The Two Weeks I Look Forward To

Last week was that time of the summer, again. My nephew stays with me every summer for a couple of weeks, and every year he is a different kid. I love figuring him out and catching up with no mom and dad. Just he and I.

The problem is that he is growing up.

In fact, a friend told me that I will probably only have him for a couple of more summers, at best. She thinks that he will choose his friends over me at 16. She even said he might choose a girl over me.

That hurt.

I was relieved that he still wanted to take our annual trip to the Science Center. We do the exhibits, the planetarium and the IMAX...every time. I will be totally honest though, this is my favorite part. Erosion.

Cause I see this...

So, I will take whatever time he gives me. I just look forward to this time of the year.

Sam's Weekend and My Restlessness

I wouldn’t say that Sam is getting spoiled over this whole thing, but I will give you a glimpse of her weekend.

My best friend from college, who lived with me then and again for five years before I was married, brought doggie Peanut Butter Pie.

Sam thought that my flowers were for her. I didn’t tell her any different.

All in all, she was very satisfied.

As for me, I have felt restless. Perhaps seven days of dog-sitting have had their toll. My life has become the size of my house.

This morning I read, Luke 10:17-20, NRSV,

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

I do not exorcise demons.

I would be bitten if I walked near a snake, stung near a scorpion. I cut myself for the third time this week on Sam’s aluminum food can.

I do not heal people.

The disciples rejoiced in all of these. I can only imagine how amazing it would be.

Stilling the seventy, Jesus set their eyes to the horizon, to the ONE thing. It made snakes and scorpions look small.

I share with the lost.

I write in His name.

I teach His word.

I stand beside people who accept Christ.

I minister alongside awesome women.

I am shortsighted, though. I rejoice and often obsess over these. Even worse, I obsess over their growth. Jesus set my eyes on the horizon this morning.

Their names, all seventy, are written in heaven. My name is written in heaven. We can rejoice now.

CR: A Week With Sam (My Dog)

Our house has become a canine hospital this week. I am not sure that the other two girls (Maggie and Tess) realize that Sam is the only sick member of our family. They did remove Sam’s spleen, on Monday, and I was stunned when the showed me the size of it. She is only 22 pounds, which is a large Miniature Schnauzer, and I did ask them how such a spleen ever fit in there. I can only describe it as a cross between a banana and a burrito. Let’s just say, it has grown.

Waiting has been our game. With Sam on our bed, I have written, and watched documentaries that would make my husband gag. My big accomplishment of the week seems to be the laundry, and a magazine article (we can talk about that, later). Personally, I think my biggest accomplishment might have been stealing cuddle time while Sam is on pain killers. She is very independent, otherwise.

All of this alone time brought to mind a 23 year old, girl. I thought I was quite a woman. In a strange place, I had my first real job that was way over my head. I found that I did not have a friend, or a clue.

One of my employees took a fancy to me and, when his mom’s dog had puppies, he offered one to me...a gift. They let me pick her out. She was the most rambunctious one of the bunch...by far. She would take a running charge into her siblings, all of which could barely see. We ooo’d and aah’d over how adorable she was.

She was the one, my Sam.

Sam, last night at my canine hospital

My lonely nights were over. She and I would sit and watch TV on the couch, and debate the merit of playing in the middle of the night. Often, I would sit and tell her the stories of my life while she sat with that tiny head cocked to the side, ears at attention. I would cry because I was homesick, because I was scared, and because I was having to grow up. She would listen and then she would lick my tears.

Last night, I knelt down beside the bed. I had to tell her some news. “Sam, how could keep this from me? The doctor just called and told me that you have cancer.” She looked up at me, head cocked and ears at attention.

I was crying, again. I told her how sorry I was. We can’t fix it, only manage it.

She just leaned forward and licked my tears, like a hundred times before.

That is just like Sam.

Just Eleven Reasons For Love

Just eleven reasons why I love my husband on Valentine’s Day:

He watches whatever I want on TV.

He is a great cook.

When he prays, I know that God hears.

He is the funniest person that I have ever known.

He doesn’t take any of my flack, which is hotter than one might think.

He believes in me more than I believe in me.

I am safe with him.

