Stung

The beginning of school is always a time that teeters precariously between a feeling of blossoming excitement and a feeling of distressed unsettlement.

Tell me, how do two such opposite and intense emotions simultaneouly exist within me?

My warring thoughts:

We're starting a new year!
New friends!
New teachers!
They're growing up.
I'm going to miss him.
I can't believe he's in school full day!
Freedom!!!
Freedom!!!
I'm going to get so much done!
He might be miserable.
5th GRADE?????!!!!!
What if she's not placed in the right class?
She'll make new friends.
She'll make her way.
God will work it out.

I'm positive I'm not the only one who does this. I'm just a momma bear watching out for my children. Checking. Double checking. Hurting. Feeling Joy. Praying. Asking. Inquiring. Thinking. Conferencing. Taking note. Praying. Believing.

So, yesterday was the first day of school. Emotions were running high. But the day was great. All was well.

And then came today. Even though he is the Duke of Rough and Tough, he is also the King of High Emotions, so I went by the school at lunch to check on him.

He grabbed me with his grubby, warm hands and said in a tight voice, "momma, take me home. I need to go home with you."

Ow. I felt stung. He doesn't want to go home; he needs to go home!

But I tipped his chin with encouragement and walked away. He can do it, I told myself.

Ten minutes later, I received a call on my cell phone: the school nurse. The news? Luke was on the playground and was stung by a wasp or yellow jacket. Not once. Not twice. Not three times or four. FIVE TIMES he was stung!!!

Your son needs you. Please come and get him. Feeling stung again, I did just that. I found him in the nurse's office, red faced and puffy, a desperate look in his Rough and Tough eyes. He was scared and had big welts on his shoulder, chest, hand and thigh.

But he was OK. It's just hard for a momma bear not to be there to protect her littlest cub.

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Subtle

We do the best of our parenting ability to keep our children from tearing each other to shreds. Thus, when one says something mean or spiteful to another, we immediately speak to that child and let him or her know that it is not acceptable in our family to taunt one another. It just isn't nice.

But we seem to have arrived at a new level of taunting. It is called making-fun-of-your-favorite-action-figure. And apparently, it is quite effective. I will leave out the names to protect the not so innocent.

While playing Mario Galaxy on the Wii...

Child E: Have you looked at Mario lately? Mario is fat.

Child L: What? (realizing what was said...) Whaaaaaaaaat? (loudly)

Child E: Yup. He's definitely fat. Look at that belly on him.

Child L: (mad) NO HE'S NOT. HE'S STRONG and HE EATS LOTS OF GOOD FOOD.

Child E: Yeah, lots of spaghetti and other fattening stuff. He's Italian you know. And look at those weird white gloves.

Child L: (getting madder) HE IS NOT FAT OR WEIRD!!!!

Child E: OH YES HE IS!

Child L: (furious) NO HE IS NOT. HE IS MY FAVORITE ACTION FIGURE!! (pronounced FIG-R).

Child E: Ask anyone you know. Mario is definitely weird. And he wears overalls. Those are so out of style.

Child L: (wailing) MOM!!!!!! Tell Ellie to stop!!!!! I love Mario and she is making fun of him!!!!!! (tears running down the face)


Tell me I'm not the only one who is dealing with stuff like this?! What subtle ways do your children dig at each other, or did your brothers and sisters dig at you?

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Where We've Been...

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Twelve Reasons We Make the Ten Hour 600 Mile Drive To Tiny Hunt, Texas Which Has No Cell Phone Reception the Week Before School Starts

1. Football on the Dock

2. The Swimmin' Hole
3. The Flume

4. The Rope Swing

5. Being Thrown Around

6. The Game Room
7. Cool Cousins that We Only See Once a Year
8. Relaxing

9. Canoeing11. Beauty12. Family

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When Things Happen That Don't Make Sense

When I was driving to Thomas last week,
I started prayin' for a few of my friends...
a few of my friends who are struggling

with sick parents
unsure job outlooks
discouraging news
and broken promises

and all of those emotions
opened up the frustrations in my own life
that I am dealing with right now

It felt like my heart had been laid open.

and then I stuck this old, random CD into my player
and heard this song.

