Tuesday With Teri

This week we continue our advent celebration.  Each week, four prior to Christmas Eve, we gather to light a candle and consider the coming of our savior.  It is a wonderful time to stop in the midst of the season and truly focus on the reason for all the wonderful merriment of Christmas.  This day we consider PEACE.

          Silent night, holy night, all is CALM…..”calm” is not the way I would describe today.  As I began my day I looked forward to wrapping gifts, running a few errands and preparing to welcome our daughter home from college.  It has not gone quite as planned. 

          It began with a mid morning call from my mother that started with her letting me know a dear great aunt had passed away.  She was 92.  It was not entirely unexpected, but I am sad for the loss her family will feel this Christmas season.  Then my mom led into the second reason for her call.

           It is never good when someone says “First of all, I am not hurt…”.  The conversation ended with her telling me about her being in a small fender bender.  She had had a very traumatic day, but all was okay and no one injured.  Though it was clearly not a big deal, it was still very unsettling as I considered all the “what if’s” that inevitably run through one’s mind.  I am thankful for God’s protection and provision.

          By noon, I was feeling like my day was back on track.  I finished my errands and headed home to wrap gifts and make dinner for a family in need at our church.  My calm erupted into chaos with a simple phone call.  My daughter’s car was acting up and the dreaded “stop engine” light was the bearer of bad news.  The next 5 hours were filled with prayer, phone calls trying to trouble shoot the situation, AAA towing her almost an hour away to the nearest city with a mechanic, realization the car would not be fixed in a day, securing a rental car, all while trying to keep my daughter form an absolute meltdown of understandable proportions.  This, not surprisingly, resulted in 12 burnt cookies, and half a casserole dish dumped in the oven…confirmation that I am not good at multi tasking.

         It is almost 10pm.  Half a casserole and another batch of cookies finally made it’s way to  it’s destiantion.   I called my mom to be sure she was still okay and feeling the need to be in contact with her once more.  As for my daughter, well she is back on the road heading home.  It is almost “calm” in the house.  

         As I fianlly sat down at last to write this post I had to laugh.  There, in my notes for this day, I had written a familiar verse. 

Phil. 4:6&7  Be anxious for nothing. Instead through prayer and thanksgiving let your request be made known to God, and a peace which passes all understanding will be made known unto you.

          Today for advent, we stop and consider the PEACE of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.  The peace He gives us is beyond “all understanding.”  It is beyond our comprehension because we seek a peace that comes from things being calm or all right.  What He gives us is a peace in the midst of the chaos, when things may be less than all right.  He gives us a peace that is the result of being forgiven and out from under the burden of our sin.  Being reconciled with God we no longer walk alone.

2 Cor. 5:19-21  …God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting thier sins against them, and He has comitted to us the word of rconciliation….He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him…

          His peace is not a life without storms, struggles, or complexity.  It is a life lived knowing that in ALL things, He is sovereign, and He will bring us through All things for His glory.  The birth, life, death and resurrection of our savior enables us to be reconciled with God, no longer separated from Him by our sin. 

 Peace is the journey around obstacles, over mountains, under burdens and into depths all the while knowing we are not alone. 

This week we continue our advent celebration.  Each week, four prior to Christmas Eve, we gather to light a candle and consider the coming of our savior.  It is a wonderful time to stop in the midst of the season and truly focus on the reason for all the wonderful merriment of Christmas.  This week is JOY.

          My kids are old and my Christmas’s are forever changed.  Now that the kids are 21 & 24 Christmas is not the same.  No more squeals as they rush to the tree Christmas morning and find the new bike Santa left.  Oh, they will get nice things and they will be thankful, but there is just something delightful that is the result of a child receiving their perfect gift.

          One year our son asked Santa for a turtle.  Inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craze, he asked for a real live turtle.  It was one of the few things he specifically asked Santa for, so I set about trying ot make his “dream come true”.  At first it may sound like a simple, even inexpensive, gift request…but it is not. 

