It would take multiple posts to tell you how much fun we are having on vacation. There would be the Sleeping Post in which I detailed how many hours (not less than 10 per night) I have slept and the intensity with which I delighted in each one. There would be the Doing Nothing Post where you would learn of the various chairs I’ve sat in to, well, do nothing. There would be the Reading Post where I would list the books I brought along that did not have one single foot note in them. And then, there would be the Eating Post where I would show you this picture:
No doubt you have a huge question mark on your face.
We went to Chic-fil-A last night because we wanted a quick meal before we headed to the grocery store. That trip got waylaid because turns out, we were under tornado warnings. You can be assured of one thing – if a tornado is coming, I want to be home hunkering in the bathtub belted to my children (I’ll have to explain that another day) instead of blowing away with strangers and sandwich meat and Doritos. It’s just a personal preference, that’s all. If I can’t control the winds, I can at least control where I am and with whom I’m sharing them when they sweep us away.
So back to Chic-fil-A. My Boy Three is quite the instigator and at some point in our meal, he decided to taunt Luke by telling him he was too much of a sissy to cram his ice cream cone in his face.
Men, please tell me how even at 42 all it takes is for someone to question your manhood to make you lose control? And that someone doesn’t even have to be your own age. Any garden variety 9-year-old seems to do.
So Luke, being the mature minister that he is, obliged by cramming the cone right in that boy’s face. And I just happened to have the camera because I saw it coming when the boy said, “Come on, big guy. Why don’t you just bring it?”
So he brung it. It was a fine display.
So for all of you who expect that your pastor’s family represents you well when out in public? Well, then this never happened. Step back from the screen and wipe the horror from your memory.
We’ll try to behave when we get home.
You may want to start in Georgia and work your way south..as in all the way south to St. Simons Island. ‘Tis true..We’ve flown the coop for a few days of unstructured rest and relaxation. We need it, y’all, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.
But thank the Lord for whoever Treehouse is, because I have a lovely little wi-fi hotspot right here in the bedroom of Luke’s aunt and uncle’s home where we are staying. Something tells me the hubby will prefer my not blogging much, but I’m sure I won’t be able to resist sharing the lastest fun we’ve had. So far, the only real plans we have is to visit the new skateboard park and eat some Sweet Mama’s pork pops and key lime pie in honor of darlin’ Shelly and Mandy. Oh, how I wish you were here to share them with me, Mrs. Griffin and Thompson!
Okay, so hubs is home with the milk so I’m off to cook some cereal. Y’all have a great week!
I’ve let so much time go between any post of substance that I don’t even know where to begin in catching you up.
There’s so much to tell you but I really feel compelled to revisit our vacation to share what God revealed to me about our whole house fiasco. One quiet morning He absolutely floored me with the concept of dwelling. So many times when things get a little screwy in my life I begin to ask myself, “What have I done to bring this on?” It’s a by-product of my childhood church experience I suppose – the feeling God is on the edge of His seat waiting to whack me when I get out of line. That His favor dangles on the end of the string and just when I think I’m about to take hold, He jerks it a farther out of reach so I’ll have to work a little harder to get it.
My issues? They know no bounds.
After we’d finally settled in our new place, I sat on our balcony in awe of what God had in store for us all along. In our vacation planning, we had been deceived by what appeared lovely only to find the reality pitifully lacking. And yet, instead of leaving us in a circumstance we more than deserved, God gave us something that was far more than we could have ever asked for or imagined.
Here’s the huge thing God said to me in my spirit: Not only does He refuse to dwell on my mistakes and the consequences they deserve but He does not force me to dwell ON them or IN them either. Am I saying there is no suffering for sin? Absolutely not. But, even when facing the difficulties that accompany bad decisions, the severity of the punishment is light and momentary compared to what it should be. I am continuously thrilled by a God who is willing to move on from all my quirks and blunders instead of dwelling there. And when He goes, He grabs me up and takes me with Him leaving all the calamity behind.
Oh, how I praise The God of New Places. Of Beautiful Places. Of Places we could never have dreamed up if we’d tried. I hope you are dwelling in one of those today instead of soaking in a funky bay that a Very Evil Someone has fooled you into believing is the only beach you deserve. There’s something more out there, but you’ve got to be willing relocate.
Today’s the day.
Move on, Girlfriends. Move on.
“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Glory to God in the church! Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus! Glory down all the generations! Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! “
~Ephesians 3:20-21 The Message
