Ear Candles

Are ear candles new to anyone but me? Apparently they've been around for a really, really long time but I heard of them for the first time last week. A friend of ours came over for small group and told us how a woman who works for him was talking about how great they were so he went to the health food store, bought a couple and tried them. He's now sold on them.

The process sounded so interesting I decided I just had to try it. Last weekend we stopped at the health food store to buy some. They must be highly scrutinized or something because you have to ask for them and they are behind the counter. I was amused. Not horribly expensive, mind you, just under tight security.

Then, following the instructions of our friend, we took a plate, cut a hole it in so if anything dripped or fell off, the face is protected. Another friend told us you're supposed to use tin or metal but all I had was a styrofoam plate and I didn't want to go get anything else (or wait actually) so we went with it. It's kind of weird - you stick this long thing in your ear, light the end on fire, and then it draws the gunk out of your ear. I could hear it crackling and an occasional whoosh like a big wind. It was all very strange--I mean, really, putting something in your head and lighting it on fire?

It wasn't until the second one was sticking out of my ear, on fire, that I realized what a good idea a tin plate would have been. No embers ever fell on the plate but I was suddenly aware that if one did, not only would I have this flaming candle sticking out of my ear, but I'd also have a fiery plate on my head.

I made the comment to Steve and he casually said "no, it's styrofoam. It won't be on fire on your face, it will just melt to it." Oh, silly me. Nothing to be concerned about after all. Freak.

At the end of it, sure enough, there was gunk in the bottom. A little creepy actually. Steve is skeptical that it's actually ear wax. He thinks it's wax from the ear candle (which isn't your typical candle texture). So, now I have to buy one to burn while not in an ear so we can see if it's really all it's cracked up to be. I'm sure you'll be on the edge of your seat waiting to hear the results.

Anyway, weird, random stuff we did this past week.

Resiliency, Persistence, and Scars

I've contemplated frequently these past 10 days about resiliency and persistence by watching my dog. I think at some point in the last 2 or 3 days Jake has come to realize the cone will be on his head for a while. The first several days he exerted much effort to get that thing off, obviously to no avail. He's recently been feisty and has figured out how to be active in spite of it. Further I've heard many stories about dogs who lose a leg (or two) but they just continue on with life and figure out their way around it. They seem to be so resilient. And persistent - let me tell you...the pictures below show how determined Jake was to play. He tried for several minutes to get his kitty in his mouth. Because of the cone it kept getting pushed around but eventually he got it.

I've thought about all this in the context of my spiritual life. I have wounds, scars, and permanent limps as the result of spiritual warfare. The truth is if a person doesn't have battle wounds, they're probably not in the midst of the battle. When we're doing what God wants us to do, we find a bullseye on our backs.

I'm also pretty sure God has put a cone or two around my neck over the years to help me focus on Him and not spend so much time looking at others around me. In the spiritual realm, peripheral vision is almost always detrimental. Keeping our eyes fixed on Christ is the key to victory in the Christian life. Focusing on the gifts and talents of others is a huge mistake. Wanting to fulfill the destiny Christ has for someone else is also a big no-no.

What if, like Jake, we stopped fighting what God has for us in this moment and just settled into keeping momentum? What if we persisted even when we're wounded? What if we didn't give up and believed God to do what he said he would do?

Resiliency. Persistence. So under emphasized yet so important.

And on that note, here's the pictures of Jake trying to play with his kitty....and then just look at Sam--doesn't he look as if he's feeling neglected? He's not but he acts like it. Can you say n-a-u-g-h-t-y?

Ahhhh, at last....

Christmas in Pictures

Here's just a few of the pictures from a few of our Christmas festivities. I forgot my camera on Christmas Day and at the ladies' Christmas party. Then I lent it to someone so I missed the event at Calvary too so while I missed some fun stuff, here's a few.

So, how ridiculous is this? A whopping 95% of these presents were for two people...Erica & Peter:

Christmas Eve..here's what my sis-in-law thinks of me taking her picture:

My favorite uncle in the whole world (and bro-in-law too!):

Peter passing out presents...he accidentally gave my brother a present that belonged to Erica and he was soon embarrassed when he opened "unmentionables". For the rest of us, it was a great laugh!

