Sunday, June 28, 2009

Her smile....

Six years ago this month someone very special was born, our oldest granddaughter. Today she spent the afternoon with Papa and I. We went to one of her favorite spots, Red Robin, for lunch. She had her usual to eat...spaghetti...because "noodles are my favorite, Nana." On the way home we stopped and bought some things to do "artjects" with-this is her own peculiar contraction for "art projects". Following that, our conversation in the car went something like this. "I want to grow a hundred pear trees, so then I could feed all the poor people some pears." This was followed by a conversation about what it means to be poor, which she had quite a good handle on. She pronounced that her family is rich, because they have food and toys and a house. (I wish more of us had her economic mindset!) Then she said, "I think I will be a missionary when I grow up, so I can help poor people." When I asked her where she wanted to be a missionary, I thought she would reply Ghana, since she spent two months there this winter with her mom and dad and little brother. Instead she said, "I want to be a missionary where you and Papa went." Confused, I asked her what she meant. Her reply, "You know. Palm Springs!" (Honey, Nana wants to be a missionary there too, I thought!)

Our beautiful granddaughter, who is adopted, came into our life when she was two months old. She was bald as can be, with ears that didn't exactly lay flat on her head! But wherever we took her, she had the biggest toothless smile that everyone found irresistable. Strangers would stop us all of the time and comment on how cute she was.

Today, she's a beautiful six year old girl. How the years have flown by since that little bald baby stole my heart. But, it's still that smile that gets me everytime I see her. I love you baby girl. You are one of God's most hard won and worthwhile blessings in our life.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Vacation mindset....

Steve and I just spent a week vacationing in the Palm Springs area. We love it there...the heat, the sun, the laying by the pool...everything a good vacation is in our opinion. This is the fourth summer that we have spent a week there. (Thanks to good friends who let us use their timeshares!)

I was thinking about what makes vacation so great, and wondering why life can't always be like it is when we are on vacation. I think I may be on to something!

First of all, I love vacation because of who I am with. I am with the man I married 33 years ago...the one who I still love to be with all of these years later. The great thing about vacation is that we are really with each other...we are, in essence, the us we used to be...the us we were before kids, ministry, etc. For that one week we are a couple without responsibilities and distractions pulling at us. We are free to enjoy just being us.

Secondly, I love vacation because of WHO I am with. You know, the capital letters WHO, as in God. (I put this second, not because HE is second in importance of course.) I know that I am always with HIM and HE is always with me...but on vacation we are together unhurried, unpressured. I wake up, grab my coffee, go to the balcony and spend glorious time with HIM out there in the sun. I journal, I read the Word, I read an inspiring book. (This vacation it was A Leader in the Making by Joyce Meyer) There is something luxurious about starting the day slow, unpressured, just me, my coffee, and time with Jesus.

I think why vacations are so great is that we have a vacation mindset. We are living in the moment...unconcerned about yesterday, unworried about tomorrow. We are enjoying and focusing on only today. We are enjoying and savoring the moment. We are relishing the good things about our relationships. We are living in the mindset that Jesus wants us to always live in...Mathew 6:34...we are not worrying about tomorrow.

I want to have a vacation mindset here and now, not just one or two weeks a year. I want to be able to relax and enjoy my everyday life, just like I savor and enjoy each day when I am on vacation. I want to be able to accomplish what needs to be accomplished each day, while I stay rested and relaxed in my spirit. In my relationships with God, my husband, my family, friends and church family I want to stay focused on the good things. I want my relationships to be undistracted, unhindered by yesterday's issues or tomorrow's fears. I want to live in and enjoy this moment, today, here and now without wasting time today fretting over yesterday or worrying about tomorrow.