It’s that time of year again, when the “homeschool blues” creep into your heart and life. It is the end of March, after Spring Break, but we are still a looong way from completing the semester. On top of that the weather is just way too beautiful to be stuck inside. You are probably looking at your lesson plans and wondering how you will ever “catch up”, and your goals, some of which you just made at New Years, are becoming strangely dim. What is a homeschool mom (dad) to do?!

First, let me assure you-you are not alone! We all doubt our qualifications and ability to teach from time to time. We ask ourselves, “Would my kids be better off being taught by an institution, rather than by their own God given parents?” We look at our own messy house, our needy toddler, our bickering children, our daunting “to do” list, our books; yet not read, our vision of peace and joy, which are seemingly crumbling down around us, and we cry out, “Is this really worth it?!”

I have a few words of encouragement for you today: Stick to the Raft!!

Several years ago we read a Lamplighter book, Stick to the Raft, which was originally written in 1877. It is a story of a young man’s journey of faith. A poor boy is honored for his hard work and honesty, when misfortune invades his life, and his faith is tested. I want to share an excellent excerpt from this book. “It’s my dead mother’s idea, sir. Soon after father gave himself to the Lord he had to take a raft to a neighboring village, and when he started, mother told him to stick to it, and explained that she wanted him to hold on to a Raft which would bear him at all times. She meant the Lord Jesus Christ.” It is a delightful book, with a wonderful message of hope. I encourage you: Stick to the Raft!

Remember homeschool mom (dad), what you are doing has eternal value. It doesn’t matter if you don’t finish all of your assignments by the first of June. It does matter that you stand steadfast, and know in your heart that nobody has the burden for your children that you have. When they were born, God placed that burden in your heart. That burden drives your desire to help them succeed in all areas of their lives. You know their strengths and weaknesses and can tailor their academic study, life skills development, character training, and spiritual growth to that individual child. Don’t’ forget that the time that you spend with your children, as you teach them at home, is an incredible gift from God. Again, I encourage you: Stick to the Raft!

In warfare, an army is much more effective when they know their enemy and what they are up against. The same holds true with educating our children at home. If we know that the “homeschool blues” creep into our lives this time of year, we can be ready to battle, and come out on the other side victorious.

There are several practical ways we can combat our enemy. First, let us make no comparisons with other homeschool families, with public or private schools, or even between our own children, and what we have done in the past. God has a specific plan for your family, including each individual child, during this precious season. We need to keep our eyes on Him. Second, delve into God’s Word, to seek the strength, hope, and encouragement that you need today. Discover how the Lord instructs you to teach, train and direct your children. Third, phone a friend. Call a fellow homeschool mom (dad) and encourage her (him). Amazing things happen when we take our focus off of ourselves and make a concerted effort to bless someone else. Lastly, pray and seek the Lord. He knows what your children need, and can give you the wisdom to accomplish what He desires in this school year. His grace will empower you meet the challenge head on, and His mercy will sustain you as you faithfully obey His leading. But most importantly……..

Stick to the Raft!!

1) Life is Full of Surprises!

When you wake up, scuttle to peak out the window, in search of a dusting of snow, only to find four inches of snow on March 21st….Now that is a sweet surprise.  (If you love snow like I do!)  Life is full of surprises; receiving a note of encouragement from a friend, your kids completing a chore without being asked or someone generously giving you a referral.  These are all sweet surprises.

2) Sometimes Life is Messy.

Sometimes a snowman is rolled up in huge, perfect snowballs and other times they are just plain messy.  In my own life, perfect is few and far between.  I tend to live in messy.  But that is okay.  Messy gives you an opportunity to depend on the Lord.  Messy gives you the opportunity to grow and learn new things.  Messy gives you a testimony that may help others when they are going through their own hard stuff.

3) Too Much Sun is Not Good For You.

When the sun shines down on your snowman it makes the snow sparkle like a diamond, but too much sun results in a puddle.  Like any pleasure, moderation is the key, whether you are playing in the sun on the beach, or eating your favorite ice cream.  Go ahead and indulge….enjoy life… but just make sure you have balance.

