Shawn and Gus

Have you heard of the TV show psych? It's a hilarious comedy-mystery show featuring Shawn and Gus, BFFs since elementary school. The actors, James Roday and Dule' Hill, play perfectly off each other. The show is uproariously funny!

I just spent three days with the "real" Shawn and Gus! Yes, I did! It turns out that my son, Nathan, and his future roommate, Logan, are the inspiration for the characters on the show -- even if USA Network didn't know it back in 2006 when the series launched.

Nathan and Logan met in February, the last time we visited Samford. They hit it off right away and decided to room together. But since they only had a couple hours together back then, the families coordinated schedules to attend the same orientation -- just to be sure!

Sunday evening, we got together for dinner... except Shawn texted the wrong address to Gus. Waiting forever for them to arrive, Shawn's mom encouraged him to call Gus and find out where they were. Gus's parents, likewise, encouraged him to call and make sure they were headed to the right place -- as the address given sent them far away from Birmingham. Both guys assured their parents all was well. And we waited and drove in circles, respectively... though eventually we ate dinner, even if really late!

Monday morning, heading in to the opening session, the moms asked the boys to pose for a photo. This is what they gave us. Thanks, guys.

We managed to convince them to let us see their faces. They instantly said, "action pose." "Three. Two. One. Jump." Ta da!

Turns out the boys were just getting started. All week, they made their presence known on campus! They got a frisbee and made themselves at home on the quad -- and by the end of day two, five other guys had joined them. They closed down karaoke night with "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, sung to Shawn's orientation leader, Jasmine!

                            

The boys used their one night in the dorm to rearrange the furniture and find the "perfect layout" for the fall. They ate non-stop, joked non-stop, tweeted non-stop -- back and forth of course, and had the best two days an upcoming college freshman could possibly hope for!

They talked about other stuff, too. Un-Shawnlike, they agreed to hold each other accountable with studies, behavior and balance at school. They discussed how and when and what to involve themselves with on campus. They planned who will bring which "essentials" to school: coffee maker and video game system high on that list!

The "real" Shawn and Gus may be heading off to college for the first time, but together, this dynamic duo is undoubtedly ahead of the curve on adjustment. God arranged for them to be raised in Christian homes with remarkably similar values. He gave them compatible personalities: easy-going, fun-loving and studious. He brought them together in answer to their mutual prayers for a Godly, like-minded roommate. Shawn and Gus are most definitely ready for life at Samford.

The only question left is, "Samford, are you REALLY, TRULY READY for Shawn and Gus?"

T is for Tigger, T I Double Guh Er

He graduates this Friday,

our first-born son...

the one who broke us gently in

to our role as parents.

He's crammed a lot of life

into his first 18 years.

Such sweet memories as we look back.

Remembering.

Perhaps our favorite...

the Tigger days!

When every load of wash

included his favorite outfit

to wear again and again and again.

Usually three times a week.

Suitable for playing in the sand

(or the volleyball pit)

Rockin' a little 

Blues Brothers with Dad

Or taking a nap!

Our little Tigger

sure is a wonderful thing!

He's bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy...

Fun, fun, fun, fun fun!

And soon,

he will leave for college.

But it won't be good-bye...

We'll simply say,

"Ta Ta for now!"

Special thanks to my dear friend, Barb, for the memory quilt. 
And for the unexpected treasure of the T.T.F.N. pillow for mom.
You captured a lifetime in one simple act.
Thank you.

The Editing Room

Have you read The Hunger Games? Seen the movie? Or how about The Kite Runner? Or Harry Potter? With few exceptions, books and the movies they inspire aren't all that much alike. The movie watcher might get a sense of the book, but there's always more to the book than a movie ever shows. Some of the subtlety is lost in the movie translation, left on the editing room floor.

















It's like that with real life too. You meet someone for the first time and decide in seconds whether you like them or not. You read into their actions and words, sizing them up and filling in the blanks. Not just you. We all do. We judge others, using what little information we get the first time we meet, to decide whether to pursue a friendship or relationship of any kind.

How often have you walked away from an encounter thinking (if not saying), something like, "Wow. Get over yourself." OR "This world isn't all about you, buddy." OR "What's her problem?"

