"I feel ten kinds of weird today," I told Melanie on our way downstairs to the basement of the Underground this morning for Bible study.
We got downstairs and set down our stuff, and I proceeded to go make coffee. I walked into the kitchen area, when Melanie exclaimed, "Hey, look at the floor."
There was a huge puddle of water on the floor. I hadn't even noticed it as I walked right through it to go to the kitchen.
Make that eleven.
I feel just "off" today. I really did try to be "on." I think it's the Monday thing. I tried to be SuperMom as I cooked rolls and cinnamon rolls for us all this morning before school, packed hot lunches for the kids, and brushed out the most tangled of kid hair from my daughter's oft-neglected locks. Dread locks, that is. She's not much into brushing anything, but most of all, her very long hair. As she complained and protested, I gave her words of wisdom: "with great hair, comes great responsibility."
I try to get us out of the house at 8:30 to get there for the 8:40 bell. Well, I went upstairs at 8:27 to go get dressed! I needed a phonebooth to walk in and out of really fast, but sadly, I don't have one in the bedroom. Brushed my teeth as fast as I could. I probably only got the front eight, but I didn't care; I skipped washing my face. I locked the front door at 8:39, looked down at three imploding pumpkin heads leftover from Halloween still on the front porch. I hoped my face didn't look like any of those. No time to pour coffee in my travel mug, or even swig the last drops in the cup on the counter on the way out. I was "off."
Our study today was about "faithfulness." Our God is faithful, and our faith is a response to His faithfulness. Today I have to say that that is so true in my life. He's always "on." He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and O' man, I love that! That I can be weird and imploding on my front porch and He hasn't taken the day off. Praise Him! Praise Him that whatever is off in my life can be steadied by leaning on the One who never changes. I love that when I am ten kinds of weird I don't think He's forgotten me, and that I can know He's still ten kinds of wonderful. Praise Him who is good and who keeps His promises and who strengthens me when I need every ounce I can get! Lord I praise You for the day You've made, even if I am wondering where I am in it, or if even if I am late for it.
I think I need a nap.
Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 36:5
Monday, November 16, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Under the lights...
I coach Keelin's soccer team. A few weeks back, I was approached with a fantastic invitation to bring our team to play at halftime of the Nanaimo United (Division 1 Women) soccer game last Saturday night. We'd been to this particular field before just recently, but not at night. Way more impressive at night! We drove up to park. All lit up, it might as well have been Dodger stadium. I felt that same sense of wonder. We'd made it to the bigs.
Keelin was adorable. Before we left the house, she had made sure to wear a headband to pull her bangs back. We went to see her thirteen-year old "cousin" play a couple weeks ago at this field on Sunday afternoon (why we'd been there). Before her game, Taylor put her bangs back into a headband. Keelin wanted to be just like her. Playing on the same field as her big "cousin". So in went the headband. I knew what she was after, but I kind of spoiled it by making her wear her toque over it. It was freezing, though! Night games come without sunshine.
Keelin watched as she waited for her turn on the pitch. I watched her watching them, as she admired their size and ability. I remember being the same way, thinking how I wanted to be just like the big girls. It's good to have good role models, and have something to aspire to be when you grow up!
The little girls' soccer game, needless to say, looked nothing like the game the big girls were playing! It was hilarious. Usually, my girls play 4 v. 4, but with the short time allowed, the organizers wanted everyone to play, so we played 6 v. 8 (our team had 6!) They proceeded to play in their usual style--all swarming like bees, like they do when there's only eight on the field on Saturday mornings. Only now, there were fourteen of them hovering around the ball at the same time. Back and forth they all ran as one big blob, chasing the ball up and down the field for ten whole minutes. So cute! I mentally ran every lap with them from the sidelines. It was exhausting. We scored the only goal (we weren't really keeping score, but since my team was short-handed, I was pretty impressed with ourselves!)
The big girls got back on and resumed the game. We didn't stay for the end. We went home to warm our toes. And a much-deserved hot chocolate for the whole family.
We were very grateful to have been invited by the Nanaimo United coaches, whose purpose in having us was to inspire our young girls to keep with soccer for the long term. It was a great experience to expose the girls to the beautiful game, to introduce them to some great examples of successful players, and a great way to give the girls a "goal" to "shoot" for. (I know... but I couldn't resist.) It's one thing to tell someone something, and another to let them experience it for themselves. What a wonderful experience it was!
You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8
Keelin was adorable. Before we left the house, she had made sure to wear a headband to pull her bangs back. We went to see her thirteen-year old "cousin" play a couple weeks ago at this field on Sunday afternoon (why we'd been there). Before her game, Taylor put her bangs back into a headband. Keelin wanted to be just like her. Playing on the same field as her big "cousin". So in went the headband. I knew what she was after, but I kind of spoiled it by making her wear her toque over it. It was freezing, though! Night games come without sunshine.
Keelin watched as she waited for her turn on the pitch. I watched her watching them, as she admired their size and ability. I remember being the same way, thinking how I wanted to be just like the big girls. It's good to have good role models, and have something to aspire to be when you grow up!