Erica giddy about her gifts:

Could there be a better gift than this (insert HUGE laughs here)?

Late night game (Tripoley is a family favorite):

The Christmas program:

Small Group White Elephant Christmas Party. Some of the gifts were HILARIOUS!

Merry Christmas

Silent Night

This morning I was reflecting back on the first Christmas Steve and I spent alone. In fact, it's one of only two that we've ever spent alone in our entire marriage. It was 1992 and I had spent the summer in Montana while Steve was deployed for 4 months. It was our 4th year being married and since I had spent the summer at home, we opted to pay off our truck and spend Christmas in North Carolina, just the two of us. It was also the first year we'd purchased a Christmas tree. Since we always came home it didn't make sense to waste money on a tree.

The neighborhood and air base were virtually deserted. We didn't go to church much then but found a place to attend candlelight service because we felt like that's what you do on Christmas (I know, how hypocritical). Then we went home, lit a fire in the fireplace, quietly opened our gifts and watched a movie. The next day we put on our coats and went to the beach. It was virtually deserted too--probably because it was winter and nobody in their right mind goes to the beach in December. We took a long walk with our faithful companion, Gizmo. He so loved to dig in the sand.

It was there I found a great treasure. A completely whole sand dollar. There were always tons on the beach but they were all broken, stepped on by one beach goer after another. But this one wasn't missing a single chip. It was a Christmas miracle! (insert laughs here) I loved it.

Truly, it was a silent night, a holy night. If only we'd been in the right place spiritually. It could have been an even greater Christmas.

Tonight will not be so silent. After candlelight service we will head to my mom's where the family will be gathered and the festivities will begin. My family is rarely quiet. We will laugh, tease, remember, and then go for the throat in competition. I love it too.

While I really cherish the memories of the two silent Christmases, I also cherish my noisy ones.

Christmas & Joy

I have to admit that I'm not particularly thrilled about Christmas this year. That's not at all like me. I'm usually giddy with excitement and up to my ears in Christmas cheer. I know exactly why I feel this way and it's all due to external circumstances. However, even knowing the source isn't helping me on the road to Christmas Joy.

Pastor Paul really hit the nail on the head with his sermon this past week (12/21/08). The problem is that I'm not remembering where the real joy of Christmas lies. I know it, but there is a world of difference between knowing something and really, truly believing it.

He began with a few thought provoking comments: if the joy of Christmas is in receiving gifts, there is no joy for those who won't get a gift this year; if the joy is in giving gifts, there is no joy for those who can't give a gift this year; if the joy is in time with family, there is no joy for those who don't have family. And we could go on and on about how limiting joy is based on external factors. But it's not. It's based on Christ. Here were his points based on Galatians 3:23 - 4:7 (not your typical Christmas message passage):

1) The Joy of Christmas begins with understanding that without Christ, we are prisoners to our sin and its consequences.

2) The Joy of Christmas grows in the realization that in Christ, we have been set free from the law we couldn’t keep.

3) The Joy of Christmas comes when we realize that God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts to insure that we do not again fall back into sin’s captivity.

4) The Joy of Christmas culminates in the knowledge that not only have we been pardoned, but we are adopted into a royal family.

With all this, I am mystified that I sit here with no excitement or joy about Christmas. It shouldn't be so.

Convalescing Puppy

Our little dude is safely home although he's not such a happy camper. He's already thrashing around trying to get the lampshade off his head and we've got 7-10 days of it to go. He wants to scratch and bite the area..and his ears too. We're on scratch duty for the next week or so. He's also got a gaping hole so his never ending need to scoot across the floor is a problem. It's not easy for a dog to eat or drink with a lampshade on so we're hand-feeding him.

Mostly, though, he's sad. If this face doesn't say "I hurt, I'm miserable, please help me," I don't know what does.


Look how sad this paw is--this is where the IV was.