How about road rage? We assume that the road ragers out there are all about themselves. As a mom to two teenage boys, I am hyper-aware of road rage right now, and I certainly do not condone it. But, what might appear to be road rage, might in fact be a man trying to get to the hospital to say his final good-byes to his dad. It might be the single mom, released from her job and distracted -- overwhelmed -- by the very real possibility of losing her home and having to make tough choices with her kids. It might be... all sorts of things.

We judge others based on limited interaction. But the reality is, we do not know what's left on the editing room floor of their lives. Anthony Evans shared that thought with my church family this weekend... and it has stuck with me ever since. Why do we judge others? Why do we ASSUME we know who they are based on 15 seconds of conversation? Why don't we choose to love and learn?

Why don't we get to know each other a little better? Why don't we simply love? Care just a little more about the events left on the editing room floor?

Romans 14:10, "You, then, why do you judge your brother?

Or why do you look down on your brother?

For we will all stand before God's judgment seat."

Love,

Did we make it to Busch Gardens?

So, you'd think a day trip to Busch Gardens is easy. WRONG! 

Take two, necessitated by last weekend's surprise barfing adventure, 

began with this little one:

Ellie the super spinner!

 throwing up in bed Friday night. Rob (yep, the doctor) 

had to call me in to clean the mess. 

He doesn't do puke well.

We thought we'd have to cancel. Again.

But Saturday morning, she awoke bright eyed and bushy tailed...

more on that later.

Ellie and Rob rode Grover's Alpine Express.

I love how they held hands to help her be brave

to keep her hands high

like the big kids do.

We enjoyed our day at the park,

made sweeter because "Katniss" was with us!

We fed her, though... 

No need to hunt!

Finally!!! We got to celebrate Ben's birthday

just the way he likes it.

At Busch Gardens with his best buddy!

Ben and Noah

Besides having a healthy Ellie, "Katniss," and Noah along,

Busch Gardens actually opened their new coaster, Verbolten, early!!!!

Ben and Noah rode it four times! Yes, FOUR!

They declare it the best roller coaster ever!

Oh yeah, back to bushy tailed...

I'm not sure how it started, but the teens started singing

Gray squirrel, gray squirrel

Shake your bushy tail...

on every. single. coaster!

We may have annoyed a few people...

But we sure did have fun!

Happy birthday, Ben!

Friendship, such a blessing

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

Do you have a friend who loves you no matter what? A friend who knows your failures and mistakes and loves you anyway? A friend who stands by your side, forgiving you without question when you mess up and encouraging you when you fear?

God has blessed me with friends who love me, warts and all. They know my weaknesses, my fears and my failures, but still they choose to love me as I am. 

Today I pray that I am that kind of friend to someone else. I pray I will love with the love of Jesus, always forgiving, never judging. I pray that I will be an encourager when my friend stumbles. May I be the kind of friend Jesus is to each of us.

God bless!

Friendship!

After an incredible Thanksgiving weekend, my heart bubbles with things to say... but, it's all bubbling up together. You would not enjoy reading my thoughts! Well, maybe you'd laugh hard at my jabbering and marvel that I've managed to raise three kids without losing one along the way....

So, for now, I'll simply say, "Thank you, God, for the blessing of friendship!"

Who's your friendship blessing?

Thursdays are satan's playground

My sweet friends,
Thursdays are NOT my favorite day of the week. If I were to rank the days, Thursday would probably get last place. Monday would follow close behind. It's not that I have anything against Thursday. No hangups about Nordic gods (We get Thursday from the Nordic god Thor, god of thunder. Did you think it was Greek or Latin?).

Thursday evenings we have connect group. At our church, in-home Bible study or small groups, are called connect groups. They provide an opportunity to connect with other church members -- and of course, with God -- on a deeper level as we fellowship and study together. I love connect group! I adore the people in our group...

But satan... that old devil...

He doesn't! He hates connect group night. He hates the idea of us growing stronger in our faith. He despises the relationships developing as we meet, relationships God clearly values in Proverbs 27:17, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." We pray. We encourage. We laugh. And sometimes, we cry. Satan hates it!

Every Thursday, he tries to knock us down. Seriously! Last week, I was super-grumpy... If they gave out super-hero capes for grumps, I would have gotten one. A couple weeks ago, I was sick. Before that, my husband was home sick. No joke! Today, you wonder? What could possibly go wrong today? The sun is shining (of course, you're not looking out the windows with me this fine, sunny day... trust me. It's gorgeous out there!!!)

