I LOVE LOVE LOVE what I do and my man is thrilled I can do it and get paid.  I would much prefer spending time in God’s Word and time in DeDe’s Calendar World planning for the next season than even sleep.  And even though we are in the midst of Vacation Bible School and Summer Mini Camps, I can’t wait to begin setting fall plans on the church calendar in ink.

Yet, in the midst of all life’s flurry hurry, I need to put on the brakes and put on some house shoes.  I used to think it was my age, but have learned through experience that it is healthy to follow each season of jet-plane activity with a transition season of shuffling through the house in some house shoes.

Time to rest, time to sabbath, time to be still.

I typically mark these times to be patient on my handy-dandy calendar for August and January.  Time to be patient with myself and others.  Not my in-the-zone, over-caffeinated, can’t sleep right now, frantically searching for that blue post-it-note that had the exact thing I am looking for to finish the details on the next thing.  Time to patiently wait for God’s direction for the next season.

I used to take a DAWG Day every 6  weeks.  A DAWG Day is a Day Alone With God.  A day with no electronics, no tv, no movie, no music, no sound except nature, no housework and time in the Word.    On one DAWG Day, a precious friend took me on a 7-mile hike around Red Top Mountain:  she walked in one direction and I in another holding a scripture scrawled on a scrap piece of paper.  Sometimes I’d take an 8-week bible study and take two DAWG days to go through it.  I have Cynthia Heald’s “Becoming a Woman Who Loves” on the shelf right now calling my name.

For some reason, when I had little ones running through the house, I wore my house shoes of patience more often.  Maybe I took greater advantage of every no-school day, holiday week, and snow day to put on my house shoes and just share life with the ones most important to me.  I knew that time was fleeting and the time would come when the house would be quiet for longer stretches.  Let me confess here and now that in the furry of trying to prove myself to a new congregation I have not been as faithful to taking my DAWG Days over the last year and a half.

So as I purchase that new school year calendar from Staples and put on my house shoes in August, I will intentionally schedule DAWG Days just like I do everything else.  We were made for community, yet we require rest to practice patience with ourselves and with others.  My house shoes of patience are a pair of gray TOMS purchased at last fall’s Catalyst Conference.  Printed in white all over the fabric?  “Carpe Diem”

Psalm 23:2  He leadeth me beside still waters, He restoreth my soul.

Boots are our attempt at expecting the worst, but hoping for the best.

I became a fan of boots during our stint in New England, but I think it was because I could find a pair that fit.  From my father’s side of the family, I inherited some fabulous traits and one not-so-good one:  My calves begin at my heels.  No ankles and thick calves make for a very uncomfortable season when snow is on the ground and ice is likely beneath it, thus requiring a good pair of boots with some serious traction.

Frankly, under that beautiful white stuff, I really didn’t know what was beneath it.  But I trusted a great pair of boots would keep me upright and steady.  I recall one time in particular when I chose not to wear my boots to retrieve something from the car.  The memory/photo in my mind resembles a cartoon character with her feet and dress up over her head as she moves in slow motion up and then down…well, you get the picture.

Trust is an open invitation for peace.  Peace gives us the courage to face life with sanity and dignity.

Over the last couple of years, I have put on my boots of peace expecting the worse, but hoping for the best.  As I watch my Mother-in-Law struggle through multiple knee and hip replacements, when will my parts begin wearing out?  Will #1 Son marry someone who will be nice to me when she has to take me to the multiple doctor appointments and will she want to do lunch, too?  Where will the Lord call #2 Son and Baby Girl to be in ministry after they finish their schooling?  Will Mr. Yummy only know me as Mimi in a box through Skype?  Will my man find contentment in his vocation no matter where it takes us?  Will all those years of Dave-Ramsey-financial-planning sustain us as the economy takes it toll on so many?  I only have a handful of kids pre-registered for an event…is the event a God-thing or a me-thing?

What are the questions that bring you to the Word of God that provides peace? The peace that fit like a good pair of boots giving you the courage and traction to face life with sanity and dignity?

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

When #1 Son graduated from high school and embarked on a summer of discovery among a challenging drum and bugle corps, our home got very quiet very quick. As a percussionist, our home was always filled with noise, music, and the sounds of youth. I felt such joy for my children as they began to dance to their own beat. But the empty nest became too quiet for this Mama to bear.

I never cried so much in my life. But wasn’t this a joyous time? It was supposed to be. But somewhere in the midst of my celebrating their remarkable seasons and dancing before the LORD with them, I had forgotten how to dance before the Lord without them.