         In the summer and spring, box turtles could be easily found in the nearby woods, but mid winter was NOT a good time to go turtle hunting.   I scoured every pet shop in town for a turtle.  Here’s a tid bit of information that may surprise you as it did me…it is not legal to sell a turtle less than 4 in diameter due to the high instance of salmonella in juvenile species.   As a result, many pet shops did not sell turtles.  I eventually found one pet shop offering a live turtle for sell.  Not your average box turtle, it was some special kind from Japan and super expensive!  I did want to fulfill my son’s Christmas request, but not enough to pay that much for a fancy turtle.

         It took three weeks, numerous phone calls and an hour-long drive before I found a shop that could sell me a box turtle.  That simple box turtle, which ordinarily I could have found free in our back yard, cost me over twenty dollars and a tremendous amount of time and effort.  It was worth it all when our son came down the stairs Christmas morning and found his requested turtle in an aquarium under the tree.  He named him Michelangelo.

          I wanted to let our son know how difficult it had been to get him this gift.  I wanted him to know how much it cost in terms of time and money.  I wanted him to understand the cost meant this was no ordinary box turtle.

        The reality was that he would not have understood the cost.  While he was old enough to have a grasp of certain matters of money, he was not old enough to understand the price of time and effort.  Just locating a live turtle in December was a small miracle.  This turtle cost much more than the price paid at the pet shop.  I knew he could not comprehend the cost, but I relished the joy in my son’s eyes when he saw the turtle under the tree.

           This week of advent we stop to consider the joy of our Savior’s birth.  The birth of Jesus would eventually lead to His death and resurrection.  Through Him we are given the greatest gift of all, grace.  We are given unearned favor and forgivness for our sin.  It is God’s gift to all people.  It is a gift whose cost we cannot comprehend.  It is a gift that is the seed of joy in every believer’s heart.

          Ephesians 2:4-8  But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us together with Christ, …for by grace you have been saved through faith.

This is the news of great joy, that we are saved by His grace and mercy and have the hope of eternal life and forgiveness of our sins through our savior Jesus Christ, a gift with a cost we cannot comprehend!

Luke 2:10  And the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of a great JOY which shall be for ALL the people…

          This week we begin our advent celebration.  Each week, four prior to Christmas Eve, we gather to light a candle and consider the coming of our savior.  It is a wonderful time to stop in the midst of the season and truly focus on the reason for all the wonderful merriment of Christmas.  So…the next four devotion entries will center on the advent themes of Hope, Joy, Peace and Love. 

         “What color is your parachute?” As the words left my lips I could envision the colorful poster that once hung on the high school guidance counselor wall.  The rainbow colored parachute floated above the printed question, a seemingly “happy” image designed to strike fear into the heart of high school juniors and seniors.  What it really was asking was, “What do you expect to do once you leave the safety of the school?”

          This day I am not asking this question to discover my kids’ career choices.  I asked that question of my son and daughter because they intended to jump from a perfectly good airplane.  Yep, there I was sitting outside a small airplane hangar with my husband, awaiting Steven and Ashley’s skydiving adventure to begin.

          I will admit, it was an insane lapse of judgment that led to this situation.  It was Steven’s 24^th birthday and he and Ashley, 21, had both expressed a desire to skydive one day.  Before I knew it we were driving to Orange Virginia for them to experience the rare thrill of jumping needlessly form a perfectly good plane.  They were going to be jumping tandem, which means they would be strapped to the front side of an experienced skydiver.

          As their time drew closer, after a looooong wait for the winds to be just right, I found myself engaged in a conversation with God that went something like this:  “Hey God, I know You don’t like it when we tempt You…pretty sure I recall You saying Thou shall not tempt the Lord your God…just want to clarify that I am NOT trying to tempt you here…I don’t EXPECT you to make them fly just to PROVE to me You are God.  I just want You to know I KNOW YOU ARE GOD so please don’t be upset with me that we are letting them do something so risky.  But, ummm, I need you to make sure their parachutes open, okay?   Again, not trying to test you, just going to trust you okay?”

          As they donned their gear and headed toward the small 2 prop plane I eagerly asked, “What color is your parachute?!”  I needed to know.  I wanted to be able to identify them each as soon as their chute opened.  I would be waiting for the sight of one black and one orange and black parachute.  I would wait and hope.  I would hope for opened parachutes, hope for safe landings, hope they fully enjoyed every aspect of this event, and hope they never want to do it again.

