Watermelon Poisoning

At the time it seemed like a good idea. I ate a very filling dinner. Satisfying. Hard to come by during pregnancy. My mom insisted the watermelon was like nectar from heaven. So I gave in. I got a piece and plopped down on the couch. Now I feel like I've been to a taxidermist. I'm stuffed like a Christmas goose. Who knew fruit could make you feel like this? I know this is random, but I had to share. Now I must go and figure out why my "sleeping" children are having such a loud conversation!

Dental Farce

Hurry! Brush your teeth! Brush them again! Yes, you do need to floss. Use mouthwash too. Let me see. Ok, looks good.

You know what day it is. It's time for us to get our 6 month cleaning. Can't have the dentist seeing plaque and tartar build-up. I became a drill sergeant while getting them ready for the dentist. I even made myself brush a little longer while being sure to floss in spite of my pregnancy induced super sensitive teeth and gums.

The dental check-ups went well, but I started thinking. I felt like I dodged a bullet since I had no cavities. I started wondering why I don't take the extra time required during pregnancy to avoid problems. Why do I expect positive results without the effort?

The parallels between oral hygiene and the rest of my life were striking. So I'm making an effort to live every day like I'm going to the dentist. Why put on a show just because someone will see what I've been doing? Since God is the Master dentist, he knows how I act each day. He knows my heart and all of my habits. He helps me weed out the cavity causing behavior. I can't fool Him with by brushing more. Why try?

Picture Perfect

On Saturday I spent a glorious day at the NC Zoo with my family. My mom and my brother's family also joined us. I waited with eager anticipation as the day grew closer. With days in the 90s, I was a little concerned about the heat. Then we experienced torrential downpours, so I fretted about being drenched.

When it comes to zoos, I'm kind of obsessive. I'm as bad as a little child! As the big day grew closer, I kept an eye on the forecast. The weather was expected to be 83 degrees, partly cloudy. Perfect! I was thrilled and so thankful.

Saturday morning, we slept a little later than I wanted to. Ooops. Once we got outside, the weather was actually a little cool. Our drive was uneventful. We arrived at Africa and began our adventure. With video/digital camera in hand, I was ready to go.

At the end of the day, I was left with sore feet
and back, tired children, a happy husband and
enough memories to last a lifetime. I have some
amazing pictures of God's creations. I only wish I
had trusted Him enough to answer
my prayers for perfect weather.
He always answers.

Instant Christian?

When we celebrated our daughter's birthday, the party, naturally, spilled over to our house. While relaxing on the couch, my sister-in-law picked up one of my mags. Today's Christian Woman has been one of my faves for several years. When she looked at the cover, she said, "Why is she on the cover of a Christian magazine?"

She is Kate Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus 8. So this got me thinking. Why the shock about this cover model? Then I thought back to when I first received the issue - I had the same question. I never knew that she professed Christianity. I did read the feature, and she said all of the right Christian things, so she checks out, I guess. Maybe not.

According to Matthew 7:15-20, the way we tell a true believer is by the fruit they bear. With this in mind, no person should be surprised to learn that a person is a Christ follower. Celebrity is not an excuse to hide our beliefs. Neither is a job. While we must follow rules about solicitation and proselytizing, we can still boldly represent Christ through our lives.

The question for me is why Christians are so desperate to sell magazines or gain publicity that they are willing to put any random person who says the word Jesus on the cover of a magazine? This is not written in judgment of Mrs. Gosselin. I don't know what she believes. Kate Gosselin is not being singled-out. There have been others on the cover that have made me wonder how or why they were chosen.

However, I would rather see an unknown woman who has constantly shown her love for Christ and others everyday, than an overhyped celebrity who accidentally spoke Christ's name and was catapulted to instant Christian. It is a privilege to be called a follower of Christ, therefore we should use caution when bestowing that title.

This pic is from her blog.

Yours is Bigger Than Mine

Cursing. Lying. Cheating on a test. Bootlegging movies. Making personal copies at work. Tax evasion. Cheating on a spouse. Child abuse. Incest. Rape. Murder.

Christians were placed here on earth to judge everyone. We have so many causes. Condemn those who abort. Treat the poor like dirt. Abolish same-sex unions. The list is endless. There's a tiny problem with this plan though. We are not without blame. Therefore, we cannot blame. Hmmm.

