Celebrate Good Times...Come On!!

My birthday is Sunday.

Years ago I'd gotten a card in the mail that I have thought about every single year since then.
A lot of my mementos and paperwork are piled in stacks and boxes right now so I can't really lay my hands on it for a word for word quote.

The part I remember so fondly was hand written and said, "...as we celebrate the day you were born."
For some reason, it touched me and put a totally different spin on what I typically think about when I think of my birthday.

This most special day had once been taken over by anticipation of presents, candles and cake.
And who doesn't love making wishes?
But it's so much more than that.

It is a day to embrace the awesome "gift" of life!
A celebration of the greatest complexity.


My mom was just a kid herself, barely 16 years old.

Courage trumped controversy.
She was brave.
And I was born.
July 8th, 1967.


"Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart..."
 Jeremiah 1:5


".....God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace..." 
Galatians 1:15

We were created, by a creator for a purpose.
He knew us and created us.
I praise God because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

King David said, "His eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in his book before one of them even came to be."

I wanted to give a Birthday Shout Out to people I know with this same birth date.
Debbie Owen, owner of the Mason Garden Market, who God lays on my heart many days of the year. 
He loves you so much!


And my sweet Aunt Sandy, who phoned faithfully with Uncle Alan, every single childhood year, to wish me a happy birthday.
Thank you! You have no idea how much I loved getting those calls!

I have many wonderful birthday memories, some much more exciting than others.
But all still wonderful in their own ways.

I got to thinking about how he has set us apart....and those who are really, really set apart!
So, for fun, I Googled to see which celebrities share my date, and how they celebrate.

Fun, Fun!!
Here are my Celebrity Shout Outs for July 8th:

Kevin Bacon....I will never forgot how you made us want to dance our butts off in 1984!!
                        And the original FOOTLOOSE was waaaaay, waaaay better than the latest release!! :)


Jeffrey Tambor....Happy Birthday!! I'm sorry that I thought you were in the band "Arrested Development" in which case I would have commented on Tennessee. :( my apologies.


Jaden Smith....Oh my gosh!! Give it to 'em...The Misfits! Will Smith's son...what a handsome boy!
1 Cor. 4 in The Message says, "We are the Messiah's Misfits." I love that!  

Joan Osborne.... I think God was one of us...JESUS!! :)
No, seriously....that song helped change my world! Blessings and Happy Birthday!

Steve Mason...Jars of Clay...Midwest minds must think alike...CREAM CORN...Woo-Hoo!!
Interestingly, Jars of Clay came out with "Flood" about the same time I was listening to Joan singing "One of Us." Wow! God was really rockin' my world in the mid 90's!

And last but certainly not least, Happy Birthday, Toby Keith!
I'm going to refrain from talking about how lovely those lips are, 'cause it's probably not very edifying :)
No, seriously, How do you like me now??? 


lol!

Happy Fun Girl: Independence Day...Oh, Say Can YOU see???

Happy Fun Girl: Independence Day...Oh, Say Can YOU see???: (photo courtesy of  Provincetown Tourism Office ) I absolutely love the 4th of July! Independence Day. For a girl who used to take ...

Independence Day...Oh, Say Can YOU see???

(photo courtesy of Provincetown Tourism Office)



I absolutely love the 4th of July!
Independence Day.

For a girl who used to take great pride in being very independent, I have come to accept on this day...
July 4th, 2012, I am very, very needy.
In a state of complete and total dependence.

My mother would be horrified.
She taught me to be strong and if I ever wanted something I had to, "Do it yourself."


I'm reminiscing today about Independence Days of my past.

When I was a girl, my mom would pack up the giant red cooler that none of us wanted to help carry.
She'd load it with tasty picnic goodies like bologna sandwiches, grapes, carrot sticks, candy bars and lemonade.


The family would head out in the station wagon to Harlan Rogers Baseball Park, spread our ginormous blanket in the outfield, and sit and snack while watching the amazing fireworks show.


Sometimes I would sit Indian style next to my mom and point with the obligatory, "Oooohhh!! Aaggghh!!"
Other times, I just wanted to be left alone on my side of the blanket.

Soaking up the silent splendor of watching those amazing colorful lights fall to the ground, I would lay on my back, and imagine great and wonderful things.


I would watch the fireworks, turn to the moon, and whisper to him that someday, I would reach for the stars.