          I can still feel the pit of my stomach churn when I think of those intense moments when all I had were parachute colors to look for in the sky and HOPE.  This first week of advent, we consider HOPE.

          In a season when we are often asked what do we “wish” for, it is sometimes easy to interchange the words “hope” and “wish.”  We know we do not always get what we wish for.  A wish is a desire for something.   However, hope is different.  Hope is a continued longing with the faith that the fulfillment will take place. It is a trust that what is wanted will happen.  That day the floating tufts of orange then black were the fulfillment of my hope as I watched them land safely.  

I was not “wishing” their parachutes would open, I was hoping they would.   

Today I am reminded of the HOPE we have in Christ Jesus.

Because of the birth of Christ, His life and sacrifice for our sins, we have the HOPE of forgiveness for our sins, a relationship with our heavenly Father and eternal life.  This week may we celebrate the fulfillment of our HOPE in the birth of Christ and in the continued HOPE He brings to all generations.

          The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them….For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:2& 6 )

          Our pastor said something in his sermon that has been stuck in my head the last few days…”Sheep without a shepherd just follow the food, which often leads to trouble.”  It was a good sermon and I am sure there was much more he said that could have enlightened or encouraged me, but to be honest, after that  I heard little else.

          I pictured a cute, simple minded sheep, looking around for the rest of the flock.  I pictured the look on his little sheep face as he realized he had wandered away.  His sheep buddies and their care taker were nowhere in sight.  His emotions quickly moved from “oh no, I’m lost” to “Hey, there’s a patch of grass over there”.  Soon the little sheep was so busy eating he forgot he was lost.  His head was down and all he saw was the grass before him.  Moving from patch to patch he was unaware he was munching his last meal.  He wandered to a ledge and soon discovered that he is a sheep and not a mountain goat.  He lost his footing(or hoofing) and slid down into a scary abyss. ….Okay,okay…my imagination got a bit carried away, but  I have a new image of the importance of a shepherd and also of FOOD.

          Sheep follow food.  I am aware that scriptures portray us as sheep,  “Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pature.”(Psalm 100:3), but suddenly I have a new kinship with sheep…I TOO follow the food!  

          I ventured into a shopping mall yesterday determined to conquer my Christmas list.  I am not a fan of shopping in general, but shopping in a mall filled with holiday décor and vast “sales” is especially overwhelming.  As I rode an escalator down from the third floor of one department store, I felt like a queen surveying her glittering kingdom.  Bows, bells, garland, and bright colored displays gave the store the look of giant Christmas party.  For the first thirty minutes of my shopping adventure, I simply walked around taking in all the sights and sounds.  After getting acclimated to my surroundings I pulled out my list and attempted to located noted items.

          It was not long before I lost track of my intended purpose.  The aroma of fresh coffee and a sign sporting the image of a cup topped with whipped cream drizzled with chocolate was too difficult to pass up. Godiva chocolatiers offering free tastings tempted me from the doorway of their shop.  The local kitchen gadget store assaulted my senses with free samples of cookies and cocoa.   I noticed that while I was sorting through racks of sweaters all I could think of was where the closest Auntie Ann’s Pretzel was.   By the time my shopping was complete I was already contemplating where I would consume my next meal.  I decided to forego eating out and headed home to prepare my dinner.  The entire time I sat in traffic all I thought of were the dinner options hiding in my fridge.  I must admit my entire shopping trip pivoted around food.  I follow the food.

          Today I am asking myself what kind of food I am following.  I am not referring to a diet or challenging my eating habits, I am referring to the food I feed my mind and spirit.  Am I filling my thoughts from literature, television, or others…am I missing the best food of all, His Word?  Following the food can lead us into a heap of trouble, ie that sheep that ate himself right over a steep ledge, but if we are following His food we will find ourselves right beside The Shepherd. 

