Home Sanctuary

Stick a Fork in Me, I'm Done

I feel a little cooked. I've been working on back-to-back projects, each of which have taken longer than they should. And on Monday, I realized that I haven't been feeling good for quite some time.  I've taken the liberty of diagnosing myself with severe anemia (a problem I've had several times), and I am medicating myself with red meat, spinach, iron tablets and, well, bran.  We can leave it at that.  Any way you slice it, I'm plumb tired.

(Stifling a yawn) . ..moving on.

There's something that's been bugging me about my kitchen. It's not the worn linoleum floor or the tiny passageway which makes it impossible to get through if the refrigerator door is open. It's not even the low-hanging cabinet above the stove that makes you have to duck your head to see into the eating area. Or the faucet with the backward Hot and Cold.

It's the fact that every time I open my silverware drawer, I am confronted by crumbs that have fallen into the silverware tray. It just makes it look...dirty. Ugh.

I've found that an easy time to wipe out the drawer and tray is just before I unload clean silverware into it from the dishwasher. It's usually almost empty at that point. It literally takes one or two minutes to do a quick swabbing and wow! It looks incredibly clean and organized!

Today's Small Thing is to wipe out your silverware tray and/or drawer. You may not have the crumb problem I have, but a quick swipe with a damp cloth will really bring it up to Sanctuary Code.

(I just made that Code up...but "it's not really a rule, it's more like a guideline")

POINTS: 20 for wiping out the silverware drawer

"OPPORTUNITY TO LEAP AHEAD OF YOUR COMPETITION" POINTS: 10 points for each additional kitchen drawer you wipe out, up to 8 more (you can enlist help from your troops)

Max points: 100

Not a "Flash" Story, But Almost

Say!  Grab a cup of coffee and let me tell you one of my very favorite stories.  Eventually, I'll get around to our verse of the month, but not before we've had some fun.

When we moved to the country almost 7 years ago, one of the first things we did was get a borrowed horse.  The girls and I had begged and pleaded for a horse of our own, but my husband, in his wisdom, decided on taking a slower path to equine ownership.  Since we didn't know anything about taking care of a horse, he thought it might be a good idea to try it out before committing to the huge financial and care-taking responsibility.  So we made arrangements to borrow a horse from some friends.

We tried not to show our disappointment when Snowbird got unloaded from the trailer and into our pasture.  Almost 30 years old, she was a white mare who was well past her prime.  In fact, you might say that our pasture was her last stop before the glue factory.  Shabby and bony, her legs splayed out and her back sagged.  Her lower lip hung permanently down, as if she just didn't have the wherewithal to tuck it up and look interested in life any longer.  But she came with a saddle, bridle and a scrawled list of instructions, and so we began the task of learning all about horsemanship.

Snowbird had once been a showstopper.  In her youth, she'd been a barrel racer, nimble and quick on her feet, able to cut around the triangular course in record time.  She was used to being loaded into trailers for weekend rodeos and treated like a diva.  She knew tricks like sucking in air when being cinched up, and stumbling on purpose so we'd cut our rides short.  Seeing her now, as a faded star, was a little sad, but we had a soft spot for our geriatric friend. She would teach us what we needed to know.

One morning, Meghan went to the barn to let Snowbird out of her stall.  Suddenly, she was running back to the house with a panicked expression.

"Snowbird got out of her stall and someone left the gate to the pasture open!  Oh, Momma!  She's GONE!"  Too late, we realized that Snowbird was also an accomplished escape artist, who knew how to unlatch a stall door with her teeth, a small detail her owners had neglected to tell us.

A frantic search ensued.  We started in the nearby properties, calling her name and rattling buckets of feed.  I imagined the worst: discovering her bloated carcass days later and having to rent a backhoe to retrieve her.  I dreaded breaking the news to her real owners.  See, this is what we get for borrowing a whole horse, for pete's sake!  Who are we kidding??  We're CITY people!

As the hours went on and our search widened, we really began losing hope.  Hot and tired, we reconvened over lunch and discussed our strategy.  Just then, the phone rang for Lauren, our oldest daughter.  Her friend, who lived about 3 miles down the road, happened to mention that some old, white horse had shown up by their fence and they'd put her in their pasture until they could figure out where she belonged.

Snowbird!  That crazy horse.

And as we leaned up against the trailer, chatting with the horse rescuers, we learned just what had happened.

Come to find out, the horse rescuers had three gorgeous young stallions in their pasture!  Muscular and ripped, these guys were HOT!  They pranced and posed, tossed their heads and whinnied, as Snowbird came clip-clopping around the corner.  Lord have mercy, there was a WOH-man, and they didn't care WHAT she looked like!

