Screen Door

Is there nothing more nostalgic than the sound of a screen door slam? We have been wanting a screen door on the back of the house forever and today magically the sound of my childhood came back to me with a loud WHACK!! LOVE IT!!

Screen doors remind me of my grandparents' home in Savannah. They had screen doors on the front AND the back door. If you are from south Georgia or have ever been below Macon between March and October you know why people down there have screen doors. First to catch some kind of breeze so you won't die of heat exhaustion -because God knows you can't turn on the window units unless everybody is in the house for the night (never understood this philosophy of my Grandfather's). Secondly, screen doors keep the bugs from carrying off your first born.

You never realize you miss that slamming sound until you don't have one. There is just something missing if you leave the house without the whack of the screen door behind you. It is like the house is telling you goodbye or greeting you upon your arrival.

I have come to appreciate many things over the past few months much like a screen door. I appreciate the camaraderie of colleagues standing over coffee asking for advice, the sweet note of a student who grace was extended due to being a kid, baseball, the azaleas blooming (or the anticipation of them blooming, haha), the smell of fresh cut grass for the first time of the season, and I could go on but won't bore you. I guess today I am reflective and just down right appreciative of many things I have missed the past few years due to being so cotton pickin' busy.

What is it that you are missing like a screen door? Is there something or someone that you need to hear their voice that brings salve to your soul? Do you need to slow down? Breath? Try journaling sometime, it helps to put down some of your thoughts and requires you to think, reflect and remember what God's calling is on your life. Remember who you are in HIM! Reminds you who He is to you!

This week I have been reminded in my Bible study of Psalm 39. The psalmist, could be David or not - it doesn't matter, reminds us that our lives are 'short lived', 'nothing', 'a vapor', 'a shadow', ' a breath'. Yet as short as our lives are, as insignificant as we may be, God desires to have a relationship with us. He sent His son, Jesus, as the sacrifice for me. David was a very powerful, influential, successful leader of a great nation. I am in awe of his perspective of his life in comparison to the awesomeness of a Holy God.

Sometimes what we are missing is the proper perspective. I believe David's psalm gave me that this week.

One of the most powerful books I have read lately relates to this topic of perspective. There are times in my life, and I am sure in some of yours, that we are, as my grandmother says 'big in our britches'. We are thinking we are something/somebody. This book by Louie Giglio is just what the doctor ordered for me: I AM NOT BUT I KNOW I AM.  It isn't about who I am but WHO I know and my relationship with I AM. Get it! Read it! Gain Perspective!

Perspective for me is like have that reassuring whack of the screen door on my life. There is comfort and security in that one sound.


(side note: for those of you who are following my weight loss program, thank you. I am down 6.5 more pounds for a total of 19 with the program and about 29 since January. I can't tell you how I appreciate your support and encouragement.)

Mixed Sack of Emotions

Hello All, what a busy week I had last week! Family was in for my son's 16th birthday and Easter, not to mention my first weigh in with the Northside Weight Challenge (Atlanta's Biggest Loser) with 11 Alive. It was a mixed barrel of emotions this week. Happy-Sad kind of week, you ever had one of those. I think that really sums up Easter too.

I have been so looking forward to this week for my son. We have been planning and looking for him a truck to give him for his birthday for MONTHS!! We actually went out to look last weekend, which as you all know from your experiences in buying cars, is an exciting yet depressing time! Well we found it but had to hammer out the details then figure out the secret plan, da, da, dum! Your youngest hitting those life benchmarks is somewhat hard to swallow still very exciting. (he was surprised and we were glad that we were able to pull it off)

Then there was the mixture of emotions of our weigh-in with my Gold Team. We knew that someone had to be 'voted' off but were hating the thought of it. My team really has rallied around one another and genuinely likes one another. The anxiety prior to the weigh in was palatible. Our nerves were on end due to being on camera, did we lose enough to stay in the game, just nerves overall. There was excitement at the mention of our winner who lost the most and then tears when our youngest member was voted off. ( I say voted but really it is the person who looses the least % ) My team is doing fantastic, losing more than 10 lbs than the Red team. I was successful by losing 12.5 lbs. Including the 10 lost prior to the competition I am now at 22.5. I feel better and look forward to even more health benefits.

Then we had the celebration of Easter morning where our Savior conquered the grave. But to be in the grave there had to be a death, a crucifixion, a betrayal, brutality, Friday. I found myself last week in my devotions being so very thankful but almost guilty for the grace that was bestowed on me. Such sacrifice, mercy overflowing and unfathomable love for someone who forgets my time with Him, who neglects my commitment to Him, whose actions are contrary to His character. Does anyone else find themselves in this thought pattern?

I have found the one sure way for me to counter this line of thought is WORSHIP in the most bold manner! To dance before Him (this is always done privately for those of you who are worried about sitting with me in church, haha), to pour out my appreciation in my writings, to sing as a clanging cymbal, to linger in His Word in order to hear His voice. I am so moved by the resurrection this Easter to know my Savior LIVES and that same power that conquered the grave also lives in me and you! Romans 8:11 Now the key is to walk out His resurrection in our lives by sacrifice, kindness, mercy, love, thanksgiving, grace and hope in who He is in our lives.