4) It is the Simple Things in Life Which Bring Joy!

Whether it is the adorable face of a snowman smiling broadly, or taking a walk with your girlfriends, or playing a video game with your kids (like my favorite retro game…Pac Man),or diffusing your favorite essential oil (mine is Christmas Spirit).  Make sure you enjoy the simple things!

5) Accessories Make the Outfit!

You can roll three of the same size snowballs to build your creation, and still end up with a totally different snowman based on the accessories you use.  Hat?  Carrot nose?  Scarf?  Button eyes?  It is the same way with us.  What do you adorn your life with?  Family?  Friends?  Business?  Volunteering?

6) You Are Only As Strong As Your Foundation

Have you even seen a snowman built with the smallest snowball on the bottom?  Of course not!  From the bottom up you build the snowman so he’ll have a firm foundation.  It is the same with us.  Everybody has the same 24 hours a day, so we need to make sure you put your big rocks in first.  Have you ever tried to fill an empty jar with rocks, pebbles and sand?  The only way to do it and make it all fit, is to place the biggest rocks in first, then the pebbles and lastly to fill it in with sand.  In the same way you need to prioritize the important things in your life; faith, family, friends ect… Build your life on a firm foundation.  I like to build mine on God’s Word.  It brings me peace and helps me to love others.

7) Wet Snow Works Best!

Wet snow works best for successfully building a snowman.  With wet snow you can roll up a pretty good-sized snowman in a very short period of time, but it also tends to pick grass, dirt, leaves and sticks from the ground underneath.  We live in a fast food world.  We want to build strong relationships with our spouse or significant other, create a healthy body through exercise and food choices, teach our kids Chemistry and Algebra, and grow a successful business, but we want to do it all with lightning speed. The problem with that is that the faster you build-the more debris you pick up along the way.  Slow and steady gets the worm.  Anything thing worth doing, is worth investing the precious gift of time.

8) The Snow is Always Snowier on the Other Side.

A snowman doesn’t get to decide where he is built.  Sometimes Alaska looks much more appealing to a snowman than say…Minnesota.  It is the same with us.  Comparison is the enemy of success.  If you look around you will always find someone who is prettier, who has smarter kids, or who moves up the ladder of success quicker than you.  Don’t compare.  Stand where you are built and be content with your life.

9) Nothing Lasts Forever.

Of course, the saddest part of building a snowman, is saying goodbye when he melts.  Have you ever watched Frosty the Snowman?  I cried a thousand tears as a child.  Life moves quickly, so it is important to live in the moment and be present.  In my daughter’s favorite movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris profoundly proclaims, “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”  Seriously, we all know what it means to be present.  Lay the cell phone down, and come out with your hands up!!  Engage in the lives of others; talk, laugh, encourage, pray, listen and be a wife, be a mom, be a daughter, be a friend.

10) We Are a Work in Progress.

The creative artist who builds the snowman, determines who he will be.  Will he be serious?  Will he have a pipe and a scarf?  Will she wear a big floppy sun hat?  Will he have a carrot for a nose?  Will he have buttons for eyes?  Or coal for eyes and buttons for his midsection?  We are constantly growing and changing.  Who you were a decade ago, four years ago, or even six months ago doesn’t identify who you are today.  Our choices and decisions; both good and bad don’t define us.  Our family doesn’t define us.  Our education doesn’t define us.  Our success doesn’t define us.  Our failures don’t even define us.  If we let Him, God will mold us into the man or woman He desires us to be.  The Bible tells us that He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it.  I don’t know about you, but that sure encourages me!

