Splash the Puddles

Friday morning, I took a solitary stroll around my neighborhood. Normally I'm already at work just as the sky is turning light, by this particular day I was home. And I was all alone. As I walked, lost in my own thoughts, during this rare quiet moment I began to notice all the sounds around me. Sounds I don't normally get to soak in. A light mist was falling, cars shuffling down the road through the school zone just outside our neighborhood, the sound of their tires slowing on the wet road as they approached the line of cars waiting to turn into the elementary school. Ignitions cranking in the surrounding driveways (reminding me how much earlier I have to be at work than all of civilization), the pitter patter of my dog's feet on the pavement below me. The neighbor dogs barking their jealousy of his apparent freedom from their locked fences. I took in the sights, felt the cool rain fall on my face and looked up. That's when I noticed for the first time, the beautiful ba...

We were on our way home from Mansfield tonight, which is where our Wednesday night church gathering is held temporarily. As we approached our church land, Will said, "Mommy are we going to go by and see the church?" I reminded him that we had gone by to see the "church" (aka GA red dirt, some newly laid pipes and some wooden frames that I'm sure there's a name for, but I don't know it, as well as some flagged off areas waiting in preparation for slab to be poured) already. "Remember we saw the bobcat thingy digging just before church? And also we went yesterday. And Monday. We've seen the church a lot this week." He replied, "Yes, but it's Wednesday night. It's what we do. We go see the church." He's right, it's Wednesday night and it's what we do. Every single Wednesday night on the way home we go by there and shine the headlights all across the land to "see what we can see," even though we've ...

One night recently, after he'd been asleep several hours, my baby boy became very restless in his slumber.  After determining he had no fever, but watching him continue to moan, thrash and shudder in his sleep I grew concerned and asked his daddy to come observe for a few moments.  We noticed he was reaching for his legs and squeezing them, while still caught in an uncomfortable state of not being awake, but certainly not fully asleep either. This is when I learned that earlier in the evening, he'd complained of his legs hurting. I'd been out of the house that evening, and daddy had done bedtime without me. Growing pains, we assumed, as this has been a sporadic occurance throughout this little one's life.  Eventually, after some more flailing and when whimpers turned to real cries and tears, he awakened. He was so delirious from his sleep being interrupted so abuptly, that he couldn't effectively answer our questions about what was bothering him. He supplied several...

Have you ever looked at someone else and wondered why you can't be as (fill in the blank) as they are? Why can't I be as thoughtful as her?  How come she seems to be able to balance motherhood, a healthy lifestyle, caring for the downtrodden, and serving others cheerfully and with such grace and I can hardly get my own people out the door dressed and in one piece, five to ten minutes late to wherever we're headed?  Much less think to pick up a card or deliver dinner to someone having a rough stint. Why can't I this? Why don't I that? It's been said... ...and can I get an AMEN? It's so easy this day in age to compare ourselves to others with all the publicity we give our daily ins and outs on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like.  As good as social media can be, it can also be one of the Enemy's greatest tools in bringing down the spirit of God's people.  On the contrary, we don't necessarily need social media to inform us of all our self per...

In the book of Luke, chapter 22 verses 31-34 we get a front row seat to Jesus telling one of his most faithful followers, Simon Peter, that very soon he would betray Jesus. He told Simon Peter, "Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when  you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."  A few things stand out to me here. First, Satan asked to manipulate Peter and Jesus allowed him to do so. Second, Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail and that when  he turned back he would strengthen his brothers. This is significant because it illustrates to us that when we sin, just as Simon Peter did, that does not mean our faith has failed. It does not mean we lose our salvation in Jesus and endless supply of grace. We are separated from God for a season until repentance, but we never lose our assurance of eternal life because of a flawed moment of judgement. He always welcomes us back to him.  T...

Have you ever been broken before the Lord? I mean truly broken?  This morning in church, we were singing one of my all time favorite worship songs. It's been a while since we've sang it, and I was excited to hear the  strumming of chords on the guitar, as our new worship leader, Victoria, transitioned into "Forever Reign."  I had no idea what the Lord had in store for me at that moment.  I've been praying lately for a clean heart. If you've followed my writing for years, you may know this is not the first time I've felt this pressing need to just come clean before God, to allow Him to purify me from the inside out.  (It won't be the last, either)  I'm in need of a good cleaning, and I've been sitting in my own yuck for a little bit now.  The chorus to the song came, and I found myself with my arms lifted and voice bellowing, "my heart will sing, no other name..." but just before I could sing the next word, I broke down. "Jesus....

Have you ever had your heart pulled in different directions? Perhaps a tough decision you've faced, maybe you've struggled balancing your time and energy between split families. Maybe your child faces a difficult obstacle and you're wavering on whether to let them fight their own battle, or stepping in and saving the day. Perhaps controversial issues of today's time leave you wondering which side of the fence you stand on at times, or maybe newer friendships and relationships have distracted you from older ones temporarily.  Could be that two people you love dearly have come into conflict and you're torn on how to remain loyal and unbiased in both relationships.  Maybe the decision of when to remove the life support is in your hands. You want to hold on, but you have to let go.  A divided heart is tough.  My heart has been divided at times on who I will serve. God?  Or myself?  On paper, it seems so  obvious. God. I choose God. Yet too often it seems, ...