He is the handiest guy I have ever seen. There is no limit to what he can build or fix...also, hot.

He baby-talks Tess in the dialect that I created. This does not affect his manhood at all.

He offers to refill my water, even if he is not going to the kitchen.

The way to his heart is through his stomach, which is why I cooked this, this, and this to go with the bbq pulled pork sliders, for V-day weekend. This meant that we did not have to battle the crowds...and he didn't mind at all.

I could write a hundred things, but they all point to the same thing. He is my perfect Valentine!

The Sky Reflects His Mystery

First in my thoughts has been coming back to the blog world, after my trip. I waited to write until after I had listened to the last session of the A Woman Inspired – Nurturing Creativity & Efficient Living conference, today. It was so informative and Spirit filled. This online conference is going on the rest of the week, so if you have time you can sign up, too. It is going to be refreshing.

And, off of that wonderful topic…

I talked a little about my trip home last week. I desperately tried to take a picture of the sky for you, but my camera is too dinky. I guess this picture will have to do. When you walk out the door at my childhood home, you are just surrounded by the sky. It is so dark and the stars are so bright. They live as far as I can see in all directions. I can even see the cloudy looking, beyond distinguishable stars, dusty heavenly realms (my masters is in theology, not stars). Oh, it just makes my jaw drop.

I remember walking from my dad’s house to my sister’s house one night. It was so bright and welcoming, I thought that Christ had returned. I believed that if I just kept walking, I would be lifted up into that sky and taken home. I kept waiting for noise. I was just missing the trumpets, and apparently my mouth trumpet was not a satisfactory instrument to prompt His return. I tried.

My nephew and I used to lie on the trampoline and stare at that sky. So when he came to visit last summer, I took him to the planetarium. The “tour guide” was a wonderfully knowledgeable, and friendly man. It was such a pleasure to hear of the wonders of God’s hand from a secular perspective. It is still just as marvelous. Of course, I might have been the only person thinking that in the crowd. Maybe.

I am rusty on the details, now, so forgive me for my less than scientific approach. The topic was two little satellites destined for greatness as they mapped the solar system. This was so fascinating because they were never meant to get that far. They had a destination in mind and everything looked ok, until one of them took a wrong turn.

Why? Because scientists did not understand the universal nature of gravity.

We are so small. The inventor of gravity is so gracious to give me a sky to stand under, dumbfounded. He is so gracious to place me inside of the mystery of His universe. As He lets these little satellites travel His big creation, could it be showing us the magnitude of Him? Could it be showing the minuscule nature of me?

I believe that He revels in placing us inside the mysteries that no one can (look at marriage!). I need only to stand outside my dad’s house, looking up, to see the joy of His mystery.

I made the earth, and created humankind upon it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. – Isaiah 45:12, NRSV

I am thrilled to be back in your company my friends. I will be catching up with you in the next few days.

P.S. I am posting from my new computer. It is a Mac, so I am working out kinks. I am seeing a lot of strange things, so just ignore them for now. Thanks.

Is there anything that I missed and just have to see? Leave me a comment and let me know.

Down The Home Stretch

I am on the second half of my trip to see my family, which explains my lack of blog time. I have managed to hit two deadlines while traveling, by the grace of God and tethering.

It seems like something is missing out of my days when I do not blog; so, I will be eager to get home and back to my normal schedule. I have not been able to check in on my bloggy friends, and I miss all of you so much.

My mother and I toured around visiting family. I drove to a different town for 5 days. So, it was so nice to get to my dad’s house where I grew up. I have done very little since I got here, and that is the way we like it.

I took a few pictures on my walk this morning that I thought I would share with you.

This is part of the driveway between the house and the highway. When I was in high school, I could taste the freedom at the end of this road. I was so sure that as long as I kept going in that direction, life would be fair and wonderful. It took many years for life to be wonderful but it had nothing to do with this road. Now this road looks like a great place to take a walk.

Lots of things happened on this road, though. I have walked, ridden, run and managed many miles on this road . Once, I flipped myself over the handlebars of a four wheeler on this road. I ended up doing a full flip while holding on, landing in a back bend. It turns out that I broke too fast. I didn't tell anyone about that. I guess that I have lost my ability to be embarrassed over many things.

