Road Trip!

I love road trips. Good thing because we have a long one coming up this weekend. Many people prefer to fly because it's faster. This is a fact but I'm not a good flyer. I know that it's the safest form of travel and blahdi, blahdi, blah... BUT I feel much safer on the ground and away from strange people and their odors. I much prefer my own family's odors, as offensive as they might become at times. (I can roll down the window, which is much more difficult in an airplane.) I can stop at a seemingly clean convenience store and use the restroom and partake of a tasty cold beverage. In an airplane you get to squeeze yourself into a minuscule toilet room and pray to heaven that some one's irritable bowel syndrome didn't act up right before you go in.

However, road trip's in all their individually convenient glory do have their drawbacks. Yet, I am totally preparing myself so there are relatively little surprises down the road. (So to speak.)

I am well aware that even though my boys get along most of the time and are generally good kids that I will lose my temper with them because someone is being touched or not answering the other one when being talked to. I will likely yell at them a few times and threaten to pull the car over to beat them. They will probably get on my nerves singing songs that make no sense over and over which will prompt me to turn up the radio to distract them.
My husband and I actually do very well on road trips together but I imagine there will be a moment when his driving will send me over the edge and my nagging will make him want to drive me over it.
Then as I said before, there are the smells. Smells that only come from being in a car with 2 kids for 16 hours. The 3 f's - Food, Feet and Funk. Feet and funk are separate categories because you can identify feet smell but the funk is mysterious. It's just there, say a mixture of all odors accumulated and saturated into the fibers of the car's interior.

All of these things I am preparing myself for and strangely enough, looking forward to. There will be a time when the kids are grown and these road trips will be distant memories. They will have their own kids and road trips and smells one day. I am choosing to enjoy every minute of time with my family. So, why would I want a "faster" form of travel. Time goes by fast enough as it is.

Sized Up

Ran into an old "friend" today after having lunch at Holden's school. The reason for the quotes is because she really was a friend of mine many years ago but not so much anymore. She is perfectly nice, don't get me wrong. We just hang in different circles- her circle makes quite a bit more money than my circle. Her circle is president of the PTA and etc. of the PTA, my circle volunteers on field trips. Her circle lunches and shops, my circle goes to Wal-Mart and eats frozen diet dinners. But all of this is just life and it's absolutely fine with me. Although I wouldn't mind a glass of Riesling while munching on a salad with breadsticks once in a while, but I digress...

What I thought was funny about our running into each other was the falseness of the conversation and how the whole time she was looking at my clothes. I would've loved to have walked her down memory lane and reminded her of the time she fell off her bicycle when we went riding with our then boyfriends but she may have blocked that one out. (It was hilarious. - Sorry.) I think it's funny how women are with each other. Immediately sizing up the other woman while trying to find something that makes us feel better about who we are. Must be why I've always had way more guy friends than women friends. Guys usually tell it like it is and who cares if it happens to hurt your feelings, but women usually tell you everything is ok then tell the truth to someone else behind your back who then comes back and tells you what they said, which still hurts your feelings and leaves you feeling betrayed all at the same time. Lovely of us females. I have a rule, I will not say anything about anyone behind their back unless I'm willing to say it right to their face. It's a good rule and keeps me out of trouble. Another good rule is one that our mothers told us and should probably be reinstated as a rule for our own kids: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I mean really, why do we have to be so ridiculous as women? We're all in the same boat and should support each other. I'll bet we all go through the exact same things in our daily lives and have way more in common than we realize. Even the wealthier circles of women who yes, frankly I would like to slap and say do you REALLY need another Coach handbag to match your shoes? But hey, whatever blows their hair back. It's not for me to judge them, just like it wasn't her place to look me over in my sweatsuit outfit that MATCHED and I did have on make-up thank you very much. See what we do to ourselves, geez!

Crossing The Finish Line

So, I have a crazy amount of things I've left unfinished. I start something, go all in, gung ho and guns blazing... then for reasons that are only related to fear, I give up. What?! But Michele, you're a Christian! What is the problem and why can't you trust God? I guess you just don't have enough faith.
"Oh, the pressure of being a Christian!" (In Kat's voice from Pretty Woman.)

So, being a Christian means you should never have doubts, God is on our side and if we have enough faith we should be able to overcome anything. OK, yes, this is true and if we lived in a perfect world then perhaps I could put this into practice on a much more regular basis. But since we're all screwed up because of life's experiences it is much more difficult to just hop, skip and jump over our fears.

