What I Want My Daughters (and sons) to Know About Sex

Hopefully e-Mom will forgive me if I stray slightly from her designated topic for this Marriage Monday--Mothers and Daughters Talk About Love. As I considered what to write, all that came to me was "the talk" I had recently with my younger daughter. Forgive me for having sex on the brain (you IRL friends, stop laughing right now!), but finding the worldly view of it too shallow, I make sure my kids know a fundamental truth about sex.

It's not just physical.

Something much deeper happens when two people come together in sexual union, more significant than our society will admit. Sex creates an emotional and spiritual connection, forever linking a couple even after the physical act is complete. It is serious business, not to be taken lightly or flippantly, not to dismiss as "a good time," not merely an activity.

Sex is God's way of bonding a couple together for life.

When I explain it to my kids, I liken it to scotch tape. If you put two pieces of tape together, sticky sides in, they bond pretty tightly almost immediately. Try as you might, it is hard to rip apart, nearly impossible to do without damaging the tape. If you do get the pieces separated, they aren't as sticky anymore and adhering them to something else isn't quite as effective.

Uniting our body with another binds us together like that tape. We become one, physically, emotionally and spiritually. We establish a connection which makes it tough to part without pain. And if we are able to separate from that person, the ripping apart makes us distrustful and wary, affecting our ability to bond with another.

It explains a lot about men or women who remain with someone they know isn't good for them. If they've slept with them, they've formed an invisible tie that is hard to break. And what about wives who find their disheveled bed head husbands cute or men who remain attracted to their wives through stretch marks and wrinkles? Aren't they able to do so because their connection goes beyond the physical?

We need to tell our children to protect their tape, not only for their own purity, but also to ensure the best bond with their future mate. "Saving oneself for marriage" is about more than preserving virginity. It is about providing the best possible soil for a marriage to succeed.


Join the Marriage Monday gang at Chrysalis.






Photo Credit: jepoirrier

7 Quick Takes (Volume 48)

1) The game is on. My husband found out I had more Facebook friends than he did and suddenly he started sending out friend requests like credit card junk mail. We can't let him win, can we? NO, WE CAN'T! So do me a favor. If you're not already my Facebook friend, help a girl out and click on the button on my sidebar to join me. If you ARE my friend, suggest some people I may not have befriended yet. Let's get him. (And don't you even think about being his friend!)

2) Perfect Baby Angel Child (otherwise known as Miss Innocent One) turned 11 yesterday. 11! How can my baby be 11?! Makes me feel old.

3) Thanks to Perfect Baby Angel Child's birthday, we now have two new critters in our house. Meet Maizy and Daisy.


4) It's been a year since my father-in-law's terrible fall. Last year at this time we were praying he'd survive and I was truly scared of losing him. Now he's up and around, attending our kids' events, a little slower, yes, which I know he finds frustrating, but he's HERE.

It's been a tough year for he and my mother-in-law, but I am so proud of them and their resolve to keep pressing forward. I'm sure there were days they thought it easier to stay in bed than keep fighting, but I am so glad they didn't. We reap the benefits of their tenacity and long suffering faith in God. They are a tremendous example of love and perseverance.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for pushing yourselves to have a good attitude, for working hard when it might have been easier to give up. I can't imagine life without Dad's charming grin and tender spirit. I know it hasn't been easy. I, for one, am deeply thankful.

5) At our house, we have real life experience with teenagers being over the top. Case in point, our teenage daughter talking about things she hates:

"Ladybugs," she said, "they're awful."

"Ladybugs?!" I asked, "What's wrong with ladybugs?"

"Are you kidding me? They're terrible," she said, her face all scrunched up in perfect disgust, "Ladybugs are like the spawn of Satan."

Maybe her name should be Drama Queen.

6) I've been signing forms out the wazoo for beginning of the year school stuff. I bet there's been at least 20 things I've left my name on this week and they just keep coming and coming. Then there's the checks I've sent in. . .where's a hole I can crawl into for a while? Sigh.

7) I leave you today with a picture of my goofy kids. Now you too can feel my pain.


Really, what would I do without them?!

Have a great weekend, my friends. Be sure to visit our lovely host, Jennifer at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes.

Gifts and Responsibilities

It was one of those moments I had to push away feelings of jealousy for an indisputable gift. An ordinary woman came out and gave a stellar performance. She looked great, she sounded fantastic and everyone in the room, even David Hasselhoff, recognized a divine touch on her. She herself almost seemed surprised.