On one side of this road my whole family were riding horses and one got spooked. My sister's horse bucked her off and drug her. My horse bolted to the barn. I can't remember what everyone else did. What a crazy memory!

I found a friend on this road, today. I thought that he was handsome.

This is what I found at the end. Going home is an adventure.

Howdy from home!

Moments On The Sidelines

I am about to take a road trip with my mom. It should be a really fun time. The older we get, the harder it is to make those dates together. They are so valuable, but seem to wiggle off the pages of our calendars. These dates create the moments that bring smiles to us when we clean the house, or buy groceries. I know that this trip will fill the storehouse of smiles for a long time to come.

Before we get together for holidays or vacations, our phone time increase exponentially. This is a phenomenon that I cannot explain. I went over my minutes in December because I was arranging plans with people that I would see in the next few days. One might just wait and do everything face-to-face, but we are a people who talk about everything in stages. So, more phone time.

In this tradition, I was talking to my mom on the phone this morning. We were talking about the times in your life when your job is to do little.

Most of the time, I pray for God to do much with me, to work much through me, in me, around me, and use me mightily. When I pray, I think big. God is big. I think that I want to be prepared in case I need to learn how to fly, or I am called to be one of a handful running around my city as it falls. I am all about being prepared.

That was not what we were talking about. We talked about God is calling us to the small jobs. We (my mom and I) are prone to take over a situation when we see better solutions to really easy problems. So, should I just walk in the door with my computer and planner while the theme from Mighty Mouse blares in the background? No, probably not…she says reluctantly.

When we have our big vision, when we know what is best, how do we just sit on the sidelines and leave it to the ones who are clearly under qualified? (My mentor and I have already determined that I am a controller of people…thank you CTO!) WE JUST DO! If God wanted me to work out the plan, he would give me the power of attorney for all the people I need to fix. To date, this has not happened.

My mom and I were talking about how to pray for this. I need to pray for God to show me what my job is, and be open to cameos. I need to ask Him to prepare me for my job. If I do this, I will be able to encourage from the sidelines, to keep my communication from becoming a stumbling block to others, and to support the plan that God has ordained.

Without prayer, I know exactly what would happen. I would appoint myself in leadership of this project. I would assume authority that was not divinely given to me and I would move away from God’s covering and into enemy territory. That is where I find the fear and frustration. That is where the strife will not leave me alone and my Spirit will not rest. This is a tough place to pitch my tent.

Today, my mom and I are praying for our sideline positions. We are praying that we can know, and be prepared for our jobs. In fact, we are planning to be the best stinkin’ sideliners that this world has ever seen. Right mom?

Do you ever “know best”? How do you deal with that?

Merry Christmas Week!

I was going to send this little message yesterday, but I was indisposed. I am praying that I will be able to fill you in on the details of it, soon. I know that the Lord uses everything for good and I am looking forward to writing about some of the behind the scenes events of this season.

I am grateful for this break because I really want to go blog visiting. Leave me a comment if you are doing something special for Christmas that you want to share. I look forward to seeing it.

BTW, I did get my shopping done. I am wrapping today, though. We are truly last minute holiday people. I don’t know if that will ever change. We are even sending out New Year cards, instead of the traditional Christmas. I have to say, I like the change.

This week is such a special times for families and in light of this I will be giving my undivided attention to mine. I will return next week. I hope that you enjoy your celebration of Christ’s birth.

Merry Christmas!

Reducing The Distance At Christmas

Pilate stands in front of Jesus, saying, “… ‘Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.’ ⁵ But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.” (Mark 15:4 & 5, NRSV)

He and I, both.

I have been looking at Jesus’ death in Mark. There are a few questions that He did answer,

Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You say so.” - Mark 15:2, NRSV

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?” ⁶¹ But he was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” ⁶² Jesus said, “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,’ and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven.’ ” – Mark 14:60 & 62, NRSV

This is the way that Jesus defends Himself. He didn’t.

I have heard so many hearts that are heavy over the holidays. Some of us are not going into a Christmas extending beyond the stereotypical holiday TV special. It is like celebrating in the mall, pretty but hygienic and void. I have been thinking a lot about this. It can be a stressful time for believers, even a time where we are called to defend our celebration of Jesus.