One of my children, who shall remain nameless, woke up grumpy. Oh how I want to snap back, "Don't yell at me." Yep! "Go to your room." "Scrub the walls, ceiling to floor!" (Not for any other reason to create misery in this child's life).

But I won't.

I know satan "comes only to steal, kill and destroy." (John 10:10) I'm wise to his ways. He wants to mess with my family and throw us into chaos. Anything to keep us from growing wiser and stronger! He wants me unfocused tonight.

He doesn't think I'll remember the second half of John 10:10, that glorious BUT. (Perhaps my favorite BUT in the entire Bible!) BUT Jesus has come "that we may have life and have it to the full!"

Satan can try to bully my Thursdays, but he's not going to win. Jesus has my back! He'll stand up to the enemy anytime, anywhere.

You know what? If the enemy is bullying you today, Jesus has your back too. In Jesus' name, tell that old bully to hit the road. And then, go enjoy a pumpkin spice latte with your best friend, Jesus!

Blessings,

Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!

**POST ALERT**

Suffering from a "bug" of my own,

I cannot guarantee that my thoughts are clear.

Hopefully this post will make sense. If not,

pray for me -- or laugh at me -- whichever.

Have a fantastic day!

My dear friend texted yesterday. Her sweet "Bug" who just turned one is sick. You know the sick that little ones get -- so clogged up they breathe loud, so achy that nothing really makes them feel better. Yeah, that. The problem with sick little ones is they can't really explain how they feel or what would help them feel better. Cuddle or no cuddle? Hot or cold? Hungry, thirsty or none of the above? It's a constant guessing game.

So, the texts came... My friend thinks I'm a genius "Dr. Mom." I keep telling her it's just my 38+ years of linear parenting (17 + 14 + 7 = 38 years... No wonder 19 and Counting is such a popular show -- they have more than a century of parenting under their belts! Maybe two centuries!).

Question #1: "Bug's not doing well. Is it normal to get worse before you get better?" I answered with the "look for these signs... otherwise hang in there."

Question #2: "She hates the breathing treatments... Any tricks?" My answer here, "Grin and bear it my friend." (I'm not very helpful am I?)

Question #3: "A friend suggested chicken broth and warm apple juice. Any other ideas?" Here's where the replies start to take on a theme... "Just like you, her appetite drops when she doesn't feel well."

Question #4: "What should I do with her when she's not sleeping? Cuddle? Play? Rock her? Cry it out?" Ohhh, great question... really. My answer, whatever makes her most comfortable. And... crying is unavoidable.

Since I happen to be sick now, too, with Bug's bug.... I shared my symptoms and suggested that she bundle her in winter jammies so she stays warm at night. Mom was surprised at that, until I asked, "Do you feel colder when you're sick?" "Of course," she said, "Common sense."

There's a cool God message in here!

Bug couldn't tell her mommy how she felt, but I could. If I have to be sick, it's nice to know that it helped someone else... even if all I did was cheer and encourage a new, young mom. I'm glad that I was able to help a friend, even from my sick bed. God can use our little things to make a difference for others, if we're willing.

Taking a little time to text back and forth, Bug's mom grew in parenting confidence. Bug's mom is an already amazing mommy, now equipped with a new arsenal of parenting wisdom: Common sense!

This morning, I got a text picture of a happy, smiling Bug...

Sweet Bug, I'm so glad you're feeling better today! 

1 Timothy 4:12 (Part Two)

Have you been waiting? Patiently? To find out what Nathan did that made the camp thing seem small?

Without further ado, here it is (please laugh at the appropriate times!):

After camp ended Wednesday, we came home exhausted. Camp was awesome and several kids accepted Jesus into their hearts for the first time! We couldn't possibly ask for more! While my kids were off relaxing, I logged onto my facebook account...

Get ready -- this is the ironic part where you get to laugh at me. It's okay. I'm tough. I can take it.

...to post on Nathan's wall how proud of him I was.

photo © 2010 Asthma Helper | more info (via: Wylio)
YEP! My kid was upstairs in his bedroom and rather than climb the stairs to talk face to face, I chose to post it on his wall. Duh!

Except... His wall wasn't there.