           That’s where I want to be, not just hanging out with the flock.  I don’t want to be found on the outer edge of the flock, one hoof in the direction of the shepherd, one hoof directed toward wayward pastures.  I don’t  want to be jostling about in the thick of the flock aimlessly following the other sheep, unable to see the shepherd myself.  I want to be right beside my beloved Shepherp, getting my sustancne from Him.  From there I will feel His nudge of direction; He will not need to use His long hooked staff to draw me back.  From there I will not easily stray.  From there I will know His peace and grace.

“O God Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly;

 my soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee…” Psalm 63:1

          I gave in to the marketing of product placement and purchased the chew toy I found dangling in front of my face just above the dog food I was there to buy.  (I am embarrassed to admit that my first Christmas purchase of the season was for our dog.)  It was perfect for our porky little Yorkshire terrier, Hughie.

          The Christmas Moose had very little stuffing and was sufficiently floppy.  Its four legs were capped with green and red stripped “boots” which encased FOUR squeakers!  Hughie’s FAVORITE part of any dog toy is the squeaker.  I knew he would spend many hours attempting to “de-squeakerize” it, as that is what he does.  The head, which was the only part containing stuffing, sported two fuzzy antlers and a festive red and green knit cap with a matching scarf securely fastened to its neck.  Surely, you can see why I just could not resist purchasing the Christmas Moose…he was going to LOVE it.

          By the time I finished getting groceries and driving home I had almost forgotten about my wayward impulse buy.   When I presented it to Hughie, my expectations of his delight did not go unmet.  He was wagging his tail so furiously his entire body vibrated across the floor.  He grabbed Christmas Moose by his little knit cap and drug him into the living room for further inspection.  Within minutes a  high pitched wheezing could be heard throughout the house as he quickly discovered each of the toy’s hidden squeakers.  Throughout the day, Hughie could be found doing one of two things, quietly snuggling up with his Christmas Moose or attempting to dismantle his Christmas Moose. 

            By evening Christmas Moose had been through a lot and had the scars to prove it.  His scarf, once stitched closed around his neck, dangled by a few threads.  The blanket like fur of his torso was slick with doggy saliva from much chewing and, for some odd reason, licking.  Where two little felt eyes had at one time sat above his little moose snout, only one remained. 

          By the end of the following day, Christmas Moose had met his fate.  With the help of our son’s dog Lucy, who came over for a visit, Christmas Moose lost one antler, the rest of his scarf and his fancy knit cap.  Stuffing from the head floated like little white tumbleweeds across my floor and at least one squeaker had been disengaged.     “What a waste” I thought to myself as I threw Christmas Moose in the trash.   I did not realize this gift would suffer such an early demise from being misused and over chewed.

          Lately I have been thinking about God’s gifts to us. God has given each of us talents, gifts we can use to honor and glorify Him.  Is it possible that, like Christmas Moose, our gifts could be wasted? I wonder if sometimes we misuse and over chew them.  It takes work to find all the hidden possibilities for using the gifts God has given us.   Do we “over chew” His gifts by dwelling on negative or discouraging aspects of what He has called us to do?

            As I toss a napkin into the garbage can, one fuzzy antler protrudes from under the pile of trash.  I am reminded  to not waste what God has given, but to use it as He desires.

And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly…Romans 12:6

 Lord, You have created us each with gifts and abilities.  Protect us from discouragement, open our eyes to oppertunity for service and use what You have given us to bring You honor and glory.  

         For some reason yesterday just slipped right past me.  It was one of those days when even though you have little to accomplish, what you do accomplish gets done as if you are moving through sludge.  Admittedly, I may have been overdosing on Benadryl.

          I woke today determined to “reclaim” my senses and clear away the sludge.  I laced up my running shoes and headed out for a lung-burning, mind-clearing jog.  As I lugged myself past the houses in my neighborhood I felt lead to pray for my neighbors.  Fortunately, this did not require actually speaking words aloud as at the time all my respiratory efforts focused on the simple task of breathing in and out.

          I usually finish my jog with laps around the parking lot of a church just down our street.  Everyday there is at least one vehicle in the lot, a burgundy truck.  I have seen the driver before; an elderly man who I assumed was either a pastor or caretaker of the building.  Today I thought of him.  I prayed God would continue to give him good health and strength for the tasks that await his day.  I prayed God would give him wisdom for challenges he may face…..then I found myself wondering…”what am I doing?”

