My Life- it's as fun as puttin' lipstick on a squirrel

Sometimes in the our household all the stars fall in line. The dogs are fed. Everyone has been out. The guinea pigs and rabbits are resting. The hermit crabs are well "hermiting". The tortoise is doing his usual thing with his pet rock and the girl...well....she spends the night out! YES! The holy grail of parenting...the sleepover. Then you add this....the company Christmas dinner and BOOM you have a DATE night.  I do my makeup, my hair, dress like an adult...Bryan puts on some extra essential oils and changes his shoes (more on that later) and out the door we roll!  Last night was THAT night! I even thought ahead to bring our two angel tree kid wish lists so we could do a little retail therapy later after dinner!  So we had a GREAT dinner at the local Japanese Steak House. We saw new babies and old friends. We ate. We laughed. We ate. I met new people. "Peopleing" is hard sometimes for me, as I sometimes experience social anxiety. Back in the old day...

Church. Open Doors. Lights. Shades. Locks. Words all running thru my mind. Add in Motel 6 and there ya have the title of this blog.  I will explain all this hopefully in this quick post. I got hit this morning with the idea of churches being open to all, available and a safe place.  Then I thought a little harder, as the coffee kicked in and thought. Am I, as a Christian, open to all, available and a safe place?  ouch.  Case in point. I have been known to stop for homeless. pets. people. anyone. Give them all I got. The hat off my head. The bible off the seat. You name it.  The other day traveling thru Downtown Great Bridge. We saw a man in a white button up shirt and tie walking toward the ATM. As we did our banking , he turned and started back the way he came. When we finished up our drive thru biz...we found him once again walking on this sweltering day.  Bryan: let's pick him up. He needs help.  Me: NO! we can't put him i...

It seems that our family has never just been in the normal range. There always seems to be something going haywire. But I have noted over my last 4 1/2 decades of living that neither is anyone's family ....normal that is. What is normal. pinterest? heavens no. Straight A students with crest white smiles? negative Mom's with make up just right and clothing from this decade? Never Normal is a house that is a home. Hairballs in the corner. Rings around the tub from dirty tired children that played outside all day. Normal is one sock that never gets matched but we don't give up hope and keep it around. Normal is sand in your trunk that you never got around to vacuuming out from two summers ago. Normal is the ring of the doorbell and the crash of bikes hitting the driveway as friends arrive at the exact moment you sit down to eat....the kids can play in a bit. Normal is an empty guinea pig water bottle and a dryer that cut off hours ago and a sink full of dis...

dear daughter, yes you. the one who does not want to be my daughter anymore. I get it. I truly do. The neglect and the abuse you were raised in . . . well they make this easy for you. It's easy for you not to trust me and Dad with making decisions for you. It's easy for you to not trust that we love you or care for you or would give our lives for you.     What is not easy for you is to understand just how much we do love you. We love you enough to let you go. We hear your voice loud and clear. I have scars to prove that I have heard your rage. But the Father has asked me to write this letter of forgiveness. I am slam sold out to Jesus and when he asks ...I say Yes Lord.  So here goes. I forgive you. I forgive you for biting me, slapping me, scratching me, hitting me, saying false statements about me and most of all I forgive you for yelling awful things at your little sister. I forgive you  and still love you just as the Father loves you. I will pra...

I can't remember the last time I blogged. My heart was ripped open yesterday by one simple question. So perhaps this will be a rant of sorts which is NOT my style but I need to let it out. I sat down this morning and painted it out but I am still reeling so here goes. I am fat. This is self inflicted due to comfort eating and lack of exercise mixed with coming very near my middle age of 45 and grief. Now just typing that made me absolutely exhausted. Clothes. too tight. Underwear. forget them fitting. Budget for new clothing. non existent. so I thrift store for skirts. Thighs stick together: wear cut off leggings. Dressing comfortably not for the public . But for me. Just about to feel comfortable with who I am and then a person sidles up to me and asks THE question. when is the due date. due date? for what? oooooooooooooooooo I get it. just because I am wearing a blouse that does not show every detail of my torso and my skirt is below my ankles I must be with child? Dear me....

Back in February I was weary and broken hearted after my second miscarriage and the impending disruption of our domestic adoption. I asked my friends to give me their go to verse when on the down and outs....here is one such verse from my dear friend Geri. Lord, I thank you for Geri and for the verse she gave to me. Psalm 148:15 The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. The Lord is near, to who? good and perfect Christians? NO to all who call on Him. ALL. Simply speaking HIS name- He is there. Crying out in Pain- HE is there. Silent gasping sobs- HE is there. Joyful laughter- He is there. A whisper for Help- He is THERE. To all who call on him in truth! All, Everyone. you, me the guy on the bus, your boss, the homeless guy at the intersection, the lady that you cut off today in traffic, the mean girl at school, the child surviving abuse, me at the bottom of a bottle, my friend with her crack pipe in her shaking hand, my D...

A while ago I asked my friends on Facebook to give me a go to scripture. I was weary, burdened, my heart hurt and my emotions were so very low. Over 25 friends took time to respond and in no particular order I am meditating on the scriptures that they shared and also praying for them at the same time.  So first will you join me and pray for my friend Geri . Lord today we lift Geri  up to you. I ask that you keep her sweet family safe and that their life be filled with love and laughter. I praise you for Geri hearing that small still voice and offering me me a  scripture from you  Lord in my time of need.  I thank you for her faithfulness and prayers. Amen.  OK, so Geri suggested Matthew 28:20 And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. Teaching to obey everything. Life's trials do just that either you are listening and lea...