Worry

Why do we worry? As children of the Lord, we should know better than to worry. The Bible clearly teaches us to not "worry about tomorrow for tomorrow has enough worries of its own." I don't think that the Lord meant for us to take that lightly. He further drives home His point of worry by reminding us that the very hairs on our heads are numbered and that not even a sparrow falls from the sky without His knowing. The Lord also gently scolds us for worring about what we eat or drink.



So I write all this to tell you I am worried about High School for my oldest child, Andy. We homeschool and I am concerned. I woke up yesterday morning (3 AM -ish) in a cold sweat overly concerned for Andy's high school years. I started looking at all the numerous options out there, and that further paniced me. I don't want to mess Andy up for college entrance. Oh the worry....... I sweated things out until I thought it was a decent hour (5:45 AM) to wake my husband, Charlie, to talk things out. We talked and I calmed down....some.



All of this was still on my mind when I went to get the van serviced at 7 AM. My Aunt Barbara picked me up, and we spent the morning in town together. I told Aunt Barbara about all of my worries about Andy, and she listened patiently. The van was finished about noon. I picked up the van on my way out of town and drove it home.



Upon arriving home, I drove the van into the garage. The children came out into the garage with wide open eyes... SMOKE WAS BILLOWING FROM THE REAR DRIVER TIRE!!!! I backed the van out of the garage, and had an immediate panic attack. I cried. I called the shop. I cried. I called my husband. I worried about the van catching fire and exploding. I called the shop again. By then about 20 minutes had passed, and the smoke had dimished greatly. It was decided that I return the van to the shop for inspection.



Charlie suggested that I take one of the children with me on the drive to the shop to act as a distraction so I would not worry so. Joshua, child #2, volunteered. So packing Joshua (and a fire extinguisher), I was off again to the shop. We were barely 2 miles from the house when I thought some sage advice was in order. It went something like this, "If the van catches fire, I'll pull over. You get away from the van as fast as possible. Do you promise me? I'll take care of myself if I know you will be far enough away that if the van explodes you won't get hurt. Do you promise to get away? Promise me!!"



Later, Joshua told me he didn't freak out about the problem until our little talk. What a great comfort I am to my children. Fearless leader here!



Once at the shop, the mechanic quickly discovered that the smoke wasn't merely solvent burning off, but a spring had sprung in my brakes causing all the smoke (friction), and evidently a big mess in my brakes. The shop fixed my car (free, of course) and sent me on my way.



I decided since I was all ready half way in town, I would continue on to Dillard's to pick up a bag I accidently left there that morning. On the way into Dillards, something went wrong......You know the feeling....You have your period and you are about to let the whole world know you have it whether you want to or not!!! Fortunately, there was a bathroom not 10 yards from the front door. I told Joshua to wait just outside the restroom. My phone rang as I entered the rest room.



That phone call was God's little gift to me. He knew I was on edge and the little "gift" he was about to bestow on me was going to push me right over the edge. Anyhow, I talked to Mary as I went into the restroom to manage my issue. You have probably guessed the rest. YUCK! I had leaked EVERYWHERE! Fortunately I had Mary to talk to, or I just might have passed out from the cumulative stress from the day. I cleaned up as best as I could and headed out.



Fortunately, I had worn textured navy shorts, so my issue wasn't apparent if I carried my purse just so, and the jewelry counter was just a few extra paces away. Joshua and I ran by the jewelry counter, picked up my package, and headed out the door.



Joshua was oblivious to what happened, but not to pass up a teaching opportunity, I filled him in on what had happened with this nugget of truth, "Don't ever balk about a girl needing the restroom. We go in there for way more than just to pee." Joshua looked at me after my giving him that information and said, "Thanks, Mom for telling me, but that was WAY more than I wanted to know."



I can laugh at my day now. I see the folly in my worry. I would love to say that I will never worry again. I want to have learned my lesson. I want to live in peace. The "what-ifs" plague me continually. It has been said that worry is man's act of saying God isn't big enough or perfect enough to lead him through situations. I see that in my own worry. I confess with my mouth that God is ruler of all, but how do I live it out?



Well, today is a new day and His mercies are new every morning. I start today with a trip to the doctor's office at 8 AM for some bloodwork. Here is a perfect opportunity to not worry, to pray through this appointment and to be at peace. Our God Reigns!



Living and Learning,



Beth

Middle Schoolers

Two of my four children are middle school boys. We school at home, so I really have gotten a chance to get to know them well. I know their strengths and weaknesses. I know their struggles and their triumphs.

