Killing Two Birds With One Stone

I was tagged over the weekend by maudie-mae for the Six Random Things meme. I've done two different versions of this (see 7 Things About Me and Of Meds and Memes if you're interested in my other quirks), but decided it would be fun to play along as there's enough fruity things about me to provide some fresh, random weirdness. I also wanted to join Jennifer F. at Conversion Diary for her new meme, 7 Quick Takes Friday. So I'm lumping the two together for one whopping big dealie bobber. Are you getting tingly yet? (Don't worry. The feeling will depart quickly as you start reading!)

(1) As a child I was terribly jealous of my blue-eyed, blonde sister. I got my jabs in by telling her she was adopted. I gave the poor girl a terrible complex, causing her to doubt her lineage every so often, even as an adult. (Yep, I was a big meanie.)

(2) I wish I had a buff, athletic body. I work my tail off at the local YMCA, but have never achieved that chiseled, sculpted look. I suppose I started out bad having cellulite by the time I was ten. Sigh. I guess I can take comfort in the fact that I rarely get sick, so the exercise is paying off somehow. My dad used to say I was made from "sturdy stock". As a teenager I didn't appreciate that much, but as I get older it doesn't sound so bad.

(3) My maiden name is Kubik, pronounced like cubic. I used to hate the looks I'd get in math class whenever we were studying volume, but later wished I could go back to those days when the girls in gym class found a "naughty" word to rhyme with my surname. My first name came from a soap opera character. (Good thing the writers of that show didn't meet the girls in gym class--it would have made for a doozy of a soap opera name.)

(4) I've never been a great sleeper. I was a colicky baby. My mom talks of driving me around in the car a lot the first few months of my life. As soon as the car started moving, I'd be out. Forty-four years later, riding in a car still makes me sleepy (which can be tricky when you're driving). If the ride is longer than 30 minutes and my husband's behind the wheel, I'm a goner.

(5) Don't you just love people? I can sit for hours listening to their stories, trying to figure out what makes them tick. It is a lifelong habit of mine to focus in on what they're saying and determine from their body language what they're NOT saying. As a child I entertained myself by sitting in a corner quietly, observing every scene happening before my eyes. It is not a judgmental thing at all. In fact, it is frustrating to me that I can empathize with just about everyone. How do you decide who is right or wrong when you can understand the motivations of every side? I would make a terrible judge.

(6) I love, crave, need, even get up early for quiet and feel a little off if I don't get enough of it. I'm naturally a night owl, but having four kids has made the early morning hours a necessity. Now I find 5:AM just as refreshing as 12:AM (to my dear college roommate--if you're reading this, don't spew your coffee on your computer and ruin it!) My body's clock has adjusted fine (until I get in a car, that is).

(7) I take great delight that my husband's taste in women has changed over the years. In high school, he was attracted to blondes. He's always had a special fondness for his sister, a fair-haired, blue-eyed beauty. When we were first dating, his favorite actresses were Kathleen Turner and Michelle Pfeiffer. Now, Catherine Zeta Jones is at the top of his list. For those of you who don't know me IRL, take a look at my profile pic. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? I've swayed him to the "dark" side. I love it.

And there you have it, more than you ever cared to know about yours truly. Feel free to play along on your own blogs if you're so inclined. Go ahead. Take a whack at it. It could be fun.

Have a great weekend, my friends.

Roses Among Thorns

“To possess true beauty, we must be willing to suffer . . . if Christ Himself was perfected through His sufferings, why would I believe that God would not do the same with me? Women who are stunningly beautiful are women who have had their hearts enlarged by suffering.”

Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s Soul” by John and Stasi Eldredge

The women gathered, as they do every week, to study the Bible together and bond with like-minded friends. The lesson was on bowing your pain to God, giving yourself up to His plan no matter how it might hurt personally.

One by one, women shared hurtful experiences of their pasts. Tears welled, words choked, hearts tugged.

And yet all who participated said they could see how it made them better. Through cracking voices and sniffling noses they expressed sincere thanks for the end result.

Obviously God's work left its mark, making them brave enough to mention their trials, instilling in them a desire to show how He redeemed the suffering and used it for their growth. I was empathetic, but I did not feel sorry for them. They were already reaping the rewards of a job well done pressing on in the midst of difficult circumstances.

I was blessed to be sitting among them, inspired by their softness and ability to feel the pain, yet move beyond it. Their tenderness drew me in. The glimmer of gold shining through their tears made me catch my breath. I smiled to see a glimpse of Christ's love and perseverance. I soaked in the beauty of God at work in a group of women willing to go through anything to be used by Him.

They remind me no pain is wasted. Nothing is a mistake. God uses it all to transform us to His image. Suffering buffs the rough edges, polishing us, making us more beautiful than ever.

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:11

Join Nina at Mama's Little Treasures to read more impressions of this quote.

Choosing Hope

I hate change.

Always have.

Every fall as a kid, I'd have dreams the night before school started, worrying about what the new year held.

I hate it when shoes wear out or you have to replace an appliance or your vehicle bites the dust, because what if you don't like the new things as much as the old?

Choosing a new paint color can be exhausting. How do you know it will give the room the right vibe?

I've never lived farther than an hour away from where I grew up.

Deciding on a new activity is a headache. How will it affect my family, my time, my stress level?

I even get a little jittery moving the furniture around.

