Real Life Reflections

Waiting. I'm not very good at it and my guess is that neither are you - at least not if you're an American. If you think otherwise, take a trip to Africa and hang with the locals. Now they know how to wait! Monday evening, Marc and I watched a movie, Fireproof . Other than Kurt Cameron who plays the main character, we found ourselves laughing and screaming by turns at the lack of talent displayed by the other actors. It's a cheesey Christian movie, but it has a good story line. Nearing the pinnacle of the climax, Kurt Cameron's character has to wait for his wife to fully realize that he's changed, that he still loves her, and that she should stop divorce proceedings. The camera pans the life of this man as he waits. It shows him living his life day by day - at work, at home, walking, praying, cooking, etc. While we watch him, a song plays in the background. I don't know who sings it, and I didn't grab pen and paper to record the lyrics. I enjoyed the movie,

Not being extremely loquacious, I don't often stand on a soapbox and preach to the masses (or one or two hapless listeners for that matter). I'm amazed at the people in my life who can take fifteen minutes to expound a three sentence thought - and the ones who come immediately to mind are all men. However, periodically passion overtakes my personality and the words flow out unbidden, unrehearsed, and unexpected. This past Saturday such an occasion arose. My friend and I were alone in the car for a little over two hours on the drive home from Kansas City. She, quite unknowingly I'm sure, brought up a subject that ignited my verbal juices. The topic? Giving kids responsibility. Well, that's an easy one, right? Everyone knows that it's good to give kids responsibilities - the responsibility to walk and feed the dog, or brush their teeth every night, or do their homework, etc. Unfortunately, I see more and more parents who apparently believe that those tasks are at the

Reins: A narrow strap of leather . . . manipulated to control the animal Control: to exercise authority over. Synonyms: lead, rule, dominate, master, prevail, domineer. See also: power. One thing about life - it's not boring. At least not if you're paying attention. There's so much to learn! Currently, my husband and I are both focused on the issue of control. For him, the one who has always needed to be in control, he's learning to let go and trust God. For me, the one who has always been afraid to be in control, I'm learning that I need to stand firm in what I know is God's will for me. Opposite sides of the same coin. If you want to hear about Marc's side of the coin, you'll have to ask him, but for my side, keep reading. As the youngest of six, I learned at an early age that everyone else knew better than I did (what older siblings wouldn't enforce that "fact?"). I learned to keep my mouth shut and go along with the crowd if I didn'

How often I tell God that I want to hear Him - especially when I write. I don't want to write vain words without value. I don't want others to read my words and find emptiness. I want them (you) to find something of God in the words I write either directly or indirectly, either by lightning bolt or something more subtle like simply enjoying His creation/His creativity. This morning, I prayed my typical "I want to hear You" prayer, and His answer surprised me . . . Listen. Listen. I will speak to you In the sounds of your day. Listen for Me In the sounds of life. Listen, And you will hear Me. So listen. Just listen.