A Ferris wheel goes round and round. Up to the top you ride feeling the wind in your face and seeing all the sights. To the bottom you go, hearing the giggles of delight and smelling delicious popcorn and cotton candy. Just as you really begin to enjoy yourself, you feel it come to a stop. As you exit through the gate, you consider purchasing another ticket because it went by way too quickly.
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All of that would be true if you love rides and heights. I however, do not. The scene that I just described takes on a totally different tone and emotion for me. 

​S-T-O-P! Oh, I should not have said that!

• Does my face show the terrible selfish response that is running through my mind?
• Does my tone reflect the rude and frustrating way I am handling this situation?
• Can anyone sense the impatient way in which I am facing this crisis?  

Do you ever find yourself thinking these thoughts? Do those convicting questions run across your mind on more than one occasion during your day?

I have found myself camped out here lately. My words and attitude have gotten the better of me and have left me with a huge load of guilt. Since stopping this trend of sinfulness was my true desire, I sought out an acrostic to give me some direction. 

A New Year. . . 365 days. . . a new start, a fresh page, a clean slate. We have all heard the many clichés about the new year ahead. They bring a sense of hope, endless possibilities, and growth. The feeling of potential accomplishments and true change surround us. We begin to embrace the positive outlook that is portrayed. ​

Lights, tinsel, carols, hot chocolate, and eleven faces eagerly awaiting what they will receive. What an amazing and magically time filled with family and memories. Only a God of love and compassion would turn His ultimate sacrifice into a day of gifts for all mankind. Christ, the greatest gift, is still giving today!

​That being said, materialism and the hunt for the latest and greatest has tarnished, as it always will, the heart of this season. The fight to keep the focus both Christ-centered and ordered with moderation has all of us going against the flow of society.

Empty. Her cupboard was completely bare. She was desperate. The debt collectors were at the door. The payment required was her two sons. They were going to be taken from her to serve as slaves. She had already lost her husband, and was still grieving. Where was she going to turn? Who held the answer? Who could truly help?

​Elisha was her best option. He was a prophet who knew her husband and she knew he served the One who could truly bring relief and help to this dire circumstance. She rushes to his presence and pleads her case. 

Random Thoughts from a Tired Momma:

• How many nights can you serve cereal for supper?
• The best trend ever is mix matched socks.
• I wonder what the world record is for the tallest pile of laundry, and if I am in the running?
• When is someone going to invent a bed that makes itself?
• Could I eat Krispy Kreme doughnuts in my closet without anyone finding me?
• How many days is dry shampoo good for?

Living with teenagers comes with a certain level of scrutiny that I never expected. Teens have an internal barometer for sorting out the genuine from the fraud. From peers to authority figures, they are all passed through the same gauge. “Are they all they say they are? Are they legit?“

Because my house is currently heavy on the teen side, and will be for many years, the desire to pass their smell test has put me on a quest to answer this question, “What does REAL look like to a teenager?” This acrostic has been born out of months of prayer, surrender, and repentance. I fail, and fail again, but having a target has guided me to a new way of walking in my daily life.