Not exactly a clean freak

My mom is coming to visit my newish apartment for the first time tomorrow. Now, you'd think at 45, this wouldn't still freak me out so much and make me want to make everything look good for her visit, but it does. She's 86 and can barely read the paper anymore, but she'll notice (and comment on!) any dirty little corner or pile of rubbish in my place so today when I looked around at my perpetual mess, I figured I better try my best to sweep up the dust bunnies, scrub the grime, polish the shiny things, and wash the dishes. Ick.

Did I mention I hate cleaning? That gene that says "I'm so content because every last piece of everything in my home is clean and put away" must have skipped me. That joy people get when their place is clean is about as joyful as I get when the gynecologist at my annual exam says "here, let me warm this up a bit so it'll be more comfortable." What?? No, there's no way that'll make my visit any more pleasant. Just like me scrubbing my toothbrush holder of old dried off toothbrush is not going to make my bathroom visits any more joyful.

So, as I was doing the bare necessities of cleaning tonight, I got through it by thinking of everything in the world I like better than cleaning. The list is really never ending, but here's a few that randomly popped in my head right away.

• I like the smell of my puppy better. Even after she goes on  a long walk with me and is radiating all that good ol' doggy heat.
• I like the taste of leftover Kraft Mac & Cheese better. Sprinkle enough salt on it and it's heaven compared to cleaning.
• I like the rainbow swirl of oil in puddles in the parking lot better. 
• I like watching Hulu commercials better - especially if  they're REI commercials.
• I like forcing my youngest out of bed in the morning better (this one can actually be fun if done correctly).
• I like the feeling of hot sweat running down my back on a humid day better.

And the list goes on and on. Why do I like all of those things better? Simply because they are parts of enjoying life and spending time with ones I love and all of those things are better than cleaning. No one will say I had an amazingly clean apartment when I die, but hopefully, they'll say I spent most of my life doing what I want with my loved ones.

County Fair

For some strange reason, we love the county fair. I mean really, there's just so much about it that I shouldn't like. Nauseating smells, blaring music, filthy trash floating about, over-fried food and rides designed to make you puke. But still, there's some primeval part of me that just loves going. So, before doing a stint volunteering for our school at its booth at the fair, my daughter and I just had to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the area. While we just sat on a bench, we had a fun time coming up with winners for the following contests. And trust me, we had plenty of contenders.

• Weirdest hair - this either went to the woman with the really bad wig or the body builder who had his hair greased into tons of long spike hanging off the side of his head. He looked like a porcupine.
• Worst dressed - we decided the girl who chose to wear a hot pink bra under her see-through yellow shirt probably won.
• Craziest person - easily the guy who approached us and asked if he could eat the two-bites worth of my daughter's corn dog lying in the dirt  won that contest. We didn't even know how to respond so he then proceeded to tell me he just got high and that was why he asked.
• Cutest couple - there were lots of contestents for this one, but a couple of punkers (girl had awesome blue stripped hair) were the winners by a hair (LOL - I crack myself up).
• Most age inappropriate clothing - a 60-year-old lady in a plunging halter top.
• Oldest Couple - a woman pushing a walker and an old man pulling an oxygen tank. We're assuming they were heading to the BINGO tent, but who knows, maybe they came to hear the band.

That's it. Nothing spiritual, just more people watching. Gott love all the people in this world, no matter what.

Wonderful Neighbors

Now, I totally admit I don't know most of my neighbors. We lived in our large apartment complex for only a year, I work full-time and when I'm not working, I'm usually out and about. I'm definitely not a homebody. But, one of my favorite things to do is walk my dog, Bella,  around the half-mile pond that is out our back door. And it's there that I am getting to know some of my amazing neighbors - whether it's personally or just by recognition. But God has given me a heart for all of them. Here's a list of them. Some of them I know their names, some I don't and some I've just made up names for. Each is an amazing creation by God.

• Sucre and Faati - two under 10 Somalian boys who love to run circles around my dog, always just out of reach of her leash. They laugh and say "Chase me, chase me, Bella." Their glee contagious.
• LaKeesha - a 14ish lonely young lady who seems to always be out by herself. Give her a chance, and she'll tell you fantastical stories of the horrors of her life in a voice that is so matter-of-fact, that she could be reading a grocery list.
• Three Wise Men - three old Somalian men who walk so slowly around the pond, they seem not to move at all. They discuss serious issues in expressive voices I don't understand, yet grant me kind nods and smiles when I pass them by over and over again.
• Two Girls from Ghana - When we see them riding their bikes I always warn Bella, "Look out dear, you're going to be pounced!" They run to her full speed, sliding on their knees as they approach so they can scoop her up and hug her like a rag doll. Each time, I ask their names, each time they tell me and I can't understand. "Don't worry," they say. "No one here can say our names." And then they proceed to ask me all kinds of unique questions about Bella - "Is she a puppy?" No. "Do you think she wishes she were a puppy?" Maybe. And on and on it goes until I explain I need to keep walking.
• Larry - oh how I love Larry. Continually walking, morning, noon or night. A tall lanky retired man with a penchant for sweets (Or so he told me, thus all of his walking). Always ready with a short but entertaining story, Larry talks to everyone.
• Ali - a Middle Eastern man who strolls around with a mug of coffee (or so I assume) looking for people to chat with.
• "Dreads" and "Blondie"  - sweet young couple that walk their little girl around the pond as she rides her bike with training wheels. Always up for a friendly hello, his long dreads reaching down his back and her easy smile make my day.
• Confused old lady - loves to sit in the shade of the trees.  But if you happen by close enough, she'll trap you with tales of gophers eating her "pickle" plants in a heavy Norweigen accent. She wears her housedress and looks like an overstuffed pillowcase.
• Gang banger wannabes - sitting at the picnic table, talking in hushed tones and looking at you out of the corners of their eyes. But if you shout hello and wave, their faces lift up into the light and their smiles shine.