So it's no surprise to me this election process has been unsettling for many. No matter who was elected, black or white, man or woman, Republican or Democrat, a new leader would be moving into the White House. What will it mean for us?

Anxiety and apprehension about change is nothing new. Change caused the Israelites t0 wander in the wilderness, be taken into captivity and reject the Messiah. But let's not forget it also paved the way for God to display His power (remember the Red Sea, the walls tumbling down, the fiery furnace?), rescued them from slavery, brought them to the Promised Land and provided a way of salvation for ALL men.

Generations of God's people have worried about the future for their children and maintaining their livelihoods just as we do. They faced uncertainty and fear. How did they cope?

They looked to the only thing that never changes, the Maker of heaven and earth, Almighty God.

I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

Malachi 3:6

We are not destroyed either, no where close. We are safe in His control. As much as it goes against my nature, I choose to be thankful for change. Without it I would never have experienced marriage, motherhood or some really great relationships. I would never learn to trust or hope or dream.

As change begins in our country, I'll keep my eyes on God, pray for those in power and look expectantly for His hand. Worrying over the direction our country is headed accomplishes nothing. Instead, I will embrace this change as a time for new possibilities and opportunities to see God in action.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100:5

Visit other Thankful Thursday participants at Grace Alone...

The Grace of Christian Marriage

She's short with the kids and he doesn't wag a finger at her, doesn't even shoot a dirty look her way, but wanders over to give her a hug, saying nothing at all.

He still hasn't handled the problem she wanted fixed yesterday, but as he comes home looking exhausted, she holds her tongue.

He never asks, "Do I have any clean socks?"

He's late, again, and she swallows the snark.

She tells him, "You can do this. I believe in you. Don't sell yourself short."

He doesn't understand her pain, but brings her flowers any way.

She resists the urge to man bash with her friends.

He says, "Thank you. I appreciate you."

He's no Prince Charming and she's far from Miss America, yet they see a beautiful swan in each other because of the Holy Spirit's touch.

Life can be tough, and at times they're not that crazy about each other, but out of love for God they do what is right, following His command, and they get through another day, over a different hump and on to better times.

As they deepen their relationship individually with Jesus, they're naturally drawn to one another, causing their love and desire to grow.

Because they understand each other's commitment to Christ, the fear of what could happen to their relationship is diminished. He loves her. She trusts him. Their feelings are secure.

They are one before God and man.

Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever find me finds life and receives favor from the Lord.

Proverbs 8:34-35

Visit Robyn at Overflowing Grace for more Marriage Monday posts.

Lessons from a Ten-Year-Old

She's already in bed when I get home, but I go into her room anyway to tell her good night. As my head nears hers, she stirs and rolls to her back.

"Good night, honey," I whisper, kissing her forehead.

Her arms circle my neck and she holds me close, never opening her eyes. Her lips tenderly find my cheek and I smile at the way she mimics her normal bedtime ritual.

"I love you, Mom," she says and hugs me tight.

Loving comes so naturally to her, she can literally do it in her sleep. She represents everything good and pure in life, reminding me love covers a multitude of sins.

And I am blessed.


Link to other Thankful Thursday participants at Grace Alone...

Falling for Jesus

I put the poster in an inconspicuous place in my room, a spot easy to miss if anyone visited, saving me any explanations. It seemed a little childish, this sheet I made myself with plain white paper and markers, but I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. I worked hard on it as an assignment for VBS, even though I resented I had to attend as a seventh grader. There was no picture, only a Bible verse I drew out of a hat. It said,

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

But the placement of it in a little corner opposite my bed, made it the last thing I saw when I laid down to sleep and the first thing I read when I arose each morning. When a bad day hit and I questioned my place in life, there it was.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

When I wished I was as funny and thin as my sister, it told me:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

And when I sat through confirmation classes, hearing things I'd never heard before, things too good to be true, that silly poster urged me to believe it. My pastor said, "God has a special plan for your life." He said, "You were created uniquely" and "God knows everything about you. Nothing in your life is a mistake. He has a specific purpose just for you." Though everything in me wanted it, how could God be intimately involved in the lives of so many people? How could I be special? How could my weaknesses be there for a reason?

But there it was, every day, in black and white (or actually purple and white) on the wall of my bedroom, the same answer to every question.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

One day I sat on my bed pondering it all. Pastor said we could claim these promises as our very own if we asked Jesus to be a part of our lives. How could it be that easy? I stared at that poster until my vision became blurry and something in me stirred.

Believe it.

I closed my eyes, bowed my head and prayed, "Jesus, I don't understand all this. I don't know if this is real, but if it is, please come into my life. Please make me special and unique. Give me purpose. Make me more than what I am."

I didn't feel any different when I finished. No angels sang. No confetti fell from the ceiling. I didn't tell a single person.

Yet I was changed forever.

And I realized if this one verse held such power, I should be reading the rest of my Bible. The words were a balm to my young heart, confirming the things my pastor said. Some thirty years later, I can easily see the impact of God's Word on my life. I do have purpose. I do feel unique and sometimes even special.

Yet some things haven't changed. I still don't understand a lot. Sometimes it seems too good to be true. I always have tons of questions for God.

And He consistently gives me the same answer.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Believe it.

Satan's Sucker Punch

Man A is oblivious to Man B, but sure likes his wheels.

Not get the joke? Check out Satan's Best Trick.