And how did Snowbird "happen" to get there?  Why, she was jest out for a lil' stroll, jest checkin' out the scenery.  Yep, that's all she was doing.

For three miles.

What a surprise that her "little stroll" should end up at the Chippendale's down the road, where those beefcakes were looking to chase a little tail.

"That there mare of yores was runnin' up and down the fence with her rear end up, jest taunting my boys here," said Mr. Rescue.  He had a real good chuckle over the scene: an old has-been mare, flirting outrageously with the young studs.  "She shore knew what she was doing!" he winked.

We looked at our shabby mare, the harsh midday sun revealing her age and wear.  Why, it was downright shameful for an old girl to be acting like a tramp with a trio of young bucks half her age. No amount of explaining could ever convince us that she hadn't been hoping for some trouble down the road.

We pulled into our pasture and Snowbird dutifully backed out of the trailer and lumbered out into the tall grass.

"Girls," my husband shook his head. "I know I don't have to tell you this now, but you have GOT to mind those gates!"

Which brings me to our scripture.

May's Verse - Proverbs 4:23

In my Snowbird story, an open gate led to a bit of trouble.  We had thought that our old horse was secure in her stable without having to latch the pasture gate outside.

And, seeing her opportunity, Snowbird left the security of the pasture "just to see" what might be down the road.  It took her awhile, clip-clopping over a dam, through the woods, over a bridge, up a steep hill and around some dangerous curves.  But she finally found the mischief she thought might be out there.

Our verse is a reminder to "mind our gates," as my husband told our girls.  You see, if we go a-Sunday-driving just to "see what's out there" in the world beyond the safety of our own pastures, eventually we'll find the trouble that's waiting down the road.

The New Living Translation says, "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."

It is far easier to stop at the gate than to turn around when you're three miles down the road, when you've set a course.

Maybe, for you that means being careful about the types of books you like to read.  Steamy novels make my marriage feel boring and stale, so I've learned to stay away from them.  Or, you may need to close the gate to having lunch with an attractive co-worker.  Don't even walk down that road just to see how it feels.  Don't spend your time in the mall if God has convicted you about staying on a budget. Going to a club with friends (just for the conversation) probably isn't a good idea.

And maybe we should think about the attitudes of our hearts that we should guard: humility, love, gentleness, teachibility, faith, hope and grace for others.  It's so easy to open the gates to bitterness, anger, jealousy, hatred, and pride that before we know it, we are far gone.

Well, I've done it again.  Gone long on the preaching.  But I hope you'll think about Snowbird and the gates in your own life today.

Today's Small Thing is to print off or post up Proverbs 4:23 somewhere where you will see it for the next few weeks.  Ask the Lord to show you the areas of your heart that you need to guard.  He will give you the strength to make the right choices that will bring a well-spring of life to your journey.

 Download Proverbs4.23

POINTS: 50 for putting the verse where you will see it

Sometimes Half-Way is Okay

Part of the burden of being perfectionists is that we want to do things the Right Way.  We know how tasks should be done: laboriously, thoroughly and painstakingly well.  We live with the belief that if a job is worth doing, it's worth doing right....and it really creates a problem when we don't have the time or energy to complete the job in the way our conscience dictates.

Sometimes, the result is simply inner angst.  Like when we see the grout in the shower every morning as we are rushing to get ready for the day.  The despair over the mold settles on us like a heavy cloud.  We know in our hearts that if we were really on top of things, our tiles would shine like glass.  But we move on through our day, feeling like failures.

Sometimes, the result is a family that lives in fear of Dictator Mom, whose standards are so high that no one has a moment to rest.  No job is ever good enough for her inspection and she's ready with a list of consequences for falling down on the job.  This is not the problem in our family, but you might be familiar with it.

Mostly, the problem that arises from our perfectionist tendencies is procrastination.  Since we don't have time to completely dismantle the chandelier to clean each prism, we don't even bother to dust it at all.  And because we know it will take 4 hours to clean the refrigerator properly, we let the food morph into hideous aliens for weeks on end.  The house is such a disaster that we just sit on the couch, watching Dancing with the Stars, and wishing the mess would just go away.

Today's Small Thing is to do a Half-Way job. 

• For example, Instead of cleaning out the entire refrigerator, just wipe out the shelves in the door. 
• Rather than clean the bathroom from top to bottom, just work on the sink and counter...and leave the potty for another day. 
• How about vacuuming one room, rather than the whole house?
• Put the papers away that are on the desk, but don't worry about the ones on the counter.
• Sweep the floor, but don't mop it.

I think you get the idea.  Instead of feeling like a failure for not doing a job completely, thoroughly and with much perspiration, enjoy the satisfaction of doing SOMETHING that gets you moving toward Sanctuary.  A small step is better and no step at all.

