live by example

today my daughter and i were shopping at ross, looking for some pjs. as we strolled down the aisle, i was busy looking through the racks while avery busied herself with oohing and ahhing outfits i held up for her to look at (man, our love affair with clothes starts early!). at one point she starts saying "uh-oh" in her adorable 16 month old way. I look to where she is pointing and see a tshirt that had fallen off a hanger.

"yeah", i respond, " a shirt fell on the floor!" in my chipper positive-mom voice. I began to move on down the row when a little voice inside my head said, live by example now. i stopped, asked avery if we should hang it up and she said "yeah." i did so and we continued on our way, my mind thinking, wow, setting an example for our children is going start with the little things.

of course, after that, avery determined we were the clothes police and would loudly draw my attention to another victim. I did my best to smile, say, "yep, let's pick it up" and then distract her (set an example, yes. repeatedly prove the point? well, uh, gotta go...).

but in all seriousness, i'm really grateful for that moment of insight. i know that daily i don't set the best example for my daughter in every aspect of life. i keep the tv on a little too long, don't clean house as diligently as i should and definitely don't love others as Christ has challenged, no commanded us to do. so, that is why, when the Holy Spirit whispers in my ear, set the example. take responsibility, i want to learn to obey. i know bigger issues will arise. i just pray that my response will not be "i didn't do it, it's not my problem" but rather "hey, can i improve the situation in any way?" i hope my daughter learns that as well. i know that her daddy already does a great job of it naturally.

colossians

a while back shawn challenged me to "rewrite" Colossians 1:15 - 20(?). This is what came out. it's not finished and i'm not sure how to end it at this point.

In image liken unto God, a first born Son of all above and below does show Thy mark.
By Thy hands the worlds collide, heaven and earth do intertwine
In Christ the head they hold firm fast for He has brought all things to pass.
And not just orbs or spirits made
But the shining glory of one He saved
A body called the church, His bride.
His lordship cannot be denied
For God the Father’s pleasures be
To grant the fullness unto Thee.
And through Him came a healing balm
The blood, the cross, the branches palm
That brought forth peace and reckoned so
All guilty men, their darkened souls.

a great book

Read Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller. If you visit his website www.bluelikejazz.com you can read the first chapter.

'nuff said.

thanks

to all of you for offering encouragement and actually visiting this blog. i've gotten a few questions as to what exactly is a blog. i dunno, really. i'm just kinda liking having a place to jot down the thoughts that swim in my head. i guess they can be about anything. but it seems like they are an online version of reality tv. maybe? i talk about my life, thoughts, etc. and you partake. but, why, you may ask, would i care one whit about what is going on in someone else's world? i'll have to get back to you on that one.

in the meantime, i'll keep writing, for myself and for anyone that just wants to read random stuff. praise you!

hi my name is simri...

and i have a problem. i consistently tempt fate by placing seemingly sturdy plastic items on the bottom rack of the dishwasher. i don't know why i continue to do it. maybe i think i've mastered the issue by sticking it in such a way that the heat can't possibly do any damage - i mean, c'mon, just clean the dishes!

so, as a result of my stubborness (or more likely, laziness), quite a few of our items have forever been morphed into sad, deformed but still functional (kinda) objects.

The first to fall victim to my dishwasher hades: the iced tea pitcher. you know, the one that has to be used with the iced tea maker. not an interchangeable item! now, the limp sided ewer can only be poured over the sink and even then, it has to be with a steady hand and held breath.

well, our measuring cup has got to be the worst. i know, they aren't expensive and i should just buy another one. i keep forgetting and maybe seeing the bent, cracked tool is my penance for refusing to "come clean" and quit tempting fate. it still works, though liquid leaks out and i'm not sure if it measures correctly. i haven't noticed things tasting weird.

the latest - our blender. shawn doesn't even know about that one yet. we are avid smoothie makers so our blender is in use every day. well, it took a trip through the dishwasher and i vividly remember thinking, okay, it'll be fine. i'm putting it where nothing will apply pressure, etc. yeah, well, same old story. now the mouth is lame on one side and the lid just refuses to be shoved in a hole that just will not do!

someday i'll learn my lesson. until then, happy dishwashing to ya.

