Beautiful Chaos (Plus Chocolate!)

After dinner at our house is often a busy time.  Usually, Andy and I are doing what we can to clean up dinner, catch up on laundry, rotate kids through baths, or maybe even have a little bit of conversation.  The kids, on the other hand, are typically running full speed through the house engaged in a host of imaginative activities.  On any given night at our house, you might experience:

-  A real life version of temple run -  kids running, jumping, sliding, anything to "avoid the monkeys and get the treasure out."
- Various versions of "Who Let the Dogs Out", "We Will Rock You" and "What Does the Fox Say?"  (of course, they only know a couple lines of each song, so it's just those lines - over and over and over)
- Ninjas, princesses, monsters, detectives, heroes, cowboys and girls, and almost any animal you can think of (and maybe some you wouldn't think of )

- My kids' version of the Olympics, including "running the course of 1,000 deaths" and "climbing the tower of fire"
- Family games (some favorites are Quarriors, Flashpoint Fire Rescue, Forbidden Island, Hey That's My Fish, and Pokemon)

- Real life version of Pokemon or Skylander battles (complete with never-seen-before powers)

There are days when I think "It's going to be so nice when the kids are older and the house is quiet."  The other day, I was home alone for a bit.  And the house was quiet.  And I really missed the craziness.  I realized that, while a break from the chaos is great now and then, I think I'm really going to miss the loud, busy, never-know-what-to-expect part of my life that my young kids provide.  Where else can I get all of that imagination and energy? 

Don't get me wrong - a quiet evening at home still sounds good some days.  Sometimes I'm downright desperate for one.  But I also don't want to miss out on the enormous blessing I have at this moment - this part of my life that I only get to live once.  Right now, my kids actually LIKE being at home and playing with each other and with mom and dad.  I know that's not going to last forever :) 

So, I'm working on savoring the moments - the noise, the wackiness, the creativity, the mess.  There will be a day when the kids are grown, my house is quiet and clean, and I'll be glad to remember these days when imagination overflowed, when I had all manner of "visitors" grace our home, when I couldn't walk into a room without stepping on a toy.  I will be glad that the walls of my home and heart have known laughter, learned from conflict, and experienced worlds beyond my own imagination.

In the meantime, a girl's just got to have some chocolate to get through some days!!  I found this recipe for Fudge Bombs - and it hits the sweet spot!  

Another bonus - they are a cinch to make.  Except for the part where I was getting out the aluminum foil and the little tabs on the box didn't hold, sending the roll flying out onto the floor......

Oh well - bring on the chaos!

Music of the week:  Simon and Garfunkel  - how can you go wrong with that?

Until next time, my friends...... live well.

Becky

All I need... Reflections from Sunday

This week the sermon at my church was on Mark 10:46-52.  In this passage, Jesus heals a blind man.  The main point was this: Jesus was the answer to this man's problem, and He is the answer to our problems.

So, I got to thinking.... sometimes the things that I think are my problems, really aren't problems at all. There may be things in my life that I would give my right arm to change - and they aren't going to change.  In my all-too-often narrow view of things, this makes them a problem.  And while it's true that there might be uncomfortable, painful facts about my life -that doesn't mean they're a problem.

The truth is, I really only have one problem.  And it's a big one.  It's one I can't solve.  The problem is this:  I am a sinner who will one day stand before a Holy God.  This is one meeting that I can't cancel, and no amount of rationalization/explanation/justification on my part can take away the fact of my sin.  I cannot solve this problem.

God knew that I couldn't solve this problem.  He's known it from the beginning of time.  That's why he sent The Answer.  Jesus is what solves this problem for me.  He washes me clean and makes me holy so that, when I do stand before the Father, I can stand with confidence that my sin is no more.  Jesus solves the unsolvable problem.  He answers the deepest need of my soul.

This is a truth that I find such freedom and comfort in.  It's not about me and what I do, earn, or accomplish.  I don't have to "try hard to do good".  A couple of years ago, while having a "moment" and grasping my inadequacy of fixing myself, I grabbed some paper and a pen and starting writing:

"Every time I come to the end of myself, I find Jesus.  And when I turn around and look back, I see that it was Him all along - He has always been woven through and is the cord that has never broken, even when all the other strands are frayed and cut.  There is Jesus, holding it all together, loving me and bringing me along to the end of myself so that, finally, I can rest in the One who has already completed the work that I could never do.

It hurts to come to the end of myself - to feel my life being stretched and pulled so that strands are taught, and fray, and snap.  The unraveling of my strength is painful.  But eventually there comes the moment when I am thankful for it.  I am thankful to know that I can't hold it together, because trying to was killing me.  I don't have to hold on to the broken, twisted strands.  I just have to hold on to Jesus.  He never breaks, never frays.  So, it hurts to come to the end of myself, but that's when I see my Savior and truly find my life."

Please understand that I am not trying to make light of the many horrific problems that occur in our world.  I am not saying that the ONLY need we have is to have our sins forgiven and to enjoy a relationship with our Savior.  What I am saying is that, when we understand how our biggest problem has been solved, our deepest need met, we are then free to serve others and meet the other needs that exist.  When I am no longer motivated by guilt or obligation, I can truly be motivated by love to see the needs of those around me and demonstrate Christ's love by working to meet those needs. 

What I am also saying is that, when I realize how my biggest problem is solved and my deepest need is met, the other things in my life that I might complain about as being "problems", don't seem so problematic anymore.  They might still be painful, but who said pain is always a problem?  Sometimes pain teaches me things that comfort could never show me.  Sometimes pain gives me compassion and empathy for others.  Sometimes pain chisels away my self-centeredness, making room for grace and mercy. 

I am truly, literally, eternally grateful that God saw my need, reached down and met me where I was.  And, I am grateful for the reminders that He is all I need.

Until next time, my friends..... live well.

Becky

Baby it's cold outside...

So, I'm realizing that I don't feel motivated to write a post until I have some kind of title for it.  Huh....  I've always been kind of a "big picture" person (or at least, not a detail person), so maybe I need my "big idea" before I can move forward.  I think this makes sense because it's also how I process information.  Tell me your point up front, and then let me use that framework to hang all the other stuff on and I'm good.  What's that you say?  You want me to get to my point?  Well, I guess it's only fair.....

It's been crazy cold and snowy here.  It seems like it's been forever.  We have Polar Vortexes dropping down from wherever they come from, my kids have had six (Count'em SIX!) snow days already this year, my poor husband is beginning to have a traumatic response to seeing snow shovels, the air has that dry-cold-take-your-breath-away feeling when you walk outside, and our yard is nowhere to be seen underneath giant snow piles from the snow from the driveway.  And it's only the beginning of February!  Spring can't some soon enough.

But it's not spring.  Not yet.  (sigh)  One thing I talk a lot about in my job is the idea of acceptance.  You might not like it, you might wish it was different, but in order to do what you need to do - you have to accept that it is the way it is.

So, in the spirit of acceptance, I decided to make something this week that helps warm me up from the inside out when I eat it - Chili.  And not just any chili.  Chocolate Chili.  Yes, you read that right.  Chocolate chili.  I know it sounds kind of gross, but it's awesome.  This week, I made a double batch and froze half.  I'm expecting that winter will be around for a while yet, so I'll need more again soon.

And, just for fun and because they're delicious, I made these stuffed mushrooms. 

Music of the week:  "10,000 Reasons" by Matt Redman.  It came on my Pandora station at least 5 times and I just never got sick of it.  It's still in my head and I really don't care.  Such a great song.

Until next time, my friends.....live well.

Becky