POINTS: 40 for a Half-Way job

What will you do today??

Celebrate Friendship

Today is an exciting day for me because I'm launching a new project!  And I'm inviting you, my sweet Company Girls, to be a part of it!

See, I've written my first book, titled appropriately, "Company Girl," that celebrates the kind of friendship I learned about from my daughters.  I love the fact that this project was borne out of a simple phrase that became bigger than I could ever have imagined...bringing new friends together from all around the world to share in each others' journeys.  Isn't God amazing?

But here is where YOU come in.  The book is only half complete without some great photographs to illustrate it.  I realized that this would be a perfect project to share by opening it up for individuals to submit their own original photos for a chance to be published in the book.  So with some wonderful help from Dawn Fry, who will be my executive photo editor, I'm launching a bit of a contest.

I've set up a website, www.companygirl.com, with all the information you'll need to participate!  We will be accepting submissions until June 7 (3 weeks from now), and the contest will be open to the general public.  If you are an amateur or professional, hobbyist or just a lucky shutterbug, you'll have a chance to be published (and receive credit for) your most outstanding photo that illustrates friendship!

Winners will receive online recognition, be given credit in the book, AND will receive a free copy of this utterly charming little gift book.  What's there to lose???  Oh, nothing!

Today's Small Thing is completely selfish of me to ask for.  I do hope you'll understand that I'm simply caught up in the whirlwind of excitement over my very. first. book. ever. which will no doubt be an instant classic and best seller, and....quite frankly, you Company Girls will be the reason it will be successful.  Because, like everything else, we're in this together.

The Small Thing is really two little things.

1. Go check out the photo contest and think about entering it!  You'll have three weeks to snap a bunch of photos with a "friendship" theme.  The entire text of the book is posted so you'll be inspired to find just the right subjects.  You can enter up to 10 photos!  Wow.  How cool would it be to have YOUR photos in a beautiful gift book?

2. Mention the photo contest on your blog, twitter or facebook (if you have these) by Friday, May 22.  Please link to www.companygirl.com.  Let me know via email when you've mentioned it, and I will put your name in a drawing for a $25.00 Target giftcard.  Hey, it's not much, but you're doing me a huge favor, so it's just a little something to say "thank you!!!"

POINTS: 50 for helping out a Company Girl by spreading the word!

Newsletter News

Hey, have you signed up to receive my newsletter yet??

Hopefully, the answer is YES!!

Later today I'll be sending out my very first (short, yet riveting) newsletter.  In it, I'll be featuring a special Company Girl, who graciously agreed to answer some tough, Katie Couric-like questions.  (Just kidding, I threw her some easy softballs!)  This girl is an amazing mom, a woman of faith, and a someone who has blessed me in countless ways. Fun and wise and sweet, you'll want to get to know her better.

Who IS this mystery girl??  Well, the only way you'll find out is if you click on the "join" page and fill out the little form thingy!  Or, if you got an email from me about a week ago, asking for permission to send it to you, just click on the link within the email to "opt-in."

Simple.

Then just look for something in your email box from me to arrive soon!

PS If you are in the Dallas area, you'll also find out how you can hear me speak at a local event!  woo!

Company Girl Coffee 5.15

Tomorrow, our daughter Lauren, and her husband Robert, will graduate from college.

My mind is filled with a million thoughts, and my heart is full.  Full of gratitude for the last 22 years of being Lauren's mom, and full of humble admiration for the incredible young woman that she is.  Words are simply not enough.

Lauren has always been one of those people who makes things happen.  She started "mothering" her siblings before she was two years old, and has continued to watch over the family as only a first-born can do.  She's colored and glued her way through life, fashioning bird houses out of shoe boxes, twisting wire into jewelry, snatching up discarded junk and turning it into her treasures.  She is well-prepared for a path in advertising, which is what her degree is in, because she just "sees" things.  I envy her eye for creativity and beauty, because she sees it everywhere.  What a gift.

Lauren was blessed to meet the love of her life while she was still in high school.  We knew Robert was a one-in-a-million guy right from the start, even as a high school junior.  And they've started their life together....marrying, finishing college, renting a little house and getting their first dog.  A degree seems so beside the point, when you think about all the other important things they've already accomplished together.  They are smart and young and fun, and full of what makes people instantly like them.  I think it's because they are both very real and very kind. 

Together, there is a sweetness that comes from knowing the world doesn't owe them anything, but they have a confidence that comes from knowing they've got something special to give the world. 

We could not be more blessed, or more proud. 

To Lauren and Robert: congratulations for finishing the long road of college, and our prayers and wishes are with you for an adventurously blessed life ahead.