I had always wanted to learn how to tap dance. I even looked into it that lonely summer. But the thought of my size 11 wides sounding more like a car backfiring caused me to think otherwise.

I wanted so badly to keep dancing for joy, but couldn’t muster the courage to dance on my own. How do you keep dancing when your regular dancing partners have changed studios?

I decided to step out and embrace life with other courageous women doing the very same thing.  And I got a Stephen Minister.  This beautiful woman of faith challenged me to read Psalm 119 three times a day.  And we shared a season of Dolly Parton’s famous words from Steel Magnolias, “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.”  I was also part of a small group of women who met at a fellow empty-nester’s home as we shared stories, laughed our heads off, and shared life among the chips and dip.

Women in the midst of crisis and tragedy have taught me that life’s dance of joy can be done in the shadows as well as the sunshine. Dancing with tears is OK, as long as I keep on dancing before the Lord…in gratitude, in hope, in honor, in worship.

Have the strength and interest to press past the loneliness, past the disease, past the crisis, past the tragedy, and past the loss to fellowship with others.  The scriptures record joy and tears in tandem.

When I spent a season painfully transitioning in ministry, I remembered my need to dance before the LORD.  And I remembered the strength I gained from the fellowship of other women.  When I would have rather stayed in bed, I planned something to do with someone who loved me and who I loved every single day.  I gleaned from their dancing until I could dance on my own again.  And I danced through the psalms.

Psalm 30:5b  “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”

When was the last time you had to keep on dancing?

I was invited to speak at the ladies gathering this month at the church where I serve. I am always honored to get a chance to spend time with these saints of the church. Whenever I am in their presence, I pray that some of their holiness rubs off on me just by breathing their air.

I was inspired by Patsy Clairmont’s little book on how the Fruit of the Spirit can be related to the shoes we wear. Being a woman who wears a size 11 wide, I don’t have the closet full of shoes that my more moderate and normal footed friends have. My shoes don’t fit on a traditional shoe tree, and I typically shop not by “That’s shoe’s cute,” but rather “What are my size 11 wide options?”

On 9/15/87 I gave my life to Jesus when Baby Girl was born. I accepted Jesus as my Savior on 3/18/71, but didn’t choose to make Him Lord of my life until the moment I held her in my arms and thought, “Oh My! He gave this up for me.”

On Good Friday, I became a Mimi and my Baby Girl became a mother. During one of those first late nights, she would tell me, “He (Mr. Yummy) filled a hole I didn’t even know was there. He changed my body and changed my heart.”

We have embarked on a SEASON OF NEW LOVE: a new child, a new honey, Jesus newly presented, a new neighbor, a new friend-in-the-Lord, a new job, a new ministry, a new experience of Jesus’ presence, a new bible verse that seems written especially for you, a new season of VBS, a new summer of wonder.

Babies born in the South do not wear shoes unless it’s winter.  Bare baby feet are out and open.  Bare baby feet remind me of new love. When we get to plan for “do overs” and “restarts” and “new beginnings.”

When was the last time you experienced “new love?”

June & July are truly Kingdom-Building months as churches reach into their local communities to sing a song, make a messy snack, share a bible adventure and a fresh word in a pair of flip flops and a baseball cap, all for the cause of Christ.

Just some thoughts . . . some I have shared before, but there’s more:

SHARE – one of the first things we teach little people is that Jesus likes it when we share. If you are a smaller church, call a larger church and ask what you can do to help. If you are a larger church, call a smaller church and ask what you can do to help. The children’s director at my home church does this exceptionally well. She invites smaller churches to coffee/tea gatherings in the Spring to begin encouraging smaller church directors with all the tips she has learned over the years. She also invites these folks to take a small part in the decorating at her church (150 paper kites with colorful tails) only to be blessed beyond measure with sets and props and extra resources to be picked up on the last day of her VBS. “Blessed to be a blessing.” What church can really store all this stuff year after year anyway?

SERVE – another one of those things we encourage of our own congregations. Ever consider serving in someone else’s VBS? It is a guarantee of getting fresh ideas and learning more about how to provide an excellent VBS in your own house when you serve in someone else’s. AND it blesses the socks off of a Director to have a section leader or crew leader who comes with experience and an enthusiasm he/she doesn’t have to provide. AND it let’s a director “PLAY,” which few get to do anymore because we are too busy being responsible for everything.