A deafening silence fills my heart.  A year ago tonight, (actually around 1 am tomorrow) my Dad stepped from this earth into eternity.  As this day crept closer and closer, my heart was filled with so many mixed emotions; everything from thankfulness, to sadness, to elation, to depression, to love, to emptiness.  My mind kept replaying the tumultuous memories of hospital visits, various tests and procedures, radiation and rehab.  It replayed the sweet memories of precious time together, talking, planning, learning Sudoku, watching the Pacers, reading and getting advice from the man I trusted most in this life.  It replayed the stressful memories of flying and driving back and forth from Florida to Indy, hoping to make it in time, regretting when I left too soon.  My mind replayed the phone call from my cousin telling me she held his hand when the doctor told my Dad he had cancer, and the consultation with my other cousin, who told me medically speaking it didn’t look very hopeful.  It replayed all four of my kids taking off work and school, traveling 13 hours through the night up to see their Gramps, and my friends stepping up to help me in so many different ways. It replayed prayers, lots and lots of prayers. It replayed the heart-wrenching decisions; hopeful plans for a new treatment, devasting news that my Dad wasn’t a candidate, and where do we go from here discussions.  My mind replayed a fighter.  Someone who said if there is a possibility of recovery let’s go for it, no matter how difficult. Someone who went to therapy everyday and did whatever he was asked. It replayed the conversations of take care of your mom, cheer her up, make sure she is okay.  My mind replayed sad things I didn’t want to put on paper, intimate things that were too personal to record, and beautiful things which will be etched in my memory forever.

Overall, I’m so thankful for the memories.  The old Garth Brooks song is buzzing through my head tonight, I could have missed the pain, but I would have had to miss the dance.  No way!  When all is said and done, I’m left with faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love.  My faith sustains me.  The Lord carries me through this mental battle and through all struggles, just as he carried my Dad home to Heaven.  My hope reminds me that this life is not all.  That I will see my Dad again, and we’ll laugh and cry and he’ll burn rolls. (maybe not the rolls part but who knows)  And the love… well the love is everything.  My heart bursts with the love I feel for this man who has always been there for me.  This man whose absence has left a void in so many hearts.  My heart breaks tonight because it has experienced great love, and I wouldn’t exchange that for anything in this world.  So, in the words of my Dad, again I’m not going to say goodbye, I’m just saying so long for now…

Walt Disney once vocalized, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”  The Happiest Place on Earth. That is a pretty bold statement. Recently when we visited Disney World, my son’s friend questioned the validity of this statement.  “I don’t really think Magic Kingdom is the happiest place on earth” he argued,  “I can think of other happy places.  Ms. Gina, do you believe this is the happiest place on earth?  What about church, would you say that is a happier place on earth?”  I must admit he had some good arguments.  My friend took it one step further, later in the day when we were standing in 90-120 minute lines for the rides she skeptically proclaimed, “If this is the happiest place on earth, why do so many people look so unhappy?!”  Good point, I thought to myself as I quickly scanned the crowd for a happy face.  After about a minute, I saw a Disney employee smiling broadly.  Whew!  For a minute I was afraid I couldn’t support the Disney World theme.

It got me thinking, why do we go to Disney, or any other theme park for that matter?  We plan our trip, take off of work, travel to our destination, spend a boatload of money, battle the crowds, stand in ridiculous lines, spend more money, race from ride to ride, walk all over the park for twelve plus hours, spend more money, and finally leave after the fireworks; worn out, sweaty, and dog-tired.  We drag back to our hotel.  Check our ‘fast-passes’ for the following day.  Fall into bed exhausted, and then get up and do it all over again.  That hardly sounds like fun… and yet it is….

But why?  In all honesty, it is an escape from reality.  You can be child-like.  You can have fun.  You can wear crazy t-shirts, lanyards with Disney pins, and funky hats, and no one looks down their nose at you.  You can eat ice cream, funnel cakes or a multitude of other snacks, and no one gives you the stink eye; implying you just really don’t need that.  You can be dazzled, impressed and stargazed over characters walking around in costumes, and no one dares to tell you they aren’t real.  But the best part is that you can let your guard down and just be yourself.  Your imagination can literally run wild.  You can dare to let your dreams come true.

We can learn a lot from kids….  Kids are not afraid to be themselves.  They let their imaginations run free.  They dream big dreams and believe they will come true.  My friend, when is the last time you emulated a child?

When was the last time you looked at the man (or woman) in the mirror and thought, “He (or she) doesn’t look like everybody else, he’s (she’s) not as good-looking, smart, hard-bodied or funny as so and so, but that’s okay, I like him(her).”  It is okay to like yourself; your personality, your body, your talents or even the apparent lack thereof.  It is okay to be weird, nerdy and your own sort of cool.  How boring would it be if we all looked and acted the same.  Be yourself.  Love yourself.

