The Road Home

Last week a small portion of our family (there's lots of us, so having only 13 on this trip was small) spent the week skiing in Big Sky, Montana. It was a great week. Skiing, of course, was the goal, but it was joined by challenging card and domino playing, fabulous home-cooked-meal eating, necessary computer working, unnecessary, but fun facebooking, more-beautiful-than-you-can imagine scenery looking (including ooh and ah-ing), lots of picture taking and then more picture taking, Yellowstone National Park snow coach touring, and plenty of memory making. Of course I have several stories, but I'm going to share only one of the many adventures a week in the snow gave us southern folks.

After three days of ski school, our youngest skiers "had it down," so to speak, and joined us veteran skiers (not that we're a ton better, just more experienced) on one last run down the mountain. We were so proud of them. Will, who is nine, fearlessly tackled each run like a football player ready for a championship game. Bella, our skinny little eight-year-old, did the same. Her tiny legs dug into the snow like little snow plows as she worked hard to maintain control and keep up with crowd. They were skiing with such confidence that we were happy to let them lead the way to our ski house.

Apparently, we mistook knowing how to ski for knowing how to get back to our house. Clearly, we were also oblivious to another potential problem that comes with skiing—once a turn is missed, there's no easy way to fix it. Still, none of this crossed our minds until Will, who was in the lead, missed a turn. Okay, no problem—maybe. My daughter (Will's mom), Korie, quickly followed him. She's a great skier and I was confident she would get them home. The rest of us were now behind a fast-moving Bella who made a quick right turn when she should have turned left. My last visual of her occurred as she disappeared over a short drop off (about three feet) onto a road--a REAL road where a car COULD have been driving. Like any grandmother worth her salt (whatever that means), I followed her down the hill to that road, instructing everyone else to stay where they were. As I made my way down to Bella, I knew that the only way back to the path would include a WALK up the hill we just came down. In skiing what goes up, must go down, but the opposite is also true—after a wrong turn, that is.

Once I reached Bella and discovered she was okay, I took my skies off and instructed Bella to do the same, then we started the long walk UP the mountain. Can I just say—walking uphill, carrying skies and poles, in a high altitude, after a long day of skiing, wearing heavy ski boots-- is never a good decision, but it was our only way home. The good news, no, the great news, was Bella never complained. She stopped for breaks, but never cried or whined about our situation or asked me to carry her skies. I was very proud of her. Maybe it was my heavy breathing that told her this wasn't the time for favors. In any case, she was a trooper. We eventually reached the ski path, put our skies on and, with me in the lead, made it home. Safely inside, we asked about Korie and Will. They were still not home. After a frantic few minutes, we got a phone call telling us to send a car for them. They came in exhausted from their journey, but were safe. Korie was also proud of Will as she told us he never complained either. I truly believe that in serious situations like this was, children know they have no option. For all of us, when we do not have options in a difficult situation, we don't have the luxury of complaining. In those times, we're happy to do whatever is necessary to get out of the bad situation. The next day, no one argued when someone proposed that only grownups lead the way home.

These kinds of stories make for great dinner conversation, or good blogging material, after all the parties involved are safe and warm inside the house, but while you are "in the moment" they can be extremely challenging and scary. I couldn't help but think of our heavenly Father who so patiently follows us down some very dangerous trails and then gently leads and guides us back to the life-saving path when we're ready to go home. And when we're truly ready to find the right path, there will be no complaining or whining. We'll be so happy that someone loves us with such a mighty power that they would walk up a snow-covered hill with us and lead us home. I love this verse in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. I especially love the way The Message translates it: "That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming."

Have a great week knowing you serve a God who loves you so much He will run after you and guide you home.

Hugs, Chrys

Bieber Fever, For Real?

It's tough to know what to blog about today as so much has happened since my last opportunity to blog. First of all, after caring for the sick grandkids, it was my turn and I spent a week feverish and sniffling. Needless to say, I had not scheduled being sick in my February 2011 date book.

But, that wasn't the worst of the physical ailments to creep into our household. My husband, after months of suffering stomach pain, ended up in the hospital on Monday, a week ago. After a diagnosis of an obstruction (thank you, doctors, we needed an answer), he had surgery on Wednesday. The surgery was a success, but the patient is still moving slowly. I did get him home on Sunday, which makes for a better Valentine's Day. Once again, none of last week's events were in my calendar book.

