Me & the Family

Me & the Family

Monday, January 30, 2012

Monday.

It's Monday.
Did you know?


After one week of feeling pretty, well, crappy, I am finally on the up-and-up.  I was denied giving blood on Friday due to low iron levels and after a glance at what low-iron looks like I realized that was probably my problem!  I am now taking an iron supplement along with my daily routine.  


I'm so glad to have some energy and not feel nausea! 


Yesterday was my son's 14th birthday.  He is my middle child, smack in the middle of two sisters...one who is 10-1/2 months older and one that is 12-1/2 months younger.  That means that in 11 days we have another birthday in my house.  Most years (all but the first two of their lives) I have made each of their birthdays individualized and special.  This year, in an attempt to make things a little easier for the family we are going to celebrate TWO of them next Sunday...


which I realized yesterday is SUPERBOWL SUNDAY.


This makes me excited because I have an excuse to make cute things.  Things I found on pinterest.  Things like this:  



Unlike my family I don't pay much attention to football.  My family is a college football family and that is their preference...but overall they can watch a football game pretty good.  I, on the other hand, am not that person.  But food?  Cute food?  I'm all about making stuff like that!

This week I need to get my ideas and recipes all lined up in a row.  Since we are not purchasing groceries at this time (husband currently not working) I will have to use what we have.  

Many of you have just started reading my blog...and my blog has really been neglected for a couple of years.  I was on MySpace and started writing a LOT...and then MySpace vanished.  I talked about my life and my past a LOT over there.  You see, you hear me talk about God a lot...but what you do not realize is who I was BEFORE I became who I am now.  I am changed and that change I celebrate.  I just wanted you to know that.

I am currently doing a bible study about the book Chazown.  Have you ever heard of it?  The interesting thing about this bible study is who is IN the bible study.  You see the study is for ladies 30 and younger.  Now...I'm not in that age bracket.  People THINK I am in that age bracket, but I have definitely moved onto the next one.  The teacher asked me to be in there and when I arrived last week...well I have a better understanding of WHY I am there.  The class is about finding who we are and what God has intended for our lives - by examining our gifts and talents.  There are many younger ladies in there and by younger I mean kids my daughters age and a little older.  High school students.  

At first I looked around and said..."oh know, I shouldn't be here" but then after the class I had twin sisters who are in high school approach me.  They wanted to talk to me and were just really interested in who I was.  It was then that I realized that I do have something to offer.

Encouragement.
Compassion.
My story.

Oh but to tell my story in PUBLIC is way harder than telling my story here on a blog.  My words are hidden deep within here.  My thoughts and my heart are here in words but in the world only those that were THERE know the story.  Unfortunately those that were there do not know the WHOLE STORY.  They do not know that I have changed - because God has changed me.

These people?  
They will see me in church.
They will know my kids.

Scary on so many levels.

Any ways.  
That is on my mind.

Mondays mean recover my house from the weekend.  This weekend I had, including my own kids, 9 kids at my house.  They slept here and ate dinner and breakfast here.  It was crazy...and my house reflects it.  It needs to be disinfected from top to bottom.

That's my Monday...
Whats YOURS????

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Illusions.


Illusions. 
written 2/20/2009






They are all around us.  We love them.  We embrace them.  They have become part of what we, as Americans, ARE.

Think about it.







We all want the perfect house.  Our insides are cloaked with leather couches and pretty paint, stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and wood flooring.


We all want it.



We want it all
Through credit and our manipulation many of us were able to pull off the American dream of the house with the white picket fence...couple of kids, a dog and MAYBE even a boat or motorcycle.


The REALITY?







Credit doesn’t mean cash.  Credit doesn’t equal our worth.  It’s an illusion that is clearly seen when we fall into hard times.







Every morning I arise and look in the mirror and think...


“Oh my!







Where are all these dark circles coming from?  My complexion looks like I am 14 all over again!  I remember when I had a firm body and everything was perkier.”


And then...
Out comes the make-up and out comes the push up bra ~ and I begin sucking-in, tying and strapping things securely where they “belong.”  







Voilla!  


We choose to be disillusioned.  It just feels better. Somehow through our illusions we are in control. 



Control of who we are.

What we own.

How we're seen.


Illusion also means a fine plain transparent bobbinet or tulle usually made of silk and used for veils, trimmings, and dresses.





In Exodus 34:34-35 you can read that Moses would remove his veil while talking to God in the Tent of Meeting...but returned the veil so that the people would not see the glow of his face.





He covered it.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:13-14 "We are NOT like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away.  But the people's minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth."

Paul is so right!

I have many veils that I use when needed.  On my way to church I attach my veil.  The one that says "God has it all under control so I don't need to share with anyone my problems, concerns, fears or lack of wisdom."

What we fail to realize is that the veil attached IS A LIE.

The veil is an illusion of self-reliance.

God is about relationships.

Sharing.

Loving.

Caring.

He wants us to depend on Him.  He wants us to create a relationship with him and others.  By sharing our experiences and circumstances...praying and helping one another ~ through this we allow HIS GLORY to shine!

So, why do we do this?

Why do we hide who we really are?  Why do we cloak ourselves in a veil?

Pride.

We must make a choice.

We must be visible.

CLEARLY.

Drop the veil.  Drop the cloth.  Drop the illusion.

 

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Are you willing to drop the illusion?

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