Happy Labor Day!

Let us all pause to celebrate labor by not doing any.

Dad's Birthday~

So, my dad's 55th birthday is in 2 weeks(ish) and I've been working on a little present for him. I know this sounds weird, I feel a little urgency with this particular gift. 2 years ago he had a massive heart attack and a smaller one six months later. By the time he was my age, his dad was gone. Obviously, I can't predict the future, but I also can't hide from the possibilities....so weird or not...I didn't want to wait any longer to write a book honoring him. It's a small book, the square gift kind that you get at cardshops, probably around 50 pages. I don't have any intention of publishing (although I may get extra copies to pass along to new dads). Nonetheless, I know it's going to rock his world.


Anyway, the book is in it's final stages, and with some too-expensive shipping should be here next week.
So, I thought I'd share with you an excerpt. Read if you like:)
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From:Chapter 1 of What Dad Did Right: a guide to what works for fathers of girls

Dad was my biggest fan:
.......I remember calling home from college. The clash of acting grownup and not actually BEING grownup had caught up with me. The checking account was overdrawn, and much to my dismay I had to swallow some pride and call home. I was hanging my head. I don't know exactly what I expected out of that phone call, but I knew it wasn't good. Financial responsibility is a big deal in my family-and I had blown it to the tune of a couple hundred dollars.

I stared at the phone for a while, dialed slowly, spilled the whole story before I could lose my nerve and then....silence. When dad began to speak, he pointed out where I had gone off course, but it wasn't exactly what I had expected. After a few sentences of "do better next time" he began to tell me how he brags to all his friends about me. What?! I was shocked and wondering what that had to do with this conversation. He reminded me of all the times I had been responsible and how this was certainly just a fluke and not a reflection of my character.
What a lecture! I left feeling better than before I'd called!

Don't misunderstand, dad never shielded me from necessary consequences and he always had high expectations, but he also never let me forget that those expectations flowed out of a belief that I was something special. In this particular moment, I think he figured out that making that phone call and disappointing him was more punishment than anything he could say. I'll never forget the end of that conversation:


"Sweetheart, everyone messes up. Just don't let it become a habit. I'm putting the money in your account with a little extra. Go buy some groceries. I'm so proud of you. Oh, and don't worry. No one will ever know about this but me and you..."

At that point dad believed some things about me that I didn't necessarily believe about myself yet. He believed I was more than my mistakes and better than the sum of my actions. At a time in life when it is accepted and expected that parents complained to friends about their lazy, money-sucking college kid, he never joined in.

Like a lover of the Mets or a passionate follower of nascar,
he was my biggest fan-win or lose- and I knew it.

I wish every new dad could have peeped through the window and seen this. There's no explaining just how important it is for a little kids, especially a little girl, to believe deep down that her daddy thinks she's off-the-charts-incredible. As a high school teacher, I see this sort of thing played out all the time. One girl has high standards, achieves in school and thrives socially. She's a picture of promise and potential. Another girl of similar appearance and intelligence, living in the same neighborhood and running with roughly the same crowd will give herself away to every boy that will have her, make decisions based on acceptance, and never really pursue greatness relationally, academically or otherwise. It happens every day, and with a 5 minute conversation I find that the only consistent difference between kids who make good decisions and kids who don't is a belief about who they are and who they're destined to be.

Dads, that belief is a gift from you.

As an update......

Today's a much better day.

Yesterday (as one might have noticed) was kind of a fog of funk....

Better now.

Thanks for lovin' me Bether! I think you're awesome!

Today is not a bad day.

Today has not been a bad day.

But today is a rough day.

I believe God has a purpose and plan for my life...but frankly I can see neither.

Today it's hard to figure out how or why I've spent 4 years here.

Today is one of those days when it's hard to believe that God loves me. I'm not saying He doesn't...I know better....I know all the ways I would answer a student feeling the same way......but everyone has these days, right?

A Good Deal

If you know me...you know I'm sucker for a great deal. That's why I was so bummed when my go-to's for school clothes didn't serve me well this year. Nothing quite fit my short legs or sadly growing waistline. I did finally make it to NY and Company where I found some great pants. I didn't love the price tag, but I bought 4 pair anyway. It's better than going to work bottomless!

On Thursday I had to return one pair (in my haste I ended up with several pairs of gray pants and no black ones) to find that ALL of their dress pants were Buy One Get One Half Off!!!!

I was TICKED. I had paid full price! Sad Day.

So, I go to the counter to return my one pair and buy 2 more (hey..at least I'd get SOMETHING half off).

Much to my surprise, the lady said-"I see you bought 4 pairs last week. Would you like me to make those buy one get one as well?" WHAT?!

Apparently if you bring back your reciept within 14 days and a new sale has started, they'll refund you whatever extra you paid. SO...I went back planning to exchange some pants and I ended up getting more expensive pants and about 33 more dollars in my pocket.

Yay for a good deal!

Sarayu....or something like that..

Does God ever work in "themes" in your life? Sometimes it seems that he seems to bring my attention to a specific area over and over for a period of time.

Right now, it's the work of the Holy Spirit. Frankly, I've ignored Him for a while. Oh, I didn't go and say, "I think I"ll start ignoring a third of the Trinity"....it just happened. Especially as I've been serving at a church for non-churchy types, the Holy Spirit is the hardest one to explain without getting all "Spirit-ual".BUT, lately I've been reminded of just how wonderful it is to have a connection with God that I can't explain-a nudge, a clench, a....movement of the spirit that is not the least bit tangible or even comprehensible outside experience....I love that!

People I love...

I love a lot of people.

Lets focus on one group today, shall we?

I love student ministry people. I don't just love serving with them...I love doing life with them. I love crying with them. I LOVE doing meetings--yes, even meetings---with them. I LOVE the isbells, the interns, and the volunteers that have become some of my best friends. This summer we did our own camp, spent days in rented vans, sweat more than I have in years, waded through some sticky student issues, and hung out at a campsite that made hell look chilly. BUT-
There is no other group of people on the planet with whom I'd rather spend 40 days of summer.