It was like a little Neosporin on my heart
and I hope it will soothe any of you out there
who are hurting too.

You probably remember it.

"If You Want Me To" - by Ginny Owens
The pathway is broken
And The signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me
the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
You want me to

Chorus: Cause I'm not who I was When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will go through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone

ya oh oh no
So When the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer
my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the darkness
If You want me to

When I cross over Jordan, I'm gonna sing, gonna shout
Gonna look into your eyes and see you never let me down
so take me on the pathway that leads me home to you
And I will walk through the valley if you want me to
Yes, I will walk through the valley if you want me to





Prayer:
Lord, I pray for all those out there, especially my precious friends, who don't understand what is happening to them tonight. Help them to know that they don't have to understand to believe that You are bigger than their situation. Help them to see that You are in control, You love them deeply, and You are with them every step of the way. Grant them peace. Grant them wisdom. Grant them a special word of hope. Be with them in a very real way tonight, Lord Jesus. Amen

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Caverns and Ants and Bats, Oh My!

After our lovely trip to visit my dear friend, Kerry, in Thomas, I meandered up north a couple hours on some old country roads to meet my sister Kim and my cousin Ronda.

Destination: Selman, Oklahoma.
Purpose: See the 1 million+ bats perform their nightly exit from their resting cave

Note: This was NOT my idea. My cousin Ronda got it going, and apparently has a fascination with the event. My sister is a scientest at heart and bought right into it. Me? I guess I caved in to Bat Pressure.

But first, we had time to visit Alabaster Caverns.
I have visited other caves before, but the kids have never witnessed the underground magnificence of God's hand. Or felt the cool 58 degree cave temperatures! (It was 101 outside!) Even Luke had to duck.After the cave tour, we went to an ampitheather to hear an exciting rendition of "Echolocation." What I would do to have video posted of that one. It was cringingly funny. Anyway, poor Luke was watching the show while standing on the entrance hole to a red ant colony. Once we discovered what was happening, his jeans and shoes were crawling with the large insects. I screamed "STOMP Luke, STOMP!" But he got bit twice, once on the ankle and once on the neck. As you can see, it almost ruined our night. He was pretty upset. Here is where we waited for the bats. And waited. And waited. Finally, they came. They came in what is called columns.
And more columns. And more. 1 hour of this. I'm serious.
We could hear their wings fluttering above us in a dull buzzing sound. It was amazing. I'm convinced that everything God does, he does in the most amazing ways. Out of the ordinary. Spectacular.
Luke was feeling much better by this time. The bats got him over the ants. And then we crawled our creepy little selves into our hotel rooms. That night, Ellie dreamed about snakes.

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I'm Sorry

On our marathon tour of visiting local churches (yes, STILL visiting), I heard an older gentleman at one church pray from the pulipit (so sad, can't remember which church!!)

He prayed some simple words: "I'm sorry, God."

And it struck me. Just those 3 words really made me think.

Because since I was fairly young, I have carried around 1 John 1:9 in my back pocket:
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

So, I pray,
confessing my sins
and asking forgiveness.
It just goes kind of like that.

Unfortunately, several times a day. Too much too admit.

Yeah. It can be ugly.

I'm sure I have said "sorry" to God many times in my life...

but there was something about that moment
and maybe things I'm dealing with
that saying "I'm sorry God"
just sounded and felt right and real and raw and out of my ordinary.

And though I'm sticking with 1 John 1:9... (I know it's truth,) I'm going to be more aware of my heart when I do so. Am I truly sorry?

Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

P.S. If you think about it, will you pray that God will make it clear what church we should join? Our family does deeply want to be plugged in and serving Him and that is just not happening right now!!

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