You see, during camp, God showed Nathan the value of friendships. He showed Nathan how distracting facebook can be. You know how it is: the phone buzzes or the email dings -- whatever -- and like moths to flame, we are drawn to see who said what. Then we get sucked into the abyss -- lost on facebook for hours. No food. No bathroom breaks.

I yelled up the stairs, "Hey Nathe, what's wrong with your facebook page?" (You may laugh again -- I still did not share my compliments with him.)

He came downstairs, light-hearted. "Oh, I deleted it." Like it was no big deal. Seriously!

WHATTTTT?????

He clearly interpreted my surprise and added, "Mom, facebook has been eating up my time, keeping me from doing school well, practicing piano, or even watching movies with the family. I was way too caught up in it and God has bigger plans for my life. Besides, I can text with all my real friends whenever I want."

WHOA!!!

How about you? Does facebook steal your time? Is it keeping you from God's best plan for your life? Is it keeping you from real relationships with people you know and love?

I'm not attacking facebook here. But, I am learning from this wonderful young man that life is short. It's precious. Friendships are real. They should be treasured. And maybe, just maybe, facebook is getting in the way of that. If a TEENAGER can walk away from facebook, maybe some of the rest of us should too! (I'm still undecided, by the way... but I am building in some firmer boundaries.)

Lots of love!

My bags are packed...

I'm ready to go!

Yes, friends, I am running away for three wonderful days and two nights. I leave as soon as I finish this post, shower, write the kids notes from Mommy, eat breakfast, and kiss the gang good-bye.

I'm a little giddy!

And very blessed. Because this guy:

Loves me a whole bunch,

Believes that the desires of my heart are important,

Looks forward to quality time with the kids,

and

Cleaned out the car so I can travel in "luxury."

And this guy:

Skipped out on the pool yesterday,

To clean the kitchen,

The bathrooms,

Vacuum and dust -- even the stairs,

So that I can go without worrying about the house.

Who says teens are selfish?

And these two:

Promised to get along while I'm gone.

And that's no small feat.

So, I'm off to the beach, to write, pray, read God's word and prepare for the She Speaks conference that starts in just two weeks. I think I'll miss these people just a bit... They are the heart of my dreams!

Would you join us and pray for clarity, wisdom, and God's plan to be clear? Thanks!

Love,

Sweet Surprise!

This morning after a fun-filled and somewhat hectic July 4th weekend, I took the kids to the pool. I figured a couple hours of freedom would be nice -- and maybe wear them out a little.

We got to the pool, and as we lugged towels, sunscreen and cooler through the gate, I heard, "Karen Dawkins?" from a familiar, sweet voice. Not so much a question, more the sound of pleasant surprise. I looked over and saw a dear friend at "my" pool.

As it is in life, our lives went different directions and we hadn't seen each other since -- though we kept in touch by facebook. I never would have expected to see her there. But there she was. Joyful reunion.

We laughed. We talked. We understood things without words being said.

I left encouraged for what lies ahead. Energized.

Thank You, God, for this special surprise. Thank You for time with a dear friend -- what I needed the moment I needed it most. Thank You for the gift of her encouragement. I am truly blessed.

A Princess Birthday Tea Party

We celebrated Ellie's birthday a couple weeks ago. The party was supposed to go one way, with my wonderful men (hubby and sons) serving a sweet dinner tea party for the girls. Then, the guys fell -- one by one -- to a horrible little sickness. Ben started it all the day before the party -- thankfully, just a 12 hour affair. Party day, he cleaned and disinfected the whole house as texts came from his brother and dad that they, too, were sick. Hubby and son were banished to their beds for the day while I took on Rob's role of chief baker. And decorated the house, too!

YAY for me!!! The cupcakes turned out great. Pink as could be. And my buttercream, though made with much more mess than Rob's, was delicious. All in all, a huge success.

The girls arrived, one by one, in their best party dresses with their favorite dolls dressed up too. They served tea to their dolls at the coffee table.

I served a "gourmet" dinner of heart shaped peanut butter sandwiches, apple straws and fruit. The sweetest thing happened... They ALL wanted to pray the blessing for dinner. So, we had three special prayers for dinner and Ellie before dinner. Then two more before cupcakes. She's definitely chosen great friends!

After dinner, I thought the girls would play with their dolls more... but alas, you can dress a girl in all the bows in the world, and she's still going to want to play "puppies and bears!" Yes, they ran, screamed and hollered all over the family room. One was the bear, one was the mommy dog, and the other four were puppies. Hilarious!