After thinking about this, I hypothesize that we are accused, questioned, and even attacked for others to avoid dealing with God.

Bear with me. I started running a little while, ago. I do enjoy the feeling after the run. I also love how it gets you in shape, quickly. If you told me that you wanted to become a runner, though, I would not suggest getting trained by a girl 14 weeks into this program and a year out of back surgery.

I am not a perfect, or even a good runner. You need to join a gym, or ask someone who does marathon running to really get into this sport. In fact, I would go so far as to say that my form is horrible. My breathing would be embarrassing to a more trained athlete, and I probably need to learn more to keep from hurting myself. To learn what you need to know, you should go to the pros…not me.

In an awkward way, this translates to my point.

In this world we all share the same thing, we deserve death. All of us were created by the same hand, and we all have this same need for His presence in our lives. It does not matter what we have filled this space with in the past, it was meant for God. This is the same with you and I, and the same with those who critique and accuse us. Yes, even family members.

The difference is simply that we know Him, now. There will be people who you come in contact with this holiday season that know of Him, but do not have a clue who, or that, Jesus really is. They settle on learning about Him from afar, very far sometimes.

Some want to learn about running from afar. These few would be perfectly content learning to run from me so they can safely pick apart everything that I say and critique what they like and don’t like about my technique. They would question why I run in the afternoon as opposed to the morning. Then they would give a whole list of excuses why they do not like running or can’t. This is a luxury they have in my presence, but in the presence of a trainer, they would get chewed up and spit out.

And, on Christmas, when we encounter those who want to pick apart our faith we will hear why they can’t make it to church, or how they are agnostic, or that they are “exploring religion”, or they hate Christians because they are hypocrites. Haven’t we been there, too?

Oh, but in the presence of the Father, they would fall down. They would be speechless. Their head would bow. No more excuses. No more arguments. That is the distance that they fight against. Haven’t we been there, too?

You might be the closest thing that they get to Him this season. Are you imperfect? Sure. Should someone be learning how to run this race from you? Well, maybe, you can start it with them. Point them in a way that leads to His throne. Push them in a way that reduces the distance to the Father.

The lessons that I learn from what Jesus said during His life and death are these,

- We don’t have to say a lot. He didn’t.

- We don’t have to defend Him or ourself. He didn't.

- Everything that we say needs to point to Truth.

As a way of pointing to truth, my mentor tells me to quote scripture to certain people in my life. This way I am never relying on myself for words. If I hear gossip, “You say, ‘We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.’” (Romans 2:2, NRSV). If you are afraid of sounding preachy, you can paraphrase.

The holidays can be hard. I pray that all of you are preparing wonderful times with loved ones. I also pray that you are pushing those who don’t know Christ in a way that reduces their distance to the Father.

Are you going to face difficult family this holiday season? I would like to pray for you. Leave me a comment and let me know.

Deckin' The Halls, Ya'll

This is kind of what we all felt like after we worked so hard putting up decorations this year. Sam, managed us the whole time. It was very helpful.

The nativity is always the center of our decorations. When you walk in the front door, you almost run into it. I feel that it sets the tone for anyone who enters our house. A couple of years ago, my husband made this handy dandy entry table for me. He even engraved love stuffs on the back. It has served as our nativity holder each year. It is probably my favorite Christmas decoration, if you can even call it that.

The mirror does pretty things with the lights in the living room.

Every year, we have one new addition. This year it is the big outside wreath. We don't decorate outside, so this is a big deal for us. We bought the wreath and I stuck pretty things in it. My husband kept saying, "It has to be five feet". He was right, it had to be five feet.

Next year, I am trying to get hubby to make a scroll/banner type decoration that goes above the arches. I want for it to say, "The King Is Born". What do you think?

If you stand just right outside, the tree is framed in the wreath. How cool is that? I, of course, had nothing to do with that. It was all hubby.

This is how we decked the halls, ya'll.

Catching Up After Holiday Minor

We are, once again, company free. I want to share some of what has been going on since I last chatted you up. We had Thanksgiving late, of course. It was Thanksgiving with the Christmas decorations up, so I am going to call it Holiday Minor. My in-laws were in town to share it with us. We had way too much food and lots of fun.

