trip to Wal-Mart a couple of times a day.

On a recent trip to Wal-Mart, I experienced first-hand how little things can make or break the adventure of errand running. The other day I got behind a beat-up, red truck with a faded-out and slightly tattered bumper sticker staring at me. I was trying to read over the list given to me (safely, of course), when my eye caught these fabulous words, "Jesus Is the Answer." Four simple words and I suddenly felt like the world was right on track after all. "Yes," I thought. "Jesus is the answer. Thank you, red truck, for reminding me of that." It was a mini-devotional, of sorts. I thought it was pretty cool that someone I don't even know could have an effect on my total sense of well being and encourage me in my faith in that way.

      I bounced into Wal-Mart, smiled as I checked out and happily loaded my car with much needed camp supplies. Our roads are under construction, but since my little devotional thought, that didn't even bother me. I patiently waited for my turn to get back into the traffic. I was on to Hobby Lobby. My errands weren't over and it was 102 degrees outside, but I still felt good. Another beat-up truck pulled out in front of me. This part isn't surprising since we live in Louisiana and trucks are the vehicle of choice around here. So far, it was the "same song, second verse"—a truck with a bumper sticker. But this time the bumper sticker read, "If men are the jerks of the world, I married the king." Wow, my perky self suddenly became sad as I thought about the implications of that statement. Does the driver really have a jerky husband? Has the husband ever seen the bumper sticker? Does he need counseling? Does she? Should this bumper sticker meet the other bumper sticker for lunch? All the pleasant thoughts in my mind had been replaced with concern and worry. I wish I had never seen that bumper sticker. I didn't want to have to think about all those things. After all, I was just running errands, not saving the world!

      For many years now, much has been written and said about the value of putting good things into our brains. In this age of mass-everything, we are bombarded with bad thoughts with as little effort as a click or a glance. Sometimes, in all innocence, we are exposed to things we don't want to see or hear and then we begin to dwell on those thoughts. This fact makes the words God says even more important. Remember these words, "Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." It's pretty tough, isn't it? But it's not impossible. Here are some other really important words, "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle belongs to the Lord."

      We are in a battle. The fight is on to keep our thoughts and hearts pure, but--here comes the good part-- we are not in the battle alone. In fact, this battle is not even ours, as the scripture in 2 Chronicles tells us, it belongs to the Lord. He owns it and is in control of it. The next time I see a bumper sticker or a TV ad or a magazine cover that puts my mind where is doesn't need to be, I am going to remind myself that God is fighting that battle for me and, guess what, we've already won and JESUS IS THE ANSWER.

     Have a great week knowing God is control.

Hugs, Chrys

Slow Down

Like many of you, May was full for me! I've attended graduation ceremonies, hosted end of the year parties, clapped at award's days, bought new ferns to freshen up the porch, dug out the supply of sun screen to check the expiration dates, and the list goes on and on, doesn't it? But, today is Memorial Day and the somewhat official beginning of summer.

      On a business trip to Washington D.C. one spring, I was surprised to see that the street lights have a countdown feature to let you know how much time you have to walk across the street. So, if you come upon a green walking light, you can judge whether or not you can make it across before it turns red. Here is the phenomenon we discovered about ourselves. No matter how much time we had on the countdown clock, we would try to beat it and get across the street. Whether we had 4 seconds or 40 seconds, we were determined to get across the street. Do you feel like your life is like that? Do you feel like you've got seconds to cross every street in your life?

     When I was a teenager, I loved Simon and Garfunkel. They sang those cool songs with cool words that made you think about life. One of those songs had these words, "Slow down, you move too fast. You got to make the morning last." You may not be as old as I am and have never heard this song, but you still get the message. It would probably benefit us all to have that song on our iPod to remind us that we're trying too hard to beat the clock to cross the street.

Here's what I love about summer-- we do get to slow down even if it's just a little. If you have kids in school, the homework hassles and nightly rituals of school preparation are over for a while. If you're a grandma, you may get to schedule more time talking to your grandkids and less time watching them at an extracurricular activity. The longer days and warm temperatures give us such a great environment for slowing down and just enjoying life. Here's another famous quote you might remember, "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." That's from someone else very popular, Jesus.