Then there was another ailment to enter our family. Although I did have some warning, I didn't know the extent of the affliction. It started with the two eight year old granddaughters and a few of the younger grandsons, but they're not willing to admit it. This ailment has been aptly named Bieber Fever. If you are not familiar with this crippling disorder, perhaps you need to turn on the TV or buy a magazine. Young and old alike seem to have become afflicted with Bieber Fever. It occurs when Justin Bieber's music, hairstyle, and "toothpaste-commercial-worthy" smile are allowed to infiltrate your heart and head. I have to admit—I'm now afflicted. I wasn't an early convert. For a year, I brushed Justin Bieber off like the crumbs from yesterday's cinnamon toast. I thought he was just another teen sensation and would go the way of The Monkeys and Herman's Hermits. But, after taking the kids to see his movie, I am in awe of this talented young man.

Justin Bieber's quick rise to fame is nothing short of miraculous in the "never say never" kind of way. He comes to the world from a small town in Canada and was raised by his single mom. His grandparents were also great influencers in his life (I love that!). Incredibly gifted, he taught himself how to play the piano, drums, guitar and trumpet and at a very young age, played for money in his hometown. The great part of his family story is they appear to be from a strong faith-filled family. Prayer was a large part of the movie, which was great to see. I love that my grandkids witnessed this as well.

One thing, among many, that fascinates me about his success is that it had its roots from YouTube. His mom would post him singing to share with family members in other towns. One day, by accident, someone in the music industry spotted a YouTube performance and the rest is history, as they say. This phenomenon could have never occurred at any other time in history as YouTube did not exist. For the last few weeks I have been trying to hear a song on the country station that my grandkids introduced me to at Christmas. It's now been 43 days and I'm still waiting. My grand's are so laughing at me, but I've told them I refuse to YouTube it. I'm trying to prove a point. I want them to see how we used to live before internet, YouTube, twitter, facebook, iPods, IPhones, IPads, and anything else that gives us information faster than a speeding bullet, a skill once enjoyed by only Superman. In the "old" days, if we liked a song and wanted to hear it, we had to turn on our transistor radios and just wait. That's what I'm trying to do with this country song. Clearly, I'm working on my patient skills. Justin Bieber became famous because of the availability of social networking. Now, that is not to say he didn't deserve it or wasn't talented enough for it, because he certainly has the talent and the work ethic. I'm just saying this new media allows for overnight sensations to really happen overnight. Overnight sensations of the past more commonly had actually taken five or more years.

Well, what's the lesson here? Let's see. God gifts us. Yes, that's true. God wants us to be patient. Yes, that's true. God would love us to use social media or any other means to spread the gospel. Yes, definitely true. Dreams can come true. Yes, Disney said that before Justin Bieber was born, so that's true.

As I watched Justin Bieber's story unfold in his movie (can you believe he even has a movie about his life at sixteen years old??), I was taken back to the scenes from the Beatle days when fans were screaming and fainting at just the sight of the fab four from London. I looked down at my granddaughter's who sat on the edge of their seats and sang every word with this cutie from Canada. Seeing young girls fall head over heels over a cute boy can be alarming to a grandmother. But, I am comforted knowing my grandchildren have people in their lives that will teach them that names like John, Paul, George, Ringo and Elvis and Michael Jackson and Justin Bieber will never bring as much meaning to their life as the name of Jesus will. With proper balance, enjoying the "entertainment of the year" is fun to do, but real joy and real success come from knowing the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. I pray that Justin Bieber will be able to enjoy his star rising in the entertainment world and continue to live his life in accordance with God's will. So, Justin Bieber keep up the good work. Bieber fever, for now, isn't such a bad thing.

Have a blessed day. Give your kids a hug and tell them you love them.

Hugs, Chrys

Re-Solutions for a Better Life

Well, the New Year is in full swing, isn't it? The weather, which goes from 70 degrees to below freezing all in the same week, assures us that a new year has begun, in Louisiana anyway. If the weather doesn't alert you that a new year has begun, perhaps it's those innate desires to lose weight, quit biting your fingernails, stop drinking so many cokes, or read your Bibles more. Do any of those sound familiar? I hope they do. Not in the "I've made resolutions before and I have a hard time keeping them" way, but in the "Yes, it's time for me to take stock of myself once again" way.

Like any good business, it is important for each of us to take a hard look at ourselves at least once a year. My grandkids are always telling me something one of their teachers might do during a day at school. They know their mannerisms, their expressions, their clothes! As a former teacher, it scares me how much children pay attention to their teachers and not always in a good way! My point here is others will take a good look at YOU so YOU and I have to take a good look at ourselves also.

