PINT: back to work

linking up with the PINT crew:

these forty days…

and so it begins.

these forty days.

as i begin, i am getting my heart in order. realizing perhaps i should have started that about a week ago. i wasn't even out of bed before i was tweeting fox news to inform them that protestants "do" lent, too. like somehow this matters. i can't help but think that my little inner rant hurt Jesus' heart just a little bit.

this heart of mine. 

scattered. so scattered. and so not focused where it should be.

so back to these forty days.

what is the purpose of the observation of lent? is this forty days of denying myself of something i'm passionate about so i can writhe in anguish for the next five or so weeks all for the sake of identifying with Christ's sufferings?

i don't thing that's the point {although i'm no theologian}. i don't even play one on tv. but i do know this…

…my focus in this world is all off-kilter. so self-focused. and i know that my eyes need to be fixed {more} on Him.

i must decrease. He must increase. {John 3:30}

this season of lent… a time to focus and grow closer to Jesus. 

for me, it's almost like the advent conspiracy that illustrates the need to 

{worship fully}

{spend less}
{give more}

{love all}

if i was suggesting some sort of lenten conspiracy… i'd say

{repent}

{re-focus}

{renew}

{rejoice}

so as i get the sign of the cross made on my forehead with ashes, may i be reminded of my sin and God's forgiveness as i return to Jesus.

Here's a top ten list of things from MethodX {an excellent resource} that we can try for the lenten season:

10. try an electronic fast. give up TV, guitar hero, texting, tweeeting, e-mail and all things electronic for one day every week. (or everyday of lent!) use the time to read & pray.

9. start a prayer rhythm. say a prayer every time you brush your teeth, hear an ambulance, or check your e-mail. before you text someone, pray for them.

8. read one chapter in the Bible each day. (matthew's a good book to start with. psalms, too.)

7. forgive someone who doesn't deserve it (maybe even yourself.)

6. give up soft drinks, fast food, tea or coffee. give the money you save to help folks in haiti or others in crisis.

5. create a daily quiet time. spend 30 minutes a day in silence and prayer.

4. cultivate a life of gratitude. write someone a thank you letter each week and be aware of how many people have helped you along the way.

3. be kind to someone each day.

2. pray for others you see as you walk to and from classes or drive to and from work.

1. volunteer one hour or more each week with a local shelter, tutoring program, nursing home, prison ministry or a habitat for humanity project.

wishing you a meaningful, rich lenten observance. may His presence be renewed in your life this spring!

fat PINT

feel free to head on over to only parent chronicals and see what everyone else has been up to. happy mardi gras!

i like to move it move it

well… sort of.
i'm overweight and out of shape.
i'm not a total sloth, but i'm just uncoordinated and feel self conscious about going to a gym to do an aerobics class or… heaven forbid…zumba.
not gonna happen. not unless i can have a private class. with a video monitor.

hmmmm.

like just dance 2.
yep. discovered that a few weeks ago, and this is about the only way i'll attempt anything dancey. i'm just not brave enough to flounder around in public.
bought my own copy last week and have discovered they've got a workout mode. i'm diggin it. and i'd even do it with the hubs, although he's not been brave enough to try it with me. yet.
i sweat. i move. i wouldn't say i groove… but i'm getting the hang of it.
who knows… maybe i'll graduate to a real live zumba class soon.

a girl can dream, right?
too bad it'll be more like a nightmare for the rest of you! ha! case in point:

good luck sleeping tonite people!

