Thankful Thursday - Alison

How many people are lucky enough to have their Sister-in-law as one of their best friends? Not many. In fact, Alison and I were friends before she and Jeff, David's brother, ever dated! Their first date was a double with David and I and a little girl she and I both baby sat.

I met Alison when, as a Junior High Student, she volunteered in the multi-handicapped class that I taught. Later, we began going to church with her and her family. Her mom an dad welcomed us right into their lives and home. We ate many meals there and spent lots of time with the family.

Then she became family!

So here's my Thankful List:

1. that Alison volunteered in my class so I could meet her.
2. that she loves my brother-in-law so much. He's like my brother, too!
3. that she loves God. We have spent much time around the altars praying together.
4. that she was there for me when the doctors said I'd never have kids.
5. that she was there when my children were born!
6. that her mom listened to God. That scripture she gave me after the stroke still rings in my ears: This illness is not unto death but the Son of God would be glorified.
7. that she's a mom! I love my neice and nephew.
8. that we can shop together.
9. that we can eat fajitas together!
10. that we can travel to Texas together. That was so much fun.
11. that she is sharing her love for children in her own classroom.
12. that she is willing to travel to see me.
13. that I can travel to see her too.
14. that she prays for my kids.
15. that she is still one of my closest friends.

Love you, Alison. I pray God's blessings on you and Jeff today. In your job, your business, on your children. You are loved by God. He calls you friend. He calls you precious. And He calls you redeemed.

Perception

How often do we believe we are alone? How often do we believe no one cares?

How many times have we been angry at God for not answering prayers? For not meeting the needs we thought were so important?

False Perceptions.

He is there. We fail to look.
He cares. We fail to remember.
He answers. We don't always like what He says.
He understands Needs from Wants.

We must adjust our perception of Christ to align with His reality of existence.

Life Lists

Everyone has this list: Things I Will Never Do

1. Dress as a Big Purple Dinosaur
2. Dress as the Easter Bunny
3. Dress as Mother Goose
4. Dress as Hot Lips Houlihan
5. Dress as Clifford the Big Red Dog

Wait! I've done all of them! And at 39 years old, after 2 very hot hours as Clifford, my dressing-up days are done!

Thankful Thursday (on Wednesday Night)

Tomorrow is yet another horribly busy day in this endless week! So if I want to post my Thankful Thursday, it has to be now.

This week, I want to honor my best friend Kelli.

Kelli Dawn Tiffany -
25 years now! Wait, we're not that old! Twenty-five years since I came as a mid-year transfer to a huge high school, scared and alone. I sat by you in band. Okay, you weren't thrilled to have someone challenging you in the clarinet section, but we fast became friends. You know, I can only think of one other class we ever had together!

Did you know, you've been there through my major milestones?
* High School
* Graduation
* Engagement - you and Kelli were the first to know!
* Wedding
* Birth of two children! Okay, you and your mom earn special jewels in your crowns for
staying through 22 hours of Labor with DCB!
* Keeping Chris when I was put in the hospital with Sis
* You bought your wedding dress on the day Ashley was born
* Ashley's stroke - you were first to the hospital
* Moving in our first Country Home - that scared you! Five hours of cleaning in the kitchen
and I was a little scared, too.
* Calls in the middle of the night
* Calls in the middle of the day
* Voice Mails
* Emails

You are my dearest companion next to my husband. I cannot have imagined this life without you. I truly Thank God for you. For the husband he gave you - I love the way our hubbies look after the other's wives and kids. For our beautiful Prince. (Okay, now I'm crying). For Erica - we needed her as much as she needed us. For Keith - okay, when doesn't want Auntie Kimmie to go home, my heart aches! For Macy - I love the way she crawls into my lap. For the friends you have near to you and for your family. For your brother who walks now with God. For your mom, who now directs the Lord's affairs!

You are so loved. I am so blessed.

Next Week: My other best friend - Alison Lauren. How cool to have a best friend and sister-in-law in one package!

New Week

Yeah for new beginnings!

David painted our bedroom yesterday and I feel like I'm in a brand new luxury suite! He's so kind. For Valentine's he gave me a beautiful necklace with 7 floating hearts.

What could seven mean? God's number? Okay.

Children? No, I'm Kim not Linn.

Wait - Chris, Ashley, Sherman, Annie, Me, David and the Child of the Year. This year it is Autumn.

She is warm and sunny and has a great laugh. She's young and looking a future, as I remind her, as bright as the promises of God.

So there are my seven hearts.

All of which belong to God.

Thankful Thursday

"In everything give thanks."

This is I know very well. But honestly, I feel horrible and can't make a thankful list. I could talk the talk and write what people might expect me to say. But that's not honest.

I don't have any complaints either so I think I will just "be" tonight. Be still. Stand still. Stand and see.

I can muster this:

I am thankful for . . .
. . .neighbors who can take the kids to school when you're sick
. . .husbands who make breakfast each morning
. . .piano teachers who drive students home
. . .Autumn taking Ashley to school for me
. . .Autumn for bringing me a Diet Coke when I couldn't hold up my own head
. . .that Survivor started again tonight
. . .that I get to go back to bed in a little bit
. . .that Ashley brought home candy from her school party
. . .that I know great women who take care of each other
. . .that I know great men who take care of their great women

(Okay, I'm on a role now!)

. . .that I come from a long line of strong women
. . .that I know this sickness will soon end
. . .that God heals!
. . .that this has not settled in my chest
. . .that tomorrow, everyone is off from school and we can sleep in
. . .that my supervisor cares for us as individuals and not just numbers

I can sleep now. Sometimes the act of writing starts one to thinking and then thinking of God's blessings. And you then you see beyond your own pain.