     As a former teacher, I still relate to life in semesters and school years. Summer will always be more significant than New Year's in terms of renewal and new beginnings for me. This past school year, I mean the months from August to May, may have been a struggle for you. For those of you with kids, perhaps grades didn't work out like you wanted or there's a bully you can't get away from or the teacher didn't like your child. For those of us without kids in school, perhaps you are just having a hard time at work or you've had some illness or a parent who is struggling. Whatever you faced during this past school year, summer will allow you some time to rest from it, even if it's just for a week or even if it's just one night as you sit outside and look at the stars.  So, relax, slow down, and give your burdens to God. Just let the seconds tick away and don't rush to cross the street. Trust me; the other side will still be there no matter how long you wait. 

I hope you have a relaxing Memorial Day. Remember our troops serving today and keep them in your prayers.

Continue to relax and enjoy the summer.

 Hugs,

 Chrys

 Here's a bonus: The words to the song. Yes, it really does say groovy. Enjoy!

Slow down, you move too fast
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feeling groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feeling groovy

Hello lamppost, what'cha knowing
I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Ain't cha got no rhymes for me?
Doo-it in doo doo, feeling groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feeling groovy

I got no deeds to do
No promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life I love you, all is groovy  

Life is a Bubble

Sunday was a blessed day that included worship and, then, company for lunch. I hosted a group of summer camp counselors. We sat around the table, laughing and talking about our experiences at camp. I asked them to tell me about a counselor that made an impact on their life. As each one shared, we were able to point out qualities that made those counselors stand out for them. I wanted each of them to realize that camp would be as meaningful to the campers this summer as it had been for them and they would have an impact on the campers in a big way.

After everyone left, it was time to wash the dishes. First things first so I picked up the bottle of detergent and made my initial squeeze. As the green liquid flowed right unto the pan one tiny bubble broke free from the stream of soap and began floating to the ceiling. What a treat to be given this gift. I know you're saying, How is a tiny bubble a gift? I think it was God's way of reminding me of how fragile life is.

This past month I have attended five funerals and a wedding. That's right—it sounds like a movie, doesn't it? But, it's true. Five funerals and a wedding define the month of May for me. I was so honored to attend each funeral as I was to attend the wedding, each in a different way. The wedding is like that tiny bubble in that it represents a fresh, new beginning. Dreams have yet to be realized as the happy couple said vows that bound them together for a lifetime. But, the sad reality of attending the wedding is those dreams may or may not happen, so it's with some reluctance that we watch their bubble float away.

The funerals, though, are a different story. When we journey to heaven, our dreams and reality have already collided. Words that are spoken at a funeral depict an actual life. The words spoken at a wedding hold possibility instead of actuality. With modern technology, funerals now include photos and each precious life is shared though words, stories, and Bible verses. There were many good deeds recounted, many relationships affected, many happy times shared, but their bubble already is now gone, except for the memories. Life passes by very quickly.

Someone once said that our children never see the beginning of our life, only the end. As your children get older, they will be storing away the memories they will tell at your funeral one day. It's true, they won't remember the hundreds of peanut butter sandwiches you made or the thousands of loads of laundry you washed, but they will know if you loved God and loved them with all their heart. Like the camp counselors I had lunch with, your life as a mom will make an impact on your children for now and eternity.

You serve an awesome God who values your life and has plans to protect it as if it's a fragile bubble. Don't try to blow it higher yourself or it might end up in a direction you don't want it to go and don't try to hold it in your hand, it will not survive. Let God be in control and you will float through every trial with ease and confidence and when you do reach the top—you'll float right into the hands of a loving Father.

Have a super great week.

Hugs, Chrys

Expect the Unexpected

Last week was one of those "topper" weeks. You know the kind—just when you think life can't get busier; you have a week that tops all the previous busy weeks. My oldest daughter was out of town, so once again, I stepped out of my full-time grandma mode and into full-time mom mode. I hosted the second grade party for Will and got him to two baseball games, watched and cheered for Sadie's first pep rally and two softball games, cheered again for John Luke at his spring football game, took pictures at Bella's end of the year chapel, looked at and signed all papers, passed out lots of dollars, helped with homework questions, braided hair, encouraged teeth brushing and baths, took lots of pictures, drove to and from ball practices, school, birthday parties and church and tried to keep something fairly nutritious in them. Of course, I couldn't neglect my grandma role to the other kids, so I also hosted a swimming party for Asa and Aevin, attended their ball games, and had all three over to spend the night. Whew! What a week.