And it probably should be more often, but the beginning of a new year makes for a good time to start. It's February, so some of us (that's includes me) are already struggling with those "resolutions"? Let's break down that word and it might help us. The dictionary says a resolution is a definite decision; a solution. I really like that word---a solution.

Stores take inventory once a year to see where they are lacking; what area they need to reinforce; to stock up on. Then they take care of the problem area—they find solutions. Anytime we decide to take an inventory of our lives it should be for one reason; to see what areas we need to change and then, take the appropriate actions to make those changes.

Don't ever be discouraged because you started a resolution and couldn't keep it. Life has a way of interfering with the best of plans. As busy moms, our goals are often put on the back burner as we nurse sick kids or help them with homework or attend their many functions. But don't give up. Just do it again-re-commit to your re-solution! The first step is always an honest look at our life; our family, our friends, our personal and work habits, etc. Once we've done that, we can list ways to correct the things that need correcting or maybe, just need, enriching.

I love this quote by Grenville Kleiser, "Make your resolutions so clear and firm that nothing can lure you from your chosen path. Substitute doing for dreaming and achievement for apathy." With that quote, plus God's promise that you can do all things with His backing, you will find keeping your New Year's Re-solutions much easier.

Now, go for it. Have a great week and find a solution!

Hugs,

Chrys

Pipe Cleaner Bouquet of Love

Life has a way of changing our plans, doesn’t it? We can scheme, plan, map-out, prepare, devise, design and plot our future with great detail and attention, but we’re just one sickness, injury, or decision away from our prefect plan being sidelined.
Last week was one such week for me. It may have been for you as well. If so, I would love to hear about it. My week was supposed to end in Las Vegas enjoying some quality time with my husband and being with my daughter, Korie, as she and her in-law family participated in their industries trade show. I was really looking forward to this event as the past twelve years I have had the privilege of staying home with the youngins’ while Korie and her husband attended. THIS YEAR my husband has joined their company, so we were invited to attend. It was also a big deal as my daughter's husband was to be the MC at the event’s awards show on Thursday evening.
I had already decided to stay home the first of the week to help with the kids at least part of the time, but then I would fly out on Wednesday and join the fun. The first sign that my plans might not come to life came early in the week when Bella, the youngest, starting running fever on Sunday afternoon. Fever was followed by a sore throat and vomiting--neither good signs—but, no problem, I thought, by Wednesday, she should be well. But then, the second blow: John Luke, the oldest, came down with similar symptoms on Monday. I was beginning to see my chances for flying out on Wednesday as good as my chances at a poker table, which, by the way, I have never done. BUT, I was still hopeful. After $250.00 in doctor visits and medicine, I thought I would just move my ticket to Wednesday evening, giving them a little more time to correct the situation (like they had any control either).
I packed my suitcase with cute, Las Vegas-type, clothes (okay, not show girl Vegas, just cute Vegas). I got on the phone with American Airlines and rebooked my ticket. I re-wrote the kid’s schedules for my younger sister who was going to take over. Then, I waited for the fever to go down. But, as much as I wanted it to happen, it was not to be. SO, I got back on the phone with American Airlines. I unpacked my suitcase. THEN, I re-wrote MY plans for the week.
And what a great week I had. Canceling the trip allowed me to spend some quality time with my grandchildren. I know, I’m lucky, they live next door. But, trust me; we’re so busy that quality time slips away like make-up on a hot day in Louisiana. Since John Luke had missed so much school, he needed, for real, needed me to help him with his homework. This is very rare since he’s fifteen now. But, we had the best time, laughing our way through graphing and proportions. John Luke and Sadie had their sports banquet that we all were going to miss. Since I was now home, I was able to see our sweet young teens interact with their friends and coaches and be honored for their football and cheerleading accomplishments. John Luke also had his first EVER baseball game and Sadie had basketball games I was able to attend. Will, the nine year old, stayed well all week so I helped him study for his tests and was able to see how much he’s matured over the past year. And poor Bella, who stayed sick until Friday, kept me hopping with cards, movies, lemonade, games and eventually, homework (work always interferes with our fun, doesn’t it?).
Well, it wasn’t Vegas, it was better! I’ll share with you one more reward. One night John Luke and Bella stayed home while I went to Sadie’s game. After returning home, I hustled around checking everyone’s homework, cleaning the kitchen, passing out medicine, and getting backpacks and clothes ready for the next day. Finally, the kids were settled and I went to my bathroom to wash my face. And there on my counter was the most beautiful flower arrangement made out of red, green, and gold pipe cleaners and lots of love. John Luke and Bella had spent all evening crafting me a bouquet and writing me notes thanking me for taking care of them. I can honestly tell you that bouquet was well worth staying home for. I just thought I wanted to go to Las Vegas!
This was just one more reminder that always God has my back. Just when we think we have the best plan for our life, God might say, “I know the plans I have for you…” Remember that verse in Jeremiah. If you don’t, it’s Jeremiah 29:11. Look it up. You will see that God loves you and as long as you seek His will be done, not your own, He will plan your life, promising that you will prosper and have a future. It may not be something you see immediately, but ultimately, if we trust God and His power to “write our story” we will receive a bouquet out of pipe cleaners and love from our heavenly Father. His note will read, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” What a great day that will be!
Have a fantastic week knowing God is writing your story.
Hugs, Chrys

