Three Things. More or Less ...

List of Things I'm Thankful For:

Text from Drew: Hey.
Me: Yes?
Drew: Why don't you answer your phone?
Me: It's in my purse. In my bedroom, blah, blah, blah.
Drew: Can you make me some crepes?
Me: Haha. Now?
Drew: Yes. I've had a craving all day.
Me: OK. See you in a few minutes.


1. I'm thankful that he asked. (I'd just  being wondering, earlier in the day, based on a question I'd read designed to get teens talking, what meals/foods I've made in the past that my kids would ever crave. I'm not much of a cook. I don't have any 'famous' meals...) So him asking for crepes, was kinda nice. An affirmation that I did make at least one thing that one of them thought about after they moved out.

2. I am SUPER thankful that I had all the ingredients. That was unexpected. I don't stock a full inventory of groceries here, so it was lovely to have milk, flour, eggs, and salt in the house.

3. I am thankful that I was home and had no plans. Gasp. I know.

4. I am thankful that he didn't ask for something more complicated. Or time consuming.

5. I am thankful that he was in the mood to talk. Like, three hours of talking. About real things.

6. I am thankful that I'm a mom. I don't rock this role. I was reminded again tonight how very ill-equipped and unprepared I was to raise three boys on my own. Oh Lord. Such a hot mess. But I'm glad God and my boys are still letting me be a mom. Eventually I'll get it right. Maybe.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saw this quote on twitter this evening...
(Tweeted by a woman who is a fanatic about Outlander. Most of her tweets are about the show or the book. So I was surprised/delighted to see this:)

"You are not just here to fill space or be a background in someone else's movie. Consider this: nothing would be the same if you did not exist. Every place you have ever been and everyone you have ever spoken to would be different without you. We are all connected, and we are all affected by the decisions and even the existence of those around us."

WHICH I LOVE.

And it totally reminded me of what September mentioned in her blog post from yesterday ...

One thing I know about each of us is that we have a voice and God needs us to use it.  Our lives definitely affect and influence those around us.  Our words and our actions are an entry point for God to bless those around us.  Our words and our actions can bring encouragement to those around us.  They can bring comfort.  They can bring delight.  They can bring truth and hope.  They can bring life.  What we do and say matters in a world that is hurting and broken.  Every one of us makes a difference in the lives of our families, friends, coworkers and even the strangers we see. 

Shalom,
xo

Quotes

On Prayer:

"God isn't offended by your biggest, boldest prayers. In fact, He's offended by anything less."

"Prayers are prophesies. They are the best predictors of your spiritual future. Who you become is determined by how you pray."

"Until His will becomes your wish, your prayer life will be unplugged from it's power supply."

From the book, The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.
You can read the first two chapters, online, here.

(Thanks, Anthony and Michele Yackel for doing a preaching series at your church, Urban Road, about this book. Been following you yack about this on facebook and was intrigued.)
:)

Good, relevant, 30 year old advice:

"Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young."

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97:

Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

(Chicago Tribune: 01/06/97)"
— Mary Schmich