When John Luke, my oldest grandchild was seven years old, I had taken him to the grocery story with me. I always love it when I have the rare opportunity to be in the car with any of my grandchildren. There's something about the car that brings out conversation. That day, John Luke surprised me when we said that he had learned three things about life. Since I've learned some things about life as well, I knew when a seven year old says something this profound, one should pay attention. "What have you learned?" I quickly asked. "Well," he said, "I've learned you have to work hard, play hard, and expect the unexpected."

Now sit back and let that part sink in. John Luke went on to explain how the hardest one was expecting the unexpected. My mind went to Abraham and Sarah and then to Hannah and then to David and Goliath. The Bible is full of God's people who were blessed by the unexpected events in their life. As a busy mom, your days are partly planned out in your calendar book or your iPhone. Your life could not function if this were not true. But, there's that other part that never gets written down, the daily surprises. Like all good moms, when my daughter left town, she had my week carefully planned out, but she couldn't know what she didn't know. Those are life's surprises.

Guess who is not surprised? God, your heavenly father. In fact, scripture lets us know that God rejoices in delivering surprises such as when He blessed Sarah with a baby boy in her old age. But, God is also there to help us through the surprises in life that are not directed by him, but are just the result of our fallen world such as job losses, sickness, and death.

John Luke, at the tender age of seven, was right. Expecting the unexpected is the hardest part of life. But, if we look at each day as a brightly colored package with the hidden contents ---no matter what is in there---a gift from God, then our days will be more about Him and less about us.

Have a blessed day of surprises,

Chrys

A Mother Job: Priceless

 
 

      We have a new baby in our family. On May 6, my sweet nephew and his precious wife welcomed an 8 pound, 12 ounce bundle of boy-joy into the world. On May 8, as they walked through the doors of their little home, their lives would never be the same. How was the first night, was the question of the day on Mother's Day, May 9, as our family gathered for lunch. The new parents, who live many miles from us, had wanted no help on their first night. As all of us "older" moms suspected, the night was a little challenging—a huge departure from the previous nights they had spent as a married couple with no children. Dirty diapers, feeding, crying, walking, rocking and dirty diapers, feeding, crying, walking, and rocking seemed to rule the night. But, as a mom you're not surprised by that at all. Even if you haven't had a baby in your home for thirty years, you can remember this scenario like it was yesterday. Your brain may even be going a step further and thinking, "They have no idea."

     It's true, a new dad and mom have no idea what lies before them. That's probably a good thing. Sometimes ignorance is bliss! As I look back over my "mom" career, I see so many things I did right and so many things I did wrong. Many have said this, but I'll say it again, babies don't come with instructions. While we can learn from other mothers and read books by famous authors, each new day with a child is like opening a new deck of cards—slippery, hard to manage, and quickly gets out of order.

     So, Mother's Day is for all the moms who have spent the night crowded in a twin bed while they comforted a sick child; for every mom who skipped Bible study group because a child suddenly remembered they were to bring brownies to school the next day; for those moms who anxiously stayed up until their teen came home from that important first date; moms who have never even seen a soccer ball, but volunteered to coach eleven first graders down a soccer field; for the moms who have worked two jobs to keep food on the table; and for the moms who haven't had a good night's sleep since their blissful college days many years ago.

I want to say thank you to all you moms who put your "mom" job as number one! That doesn't mean you don't divide your time a hundred ways, it just means you know what's really important. You know that at the end of the day raising healthy, happy children who love the Lord and want to make a difference in this world is the most important job you do. 

     There have been calculations done to put a price on a mother's job, but being a mom isn't dependent on the money you make, it's dependent on the love you give and receive. My mother used to use the expression "It's a labor of love" when she would volunteer her time to help someone in need. That's what being a mother is all about—it's a labor of love. From the time we truly "labor" to deliver our babies, we "labor" in love to feed, clothe, and nurture our children.

Moms, keep up the great work. Know that your children will grow up to reflect what you have instilled in them. They won't be perfect, but neither are you and neither am I. I'm just a mom who did the very best I could do and so are you!

      Happy Mother's Day to a group of outstanding moms! Thank you for the example you are to me and each other.  

Hugs, Chrys

Listen Up!

