Rah Rah Rah

Football is on my mind today since my youngest will play (hopefully) in his first middle school game ever. He's an 8th grader and a bunch of his buddies decided to go out for the team. Jonathan did well enough to be chosen and now reality has hit....he has to do what he's signed on to do! This little episode in his life has reminded me of one in my own, the time I decided to try out for the cheerleading squad.

1978 in small town America....football was king. Our little town was on the top of the heap in single A competition, having won the state championship in '77. Everybody, even my older parents, went to the games. As much as I liked football, I REALLY liked the cheers, the noise, the excitement of the crowd, so my dream of being a cheerleader was born.

Tryouts arrived. Keep in mind I had never taken one dance class, never participated in gymnastics...in fact my sister tried to help me do a back bend once and I fell on my head and saw stars. I had NO skills, but I had heart, or so I thought. I piled into the gym with the other girls and tried my best at doing a herkie (what in the world is a herkie anyway?) and various other tortuous movements. Sweat poured off of me, I grew breathless, and I grew very discouraged.

This is where I began to compare myself to the other girls, all girls I had grown up with and pretty much all friends. Suddenly they had been elevated to super star status in ability and I sank right down to the depths as the most clumsy, uncoordinated dump of a girl ever. Who was I kidding that I, Paula Mason, book reader and piano player, could ever hope to stand on the sidelines leading the town in rousing cheers?

I left that day and never went back. I talked myself out of it before I had even started, all because I compared myself to others and let my bad thoughts rule my mind. No one that day told me I was a failure...not one girl, not one coach. I told myself and put out the cheerleading fire with a resounding splat of negativity.

I watch my youngest as he journeys down this road of new experiences and I remind him that he can do it, can be strong and succeed. Setbacks are often what cause us to dig in and try harder and being discouraged is part of the game, but it doesn't have to be a game ender.

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength." That tells me it's time to stop looking at the negatives, all I believe I CAN'T do and trust in the Lord for the courage to move forward in the tough places. I'm here cheering for you, even if I can't do a herkie!

Anxiety

Hi Ladies. It is highly probable that we have all suffered from some type of stress or anxiety during our lifetime. Dealing with the stress is also a challenge. In the mist of everything God wants us to cast all our cares upon Him. I have learned that I do not have to carry my burdens alone. I have resources within the church, my family, and my friends to help during times of stress.

I wrote this poem about a year and a half ago when I was diagnosed with acute anxiety syndrome. It was quite severe. My husband had been out of a job for almost 8 months and we had no income. I was homeschooling at the time and trying to find work as a substitute teacher in the county high schools to pay the bills and "stay above the water." It was slow going every day. The stress started to affect me physically. This is how I felt; some of you may be able to relate.

Anxiety

The tingling sensation creeps up my arms
The tight ache envelops my shoulders
The head begins to scream with pain

Instantly I am seized with the disease

The light pierces my eyes
The noise overwhelms my ears
The voices push me away into madness

Instantly I am seized with the disease

Rest for the weary
Rest for the downtrodden
Rest for the overworked

The dark room invites me
The quiet entices me
The peace overcomes me

Rest for the weary
Rest for the downtrodden
Rest for the overworked

The silent stillness restores my sanity
The disease creeps away
the pain a mere memory until tomorrow

Instantly I am seized with the disease


When the doctor explained to me what was happening to me, I knew my God was the great healer and better than any medicine the doctor could prescribe. The healing began slowly and I began to understand that my journey through life was not mine alone to bear. I am so thankful that He cares for me and restores me when I call upon Him.

OK, God, I'm Listening!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

God has put some situations in my life recently that have really made me trust in him and he has definitely come through for me too.

Being a caregiver for senior citizens, I sometimes get called into homes and have no idea what I am getting into until I get there. For someone who is a planner and likes to be prepared, this has stretched me beyond my comfort zone.

One day I went to a lady’s home who was clearly a hoarder. She had mild dementia and her husband was in the hospital. She tended to wander outside, so I had to keep an eye on her and go out with her. Well the 3^rd time we went outside, we closed the front door, but this time it was locked.

OMG, HELP….I prayed, literally.

I didn’t know what to do….it looked like it was going to rain, I had never been there before, and my phone was in the house. Well as she started searching her car (not really sure what she was looking for), I was trying not to panic. It was a split foyer, so I decided to check the windows and one was unlocked….. coincidence?! …. I think NOT ….. I think God provided me with a way to get out of this situation.

Oh, but remember the part about the hoarding?? Yes, the basement was full, but somehow I managed (God, again) to crawl over all the stuff without getting hurt or breaking any of it and making it back to the front door. Crisis averted and my lady was happy and safe back in her home.

All the trials of being a caregiver for the last 6 months have paid off. Monday I officially start my new job at Benton Middle School assisting a handicapped student. So now I have a schedule and a plan…..God’s plan, not mine!

Sheila

“Every good and perfect gift is from … the Father"

… who does not change” (James 1:17, NIV)

September is a tough month for me. It marks the end of summer, our season of rest, family bonding, and adventures. It ushers in big changes such as early alarms, new teachers, colder weather, unfamiliar coaches, and a lot less “wiggle room” in the schedule! One little flip of the calendar page initiates an avalanche of events and responsibilities. But the hardest thing about September is this: saying goodbye to my kids as they set off to school for a new year. I’m reminded that each one is growing older and another year closer to her/his eventual departure. Time is ticking away, and I am forced to accept it – like it or not! My heart wants to screams, “freeze!”