I kept thinking, "What must that feel like?"

At the risk of completely exposing my egocentricity, I'll tell you I've craved a moment like Barbara Padilla experienced my whole life. I've wanted to know the thrill of every person in the room recognizing God's touch on me. I've yearned to be a vessel through which others glimpse the unmistakable beauty of God, to be used in such a way there is no other explanation.

Yet I too easily forget for every shining moment comes hours and hours of preparation behind the magnificent scene, requiring time away from loved ones and other worthwhile activities. With a gift like that comes an obligation to share it, whether one feels like it or not. This woman will no doubt have to extend herself beyond what is comfortable or convenient. The greater the gift, the greater the responsibility, the greater the burden, the more God asks.

. . .From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Luke 12:48

Do I want to live with that burden? Can I give that much?

Only God knows.

So instead of pining away for an amazing gift, I entrust myself to an incredible God. I use what He's given me to the best of my ability and push myself to be faithful in every little thing He brings my way.

Then, the most thrilling moment of all will surely be mine, the day I hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Lighting the Fire

“Success isn’t a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.”

by Arnold H. Glasow

True confession time.

I found this quote frustrating and misleading. I can't do anything "successful" in God's eyes on my own. Here's why:

I am a slug, interested in my own comfort and desires first.

But God, IN HIS GRACE, put a desire in my heart for something more. He whispered to my soul, "There is a better way." He ignited a spark saying, "Come."

Come.

All I can do is answer His call. Or not.

And even if I do answer yes, maturity will not happen overnight. I can't will myself into being a super Christian. I can't make myself produce good fruit. I need to be lit. There's only one way.

By the Holy Spirit.

I absolutely cannot do it on my own. I know. I've tried. And it doesn't work. The result is self-centered endeavors with no eternal value. I can't even be faithful on my own.

for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

Philippians 2:13

GOD does the working. GOD does the "lighting." Being infused or "lit" by the Holy Spirit gives my efforts new life. Soothing words come easier. Decisions are made faster. Opportunities present themselves.

I can't light my own fire, but I can, and should, draw near to God, for in the drawing near I am filled with His Spirit. In His presence I gain strength and vitality.

Moments of communion with God do the lighting.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

Join Karen at In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus for more thoughts on this quote.

On the Road to Nowhere Good

Her husband had interest in an organization she knew to be contrary to God’s Word and she was upset.

“It’s wrong,” she said, “I know it’s wrong.”

“Have you told him that?” I asked.

“He knows I disagree, but I haven’t come out and said it.”

She explained she had a tendency to tell him what to do and his response was never good. Usually, voicing her strong opinion only motivated him to show her he knew better. She felt it best to let him come to the conclusion himself to avoid the bad patterns they followed in the past. So she agreed to let him invite some people from the organization over to discuss what it was all about.

“I’m his wife,” she said, “If he’s going to go on this journey, I’m not letting him do it alone.”

Find the rest of the story in my guest post at Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

7 Quick Takes (Volume 47)

1) Being the aware, completely competent person that I am, Monday morning I turned my oven on to cook something.

"Mom," my youngest commented, quite calmly, "the oven's smoking again." (You think this has happened a few too many times?)

Guess who forgot to clean up the remains of her Strawberry Shortcake Cake drama?

2) I hope you'll indulge me a bit and let me brag on my kids. I'm so proud and happy for them.

Our son made the snare line at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, the home of the Huskers. It's a pretty impressive feat to be one of eight snares at a school that size. We are so excited for him. He has worked hard for years in hopes of playing on a line like this. We're going to an exhibition tonight and I know I'll shed a few tears. Our little Keygan whacking a drum in Memorial Stadium. Wow.

His sister, his biggest fan, followed in his footsteps a few years ago, taking up drums during marching band season. Technically she's an oboe player, but there aren't too many marching oboes, you know (or oboe players who march-HA). She started on bass drum and has practiced her fool head off, just like her brother, to the point that she is now the center stick of her high school drum line--the lead snare player. She's a junior and plays snare with two senior boys, but she isn't intimidated. Remember, I dubbed her Attila at one time. (She told me this week she mentioned that to some of her drum line buddies and they howled about it. Yep, I pegged her.) But I think she needs a new name. I'd like to call her I-Am-Woman-Hear-Me-Roar, but that's a pain in the wazoo to type. Any suggestions?