Sam has been really stressed since Jake came home with a lampshade on. He doesn't seem to like that Jake doesn't feel well (or at least I think so - I'm no dog psychologist.) He drooled non-stop for the first 20 minutes after Jake came home.

On Pins & Needles

UPDATE: Jake came out of surgery just fine although it was more complicated than expected. He also had an abscess in the right gland so that took some cleaning out. Oh, and his teeth needed attention. Despite our best efforts, these small breeds just have tartar problems and Jake does not like chew toys. I think they hurt his small teeth. So, once the bleeding stops we can pick him up! He'll have to wear what they call an "e-collar" (it's better known in our house as a lampshade) around his neck because he licks. One last note--the doctor said this about my boy, "he's such a cute dog..very sweet..a pleasure to work on." I'm such a proud momma:)

Anyone who has known me for even 5 minutes knows I'm crazy about my dogs. That's why this morning I'm on pins and needles waiting to hear the news about my Jake.

Last night he was fairly sedate and abnormally aggressive with Sam. He wanted to be picked up which is so not like him. So, I reached over and picked up him up noticing he was wet as I did so. At least I thought he was wet. I looked down at my hand and it was bloody. I mildly freaked out when we looked at the back end and noticed his fur was red with blood. Steve tried to look but Jake wanted no part of it.

Our vet had no emergency number so I just picked one out of the yellow pages and he took him in right away. Apparently dogs can have ruptured anal glands and that's what happened to Jake. He cried and squirmed as they examined him. I almost left the room. They said it would be best if they kept him until morning to watch him and treat him until they could do surgery. I cried all the way home.

I called almost 2 hours ago and they said he was about to go in and I still haven't heard anything. That's why I'm on pins and needles this morning.

Why Are You Wearing That?

My costume for the performances last week consisted of a pair of my dad's old coveralls, boots, a tool belt, hammer, and pipe wrench. I also had a "Rosie the Riveter" hair thing going on.

At the conclusion of the matinee on Saturday I was standing on the side hoping Peter and crew would come over (they did not). It was a mis-communication or actually lack of communication altogether. Anyway, some friends from church were there and their 3-year-old daughter had on her Christmas dress. It was black and gold and she looked like a princess. I told her so too.

After I did, she scrunched up her face, pointed at me asked "why you wear that?" All I could do is laugh. Apparently when I first came on stage she said to her mom, "hey, that's my Miss Julie!" and made a comment about my get-up. She was not impressed.

I didn't even try to explain. In her mind, it was a time and place to dress up and I was so unfashionable. She's such a girl.

Not Just Parenting Advice

Last week Steve and I met with a couple who are having difficulties with their children. We're in kind of a weird place when people ask us advice on parenting. While we are not inept, the truth is, we don't have to do it day in and day out. Scripture has a lot to say about parenting and discipline and not only have we always spent a lot of time with Erica and Peter, we spend a lot of time with other people's kids too. So, we know it in theory and live it out in short bursts but of course daily is something else.

So, we always preface any advice with just that--we can tell you the right things to do and what God has to say BUT....

However, I don't think it disqualifies us from ministering to parents. There is nobody in the world who has experienced everything. Ultimately God has given us authority to minister. So, as we counseled with these parents, one thing that came up is this struggle for control and decision making. The oldest child is 11 and wants control. Obviously he's not old enough for it, but he does need to be allowed to make some decisions in his life. How else will he learn? They can't expect him to turn 18 and all of a sudden have proper decision making skills. They must teach him.

We told them he needs to be allowed to make some decisions but there needs to be consequences if he chooses poorly. And they must follow through with what they tell him will happen if he chooses X instead of Y. I tried to explain the spiritual implications from that too.

God lets us make choices and decisions. Sometimes (frequently maybe?) we don't choose what He wants for us but we get to do it anyway. And then there are consequences. Discipline follows. And when we choose what is right, we get blessing and reward. By teaching children this same dynamic, parents are also showing them how to relate to God.