And let's not forget us:

• Me - walking my little dog around the pond as fast as my short legs will go. Happy to say a quick hello but just as happy to keep moving. Laughing at the duck butts that continually bob in the pond.
• My oldest daughter - known for taking her guitar, sitting on the grass along the path and playing worship music. Smiling at all that pass by. Her dreads catching the sun and blowing in the breeze.
• My youngest daughter - loves to sit on the swinging benchs with her notebook and pen, doodling, writing and always singing/talking to herself.

Red or yellow, black or white... they are precious in His sight!

Tonight I got to do one of my favorite things in our town. Go to the local lake and listen to an ourdoor concert. The weather was perfect, the music was good and the company was great (even though I went alone).

What made me love this group of people I didn't know? Let me give a brief backstory. I live in a medium-size town in central MN. It's a town that when I moved here from the capital, people would substitute the word "white" for  the "Saint" part of the city name. Don't get my wrong, I love this city and have lived here for more than 20 years now, but I always missed the diversity of the big city. But lately, our little town is getting more diverse and this one lake seems to draw in the many new cultures that are beginning to reshape this town. And it just brings me joy.

So as I walked with my little dog around the lake (7 times!), here are some of the sights and people I saw that made me smile.

• A young latino couple pulling their little boy in a wagon saying "Perro, perro"
• College students wake boarding on the lake in matching life vests
• Several elderly couples walking hand-in-hand
• Several gay couples walking hand-in-hand
• A guy in a wheelchair chasing kids on scooters
• Beautiful Somalian women with their flowing burqas
• A large group of black people laughing and talking loud enjoying each other's company
• A woman walking around breast feeding her baby
• Fit young men running around the gaggles of people, getting in their daily jog
• A homeless man laying on a ratty blanket under a tree with all of his belongings in the even rattier backpack next to him
• A group of four teens, smoking cigarettes and making funny voices as they talk and laughing uproarishly at each voice
• Groups of middle-aged white women power walking around the lake (yes, that would include myself)

I thought to myself, God loves all these people the same. He doesn't love one of them any more than the other. What a wonderful world it would be if we could do the same.

Forced Rest

There's one thing I really suck at - resting and relaxing (OK, that's two but they're a lot alike). I seriously have an addiction to activity, especially in the summer. We live in  Minnesota, where 8 months out of the year, being outside is barely tolerable, much less enjoyable. So, when it's a sunny day in the summer, I will make a point to be anywhere but home.

Today, my 10-year-old asked me if we could just stay home. "What?" I asked incredulously. How could we do that? There's so much stuff we could do. We could go to the little zoo about 40 miles away. We could rent paddleboats. Or hike around a local lake. We could even take in some local theater in the park. But stay home? On a sunny Saturday in the summer? Seems like sacrilege to me. But when she looked at me with her beautiful blue eyes and said "PLEASE," I shrugged and gave in.

What will I do today, I thought? Should I clean? Should I be productive? Nope, I resolved to RELAX. Yep, there I said it - RELAX. Oh, and REST. This was going to a new step in my journey here on Earth. So, what did I do today? I read. I played Wii with my girl. I read some more. I napped. I actually made dinner (this is feat for me lately). I read again. Played some half-hearted tennis with my daughter. Went swimming in our pool. And read again. Rounded it out with a movie and some homemade popcorn (none of that crappy microwave stuff on a day like today).

God tells us we should rest. Heck, God even rested on the 7th day. So, I should follow His example more often. It's very relaxing...

And they call it puppy love

We have a little "baby" in our household. We call her Bella and she's three. She loves us so much, sometimes it's just mind boggling. From her extreme excitement when we come home (even if all we did was go get the mail) to her constant need to be in the same room with one of us at all times, are just some of the ways she shows us her adoration.
 
This little pup has gotten me through some really tough times - mainly my divorce. She sat patiently with me while I cried and while I ranted. When my daughters were gone for the weekend, she was right there on the couch, ready for a snuggle whenever I needed it.

I admit, there are times that her adoration actually gets a little cloying or suffocating. I cannot go to the bathroom alone and on those times that I sit at the kitchen table (like right now) and she can't sit with me, she just sits at my feet, staring up at me, waiting for the second I get off the computer. It can be al bit unnerving to see her staring so intently at me.

But, I'll take it over an aloof cat or a non-responsive fish anyday. I think she's the best and I thank God for creating such amazing creatures as dogs. I think He knew just what people needed when he made them!

Bittersweet Birthday

Today is a sad day for me. It's my oldest's 19th birthday. Why does that make me sad - only because she's not here. She's celebrating her birthday while on her missionary trip to Ireland. Oh, I know, I can't complain. My amazing daughter is on a mission trip, serving God with all her heart. I couldn't ask for more. But still... this is probably the first birthday I haven't been able to give her a hug, take her out for her free mexican birthday meal and watch her open her gifts.

I am grateful that my prayers for her when she was young have been answered. I didn't do the standard prayers for my child. I didn't pray she'd be successful in her life. I didn't pray she'd be financially secure. I didn't even pray she'd just be happy. Those are all good things, but I wanted something more. I prayed she'd have a life fully committed to Christ. Nothing more, nothing less. Oh, she could still be successful, she could still be rich and happy, but none of those things should come before a firm, solid relationship with Christ.

So, today, while I am sadly missing my girl, I am also celebrating the answered prayer.

What prayers do you say for your children?