When was the last time you imagined yourself doing great things, meeting great people or being great yourself?  You didn’t have any trouble believing you’d be a NBA player, an astronaut, or a famous actress as a child.  You knew you would invent a flying car, find a cure for cancer or bring about world peace, and it was only a matter of time before you had dinner with the President, Lebron James or Taylor Swift.  It is okay to imagine.  God made us intellectual, thinking people, but gave us imaginations to use liberally and abundantly.

Do you dream my friend?  You did as a child.  What keeps you from dreaming today?  Are you afraid?  Have you been disappointed in the past?  Have you failed?  Have you been rejected?  People who dream-change the world!  If you study almost any really successful person, who has made their mark in this world, they will tell you that they are not afraid to dream.  Martin Luther King’s, “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most profoundly motivating, passionately driven and most read speeches of all time.  When he plainly states, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they won’t be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”, we can dare to dream it too.  Walt Disney, himself, boldly proclaimed, “If you can dream it, you can do it!”  Is he right?  Do you believe it my friend?  Dream.  Dream and dream big.  Don’t be afraid of what others might think.  Don’t fear failure, past hurts or rejection.  Just dream.

You don’t have to visit Disney World or another theme park to take on child-like characteristics.  You can decide to just be yourself today.  You aren’t perfect but you are excellent.  God don’t make no junk. Just as you are the only one in the whole wide world with your fingerprint, you are the only you in this world.  Be yourself and be content being you.  Use your imagination daily.  It is a gift from God.  He formed our brains to calculate, study, formulate and dissect information, but he also created our brains to imagine doing great things, meeting great people and being great ourselves.  Lastly, don’t be afraid to dream.  Lay down your past.  Look to your future.  Dream and dream big.  Remember, if you can dream it, you can do it!!

One of my all time favorite quotes is from Napoleon Bonaparte, “A leader is a dealer in hope.”  I’m not one to use four-lettered words.  At least not very often; maybe if I hit my thumb with a hammer, if you hurt my loved ones, or if my kids attempt to blow themselves up making a bonfire (That is a story for another day).  But there is one four-lettered word that I believe we all need to start using.  We don’t want to throw it around carelessly, but we want to use it when necessary and with purpose.  That word is HOPE.

According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary there are two kinds of ‘hope’, both of them verbs. For you word nerds, (no names mentioned Janice and Bridget) we’ll be even more specific,  intransitive and transitive verbs.

Intransitive verb: hope

To cherish as desire with anticipation; to want something to happen or be true

Transitive verb: hope

To desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment

I read this and thought to myself, we have a transitive and intransitive verb, but where is the noun?  Quickly I recollected a noun is defined as a person, place, thing, activity or idea.  There should be a noun.  I decided to look in Webster’s 1828 Dictionary.  The first thing I found under the word “hope” was the noun.

HOPE, noun (Latin cupio)

1.      A desire of some good, accompanied with a least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable. Hope differs from wish and desire in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.

2.      Confidence in a future event; the highest degree of well founded expectation of good; as a hope founded on God’s gracious promises; a scriptural sense.

3.      That which gives hope; he or that which furnishes ground of expectation, or promises desired good.

4.      An opinion or belief not amounting to certainty, but grounded on substantial evidence.

Score!  Not one definition of a noun but four!  Which leads me to my next question, “What the heck happened between 1828 and 2018?!”  We don’t even have a noun definition for the word “hope” in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.  If that isn’t a sign of the times, I don’t know what is?!   Where is HOPE?  Who stole HOPE?  Most importantly how can we restore HOPE?  We know it exists.  In one of the most iconic movie scenes of all time, Princess Leia cries out, “Obi-Wan Kenobi you’re my only hope!”

