Have you ever felt lost?

Today as CJ and I were driving on in an interstate, we passed a flashing red sign that said "Detour Ahead."
Never without my trusty cell phone and its included GPS navigational device, I felt no fear or hesitation knowing that my "Hero" would provide me perfect directions to reach my destination despite the detour interference.
I turned on Google maps and clicked on "my location" so that it would calculate where I was and give me point by point turns for where I needed to go. The only problem - it said I was in Texas... when actuality, I was in Tennessee.
"Uh oh," I said.
"What's wrong? CJ responded.
"Uh.... we might be lost." I pronounced the bad news.

Have you ever felt "lost?" Without direction, without purpose or without hope... You know, in life, we think we can depend on our own "devices" to determine our direction. The problem is, those "devices" are not perfect. We travel down life's highway looking for flashing signs to tell us where to go, but they just detour us from reaching where we really want to be.
It is a comfort to know that there is a trusty Hero that wants to show us the way if we'll just open our eyes and our hearts to hear Him. That Hero is the author of our lives and He gives us, not just purpose, but passion!
Remember, our mission is not just found in our destination, it's also in the journey there.

A new decade on the horizon

Early in the morning on the day after Christmas, I sat out on the back deck of the cabin, our “home for the holidays” in the mountains of Gatlinburg. It was so cold I could see my breath in front of me, mingling with the steam rising up from the full mug of coffee that I held in my gloved hands.
I was curled up in a wooden rocking chair beneath a cozy, wool blanket, still in my pajamas with the addition of a sweatshirt, thick socks and fleece hat pulled down low to cover my ears.
I had woken to a view from my third story window of what looked to be the beginnings of a magnificent sunrise coming up over the rolling mountains in the distance. The view and serenity it created beckoned me outside despite the frosty temperature.
While the rest of my family lay sleeping soundly, snug in their beds, I sat cocooned in the warmth of color bursting into the morning sky and cascading back down over the miniscule chalets that were nestled into the side of the mountain with circles of smoke rising up from their chimneys.
I wondered if there was anyone else in the world at that moment enjoying the spectacular display of glowing orange, cool purples and fiery reds God was painting in the sky before my very eyes.
It was a momentary flash of beauty, fading away almost as quickly as it had come as the sun moved higher and the sky developed into a clear blue.
As the scene before me transpired, I couldn’t help but think of the symbolism it held to the passing decade that looms on the horizon.
It seems like it was just yesterday when the world was facing the Y2K scare as a new century was set to unfold. Fears of the future caused anxiety among our nation, not knowing that panic would ultimately be unfounded.
There would be more disturbing distresses occurring in the first decade of the twenty-first century.
Who would have ever imagined that September 11th was just around the corner? The attack on the World Trade Centers in New York would not only rock our world, it changed the way we all live and think and act. The incident, as tragic as it was, reminded us that life is precious and each day is a special gift. Normal and usual kind of folks became heroes for their acts of bravery and fortitude, and our eyes became opened to the way our world is changing.
Mother Nature took center stage this past decade for some devastating acts including a tsunami that killed nearly 300,000 people throughout Indonesia and the Pacific Rim.
Locally, Katrina surpassed the memories of Camille as a new generation was exposed to the impact of hurricanes and the ravages she left behind in our city and state. As a community, we learned that what did not break us would make us stronger as we sought to find positives in the aftermath. We discovered unity and cooperation among neighbors, and we were the recipients of love and good will from people all over the globe. Though we were humbled, we discovered our resiliency and became fervent for a better future.
The past ten years could also be described by the extreme advances in technology. We have become a people both isolated and connected by our computers, cell phones, cameras and televisions. We are isolated physically, yet connected with electronic tools in such a way that is changing the principles of privacy and moral behavior. We’ve lost the importance of face to face contact and our ability to communicate has been reduced to a series of abbreviations and shortened words that take less time to spell while we text and instant message about the personal details of our lives. Facebook and Google have become not only wildly successful internet businesses, they have become part of our everyday English language. Have you Googled yourself lately? You should!
Overall, in the last decade our lives have changed drastically, some for the better, some for the not-so-much-better. But the point is, we are continuing to evolve.
People change, nations change, our environment will change and the one constant in all of it is time. Time just keeps on rolling along.
Just like that beautiful sunrise that inspired me and brought me great satisfaction and peace, if I would’ve blinked almost, I could’ve missed it.
As I lay in my bed and first opened my eyes to the pre-show of God’s glory, I could have just rolled over and gone back to sleep. But I would’ve missed it.
I could have watched the sunrise from the comfort of inside, but it was the struggle and effort to get wrapped up, protected from the elements and situated outside that truly made it the experience that it was.
As we approach a new decade, I encourage you, don’t miss out on a single second. Go through the struggles and efforts to pursue your dreams. Be a part of God’s glory and blessings. Make the most of the fading and fleeting beauty of life. We never know what’s just around the corner, and before we know it, another decade will be here and gone.
It is my wish, that your new year and each and every day is filled with beauty, adventure, peace and promise. God bless you and happy new year!

