Eat Life!

While exercising last night, I thought about my younger sister. She, as most of us do, struggles with eating the right foods from day to day. If we had someone in our ear every day to hold us accountable for what we eat and drink, it might be easier for us to do the right thing. In my attempt to be my sister’s accountability nag, I often drop an email to her that simply says, “Eat Life!” In other words, eat foods that will help nourish and replenish your body. Eat foods that even the cellular level of your body will benefit from. The alternative to eating life is to eat death. Foods and beverages that taste yummy, but damage our organs and invite fatigue. Sometimes I hear chocolate yelling my name. Oh, food doesn’t talk to you? Well, I hear chocolate loud and clear and even when I satisfy my craving, it just keeps yelling my name. “LaVender! Eat me! More, more, more!” 

I try to remember my attitude, energy level, and progress is influenced by what I consume. Soda, chips, cookies, and bread, or apples, raisins, spinach, and water? We make a choice to eat life or death with every bite and every swallow we take. Thoughts of my sister reminded me of my body being a temple – holiness reigns in me! It’s easy to forget this with a plate of delicious food or addicting fast food in front of you. Holiness and trash do not mix! We probably wouldn't feel tired and need refueling by noon if we choose to eat life. We wouldn't reach the point of snapping if we choose to eat life. Even our spiritual life will awaken if we eat life. This is nothing new you're hearing, so just consider it as a reminder from your Monday morning accountability nag. EAT LIFE!

Mr. Man

At 7:45 a.m., Saturday morning, I was in Walmart purchasing bottled water and ice to donate to Firstborn’s basketball team for a car wash fundraiser they were having. I completed my purchase and walked outside to the car. The man I was behind in the checkout line was standing next to his truck smoking a cigarette – our vehicles just happened to be parked next to each other. Good grief. Miss Flesh immediately became irritated; I didn't feel like talking. I hurriedly placed the ice and water bottles in the ice chest. Mr. Man says, “Looks like you’re getting ready to enjoy a fun day in the sun.” I replied, “Noooo, I’m on my way to a car wash and the car washer is in the car sleeping.” In other words, I’m not alone. Mr. Man continued to pry. He wanted to know why Firstborn was sleeping – I told him. He asked where the car wash was – I told him. As I answered each question, I questioned myself for talking to this stranger. Believe me, Miss Flesh wanted to ignore Mr. Man, but I'm working on being more polite to strangers. 

As children we're taught to not talk to strangers, but unfortunately I'm now a grown woman who says she loves Jesus. Mr. Man slowly walked over to me while reaching in his pocket. I prepared to protect myself and he said, “I don’t have much, but here is a donation for the car wash.” Relieved, I said, “God bless you! Thank you!” Funny, how I suddenly felt like talking. I thought Mr. Man wanted me! I sat in the car embarrassed and sorry for my unkind thoughts of Mr. Man. It’s good to be cautious, yet it’s better to be cautious in the Spirit of God. Miss Flesh almost blew it. I wasn’t ready for a test of my kindness so early in the morning, but I thank God for it. I also thank God for Mr. Man’s life lesson for me…be kind to strangers! God can work through anyone, for anything, at anytime. Thank you, Mr. Man!

He Needs Me

Hubby hugged me and held me tightly – longer than usual. I went away for the weekend – only the weekend. Hubby’s hug only confirmed what my father recently said to me, “your husband needs you.” Daddy’s wisdom and God’s grace has kept me in my marriage because there are many days I don’t feel like being married. Daddy went on to explain how men try to run the household, but it’s really the women. A man may never admit to needing his wife, but they do. It’s not about the physical help (cooking and sex) as much as it is the emotional help. The weight of being the leader in the home with the responsibility of financially providing for others is a weight many wives will never comprehend. Single mothers can definitely relate, but the married ones take it for granted mainly because we help with the providing – I take it for granted. It somewhat bruises a man’s ego to know he needs help from a woman and men are full of ego.

Husbands need words of affirmation even when they aren’t stepping up to the plate like we think they should. Our help is what helps them step up, but our complaining and judging kills their manly spirit. I know my hubby needs me and the hug only reminded me, but can I get some of that help? Yes, that was my first thought, but of course God instructed me to lean on Him just a little more as a wife. I’m called to be a help mate, yet can barely help myself, but God is my helper! Thank you, Jesus! This morning when I heard hubby’s alarm clock, I saturated him in prayer and also asked God to empower me as a helpmate. Hubby needs my encouragement and support – again and again. Hubby needs my help – hubby needs me.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

I had a toothache and a swollen cheek this weekend. The pain wasn’t the problem, but the pressure to walk around in public was. I looked like half chipmunk and half human. I knew the swelling would eventually go down, but it wasn’t going fast enough for me. When it was time for me to meet the public, I realized how much emphasis I place on my looks. I spent too much time in the mirror trying to find ways to make my cheeks equal. I tried to suck the swollen one in from the inside, I tried to puff the other cheek out more, and I even tried to smile a little harder to see if I could hide my chipmunk cheek. People walk around every day with physical disabilities and disfigures and there I was concerned about a temporary swollen cheek. 

Being Christ-minded wasn’t even in my thoughts – it was all about the cheek. After my spiritual spanking, I asked God to help me to stop focusing on myself. When I look in the mirror, my Self is not what I see, but the illusion I’ve created for myself is what stares back at me. My spirit is where my true beauty exists, but I have been conditioned by society to believe my physical beauty is most important. When we look at others, we create an illusion for them also. 