Along with Lurch, Zit Face and Earthquake, I was also called a dreamer.

And I was.
Unfortunatley, I, just like Joseph, with his Technicolor Dream Coat and all, could not keep my mouth shut about what I thought my future might look like.
Note to others: Generally it's a good idea to keep euphoric fantasies to yourself.
My mom would say, "You're not that special Queenie."


It sounds a little harsh, but I get it.
She has always been much more of a realist than I am.

"Well, let me just tell you how the real world works. No one is ever going to give you anything. If you want something, you better work your butt off for it. You can not count on anyone but yourself. And if you want something done right, you better do it yourself. And don't ever trust anyone!"


Hence my, Little Miss Independence-ness.


Talk about dampening my sparkler.

Not ironic at all that I grew up to be the girl who in high school, had to write a paper reflecting on the concept of, "No man is an Island."


I was the only one in class who wrote an, "I am Woman. Absolutely YES! I Can..be an island," essay.
I was convinced that I would rock that Robinson Crusoe island lifestyle without so much as a furry monkey helper.
(I paused to reflect only briefly, how nice it might be to eventually find a loin cloth wearing hottie on the other side of the island at some point...) just sayin.'

Close to 30 years later, I have finally realized something so contrary to the lyrics that I have lived by and believed.


I am Woman.
But I'm not so strong.
And I'm not invincible.
And you can bend and probably break me.



I'm just learning to be much less dependent on myself, because my plans usually back fire,  and so lately, I'm a whole lot more dependent on God.


Who created me to shoot for the stars!
And you too!

"You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July...." Katy Perry, "Firework"

Ignite the light.
"You are the light of the world...like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14

Let it shine.
"In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly father." Matthew 5:16

Let 'em go....Oh, Oh, Oh!!

Happy Fourth of July!!!

Happy Fun Girl: Hide and Seek...Where are YOU?

Happy Fun Girl: Hide and Seek...Where are YOU?: I've recently had the opportunity to take over my daughter's babysitting job, mostly because I needed the cash, but also because I really do...

Hide and Seek...Where are YOU?

I've recently had the opportunity to take over my daughter's babysitting job, mostly because I needed the cash, but also because I really do enjoy it.

Probably, because I'm about five years old myself on most days and it's just super fun to play with small children who are not yet old enough to be burdened with bills, Obamacare, life changing decisions and world peace.

So I play.
Colton recommended a game of Hide and Seek.
I love Hide and Seek!
Except when you're playing with someone who keeps breaking the rules.

When it was his turn to count....he tried to peek.
When it was his turn to hide...he kept hiding in the same place over and over again.

Amusing how God uses simple things like a children's game to teach me lessons.

'Cause I do the same thing.
I hide in my back yard.

And feel much like Adam and Eve probably did when God called out, "Where are YOU?"
Lower than a snake belly.

But, instead of trying to cover myself with fig leaves, I rub my nasty little smoking fingers with basil leaves or branches from the fragrant rosemary bush.

This is the not so, "Feeling the Garden of Paradise Party Walk", back into the house trying to go undetected.

(On a side note, several days ago, I slinked in with sunglasses and hurriedly rushed to the bathroom for a quick mouth swish, only to realize that I'd rinsed my mouth with Mr. Clean I'd left on the counter where I usually keep the Crest Total Care.)

How ironic since I just did the Dirty Girl Meets Mr. Clean Blog a few weeks ago.

OMGosh!!
I know, I know.
Trying to remain on the Down Low, only makes me feel Low Down!!!


It is a lame and foolish attempt on my part and also Adam & Eve's to try and remain hidden.
How silly to think we can actually hide our disobedience from the creator of the universe?


I blame no one but myself. 
I'm not pointing fingers and saying, well, so and so...who is also pointing and saying, well, so and so...
I'm owning it these days.

And I know, that he knows, that I know, that he knows, where I'm really hiding.
I've always wondered why he even bothered to ask where they were, being omniscient and all.


He knew where they were...so why ask?

I read an interesting take on this from Charles Spurgeon who pointed out something I'd never thought of.


After their iniquity, Adam and Eve did not go running around the garden shouting out to the Lord, "Hey, God!!! Heeeerrrreeee weeee aaaarrrrre!! We totally screwed up, did exactly what you told us NOT do, and we want to talk to you about it! Where are YOU?"