When all was said and done, Ellie's celebration was perfectly Ellie: a mix of sweet and tomboy! I'm bummed that her dad missed out on it (though he still talks about the noise), but at least it got done! :)

Happy birthday, Princess Ellie. We love you!

Thought you should know

Next month, I'll be traveling to Charlotte with a friend for a speakers' conference. My first. Her second. I look forward to learning more about effective communication and refining my skills. I know the speakers there will be encouraging. I'm a bit giddy at the idea of three days for "me" without mommy duties... but don't tell the kids.

When I travel, my quirks will go with me. Of course. So, Leigh, here's your warning. Thought you should know that:

• I sleep with a pillow over my head. Yes, it's true. My little head, squished between two pillows like a sandwich. I've slept this way my whole life -- or at least as long as I can remember. Honestly, I didn't know it was a little weird until my last road trip with a friend. She found it quite hilarious!
• I can't survive a day without popcorn. Perhaps I could survive a day, but I'm certain I can't survive three without it! I share -- but only begrudgingly.
• I don't wake up till the coffee cup has been drained -- at least once. Some days, I need two cups before complete, rational sentences form on these lips.
• I always check the bed for bedbugs. Always. Long before the recent bedbug scare.
• I don't consider myself arrived until the bags are unpacked. Sadly, I'm not a drop the bags and run for fun girl... Unpacking settles me. (Note: I am good at leaving the bags when I arrive before check-in. It's just that I consider myself "checked in" only once I'm "settled in.")
• I always hit the snooze! Always! At least once. Usually twice. Or three times. Why rush the waking process... See note on coffee above.
• I need to know the day's weather report. It's almost as essential as coffee. Don't ask me why. Especially going to a conference in a hotel where I won't be outside... If I go back to college, I think I might study meteorology.
• I sleep best with my sound machine, set on ocean waves. Very soothing. However, I can go without it if you can't sleep with the ocean in the background. I think. Maybe.

That's about it. Now you know what you signed up for -- I'm glad that was non-refundable, because you're stuck with me now!

You know it's a good day when...

You know it's a good day when:

• You get quiet time with God before the kids wake up -- while it's still actually quiet!
• You survive rush hour traffic, especially when not used to it!
• You get a compliment on your well-behaved children before 10 a.m.
• The dog actually comes the first time she's called.
• Everyone gets everywhere they have to go on time, even though schedules overlap.
• You get to hug the neck of a dear friend you haven't seen in ages!!!

It's been a great day. Counting my blessings as I drift off to sleep tonight!

Prayer, Accountability, Answers

Ben at Raven Rock Park earlier this spring

Home schoolers in North Carolina are required to take a standardized end-of-year test to monitor academic achievement. Usually, Ben gets anxious about this test. Most years when the scores come back, he cries in frustration. Not that we push him for certain scores. Never. Rather, we would do everything we could to minimize the significance of the tests.

But, he knew. He knew the reading would be hard. He knew he'd run out of time before completing a section. He knew his spelling and language scores would be nowhere close to his real grade. Spelling is always the worst. Last year, in seventh grade, his spelling scores were about the same as a first grader's. Yep. That's demoralizing. Especially for a kid whose math, science, history and geography scores are always above grade-level.

This year, we worked a little more intentionally on spelling. Still, it wasn't the focus of his education. If we wait for spelling to catch up, his progress in other areas would certainly suffer.

Testing day came, and for the first time, he was relaxed. No stress. No worry.  And this past Friday, the scores arrived in the mail. With great anticipation, we tore open the envelope. I unfolded the score sheet and looked for the one score that always frustrates him.

And there it was: FIFTH GRADE!!! He scored in the 20th percentile of his grade level peers. A huge jump! You'd think he'd won a gold medal in the olympics. High fives. Woops and hollers. A fist pump in the air. And a smile. A wide, radiant, sparkling smile. Ben conquered his nemesis (not that he can spell nemesis... yet).

What changed? In part, Ben is growing up and gaining confidence. He's reading more fluently. But...

The biggest change was prayer. This whole year, the women in my connect group (what we call our Bible study groups at our church) prayed. They prayed faithfully, week after week, month after month, for Ben. For his understanding to increase. For the "wires" in his brain to connect. For the intelligence we know is in there to finally show on the outside. They prayed for confidence, excitement for learning, and self-acceptance. They prayed for me, to teach wisely -- the way God needed me to. They prayed for his testing. And on testing day. They prayed. With us and for us.

