Driving Miss Tobias and Mr Kobe

It even smelled like spring today. The sun shone brightly and a strong breeze blew in warm temperatures. Despite being a cold weather girl, I couldn’t help but want to spend as much time as possible outdoors.

During high school, rain or shine, my friends and I would take long drives through the countryside to relax or wind down after a stressful event. We grew up in a small town surrounded by both beautiful rolling hills and flat farmland. After meeting a tough deadline yesterday, I have needed something to help me relax and refocus to gear up on other projects. Why not resort to a tried and true method?

With it being Wednesday, I had dog duty, watching my dog, Tobias, and my mom’s, Kobe, at my parent’s house. They are a Yorkie and Bichon respectively. Not wanting to leave them out of the fun, I invited them along for the ride. As I opened the front door of the house, amidst stern warnings to get right into my car, they raced down to the corner as fast as their little legs would carry them, only stopping when they found a suitable place to go to the bathroom.

Standing at my car door, and looking quite ridiculous, I holler, plead, beg, yell, threaten, and bribe until they deem me worthy enough to listen to. While the neighbor smirks, I finally toss them into my car. I crank up the radio, open the sunroof, and roll down the windows. I pull out of the driveway as the two rambunctious brats fight for position on my lap to stick their heads out the window. With my vision and arm movements severely impaired, I narrowly avoid missing the trashcans, but hey, we were on our way. As for the rest of the story, well let’s just say…the next time I try this adventure I must remember:

• To take a pillow to cover my legs to protect them from toenail punctures
• Never have more animals than I have free hands while driving
• Dogs are vacuums of food, but otherwise leave a trail of mess
• There’s no point in washing windows when you have a dog
• Kisses do not make up for five minutes of whining in your ear
• Curves, lovely in some places, not so good when the dog at your feet steps on the gas pedal for you
• Trade my car in for an automatic (my transmission can be found three miles north)
• Leashes!!!!
• Cows…the smell of money?? The smell of something all right…
• Naps are a valid alternative...just ask Tobias and Kobe…well, when they wake up. Glad to know the drive relaxed them enough for a nap.

Used Books

My mother and I made the trek to the big city (i.e. Kansas City) today. She had an appointment and I was along for the ride, well, really for the excuse to peruse the used book stores along the route. There is nothing like being surrounded by beautifully bound and crafted literary insights. Losing myself in mountains of books is the ultimate stress reliever. Perhaps that's why my bedroom looks like a tornado-tossed library. :) In Lawrence we hit up a couple, and in Kansas City we found another duo plus the obligatory Barnes and Noble.

We found walls and walls of mysteries, romance novels, fiction, non-fiction, etc., but I was on the hunt for some Ted Dekker, Thomas A Kempis, and Elizabeth Elliott, to name a few. The religious sections seemed much smaller than many of the other displays and I was time and again disappointed in the selections.

Perhaps Christians like to hang onto their books instead of selling them back. While that says a lot for the quality of books we are reading, it makes it hard on us bargain hunters.

So, if any of you know of any good used book stores where I won't be disappointed, please let me know. I am no longer allowed to explore with my mom. :)

Despite my disappointment, I still came home with five new babies. Onto the dresser they go. Oh no, where does this put Narnia? Decisions, decisions.

Narnia

As usual, I am several months behind on seeing the latest movie releases. So Angel and I went to see Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe this evening. Barring the bathroom trips and crying kids, it was incredible! Actually, having an acceptable movie that children can attend and see Jesus's sacrifice, among other things, in a different context was well worth the distractions. The book is on my nightstand buried with forty others lined up to read, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. But the parallels with Christianity were very cool. I need to see it again, as I'm sure I missed a lot.

My favorites:
Lucy...I could not stop thinking about her. She mirrors so many of Jesus's traits...her unfailing love, easy forgiveness, blind faith, and ability to know her gifts and to use them without hesitation.

Edmond...I felt like he really didn't fit in with his other siblings. Sure they loved him, but he was more difficult to understand. He refused to listen to authority and always went his own way, which almost cost him his life. Aslan had to send his men to rescue him, and ultimately gave his own life for Edmond's mistakes. Sound familiar? I know it does to me.

