~It's Nice To Be Missed~

Friday, May 22, 2009

It's nice to be missed.  The kids and I spent most of the week in our soon to be new town. Looking at furniture, rugs, paint colors, and the best part: spending some time with Grandma, Grandpa, and Abby. More on that later. Yesterday evening, after too many hours in the Suburban, I dragged my travel weary self in the garage where I was greeted by my chipper, energetic, blond haired green eyed man. "Honey, you sure look cute!" He was grinning and looking at me like it had been more than a week since he'd seen me.  I figure that's a bonus. He doesn't have to always compliment me as well as he does. But he does.  He doesn't have to be so selfLESS for the sake of me and the kids. But he is. He is a human manifestation of LOVE.  Which leads me to my most recent conviction..... Confession: One of the things that sometimes irritates me is feeling forced to clean up behind people. Which is a little ironic because I'm a MOTHER!!! Isn't that at least in part, the definition of the word?  It's not so much with the kids because I simply call them to the scene of the crime and tell them to "pick it up!". Brad's worst offense in this area is a pair of shoes left in the den, his t-shirt on the floor beside the bed, or maybe a small pile of scrubs in the corner BESIDE the hamper, because he doesn't want them washed with the regular laundry. (I agree. Gross.)  He sometimes brings home an array of books, articles, and prescription pads with notes jotted on them that might get left on a counter top. That being said, he is a "worker bee". He'll tackle a bathroom, the kitchen, or anything else I need if he sees I'm having "one of those days". He is more than willing to help me in every way imaginable. So, my revelation is this:  If my husband gets up at 5:00ish in the morning, rubs my head as he kisses me goodbye, leaves to work hard mentally and physically all day, ( for the benefit of our little family) and doesn't get home until sometimes 7:00 or later, the least I can do is help pick up the man's stuff! (With a heart of gratefulness and joy, mind you!) We're not talking about an extra hour of work for me, maybe 10-15 minutes max. I want to learn to have more of a  heart of a servant in my family. You can fake happiness for a little while, but real peace and genuine love cannot be forged for long. (If at all.) The question I keep asking myself is, "What is just underneath the surface? Do I respond rightly to inconveniences through gritted teeth? Am I just barely having a right attitude or does love ooze out of me freely and easily? I believe the latter is the way it ought to be. I'm learning to resist the knee jerk reaction. You know.......something hits you just wrong and you feel your body tense, your mouth opens, and sharpness cuts the air and the ones around you. That is not Christ in me, the hope of glory. I am not designed to function that way. My entire perspective is changed when I believe WHO I REALLY AM. A new creature..... that's where I am today.   My sweet Jake is with Grandma and Grandpa this week. It's just us and the girlies.     This morning I was not quite awake enough to get going but of course, my daughters were.  I said to Reese, "Go play, darlin'". She sadly and so sweetly responded as she walked out of my room, "But I can't play without Jake.". I smiled then poked my bottom lip out and my heart melted just a little.   picking weeds....uhm, I mean.....FLOWERS.  I miss my buddy already! Though the dynamic changes when I go from three to two and I guess it's a little easier to get things done, he's my helper and the leader of the pack. The girls seem a little lost without him.   Returning from visiting our soon to be puppy. Jake said, "Honey, can the puppy please be a boy?! hehe   -Stacey-

~What We Do~

Thursday, May 14, 2009

What We Do...(In our pre-move lull) Climb things. Just because we can. Cruise the aisles at the local "Stuff-Mart" ....lollipops included, of course.      Catch, Name, Inspect, & Release LaDyBugS.....most every day.       Pick flowers because they are so "luv-u-ly". At our house, lovely is a three syllable word.                             Eat Chick-fil-A as long as the gift card or the "mad money" holds out!   ~And this?   Have no idea.    It's just the way they roll.~ -Stacey-

~*~

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

I made the mistake of reading a feature blog last night. In summary, it was a very liberal "solution" to an issue that shouldn't be but has become a  national issue. No need for detail....it's boring and tired. Nonetheless, it's one that I feel passionately about.   I couldn't resist making a comment on her post. I felt this uncontrollable urge to at least give my opinion. I think if we value the freedom to have our own ideas and want that liberty to continue, it's our responsibility to speak when given the opportunity. (I'm not claiming that I am brave or even that articulate. I don't naturally like to confront anyone, so even just typing a contradictory opinion made me a little nervous! But still, I was compelled.)  She made a response to my post and exposed a glimpse of significant sorrow she had experienced in her past. I instantly had an entirely different perspective of this stranger. While she and I  may never agree on anything, our basic needs are the same. To be loved unconditionally, irrevocably. To have comfort in sorrow. To understand there's a bigger picture. To have hope in an eternal future. One of my heart prayers of late has been that I would truly learn to love people. Not just people that I like or that I have a lot invested in, but people that I would never grow to even like. There's a love that is in me because I am in Him that transcends  human nature. A few weeks ago I was reading in John. Chapters 13-16. You ever read things you've read before, but somehow it's like you've never really heard it? This book is bursting at the seams with instruction to LOVE people. That doesn't necessarily mean lay down, roll over, and agree with them. I've come to the conclusion that unconditional love is a foreign concept to most people. Even me...I can get lazy and forget the most simple and basic instruction. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love." I always come back to the fact that He is the answer. We live in an imperfect world but here's the good news: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."  (I'm glad that's the team I'm on.)    -Stacey-

~I'm Back~

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

I'm Back.... FYI- I used to be MyRace2Run. Then I quit. I didn't quit "running", I just quit blogging about it. Why? I don't know. I'm rash. I felt a need to focus, withdraw, simplify.  For whatever the reason, we go through seasons. And in some seasons, that are thankfully, not all that common, I find myself in "survival mode". When I'm there, I just put the brakes on and pull back in every possible area. That's where I've lived on and off for a few months now. Now, I'm "ToLiveLoved". What a statement. What does that even look like? Really living in the light of the knowledge of how much I am loved by Him.  For one, it means I'm okay. Even in a funky season! It means being okay with not being perfect. It means freedom.