We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, 

help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays evil for evil, 

but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. 

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; 

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-18

God answered. He helped me become the home schooling mom Ben needed. And He helped Ben grow in confidence and understanding. Thank you, dear ladies, for blessing us with your faithful prayers, living out 1 Thessalonians. Thank you, God, for answering our prayers.

Only a Friend would know...

Hey bloggy friends,
Yesterday, I told you about my very un-birthday weekend... and my plan to redeem it all, thanks to Humpty Dumpty. If you missed it, you might want to read it to fully appreciate the next "episode."

About an hour after the UN-Birthday post, there was a knock at the front door. My husband answered  and the boys peeked around the corner to see who could possibly be at our house at that time of day. Seriously, no one comes to our house at 3:00 in the afternoon.

We hear Rob talking in a friendly tone, so it's not a solicitor. The boys ask if we're expecting something from fed-ex or UPS. Nope.

Then he shuts the door and walks into the kitchen... holding these:

"Daddy, did you get Mommy flowers?" No... I wonder if he's thinking with all the fuss and excitement if maybe he should have. (HINT HINT)

One of the boys asks, "Are you sure they're for Mommy?" HELLO???? Don't I deserve beautiful flowers? Every day, even???

They start guessing all sorts of names. Grandma. Grandpa. Friends from Ohio.

I open the card and LAUGH!!! One of those gut-busting laughs that just feel good.

The card reads, HAVE A VERY HAPPY UNBIRTHDAY!! (All caps, for real...) From a dear friend at church who tickled my heart with joy. I think UN-Birthdays just might catch on.

"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17

Happy Birthday, Allie!!!

Today is my birthday! My sweet husband made an incredible cake, from scratch, with chocolate ganache filling and vanilla buttercream. I can't wait till tonight when we get to eat it! I've grown up a bit so instead of eating the whole cake myself, I'm even going to share with friends and family. YUM... Pictures in another post later, so you can drool too.

Allie and me. Our self portrait at the beach last summer.

The only thing that would make this day better is if I could celebrate with one of my favorite people in the whole world, my God-daughter, Allie. She was born on my birthday (I think that is soooo cool!!!!) 15 years ago. Before her arrival, she was supposed to be Sarah. I remember her mom calling to say she'd arrived and asking how our little Sarah was doing. She surprised me by saying, "She's not Sarah. She's Allison." She went on to explain that she just didn't look like a Sarah, so they changed her name.

Allie, you are every bit your name. Sarah, a beautiful name, couldn't have kept up with your spunk! My prayer is that this year will be filled with more joy than you have ever known. May God continue to keep you healthy as you play sport after sport after sport! Most of all, may you grow even closer to Jesus. Thank you, God, for bringing Allison into our lives!

Have a fantastic birthday, sweet girl.

I love you.
Love,
Karen

Friendship! It's a gift.

Hey friends,
In response to yesterday's post, I got some sweet love. I appreciate the emails of encouragement, the texts that made me laugh, and the sincerity of your love. God did not design us to face our trials alone, and yesterday I was anything but alone. Thank you for your prayers, your love, and your encouragement. Today looks much brighter. I'm in the process of forgiving... I've confessed my anger and hurt. I've asked God to forgive my bad attitude. I've said the words, "I forgive..." My heart isn't in it yet, but I will be obedient and I will see God glorified in my weakness.

One friend out there has lived through the same pain I've been dealing with. We've never met face to face, but through our blogs. (Can I just say that I am amazed how technology can bring people together? Geography is irrelevant!) Because she's been there-experienced that, she was able to listen to my heart and help me process the pain. I'm a stronger woman today because she took time out of her own crazy life to invest in me.

That's the gift of friendship. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man (or woman) sharpens another." Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times. A brother is born for adversity." And John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." My friends, you lived out the love of God with me. You didn't leave me to wallow in my self-pity and pain. My bloggy friend listened and as I shared, the pain started to work itself out. I am beginning to realize I'm not the one who lost in all this... I will be stronger because of this experience.