I had quiet times with my dogs. Actually, I was reading one morning before I left for an appointment and my dogs just kind of joined in. My husband snapped a picture. I thought it was so funny. Maggie's foot is resting on my bible.

We had my father-in-law's birthday. I did not make that chocolate cake, btw. It was so good! There is a puzzle in the background on a table. We got that in honor of Grandma Knowlton who passed in March. She LOVED puzzles. I bought it just before everyone got here. I don't have much experience puzzling, so I thought a 2000 piecer was a good idea. Let's just say that it was an idea.

This night we went to look at Christmas lights. I think this sums up where I live.

This is a saguaro cactus covered in Christmas lights. When you live in the dessert, you adapt to everyone’s idea of Christmas. We definitely try.

This is what it looked like when we tried to get my in-laws back up the mountain. We were an hour and a half from home, and thirty-four miles from our destination. It didn't even start to snow until thirty-five miles out. We sat right in that spot for two hours before they closed the road and made us go back home. So, we had company for another day. It worked out perfectly.

There ends Holiday Minor. I will post Christmas (Holiday Major) decoration pics, tomorrow.

Talking Christmas Traditions with Exemplify

As promised, I am participating in Christmas Traditions on Exemplify’s Family Channel. Thanks to Andrea who is our host. She also hosts Caffeinated Randomness on her blog (yes ladies, it is back on!) Under Grace and Over Coffee. She is funny, Canadian and has the cutest little dog. Enough said, thanks to Andrea.

It seems as though this holiday season is going to be one big holiday. Who can argue with that? It starts with giving thanks and ends with the best birthday, ever! I can honestly say that my husband and I are not fully formed when it comes to family tradition, though. It seems that each year brings a new circumstance, and new geography.

More than not, we get Thanksgiving alone together. This has made it into something unique. This year hubby made breakfast, and because of this it is my favorite breakfast. We sat down and read scripture after breakfast and prayed thanksgivings.

Ever prayer, every word all comes back to the same thing when you give thanks. The only reason that I have to be thankful is my death and new life in Christ. I don’t deserve it, and that is why I am thankful. Every gift and blessing comes from Him, alone. Can I get a witness?

So, we started the day with that on our lips.

AND, while I am on it…how wonderful to sit over breakfast with the man who God declares as mine! And, pray? Be still my heart. There is nothing more handsome than that.

Then, I cooked a special but non-Thanksgiving sort of meal. Mind you, Thanksgiving is tomorrow for us. My in-laws are officially coming in, so we delayed it. You guessed it, your week last week is my week this week.

Last night, I made the bread and cornbread for the dressings which I will make today. I also made the pie crusts, and did the obligatory jello salad. After I started making my own cranberry sauce last year, I could not get enough. I love to watch them pop out of their little skins…perhaps, an analogy for Thanksgiving dinner. So, I did that last night, also. Oh, and the turkey is brining its little heart out.

Today I do pies, dressing (I am a firm believer that it is better the second day), a casserole and the turkey stock…and clean…and finish decorating…and…and…peace, Lord!

A tradition that I will incorporate into our meal, tomorrow, is the Thanksgiving list. It is a list of no less than five things this year that one is thankful for. It is to be shared over dessert, because you don’t need as many hands for that course. We did this growing up a few times and the answers are fun and surprising.

Back to last week. After cooking, the Christmas tree went up. This is a tradition from my childhood. I don’t know why, but it gives a family activity, and slight movement post-gorge. AND, this is where our Christmas traditions begin.

And ends.

We spend the holidays with so much family that we have not had a chance to form our own traditions. I can tell you some of the things that I grew up with, but this exercise has made me think hard on this. It is time we took Christmas over. I will get back to you on this.

I used to love going to church on Christmas Eve and then coming home to unwrap the presents. We did gifts on the Eve and stockings on Christmas morning. Before we unwrapped the gifts, we read the story of the birth of Christ. I have a video of this from an awkward teenage year. I am wearing a hat, inside (much like Debbie Gibson I am sure). I had leggings tucked into my socks, and of course, a pair of Keds. Oh, why do we put things on tape?