Mollie was use to repeating almost everything she said. Three years of speech therapy hadn't taken away the impediment the seven-year-old struggled to correct. Still she was a confident little girl and talking to strangers never bothered her. It was as if she felt it was their problem for not understanding her. One day she was out walking in her neighborhood with her mother when they came to a house where the owner was working in her garden. "It's a beautiful day for a walk," the woman commented as Mollie walked by. That was all the encouragement the little girl needed to stop and visit for a minute.

Soon, the woman ended the conversation with another comment about what a great day it was for a walk. Mollie's eyes brightened as she said, "Do you want to go with us?" "Thank you for asking," the woman replied, "but I have to keep working. Please, ask me again." To that, Mollie responded with, "Do you want to go with us?" Again the woman said, "I can't today, but please ask me again." Very politely and a little slower and a lot louder Mollie said once again, "Do you want to go with us?" Smiling, Mollie's mother jumped in this time so the exchange between the woman and the little girl could end. "Sweetheart," she said, "She doesn't mean to ask her now, but to ask her on another day and she might be able go with us."

I love this story told to me by a good friend about her precious daughter. It's a beautiful story of childish innocence and the value of really listening. Our lives are so busy; it seems we don't take the time to really listen to the people who really matter to us. More times than I want to admit, I have to ask someone (usually a grandchild) to repeat something, not because I couldn't understand them, but because I didn't listen the first time. Proverbs warns us in chapter 18 verse 13 that anyone who answers without listening is foolish and insulting. I can see some of you raising your eyebrows at this. Who wants to appear foolish and insulting? None of us. But, many times I've given the "uh-huh" to my husband or kids without really knowing what I was saying "uh-huh" to.

Let's all concentrate this week on being better listeners to our husbands, children, co-workers, and friends. And while we're at it, let's REALLY listen to God. We don't want to be guilty of answering His questions without really knowing what He's asking of us, do we? After all, you can be sure God always listens to you and never needs you to repeat it. He gets it the first time.

Have a great week of "listening."

Hugs, Chrys

The Eye’s Have It

I have long eyelashes! For real! Not the kind in a box that look like two halves of a spider and require a steady hand, lots of glue, and carry the possibility of falling off, but real, as in my own, eyelashes. Being a blond, I have spent a lifetime (well, not my whole life, but from about age fifteen) layering on Maybelline mascara (very black, for maximum coverage). I can't begin to tell you how many layers of mascara are required to get my eyes perky and ready for the day, but I will say I've been known to have to prop my arm up to finish the job. J Surely, some of you can relate to this. Don't tell me I'm fighting the eyelash demons alone. So, here's the good news. If you've been watching the beauty ads you know that sometime last year a new product hit the market that promised long, luxurious eyelashes. Not since contact lenses replaced my brown, horn-rimmed glasses have my eyes felt such promise. This invention could be in the "dream come true" category for "hard to solve beauty dilemmas."

Surely, you've seen the ads. The absolutely beautiful Brooke Shields bats her perfectly groomed eyelashes right into the camera. I tried to listen to my head when it told me she was still sporting a perfect pair of false eyelashes, but my heart kept saying it's worth a try. It seems my daughter was tempted by the ads as well and purchased the tiny bottle before I had the opportunity. Yes! I told myself. A guinea pig for the experiment! I was like a mad scientist, rubbing my hands together in eager anticipation of the outcome. After all, as much as I would love a new, improved set of eyelashes, I am practical to the core and was willing to wait a few weeks to see how it worked on someone else. Deep down, I knew that at the first sight of a hair longer than a quarter of an inch, I would get my own bottle! My daughter, the avid reader, read the instructions carefully, and then set about following the plan. However, this was at Christmas and soon, I was too busy to think about it.

After the first of the year, the mad scientist in me returned and I found myself staring at her eyes for the promised growth. After a full inspection, I stated the product must be another beauty gimmick as I couldn't tell any difference. She nonchalantly explained that it made her eyes itch, so she quit using it after about two weeks. What! She let a little itch stop the wheels of eyelash progress. My daughter was clearly NOT ready for the promised Betty Davis eyes.