 In John 16:33, Jesus says, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Oh the pain. Truly, this situation has hurt me more than anything else I've ever experienced. But, Jesus has overcome the world. I can rejoice today as I choose not to stoop to new lows. I can rejoice today because I choose to let go. I can rejoice today because Jesus took this pain. He will use this experience to help someone else overcome a hurt. He will redeem this situation.

My heart is still heavy. That's okay -- God knows I will have trouble. My choice is to rejoice in Jesus. My choice is to trust in Him and experience the peace that only God can give.

Thank you, friends, for helping me climb out of the pit! Thank you for living out God's plan for friendship! I thank God for each and every one of you.
Love,
Karen

Thanks for the encouragement

photo © 2007 Fern | more info (via: Wylio)
Dearest readers,
Thank you for your comments and emails of encouragement yesterday. While my heart breaks for my friend, I rejoice that I don't walk alone. Each note of encouragement filled me up and reminded me how important it is to keep going.

While I know it's not my job to convert the unbeliever, only God can fill their heart, I sometimes feel responsible. (That sneaky little satan trying to convince me that I'm a failure when one person says no to God.) I did what I could, planting seeds of truth. My friend has heard about God's love and desire to have a relationship with him. I can do no more.

Or can I?

In my somber mood yesterday, I spent quite a bit of time talking with God, spilling my longings for my friend into His lap. God reassured me, through you and through scripture, that I did what I could. I spoke the truth, in love, and did not turn my back on my friend when the conversations got tough. I loved him the best I can. I prayed (still do) for him.

Then, God asked me, "What about the others?" Uh oh!

He flooded my mind with memories:

• Homeless people and their cardboard signs at the side of the road. How many times have I turned away, pretending they weren't there?
• Neighbors who I have never invited to church?
• Blog posts I've written without taking the time to finish learning the lesson myself? (YIKES!!! Really? You mean what I write here could actually point someone in the wrong direction? And God says... "Yes. Make sure you finish studying and listening BEFORE you start writing.")
• Incidents, lots of incidents, where I jumped to conclusions and didn't treat my kids with patient, encouraging instruction.

Of course, God isn't in the business of condemning. He would never have sent Jesus if He wanted to sit around and watch us fail. Yesterday's conversation was a good reminder, something I need every day. Love when you have the opportunity. Wherever. Whenever. Whatever.

God reminded me to treat everyone with the same respect and passion that I reached out to my friend. 

**I am thankful that when I fail in all those things listed above, He will always forgive and give me another chance to learn.**

Locked out!

photo © 2010 Alex Murphy | more info (via: Wylio)
Good Tuesday morning, everyone. I took the dog outside this morning, pulling the door shut behind me. Yep! Locked myself out of the house! No big deal. I still had two kids inside.

Except...

They were asleep in their beds. Upstairs. I was on the back porch. In my jammies. Barefoot. I pounded on the back door, hoping someone would hear me before I had to suffer the embarrassment of running to the front porch in my jammies.

Pound. Pound. Pound.

Then, grumpy but loud, I heard, "I'm coming. Stop it."

Yay! I got in! The first thing I did (Ben was already headed back to bed), was update my facebook status. (I'm so technologically gifted). That led to checking email...

My inbox contained an email from an "atheist friend of mine." Somehow, he discovered my blog. He regularly responds to my Bible-quoting posts. He doesn't agree with my theology. I read his email and my heart grew heavy. He doesn't see the hope, the love or the power of God in scripture. He sees hurt, pain, evil, and darkness.

I was locked out of my house. He is locked out of the joy of life in Christ. It breaks my heart.

1 Corinthians 2:12-14 says:

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Sprit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

We cannot understand the Word of God without the Spirit of God dwelling in us. Understanding His Word begins when we accept, by faith, that Jesus is His One and Only Son, sent to earth to live as a man and die as a man, though sinless, on our behalf. He did this, not for Himself, but for us, who sin, so that we may live forever in Heaven with Him.

I can't debate scripture with my friend. Until he -- or any non-believer -- chooses to take that important step of faith into the unknowable, he will never understand the deeper meaning of God's Word. I pray that one day, my friend will take that step and discover the wonder and joy of life in Christ.

Dear God,
I pray that those who read this post will know your hope, joy and peace, which comes from the Holy Spirit. I pray that unbelievers will answer your call as you "stand at the door and knock." May they unlock their hearts and let You in. In Jesus' name,
Amen