One day I will post a picture of my old hair (It was big, Texas style). I show the pictures to my high school girls discipleship group as an ice breaker every year. They actually showed up at my house once after they had spent hours trying to imitate it. It was hysterical.

The next tradition is the holiday meal. It happened at 2ish on Christmas. Most of the time we just felt like rolling out of our chairs and napping on the floor after dinner; but, somehow, we usually made it to a couch or bed. I think of my mother…working in the kitchen all of those years. Sorry, mom. I understand that today and tomorrow I will understand it even more.

It’s worth it, though? Don’t you think?

Christmas pics are coming soon!

AWOL With A Psalm

I have been AWOL.

In fact, I did not look at my email for four days. FOUR DAYS! Some of you shudder at the thought. Let me tell you, ladies, I had my husband to myself for four days. It was awesome and well worth it.

I will have to remember that the world did just fine without my typing.

I am going to post some pictures of what we were up to…Christmas decorating for one. I noticed that I have a very small window this year for it since my in-laws are coming between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This plus all of the other normal Christmas craze meant it was time, and it was so fun!

I thought that I would share with you what my husband and I shared over Thanksgiving breakfast. Since we are meant to be thankful whenever we pray, and in all things, I thought that this was a wonderful reminder of what that means.

Psalm 65

Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty

¹ Praise is due to you,

O God, in Zion;

and to you shall vows be performed,

² O you who answer prayer!

To you all flesh shall come.

³ When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,

you forgive our transgressions.

⁴ Happy are those whom you choose and bring near

to live in your courts.

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,

your holy temple.

⁵ By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,

O God of our salvation;

you are the hope of all the ends of the earth

and of the farthest seas.

⁶ By your strength you established the mountains;

you are girded with might.

⁷ You silence the roaring of the seas,

the roaring of their waves,

the tumult of the peoples.

⁸ Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;

you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

⁹ You visit the earth and water it,

you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

you provide the people with grain,

for so you have prepared it.

¹⁰ You water its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth.

¹¹ You crown the year with your bounty;

your wagon tracks overflow with richness.

¹² The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

the hills gird themselves with joy,

¹³ the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with grain,

they shout and sing together for joy.

Did your family start your Thanksgiving in any special ways?

God Is Not Like My Grocery List

I sit down today, recording my Thanksgiving grocery list with flourish. Methodically, I put each ingredient on the page, and sit in wonder at the similarities of my paper and the canvas of a masterpiece. This sheet of paper is the beginning of my Thanksgiving spread.

Thanksgiving has been the one holiday that my husband and I can truly call our own. It was not intended to be like that. Our first year of marriage, we were recovering from the wedding, so no traveling then. We certainly had enough food for everyone, though. We ate amongst our wedding gifts.

Our second year, we went to Meredith’s house for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful fun. We were with oodles of her family, and…I didn’t cook. Win, win, win.

The next year, we were back home. This time I thought that I would really outdo myself, so I did the turkey and everything else that I could associate with Thanksgiving…for two people. We ate Thanksgiving for two weeks. I just couldn’t stop my nesting self.

Even when there are only two of us, I want the full spread. My grocery list is where the magic begins. What lies at the end of this grocery list is all mine, manageable aside from human error, and a scrumptious reason for giving myself a gold star.

When I was praying this morning about this upcoming preparation…I should explain, considering that some of you have been preparing for weeks or even minutes. My in-laws are coming in next week; therefore, we will have Thanksgiving late. My husband and I will have too much food on the day of Thanksgiving, but it will be of a different variety than the traditional Thanksgiving fare. That will be fun, too.

So, this morning I was thinking about this song, What Do I Know of Holy, by Addison Road, that has completely touched my heart over the last few weeks.

In acknowledging what I don’t know about God, I can acknowledge it is my struggle. I like knowing where I stand. I like understanding the parameters. I like saying, with certainty, that the outcome will be two meats, seven sides, bread, and three desserts…and a relish tray.

In fact, sometimes I pretend to be too familiar with His infinite nature. I pretend that I can know Him, instead know of Him.