3) I thought you'd be interested to see the bountiful harvest from my garden.


Yep, that's pretty much it. Watch out, Martha Stewart! I am a domestic DIVA, I tell you.

4) My husband and my daughter were getting texts from our oldest, updating them on the status of the drum line auditions. I started complaining that once he leaves the house, Drummer Boy forgets all about his mother.

"But Mom," says the sister who gets all the texts, "You're the frosting on his cake."

Do you see how my children mock me?

5) Hold on to your hats, people. I did it. I had "the talk" with Miss Innocent One. I found myself alone at home with her one night last weekend and took it as a sign to take the plunge. After the initial giggles and blushing, it went fine, although I wish I would have recorded it because I keep wondering EXACTLY what I told her and if I was clear enough.

Now I find myself feeling a little paranoid. We've already had two of our kids say, "Mom, we know what's happening when your bedroom door is shut." Now they ALL know. Did I mention I emphasized it is a HEALTHY part of marriage? Gotta cover all my bases.

6) In honor of school starting this week, we instituted a new rule at our house. We've always lived by the rule "No t.v. until EVERYONE is done with their homework," but true inspiration hit me this week when I asked my family to change the rule to "No t.v. until after dinner, period." Those hours between school and dinner are my worst time of day. It's always full of activity and noise, putting my already draggy body on edge. But for the last two days with no t.v., the noise level has been seriously reduced. HEAVEN!! This lady is a much calmer woman from 4-7 now, making for an all around better mom. Why didn't we think of this before?

I'm pretty sure there will be no t.v. in heaven, unless it is nonstop episodes of The Office or So You Think You Can Dance minus the practice session montages. I know Judge Judy won't be playing in heaven, because there won't be any need to warn people of the dangers of stupidity.

7) Those of you who remember my closet woes, will be happy to know I'm biting off small chunks in organizing my house. I've cleaned out just one drawer or cabinet a couple times this week, telling myself I'll do this one thing only and get on with my day. It's making me feel so much better! And it only takes 15-20 minutes to do. I need to get in the habit now of doing one little job each day. Maybe by Christmas my house will be super efficient and lovely. A girl can dream, can't she?

I would totally be stripped of my Domestic Diva status if I took pictures of my closets. They're so bad, I'm embarrassed to do it, which after some of the pics you've seen this week, should tell you something.

Here's hoping your closets are in better shape than mine. Have a great weekend and visit more Quick Takers at Conversion Diary.

A Balm of Truth

I've had a rough week feeling lousy about myself.

I know I'm not the only one to struggle with this. On the days you feel less than you want to be, I see it in your eyes. The sparkle is gone. You cross your arms. You speak less. You take more notice of women around you. Your lips do not open when you smile. You hide a little bit.

And you wish you were more.

In the moment we determine ourselves lacking, what does God think? What does He see? If He chose to audibly speak to us, what would He say?

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again. . .

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.*

We don't have to understand.

We are only to believe it.



*God's Truth from Jeremiah 31:3-4, Matthew 11:28, Zephaniah 3:17

Sometimes the Biggest Victories are Personal

I woke up very grouchy. With a headache. And a backache. And no desire to write an In "Other" Words post. Who cares? All of ten people will read it and those will be the ones whose own posts are more eloquent and well thought out than mine.

It doesn't matter. No one cares. Forget it.

A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s Truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.

John Calvin

The Spirit whispers, "The truth is I care. Are you going to fall for this trick?"

Am I standing for God's Truth if I am silenced? If I miss an opportunity to tell of His power, am I a mute dog? If I opt out of a chance to speak His name, am I a coward?

There's no profound thoughts here today, only a charge. I ask myself, "Who is it you write for? The praise of others or in obedience to God?"

And I ask you, What truth are you trying to ignore today? What personal attack are you shrinking away from like a scared dog? Will you stand up to the devil and believe what is true?

Standing for the truth is not only a public responsibility, but a private one as well. Hold your ground, my friends.


Visit our host, Esthermay, at The Heart of a Pastor's Wife to read more impressions of this quote.

Julie and Julia Meet The Pioneer Woman or Adventures in Failed Imitations

In honor of my younger kids getting baptized, I wanted to make a special dessert, a new concoction I'd never tried before. Seeing Julie and Julia last weekend inspired me to work a little harder, to try something with more butter, requiring more skill, something more impressive.