Gobble, gobble, gobble

As I'm sitting here, grossly full from a huge Thanksgiving dinner reading all the comments by my Facebook friends talking about how they've over-eaten today as well, I can't help but wonder... what is the purpose of the overly excessive meal that has become a tradition for American families on this one day?
Yes I know the holiday is in remembrance of the first meal by the Pilgrims in their new land shared with the Indians, but what we do on this holiday is nothing like what they did on that day.
They may have sat at a dinner table with their friends and family, but they didn't have turkey, they didn't gorge themselves on sugar-filled and sugar-topped pies and sweets and they surely would not have had so much food that they were able to eat left-overs continually for the next week.
We had so much food tonight at my family's Thanksgiving meal that I could not even fit a spoonful of everything on my plate in one go around.
I always find it funny that after having filled our bellies with so much food that we're almost unable to move, we always instigate some type of entertainment provided by the children. We sit on the soft sofas, barely awake from too much turkey while the girls sing and dance and cheer, hoping that some of their activity might rub off on our depleted metabolisms.
I always regretfully end up sinking into my chair with the regretful thought, "Why did I just do that to myself?"
Why do we do that? If we really want to celebrate the intentions of our fore-fathers it seems it may be more appropriate for us to go plow a field or build a barn.
I'm just so thankful that at least one real tradition has survived from our ancestors. Check any history book and you'll find that after the Pilgrims and Indians shared a meal, the men cleared the table and washed the dishes while the women went to Walmart to go Christmas shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Phone call to God

Day one on Saturday, coming home to an empty house was kinda nice. My children and CJ are out of town, so it was refreshing on Saturday to be able to sleep and try to recuperate from my jet lag.
Sunday morning rolled around a little bittersweet. In my still sorta asleep and not quite yet woken up phase, I kept waiting for my girls to come bouncing into my bed begging for breakfast before getting ready and going to church together. The patter of their feet never came.
I kept myself busy on Sunday afternoon catching up on email and other tedious chores that required my attention and kept me from drifting into an emotional state.
Now it's Monday and I'm starting to wonder if Thursday will ever get here?
I had to literally force myself not to cry when my girls called today from Knoxville where they're staying with CJ's mom.
"I miss you Mommy!" Miá said sweetly.
Ugh...
That lump in my throat was a good thing that kept me from being able to wail.
Then I started to wonder if that's how God feels when His children go away from Him. Do you think God gets emotional over those whom He loves so much, yet they never call him or talk to him in prayer? I bet He misses us when we wander far away from Him, and He desperately wants us to stay close to Him.
I know it says in the Bible that Jesus wept. He knows the pain of sadness and lonliness and heart break. He knows how parents feel when their children are a long distance away. After all, He is the father of all fathers.
Have you called your Father lately? I bet He'd love to hear your voice.

Small town surprises

There really are some benefits to living in a small town... it's more than just the family atmosphere and the traditional values. There are short lines at the stop sign; the lady at the coffee shop knows just how I like my morning coffee, and I'm on a first name basis with the Sheriff, the Chief of Police and the Mayor.
Of course I've heard there are a few drawbacks, like everybody knows everybody's business, but I happen to like that aspect of living here. I've never been good at keeping secrets, and I think it holds you more accountable for your plans and actions.
But this morning I got to experience one of my most favorite parts of living in a small town.

About a month ago, I was wasting time surfing the internet and I typed in the address of one of my most frequented websites - ebay - and proceeded straight to my preferred section, purses. My friends will all tell you that I'm a sucker for purses, watches and shoes. I can't help it - I'm fascinated with the accessories. Especially if it's a good bargain. I love trying to get fancy and 'expensive-looking' items for really low prices. I'm always amazed by what you can find at ebay!
Anyway, I found a couple of really great, cute purses that I instantly fell in love with, and guess the price? 99 cents each!
The disadvantage: they were from a dealer in China. I did "win" the items in the online auction for less than a dollar each, however, shipping from Asia was closer to $15 each. (Still a good bargain in my opinion though.)
But do you know how long it takes to get mail from China? I was prepared for the wait, after all, the purses were worth it. But everyday I would anxiously go home from work to see if my purses had arrived while I was gone.
Then today, Mailman Bob shows up at the Columbian-Progress with two packages in his hands. He said, "I knew you had been waiting on these so I thought I'd just drop them by your office."
How sweet is that?!?
Yes, it was my purses and I was so excited to finally receive them, but I was even more excited by the fact that my mailman had brought them to me!
Only in a small town will the mailman know where you live, where you work, when to deliver packages containing Christmas gifts and when not to (cause he knows you're trying to surprise your spouse.)
Only in a small town does the mailman know specifically about your spending habits on ebay.
And only in a small town does the mailman care enough to go out of his way to brighten your day through his small act of kindness.
Sure, he could've just left them at my house (it's where they were addressed to go) but he knew how eager I was to receive them, so he brought them to my work.
My mailman is the best, but so is living in a small town!

I am rich!