The door had just been opened! Eyelash heaven was in my future and at no cost to me. I told her I would take her little bottle off her hands and give it a try. The instructions had long been thrown away so I turned to Google for my questions and answers. Here are the instructions: apply nightly to the base of the eyelashes. Look for results in eight to ten weeks. Simple enough. I was already in the habit of washing my face, applying night cream, and brushing my teeth at night, I would just add this to the list. Now I'm going to make a long story a little shorter. After eight weeks I saw NOTHING! I started whining and complaining and Googling the product for answers. Then, I decided to continue on and be patient. And guess what, after TWELVE weeks, when I applied my morning mascara, my eyes almost popped out of my head when I saw the fruits of my labor come through in such a big way. Just as promised, my eyelashes looked like Brooke Shields'—it was uncanny. I could be her eyelash sister! J

I was on the receiving end of proof that consistent behavior can get desired results. Wow, what a lesson to be learned here and it's not about eyelashes. IT'S ABOUT LIFE! Every one of us wants to be successful in the long term. I don't mean financial success, but this can happen as well. All of us want a good life, complete with loving family members, a church family that supports us, a job that we feel benefits the world, outside activities that enrich our life journey. We want to leave a legacy and be remembered well. And in the end, we want to spend eternity in Heaven. But, sometimes we're not willing to the right things, consistently, that will assure the results we are striving for. Sometimes the journey gets too hard, or itchy, and we want to stop before the desired result is reached. Sometimes, we think it's just taking too long and it's not worth it, so we give in to our own desire to take one thing off our work load. Sometimes, we just don't trust God's word when He says, if you do THIS, I will do THAT.

 

There is a Biblical principle that says "Be obedient to your master for a long period of time" which is just like my eyelash instructions that said, "Apply EVERY night." If you follow the instructions, you will see results beyond your expectations. While the word obedient isn't the "coolest" word of our day, it is the word that is capable of giving you and me a life of freedom and hope. At the end of your life, your legacy can say, "Through God's grace and blessings, I did what I was told for a long period of time and here are the results—a family who loves God, friends who know I am there for them, a church family that was blessed by my services to them, and a community who knew what I stood for."

 

I know the eyelash journey was just for fun. There are so many life issues I face every day that challenge me to stay strong, stay focused, stay connected, stay, stay, stay in God's word. And I know, without a doubt, God will hold up His end of the deal, if I do just that.

 

Join me in my journey to be obedient to God's word today and every day.

 

Hugs, Chrys

  

The Applause Is For You

Last night I attended the opening of Seussical the Musical. As much as I love musicals, I don't always make it to the local children's theater. But, last night was different. Three of my little grandchildren have starring roles in this spring's production! Yes, that's right. They are three beautiful fish. Brightly colored, glittered faced, silver-shoed fish! Okay, it's true confession time--they don't have lead roles, those roles went to the older kids. The Cat in the Hat, the people from WhoVille, and Horton the elephant are all teenagers who can SING (I'm talking Broadway baby), but our two seven year olds and one eight year old didn't disappoint the director. They put all they had into their fish-roles (ha-sounds a little like sushi).

My daughter and I have taken turns for over a month making sure our little actors were at practice, gathering up the necessary parts for fish costumes, coaching from the sidelines with words like "smile" and "don't scratch on stage," and recording the moments on video and still photos. As for the kids—they have loved every minute of it. Here's another true confession, the play could go on if our three little fish didn't show up. In fact, this coming Saturday it will, as the kids all have other things to go to that afternoon. But, there will be a hole on the right side of the stage where three adorable little fish should stand.

Last night was family and friends night. You can imagine the laughter and applause as those people who love these children the most watched them perform. I wish I could have been behind the stage, peeking out, so I could see the faces of each mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister and friend as they observed what they believed to be a "perfect performance" out of their shining star. What love filled that room! The curtain call was amazing. Everyone was standing, the clapping was nearly deafening, and smiles were bigger than the one of the tricky Cheshire Cat in Alice's adventures.

Anytime I am in an event such as this I can't help but think of the first verse in Hebrews 12. Of course, to know why that verse was written you have to go back to Hebrews 11. If you haven't read Hebrews 11 in a while, take time this week to do that. Anyway, Hebrews 11 is the curtain call of the cast of characters in the play of life titled, "God's Most Faithful Followers." It's a curtain call EXTRAVAGANZA! Great men and women like Abraham, Joseph, Sarah, Noah, and Moses are named because each of them has a starring role in this life-changing play. Each one was given a part to play and each one performed it as God called him or her to do. Then the first verse I love in chapter 12 is this:

"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!"