Then I remembered the amazingly delicious cake my friend, Mary, brought to Bible study one night, a recipe she found on The Pioneer Woman blog, Strawberry Shortcake Cake.

Now before we go a step further you've GOT TO check out the official recipe. The Pioneer Woman gives step by step directions complete with pictures that beautifully document the process. You must, YOU MUST, take a look at her wonderful creation. It is a work of art. Do it. Do it now.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PIONEER WOMAN'S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE!

Do you see how exciting it would be to recreate this masterpiece? I accumulated my supplies and got to it. I followed the directions to the letter, even letting the sour cream sit until it reached room temperature. I wasn't taking any chances. The batter mixed up smooth and creamy and oh so pretty. I put it into the 8-inch cake pan as directed* and stuck it into the oven, dreaming of the oohs and aahs I'd get from our guests.

But soon a funny smell came from my oven. I ignored it at first because, well, it isn't too uncommon for me to have a little something burning off the bottom of my oven, but the smoky smell continued. I opened the oven door to see this.


No worries. I could work with this, right? Isn't that what Julia would do? I stuck a cookie sheet under the overflowing pan to catch the drips and decided to cut off the excess when the cake was done to make a perfectly shaped circle. Only when the cake was done and taken out, it looked like this:


This was more of problem.

"You know what Julia would do," my husband said, through stifled giggles.

"What?"

He adopted his best Julie Child voice, picked up a piece of cake I trimmed off and said, "If it doesn't turn out exactly right, it's okay, just smush a piece on top right here and no one will ever notice."

Well, there were no pieces big enough to make up for the crater in the top of the cake and it was too late to make another one, so I decided to improvise. My Strawberry Shortcake Cake was going to happen, people! I went ahead and mashed the strawberries per the directions, which is not a neat and tidy task. Notice the pretty dots of juice all over my counter.


I decided the best strategy was to construct the cake much like you would actual strawberry shortcake right before serving. I started with the less dented side to serve my guests, but the cake just wasn't level enough to hold the strawberries and became an oozy mess.


Doesn't it bring tears to your eyes?! By the time I got to my piece it looked more like a strawberry landslide.


But despite its utter ugliness, the dessert itself was very tasty, as evidenced by my goofy husband, who had way too much fun with the whole ordeal.


So I'm sorry Pioneer Woman and Julia Child. My attempt at masterful cooking was an epic fail. At least we got a good laugh out of it.



*I conveniently overlooked the instruction about making sure the pan had at least 2-inch sides. Whoops.

7 Quick Takes (Volume 46)

1) I'm becoming addicted to flossing. As I get older, my teeth seem to be getting stickier and gunk just sits there between my teeth, especially my bottom row, taunting me, giving me one more thing to groan about when I look in the mirror. For years I was lucky to floss at all. Now I'm doing it a few times throughout my day. Is it possible to floss too much?

2) Even though they now sport a two-inch split in the inner seam, I wore my skinny shorts all day the other day because HELLO! they make me feel skinny and a girl's gotta do whatever she can to make that happen. Plus, I wasn't going out in public which, wait, sort of defeats the purpose of looking skinny any way, doesn't it? Oh well, it made me feel better (although a little breezy with the extra "venting") in the comfort of my own home. Oh, and get this, not one single person in my family noticed (both the gaping hole and how skinny I looked!).

3) I really like taking my kids out in pairs. It's fun to mix 'em up and experience the different interactions that take place with different combinations. This summer I've taken the two younger ones, the two older ones, the two middle ones and just the girls. I didn't get time with just the boys or the oldest with the youngest (that one will be a trick), but there's always another day, right?

As I read over my last paragraph it sounds like I have about twenty kids. Don't worry--there's only four! I can still walk and chew at the same time.

4) To all you exercising ladies out there: Doesn't the bead of sweat that trickles between your girls drive you nuts?! There is no discreet way to mop it up. I'll be pedaling away and the drip will start running, but some guy is on the treadmill just to my right. What am I supposed to do? Suck it up and let it go, feeling like I've got bugs traveling down my chest? Ick.

5) We moved our oldest into his dorm room last night. Sadly, having done it before didn't make it any easier.

6) My son, Ladies Man was speaking of "the talk" in front of his little sister, Miss Innocent One (Is God putting the screws to me or what?).

Miss Innocent One: What do you mean, the talk?

Ladies Man: You don't know about it yet, but you will.