And now, feel free to link up for a virtual coffee klatch!  Got any graduating kids, babies about to pop out, seeds starting to sprout, or Small Thing victories to share?  We also take stories of bumps and bruises....we know life is full of those....so don't be shy about inviting us over!

PS!  I got to meet Kerri this week...find her link below and see if she's posted a photo!

We Did This One In November, But I Need It Again

Isn't skin amazing?

Only God have come up with the idea of wrapping our bodies in an elastic layer that would not only hold our guts together, but would also give us our identities.  Genius!  From beautiful inky black, to mocha brown, milky white and freckled, skin is like pretty wrapping paper on a present.  It stretches and moves, protects us and even changes as we go through stages of life.

Skin breathes and absorbs, is durable and yet tender.  It feels and senses and renews itself.

Why is it that we take skin so for granted?

You know, without it we'd be a mess.

Today's Small Thing is to pamper your skin.  This is perhaps the nicest Small Thing we've ever done, and there are probably many of you jumping up and down for joy at this very moment.  I know I am.

You KNOW you should take better care of your skin, but who has the time, really?  I'm in and out of the shower, throwing makeup on without moisturizer, pulling socks up over scratchy legs and washing dishes like I'm on KP duty in the army.  I ache for a little personal luxury, but I press on like dried up old martyr. Shriveled, parched and in severe need of exfoliation.

• You could give yourself the Supreme DeLuxe: a facial, a soak in a tub and body buttah from head to toe.

• You could give yourself the Royal Hand Treatment:  Globs of lotion, massaged in, layer after layer.

• You could concentrate on feet, elbows and knees.  These are the athletes of the body, always working but never getting pampered.

• Try a new moisturizer, lip balm or scalp treatment.  Find something that smells yummy!  

Do whatever you want, just make your skin feel good to be alive.

POINTS: 30 for taking a few minutes to take care of your epidermis. Remember, you need to create a little bit of sanctuary for yourself, too!

Let us know: what's your favorite lotion, moisturizer or skin treatment?  How will you spoil your skin today?

"At The End of the Day" yada yada

Oh, how I hate overused cliches.  You might never know that, based on my tongue-in-cheek approach to blogging, but believe me.  When I watch news programs, sports broadcasts or listen to talk shows, I'm just awestruck by the serious use of badly overdone phrases by people who should know better.

"At the end of the day" strikes me as one of the worst offenders.  Please, oh, please just say "the bottom line" instead!  I could stomach that far better.

But Today's Small Thing has an ironic twist.  You see, our task is to work backwards....from the end of the day to the beginning.  Follow me if you will:

When you crawl into bed tonight, what ONE THING do you want to have accomplished at the end of the day?  I've got something on my list (Ashley A, you know what it is...) that has been dogging me for weeks on end.  My days have been so full of STUFF, that the really important tasks have sorta been left undone.

You may not have a super-important, earth-shattering task to complete, but maybe you've got a bag of trash that has sat, waiting to go out, for longer than you care to admit.  Or a thank you card to write, a bill to pay or a DVD to return.

When the blue shadows of night overtake you, won't it feel great to have that one thing crossed off your list?  Maybe we should all get started on our tasks before the day is too far gone!

POINTS: 50 for finishing that "one thing" by the end of the day!

Besides Ashley's project, I'm going to add movies to my Netflix queue.  It's been empty for some time now....how silly is THAT??

What will YOU have done at the end of the day?

It's Those Little Frustrations....

You know, a girl can put up with a lot of things. 

She can put up with little people taking two bites of their hamburger and then saying they're full.  She can put up with people throwing perfectly clean clothes into the laundry because they are too lazy to hang them up.  She can even put up with shoes left out, empty milk jugs in the fridge and toys all over the floor.

But it's the little things that can make her go crazy. 

Things like looking for a pen which actually writes that is actually near where she might want to use it.

Is it asking too much for people not to walk off with workable writing instruments?  Must the only things available to jot a phone message down be eyeliner or lip pencil?  Even a crayon with a tip that isn't broken off would be appreciated.

Today's Small Thing is to throw away all the dry pens, broken pencils and crayon nubs that you have to paw through to find the one good one that works.  Why do we keep these things around?  Just in case?

Just in case we want to use them as weapons?  Yeah, you might be able to stab an intruder with a dry pen, but it's unlikely to happen.  Face it.

All contingencies aside, toss out those good-for-nothing pens and add "Package of Pens" to your store list.  Then the only problem you'll face is which good one to use first!

POINTS: 40 for throwing out old pens, pencils, markers and crayons

BONUS: 10 for adding them to your shopping list if you need new ones