Eyeliner, foundation, face powder, mascara, lipstick, false eyelashes, weaves – it’s all used to create an illusion or possibly hide what we aren’t satisfied with. The swollen cheek is gone this morning, but the lesson I received will be revisited every time I look in the mirror. I was perfectly created to be perfectly ME. Everything about me makes me ME, and God loves me regardless of what I look like – unlike man. God made me a beautiful woman because His beautiful Spirit lives in me. It’s not about how I look, but how I make my Heavenly Father look.

A Day Off

My prayer partner and I were talking this morning about how difficult it is for mothers to get a day off. Unless we leave the house, there will always be something required or asked of us. I immediately thought about my Heavenly Father; He never gets a day off – never. I call on Him every day throughout the day and He always answers, but when I get tired of my family calling my name, I act like I don’t hear them. What if God took a day off? The thought alone is unsettling. 

It’s soooo easy to complain, but what do I have to complain about? Even when I’m tired, God restores my energy. When I’m frustrated with everyday household chores, He helps me to find the good in what I do. When I’m exhausted with homework and grades, He gives me the wisdom and strength for positive parenting – it’s not my homework anyway! When hubby acts like he can’t do for himself, God reminds me I’m his helpmate, not his mother - there is a difference! When I’m consistently asked to volunteer, God reminds me how simple it is to just say “no.” God is my sufficiency for every hat I wear.  

Once I realize I work specifically for Jesus and not the people around me, I won’t be so carnal minded and desire a day off, yet desire strength, energy, and power, to do what I’ve been entrusted to do. Instead of taking a day off, I’m taking a day off from complaining - again! Thank you, Lord for the ability to do what is required of me – one day at a time! I trust you to give me everything You already know I need – even a day off!

We Can Do This!

Secondborn has had a cookie business for almost three years now. It wears me out physically and mentally. Friday night, he was preparing for a business expo and had a difficult time focusing. The process of baking and packaging the cookies started off fine, but about an hour into the mix, Secondborn said he needed music to motivate him. Okay, that’s fine. Minutes later he wanted a sandwich. Shortly after, he was getting tired. Then he had a headache, and then he needed a shower to help him wake up. I was mentally exhausted. I knew he needed a few words of encouragement, but my words probably came across as words of chastisement. 

Secondborn pays me $5 a week to help him. Trust me, I’m worth a whole lot more, but as his mother, I’d do it for free. We can do this! The day of the event went very well and he sold lots of cookies. He also received a wealth of encouragement from customers and other business owners. I was thankful because he sure didn’t get it from me. No one sees what goes on behind the scenes, and that’s okay. I’m thankful for the people placed in my little entrepreneur’s life to support and encourage him. 

Yesterday, Secondborn mentioned he had a lot of “motivators.” I told him those encouragers are his support group to keep him moving forward. We all need encouragement. It’s like mental energy to keep moving. Nothing gets done without hard work and sometimes it’s hard to encourage yourself. 

As a wife and mother, I have to encourage myself in order to keep my family encouraged and being cranky and tired is not the way. I must refuel and replenish myself - daily. I must renew my mind - daily. I must remember that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and encourages me - through His Word. It's a new day...a new week...I can do this and so can you! Have an encouraging Monday! Be encouraged!

Every Breath

I didn’t want to, but I needed to. Firstborn and Secondborn were only five and three years old when the 9/11 tragedy occurred, so last night, our family watched one of the many 9/11 documentaries. Surreal. Senseless. Unbelievable. Here one minute - gone the next. No one knew, the morning of September 11^th, a decade ago, that a sequence of events would occur to change their life forever. The surviving firefighters spoke of how precious and memorable the moment was when they first saw their families and even saw each other after the tragedy. I wondered why it takes death or a near death experience to truly appreciate life. 

As much as I strive to live and cherish each moment, too many irreplaceable moments are taken for granted. I assume I will inhale again after I exhale, but it’s not promised. I assume I will see my family again this evening, but it’s not promised. I assume tomorrow will come, so I can call the friend that has been on my mind, but it’s not promised. How can I not value every breath I take? How can I not take advantage of the precious moments flying by?  

Sigh…thank you, Lord. Thank you for reminding me that my life is just a vapor – a brief wind blowing by – a gasp of breath to exhale – a puff of air – here one minute – gone the next. Life travels fast. Learning to take advantage of the time we have with friends, co-workers, neighbors, and family would be wise. Every moment we’re alive, whether we enjoy it or not, is a moment with breath in our body. Every breath we take is a gift of life. It’s time to enjoy this gift of life – with every breath.

Be All You Can Be

I asked Firstborn if he had any ideas of what he wanted to do after high school and he said he didn’t know. Hmmm…Sweetie, you’re in the eleventh grade, you don’t have long. He then asked about the Army. I told him I only knew about the service I served in, the Navy. Of course I favor the Navy, but in times like these, I just want my children to have security – spiritual and financial security. 

Firstborn is only 15, so I’m not surprised he doesn’t have his life mapped out. I pulled up the Army website to view the available careers and also saw one of the Army commercials stating to be all you can be. I was thinking of myself more than Firstborn as I watched the commercial. Am I being all I can be? As a woman, wife, mother, servant of God, sister, daughter, friend, and writer, am I giving God my best? Am I in a position to allow God to pull everything out of me that He’s placed in me? Am I living at the optimum level I was created for? Just as I reminded Firstborn that he didn’t have long, I don’t have long on this wonderful planet Earth, so I better get it together. I can’t expect Firstborn to be all he can be if I’m not doing the same. As his mother, I should be able to boldly say, “Do as I do and as I say.” From the simplest of tasks to the most demanding, I must be an example – I must be all I can be.

It doesn’t matter how old we are, God is never finished with us. There is always another opportunity, another endeavor, and another chance – there is always a next in life! Today is a new day, let’s be all we can be – one day at a time!