          I had conjured in my head an entire scenario of who this man was and what he did for a living. I couldn’t help myself.   Soon I was praying  for the church and it’s congregation.  I have jogged around this parking lot all summer, yet today was the first time I felt lead to pray for them.  Where was this coming from I wondered.  Maybe it was a lack of oxygen from my inability to master the “ breathing in through your nose and out your mouth” technique I was working on.  Then I realized it was my wonderful God reminding me of a lesson He taught me long ago, and one I obviously needed to consider once more.

          It is now such a clear memory, but honestly I have not thought of it in a long time.   I think it was over ten years ago it occurred.  At the time our church met in an older building across town and we lived in a different neighborhood…….cue the foggy dream/flashback image….

          It was an early Sunday morning.  I was getting a quick walk in before getting ready for church, a new exercise effort for me at the time.  I tossed on an old sweatshirt, even though it was warm outside, worn out sweatpants and surprisingly NOT worn out tennis shoes.

         I recall passing a couple walking the opposite direction.  He was tall and had dark curly hair, she was slender and attractive.   Both looked like they could pose for a fitness advertisement.   After a quick “morning” comment I ducked my ball capped head in hopes they would not judge my appearance harshly.

            I had recently heard, or read, about praying for things and people as you go on walks and decided this was a good time to start.  I prayed for the couple.  I wondered if they too were walking that early so they could attend church.  I prayed they would overcome any obstacles that might keep them from getting to a house of worship.  I don’t know WHY I always create some kind of story line in my head…. I then continued my walk and did not think of them again.  UNTILLLLLLLLL….

            Later that morning I was greeting the children who were entering the 2^nd grade Sunday school class I taught.  A visitor came to our door.  I was startled when I looked up from the sweet face of my young guest and found myself looking into the eyes of the man whom I had passed, and prayed for, earlier that morning!  Imagine his surprise when I blurted out of nowhere, “I PRAYED FOR YOU TODAY!”  Yep, he looked a bit scared and seemed to grip his son’s hand a little tighter, as if rethinking leaving him in my care.  I then began to explain to him the events of the morning.  He remembered passing someone, but did not recognize me due to my ball cap I suppose.  He shared that he and his wife were just walking before church.  They had been seeking a church home for several months.  Visiting different churches was challenging since they had a large family and a wheel chair bound grandmother living with them.

           Here is what I learned then, and am reminded of today:  I did not “pray” them to church.  God did not need me to pray in order for them to make it there that day.  However, what God did want me to do was to be obedient.  Because I prayed as it was on my heart, when He brought this sweet family to our church, I received a blessing of seeing His fingerprints all over it.  God wants us to pray so that in doing so, we can glorify HIM and though we may not always receive answers we desire, we will no doubt know He is sovereign, and we will be less inclined to miss evidence of Him in our lives.

          The other day one of our friends was sharing a jester her husband and kids had made.  They put together a lovely glass vase filled with lovingly collected acorns and a candle set in it.  Not only was it a sweet gift but also a beautiful fall décor idea.

It brought back memories of a time I too decorated with acorns collected from my yard.  I shared a word of warning with her. 

          One  year I thought I was not only clever but also frugal in my festive fall  décor idea.  I collected beautiful leaves and handfuls of acorns and, along with a few gourds and small pumpkins, scattered them around my home on bookshelves and the mantle.  It was inexpensive and pretty…that was until one morning as I surveyed my domestic domain while enjoying a cup of coffee I noticed little white worms inching across my mantle and wiggling out of the acorns. 

          Yes, it seems that these innocent worms were the larvae of something that NORMALLY would stay safe and snug in the confines of the acorn until Spring…but by placing them in my toasty home they thought it was time to come out…not sure which of us was more surprised by their early emergence.

          This was not the first time I managed to fool Mother Nature.  Seems one year we accidentally brought a praying mantis egg sac into the house along with our live Christmas tree.  Thankfully, it was not until after Christmas morning that the THOUSANDS of miniature praying mantises prematurely made their way into the world.  I was sitting on our sofa near the tree and noticed movement toward the back of the tree.  A closer look revealed a multitude of tiny praying mantises crawling all over the tree.  They even had formed a bridge of bodies from the tree to my lace curtains and were walking up and down my windowsill.  The warmth of the house had convinced them it was Spring I guess.   Needless to say my husband and I set a new record for un-decorating a tree and placing it on the curb.

