What Would You Do?

What would you do if a friend of yours was living in a house that was very dangerous? Maybe it's sitting on the edge of a cliff ready to fall off or perhaps it's filled with black mold or something else that will slowly kill them. You try to get them out, you try to show them what danger they're in, but they don't see it, won't see it. You really care for them and you don't understand how they can't see the danger.

I'm choosing to pray for them, I don't know what else to do.

Painful Ponderings

I have been experiencing a lot of pain lately from a tooth that has been acting up. It started months ago after I had a crown placed on a broken tooth. It was just a small irritant, nothing major but enough to make me uncomfortable. I would go to the dentist and he would adjust my bite, prescribe antibiotics and I'd be on my merry way. I'd take the meds, it would get better then the medicine would run out and the pain would start again. I'd go back to the dentist and we'd repeat the process.

He wanted to do a root canal, but I wanted to try to save money and was hoping it would get better. Finally things were feeling pretty good, then all of a sudden it hit like a freight train. The pain came back with a vengeance and I decided I just wanted the dentist to pull it out. He had already told me there was no guarantee with a root canal, and I just wanted to be done with the monster, so i asked him to pull it. I was sitting in the chair signing paperwork and getting my blood pressure taken.

Everything came to a screeching halt. My blood pressure was too high and he wouldn't go through with the procedure until I was cleared with a doctor. At this point the pain was constant and beginning to really intensify. I was able to get to the doc and get the clearance I needed, but it was too late to go back to the dentist that night.

By the following morning my face had swollen up to the size of what felt like a football. The dentist took one look at my face and got me in right away. After a lot more anxiety, a good amount of Novocain and the paperwork, he extracted the tooth.

My face is still swollen and there is still some discomfort, but both are lessening. Going through all of this made me think, "What things do we keep in our life that we think we can just fix, when we should be getting rid of them?" I'm not talking about just giving up when things are tough. I'm talking about things that are toxic, that shouldn't be there. Even when we finally cut loose, there may be residual pain, but it is then when we will finally be able to heal.

I pray God will show me what I should hang onto and what I need to let go.

Bagel Blessing

It has been a long day, a long week for that matter. Tonight I got home after 6 and had nothing planned for dinner. We decided to walk across the street and go to the little diner in our town. We should have eaten at home, money is tight and it would be better for our budget, but it was getting late, nothing was ready at the house, it was a school night and we had to eat, so we went. We ate pretty economically, no splurges, and left the diner fat and happy.

As we walked through the parking lot I saw a man with a bicycle holding a sign that said he was hungry. He said "good evening" to me and I responded in kind to him. I immediately begin to think that I should give him something, but what I wasn't sure. I knew we couldn't afford to send him back into the diner for dinner, then I thought about what I'd been bringing for lunch, a bagel ham and cheese sandwich. I asked if he'd like one of those and he said that he would really appreciate it. I crossed the street and got to work. My 14 year old son asked if it was for the man across the street and when I told him it was, he asked if he could take it to him. He gathered up a water bottle and a bag and I put in the sandwich and some bananas.

He crossed the street and gave it to the man while I watched. On his way back he gave a big smile and a "thumbs up".  He loved giving as much as I did. That makes my heart so happy.

I pray that I will listen more closely when God speaks to me to be generous toward others. It may be a gift of time, a hug, a smile, a listening ear or a bagel sandwich. I would like to encourage others to find ways to give. It doesn't have to be a big thing, sometimes the smallest of things can make the biggest differences.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Pizza

Yesterday, I decided to get a school lunch. As I came up to the kitchen window to get my lunch a Kindergarten teacher comes to me and asks if I could try to console one of her students, we'll call him Johnny (not his real identity). He was sobbing uncontrollably because he didn't have any lunch money, so he was given a peanut butter and jelly sandwich instead of the cheese pizza he had his little 6 year old heart set on. I must admit, this young man is one of my favorite kids in the entire school (yes, sometimes teachers do have favorites, sorry to burst your bubble) he always has a cheery smile, a warm hello and a friendly high five. The only other time I'd seen this little man cry was when he forgot to return his library book and he couldn't check out another until he returned it. Anyway, I sit down next to him and ask what's going on, he immediately embraces me and cries into my chest. Yes, I'm at that level. I gently pat his back and try to get him to talk to me. He says he is so upset because he wanted pizza. Now I know it's very difficult to reason with anyone, let alone a 6 year old boy, when they aren't able to eat what they want to. So, quick on my feet, I say "Hey, Johnny, open your sandwich" I help him take apart the two pieces of bread. Then I say "Look, you have a peanut butter pizza AND a jelly pizza, everyone else only gets one pizza but you get two" I don't know that he necessarily bought it, but he did stop crying and ate his lunch.  I spoke with his teacher later in the day and she was certain he would have lunch money the next day, he had a stamp on his hand, a note in his pocket and determination on mind.

So, this morning I saw him before school, he came in to check out a book. I asked him if he remembered his lunch money today. With a smile he says, "No, I'm going to have Peanut Butter and Jelly Pizza!" Oh, how I love this kid!!!

My UnDisney Review of The Jungle Book

As a family, we went to see Disney's The Jungle Book this weekend. I had heard great things about it and I knew this was something we'd want to see on the Big Screen and not wait for it to come to video or Netflix. I was not disappointed. While, the cinematography was amazing, the scenery breathtaking, the digital effects pretty cool, that's not what stayed with me.

I won't spoil anything for those of you that have not seen it yet, but there is a point in the movie where there has been a drought in the dry season. The only watering hole has dried so much that it has exposed the "Peace Rock". It is Law that once this rock has been exposed there is no hunting or killing in the Jungle. You see all the animals come together to drink; prey and predator side by side.

Immediately, I thought of The Rock (no, not Duane Johnson) The Rock, Jesus Christ. He is the real-life Peace Rock. All can come to Him for refuge and a safe harbor. It doesn't matter what your background is, who your family is or where you've come from. He is there to bring everyone peace. We only have to go and partake of Him.

It's been a while since I've blogged. I'm sitting in a Technology Training and realizing once again how much my hands are tied. I hate this feeling. There's so much I'd like to try and do, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I am unable to do these things. It's not all out of my hands though, I also need to persevere. I start something with good intentions, then within a few months, weeks or sometimes even days it's laying on the wayside and I'm back into my old rut. Ugh.

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The Mountain

On a beautiful, sunny day, The Mountain is easy to see. You can't help but be in awe every time you glance at it. On clear days, this is what I see as I head home after a busy and sometimes stressful day. Simply looking at The Mountain lifts my spirits and makes my heart lighter.

Today was cloudy and gray as I left school. I've had a busy week and know my weekend will be just as jammed. My mind is cramped with thoughts of our house that needs to be sold and wondering if we'll ever find a place of our own again.

I turned the corner and looked up to where I should see The Mountain. All I saw was gray skies, however, my heart still lifted. I declared, "Mountain, I know you're there! You didn't go anywhere. I just can't see you right now".

It made me think about God. Sometimes it's so easy to feel His presence and know that He's near. Other days, our circumstances or surroundings may make it difficult to "see" Him. But He's always there. He's not going anywhere. Just knowing He's close to us, makes me feel better.