Recently, they attended a teen social. I received the following report from a friend. Andy is my son, and he has a sweet friendship with G.. They are both about 14 years old.

"Andy is such a hoot. I just love him! Picture this... Joanna and I at the table, Andy at the sink for water. In comes G. As she was walking in to get something she is talking the whole way to us. She talks all the way to the living room and then all the way back out. Joanna, Gary, and I could not understand one thing that she said. Andy had just stood there nodding. We all looked at each other as G walked out and said, "Did you catch anything that G just said?" We all agreed that there was no use in trying. Andy said, "Allow me to translate; I speak fluent girl and grown up!" He then proceeded to tell us what she said. So funny! We all laughed so hard. It WAS like she was speaking another language, we knew she was trying to communicate but had no clue what she said!"

I am enjoying these years with teenagers. We have had a few rough spots along the way, but I try to keep focused on the blessings and the joy that these young people bring to our lives.

Living and Learning,

Beth

Charlie

Recently, I was working on a "program" scrapbook where you are told specifically what to do with each page. I was totally stumped when it came to the page where I was supposed to describe my husband.

Charlie is a wonderfully complex man. The scrapbook instructions were to describe him in 15 single words. I can tell you right now from the day I met him, it would be impossible to describe him in so few words.

My girlfriend in New Zealand describes him as "lovely". That cracks Charlie up, but that little word says loads about Charlie. He is lovely to look at, has a lovely personality, has a lovely disposition, has a lovely outlook on life, is a lovely husband, is a lovely father, is a lovely friend....

As powerful as the word "lovely" is, I need more than that to describe my husband. I pared down my list to these words for my scrapbook: honest, responsible, handsome, intelligent, forgiving, patient, protective, strong, encourager, compassionate, faithful, fun, gentleman, handy, brave, godly, self-sacrificing, gentle, loving, dedicated, integrity.

It was easy to come up with those words. Charlie is a great guy and a wonderful husband.

Living and Learning,

Charlie

Book from Mom

Today, Dad and Mom stopped by to pick me up for a dentist appointment. One of our cars is broken, and I needed a ride. It was nice to spend some time with them this afternoon in the car.

On the way home, Mom reached down by her foot to hand me a book. The last time my mother handed me a book like that was when I was ten. That book was about all the "wonders" and changes my body was going to undergo; it was one of the scariest books I have ever read. I was shocked to learn that the book on becoming a woman wasn't a work of fiction.

Now with that nugget of information, you can just imagine the fear that gripped my heart as mom handed me the book today! My imagination went wild. What secret of middle age was she going to disclose? Am I about to learn something that will flip my world? I started sweating!

The title of the book is Changing Places: A Christian's Guide to Caring for Aging Parents. Mom started speaking, telling me that she had bought the book when Grandma was living on her own after PawPaw died in 1990. Mom always thought she would care for Grandma as Grandma aged. With recent events in the family, Mom and Uncle Dick were both robbed of the opportunity to care for Grandma. With Nanny and Pawpaw, and Grandma and Pawpaw all now deceased, Mom thinks she no longer needs the book but passed it along to me.

I have mixed feelings about all of this. I know Mom's giving me this book is one of her loving ways of saying that she really cares about me and wants things to be easy for me as I look after their estate when they die. I really appreciate her for that. However, this book is also a tangible reminder that we are all but dust.

My parents are a real gift to me. I treasure every minute we spend together, and I am thankful for their love and support. Lord willing, I will have many, many wonderful years with them.

Living and Learning,
Beth

Friends

Friends are a tricky gift; they can encourage and equip you to be a better person than you are or they can shred you to pieces while smiling and saying it is all for your own good or that they need to clear the air.

What I am learning is that solid friends are those who look heavenward with you rather than looking critically at you. If there is a prickly part of you, a friend will love that part of you until the prickly part wears away, and you return the favor when they are prickly.

Friends show one another an unending amount of patience and grace; they truly look for the best outcome for each other. They root one another on when one is succeeding in an area, and they encourage one another when one fails miserably in another. They pray for each other and speak words of encouragement to one another.

It has been said is a friend is a gift you give yourself, but I believe a friend, a really good friend, is nothing short of a gift from the Lord.

Some friendships are for a lifetime, and some friendships are for but a season. Sometimes it is difficult to accept that little nugget of truth. However, people do change over time, and the path the Lord has laid out for each sometimes takes really good friends in opposite directions.

Nonetheless, it is our friends who are the flowers along the paths of life.

Living and learning,
Beth