If we embrace Napoleon’s quote, then we should come to the conclusion that leaders are responsible for bringing hope to others.  I don’t want to debate whether or not we believe our political leaders are doing this.  I believe the old adage that every person can be a leader; in their home, in their community or in their sphere of influence.  With that being said, I have decided to focus on myself.  Am I doing this?  Do my words and actions give HOPE to others?  What am I doing to help people receive the pleasure and joy that come from HOPE?  Does the HOPE we share help others look to the future without fear?

As Christians, we have HOPE when we trust Jesus.  When we give Him our heart, we receive the HOPE of an eternal home in Heaven.  But how can we literally be dealers in HOPE day in and day out?  I certainly don’t have all the answers, but here is a little acronym that I think may move us in the right direction.

H – Help  We want to help others.  Helping others gives them HOPE.  We can help strangers, co-workers, friends and family.  As leaders, a.k.a. dealers in hope, we can give our time, talent and treasure to help others.

O – Opportunity   Use every opportunity to connect with your fellow man.  Build relationships.  Listen to them.  Take time to invest in others.  If you get off your phone, iPad and computer, you can truly be a dealer of hope, in your own home, community and sphere of influence.

P – Peace  In Romans 12:18 we are encouraged to: ‘Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone’.  Beth Moore just tweeted, “We don’t have to agree with people to like them.  I like lots of people I disagree with.  Couldn’t have survived marriage otherwise.”   Choose peace.  Give HOPE.

E – Encourage  If one thing is missing in today’s society it is encouragement.  It is easy to tear others down, but it takes effort to seek out the goodness in others and tell them.   It doesn’t cost you anything but time to give an encouraging word.

Recap: we can be like Napoleon Bonaparte and be dealers in HOPE, by helping others, taking every opportunity to build relationships, choosing peace and encouraging others.  Maybe we can be instrumental, not only in putting the noun back into our dictionaries, but in restoring HOPE to this broken world.

American comedian, Phyllis Diller, once exclaimed, “Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.”  Cooking and cleaning have always been to daunting words to me.  Don’t get me wrong, I really like a clean house, but as a homeschool family the clutter really piles up during the day.  Our home has the “lived-in look.”  Cooking has never been something I just loved either.  Now I love baking desserts and things like that, and I want to make sure my kids have good, balanced meals, but mostly I cook out of necessity.  My dear friend, Ute, pegged me several years ago when she gave me a magnet which simply stated, “I understand the concept of cooking and cleaning.  Just not how it applies to me.”

In recent years I have come to the mindboggling conclusion that I love a messy house!  No seriously, I do.  These years of being a mom have flown by, just like every elderly person in the commissary warned me when I had a newborn, 3, 6, and 8 year old “helping” me shop.  The older patrons would see me struggling to do a simple task like shopping in the grocery store and approach me with a sympathetic look, “Enjoy these years honey, it will pass by so quickly.”  I would smile feebly, doubting their sincerity, as two kids fought over which box of cereal we would bring home, another kid skated down the aisle, and the baby cried his little head off.

I had this happen to me numerous times, even when my kiddos were being perfect angels. (which I’m sure may have been few and far between) “Enjoy this time, it passes so quickly.”  Those words are etched in my mind, because today I realize the truth in them.  While I’m not an old lady in the commissary (at least not yet-I will fight that one kicking and screaming), I already have seen the years race by.  My oldest son has been married for over two years and he and his wife are both middle school teachers.  My next two kids are both in college.  My daughter is in a physical therapy assistant (PTA) program and my son is pursuing a sports journalism degree.  And my “baby” just turned 16 years old!

So, regarding that messy house I would proclaim, “Bring it on!  The messier the better.”  That just means it is lived in.  It means family members are laughing, and crying and overcoming obstacles together.  We’re having friends over, eating snacks, watching movies, and playing games.   We are coming and going from school, work, college, church and other important commitments.   We are sharing life and touching souls together.  Every time I wipe off a sticky countertop, stuff some clothes in an already overfilled washer, scrub the grout on a grimy bathtub, or push a vacuum across the leaf-tracked floor I will give thanks for this messy house, and all of those who reside in it or spend time in it.