I picture running a race. (The idea I get for a project.) I think of the preparation that comes before I enter the race.(The research I do.) The gun going off as I sprint off the start. (Buying supplies and beginning the project.) The adrenaline pumping as I get past the 1st mile marker.(Gaining confidence since people keep telling me what a great job I'm doing.) The slowing down a little as your breath becomes more shallow. (Doubts creeping in.) The cramps in my legs and feet.(More intense doubting.) The tunnel vision as it seems the finish line was extended by miles and I run out of breath and fall down. (The doubts in my capabilities win out and I give up.)

I'm learning that I have so many fears that keep me from finishing the race and I'm working on overcoming the voices in my head that tell me I'm not good enough. I know it's not true and one day I will really believe it.

Being a Christian doesn't make me bullet proof. What is does make me is dependant on God. When I fall, I know He is there to pick me up. I have so much to work on but life is a journey, a journey I choose to go on with tons of help from HIM.

I will cross that finish line someday... To be continued.

One Eyed, One Horned, Flying Purple People Pleaser

OK, that's NOT how the song goes. HOWEVER, it IS a monster. The People Pleasing Monster can take over when you least expect it. You think you're just doing the right thing by being helpful and passive. You're just an easy going gal and it feels so good when you say yes to people and they know they can depend on you. Then, CHOMP, CHOMP, GULP! The monster just ate you all up and now there is nothing left of you!

So, how do you get the monster to spit you out and restore the person God created you to be? (Nice analogy, huh?) Well, you have to start by asking yourself why you say yes to everything. Do you do it so others will like you or because you genuinely want to fill up your spare time by helping out? Do you say yes because saying no just seems so mean and you can't bear to hurt some one's feelings? Hmmmm. All of those? First, let me say that we are supposed to help others, absolutely. God wants us to be giving and helpful. But, there is a difference in doing what God created us to do and doing something because it somehow makes US feel better, less guilty or gives us a false sense of being. The People Pleasing Monster feeds off of our guilt and soon instead of being a thoughtful and dependable friend, we are the martyr. The one that ALWAYS ends up doing it all because NO ONE else cares like we do. THAT, is the false sense of being that God does not want from us.
Get rid of your guilt, God doesn't want you burnt out, dried up and angry. He wants you well rested, filled up and happy. So guess what? You get to say NO!

I myself have been eaten up by the People Pleasing Monster and have felt so empty and tired. I want to be able to WANT to help and so before I say anything to anyone, I make sure to tell them I need to get back to them but I will as soon as I can. I then check my calendar and if I'm busy on the very day of the favor, then I know the answer without a doubt. If I'm not busy that day but have 10 things happening before and after I literally go to God and if I have peace about it and know it's for Him and not out of some sort of guilt on my part then I happily agree to it. If I'm exhausted and just have that feeling of not wanting someone to be mad, I say NO. God enjoys a happy giver, not a reluctant giver. I always thought that meant money in the offering plate but it also has to be about giving of ourselves.
It may seem confusing but it will free you and it will free you to be a true giver. I used to want credit from others and want to be recognized for my hard work. If someone forgot to say thank you, I was genuinely offended. I mean, excuse me? I just went out of my way for you, punk! Ah, now I have the chip off my shoulder because I say no when it's right to say no and if I say yes, it is to honor God - NOT ME!
Recently, I helped out with my church through what is called Project Reach. Our church has begun reaching out to the community and truly giving time, food, fun, etc to those that are less fortunate. The event was a party for the under-privileged children that go to the school we do church in. They don't get opportunities to go to Chuck E Cheese or Incredible Pizza, etc. I face-painted kids faces, hands and arms for 2 hours and had a blast! This morning the pastor said that he thought it was awesome that we "gave up" part of our Saturday to help those kids have a party. What came to my mind was how I didn't feel like I gave anything up at all. This HAS to be what it feels like to give for God and not ourselves - not a sacrifice.
Not when you know what He sacrificed for us.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not anything like the people pleaser I once was but that stupid monster tries to sneak up on me still. Maybe I should get some pepper spray as well, just in case.