          The lesson here…besides bake acorns before decorating with them and check trees for egg cases…is that sometimes change brings out things that are normally dormant.  When things heat up we too sometimes find things hidden in our heart emerging…What emerges depends greatly on what we have filled ourselves with…

Psalm 119:11  Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.

Galatians 5:22-23  But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, He will produce this kind of fruit in us; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Today we pray, Lord let us be “worm” free!

         It finally happened.  The yellow showed up!  There have been past years when I have attempted to have my mom come visit us in Virginia in time to see the full effect of our fall foliage.  Most years she saw only the beginning, or end, of what I assured her where brilliant hues and stunning views.  This year we hosted my mom for the entire month of October.  “Surely she will see our fall in full splendor this time” I thought to myself.

          Three weeks into our time together I began to wonder if once again she would head home to north Florida with a less than stellar impression of fall in Virginia.  The leaves had indeed begun to turn.  Each day shades of dark red, purple and sigh…even brown, began to peek out from amid branches still vibrant green.    It was pretty.  It was “fall”, but it was NOT as spectacular as I had hoped.

          This last week we ventured down the Potomac River, walked the historic streets of Fredericksburg, and took every “long” way to any place we were going to increase the likelihood we would see the beauty of this wonderful season.  It was as if each day we witnessed a type of time-lapse photography as the tree lined streets began to blush pale oranges, bright greens and dark reds.  …and yet, I still was looking for something more, something vibrant, and something radiant…something YELLOW.  For some reason there is nothing more majestic than the glimmer of the sun’s rays off  bright yellow leaves blowing in the breeze among the other noble colors of fall.

          This week the yellow showed up to play!  Golden gleaming branches stretched toward the sky flanked by bright reds, brilliant oranges, and steadfast evergreens.  Every turn in the road evoked awe, every walk down the street seemed too beautiful to be real…at last, I could share with my mom  the full beauty of “Fall in Virginia.”

          That’s one of the reasons I love living in Northern Virginia….seasons.  I love that the seasons here are distinct and defining.  When the SUMMER days are unbearably hot and humid, I know the crisp days of FALL will push them away.  When the Autunm sits around me with its layers of rain soaked leaves, I know they soon will be covered up by WINTER’S magical snow-white blanket.  Muddy yards with dead grass will, for a while, look pristine.  When the biting sting of WINTER”S harsh winds and darkened skies begin to overwhelm my spirit, I know SPRING is going to burst forth with frost defying buds and blooms.  When pollen and busy schedules seem to attack me on every front, I know the long, slow days of SUMMER are waiting to lull me into a sense of relaxation and play.

             We cannot always see the changing of life’s seasons the way we do the seasons of our earth, but life does have seasons.    We may find ourselves looking forward to the next season while simultaneously wishing things could remain the same.   

          As I survey the beauty of His handiwork this season I am reminded that God’s plans are best and they include change.  Events, trials, triumphs are all divinely appointed.  He has given us the ability to look to our future, beyond the routine of life and have the hope found in an eternal perspective…and yet, He has not revealed ALL of life’s mysteries to us.

<<<<<<<<Things change, yellow shows up, God is sovereign!>>>>>>>>

There is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven- …..He has made everything appropriate in its time.  He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so man will not find out the work which Gid has done from the beginning even unto the end. ( Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 11)

          My mother is in town visiting this month.  I love this lady.   Sure there have been some adjustments that have come as a result of her visit…preparing foods that are best for her health, slowing my pace on some days and struggling to keep up with her on other days…but I am really enjoying our time together. 

          Of course there are moments…like when we happened across a television station featuring what seemed to be a marathon of Bill Gaither’s Gospel Hour.   Do not get me wrong, I like good gospel music and I loved how much she was enjoying it, but I think I discovered my gospel intake limit.