Father God, thank you that I have the assurance that no matter how hard life gets, it's still a "light and temporary" affliction. I wish I could see how you see - not linear but globally. But I will trust in you now. Tonight I will rest in you and even now, I thank you for my health.

Too Good to Not Share

We can learn so much from everyone around us - if we are willing. God puts people and places in our life for purposes. This posting hit me. It's a lesson she learned and one I needed. (want to read more? follow the link for Durango Palmers on the lower right hand column.)

Romans 12:2 in the Message says,

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity. God brings out the best in you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

1) So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does foryou is the best thing you can do for Him.
2) Fix your attention on God. Recognize what He wantsfrom you and quickly respond to it.
3) It's important that you not misinterpret ourselves aspeople who are bringing this goodness to God.No, God brings it all to you.
4) The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what He does for us, not by what we are and what we do for Him.
5) Each of us find our meaning and function as part of His body.
6) So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.
7) If you preach, preach God's Message, nothing more.
8) If you help, just help, don't take over.
9) If you teach, stick to teaching
10) If you give encouraging guidance,be careful you don't get bossy
11) If you're put in charge, don't manipulate.
12) If you're called to give aid to people in distress,keep your eyes open and be quick to respond.
13) if you work with the disadvantaged,don't let yourself get irritated with themor depressed by them
14) Keep a smile on your face.
15) Love from the center of who you are. Don't fake it.
16) Run for dear life from evil.
17) Hold on for dear life to good.
18) Be good friends who love deeply.
19) Practice playing second fiddle
20) Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame.
21) Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant.
22) Don't quit in hard times.
23) Pray all the harder.
24) Help needy Christians.
25) Be inventive in hospitality.
26) Bless your enemies - no cursing under your breath.
27) Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy.
28) Share tears when they're down.
29) Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.
30) Don't hit back 31) Discover beauty in everyone.
32) Get along with everybody.
33) Don't insist on getting even.
34) If you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch.
35) If he's thirsty, get him a drink.
36) Don't let evil get the best of you - - get the best of evil!

Memorial Box Monday Musings

Miss Linn has asked on her blog (aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com), what we would put in a Memorial Box. Here was my reply to her:

I would put a little clock. After Ashley's stroke they told us that had she had it any earlier, she would have died instantly due to the severity of the infarct; had she had it any later she would have been so severally brain damaged she would have been in a vegetative state forever.

God's timing is perfect.(I have to quit reading this at work! It's messing up my makeup!)

You're so right, we may never know the "Why's" but one word in the scriptures you wrote today stands out: TRUST. Whom God trusts.

He will never leave you.

Friday Thoughts

...if exit doors should open out for safety - an emergency escape - why do bathroom stall doors open to the inside where there's no room?!?

Thankful Thursday

...for the internet -a new way to "reach out and touch" the ones you love.

...for microwave ovens.

...for my favorite coffee mug. It can go in the microwave.

...for calls from my hubby. We talk several times a day and I'm always so happy to hear his voice.

...for TIVO. I can watch JACK without commercials.

...for my Jeep. It can go anywhere, fit anywhere.

...my my Jeep's gas alarm. Yes, I know I don't have to wait for it to "bing" before filling up, but why take the chance?

...for my talents. They aren't really mine. Just gifts from God he has given me to use while I'm here.

...that no one corrects my grammar and punctuation on the web. (Sorry Kathy)

...for those who will use their talents, too! God's service needs everyone - babysitters, actors, prayers, singers, laborers, harvesters.

...for those reading this today.

Woo Whoo Wednesday

I don't have much Woo Whoo today. My Woo Whoo went!

Oh, wait! Yes I do! My dear, dear friend and the best pianist and awesome worship leader and women's speaker and, did I mention, dear friend, called me today.

Rhonda, I loved hearing your voice! I miss you! We've been through alot together and you are so right, time and space does not seperate friends born in God's love!

Yeah, that's a good Woo Whoo!!!

Grief

Grief comes in many forms. Often it comes in multiple waves. It can be over small things or life-changing events. It can manifest itself as anger or tiny tears down your cheek.

No one has the right to tell another person their grief is unwarranted. Or that they should "move on." Each person's time of grief is different in length, duration and severity.

Do not insult a person but trivializing their grief. After the death of a loved one, "at least they are at peace." After a car wreck, "it could have been much worse." Or even when a precious tea cup is broken, "you have so many more."

My friend is in grief. She lost her possession in a tragedy - yet not in one simple swipe, and it's all gone. No, she must grieve the initial insult on her family's home and haven. Then she must grieve as she sifts through the rubble. She must grieve each time she decides, "can I salvage this or is not now trash?" She must grieve each time someone else asks her what they should do with the remains of memories they were not apart of yet now hold in their hands. She grieves as she leaves the shell of a house each day only to return and begin the process again.

I grieve with her. For the memories lost. For the pain she must feel. For the conflict in her heart as she celebrates that her family is still alive and yet struggles with the reality of their loss.

Only possessions, some may say. Yet are they willing to throw everything they own into a dumpster and begin again tomorrow with nothing? They can be replaced, others nod. Can she return to each antique store or vacation knick-knack shop and relieve the moment a child found a precious treasure? Not quite.

But I will stand beside. Lift her arms when she grows weary. Love her. And as the grief subsides, we will make new memories! New teddy bears with new meaning. New tea cups with girlfriends.
And when the grief comes again, we will cry together. For although the Lord will bless again, only in Heaven will we known complete restoration.

Love you, friend.