Does this trouble you? Or, is it just me who’s prone to melancholy? True, I do have a hard time with goodbyes. My parents split up when I was 9 and we moved far away (half way around the world, to be precise). I never knew when I’d see my dad next. So when he finally came, I was overcome with grief, knowing that the goodbye would soon be coming. The feeling darkened the entire visit. But this is different, right? Tell me I wasn’t the only mom fighting tears at the bus stop (or the boo-hoo breakfast)!

This summer, our family took a weeklong vacation at Myrtle Beach, from Sat - Sat. We started a new tradition - taking turns listing our favorite memories. We went in a circle: “watching the sunrise on the beach, car air-conditioning after walking Broadway, the lazy river and turtle races at noon, Captain Hook putt putt, and boogie boarding on Wednesday”. Huh? “Why Wednesday?” I asked. My husband responded, “Because on Wednesday, you’ve settled in and still have lots of time before vacation is over. You’re just enjoying the moment without thinking of the end.” Yes! Perfectly said! And, my husband is the most stable person I know.

So, I know I’m not a nutcase. That’s good. But now what? What do I do with this insight? I’ve been asking God this very question. I think He’s given me His answer. God wants me to release my desperate grip on yesterday, in order to receive today and tomorrow. Release. Receive. Trust the author of every good and perfect gift to continue giving those gifts. The One who blessed me yesterday will bless me again today (and tomorrow). Our world says: “All good things must come to an end”. God says: My mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22 – 23). I’m going with God. Sad goodbyes happen. But happy hellos follow. I’m going to open my eyes to receive more good that’s coming.

Just before Labor Day, my mother-in-law passed away. It was very sad. She was an amazing person and we miss her terribly. Since then, God has shown me 2 things. One: Nothing stays the same. Our time is like sand in an hourglass and God knows the number of grains. We will all say goodbye to this world one day. Two: Since my mother-in-law was a Christian, she is now in heaven. (Thank you, Jesus.) No more tears. No more suffering. And no more goodbyes. Ever. Isn’t that the best? And it happened when she let go of this world (her yesterday) to reach out for eternity (tomorrow forever).

God is good, and He will always be good. This, James says, is a fact we can live by. So why not treasure the memories while allowing for new ones? God’s best is yet to come.

Looking Through Different Lenses

Sometimes God hugs come in ways we just don't expect....even through reading glasses.

I was having one of those stressful mornings. You know the kind when time just gets away from you and nothing seems to go right. On top of everything else, I had to get ready to leave the house for an appointment that I was really dreading. Fear and anxiety gave in to the “what if” game. The usual red flags that remind me that I am believing something that isn’t true were plowed over by self-focus. “What am I going to do if this doesn’t turn out good?” “What am I going to do IF….????” These thoughts were running through my head as I was preparing to leave.
My eyesight isn’t so good lately and I found myself looking down at blurry make-up, blurry papers, and a blurry computer screen. In fact, everything within my reach was out of focus. This certainly wasn’t helping me in my hurried state. Where did I put those reading glasses? I really need to tie those things around my neck! Well, I found them and put on those often-needed lenses. Immediately things came into focus. And guess what? God spoke to me in that very moment. I had to stop in my tracks. He showed me I was viewing things through my fears and insecurities. But I had a choice here. Just like putting on those glasses was a choice, I had the choice to look at things through God’s eyes. There’s peace there. He sees everything clearly and I don't have to understand or figure everything out. He sees the big picture! I could choose to trust Him. My loving Father reminded me that no matter what the circumstances may be, He is loving, trustworthy, forgiving, and faithful. Resting and trusting in Him to supply all my needs brings immediate relief from strain and striving. There isn’t frustration over things not looking how I think they should look. He knows and meets my deepest needs..no matter what. Nothing escapes or surprises Him. He is constant and He is faithful…even when I am not. He is El Roi (the God Who Sees)! Those reading glasses are my little reminder! Love those God hugs!

Trying Something New

It's been pointed out to me by a dear friend that my recent posts have all dealt with fear. I suppose that's true and as authors are told to write about what they know, I MUST know a lot about fear. Let's just say that I'm going to carry on the theme.

Captain James Cook was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy. Cook made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to the Pacific Ocean, during which he achieved the first European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, as well as the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand. (Wikipedia says this....not me.)

You're probably wondering why I'm writing about this guy who lived many years ago and who most of us remember from some vague mention in 7th grade world history. What fascinates me about him was the fact that he never went to sea until he was 18 or 19 years old. He was born on a farm, raised to follow in his ancestors footsteps, and didn't know a bit about sailing, navigating, etc, yet ended up being one of the world's best known sea captains and explorers. He could have played it safe and stayed with what he knew, but he dove in (no pun intended) and learned everything he could about his new passion. He didn't let his late start stand in his way.

My son Jonathan has decided he wants to play football. He's 13 and has never played with a team, or in a league, but he's not letting that slow him down. I'm busy thinking that he'll get creamed because he's not as experienced as other boys but Jon is not worried. He's decided to tackle his new passion (stop the puns already!) and isn't letting his inexperience slow him down. Everyday I get to hear of the great practices and the great plays and I'm happy that he's happy. He is NOT afraid and as a result, is having the time of his life.

Have you been thinking it's too late to do something you've wanted to do? Have you quit before you have begun because all the other kids will know how to do something and you won't? Let's try something new....trusting God for the courage to do it, stepping out in faith and not letting fear of the unknown hold us back. If Captain Cook can do it, and Jonathan can do it, why can't WE dive into something and live life passionately? Last one in is a rotten egg!

Local Marriage Conference Opportunity

McLean Bible Church is hosting a conference "The Marriage You've Always Wanted" to be held at the Tyson's Campus on the weekend of October 7-8th. Check it out at the link below. It's wonderful when local churches open their doors to those seeking answers.

http://vimeo.com/29149182