You're the Best Ever

My older two daughters, Kaylee and Megan, often respond with the phrase, “You’re the best mom ever!” when they receive a gift from me or when I do something extra special for them. My youngest daughter, Kendall, has picked up the phrase now as well. She uses it much more freely.

I help her blow her nose – you’re the best mom ever.

I cut her sandwich in half – you’re the best mom ever.

I cannot lie, I love hearing it! I always respond with “You’re the best Kendall ever.”

However, I don’t do the things for my girls because I am expecting them to say thank you. Like all the moms here today, I give because I love my children.

I believe our Heavenly Parent feels the same way. God blesses us in big and special ways like new jobs, a healthy baby, and a supportive family. God blesses us in small, everyday ways as well. All these blessings are given because He loves us. But, just like I enjoy hearing my girls’ expressions of gratitude, I am sure God would enjoy hearing the same from us.

God gave us a beautiful earth to live on – you’re the best God ever. I am going to use resources wisely.

God blessed us with a wonderful church home to worship in – you’re the best God ever. I am going to support my congregation financially to help maintain the church.

God blessed us with wonderful friends and family – you’re the best God ever. I am going to share the Good News and pray for them.

And you know what? Just like my response to my girls, God believes YOU are the best ever too.

LeAnn Kitchen/@kitchentreasure

Sandwiched Between a Rock and a Hard Place

What do BLTs, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese, and I have in common? Yep, we are all sandwiches. I generally think of myself as fried bologna with cheese (if you know me, you know about the cheesy part), happily ensconced between four buns (think about it), my elderly mom on one side and my college daughter on the other.

Being part of the so-called sandwich generation* just sort of showed up on my life menu one day and rather than spit it out with displeasure, I have decided to gobble it up with glee. Oh, sure, there are days when I would really like to send this sandwich back to the kitchen, but when I look at it through the eyes of the Master Chef, I realize it is nourishing me in countless ways.

For one, I am learning patience. I thought after serving 27 years in the military and having three children and a workaholic husband, I knew all about patience. Wrong! When my 89-year-old Mom moved in with us, I quickly discovered there were all new levels of patience I had yet to explore. After a year, I still don’t have the get-ready-to-go-someplace routine down pat, which is why you need to politely smile at us when we come slogging into church late, yet again . . . occasionally without our teeth OR our hearing aids. On the other side of the sandwich, our 22-year-old-soon-to-be-college-graduate-daugther is planning her June wedding and that, too, has taught me patience (“You don’t like the first dress we bought?!”) AND gratitude.

Gratitude, you ask? How can I experience gratitude when money is going out the door faster than cowboys at a heavy metal concert? Well, my heart is filled with thanksgiving that our daughter understands and fully embraces the sanctity of marriage; that she has found a Godly young man who shares her values and loves her unconditionally; and that all of her collections of Barbies, Beanies, and books will eventually be taking up residence somewhere else. I am also thankful that my Mom has gotten to be part of the wedding planning process, adding her nearly nine decade’s worth of wisdom and practicality to the mix.

Not surprisingly, the Master Chef has spiced up my sandwich life with other nutritional tidbits beyond patience and gratitude. Yes, there also has been a squirt of humility, a pinch of compassion, a sprinkle of steadfastness, and a double measure of joy in all things.

If you find yourself as part of the sandwich generation, chow down, friend! Sit back and savor the meal. One day soon it will be but a memory, so enjoy the rich flavors while you can.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

                                                                                              - James 1:2-4

*Those sandwiched between aging parents who need care and/or help and their own children and grandchildren.

By Sue Busler

Goal Enactment

After reading woman blessing Julie Ford's Happy New Year Lovelies!, I felt motivated to set some goals.  Realizing I had somehow allowed my gratitude journal to slip from daily use, I invested in a journal I would want to write in daily.  
 

I love finding slightly imperfect journals at T.J. Maxx.

As Julie had written, I am still an avid fan of pen to paper writing, so I wanted a journal which would, in essence, call to me each evening while resting on the couch or right before bed.  Each night I write ten occurrences in the day for which I am thankful.  This may range from a kiss from the hub before he leaves for work to the giggles of my girls in the evening, doing anything to avoid hopping into bed at night. . . gratitude at finally being able to grab ahold of that annoying chin hair with my tweezers or the healing of that prominent pimple on my cheek (aaaah, the rewards of hormones in my 40s).  Thus, not gratitude for material items, but for the everyday happenings which matter the most.

In addition, I pledged the creation of more cards to send to loved ones or those in need.  Although I do not have the artistic card talents of women blessings Deb Ellis, Angie Henshaw, or Cathy Lynn, I can still (and will always) strive for that level of expertise and embrace the process for the joy which it brings to me, and I hope, those who receive my cards (or, at the very least, a chuckle at my attempts).

How are you coming along in your New Year's goals?

By Courtney Winkler

Gracias Senor

I always feel so much better after attending church at Troy United Methodist Church.  For me, the sermon inspires me, the music gives me the goosebumps, and the people make me smile.  Today was no different.

Pastor Dennis' sermon was entitled, Gracias Senor, and the scripture reference was Philippians 4:4-9:

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Pastor Dennis was retelling about our church's work with another Hispanic church community in Southern Illinois (I cannot recall the name of the small town now, but do remember Pastor Dennis said this town came in second in the State basketball finals in '64).  While Pastor Dennis' college Spanish was rusty, he could make out the repetition of "Gracias Senor" which translates "Thank you, Lord" throughout devotions and prayers in this Hispanic community.  Thank you, Lord.  What greater gift to ourselves than to remember to repeatedly offer thanks to our Lord.

In fact, Pastor Dennis offered seven suggestions of further implementing this kind of thanksgiving into our lives:

1)  Have a morning gratitude session ever day.

2)  When facing the inevitable challenging day, compose a gratitude list.

3)  Instead of being angry with a person, show gratitude for this person.  Consider whether this person in question has done anything positive in the past, and focus on those acts.

4)  Show gratitude for your spouse versus criticizing him/her.

5)  Show gratitude for your kiddos versus criticizing them or their actions.

6)  When facing major challenges, be grateful for them.

7)  Look at what you have and be grateful versus focusing on what you do not have.
  
The hub and I immediately did just this by offering thanks to one another on our walk down the hall to pick up our kiddos from Sunday school.  Their joy after attending Sunday school filled me with gratitude.  Gracias Senor;  thank you, Lord.

By Courtney Winkler