I currently have 12 different blog posts saved in “draft” form, and none of them are finished. I have things to say, just no time to finish them.
The way I write a blog post (usually) is like this: I think of an idea or a story or something funny/hilarious/irritating/wonderful that happened in my life, and I create a draft. I write a few sentences so I won’t forgot my genius brilliant wonderful idea, and I come back to finish it when I have time.
So far, I have no time but TWELVE drafts waiting to be finished. I also lost a follower, so I’m mourning.
Not really, but it sounds good.
You might not hear from me for a few days, so bear with me. I promise to have updates on JewelryGate 2010, my 101 in 1,001 project, Mission:Adoption and much more. There *might* even be a giveaway in the works.
With just a smidge of THIS, because it makes everything taste better.
Mix everything up well, and you have the makings for a well-deserved GIRLS NIGHT. And by girls, I mean my oldest daughter, three of her friends, and ME.
So we’re going HERE. Exactly one month from today.
Yes, we’re playing hooky from school and work and making a trip to see a concert we have both been dying to see.
Casting Crowns, undoubtedly our favorite Christian group EVER.
The link I have included below is possibly the best blog post I have ever read. I don’t know this blogger, never read her blog before, but happened to find a link to it from another blog. I’m in awe of the beautiful writing and the way she told the story. WOW.
…when I see someone holding a sign on TV with a Bible verse written on it. For some reason, I always have to hurry and look it up to make sure I don’t miss something important.
Yesterday morning I was watching a DVR’d episode of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and noticed the contractor doing the work had a Bible verse written on his hard hat. I tried to find a picture of it, but this was the best I could do:
I was in a hurry, trying to get ready for work and NOT be late. I had no time to stop and look in the Bible to see what was so important that this contractor had to emblazon his hard hat with such a thing.
Of course, when I got to work, I promptly forgot about it.
Until today.
I looked up the verse that was so boldly displayed on this man’s hat. The stickers he placed on it spelled out MT 25:37-40
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:37-40
Excellent.
Whew. Glad I got that out of the way, because it was driving me NUTS.
My daughter and I were sitting in the truck the other night, waiting for my youngest daughter to get done with gymnastics. We were talking about wanting to see Casting Crowns in concert, because we both LOVE their music. I plugged my iPod in and we started listening to the song “Does Anybody Hear Her?” I told my daughter that this was one of my favorite songs because the lyrics really stir something up inside of me.
We sat and listened to it and it reminded me of this post I had read earlier in the day over at Heart Cries. I told my daughter the story that had unfolded in that blog post, and she was amazed at what happened in that church. We made some small talk about it, and the conversation ended.
Fast forward to last night.
I picked my kids up last night… youngest from AWANA, and oldest from church youth group. Oldest daughter was visibly upset. When I asked her what was wrong, she kept replying “nothing. I’m fine.”
When we got home and started walking into the house, I simply told her “You can always talk to me. If you need me for anything, just let me know.”
Her response? “If you keep talking to me, you’re just going to make me cry.”
Um, WHAT? Anyone that knows me in real life, will know that I don’t let things like this go. I’m the mom that is persistent, naggy and all up in your grill when I sense something is wrong.
I went down to her room and saw her sitting on her bed, working on homework. I could tell she was crying, and so I walked over to sit next to her. Again, I asked what was wrong, and she replied “I don’t know how to tell you.”
Again… um, WHAT?
After lots of back and forth dialogue of “What’s wrong?” and her replying “Nothing” over and over, I finally got it out of her.
She told me that at youth group, they played that same Casting Crowns song we had been listening to just a couple nights before. She said it made her think of the story I had told her. She said she immediately thought of a girl at school, whom we’ll call Tammy. Tammy is in the 8th grade like my daughter. Tammy comes from a very poor family, doesn’t have a lot of friends, and she sits alone at lunch every day.
My daughter said that her and her friends decided a couple weeks ago to try and become friends with Tammy. She showed me some conversations on Facebook they have had with Tammy, asking her to sit with them at lunch.
But Tammy has refused, saying she is uncomfortable in crowds. Instead she sits at a lunch table by herself, doing her homework. My daughter said they very rarely see Tammy even eating lunch. She usually just has school books with her.
My daughter cried as she told me that she feels that she needs to do something, especially after hearing that song, and after hearing the story over at Heart Cries.
But she doesn’t know what to do.
We sat and talked about it, and finally settled on something to try. She is going to go to school this morning, and talk to her group of friends. They are going to decide on two of them to go sit with Tammy at lunch today. We decided that maybe instead of pouncing on her as a group of 8, a couple of them sitting with her wouldn’t make her feel so overwhelmed.
I’m anxious to hear how things go today with Tammy. I had a hard time keeping from crying last night as I sat there and listened to my daughter. She has such a good heart, and I admire her for reaching out to people as she feels called to do.
Today, I sit here and realize how much I want to be like my daughter. Honestly, if I was in the same situation– would I have acted as she did? Would I have made an effort to include someone that looked left out? I know I wouldn’t have done it when I was 8th grade, but even now, WOULD I?