Susan...she didn't want to leave her comfort zone. She wasn't ready for the adventure because they didn't have warm clothes or any food to eat. She wanted to go back to where it was safe. But had she followed her instincts, she would have missed out on the journey of a lifetime. Yup, this one is familiar too.

Peter lead his army into battle and they fought with creativity. They used everything at their disposal (ex: birds dropping rocks, and spreading fire) against the basic brute force of the enemy. It reminded me how our God is infinitely creative. Despite the downfalls of each of the kids, Aslan was able to use them for greatness.

As amazing as it would be to be called to be a queen or king, keep in mind there are a lot of vessels who have to do their part. Without all the soldiers, they never would have won this battle, no matter how strong the kids were. We all have a part to play, big or small.

Aslan...I knew he would come back alive, but my heart still ached seeing him walk toward his awaited humiliation and torturous death. But when he awoke and ROARED, chills racked my body. I stood up on the inside and thought, that is our savior, our hero. "Not tame, but he is good."

The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe has jumped to the top of my stack.

Parade Insights

Yes, I admit it, I used Angel as my excuse to go to the local St. Patty's Day parade today. But I consider that a fringe benefit to being a Big Sister. Overall, it was enjoyable (at least I wasn't the one wearing a kilt) and Angel was able to take home a ton of candy, beaded necklaces, a bracelet, business cards, a balloon, flyers, a mouse pad, and probably some other crazy things I've already forgotten. The last time I went to a parade, I was ecstatic for stale tootsie rolls and maybe a piece of bubble gum.

Well, it was made blatantly obvious that I am not yet a mother...as I seemingly was the only person to have forgotten a bag (let alone a green hat or other festive sack) to put all the goodies into...and to be quite honest, the thought never even crossed my mind until both of my hands were filled. Fortunately, it was a wee bit cold, and my coat had two big pockets, both of which ended up being filled to the brim. Where did I put my hands? Not sure, I couldn't feel them until I got home.

While Angel was on the front lines battling the other children for handouts, I had the following observations:

• No matter how hard you try and keep your kids or yourselves away from second hand smoke, there will always be somebody who thinks it's okay to butt themselves to the front, dropping ashes and leaving puffs of smoke in their wake
• The persistent and agressive get more candy
• While you're looking at the ground for scraps, you may miss the best to come
• The most rewarding part is seeing a child's eyes light up when you hand them a piece of your candy
• Wear sunglasses if you value your sight (even if it's cloudy) -- the trajectory from a float to the ground, when a high school boy is throwing out the candy can be real dangerous
• No matter what, a rainbow is still the symbol of God's promise
• We've taught our kids to raise their hands for treats, but have we shown them how to lift their hands in praise of the only one truly worthy of it?

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Hope you didn't get pinched!

Words

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." We've all heard that mantra and even possibly used it to try and deflect the impact of the hurtful words being shouted at us from the neighborhood bully, or as we age, from a boss who must have forgotten the third grade lesson on respecting others.

Words are extremely important in our lives. They are how we communicate with friends, family, business associates, or even enemies. And in this internet age, the written word has become even more important in keeping in touch with current events or people around the world.

There are two outcomes when we speak with others: we either build them up or tear them down. Which one will you choose? One of my favorite bible verses, Proverbs 25:11 (NIV) says: "A word aptly spoken, is like apples of gold in setting of silver." God values words spoken in encouragement and honesty.

I received an unexpected email today containing four words. An encouragement, a delight, a corner stone to help me through the day and to continue to toil on even when the road seems full of brush. Did this person have any idea of the impact of his four tiny words? Probably not. But that is the pure, simplistic beauty of it. God will do more than you can imagine with a mere "good job", "atta boy", or "I'm proud of you" than you ever thought possible. Let God use your mouth to spread His love, and watch as lives are changed, and brush is cleared.

Challenge for today (the boomerang effect): Let not your tongue spew evilness, but use it to lift others up and encourage them in their walk. And I just bet you will blessed in return.

On our Own

You are teaching your child to ride a bike and the first time you let go, you see him teetering precariously and you desperately want to run after him, to make sure he doesn't fall off and hurt himself. But something holds you back. Innately, you know he has to learn to ride the bike on his own. Your hand cannot be on the back of the seat for his entire life, despite being a champion marathon runner. Personally, I would make it a block and then have to bribe my kid with ice cream to go back inside. Give me a break...it's hot in the summer!