Me: Very soon.

Ladies Man: (sniffing and hiking up his pants) Yeah, this is the year for the talk.

Me: Basically the talk is learning about body changes and how bodies work.

Miss Innocent One: Ew. I don't think I want to know. Yuck.

Ladies Man: (Imagine chest puffed out, lowered voice, and swagger) It's not that big of a deal, really. It's just part of life.

He's so mature, all thirteen years of him. Oh brother.

It just goes to show you everybody loves knowing something someone else doesn't, because it gives us some kind of imaginary leverage. (And yeah, yeah, I haven't forgotten I need to get on that "talk".)

7) My husband and I had a WONDERFUL time on our little anniversary getaway. It was only overnight and a short distance from our home, but still splendiferous. I never get tired of that guy. We talk easily, deeply and at length. He listens to me. He laughs at me and with me. He puts me at ease. How could I ever ask God for more?


I hope you enjoy your loved ones this weekend. Have some fun and see what other Quick Takers are saying at Conversion Diary.

Steps to Connection: Humility

You know that awkward feeling you have when you see someone you recognize from somewhere, but you can't remember where and their name is absent from your consciousness? Or some person who doesn't look at all familiar calls you by name and you know there's an expectation attached you'll never meet? If you're like me you're tempted to dodge them and the embarrassment, but the unpleasantness returns every time you run into them.

There's only one thing to do. Swallow your pride and admit the truth.

It happened to me once as I was walking the track early one morning, my head lost in who knows what kind of thought, when suddenly a lady behind me said, "I enjoyed your song in church yesterday." I turned to see a woman I swear I had never seen before.

"You were in my church yesterday?" I asked.

"Well, yes, I've been going there for two years now."

Yeah. Ouch.

Well, what's a person to do? There was no place to hide. It was me and her and empty, uneasy silence, so I owned up to it.

"I'm sorry. I don't think I've ever met you," I said. Proper introductions were given and instantly I had one less person to avoid. Whew.

Because my husband is our worship pastor and I am up front on Sunday mornings, these kinds of things happen to me often. There are a lot of people in church who know who I am, but I have never met, people who look at me knowingly and leave me feeling completely inept. But once I admit to my lack of knowledge or memory, once I let myself lose face, once I humble myself, I can move past the awkwardness.

If we truly desire to be connected to others, it will require us to swallow our pride at times. But it's worth it because then we won't feel uncomfortable around people. We won't give the impression we're better than others by not speaking to them (Sadly, I think I've been guilty of this too many times.). When I'm humble enough to reveal my inadequacies, it opens the door to relationships.

You can do it too. Really, you can. Give it a shot. Make a connection by being humble.



More Steps to Connection:
Understand All Have Insecurities
Vulnerability
Time
Availability
Expectations
Be Yourself
Take a Risk
Assume the Best
Sacrifice

Alone in the Middle of it All

Rather than turn from loneliness, what if we turned toward it? Could it be that loneliness is not a curse but a gift? A gift from God?

Max Lucado,
Traveling Light: The Promise of Psalm 23

I am the mother of four children, three teenagers and a tweener who is a social butterfly. My mom stayed with them this weekend and said our house is like grand-central station with kids coming and going (some mine, some not). At my house, there's always a lot of activity, a lot of noise, a lot of people. How could I possibly get lonely?

Yet there are days I feel lost in the shuffle I call my life, days when the things I want to concentrate on take a back seat to the physical, social and transportational needs of my family. There are days I feel pulled to the limit and then asked for more, days when my only time alone is at 5:AM, days when one more "Mom, can I. . .?" will send me over the edge (or at least into another room alone to collect myself.).

I feel forgotten, used, unseen. And alone.

I've spent many moments feeling stretched too far, crying in my bathroom, asking God what the point of it all is, asking Him, "What am I supposed to do with this?" Often I've prayed for Him to have a friend stop by, or give me a call, or send an e-mail to encourage my drooping spirit, but rarely does it happen. He lets me have my little weep fest, then says to get up and take another crack at it. So I take a deep breath and go back in.

I have often wondered why he doesn't send a little boost my way. Would it be so terrible to have someone think of me? (Ouch, I'm embarrassed to even type that. See how much work God needs to do?) But I've figured it out. A person having a pity party doesn't learn to deal with life by having more attention drawn to herself. In sending no one, God's blessing me by teaching me perseverance, toughening me up, making me stronger.

