Brain Rattlings

As in, things rattling around in my head today . . .

*There is something very wrong about large Christmas ornaments hanging above the Halloween section at Target.

*If my dog could talk I wonder if she could ever adequately explain why she believes eating dirty diapers out of the trash is a good idea.

*I really wish Macaroni Grill delivered. Mmmmmm.

*Brownies will suffice for dinner in the absence of above longed-for Macaroni Grill

*Inevitably, children will always get sick right before a weekend or when the husband is out of town. Or both. Why is this???

*We dumped cable. I miss cable. Is it possible to have cable withdrawal?? Oh, TLC, one day we shall meet again . . .

*I think every season at the moment is my favorite season. Fall is breathtaking around here. I literally have laughed out loud or said "Wow!" at turning a corner only to see a blazing red tree jumping out of the foliage. Isn't God beautiful!

*I never was a huge candy corn fan until I met my husband. I now understand the dire importance of purchasing Brach's - and only Brach's - candy corn. Store brand is not acceptable.

Enough rattlings. On to the brownies . . .

Not How It's Supposed to Be

Please be praying for my longtime friend Pam, her husband Chris and all their family. Last night they said goodbye to their sweet baby Bennett who flew into the arms of Jesus at 6 months old. He was awaiting a heart transplant and held on as long as he could.

I have no words.

But I do hold tightly to the reminder Isaiah gives about the new Heaven and the new Earth that's coming:

"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days . . ."
Isaiah 65:20a

This is not how it's supposed to be. And it's not how it will always be. But right now it's unfathomable.

Lord, come quickly.

Daydreaming

The other night I was reading a new favorite book, "What Every Mom Needs", for an upcoming playdate/book discussion with some other moms. (Whatever stage you're in, whether or not it includes motherhood right now, hang with me - this isn't just a "mom" thing.)

"Identity" was the current subject and, in an effort to broaden our job descriptions beyond "mom", the book was attempting to resurrect buried dreams. It asked the simplest question that I still cannot answer:

"What did you daydream about when you were a child?"

I get the point - that we tend to lose ourselves and our dreams as we become older and more tangled in "grown-up" worries and responsibilities. If we can somehow excavate those long-ago musings then maybe we'd at least have a starting point towards where our hearts long to travel.

But I could not for the life of me think of one thing I used to daydream about.

Am I the only one in this boat? Am I so stinkin' analytical that I never let my mind wander? Or did it wander and those whimsical paths are so grown over with worldly weeds that I just can't see them anymore?

I love, love, love being a mom. Just as many of you love your primary calling whatever that may be for you. But I can't imagine that God created us to fill one, and only one, role at a time.

So now I'm doing a lot of soul-searching for those other roles, talents, dreams that would contribute to my continual quest to be ALL God intends me to be. To bring Him glory in every way possible.

By the way, this is not the same as packing my schedule as full as possible with pottery classes and underwater basket-weaving. I think it's more along the lines of choosing to put off mopping the oh-so-nasty kitchen floor for just a little while longer so I can, say, write a post on a too-often neglected blog . . . :-)

Maybe for you it's not grading that stack of papers until you've read a chapter in your favorite book. Or diving into a new recipe, creating artistry in the kitchen, allowing those work e-mails to sit just a little while longer.

Not saying it's easy. Currently I am sitting with my back to this mess of a house so I can't be distracted by it. And I seriously just reread this post for editing with my fingers in my ears in order to focus and block out Little Miss Chatterbox for two minutes.

So.

I'm still looking for those childhood daydreams. Not sure if I'll remember them but at least it's got me thinking and I think that's the point. I hope it got you thinking, too. :-)

To The Desert Dwellers

As often happens in time of great spiritual growth and renewal, we have been battling the enemy mightily - and sometimes not so mightily - around here.

For the past month there has been spiritual attack after attack launched against our family. The enemy is trying to distract us, discourage us. And to be honest sometimes he succeeds.

But then God reminds me - again - who He is and how much bigger He is than anyone, anything or any circumstance. So when this video came in my inbox today I almost laughed out loud at God's perfect timing. I have a feeling I'm not the only one it might speak to today . . .

Who's Teaching Here?

The other night my 3-year old and I were reading in her Bible at bedtime. Finishing the well-read story of David and Goliath I asked her:

"Who was bigger: David or Goliath?"

"Goliath."

"Who was stronger?"

Without pause she responded, "God."

Well said, little one.