Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Manbreak or womanbreak?

I can't help but talk about my children. It seems God uses them to speak to me so much. Yesterday morning as I lay in my bed...realizing that it was nearing 8 am and it was Monday...I was thrilled! My kids had a teacher-in-service day. And although I usually don't understand the reason for these days, I am grateful that I do not have to get up and start the daily grind. Well, I do eventually have to get up...but not at my usual 6am. Ok, most of the time it is 6:30. Anyway...Ryan (my 5 year old) came running into my bedroom at about 8:15 am and jumped on the bed and crawled under the covers and laid down next to me. He loves to do this. So we cuddled for a few minutes and he said, "Mommy, do they have man breaks?" "What?!" I asked ,very confused. "You know, Mommy. Do they have man breaks or woman breaks?" "Ryan, what are you talking about?" He was beginning to get frustrated with my lack of understanding. "MOMMY...like me and sissy have a kid break from school, do they have man breaks and woman breaks?" I got it. He wanted to know if his daddy and mommy ever got a break. "Well, I said, today Mommy's getting a little break (Yeah, right!) by not having to take you to school. And Daddy gets a break on the weekend...and some holidays." "Oh..." He said. "Why do you ask?" I responded. "'Cause you and daddy need a break, too. You need to rest." What a genius of a little boy! At five, he recognizes the importance of breaks...of resting. Albeit, we could rest a lot more if he did not wake us up at 7 am on Saturday mornings!



"And on the seventh day, having finished His task, God rested from all His work." Genesis 2:2

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened heavily, and I will give you REST." Matthew 11:28

"Sabbath: uncluttered time and space to distance ourselves from the frenzy of our own activities so that we can see what God has been doing; is doing....The precedent to quit doing and simply be is divine. " Eugene Peterson

So...take a man break or a woman break...You need it and it is divine.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Don't Get Distracted


The family had a great time outside this evening. We even had our dinner outside on the back patio. It was wonderful...everyone ate their food (that's a feat in itself!) and behaved appropriately at the table. I went inside to fix our dessert of fresh strawberries and Cool Whip and Ryan followed me inside. He decided that he would have his "new" yogurt that comes with the Oreos to put on top. (Like my new ploy to have him eat healthy?!) Fine with me. So, we carefully peel the silver liner off of the vanilla yogurt and then he meticulously peels away the silver liner from the oreo container. "Are you going to put that on top?" I asked. "No, I am just going to do it outside." "OK," I answered. He then proceeded to go back outside to the patio in the backyard, dropping only a few oreo crumbs for Bekah to later find smashed into the bottom of her feet. I continued to prepare our strawberries and cool whip when I heard a screeching cry. I knew the cry was from Ryan. The cause: that was up for grabs. Could he have fallen into the pool? Off of the trampoline? Maybe he was bitten by a spider or a snake? Maybe he fell on the concrete and scratched his leg or arm. The screeching cry then turned to sobbing as I heard the door open and Ryan walked in. He seemed to be intact. At least his body parts were. "What happened?" I asked as I ran to him. "Doc (our dog) ate my yogurt and oreos!" he exclaimed. "How did that happen?" I asked, knowing that Ryan often gave Doc some of his food. "I was in the front yard catching a spider and I left my yogurt on the ground next to the pool...and Doc ate it!"

Moral of this story: Really there is no moral, but perhaps a lesson. Don't get distracted...the dog just might eat your "new" yogurt with oreos.



"Keep your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." Hebrews 12:2

Lord, help me not to be so easily distracted. I don't want to miss out on enjoying You.

This is so weird...

Ok, I finally did it. This blog thing. Though it was quite easy to set up and get started, the continued writing will be the test. I want to do this...

The title of my blog needs a little explanation, I'm sure. It's just a reminder to me that if I am sitting on the throne of my life, there is not room for the One who desires to sit there. And the "get real" part...let's face it...we all need a reminder that we need to get real with ourselves, others, God. Living authentically is something God has been dealing with me about for the last year and a half. It begins with realizing how much God loves you...just the way you are...and that there is nothing you have done or could do to make him love you any less. There is great freedom in that.

So... for now I'll go. I'll be praying God gives me something else to say.