The little girls' soccer game, needless to say, looked nothing like the game the big girls were playing! It was hilarious. Usually, my girls play 4 v. 4, but with the short time allowed, the organizers wanted everyone to play, so we played 6 v. 8 (our team had 6!) They proceeded to play in their usual style--all swarming like bees, like they do when there's only eight on the field on Saturday mornings. Only now, there were fourteen of them hovering around the ball at the same time. Back and forth they all ran as one big blob, chasing the ball up and down the field for ten whole minutes. So cute! I mentally ran every lap with them from the sidelines. It was exhausting. We scored the only goal (we weren't really keeping score, but since my team was short-handed, I was pretty impressed with ourselves!)
The big girls got back on and resumed the game. We didn't stay for the end. We went home to warm our toes. And a much-deserved hot chocolate for the whole family.
We were very grateful to have been invited by the Nanaimo United coaches, whose purpose in having us was to inspire our young girls to keep with soccer for the long term. It was a great experience to expose the girls to the beautiful game, to introduce them to some great examples of successful players, and a great way to give the girls a "goal" to "shoot" for. (I know... but I couldn't resist.) It's one thing to tell someone something, and another to let them experience it for themselves. What a wonderful experience it was!
You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Costumes and compromises....
November 3, 2009
Wow, last week was a whirlwind!
Halloween ended up being a whole lot of fun this year. For one, it didn't rain. Secondly, I've finally arrived at the big Halloween promotion. I don't have to walk up and ring the doorbell at every house. I am an end-of-the-driveway Trick-Or-Treater Supervisor now! Yipee! However, the whole Halloween season started out, I could tell, very hard for Candan. He's not ever super big on the day in the beginning of October. He tells me that first day or so of the month that he'd just prefer me buying him a box of chocolate and being done with it (I'd be more than okay with that!). As the month progresses, he usually figures something out that he'd like to dress up as, and then he gets excited about the big day. This year was harder than usual for him to get into the (forgive the pun) spirit.
It was two days before the parade, and still he couldn't decide what to dress up as or if he wanted to at all. He'd been Spiderman, Buzz Lightyear, a soccer player, a hockey player, and a knight in recent years past. There wasn't much left that hadn't been done yet. And he knew what all his friends were going to be-- scary.
He knows I don't do scary, and he doesn't like it either one bit. All his friends would be dressed as vampires or other assorted gory, bloody things for the school Halloween parade [which we don't have a dress code for, but I think we should. It was (again, forgive the pun) hauntingly telling of the dark world we live in. Nine year-olds dressed as Death is heart-wrenching.]
There was huge pressure to be something he didn't want to be.
The world is never going to help us out to be pleasing in His sight. The world celebrates darkness and fear and death, and it's easier sometimes to go along with what others are doing so we don't stand out as different. The truth is, he wouldn't have been happy had he gone as Dracula, because he'd know the compromise he'd made. Compromising what you believe in will never make you happier.
He went as a scarecrow. A darling scarecrow. He said it's okay to scare birds if it's to save the cornfield. He's so cute, and I am so proud of him. (He wasn't smiling in this picture because his dorky mom was embarrassing him by making him stand up after his class sat back down after their turn marching in the parade. My camera wasn't ready as they passed by.)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Wow, last week was a whirlwind!
Halloween ended up being a whole lot of fun this year. For one, it didn't rain. Secondly, I've finally arrived at the big Halloween promotion. I don't have to walk up and ring the doorbell at every house. I am an end-of-the-driveway Trick-Or-Treater Supervisor now! Yipee! However, the whole Halloween season started out, I could tell, very hard for Candan. He's not ever super big on the day in the beginning of October. He tells me that first day or so of the month that he'd just prefer me buying him a box of chocolate and being done with it (I'd be more than okay with that!). As the month progresses, he usually figures something out that he'd like to dress up as, and then he gets excited about the big day. This year was harder than usual for him to get into the (forgive the pun) spirit.
It was two days before the parade, and still he couldn't decide what to dress up as or if he wanted to at all. He'd been Spiderman, Buzz Lightyear, a soccer player, a hockey player, and a knight in recent years past. There wasn't much left that hadn't been done yet. And he knew what all his friends were going to be-- scary.
He knows I don't do scary, and he doesn't like it either one bit. All his friends would be dressed as vampires or other assorted gory, bloody things for the school Halloween parade [which we don't have a dress code for, but I think we should. It was (again, forgive the pun) hauntingly telling of the dark world we live in. Nine year-olds dressed as Death is heart-wrenching.]
There was huge pressure to be something he didn't want to be.
The world is never going to help us out to be pleasing in His sight. The world celebrates darkness and fear and death, and it's easier sometimes to go along with what others are doing so we don't stand out as different. The truth is, he wouldn't have been happy had he gone as Dracula, because he'd know the compromise he'd made. Compromising what you believe in will never make you happier.
He went as a scarecrow. A darling scarecrow. He said it's okay to scare birds if it's to save the cornfield. He's so cute, and I am so proud of him. (He wasn't smiling in this picture because his dorky mom was embarrassing him by making him stand up after his class sat back down after their turn marching in the parade. My camera wasn't ready as they passed by.)
Oh, and speaking of darling... here's a sweet pink m&m.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
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