Athena in a Minivan

I miss my mom today and...

I'm having a Pity Party or sitting on my pity pot as mother use to say.

Cherish your mom. Treat her like a queen. Appreciate all she does for you even if it is not much. Forgive her for all those times she embarrassed you. Sit and listen to her stories. Laugh at her jokes even if they are not funny.

I would trade all my worldly possessions for an hour with her today.

The Aroma of Christ

(This was written for our church newsletter.)

The smell of a diesel engine floods my mind with memories of a trip to London and its double decker buses. When I smell someone wearing Este Lauder’s Youth Dew, it always reminds me of my Aunt Christine. Who can resist the smell of freshly baked cookies? The band U2 in their song, Miracle Drug describes freedom like this: Freedom has a scent like the top of a new born baby's head. I know that smell and remember the first time I caught a whiff of it in the hospital holding two newborn babies. Blooming narcissus take me back to my grandmother’s back yard.

On the Day of Atonement, the Israelites are instructed to offer a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Eighteen times in the book of Numbers, they are told that their offerings should have an aroma pleasing to the Lord. In Genesis 8 after the flood recedes, Noah offers his sacrifice to the Lord. When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said He would never again curse the ground because of man. (Genesis 8:21)

Jesus calls us to spread the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. We are to be the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:14-15) I smelled the aroma of Christ this morning in worship as the choir sang about the sweet sound of praise. I smelled it as Dr. B challenged us to be zealous for Christ and for the lost. I smelled it as the Scalfs joined their family with Community North.

I am challenged this week is to spread the aroma of Christ through my home, my neighborhood, and even into the grocery store. Our church is a place where people can smell the aroma of Christ. They recognize the aroma in our fellowship, our Bible Study and our worship. When we go out the doors, it escapes and spreads through out McKinney and beyond. Close your eyes and take a whiff, can you smell it?

Not your typical Saturday

Saturday was an interesting day. I made taco dinner for a college friend who has just adopted a new baby after 2 years of prayer for a baby. Jonathan is a beautiful gift from God and from his birth mother. I have prayed for his arrival since before Toddler was born and cried tears of joy as I held him in my arms and said a silent prayer of Thanksgiving for his life.

Later the same day, I visited the nursing home in Celina where Kay, a lady who sat with her husband Hank in the pew just in front of me for most of my growing up. Kay has had a stroke and is on a life giving respirator. Hank is sitting vigil by her bedside in a reclining chair and taking meals in the nursing home. I cried tears of sadness as I hugged them both, kissed them and prayed that the Comforter would surround them.

Toddler went into the backyard and tried to dig in a pile of fire ants. His feet are covered with bites numbering in the double digits. I held him as he cried, bathed his feet in ointment, prayed for healing for his swollen feet and let him sleep off a Benadryl stupor in my lap.

Friends

I need some friends. No, this is not a plea for everyone to say, "Oh I am your friend" and it is not a pity party, at least not a big one because I am blessed with the best sister/best friend and a wonderful husband who loves me dearly.

I met a friend here in our town when my twins were 18 months and her son ( Mr. C) was 8 months. We were in Bible Study together. We went through a miscarriage (mine), deaths (my mom's and her aunts), lots of illnesses, tears, laughs, hours watching kiddos play at the park, pregnancies (Toddler and Big D). One day I get a phone call that she is not going to be coming home for a while. It was a big shock. We spent a day together during spring break and it was wonderful to hang out, drink tea, cook lunch and watch the kiddos play around us. Due to some family issues, she has moved to her hometown at least for now. I really miss her. Here are our sons now:

It is hard to build good friendships especially in this busy world we live in. I have had other friends who have fallen by the wayside when our lives and our schedules no longer are the same. One friend seems to have dropped us when her daughter started public school and we began to homeschool. I have some new friends that I have met through homeschooling and they are wonderful ladies and our children love playing with each other. I know with some time and cultivation, these friends will continue to grow closer. But it takes time.

I have some wonderful friends in my life and now it is time to grow some new friendships. It means being vulnerable and open and accepting and loving. It means being willing to let myself take some risks. It is hard. It takes some courage. I feel like that little girl who started middle school and didn't know anyone. She sat by herself for two weeks until finally someone who also had a brown bag asked if she could sit beside her. We were friends and still are. Or that 18 year old who went to college with fears and met an Oklahoma girl with long curly hair who made those four years special.  Or the black haired beauty who came to a softball game as a spectator and left with a new friend.

Cute pics of my kiddos...

