I'll take another Cherry lifesaver plz...and throw in some cotton candy and a photo for FB!

The pounding wave crashing down upon me, my head hitting the rock below, flailing for the surface for a gasp of air….some fun beach experience that was in CALI…once I finally made it to shore I noticed there were NO LIFEGUARDS around, no one to hand me a LIFE SAVER…if they had seen me sooner and called out to me, “hey you out there looking like you are dying, what FLAVOR of life saver do you want…” I would of immediately answered, “CHERRY”!! Only problem is that would have been me thinking short term because I know that I would of started licking that life saving device and taking bites out of it and by the time the rescue team would of arrived I would have been down and under again. My life is this way sometimes, not sure if anyone can relate, but we get in circumstances where we feel we are sinking and when given that “saving solution” we let it dissolve around us or we abuse it. I do know one thing for sure though that the ONE AND ONLY true life saver is Jesus himself and He and His word never dissolve…even when we on our own do! We can try to add fun and adventure to our lives by going to fairs and buying pink and blue cotton candy but all it ever leaves is less money in the pocket and sticky fingers to deal with and awkwardly carrying it around if the kids aren’t finished with it yet…We then stay up all night endlessly wondering why why why did we not take the life saver and instead of devouring it of its’ power and it’s insight (friends advice/God’s word) we let it become our downfall again. We worry about if we will have enough money to pay bills since we lavishly spent on junk food $10 cotton candy at a park, PER PERSON yet at the same time we relish those sticky icky moments and know that they can not be replaced in our memories if we do not choose to engage in them again (or take pics and post on FB). We should not be in fear of sticky situations we find ourselves in, especially if we are 100% certain our eternal life saver will not dissolve away from us. And when we find ourselves up all night long and then sleeping during the day then be thankful that most of the bracelet nights at the carnivals don’t start until after 6 or 7 so getting up at 2 or 3 in afternoon is perfect and if you go on the last day it’s in your area the pink and blue cotton candy is sometimes discounted!!! Be cautious though about buying an actual pack of life saver candies….you can choke on one of those on the rides and then be the front news of a very ironic story…PERSON CHOKES TO DEATH ON LIFE SAVER …. Don’t’ let this happen to you…. And don’t stay up all night thinking about it either....

food for thought

• There's always going to be that one that defies the rules...today I had more than one...bought a SEEDLESS watermelon and found THREE seeds inside, made my meatloaf as I always do but it defied the usual not turning out just right and actually turned out AMAZING presentation especially, and then there were the straggler popcorn kernel balls that just decided they wanted to be who they were and didn’t feel the need to expand to any heights or widths or make any changes to themselves but to just be annoying hard little balls in the bottom of the bag…at least I didn’t choke on them! And this was not today, but I’ve never ordered a curly fry from Arby’s without getting one or two regular ones thrown in…honestly, I think they see their opportunity to hang with the cooler fries and right before the waitress goes to put the curlies onto the tray is when the regulars make their move and jump into the box…. ... perhaps we can learn a lesson from this all or maybe not..but what I see is ambitious fast food and maybe if we took that kind of thinking into our everyday world of school and job and at home we too could jump around into places that might not be where we are supposed to be but could be the very place that we need to be to be a blessing to someone. Because I know I'm blessed by those regular fries just as much as the curly ones and you gotta give em props for their endeavors!! and being a unique seedy seedless person can allot you more opportunities to plant seeds since you do indeed have them within you despite what your outer lable has placed upon you as seedless. Planting seeds is an amazing way for growth and showing others so many things and helping teach them along their path...and the popcorn balls, well, instead of being upset at those who aren't exactly what you like or what you wanted them to do, etc..you can be a unique seedy seedless person who does not get upset at the unpopped kernels and just let them be who they are and they can go out and roll around and maybe plant a popcorn tree somewhere that can grow!!let them be an individual and see how far they will rise! As for the meatloaf!!! It showed me especially that with persistence and working hard to make that perfect meatloaf it finally occurred and we can work hard to help others and have things occur for them via prayer and our strength that perhaps to them has always turned out just mediocre in life but we can be that meatloaf that SHINED and let them know to not give up but to keep going..and finish that race and it will be the best blessing for them ever..even better than the perfect meatloaf!!

Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

NO more busted luggage to lug!

Have you ever found yourself standing on top of a suitcase jumping on it while the other person helping you is attempting to zip it up? When is the moment that you realize, “perhaps we have too many items that do not need to be taken with us” ? Most of us will just ignore that thought and keep jumping on it until it closes, or we will go get a bigger suitcase and stuff it all in there and somehow still have the sides bulging again, then we will lug the bag here and there to its final destination and upon opening it, providing you still can and the zipper didn’t break, what you find is a heap of smooshed things and an overabundance of belongings that could have been removed from the start making less work on so many. I saw an ad yesterday on facebook for a storage unit and the question was this:”should this guy order a bigger unit or get another medium sized one to hold the rest of his stuff. “ I commented on it, “We, in general need to reduce what “junk” we have instead of paying more money to store it for months on end. Our mentality is GET GET GET and then forget forget what we have so go get more and then we are hit with the hard realization that the more has no room to be allowed into our homes, bags, units, lives….I believe we do this same thing with problems and frustrations and situations that occur in life. We often times cram them and cram them inside figuring, they will fit and I will deal with them later, almost popping yourself at the seams from all that you are bottling and holding and storing within you. And then we have others who come along and dump more on us but we are already filled to the brim.. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if before you start shoving things here and there and paying for extra space elsewhere (like other people’s brains and time to listen) that we sit down with Jesus and go through our hurts and our scenarios and ask Him what He can eliminate for us and provide new space and freedom to be able to have the ability when asked for help by someone that you could reach out and spare some time and a dime because you didn’t spend all your dimes on storage units or your time because you handed your problems to Jesus at His feet and he promises to take them from us and for us to lean on Him . He then will bless above and beyond and will share with you that release of having had too much “stuff” up in your head and heart. Replace it with Him and His words, which you can never have enough of God’s word inside you. Then, when you go to pack your bag all you need is a joyful heart and happy smile and well, be sure to throw in your Bible! (and a couple outfits, but not too many!)