     Chinese chef, Martin Yan, correctly proclaimed, “You can do almost anything with soup stock, it’s like a strong foundation.  When you have the right foundation, everything tastes good.”  That is sort of how I feel about essential oils. I believe they provide a firm foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

When my dad was a young man, he was a civil engineer.  He worked for the State of Indiana.  During this time, he built a bridge in Indianapolis.  His whole life we had heard about this bridge, but if you know my dad, then you know he was a modest man, who was content taking the back seat to the rest of us.  When we would ask him about the bridge he designed, he would nonchalantly say it was on the south side of town, but really nothing more.

In recent years, when I visited I would mention driving down to view this particular bridge, but we never did.  When my dad passed away, one of the things I regretted was never going to see the bridge.  I read an article in the paper that same week which said several bridges in Indy were being torn down or remodeled.  I was bummed because I thought to myself, “Now we’ll never know where it was.”

At his funeral a man stood up to say some kind words about working with my dad when they labored together for the State.  Much to my delight, he told the story about the bridge my dad had built; how well-crafted and beautiful it was and what a firm foundation it had, as it had stood the test of time for all of these years.  We were surprised to find out that this was not a bridge that you drive upon, but a cross-walk sort of bridge over Madison Avenue on the south side of downtown Indianapolis.  The man went on to further explain that the bridge had changed somewhat over the years, because eventually they had added fencing along the top; presumably to keep kids from falling or jumping on to the street below, but it had the same firm foundation as when originally built.

I have had several people ask me questions over the past year, regarding essential oils.  Do they really work?  Are they worth the money?  What are they exactly?  How do they enter your body?  What are their benefits?  How long have they been around?

So here is the scoop in a nutshell.  Essential oils have been around forever.  In fact, they are mentioned directly or indirectly in the Bible over 1000 times.  They are the most powerful part of the plant.  Essential oils are distilled from trees, flowers, bushes, roots, fruit and herbs.  They consist of over 100 different, natural, organic compounds.  In humans, these oils provide support for every system in the body; including the skeletal, muscular, circulatory, endocrine, respiratory and immune systems.

There are about 300 known essential oils on earth, but we need only about ten to twenty to nurture a healthy lifestyle.  They enter the body topically, aromatically or by ingestion.  In Sarah Harnish’ s book, Gameplan, she explains, “Tests have shown oils reach the heart, liver and thyroid in three seconds when inhaled; they were found in the bloodstream in 26 seconds when applied topically,”

Not all essential oils are created equally.  If you have noticed they are popping up for sale everywhere.  There are four categories of essential oils: Grade A, B, C and D.  Grade A is therapeutic; meaning it is produced from organically grown plants and is distilled at low temperatures.  But be advised, even if a bottle states “therapeutic grade” or “pure”, the FDA only requires that it contain a minimum of five percent essential oil.  Do your research and buy from a reputable company. (For more information on 100% pure essential oils, you can check out Young Living’s Seed to Seal Promise. http://www.youngliving.com)

People are always touting what they use their essential oils for, how they help them with this or that, and how they are better than chemical based this or that.  But what I would like to focus on today, is the firm foundation essential oils provide for a healthy, chemical free lifestyle.

Just like my dad’s bridge has stood the test of time, and stands proudly over Madison Ave, essential oils have been around for thousands of years.  Just like Dad’s bridge provides support for people who want to safely cross a busy road, essential oils prudently support every system in our body.  Just like there are several ways to access my dad’s piece of work, essential oils can be safely ingested, topically applied, or deeply inhaled. Lastly, there are millions of bridges in the world, but only one is special to me because my dad designed it.  Similarly, there are lots of products on the market today, but it pays to research and choose the best; 100% pure, Grade A, therapeutic essential oils.  Remember, soup is yummy, bridges are beautiful, essential oils are the bomb, but they all provide a firm foundation!!

 

“Winter storm threatens East Coast, bringing temps colder than Mars”, is not a headline you read every day, but that was indeed the CNN headline earlier this week preceding the bombogenesis which hit the East Coast.  What the heck is a massive “bombogenesis” anyway?  According to Live Science, it is ‘wicked winter storms that rival the strength of a hurricane’.   In all actuality it is an area of rapidly declining low pressure which results in a “bomb cyclone”.   A bomb cyclone hit New England this week depositing 6-12 inches of snow on the area, and flinging wind gusts of up to 60mph, resulting in white out conditions.