Here's a great story about Peter that explains it perfectly. He learned a word at 3 that he absolutely should not have known. Sadly it was from me. So, one day he called his sister this name (it's like dumb butt). She told their dad. He called Peter upstairs and told him that was not a word he could say.

Peter asked, "Can I say it at grandma's?"

"No," Jerry replied.

"Can I say it at Nana Mo's?" (that's what he called me)

"No. You can't say it ANYWHERE or you'll get a spanking."

"How many times?" Peter asked. Jerry wasn't expecting that question and wasn't prepared to answer it. He thought the promise of consequences would be enough.

He made something up thinking it would deter Peter. "Three times," he said.

Peter got down off the bed, promptly walked downstairs and declared, "Erica, dumb***!" Jerry heard it from the kitchen and called out, "Peter!"

"I coming," he said (remember, he was only 3 so give him a break on the grammar!) With that, he walked up the stairs and took his punishment.

Here's the deal--he was told not to say it. He knew what would happen if he did. His dad would have preferred he NOT do it, but ultimately, it was Peter's decision. He chose poorly and received the punishment he was told he would.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. That's exactly what God does. And just as it was for Peter's own good, it's also for ours.

The Weekend Begins

I'm about to officially hit the ground running with an insanely busy weekend. Our first performance is tonight and we have two tomorrow. I then wish I could crash Sunday afternoon but that just ain't gonna happen (yes, I know, BAD grammar!). We always start work on Sunday at 7:30 and get home around 1:30. But, I have to continue working at 2 until 4 and then a Christmas party at 5. I've yet to figure out how I will get the food done for that.

All that to say, if you think about it, please pray for our performances. We've got a few sick-ish choir and cast members. We are all just desperate to show up and let God use us. Hopefully lots of lost people come and hear the gospel--that's really why we're doing it.

The Great Procastinator

About 3 months ago I committed to a HUGE project. Initially I got right on it but then these fateful words were spoken to me: "We don't need it done as soon as we thought we would. It'll be later but don't know exactly when."

All of a sudden I kept putting it off. Time I had set aside for it quickly went to other things and I kind of lost my excitement for it. So, last week we received the deadline from our third party and it's the first week of January. I set myself a far earlier deadline to meet with my pastor or else I'd be floundering and not have it done. It absolutely must be top notch too--it's that important.

So, my deadline is next Wednesday and rather than working on it right now, I'm posting. What the heck is wrong with me? When did I become such a procrastinator? I've always been a get-it-done-early kind of girl and have found that the more I have to do, the more I can do.

And on that note, I'm signing off, closing every other program on my computer and getting to work on it. I'm already an hour and a half behind schedule!

Kids & Jesus

Yesterday I took a couple of pictures for some friends to use in their Christmas cards. We drove over to the river and as we got to the log where they sat we discovered Abby still had tight hold on a Bible. I can't resist posting it.

See, earlier that morning she came into the church and put her hands out, declaring "Pastor Steve, I couldn't find my Bible this morning!" He said, "well, it looks like you have it in your hand." She kind of scrunched up her nose a bit and said, "No, this one's not mine, it's my mom's."

She also told us she's getting a pink "baby" gun (bb gun) from her daddy for her 4th birthday. She's quite excited about it even though that's almost 18 months away. Both her parents are big hunters.

I love it when toddlers know about Jesus almost as soon as they can talk.

Balanced Diet

I saw this on a sign the other day....

"A balanced diet is having a cookie in each hand."

Any other amens out there?

Melting Down

Yesterday I officially began melting down. In the last month, maybe 6 weeks, 4 different people have piled / unloaded so much on me and I officially can take no more. I'm at the end of it. I'm tired. I have never in my life felt like such a failure. To these individuals, I have apparently not met a single expectation nor will I have the ability to do so.

Other huge issues are brewing and too much to withstand. I'm taking a break. Wish it were on the beaches of Maui but instead, it'll be on the carpet of my house.

Hopefully after a few days I will be able to think straight again. Maybe I will be un-melted. Or maybe I'll be in the funny farm. I guess either way I win.

Until then, I will be post-less.