For A Moment

I made it back from my whirlwind business trips to Wisconsin and Missouri without any problems.  It amazes me that I have been on eight flights within the past week and not once did a person speak to me.  You sit so closely to strangers and often times no one even says hello to the other person.  It makes you feel pretty alone. 

 As I arrived at the Dallas airport, looking forward to my final flight home, there was a young mother with two children at the smoothie shop.  One child in a stroller the other not more than 3 years old.  Her smoothie dropped and she was on the floor in the middle of a crowd of people trying to wipe up the mess.  No one stopped to help her!  I didn't know what to do, so I had the young, clueless boy behind the counter give me a wad of napkins and I started to help her mop up the mess best I could.  She looked at me for a moment through the tears falling from her face and between sobs said, "thank you."  At that moment another woman stopped and helped us out.  For the first time in my travels over those days I didn't feel alone.

 It's hard to reach out to others sometimes.  We often feel helpless and are afraid to reach out for help.  An old friend of mine on Facebook recently asked for prayers because her family is going through some tough times.  I think it says a lot when you can actually ask for prayer.  I think it makes you stronger.

 Sometimes we all need a helping hand.  We need to be strong enough to accept it and know that God is loving us through the acts of others.  Isn't that what being the hands and feet of Christ is all about?

 Today I Am Thankful For:

1.  Brightly, colored cardstock

2.  Naps in my favorite chair

3.  Blackberry seeds in my teeth

4.  Washer and dryers at the hotel

5.  Spilled smoothies

Adventure!

Today I am off to Wisconsin to speak at a Couple’s Retreat.  The couples are all affected by a bleeding disorder and my mission is to bring a positive, uplifting message as a parent of children with a bleeding disorder.  This is my passion!  Preaching God’s word and speaking to people about bleeding disorders is what makes me happiestJ . 

After Wisconsin, I will meet the colleagues I work with for a team meeting in Kansas City.  It’s going to be a busy stretch until Wednesday, but I am really looking forward to these trips.

Having the opportunity to travel and work and speak with amazing people is a huge gift…one that I cherish.  The only bad part is that I will be away from my men for a bit (thank goodness for Skype).

I will be back soon and pray that each and every day brings blessings so numerous and amazing to you that it is almost too much to comprehend.

Today I Am Thankful For:

1.      Travel size toiletries

2.      Boarding passes

3.      Little bags of peanuts

4.      A window seat

5.      Adventures yet to come

A Choice

I am a huge advocate of devotional time.  Having a daily time to either meditate, pray, journal, and simply take time for yourself, even if just for one minute, is critical to caring for yourself.  But here is my problem...life takes over and gets in the way.

I can honestly tell you that when I have had periods in my life when I started my day in prayer and devotion, everything around me was better...my relationships, work, and my sense of self.  What I have found is that I am lacking in my devotional time these days.

Everything is going well in our lives.  Better than well.  We are even anticipating an exciting move to Rio Rancho (right outside of Albuquerque)!  The problem is that when I think about my devotional time, it's more about "finding time" instead of "choosing" time.

We make choices every day.  From what we eat for breakfast (if we eat at all) to how productive we are throughout the day.  Why can't we choose to spend time with Christ before our day gets into high gear (or choose to end our day with Him)? I have to make sure that on my list of priorities, my relationship with Christ is at the top of the list. 

Too often expectations can even take away from our relationship building with Christ.  If we set our goals to an unexpected level, we will never move forward in working to deepen our spiritual relationship.  That's why I have to focus on at least one minute.  One minute of uninterrupted time in prayer.  A time where everything else in the world takes second place.  It may not sound like a lot of time, but challenge yourself to spending a minute in quiet...solitude.  That minute can happen at your desk at work, or even with the hustle and bustle of children in the next room.  Find your minute.  Don't keep Christ waiting any longer.

"Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; See for yourself whether I've done anything wrong then guide me on the road to eternal life."  Psalm 139:23-24 (MSG)

Today I Am Thankful For:

1.  boxes
2.  cold toes
3.  rulers
4.  video cameras
5.  messes to clean up

A Beautiful Day

Some days are better than others. 

Some days we run and run, looking at the clock anticipating the next thing on the list that needs to be accomplished.  If we are lucky, we occasionally have a day where the clock is not an issue.  That's one thing I love about Sunday afternoons.  Once church is over and we have eaten lunch, the afternoon is open…..for resting, relaxing and getting our minds ready for the upcoming week.

Yesterday was extra special because we celebrated Easter.  The weather was perfect, church went beautifully, we had a surprise visit by some old friends but most importantly, we celebrated that Christ had risen.

When you really stop to think about what that means, it's almost too much to comprehend.  If you have ever watched "The Passion of the Christ," I think you may have a pretty vivid visual of what Christ endured for each of us.  It was beyond unbearable.  That God would send his only Son to die for us, despite our messiness...despite our checkered pasts and despite the fact that we continue to mess up is just beyond comprehension.

The Lenten season is a journey.  A journey to the Risen Christ.

I am loved. 

Loved beyond words.

You are too.

Today I am Thankful For:

1.  Lilies

2.  Chocolate chip cookies

3.  Baby wipes

4.  DVR

5.  The Easter Bunny :)

Suffering

Everyone suffers something.

But when children suffer, it breaks your heart. 

 When your child suffers, and you can't take the pain away, you would give your life for them. 

 I walked past a room yesterday (as I am here in the hospital with "Christian" as he recovers from a knee bleed) and the mom of a teenage boy suffering with asthma was standing outside the door sobbing.  I stopped, and put my hand on her shoulder.  She started to talk through the tears about his suffering.  I know without a doubt she would have given her life at that very moment for her son.

 A mother's love is something you just don't mess with. 

 But how do you give thanks through the suffering?

God did.  He knew what He was doing by sending Jesus to die for us.  I can't even imagine the enormity of that sacrifice.  Yes, I would give my life for my child, but giving up my child's life? 

We'll never know and completely understand that gift.  But what we do is work to live a life pleasing to God through our every move and through every word.

As Holy Week begins, I want to spend time in reflection by trying to wrap my mind around the sacrifice that was made for me.  I mean, I am a sinner beyond words, and God knew I would struggle, yet He sent His Son for me.

God loves me just the way I am...sin  and all.  Let's start each day remembering that God loves each and every one of us without doubt and beyond measure.

Today I Am Thankful For:

1.  iPads

2.  City lights from the hospital window

3.  The whirring of monitors in the hospital room

4.  Dry erase boards

5.  Reclining chairs