The effects of the bomb cyclone were felt in Florida this week as it was unseasonably frigid. Most Floridians absolutely despise the cold temperatures, but not me.  I always tell people I love the cold weather but I hate being cold.  They sort of laugh and roll their eyes; like that makes no sense. Give me a sweater, winter coat, scarf, boots and gloves and I’m ready to enjoy the polar freeze.

Sometimes life’s challenges can be a lot like the bone chilling weather in Florida.  They are unexpected.  They are intense.  They are debilitating.  If you are not prepared for them, then they only make you miserable.  But if you have your “cold weather gear” on, you can see the beauty in the midst of your problems.  You’ve heard the old adage that God doesn’t promise you a rose garden.  It is true-He doesn’t, but He does promise you peace as you walk through the valley.

So, what can we do to prepare for headaches, obstacles, dilemmas, issues and complications that are thrown at us?  First, acknowledge life isn’t perfect and it isn’t meant to be.  We usually don’t grow, develop and make necessary changes when things are perfect.  It is when we run up against a brick wall that we must make adjustments, corrections and life decisions.  We shouldn’t desire a perfect life, instead we should seek an excellent life.

Second, once you acknowledge life isn’t perfect, now you need a plan in place for handling taxing situations.  Seek a stress-buster. Go for a walk or exercise.  Apply various essential oils.  Call a friend or confidant.  Read your Bible.  Sit quietly or play loud music. Participate in a hobby.  Everybody is different and each person deals with stress differently.  The main point to remember is to be prepared ahead of time so you are not overwhelmed and drowning in nerve-racking stress.

Third, and most importantly, recognize you need help.  You need other people for wisdom, encouragement and strength.  You need the Lord for wisdom, encouragement and strength.  We are not put on this earth to live alone, separated and independent from our fellow man.  We are not created to carry heavy burdens on our own.  We are created for fellowship.  We need each other.

Once you face the reality that life isn’t perfect, you have personal stress relievers in place, and you seek a little help from friends, you will be ready to face life’s challenges head on.  Just like being prepared with warm weather clothing in ice cold weather allows you to enjoy it or at least tolerate it, being prepared for what life throws at you will allow you to see the beauty in the midst of the challenges.  You may not always enjoy the difficult situations you face, but you will appreciate the personal growth that each obstacle provides.

So, was New England actually colder than Mars this past weekend?  Maybe our low temperatures are actually colder than Mars high temperatures, but that is where the similarity ends.  Mars is a frozen, barren, lifeless planet, but our Big Blue Marble totally supports life; challenges and all!