No. It didn't go down like that at all.
God went after them.
Just like a lost sheep will not find it's way back into the fold on its' own, he must be found by the Shepherd.

Spurgeon writes, "The first cry is the voice of Grace, “Sinner where are you?” God comes to man; man seeks not his God. Despite all the Doctrines which proud free will has manufactured, there has never been found from Adam’s day until now a single instance in which the sinner first sought his God! God must first seek him."


Wow! 
And thank God we have an awareness of our sin, and that in itself is a gift, of Grace.


While, "Fools make fun of guilt, the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation." Proverbs 14:9 


So are we hiding....or are we seeking?
If you're like me...you sometimes take turns doing both.


"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need." Luke 12:31
I could use some "everything." 

"Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take"...Proverbs 3:6 
I could use some "direction."

"For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost." Luke 19:10

I'm not really lost.
I know where I'm at, and I'm also grateful that I'm not where I was.

Sometimes I still try and hide in the same spot.
Waiting for him to come find me.
When he gets to 10.
One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi....

He doesn't even need to try and peek!!!
He already knows where I am.

And yells, "Found ya!" :D

Happy Fun Girl: Red Light...Green Light..

Happy Fun Girl: Red Light...Green Light..: Well, just when you think you're moving forward and finally getting somewhere, you get stopped, mid-trip. Red Light! My house was supp...

Red Light...Green Light..

Well, just when you think you're moving forward and finally getting somewhere, you get stopped, mid-trip.

Red Light!


My house was supposedly sold and things were going quite nicely, then BAM! the terms started changing faster than I can change lanes on I10. 
One blow after another for two days straight.
And so I have to wonder...

And wait.
Here I am at the proverbial red light.
Stopped.
Waiting.
Again.
For a green light.

I've struggled a lot with the decision to move or not move.
I've not made super great decisions this year and I'm a little decision skiddish.
It's been complicated.
And confusing.

Sometimes it's hard to know if a door has been closed, or if I'm supposed to just push a whole lot harder to get it opened.
I am a slow learner, but I'm starting to think that pushing your way through or running a yellow, caution light is not the way to go. 

So I'm waiting.
Sure, I could take another massive blow to my pocket book and move forward anyway.
I'm just not sure that I should, so I wait, for direction and a more clear path.

And I secretly ache for childhood days of summer fun and folly, when my biggest problem at the end of  June was waiting for friends to get back from family vacations.

Or tearing across the yard and running into the house like a mad man, trying to scrape up enough change to buy a Bomb Pop before the creepy ice cream guy passes by.

Good times.
Let the, life as an adult, summer games, begin.
Yuck.
I'd rather be playing in sprinklers.


When you're a kid and you play Red Light, Green Light, one person stands out in front of everyone else with their back to the crowd, face forward.


This person is the Stop Light, the one who gets to yell, "Green Liiiight!", while everyone runs as fast as they can to touch him.
Whoever touches the light first, wins the game.


That's about how I feel right now.
Like running as fast as I can to touch the source of the light.

Oh God, if I can just even touch the hem of his garment.
Or jean shorts as it was back then.

Much like the woman in Mark who had suffered for 12 years with the issue of blood...(and fully aware that my 'sufferings' are lame compared to what so many go through and endure in this world on a daily basis...)

I know I just need to shut up.
And suck it up.
"If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed," the woman believed.

Immediately, she was!
Jesus realized power had gone out from him and he looked around to see who drew it.
His disciples said, "Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who touched me?' 


But he kept looking and searching to see who had tapped in, and received the healing power.

The frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done.

Jesus said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over."

In that very moment, it's like Jesus was happily yelling out, "Green Liiiiiight!!"

"GREEN LIGHT!! GREEN LIGHT!! GREEN LIGHT!!"

"Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light." John 12:36

I think that is such a cool, cool story!
Lots of people were crowding and pushing up against him, but she was reaching and believing by faith...that he really was 'the one' that could help and heal her, after so many other humanly, failed attempts.

I am reaching and believing and chasing him down faster than the ice cream man.
Of course I am also secretly hoping he has a truck full of Bomb Pops when I get there! 


******

When you're done chasing after Dreamsicles and Drumsticks, check out The God Chasers by Tommy Tenney. This book will super spark your faith, just in time for the Fourth of July!