What a day! As countless Americans all over the world are spending their evening watching the biggest game of the year I couldn't help but be drawn to write. This topic, these words hit me this morning when I woke up and continued to come to life for me as I worshiped at church, but I had to take time, had to be still, so that I could write them out for the world. For me writing isn't about just getting something published out on the web for our 100 Days of Making - writing for me is about sharing my life experiences and God winks with the world in the hopes that if my words can help brighten just one person's day, then I have achieved what I set out to accomplish.
The celebrations here in town today ranged from the annual Mardi Gras parade to Super Bowl parties. Most people aren't too fond of Sunday because it means they have to go back to work on Monday, but for me it is my FAVORITE day of the week!! It is my day to celebrate and truly take in all of the many blessings that God has bestowed upon me.
Now don't get me wrong, I do not look at any of my life experiences in a Polly Anna type fashion; yet I think that ALL experiences, both good and bad can be used in a positive way if we let them. I am a "glass is half full" kind of woman and I can't imagine life any other way.
In the last several days I have done something that I have never really been comfortable doing and that is taking photos of myself. Yes, believe it or not, I am one of the women that can only wear the earrings that she had from high school and in a world the likes to look at the outside before they get to know the inside, this can be tough at times. However, loosing my mom at such a young age and missing her yesterday made me realize just how few photos that we did take together. So yesterday at Eli's baby shower I thought, what the heck - let's go for it!! Which was particularly funny when Sarah started telling the world about one of my funny adventures.
My point is this - I want my kids to have memories of me and have photos to capture those memories. They aren't going to care if I look like I did in high school, they will only care if they do not have photos when I am gone. This really hit home for me today when I received a text message while I was in church telling me that one of my cousins had passed away. She was 3 years younger than me. We just never, never know.
Yes, there are things I could have done differently with my life. Yes, there are mistakes that I made, but I will tell you this - for the past two Sundays I have had both my teenage boys go with me to church - both embrace what God is doing in our lives, lifting their voices and hands to sing to Him along with their crazy momma. When I went down for prayer today, my Samuel, without me knowing, came up behind me to lay his hands on my shoulders as Dennis prayed with me.
I have to tell you, without a doubt - having teenage boys who are not afraid to worship the Lord, to have three beautiful children who love the Lord and look for the God winks because they have heard me talk about them in my own life so much - if I never loose one ounce, that is not what is important. I have done the MOST important thing - my children have watched me walk through quite a few not so pleasant trials in my life, but they have never doubted that I knew God had my back. They have watched Him provide for me a penny and a miracle at a time. My kids know that for me it is not about religion, it is about my relationship with Him.
So tonight, while some are cheering on their favorite team, while some are celebrating the day, I too am celebrating because it is Sunday and because I had the privilege of being able to witness what my own walk of faith has done in the lives of my precious, precious children.
Until tomorrow...
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