photoless saturday

clever title, huh?
the hubs, boy wonder and i are back in tuscaloosa for parents weekend at bama girl's sorority. we were just here three weeks ago, but since we won't see the kids over spring break and we needed to get the girl's debutante dress to her so she can get it altered… we decided to make the trip.
there was a wonderful dinner at The Zone, the new addition at Bryant Denny Stadium. i managed to leave my camera in the car and since it was raining, elected not to go back and retrieve it. failure #1.
AOPi hosted a run to benefit the juvenile arthritis foundation this morning. i reached for my camera and the girl said can't have cameras, mom. zaps will be there. apparently the sororities hire a professional photographer to document the event and the girls can order prints from them no personal cameras allowed. since the daughter works for zaps… had to comply even though there were a TON of cheaters. camera fail #2.
the weather could not be more uncooperative. it was blustery and cloudy on our walk to the house and during race check in. as we exited the house for a big group picture, it began to pour. needless to say i was not the only one to skip the run in favor of warmer, drier environs. the hard-core athletes ran and walked and came back soaked to the bone. can't say i missed that event! being without a camera proved to be a blessing… a) it was super rainy and b) rain hair is not suitable for documentation anyway!
lunch was catered by mcallisters {love their tea!} and everyone enjoyed some good fellowship before we ventured out into the tuscaloosa monsoon.
we stopped by the outdoor mall {because it's so much more fun to shop in driving rain when you can get soaked from store to store!} to see if we could find a pair of white shoes so the girl can get her dress altered. after we figured out she already had a pair of white sandals that would work, she ended up getting two pair of heels instead. i'm so glad i'm old and don't have to be a fashion plate. shoes today are like stilts. i'd break my neck for sure.
there's a cocktail party tonite, but we're bypassing that in favor for a matinee and dinner at our favorite place… the iguana grill.

because my mom the hubs said so

this is random.
not gonna lie.

i was putting a roll of toilet tissue on the holder this morning {something my kids don't seem to be dexterous enough to do} and felt a pang of mother-betrayal as i completed the task.
the roll spits out the paper from the top. a marked difference from my upbringing. we were a paper-against-the-wall family. {oddly enough, this is enough to spark a national debate… over or under?}
until i married.
i had to adapt.
you know, submit to my husband.
it wasn't hard, really. took some getting used to and now i rather like it.

the paper coming from the top of the roll… not the submitting.

that is something i still struggle with.
and it's funny too that i started writing this this morning thinking i would talk about why i use tide laundry detergent {well, used to use tide until my daughter developed a rash… now we use gain, but that's an entirely different story} and palmolive dish soap and fold my towels in half, in half and in thirds.
because my mom said so.

but where i'm feeling more inclined to go today is toward the topic of submission.
ohhhh, not because i like the subject.
i bristle at the thought.
which is why i'm here.
what is it about submitting that causes my jaw to set ever-so-slightly on edge?
probably because for as long as i can remember, i've had authority issues.
it's how i got from wisconsin to tennessee when i was 18. {you want me to go to UW eau claire? don't wanna. how bout UT knoxville?? no? okay! i'll go!}
yet it doesn't quite explain why i've always gravitated to older men in my relationships. clearly, a child with a domineering dad would look for something else in a relationship, right?
apparently not.
and while the hubs is certainly not domineering… not by a longshot… he is older {seven years and seven days, to be exact!} and a first born. i'm the younger, and the "baby" of my family. it's a natural setting of submission.

and conflict.

i'm thankful that we have a strong biblical perspective to rest on in this area. and since becoming a follower of Christ at age 32, i'm happy to say that submitting to the hubs has become much more tolerable {see… i'm still such a rebel… i did not say joyful… ha!}.
submitting isn't weakness. it does reduce conflict and is an encouragement to my husband.
and while i might still bristle on occasion, it does give me joy to know that i am in my Father's will.

but i do still want that dang ipad.
le sigh.

a spring in my step

last year about this time i was in a dark and twisty place. winter was dragging on {and that's not saying much since i live in the south and "winter dragging on" means it's still not 70 and sunny} and i was going through some major upheaval in the work area. and a bunch of other contributing issues… but i'll spare you the details. {you're welcome}

a year later, things are certainly better. i'm more settled into my role as an empty-nester, my responsibilities with our youth group have settled into a comfortable groove, the work-thing is evening out {therefore the marriage-thing is smoother}, and i'm finding time to be intentional with the humans with whom i'm in community.

all in all i'm in a good place. learning how to listen better. leaning into my Lord more. striving for more connections with people. praying more. taking time to be a noticer. encouraging more.
in short, i've found that focusing less on the dark and twisting me isn't very productive. as i heard last night in our missions conference, when we focus too much on our own circumstances, it turns into vanity and vanity is in direct conflict with our ability to be fruitful. "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…" john 15:16

i was challenged last night as i listened to this man share about the opportunities to reach out… and i'll keep it simple. 
Lord… give me your heart. make my life count for You!