Seriously??!! Not again!

Thursday. The day before Friday. A day I looked forward to with great anticipation. Meeting a friend at Trader Joe's. Making a stop at Old Navy's winter clearance. Sounds like a wonderful plan. That's just where I went wrong. I had a plan.

Our 6 year-old neglected most of her homework until Thursday which meant I had to scramble to help her after working and feeling sick all day. Not happy. Anyway, I finally got all of the children to sleep when I received a message. My husband, was hit by a deer. Yes, the deer hit him! There were many of them, one rogue deer got spooked and took off into his side of the car. It actually took off the mirror and dented the vehicle. It left behind some hair and some slobber on the window. The other thing it left was a frightened wife and a frustrated husband.

Rewind. Over ten years ago, Tre was traveling to NC from OH alone. I got a call from him late at night saying that he'd hit a huge buck that came through the and broke out most of the glass. He was spared but continues to have strange headaches to this day. I was scared out of my mind. Once I saw the car and the holes in the ceiling from deer antlers, I started to cry. When I realized that the deer came through the passenger side and I had fought in vain to go with him, I was sobered. The responding trooper said it was a miracle that he was alive. This was six months before our wedding.

Fast forward. Thursday. Why again God? We realized that you spared him before? Why again? We gave YOU credit for that miracle. We kept the t-shirt with the holes in it as a reminder of your grace.

I'm convinced that there is a call of my husband's life. Since he made the shift from secular work to ministry, we have experienced many trials. Satan's attempt to derail our obedience to God. This transition has not been without difficulty. Not the least being a drastic salary reduction and the addition of another child to our family. While it should be frightening, God has been taking amazing care of us. We have all of our needs and even some of our wants met. I'm still wondering if God has another message for us in this latest accident.

The Green Mile

After many glorious weeks with my precious baby, it is time to return to work. Although I knew this day would come, I can't say that I have looked forward to it. I mean, what is there to look forward to? Workplace drama, sore feet and headaches?

I'm at that place where I'm thankful for a paycheck but could do without the politics. I enjoy most of the people I work with, and I like the work that I do.

My prayer is for a positive attitude and much peace. I'm praying for a smooth transition and a beautiful work-life balance. I'm trusting God to be with me as a walk the green mile and return to the lion's den (in my case, lionesses).

New and Improved

I'm always skeptical when I see "new and improved" on a product that I always buy. Sometimes that improvement is a "new, sleeker design" which usually is a synonym for smaller package, less product and more money. And at other times that improvement is "20% percent more product for the same price". That one is debatable. And still other times the new improvement is actually something I benefit from. These are rare moments of sublime happiness for me.

Recently I stopped in Target for a few necessities. Lansinoh is a company that makes products for babies and nursing mothers. When I grabbed the box that I needed, I saw the "new and improved" sign emblazoned on the front of the package. "Oh great", I thought. I bet there are fewer items in here. Nope. Same amount. "Okay, I guess I'll have to wait to get home to find out how they're ripping me off". So when I arrived home to investigate, I was pleasantly surprised. They actually were improved! Softer, better designed and more efficient.

When we come to know Christ, we should have a sticker on our forehead that says "new and improved". If the king of creation abides inside of us we should be able to wear it proudly.
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that we are new creations in Christ and that the old person is gone. We should make sure that we don't grow complacent. Always allow the Holy Spirit to continue to improve us from the inside out. We should also make sure that our improvements are not gimmicks. We should be genuinely crafting our lives in His image. Let all who meet us find a "pleasant surprise."

Snap Out of It!

The past three months have been a whirlwind of activity. Getting used to all of the changes in my life has been exciting, scary and overwhelming. Very overwhelming.

I've been so stressed over the stupidest things. I'm actually mad at myself for letting bureaucrats interfere with my life! I'm furious that I've allowed ignorant people to steal hours of happiness from my days. The pathetic thing is that I know better. I tell myself that God is in control and that everything will work out for my good. And the strange thing is that I actually, truly believe it. So I really can't put my finger on what's really bothering me.

It's almost mysterious. I have a hard time letting people get away with treating me badly. I also have difficulty sitting back and watching when all is not in order. My husband is telling me to step back, pray and wait. The part I'm not doing is stepping back. I think I need to be slapped right now.

What I'm thankful for is that I know confidently that the God of all peace, my peace is still in charge. He does not need my help, even when I insist that He does. I also know that, as my dad would say, this too shall pass. So while I practice stepping back and trusting Him through this, pray for me. Don't just say it, do it. Pray fervently, and mean it. I'd do it for you.

Breaking Up is Hard To Do

Everyday we are forced to place our faith in many things. Sometimes our faith is automatic. We give little thought to whether or not our heart will beat when it's supposed to or whether another breath will follow the previous. At other times the faith is a little more deliberate Sitting down in a wobbly chair and trusting that it will still support you. Still other times, faith is placed in a person, a spouse maybe. We trust that he or she will stay true no matter what life brings. There is not a day that allows us to proceed without faith, but sometimes our faith is misplaced or broken.

This is something I've experienced recently. About seven years ago we purchased a beautiful sleigh bed. It was simply the most beautiful piece of furniture I'd ever seen! Very dark, heavy wood and the perfect curves...a match made in heaven, love at first sight. Our relationship progressed and a trust developed. It saw me through many nights and two pregnancies. Notice I said two...we have three children.

This is where disillusionment began to cloud our relationship. Sometime during the third pregnancy, the bed began to squeak. Soon after we noticed that the bed rails were bowing out. Next the wood began to splinter, and it was downhill from there. We purchased some insanely strong wood glue to repair the rails and reinforced them with metal underneath. Problem solved. Wrong. Last night while the five us relaxed on the bed, our relationship suffered a fatal blow. I heard splintering and then a crash. My side of the bed collapsed. The bed I had trusted for so long failed me. I'm still trying to come to grips with it.

As we hauled away the useless structure, part of the head board broke off! Upon closer inspection, we noticed that our "solid" bed was a beautifully finished compilation of small, compressed wood fragments! It's a wonder it lasted this long!

When we first meet a guy, the first thing we notice is his appearance. Mahogany skin, perfect teeth and chiseled features. If he has a romantic nature and a sense of humor, we're quickly swept away and immediately in love. Soon he has our trust, in spite of the fact that he hasn't earned it. We begin to overlook "squeaks" in his surface. Next we've agreed to marry him, and while it may take some time for the wood to splinter, it will happen. Over time the "compressed fragments" begin to separate, and the relationship comes crashing down.

Had I focused less on the external beauty of the wood and taken a closer look, perhaps we would have chosen more carefully. If I would have done my homework and set my standards higher, I wouldn't feel like I'm at a sleepover. If I'd looked beneath the surface to the character of the wood, I would have noticed its lack of integrity. But I didn't. It's too late to do my due diligence now. The damage is done.

Thankfully no one was hurt. This is rarely the case in love. When we focus on the outward appearance more than the content of a man's heart, destruction is eminent. Avoid placing faith in someone who does not deserve it. Jesus Christ is the only One that never changes. Trust in Him.