You know that place between sleeping and awake? You're somewhat cognizant of the world around you, yet the sweet dreams that lulled you through the night have not released their grasp of your brain functions. That's where I was yesterday morning, laying in my bed before the first beep of the alarm sounded when I sensed a small, warm body snuggle up behind me. I felt the bony arms wrap around me and I could smell the sweet, yet salty perspiration that children develop from a hard night's sleep.
I knew without opening my eyes that it was my Miá, my younger child who has not yet reached an age of self-awareness yet exudes self-confidence and displays affection openly without fear of approval or perception. My baby who, with innocence and naivete, calls things as she sees them and doesn't hesitate to say whatever is on her mind. My child who with adoration in her heart wants me to be the last person she sees before going to bed and the first person to greet her in the morning.
Miá crawled up behind me and got close enough to whisper in my ear with her small, melodious voice, "Mommy.... I love you."
I turned over in my bed to find her smiling face beaming at me. She giggled with delight and I couldn't help but laugh in return.
Worth more than any amount of money or reward, it's moments like these that I know I will cherish for a lifetime.

My vampire and me

It had been a long, tiresome and exciting day. My mother, Zoë, Miá and I had tromped all over New York City beginning at 7 a.m. that morning. It was now late afternoon and we were beat! All we wanted to do was find some food and find a subway station to take us back to our hotel.
We were leaving FAO Schwarz, crossing over Fifth Avenue and walking past the Plaza Hotel.
To escape the crowds and a busy thoroughfare, we decided to take a side street to reach our destination that traversed past a private entrace of The Plaza. (not the grand main entrance - this was less ostentacious and more concealed)
We were almost oblivious to the group of people lined up behind barriers on both sides of the street. There had been so many people everywhere else, for all we knew they were lined up for a show or a buffet or who-knows what, and we decided to just bypass the scene. When we circumvented the masses and got to the location that was next to the front of the crowd where the barriers held them back, I began to notice all the cameras and the excitement. Standing in front of the barrier, I spoke to a young woman on the other side of the metal bars and asked her, "What's going on?"
"I think they're filming a movie!" the cute brunette responded.
I replied, "Do you know who's in it?"
"Nope!" she said. "I'm just here cause my friends dragged me along."
Hmmm.... I thought to myself. "Let's just go," I said to my mom. I didn't see any movie cameras or trailers and it didn't look like a movie scene to me. No telling how long those people had been waiting there and no telling how much more time would drag on before they caught a glimpse of some unknown "movie star."
So we started walking.
Right as we got up to the side entrance of the infamous hotel, who crosses in front of me but Robert Pattinson.

"OMG, OMG, OMG! It's Robert Pattinson!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
He was gorgeous! Dressed in a black suit with a crisp white shirt unbuttoned part of the way and a black tie hung loosely around his neck, the sight of him took me by surprise.
It's relevant to provide some history. I have been a R.P. fan for quite sometime. It was several months back when CJ brought home the first Twilight movie and I disregarded the film saying, "I don't want to watch some vampire movie."
He cajoled me, "Everyone says it's really good. All the girls seem to like it."
So I watched it reluctantly but instantaneously fell in love with the beautiful and hypnotizing Edward Cullen - R.P.'s character in the movie. I think I watched that movie three times before it was due back to the rental store.
I then proceeded to read the Twilight books. I read all four books in the series in a week. I just couldn't get enough!
Since then I have found myself stopping at every magazine stand and gazing at every website that has a picture of R.P. featured. I just can't seem to help myself! (It's an innocent fascination really and my husband has no concerns.) :)
But as I came face to face with this man that has held an allure over me, I lost all sense of maturity and self-awareness.
I squeeled loudly with my words running together in an almost foreign language type of tone. Then... for a moment.... time stood still - Robert Pattinson turned and looked at me!
We were eye to eye for a flash of a second.
The look he gave me though was not a smiling face. It was a look of fear. I think the poor man thought I was going to attack him.
Then in an instant, he was gone... wisked into the restricted hotel like steam that evaporates into the air.
My shoulders slumped. I realized what an idiot I had made of myself and what an opportunity I had missed - my camera was in my hand the whole time and I had not snapped a single picture. What a great journalist I am, huh?
I was still in shock, standing frozen in the path of what had just occurred, til I felt a small hand tugging on my sleeve. It was Miá. "Mommy, who was that?" she said with her sweet innocence.
Zoë, the older sister, with indignation replied for me since my voice had seemed to cease. "Duh! It's Edward from Twilight!"
I smiled at the occurrence. The whole story seemed to transpire in slow motion, but in reality it was over in a flash.
At least I thought it was over til my mother, with similar stagger and surprise, began shrieking just as I had moments before, "OMG! OMG! OMG! It's Pierce Brosnan!!!"

Like a replay of the serendipitous encounter I had just experienced, my mom was brushed with the same destiny with a movie star of her attraction. P.B. had arrived just moments after R.P. because they were filming a movie inside in a restaurant in the Plaza Hotel.
It was quite the event.
In retrospect it almost seems like a dream.
But it really happened.
And I have the Newsweek article from the next day to prove it.... the headline: Robert Pattinson anxious to return to London after enduring fanatic New York females.
Well, at least I left an impression....