When He gets too new, too unpredictable, I distance myself. My quiet times look like a woman doing the Heisman, holding Him at arms length while I keep running with the Thanksgiving turkey under my arm. Any deeper and I will have to see the new frontier. So, I shield my eyes as long as possible.

I can honestly say that I am on a new frontier. This week and last week have brought their own share of worries, struggles, and frustrations. I am left to say that this life is not like my grocery list at all. I look at God calling to me and saying, “I could be so much more to you. You do not have to control this.” Not easy for the master list maker.

All things point to…God is not like my grocery list.

Do you love the preparation for Thanksgiving as much as I do?

The Tale of Tess

For the last three Fridays, I have told you about our pets. Last week was Mindy. Thank you for all of your notes about that post. It was really sad to write. This is the last one...Tess.

After we got married, I guess that I was feeling uber-maternal and coerced my husband into adopting another friend. Actually, I had very little to do with it. While we were roaming Petsmart one day, she made eye contact with Dwight and it was done. I was fighting the urge to hold her at the time, so I was already under her spell.

We never baby-talked until Tess. We believe that if cloning ever becomes affordable, we could be in a danger zone. In fact, members of my family might join that club. Tess is just loveable. What more can I say?

Tess is a Skye Terrier perfectly mixed with something else, not a Newfoundland, like the rescue agency told us. We laugh at that now, considering that she is only 35 pounds, or so. I call her a stretch limo because she is not very tall, but she is very long. She is three years old, born October 18, 2006 (maybe), and since I am telling it, she is a mama’s girl.

Two of the funniest things about Tess:

Tess has a few phobias. She is really afraid of clothes, specifically laundry. If I sort or fold laundry, she is out of there. It used to be that whenever Dwight took off his socks, she would run out of the room or sit on top of me cowering. Now she just avoids the laundry. She is getting to be so brave.

We rooted for that one ear of hers to stand up, but it never did. She looks like she is tuning in a lost signal whenever she gets excited. I just love it.

Luckily, Tess is a talker and I mean that. She can talk and talk. So, what to say about Tess? I will let her speak for herself. I am enlisting the help of some personality test questions to introduce you to my friends. I have used the same questions for each, for comparison sake.

1. What three words best describe your personality?

I love playing, I love mama and daddy, and I love my sisters. Love, love, love.

2. What three words would others probably use to describe you?

I have heard my mama say words like, “Swee baby Bearwa (Sweet Baby Bear)”, “Booteepeel (Beautiful)”, and “Bave Gweel (Brave Girl)”.

3. Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

Mama and Daddy, and Samdog and Maggiedog, also sheepdog, froggie, rodent, butler, and bah-bah (these are her stuffed friends that are all over the house). All of us are together and I love them very much.

Mimi (my mom) gave us a couch that I can sit on and nap, or watch the neighbors. I think that I like guarding but I like playing more. The best place in the whole world is outside. I love to go outside and chase bees, or birds. I am very fast and I like to feel the wind through my ear and tail.

4. Do you have any ailments or physical weaknesses?

I don’t think so because I don’t get morning treats like Maggiedog and Samdog. I give lots of kisses when they don’t feel like they want to play. Sometimes, they tell me to stop, but I don’t think they mean it.

I get a little scared sometimes, but mama and daddy tell me I am just fine.

5. If you were any other creature what would you be?

Mama says that I am, “da most booteepeel gweel in da whole wide weewoorld (most beautiful girl in the whole wide world)”, so it might make her sad if I changed.

6. What are your pet peeves?

I don’t know, but Sam says that I am her’s. I love Sam.

7. What is your greatest fear?

Laundry…very scary. Also, mama’s spiral notebook closing.

8. Do you care what others think of you?

I do care that everyone loves me. I tell them over and over, “I love you”. I usually get my way.

9. What is your favorite food?

Red bell peppers. Mama will give me bites when she cuts them for dinner.

10. How do you deal with stress?

I hide in the laundry room (ironic, right?).

God, thank you for Tess. She is the sprinkles all over our sundae. She is the evidence of your abundance and joy that you offer your people. She has made our old dogs young; and, she has shown me that there is room for everyone’s quirks, not as short-comings but as perfectly created entities. I have room for more of your goodness because of her.

Thanks for looking at my friends with me. I have enjoyed sharing them.