Gettin' Dunked

He is perfect to me. The "Comedian", The Honor Roll Student,The One Who Likes to Talk (and makes me crazy at times.) The Big Brother (who pushes all the right buttons on his little brother.) The One Who Makes Me Laugh in spite of myself. He is sweet and smart and respectful, but above all these things - He wants to follow Christ and be baptized. He's been asking about it for a while but we wanted to make sure he understood that it means he is choosing Jesus and not just being dunked under water.
Easter Sunday is the big day. Matt and I were both coincidentally baptized on Easter so it's extra special.

There are things in my life I've done and decisions I've made that I'm not proud of, BUT having my children isn't one of them. I am so proud of both of my boys and couldn't be happier that Logan is choosing Jesus.

These moments in life come as such a surprise to me. When Matt and I decided to have a baby, that's exactly all I thought about - a baby. Not that he would grow up, go through different phases, have problems of his own and feelings of his own. Navigating my way through certain lessons that come with growing up has had me wanting to run scared, if I'm being honest. It grips you when you're not expecting it. A simple look or comment can throw my mind into thoughts that I just don't know if I have what it takes to turn this child into a real grown person.

When Logan was ready to do this, I immediately thought of the baby I gave birth to and how I felt in that hospital room, how scared I was that I was responsible for another human life. I know I don't do everything right as a parent but if I can instill a strong faith and love for God in their hearts, then I've done the most important thing of all.

Sick of...

I'm sick of politics. I'm sick of technology. I'm sick of watching people rush around and not take time for each other. I'm sick of watching children act up and parents not teaching their kids respect and basic manners. I'm sick of complainers that don't do anything to change their circumstances. Most of all, I'm sick of feeling all these things and not saying anything about it. So I did.

Politics: Doesn't solve the problems.
Technology: Can be great but is used too often and strips us from quality time with each other.
Rushing Around: Why are we in such a hurry? Are we that fond of death? Take a chill pill people!
Disrespectful Children and Lazy Parents: You are raising the people who will be in charge one day. Maybe they should learn a simple "please" and "thank you".
Complainers: It's one thing to go through a very difficult time and vent but if you are constantly in a bind of some kind you really need to ask yourself what the common denominator is. Make better choices and use all the energy used to complain, to pray.

Anyone else? Leave a comment and tell me what you're sick of. :-)

God Wins

God Wins. Two small words that carry so much power. Today in church this is what our pastor spoke, those two little, GIANT words. People are hurting so much these days. I see it everywhere. I've been there and no doubt there will be another time when I need to remember that God Wins. When we are in the pit, it feels like no one hears us, even God. There are people in my family that need to hear those words, there are friends that need to hear those words and there are neighbors, and all kinds of people walking around feeling empty and looking for so many things to fill their voids, and they look every place but to the one being that always WINS. Why is that? Well, maybe because when we are far from God, He doesn't seem tangible. I know when I was in the pit, I gave up because I felt like He wasn't paying attention to me any way. Why would all these bad feelings keep stirring up if He was there for me? So instead of pressing towards God, I pushed Him even farther away. I didn't want to hear anyone tell me that I needed to look on the bright side or that God was in control. It takes some of us to get to the bottom of our empty fillers to begin to pray again because we don't have any other option. And all along He was the only option and it is in this that if we really open our eyes, we can see the purpose.

Not long ago, I lost someone very close to me to cancer. She was such a special lady and gave everything she had to God. She devoted her life to a ministry and loved helping people. When she passed, I fell into a pit and really felt like I could have done more for her. I wish I could say I'm over that feeling but I'm not there yet. What I didn't know at the time is that because of that experience I would be used for God's purpose in someone else's life.

The other day, I received a text from my pastor about a girl in our church who was losing her mother. He asked me to call her. When I began the phone call, I had no idea what I would say or if I could offer any kind of comfort for her. When we started talking I could hear God say "Just pray for her" - so I did. I also told her that I couldn't understand what it would be like to lose your mom but that I had lost someone close to me and could only imagine how she felt. She opened up to me some more. I later learned that she had lost her father some years back and didn't have a church family to comfort her and had turned to drugs and alcohol. I have never felt such an anointing on my spirit and I began to cry without control over it. It was during that feeling that I understood a small part of what God wants to me to do. It's what I think we all are supposed to do - Use our experiences to help others get through the hard times in life. I don't know what that looks like for everyone and every situation is different. I know that coming out of my last time in the pit, I knew that I wanted to help others out or help keep them from going in. I hope I always say yes when the opportunity arises because that was the most amazing feeling ever!