Have you ever seen a friend or loved one make a huge mistake? Perhaps you've seen your best friend stay in an unhealthy relationship or you see your child tempted to drink at a high school party. All of us are well aware of temptation and the desires we have to do sinful acts. None of us are immune, and at some point we will all succumb.

I believe that for every sinful act we commit, there will be consequences. (i.e. we reap what we sow) I've often wondered what it would be like if we could suffer the consequences of someone else's sin. What parent wouldn't take the pain of their child's scraped knee? What husband wouldn't take the blame for something he led the family to do? Why doesn't the person who tempts us to commit the sin get double the consequences?

But Deuteronomy 24:16 (KJV) says: "The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin".

There we have it. End of discussion. It is up to us, individually, to choose what activities we partake in. No matter how hard the temptation was, or what the motivation behind the act was, we will not escape the consequences.

My advice? Have band-aids, disinfectant, and a loving kiss ready at all times. We all will fall off the bike and need some help back up.

Saying No

When is it okay to say no? How do you know if you are being selfish or unkind? When is it okay to put your needs in front of others? As women, we continuously give of ourselves to our families, friends, careers, volunteer organizations, church, etc. But there are times when we just have to draw the line, right? Are people pleasers the only ones who deal with these type of questions?

Today, my case manager for the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program called today to both set up my three month evaluation and to make sure I was putting together a team for the bowlathon. First of all, I abhor bowling. I love recreation and sporting activities, but I just do not find bowling enjoyable. I would also have to recruit four other people who would be willing to raise a bunch of money (another of my least favorite activities). I have a conference coming up that is very important to me as well as a business to run and all of my other personal obligations to meet. Excuses, I know. But do all of those go on the back burner to meet someone elses needs? What does God want me to do?

Am I a bad person if I don't put together a team? Probably. Should I put together a team? Probably. Am I letting others down if I don't? Probably. But I can't make everyone happy. For once, I think this people pleaser is going to have to say no.

Big Sister

I recently made some major changes in my life. For one, I became a Big Sister. As in, part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. I am single, with no children. None of my siblings have children and I'm the last person any of my friend's would call to babysit. New mothers cringe when I come bearing gifts to the hospital...praying I don't ask to hold their precious newborn. Come on...even children illiterate people like me don't drop babies...often. :)

So now I find myself in charge of an 8-year old girl, I'll call Angel. Don't take that literally. Since it's my first post, I suppose I best warn you that I can be a bit sarcastic. It's up to you to figure out when. This is our third month together (Angel and myself, not me and you) and I usually have her for a few hours a week, so I am starting to get to know her pretty well.

Tonight, however, was a first. The first time in my life where I have been the one in charge of the crying, obnoxious, peace stealing child who ruins everyones experience at the store, leaving more than a few with a migraine. Yes, Angel threw a temper tantrum in the middle of the Dollar Store because I would not buy her some hideous squishy elephant whose plastic skin gave me the heebee jeebies. Normally, I would be the one in the book section giving dirty looks to the parent unable to control their child, or rolling my eyes at the other shoppers looking around for the culprit. Not to mention making promises to myself that my children will never act like that.

Trust me, I would have put down the $1.07 to get her to shut up, but I had previously promised her grandmother I wouldn't buy her anything, until Angel's therapist cleared the road. (ie she got in trouble and had all her toys taken away) Grandmother's wrath vs Angel' tears...tough one.

Thoughts:
#1: Do 8 year olds really still cry and pout in stores? I thought that ended after the terrible two's?
#2: Is there anyone close by that I can pretend she is with instead of me?
#3: Where is the nearest exit?

Needless to say, I grabbed her hand and took her to my car immediately, amidst promises that I would never take her shopping again. I let her pout back to my house (about a 6 minute drive) then told her that I thought spending time together was more important than buying a squishy elephant. And that all of other times together had been a blast, whether or not we had spent any money. I didn't know if she was buying it or not, so I said, let's skip down the street. By the time we returned to my house, she was all smiles again. And we enjoyed the rest of the evening.

To all you mom's out there...especially the single parents...if I was wearing a hat...it would be taken off to you. I experience two hours of your craziness a week, but now enjoy all the other 166 all the more.

And for any of you adults in a bad mood. Try skipping down the street, hand in hand with a child (borrow one if you have to). It works wonders.