..cuz I think no one but me is reading this anyway.

Toddler and the greatest Daddy and Granddaddy

Sundance and Butch show off their new toys.

Butch and Sister (aka Tortilla Face)

Toddler and his boots

Welcome New Baby

T , S and I met in college and then became friends again when we joined the church where they were already members. Butch, Sundance and C are just a year apart and love to play together. Last summer we got to have him in our home while S went back to work while they were awaiting a baby to be available for adoption.

When I was expecting Toddler, S was experiencing the pain of losing two IVF babies. We loved each other through it but it was hard being a visible representation of what she longed for. S has loved on my kiddos and I love on hers. Our boys are bundles of love, energy and play.

On Monday, S and T's dreams became a reality as little baby J came into this world and a few hours later, his new mother learned that he was to be hers. There were some tense times as God cleared the way for him to join his big brother in our city. Tonight I got to hold this little (he was 4 weeks premature) guy and he is a visible reminder of how much God loves to give us good gifts.

Thank you God for J's birth mother who loved him and gave him to parents who had longed for him for a very long time. Thank you God for friends like T and S and C and J. Thank you God for your good gifts.

Beware of the Ides of March

If your name is Julius Ceasar, you need to keep a look out today for wayward statesmen. Everyone else can just learn a little more about it here.

Have a great day.

Journey to the Cross

During Lent, d365.org has an online Lent devotional. Ken Medema has written the music and different authors have written the devotionals.

Part of today's devotion really spoke to where I am on my journey through life.

In a place where my stomach is rarely empty, it is hard to know a want for bread. But today, Jesus, create in me a longing for you, my bread of life. Remind me that only your words, your love, and your grace can satisfy the deep longings of my soul. Journey to the Cross March 8, 2006

Making Better Marriages

This is from Tim's Mom at Bona Vita Rusticanda Est,  and her pal, Miss Roxie of Sunny Day,

Question

What's one thing you have learned to do differently to make your marriage better? Or one thing you think is important to a good marriage?

The Not-So-Fine-Print: If you're not married, look at your parents or a couple you know that has a good marriage and tell something you admire about their relationship. And no pressure to tell the most important thing; in fact, try to write something different than what's already been written, if you get tagged after several other people have already done it. If you get tagged, link back to whoever tagged you, so we can follow the trail and see what others have said.

My Answer
Marriage is a 110%/110% give and take relationship with a whole lot of giving and just a little tiny bit of taking.

Crying 2 month old twins at 3 am who will not go back to sleep are a sure fire way to bring you closer together.

Marrying your best friend is a great idea.(as long as he/she is the opposite sex)

A king size bed is a good idea.

My mother and father had a great one of 48 years and set wonderful example for me.

True love is a three way relationship (like a triangle) between you, your spouse and God. Without God in the center and both of you on the outside it just turns into a circle instead of a triangle and you go round and round and round.

Marry someone you really, really like (not just love but actually like) because there is a good chance one or more of your children will either copy or inherit characteristics just like your spouse.

Socks thrown on the floor on a daily basis is a small price to pay for all the love and companionship and friendship that one man can provide. Anyway, if those socks weren't there, after 8 years of marriage, I would miss them.

Let's see..I think I will tag.....

Julie at Poor White Oprah

God

Husband

Wife

God

Husband

Wife

Do You Know Spike?

Have you tried Spike? It is the best seasoning blend. I have tried it on veggies, fish, chicken, rice, brisket, and shoe leather. It tastes great on everything. It is a weird blend of tons of spices and herbs. It contains no chemical agent so you have to bang the bottle to loosen it up each time.

My local grocery carries it but you can also find it in the health food store. Does anyone know what fenugreek is? Here is a list of the ingredients:

Spike's Seasoning contains: De-fatted nutri-soy granules, granular toasted onion, nutritional yeast, granular garlic, celery root granules, ground dill, horseradish granules, mustard powder, lemon peels, orange powder, parsley flakes, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, white pepper, rose hips powder, summer savory, mushroom powder, safflower, parsley powder, white onion powder, spinach powder, tomato powder, sweet Hungarian paprika, ground celery seed, cayenne pepper, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground ginger, ground coriander, ground fenugreek, ground cloves, cinnamon powder, plus a delightful herbal bouquet of the best Greek oregano, French tarragon, French sweet basil, French marjoram, French rosemary and Spanish thyme. Contains no chemical free flowing agents. There is 24mg. potassium in the salt free variety per 1/4 serving.