In 1985, Huey Lewis and the News belted out the lyrics: “You don’t need money, don’t take fame, don’t need no credit card to ride this train.  It’s strong and it’s sudden and it’s cruel sometimes, but it just might save your life.  That’s the power of love.  That’s the power of love.”  This was the chorus to the hit song in the blockbuster movie, Back to the Future.
The New Year provides an excellent opportunity for us to reflect on the previous 365 days.  What went well?  What really stunk?  What could have gone better?  Usually this assessment includes typical goals like weight loss, increased exercise, better time management skills, consistent homeschool lessons, daily Bible study, focused business building, homecooked meals, more family dinners, consistent prayer time, special family vacations, a cleaner house, a larger savings account, much less debt, better communication skills ect…  The list goes on and on.  All great goals.  All worthy of our time and attention.
A year ago this week, I met with two dear friends and we made vision boards for the upcoming year.  My board was filled with many of the goals mentioned above.  As I glued the pictures on the board, and wrote each careful goal in colorful ink, my board still looked dull and boring compared to my comrades.  When I was putting the finishing touches on the board, I decided to add pictures of my family members.  That was just the thing my vision board needed.  Finally, I was happy with the finished product.
I hung the board up in my bedroom where I would see it every day and would be reminded of all of these goals.  I had a plan.  I had a vision.  I had goals.  Now I was ready to teach, lose weight, pray, cook, study God’s Word, clean, save money, exercise reduce debt, communicate and plan vacations.  It was going to be an excellent and very productive year!
The following Sunday, I found myself on a flight to Indianapolis to see my dad who was critically ill in the hospital.  This was the beginning of two months of traveling back and forth from Panama City to Indy.  Two months of watching in awe as my dad fought with every ounce of strength and courage he had to overcome the enemy; lung cancer. Ultimately, lung cancer won the battle and on March 6, 2017, my dad, passed from this world into his heavenly home.
During those two months my dreams and goals seemed to sit around collecting dust.  I actually taught less, exercised less, spent less time with my kids, had few family dinners, acquired more debt, saved nothing, didn’t cook or clean, barely communicated with anyone other than my dad, and time management skills were totally out the window.  But none of that mattered because…I loved.  I wouldn’t trade one second of that treasured time I had with my dad, for anything in this world.  I’m so thankful, not for the enemy named cancer, but for the precious gift of time I had with my dad, which ironically was given to me because that heartless enemy reared its ugly head.
So, as you sit down and reflect on the past twelve months and make goals for the next twelve, remember to place love at the top of that list.  Spend time with people you love. Reach out to people you love.  Forgive people you love.  Love your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends.  Love your neighbor, the stranger and even your enemy. Love the unlovable.  Love because God is love, and we are made in His image.  Love just for the sake of loving.  Teach your children to love.  Love those who look like you, act like you, and believe like you, but also love those who dislike you, detest your lifestyle, and despise your convictions.  Show love to all mankind.  Love freely. Love selflessly.  Love abundantly.  Love without expectations.  Remember the ultimate goal is Love, because the Power of Love truly is a curious thing…

 

In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson plainly proclaims, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

My name is Gina. I am a homeschool momma, who is on the final leg of our journey; three out of four kids graduated, with a sophomore in high school. I am a small business owner, who just recently began peddling essential oils; healthy, natural choices, with a passion for chemical free living. I am an exercise enthusiast, who enjoys cross fit, HITT, spinning, weight training and walking; five to six days a week minimum, with a desire for movement. I am an avid reader, who doesn’t have enough time to read; books on homeschooling, business, self-improvement, Bible study, with a little fiction. I am a Christian woman, who loves Jesus but not religion; religion promotes martyrdom, I’m taking back happy.

My friend Lawana and I walk the bridge once a week. It is an almost 3 mile walk over a bridge that separates Panama City from Panama City Beach. We were homeschool mom acquaintances, who became exercise buddies a couple years ago, and have become close friends due to the time we have invested in these weekly walks. We talk about everything from raising children, to building businesses, from contemplating relationships, to using essential oils, from homeschooling kids, to building friendships, from experiencing special life events, to losing people we love, from dealing with pain from the past, to seeking answers and hope for the future.

C.S. Lewis proclaimed, “Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” As we hike the bridge every week, we are walking, talking philosophers. No PhD has greater depth of subject nor wonder of creation as we ponder life, our purpose, and why we were born and live on this great, blue marble.

A few weeks ago, we stumbled over the profound thought that Christians, especially Christian women, wives and mothers are told we don’t need to be happy, but we must be………fill in the blank. It is almost like “happy” is a four-lettered word; something to be avoided at the risk of not being “spiritual” enough. Well enough is enough!! No more religious attitudes will keep us down. Jesus came to give us life, but not just life- more abundant life!! The Bible is filled with references to being happy. Our Creator gave us feelings. He desires for us to experience joy, happiness and laughter, just as we experience despair, sadness and pain. We can embrace the feelings because they are part of the abundant life, and how we were created.

The founders of our U.S. Constitution stated that these truths are obvious:
1) All men are created equal
2) God gave us undeniable rights
3) Right to Life
4) Right to Liberty
5) Right to the pursuit of happiness

My friend, you have the right to be happy. Happiness is worthy of pursuit. Find those things in life that get you excited. Hang with the people who lift you up and bring joy into your life. Seek those dreams that make your heart beat just a little bit faster.
Ladies, We Are Taking Back Happy!!