Purple Dinosaur

Did you know that God cares about the smallest detail of your life? I sometimes lose sight of that. But today, I was reminded of that in a purple dinosaur kind of way. Let me explain.

We have wanted to get the boys a sandbox. Yet, I just could not justify going out and spending $40-$80 on a sandbox. Trust me, I scoured Ebay, Craigslist and many other venues...hoping to find a cheap sandbox for the boys. I had almost gotten to the point of caving ...and spending $ we don't have. However, I had seen a sign for a neighborhood garage sale that was being held this morning. The sale started at 8:00 am. I was out the door by 7:15...(had to use up part of my Starbucks gift card....) I had prayed that God would help me find a sandbox. I drove into the neighborhood. Took my first left....stopped at the first house...and there it was....a purple dinosaur sandbox...complete with a broken lid! I was beside myself happy! I walked up and asked how much....FIVE DOLLARS! Yes...you read that right 5 DOLLARS! I was so excited I was shaking.

I put the treasure in the back of the Rodeo...stopped by ACE and got some sand....and rushed home. What an absolute BLAST the boys had today! God is sooooo good. He cares about the little details in our lives. I thought of the verse that says..."if you then who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to His Children.." How He delights in us.....How awesome is that! Enjoy His gifts today....in a purple Dinosaur way....

Healthy Insanity....

20 Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk And Label it "In".

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write "For Smuggling Drugs".

7. Finish All Your sentences with "In Accordance With The Prophecy".

8. Don't use any punctuation.

9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.

10. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

11. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is "To Go".

12. Sing Along At The Opera.

13. Go To A Poetry Recital. And Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme?

14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area, Play tropical Sounds All Day.

15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You're Not In The Mood.

16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, Rock Bottom.

17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won! I Won!"

18. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling"Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!"

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, "Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go."

20. And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity ...Share this with Someone To Make Them Smile. It's Called... Therapy

Smiling at the future....

Today I got an email from a friend of mine who's husband has been on active duty with the army and he's now pursuing the chaplaincy as well. I had emailed her and asked her what military life was like and how I should prepare....Here is a glimpse of her answer...

Hi Connie......... To address your question
about how much hubby will be gone that will depend on what kind of base you are on (training, schooling, deployable, etc). You just have to prepare yourself for alot of time a part and with the current world situation at least a year gone out of every three and thats being
generous. Currently our chaplains will be deployed more since there is a shortage, just looking at the fact that there is less than 9% deployable because the other 91% were just deployed in the army reserve sector will give you an idea how much there are needed in the field. I'm not trying to scare you, you'll have alot of support from
those around you because most will be in the same situation and knowing to that this is what God has called your family too He will allow you to thrive in that situation (although bad days are expected)...

After reading this...I got scared. It was as if a wave of the reality of what we are heading towards hit me full force. I started to cry. Inside I was asking ..."Lord, can I really do this?" "Lord, I don't know that I'm cut out for this..." "Lord, I don't want to raise my boys alone..." "Lord, I don't want to be one of those wives weeping over a flag draped coffin...." I was falling apart, starting to spiral....then the phone rang.

I wiped my eyes...took a breath and answered the phone. On the other end I heard my friend Tonia's voice. She had been having her quiet time and the Lord had laid me on her heart. She proceeded to tell me that God had given her a specific verse that she was to share with me.

This was the verse...
" Do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand" Isaiah 4:10

It's a verse I've had memorized since I was a small child. It's a verse I have quoted to myself and others many times. Yet God knew I needed it...today...at that very moment. He calmed my fears. He made me realize that though I may not me strong...He will be my strength. On those days when I cannot stand...He is the one who is holding me in his hand. His righteous right hand.

Through Him I can face the unknowns in our future. Through his strength I can be like the woman described in Proverbs 31..."She walks in strength and dignity..and she smiles at the future..."

Welcome, Shadow

Yes...we are now the proud temporary keepers of a 16 year old Dog. His name is Shadow. He is mostly blind, basically deaf, somewhat arthritic...yet loveable dog. He belongs to my college kids...Chris and Mary Zane. Shadow was scheduled to be put to sleep this past weekend. However, on Saturday, when they went in for his appointment, the Vet would not put him to sleep. So....Chris and Mary Zane drove him up here on Saturday. He is a good dog. He just hates our cats. So..the Johnson household is brimming. We have Three kids, two cats and a dog. The trick is keeping Shadow and our cats separate. Thank heaven for baby gates and a "blind" dog. Life is never dull..

Scrapbooking Vacation

Well, I think I have my "vacation" dates planned. Monty is taking a week off, so I can go visit my friend Ann. It looks like I'll be heading to Minnesota the first week of August. We get to go to this scrapbooking cabin for 3 days....check out this link. I'm soooooo excited
http://www.raspberryridgecabin.com/Info.html

Tonsilliectomy and the unending requests....

JD got his tonsils out on the 26th. It's been a s-l-o-w recovery. Poor little guy. He's still on pain meds every 4 hours. I just feel bad for the kid. He has no clue what has happened. He just knows is "Froat" hurts. He's been unexpectedly bossy. He wants a blue Popsicle..not a yellow one. He wants it in a cup...smashed into juice. He wants ice...chopped of course and he wants to eat it with a fork. He wants a long fork, not a short one. He likes milkshakes in his purple cup, with the lid on. He wants his blue "fire" (pacifier) not his orange one. He wants to sleep on the bean bag in the living room... He wants to watch the Disney Movie "Atlantis" pretty much exclusively. (Though we've gone to the library and blockbuster to try to get his attention to something else).

I can tell by the bags under his eyes, and the lack of energy that he feels horrible. So, I acquiesce to his requests. I know that these days will pass and I will have my bundle of energy back. So, I take a deep breath and know that some of these requests come out of a fog of pain...and I give to him what I can...

I have wondered how often God puts up with the same things from me.... "I want such and such...but I want it here...not there.... I want a house..but in this neighborhood...with this....and on it goes. In his love and patience God gives to me...again and again. He never tires of giving good things to his children....Thank you Lord...please give me your strength and eyes as I take care of my hurting child....