          Best of all are moments like the one I experienced yesterday afternoon.  I was reminded of a vital part of parenting when my mother and I both responded to a crisis in two different ways.

          My daughter Ashley called from South Carolina where she is attending school.  She was distraught.  She was calling from her dentist, where she had just realized she had lost her wallet when she stopped to get gas earlier in the day.  To say she was upset would be a severe understatement.  The enormity of such a loss, while not on par with loss of life, quickly overtook her as she contemplated the insane complications of replacing I.D.s , driver license and bank cards.

          Through her tears, she told me she was sure she had set her wallet on her car while fueling up and possibly drove off with it there.  She was sure it was strewn somewhere along the road and gone for good.  She’d even had a friend drive back there to look and it was not found.  I tried to calm her down and assure her we would be able to remedy the situation.

          As soon as I was off the phone with her I shared the dilemma with my mom.  Then I began the task of contacting our bank to insure we protected her account.  While going through the phone prompts to speak to a bank representative, I simultaneously searched online for DMV information to secure a new license.  I was writing notes to myself fast and furious, hoping to give Ashley all the information she would need in the coming days and help relieve her distress.  My reactive endeavor seemed like the best thing to do…but it was MY MOM who had the best reaction of all.

          While I was busy trying to handle the situation, my mom was quietly in the next room in prayer.  Her FIRST instinct was to pray.  She specifically asked God to keep her wallet safe and enable her to find it. 

          Soon Ashley called back, her voice filled with relief.  She had driven back to the gas station one more time and found her wallet sitting safely, untouched, atop the gas pump.  Praise God!

          I was going to pray, I’m sure of it…just as soon as I was done making the phone calls and checking online for information…okay, I’ll admit it…it is easy to slip out of the habit of praying continually.  I trust God in all things and for all things because my mom did a good job of teaching me of His faithfulness…yet in the midst of a small crisis it was the internet and phone book I went to first. 

… Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God.  Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes what he says is going to happen, it shall be granted him.  Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted you.”  (Mark 11:22-24)

Still learning and relearning from my mom!

          “Miss, Miss!  You forgot your Pina Colada!”   Yes, those were the words I heard being shouted to me as I headed to my car in the crowded parking lot of the dentist.  Heads turned to see who would be the recipient of a “Pina Colada” mid morning in a non-restaurant area.  Embarrassed, I tried to wave the eager Pina Colada bearer away, “That’s okay” I shouted back, “Never mind!”  Too late, the young lady had already closed the 20ft. gap between us.  With a smile on her face and respiratory distress she breathlessly said, “Hear you go, I just had to get it form the back of the office.”  With those words, she placed the small tube of lip balm in my palm and hurried back to our dentist’s office.

          I noted at least 6 pairs of eyes fixated my direction with quizzical expressions.  I tucked the small tube into my pocket and ducked in to the anonymity of my car.  It is not like I forgot my keys, or left a cell phone on the counter…there was no real need to insure I take this small token of their appreciation home with me.  It was not likely I would be half way home and realize I forgot to get the lip balm they were giving away and turn back to acquire it.  I should not have been embarrassed, but you must admit having someone running after you and shouting about an alcoholic beverage is a bit on the awkward side.

         Once in my car I looked down at the Pina Colada flavored lip balm in my hand.  One side had the name and number for our dentist’s office, the other side had an image of a grinning mouth underscored by the word “SMILE.”  I did.

         That young lady made sure I did not miss out on even the smallest of blessing, a free gift, a tube of Pina Colada lip balm.  I was only there to pick something up for my daughter.  I had not even endured a dental  visit this day.  I did nothing to warrant being given anything.  I was not going to regret not getting free lip balm…and yet…as I looked at the tube in the sanctuary of my car it made me smile.  In the midst of running mundane errands, it put a smile on my face…even if it was a tad embarrassing.

          Sometimes God’s blessings are huge and we are quick to recognize them and be thankful.  Sometimes God’s blessings are simple yet touching.  A parking space, extra time on a deadline, forgiveness from a friend or coworker you may have caused hurt, a busy friend spending precious time with you, a right word spoken at a right time, a look of encouragement in the midst of a crowd, and yes a free tube of Pina Colada lip balm.