Killer meal last night

I love to cook. well, maybe love is too strong a word b/c i can survive just fine without cooking, but i do enjoy it immensely. last night we had some friends over for dinner and i had a ball planning the meal (anxiety causer right there), shopping for the ingredients (Market Street rocks!!) and preparing it (did you know that you can't throw frozen chicken into hot oil? yeah, me neither. thanks, honey!). It really turned out great, if you ask me, shawn and our guests (at least they ahhhed over it enough to make me think they liked it.). Preparing a meal is so satisfying b/c you start with a bunch of things and mix it up and it becomes edible and yummy. if it turns out well, it's so fulfilling and a great esteem booster. if it stinks, well...i am more than the sum of my culinary abilities and i have a husband who can really tear it up in the kitchen.

the menu from last night:

Houston's spinach and artichoke dip (compliments of copykat.com) w/salsa and sour cream
BBQ Chicken pizza
Salad
Mini chocolate cheescakes

the saddest aspect of the whole deal - no leftovers.

Moonlight

So this morning at 5:20 i find myself wide awake and curious as to why. I mean, it's not like long hours of luxurious sleep are commonplace in my life. But when i wake suddenly i become frustrated. i wish my immediate response was one of "oh, i need to pray for _____" but in all honesty my mind races to that very familiar place known as anxiety. why is it that EVERYTHING seems miserable by the light of the moon?

So there i lay (or is it lie? Can't figure that one out), fretting over my ever-growing list of things to do. At one point i rolled over to my left side and could see the bright moon through a small opening in the curtains. I started thinking about how the world spins round and round and yet we're not dizzy and i can lay/lie here and see the moon and...well, it's moving. it was cool b/c i guess i've never stared at the moon long enough for it to move out of sight. Now i'm sure it helped that i only had about an inch of exposed sky. But nonetheless, i closed one eye and watched as the moon slowly crawled out of view. i think i fell asleep shortly after that.

The narrow path

Though following Christ is "narrow", it's the path that is narrow only at the mouth. To enter, Truth must be accepted and the guidelines are very specific. But, as you enter the narrow gate, the road widens blissfully and one cannot see the limits. Freedom sets its course and we can be as children: stumbling, running, playing, laughing. It is the broad path that becomes so narrow upon entering that one must hold one's breath to traverse. There is no humor nor gaiety and the line moves single file. The roof is low and you cannot forget yourself here for every step is marked in ink and never erased.

in the company of Anne Lamott

i just finished Travelling Mercies by Anne Lamott. I don't know if i connected with her like i hoped but i walked away challenged. i guess that's the best thing. i was consciously uncomfortable with her brutal honesty and use of colorful language, but amazed at her complete dependence on the saving power of Jesus. I mean, this woman drank of God's goodness and loved her neighbor and swore at her child and thought mean thoughts about her mother and believed in God! she calls herself a feminist and her faith led her to political slants that most christians would be very frustrated or down right offended. she made me uncomfortable because maybe she hit a little closer to home than i'm willing to admit. none of us are saints even though we spend so much precious energy on playing the part. i don't think any of us would get a good review even from the most soft-hearted critic. Read her. Be offended by her crappy past and use of swear words. Feel uneasy about her liberal ideas and the fact that she is a feminist. But i guarantee you'll shift in your seat when you see how much she trusts and relies on God and the Truth she lives by. She is me. she is you. she is a follower of a Savior that likes "those kinds" of people.

poem

None is righteous, no not one
None has stood before the throne
With hands spread wide to speak
Great things that have been done in Jesus' name
Without the love He freely gives, freely gives.

Our merit's worth goes not so far
For we want more than we earn
By hands of clay we toil so
And through these tasks we never learn
That it's a gift You freely give, not of our own.

Oh, Lord You give to us undeserving
A life of pure love joy.
We cannot understand the cost.
We speak the words you give to us
We wait and see it all for us,
This gift You freely give.

You choose to give freely because we are in need.
We stand before You,
Love abounds before You
Come heal and set us free.

So stand we do on iron feet.
The legs strong by Your might
And conquer this the war we fight
To tell of You and all You do for ages past and now.
Please grant us this, this precious gift
Of Jesus' given life.