I LOVE IT! You see we all have starring roles in this play of life. There no insignificant roles! In life, if you don't show up---YOU ARE MISSED! And here's the great part—we have an audience of the great men and women recorded in the Bible cheering us on. Their faces are glowing with love and joy as they watch us carry on the job they began many years ago. As they watch us faithfully take up our "mom cross" each day and help with homework, drive carpools, kiss bruises, say prayers, watch ballgames, hold hands, nurse, nurture, and nourish the children God has place in our care. YOU are in a starring role and YOU have a host of heavenly cheerleaders smiling down on you today.

Enjoy this day! It will never come again. Take comfort that no matter what the day brings, you are loved and being held up by the greats that have gone on before you.

Hugs, Chrys

Head First

It always seems that we go from winter to summer in one quick week! The flowers are blooming, the grass is green, and the swimming pool is ready to fulfill its job of making kids happy and healthy for another summer. I'm not sure if I'm ready for the million times I will hear, "Two Mama, watch this!" but, ready or not, the time is here! In fact, the kids swam over the weekend and in spite of their blue lips, they had a great time.

Every season we start the year off with diving lessons. The first few "watch me's" are of leftover skills from the previous summer, then my little swimmers realize they are ready for some new tricks. The begging begins for me to teach them how to dive. The water is too cold for me in the spring and I refuse get in cold water (wisdom comes with old age) so I have a great excuse to join the ranks of most aging coaches and teach by telling instead of doing. It's true at one time I could perform a dive that might rate a 3 ½ or a 4 by a teenager's standards, but now I'm happy to impress a group of freezing seven to ten year olds with my wisdom alone (yeah, right!).

The dive of choice right now is a back dive. They have all pretty much mastered a front dive, but a back dive is still challenging. So, my expertise is needed. I start by having the kids put their toes right on the edge of the board and then just bend backwards. At this point, I hold them by the waist until their little bodies are almost bend in half (oh, to be young again) and then I drop them in the water. The purpose for this is to let them experience the feeling of going off something backwards, even if it is in slow motion. They have to learn to trust what their body is doing. Then I give them a little lecture about successful diving (I'm so impressive, don't you think?). I tell them there is a secret to diving and here it is. You have to FOLLOW YOUR HEAD and your head has to do the right thing. That's it. The secret to a successful dive is to let your head be the leader. Pretty simple, isn't it? But, it's true. Whatever your head does, your body will have to do. It's only logical. Your head can't go one way and your body another. The proof of this being true is in a dive that's gone wrong. The dreaded belly flop or back buster is a result of your body following your head doing the wrong thing. The mechanics of that happening is this, the diver's head is going in the right direction, doing the right thing, then panic sets in and their head tries to go another direction thinking it had made a mistake, the body follows and "ouch." The result is not pleasant—it usually involves some red blotches on the body. Had the diver just let his head guide his body in the correct direction, and trusted that his head was doing the right thing, everything would have been fine.

Recently as I was giving the kids one of these lectures when I suddenly realized how true this philosophy is in our Christian walk. Think about Paul's words in Ephesians when he wrote about Christ being the head of the church. He said, "God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church." If Christ is our head, then it makes sense that if we follow him, our lives will be a lot smoother. The belly flops and back busters of life will be kept to a minimum and we'll score a big 10 on the heavenly scorecards. But there is more. Later on in Ephesians 5, we're told to be imitators of Christ. Eventually, the kids begin to beg me to show them a dive. I'm sure part of it is to see if I can really do it, but mostly it's because imitation is a great way to learn to do something correctly. For now, I just tell them I'll do it when it gets warmer (maybe they'll forget). The principle, however, is the correct one. We all learn better when we SEE what we have to do. The scriptures are full of examples of Godly living. We can actually SEE the actions of Christ by reading about His life and His plan for our life.

Once we understand that Christ is our head and by following Him our lives will be better, then we should strive look to His perfect example to show us how to perform or behave. Every dive that is executed with the head first still isn't a perfect dive, but it's closer. But when we follow Christ, God's hand is on our back guiding our every step and helping us reach perfection in Him. There will be no perfection outside of Him, but in Him---a perfect 10—everytime. And, guess what, you can yell, "Watch this" to God a million times a day and He'll look---every single time.

Have a great week, looking to the Lord for wisdom, guidance, peace, patience, or anything else you need this week.

Hugs, Chrys