Lost and Found

Happy New Year! I'm sending New Year wishes even though we're already 18
days into 2011. How can that be??? Where does the time go? I've taken the last month off from teaching, writing, and radio-ing (is that a word?) to be totally occupied with family.

Our family has been through an almost family-wide sweep of the flu (praise the Lord, I didn't get it, so was able to help all the others). Then we had an amazingly fun Christmas celebration (ranks among our top five of great family gatherings) followed by a disappointing after-Christmas-cancelation of an eagerly awaited girl trip to New York. BUT after spending two days rescheduling, we left on Jan. 1 for a very fun week in New York. Back home, my husband spent some time in the emergency room and a short hospital stay, but is all better now. We followed that with a whirlwind weekend in Huntsville to see the grandkids play basketball and NOW, I am at home with two other grandkids that are sick and staying with me while their parents are out of town (never fails!). But, I am ready to resume my activities including my It's a Mom Thing Monday hugs (sorry, this one is going out on Tuesday because of sick kids), It's a Mom Thing facebook page and our Mom Thing radio show. We're still seeking God's guidance on the radio show, so I'll keep you posted.

Today I want to share a little about our trip to New York. Actually, it's just one incident, but it's a powerful one. First of all, we had four generations on this trip, which is amazing. My mom, my sister and I, my daughter, and her three daughters came together for some incredible generational fun. I love watching my grandchildren interact with my mom, their great-grandmother, while shopping, going to Broadway plays, and traveling. We have so much to learn from each generation and I'm so thankful to have opportunities like this to laugh and learn from each other.

As usual, the streets of New York City were very crowded. We had kept a diligent watch on Sadie, who is thirteen and Bella, who is eight. But, on one of the days, Bella and her oldest sister, Rebecca had ventured off to another store. At one point, Bella thought she saw Rebecca leave the store so she followed her out. What Bella didn't know was there are hundreds of young girls shopping daily in NYC who have long brown hair like Rebecca does. Consequently, the girl she followed was NOT her older sister. Once Bella realized this, she stopped walking and started crying. We are so thankful a kind man stopped and asked her if she was lost. He ultimately found a policeman to talk to Bella until Rebecca came frantically running down the street to claim our sweet little girl.

There are few things more frightening for a parent than losing a child on a crowded street, busy playground, large department store or ANYWHERE. And there are few things more frightening for a child than to look up and not recognize anyone around them. We have all tried to not go to that place in our head that lets us dwell on what could have happened to Bella and on how she must felt when she discovered her situation. It's too painful for us to think about and after Bella told us what had happened, she told us not to ask her about it again. You see, it's too painful for her to remember as well.

This is a new year. Thank you, God that we don't have to live in the past, but can use it to lead us into a better future. You see, our past, while sometimes unpleasant, is the thing that connects us to our future. Our past tells us where we don't want to go again, what we don't want to say again, how we don't want to feel again, things we don't want to do again. In turn, it helps us know, with certainly, what we want to say, do, think, feel, act and be again.

You may have lost your way in 2010 and are ready to tell someone you're lost and need to find your heavenly Father. If so, this is the day. Then, when you do, don't ever forget what it feels like to not be able to see His face and don't forget what it feels like to reconnect with someone who loves you very much. I have no doubt that Bella will remember this event for many years. My hope is her remembrance includes how grateful she was to see the face of someone who loves her and was searching for her. God is always searching for those who are lost and always has His arms wide open to welcome them home.

Have a great week knowing you serve a God who patiently keeps the door to His heart and love open.

Hugs, Chrys

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