Where have you seen God?

There is this thing - called an Emmaus Walk. It is an intensive weekend that you experience in which you "encounter Jesus" as did the men on the walk to Emmaus. It is entirely designed to teach you more about God's love. It is a great experience. Anyway - after your "walk" you are encouraged to join an accountability group. They even give you cards to help in your groups discussions. The first question on the card is "Where have you seen God this week?"
That question has really gotten me thinking. Where have I seen God in the past couple of weeks. I will share some of those with you. (I am getting my niche in this blogging thing - I think I like lists)
1. I saw God in the hundreds of volunteers that came out to serve in the weeks following the rounds of tornados that swept across our part of the country.
2. I saw God in my good friend who asked "Where are all the Mexicans?" It sounds funny and very off color, I know, but she was sincere. In many of the apartments that were destroyed she knew that there were many people from Mexico living in them illegally. She was truly concerned about their health and well being knowing they wouldn't go to FEMA for help, nor any other agency.
3. I saw God in my church family as they rallied around a family in our church that lost their six month old baby.
4. I saw God in my niece as she came to visit me recently and smiled and laughed and lit up the room with her beautiful blue eyes.






5. I saw God in the love I felt for my 5 year old as I watch with tear filled eyes as she danced her little heart out on the stage at her ballet performance.





6. I saw God in the Children's Hospital when I went for a visit there the other day. First in with the father of a boy who is my daughter's age. His twin sister is a friend and was in preschool with my Cinderella. Her brother however, is a special needs child and has always had to fight for everything! And once again he is fighting. But winning - he went home from the hospital today. The second stop was with a family that just delivered their first baby, a boy with spinal bifid a. You can a read more about his story here.
7. I saw God in my daughter when she asked me "If God promised to never flood the earth again, why would he send the Tornados"
8. I felt God when I explained to Cinderella that he didn't send the Tornados, but he allowed them, because He is wise and can work through all things.
9. I saw God in the miracles that we take as hardships, like when my husband tells me he has an unrealistic deadline at work and he'll be tied up for a few weeks. I was heartbroken, but then realized it was only a couple of years ago, we prayed he would hold on to his job because the economy was so unsteady - now he has more work than he can handle.
10. LASTLY - I saw God in the face of my baby girl tonight when she sat in my lap and I smelled the coconut scent of her shampoo, and felt the rapid of her heart and watched her rub her little "softie" that she loves so much. Feeling safe and secure in her mother's arms.





May we all feel that safe and secure in our Father's arms.


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May Days

(This is actually an easter picture, but the shades make it summery don't you think?)
I love the month of May. The anticipation of summer is so exciting. The days warm up (sometimes, more than I want), seniors graduate, you begin to hear the sounds of kid running around outside. It feels so alive. Even though I work full time, it feels like things slow down in the summer. Although, lately we haven't slowed a bit. I am really struggling with this, but I realized this weekend, that my struggles are my own fault. So I have come up with a list of things I am doing to slow down. I want this summer to be fun! I don't want to merely survive it. This thinking process is a direct result of my new years blog in which we formed a family mission statement. Anyway, our mission was to create peace. And I feel we have not really done that great of a job. So back to the reason for this post... my list. Here goes -
1. I am getting a cleaning lady. Yes you heard me right. I am doing it. There is no shame in it, I cannot do everything, and I resent cleaning because I feel it pull me away from my family. So, if I intend to slow down this summer, I am going to get a cleaning lady.
2. I am getting out of some commitments I have previously made. Whether it is at church, with our extended family, with friends, whatever the case may be, I am learning the magic word "no" - I have been trying to learn that word for years. Obviously, still trying.
3. I am being selfish - just a little. I am committing to my daily time with the Lord and to a daily time of exercise. Just for me. How are we going to slow down If I am wound up so tight, it's as thought I might pop at any minute.
4. I am going to try to stop saying "Just a minute" when my girls call for me. Usually I am doing laundry, talking on the phone, cooking dinner, whatever. But what does it say to them when they say "Mommy, You are never going to believe this..." and I reply "Just a minute, I am finishing this load of clothes"
Note for my mom: I still plan to enforce the importance of waiting til I get off the phone for them to tell me something, and getting them to understand the importance of not screaming my name at the top of their lungs when they know I have gone to the bathroom! But I am working on the whole balance thing.
5. Boundaries - I feel this is the most important. I plan to implement healthy boundaries with all things in my life. My work, my relationships, my extracurricular activities - you get my drift. It is really true, that life is about balance, so I will be walking that tight rope, balancing away!
Keep you posted on the progress.


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