He's showing me He is enough.

Truly that is a gift. If I can learn to live by that motto, nothing can keep me down. Friends will not always be there. My own husband cannot always be there, but God. . .God will ALWAYS be there.

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27:14

For more ideas on this quote, visit our host, Patricia, at Typing One-Handed.

7 Quick Takes (Volume 45)

1) Here's an indication of how much time I spend on my computer. I'm wearing the lettering off some of my keys! My S is a teeny dash. My N looks like it's in braille. My E is chopped off at the top, resembling a sideways u. My D will be the next fatality. It's fading fast. I guess I'm typing "SNED" too much, or "SEND" or "ENDS" or "DENS" or. . .Okay, that's just stupid.

2) Quick note to my friend, Rachelle, who teased me about my road rage last week--you better hope you never get in front of me, babe!

3) Have you ever noticed when you're feeling the most doggy about yourself that your friends look FANTASTIC?! I love you guys, really I do, but could you throw a hormonal woman a bone and look bad at least one day?

4) So I've been reading about how to boost my blog traffic and I've done most of the things the experts suggest--comment on other blogs, hook up with Facebook and Twitter, give some linky love, do some guest posting. There's something like 133 million blogs out there. According to my Technorati number I rank 720,120th, which in a pool of 133 million isn't bad, I guess, but coming in 720,000th doesn't sound very successful, does it?

The most important step to a good blog is having "compelling content" which is something I can't fairly evaluate. I'm afraid my "compelling" factor may be my downfall along with not having enough UNIQUE content. I'm one of a bazillion Christian women bloggers chronicling their walk with God. It's hard to break out of the pack. Maybe it isn't necessary. Maybe it's just fine for each of us to reach our own little corner of the world. It might be more effective in the scope of things too. My prayer this week has been for God to make me more faithful than famous.

5) I read in the newspaper this week about the journals of John Quincy Adams. Starting on August 5, 1809 he chronicled a journey he took to Russia as a U.S. minister, using one page per month, one line for each day. His one line observations are the perfect size for a tweet. The Massachusetts Historical Society has started a Twitter page for him and are publishing his "tweets" two hundred years after they were written. As my husband said, "Truly there is nothing new under the sun."

6) We were having a discussion at the dinner table and my older daughter was complaining about a behavior of someone she found annoying when my husband said, "To each his own."

"What did you say?"

"To each his own."

"What does that mean anyway?" she asked.

"What does it mean? To. . .each. . .his. . .own," he said, enunciating each word carefully, "

"OH! I always thought it was some foreign phrase. You know, tawichi zone?"

The same girl asked about the "forks" that were used in her brother's birth. You think we should have her hearing checked?

7) My husband and I celebrate our 23rd anniversary on Sunday. He booked us a ride on a dinner train for the afternoon and a night away from the kids. Isn't he a good guy? We're even batting out of church early to make the train which is no small feat since he's the worship pastor. Thank you, honey! I love you!


That's all she wrote on this Friday, friends. Have a little fun this weekend and take a peek at some other Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

Take 3,048,295

Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.

C.S. Lewis

3:00 A.M.

Again.

Wide awake.

Just when I thought I had this letting go of your kid thing down, it creeped up again. Our oldest goes back to college in a little over a week and my body has kicked into worry mode, sadness hanging nearby, anxiety about how he'll make it in life waking me up at night.

Again.

This trusting God stuff never gets easier, does it? In theory, it should. In practice, well, it's easier said than done. So at 3:AM when I toss and turn in bed, listening to the hum of the fan and my own heartbeat, I practice trusting again. I review what is true.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight.

For the Lord longs to be gracious to you. He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a god of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him.

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.

As the clock ticks, I recall the goodness of God. I set my mind on things eternal. I train my heart to rely on Him.

Again.


Visit Kathryn at Expectant Hearts for more impressions of this quote.

Signs my Husband "Gets" Me

1. When I sneak off by myself in the house, he'll let me be.

2. He never asks if he has clean underwear.

3. He makes all the travel arrangements.

4. He sends me e-mails.

5. When I'm quiet, he asks if I'm okay.

6. He makes special plans for my birthday and our anniversary.

7. He never asks, "What did you do all day?"

8. When he buys me a gift, he'll tell me what a great deal he got.

9. He holds my hand.

10. He asks, "What do you think?"


Join the Marriage Monday gang at Chrysalis.