Comic Relief

Today was a bit rough. Cupcake had a couple of meltdowns. They can be pretty physical.

So, tonight, we're getting ready to eat dinner. All the big kids, plus one dinner guest, are already at the table.

Cupcake ran downstairs in a very disregulated state. It was clearly not safe to leave her downstairs alone, where she might destroy any number of things or get hurt. So, I went down and tried to calmly get her to come up on her own. After trying all my tricks, I finally picked her up and took her up the stairs and brought her to her own room, where she is safe to vent. Cupcake kicked and screamed the whole way.

Exhausted, I sit down to dinner. I'm breathing hard and am obviously troubled. Sugar asks if I'm okay. I sigh, "No. I feel like a just wrestled a 50 pound alligator up the stairs."

TE turns to me and, in his most crotchety grandfather voice, says, "When I was young, I used to wrestle alligators uphill both ways."

A little comic relief is just what I needed. I still cannot stop laughing.

I'm so thankful my big kids can roll with the punches and that we can laugh even when things are difficult.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Hey, Mr. Bad Guy

Hey, Mr. Bad Guy,

The last time I talked to you, it may have sounded like I'm bitter about what happened and that I think I'm so much better than you. That's really not true.

Yes, I am angry about what happened. It was wrong. But no, I'm not bitter. Bitterness would eat at my soul and destroy me.

I am not bitter, but I have tasted something very bitter. When we chew on bitter food, we scrunch up our noses and say, "Eeeewww!" In the same way, as I carry my daughter's pain, I recognize the foul taste of this fallen world.

There is something significant in the bitter taste. My Jewish friends eat bitter herbs as they celebrate Passover. It is God's way to remind them that they were once slaves in Egypt, and slavery is bitter. God Almighty set them free. Life was once bitter, but no more.

A small taste of bitter reminds us of where we once were and does wonders for our thankfulness.

As I was writing the last post, I was tasting the bitter, and was reminded of my own rescue. I don' t think myself better than you. In fact, I'm not so very different from you, Mr. Bad Guy. I was once a "bad guy". I had junk that I wanted to hide, so people would not think poorly of me. As I contemplated the harsh truth, I asked myself if, in my life, I had ever believed any of those lies. The answer is yes - most of them. My sin is not the same, but my skewed thinking was in line with yours.

I used to think I was worthless and I treated others like they were too.
Now I know that I am valuable and God loved me enough to die for me. Other people are just as valuable --- even people who have hurt me and my children. And orphans, they have a special place in God's heart.

I used to think I was big and in control.
By my actions, I proved that I couldn't even control myself. My sin controlled me. I was a slave to it.

I used to think what I did didn't matter to others.
I didn't see it until afterward, but my sin affected so many others --- me, my husband, my kids, the youth I lead.

I thought there were no witnesses.
Jesus was there. He saw what I did.

I thought no one would ever find out.
...you may be sure that your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23.

Little did I know that I would confess my sin publicly after a simple question from a 7th grader. I was brought to my knees when the reality of my sin and it's affect on others hit me. At that moment, I knew I wasn't a good person. I was utterly spiritually and morally bankrupt.

Busted! My whole self-righteous charade was busted!

I was at the end of myself. That was when I looked to God and begged Him to forgive me. I wanted to be right with Him, but I had so screwed everything up. And that's when Jesus scooped my broken self up and held me close. He brushed away my tears and dusted me off. He gently lead me to discover who He is. He taught me the truth.

And one day, I asked Him to be Lord of my life. I would no longer be in charge of my life. I would submit to Him in everything.

And with that comes the greatest freedom you can ever know.

I thought I would get away with it.
But what about my sin? Does that mean I just get a pass? Did I get away with it?

No.

My guilt weighed heavily on me until I was forgiven. And, even now, the consequences are in place.

My sin was not overlooked. It was paid for. Jesus took the punishment that I deserved. The seriousness of that does not escape me.

One day, I will stand at the judgment seat, and as the Father looks at me, He will see the righteousness of Jesus Christ, instead of my ugliness. I'm covered with Him.

You could be covered too, if only you will seek out who He is and submit your life to Him. I pray you do.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Thanksgiving

This picture says it all.



(It says, "I AM THANKFUL FOR MY FAMILY.)

Me too, Baby, me too. :-)

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Hey Mr. Bad Guy

I'd like to clear a few things up. You see, Mr. Bad Guy, you were mistaken.

You thought she was worthless.
She is priceless.

You thought she was a throw-away.
She is a KEEPER!

You thought she deserved what she got.
She is a child. No child ever deserves to be treated like that.

You thought she didn't belong to anybody.
She belongs to me! She belongs to Daddy!
And, moreover, she belongs to God!
You messed with a child of the King!

You thought you were so big and in control.
By your actions, you proved that you can't even control yourself.

You thought what you did didn't matter.
The damage you caused affects Cupcake, her family, her classmates, the neighbors and countless others.

You thought there were no witnesses.
Jesus was there. He saw what you did.

You thought no one would ever find out.
...you may be sure that your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23

I know what you did. This kind of stuff will not stay hidden forever.

You thought you were going to get away with it.
There will be a day of reckoning.

One day, your soul will be laid bare before the LORD Almighty. I pray that you are covered in the righteousness of Jesus Christ when that day comes.

Sincerely,
Mamita

Go Ahead and Laugh

I pulled a good one today.

I intended to drop one kid at home, grab a bottle of water, and head out again for more errands. As I walked in the door, TE handed me the phone. It was Daddy. So I grabbed the water, jumped in the car and set off up the street - all the while talking on the phone. It wasn't until I was about a block away that Daddy's v..oi..ce...g...ot...all....ch..op.....py. At that moment I realized that I had driven off with the cordless home phone up to my ear!

Sigh.

Go ahead and laugh.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Eagle Project

TE has been working towards his Eagle Rank in the Boy Scouts of America. It involves a serious project, where the boy plans the project in writing, leads in the implementation of it, and follows up with a written report. It's a big deal.

The planning stage has been done for a few weeks. He chose to put in a permanent fire pit and benches at our church. For the last two weekends, he has lead other scouts in the actual construction.

Two Saturdays ago, they built 5 benches from scratch in our garage.


Three generations of scouts.

Last Saturday, he lead the installation of the benches and firepit.


It looks so simple like this. But, let me tell you, it was A LOT OF WORK! TE did a great job of planning and leading and everything went off smoothly. I'm so proud of him.

The men of the church still have a little work left to do with trimming some of the brush nearby and putting down more rock around the pit and benches. That will happen this Saturday. I'll probably take another picture or two of the finished product.

Then it's on to the final write-up....One more big hurdle.

Blessings to you,
Mamita

Halloween Pics

Cupcake chose to be Sharpei from High School Musical. I bought a $4 prom dress from Goodwill and a wig from the party store. Ta-da! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Sharpei the diva...



The wig lasted about 5 minutes into the Kindergarten Party. It apparently looked better than it felt. She decided she was Gabriela (from High School Musical) instead. That worked.

On Saturday, she decided she wanted to be a fairy queen. So the costume morphed again...



Sugar found a pharoah hat for the pup (It was made for a cat. Shhhh...Don't tell pup.)

So she decided to be an Egyptian princess again this year.


Rascal was totally content to be king...NOT. His hat came off quicker than Cupcake's wig.


No dogs were hurt in the filming of these pictures...Well, his feelings were hurt.

On a different note...yesterday was, in fact, spent doing a lot more than just trick-or-treating. More on that later.

Blessings to you,
Mamita