Says who? The Son of God. John 8:7 gives us a glimpse into the mind of the religious teachers and Pharisees. There was a woman who was caught in an adulterous act. Since Moses' law required her to be stoned, they decided to ask Jesus what they should do. The scripture says they were trying to trap Him so they'd have an offense against Him. He simply told them that the one without sin should throw the first stone.

There really isn't any gray area here. Since we are not without sin, we are to cast NO stones. If we look carefully, we will see that He does not refute the law, He simply showed them how ill-equipped they were to judge her. She was no more or less of a sinner than they.

The same is true for us today. We are actually sinning by condemning others. This does not mean that we overlook sins. However, we should examine ourselves and our motives before casting stones at another. Sins do not have levels or degrees. But for God's grace, we would all be lost. Condemned to hell forever.

My challenge for myself is to judge ME whenever I get thew urge to judge another. Doesn't it feel good to say, "Well I did this, but at least I didn't do that." We are always comparing in a feeble attempt to make ourselves feel better. May God help me to turn that energy inward and examine my own heart and life instead. I think I'll start with negative thoughts... Or maybe complaining... Or maybe complacency... This could take a while!

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

I "witnessed" the Cavaliers disgraceful defeat by the Magic on Saturday night with a house-full of family. At the end, I sighed with relief. It's not that I wanted them to lose, especially being a native Ohioan, but I was tired of the hype. I've been a part of the inconsistent thrill-ride with Cleveland sports for so long. They just have a way of disappointing. I'm just not die hard enough, I guess.

What caught my attention was the lack of post-game interview by the star Lebron James. Donned King James by some person unknown to me, he's been in front of the camera throughout his career. After this defeat, he performed a magic trick and disappeared from sight. It was very noticeable. SportsCenter seemed to notice, too. Questions were asked.

So I asked a couple of my own. Why did he skip the interview? My first thoughts are that he was embarrassed and angry. I believe that to be true. Then I wondered if that was the right thing to do. When you are paid millions of dollars to do a job, do you get the blow off the fans and refuse an interview?

Personally, I'm not a fan of many athletes or celebrities. It's not "hating", as my brother would say, but I simply feel they act like spoiled brats. They have more money and possessions than any of us could ever dream of, but they whine like tired infants. I believe that they have certain responsibilities based upon their blessings. Because, whether or not they acknowledge the source of their wealth, God allowed it. Because of this, they should act with class. To whom much is given, much is required. Luke 12:48

Are we asking a lot for them to submit to inquiries and pictures? After all, without the interest of fans, they would be broke like the rest of us. I personally don't feel sorry for them. The lifestyle is a chosen one. None of them would be willing to give it up to live like every man, so suck it up. So there.

God of the Rain

Here in sunny NC, we've experienced more than a week of somewhat flooding rains. Recently the rains subsided and allowed our cherished sun to grace our skies again. I'm not a girl who loves the rain unless I'm in the house, looking out while curled on the couch with a book. Since I can't remember doing that since I was 14, you can say the rain was a slight inconvenience.

Preparing for an outdoor party was also a challenge. I looked at the forecast ahead and realized the rain was expected to cease in time for the festivities. So while bemoaning the rains, I began to reminisce about the previous summer. The rains refused to fall. Washing our car was a luxury. Brown grass was "all the rage". The colorful flowers needed so much watering that I felt sorry for them having to be outside!

So with those memories, I realized that God is not only the God of the sunshine. He is the God of the rain. His hand is evident whether the sun shines or the rain falls. We just need to look for it. As people, especially Americans, we're used to focusing on how things inconvenience us and on what we want. I watched on the news as strawberry farmers lost valuable crops because of the torrential downpours. I lost nothing. I actually gained green grass! All seven blades of it!

For my life lesson, the sun represents happiness for me. The times when life is great, and all is going well. The rain reminds me of trouble. Maybe sadness or devastation. But that's wrong. For God is the God of both. During storms, I learn so much. While it often hurts, I come out better, looking more like the Father. Matthew 5:45 tells us that God "sends rain on the just and unjust alike." Rain is not a symbol for hard times, neither is sun proof that all will go well. Remember, you cannot see a rainbow until after the rain.