NETWORK – Use facebook/social media to find out when and where other churches are having their Vacation Bible Schools.  Then begin making phone calls to find out what you can share, where you can visit, even where to go when you are blessed with 10 more kids than you had planned for and need memory buddies or tshirts or whatever. Then, be willing to make the drive to make it easier.

PASS IT ON – Last year we helped a church who just moved into a permanent building, presenting their first VBS to their community. They were blessed with leftover resources from a larger church, who will be passing their leftover resources (and those they didn’t use from the larger church) onto to us. After our week of VBS at the end of June, another church will pick up our goodies (and the leftover goodies from the other 2 churches) from our church to bring to their church to present their VBS 2 weeks later. Blessed to be a blessing.

INVITE – Invite the community to get involved. If you go to Stevi B’s or have a willing local pizza shoppe, they’ll give you certificates for your VBS attendees AND your helpers/leaders/teachers. Our local Steve B’s actually came to a church we are helping last year and asked if they could drop off some certificates. If you fill out a “donation request form” at your local Chik-Fil-A 2 weeks before your VBS, they will graciously give you these huge paper “VBS Graduation Certificates” for a free 6-piece nugget for your students. When we were talking with the manager, he told us that he was helping at his church’s VBS this week during the day and working at night: “I offered to serve in the snack area since I work in the food business.”

TRAIN HOW TO GIVE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE – This is the goal of VBS.  We can have a great time and sing every song with motions, but if our goal isn’t to present the gospel to our little people, we just had summer camp and nothing else.  There are lots of ways to equip your volunteers:  wordless book, salvation candy, gospel bead bracelet, kids bible.  If we do nothing else, we’d better get this down.  We don’t save people, the Holy Spirit does, but if we don’t tell, they won’t know.  Our faith is based on an historical event and kids don’t “just know” history.  Any VBS worth it’s weight in the can will share the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the basis of our faith, on the 4th day/night and again on the 5th day/night.  We must be intentional about equipping our volunteers and fellow believers in how to counsel and pray with a child, or we have missed the greatest opportunity to save a child from sin instead of out of it.  Most people accept the gospel and Jesus before they turn 14.  This is a window of opportunity we can not miss.  Then be ready to follow it up with a letter to the parents of the kids who made decisions letting them know what they can do to continue helping their kid become a wholehearted, sold-out, devoted follower of Jesus – beginning discipleship.

Then celebrate!  On the last night be sure to treat yourself to a small Banana Pudding milkshake because that’s how we roll for VBS in the south.  And don’t go through the drive-through….wear your garb, sing the songs, and invite some of your VBS leaders…it’s better than a survey to evaluate “did we nail it?”

Many years ago I picked up a small paperback from the bookstore entitled, “Spiritual Parenting,” thinking I was getting some keen insight on how to raise my 2 tweeners into godly adults. The book had nothing to do with leading the kids you gave birth to, and everything about being an effective Sunday School teacher, small group leader, influencer of the next generation. Probably one of the most important books I ever randomly picked up.

This week the mailbox has been filled with wonderful graduation announcements. As I open each one, memories flood my mind. Several were in my first preschool classroom. Most shared a beautiful season of attending the “Princess of the King” Sunday School class when they were in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades. All have become strong young women of faith and are actively serving the church and the community using their gifts and graces.

In anticipation of the future mothers they will become, I want to honor the Spiritual Mothers who got them and so many where they are today…

First, their Mamas….without the visual and active examples of servant-hood of their own mothers in worship, in leading Vacation Bible School, in making small group mandatory they saw the practice of faithfulness in service to their own children and the children of their community.

Second, their Confirmation Mentors…the investment of a minimum of 3 one-on-one meetings showed these girls that the journey to faithfulness is not always smooth, but blessed when shared with others. Most of these mentors were not spiritual giants in the faith (I’m talking about me here), but they were fully present and had their own Jesus stories to tell.

Third, their Sunday School teachers…those who chose to minister to children Every.Single.Week. Coloring sheet, children’s bible, and box of Goldfish in hand. They fed both mind, body, and spirit of little people and began the foundations of their faith.

Fourth, their Small Group Leaders…These are Spiritual Mothers who opened their homes, opened their lives, opened their hearts to share seasons of uncertainty and celebration Every. Single. Week.

Fifth, Mrs. Kate….for whose far-reaching vision was placed by God to empower these young women to serve, to be fearless, to be forgiven, to try, and to be offered the chance to love on and encourage the next generation coming up behind them.

May we all be found as faithful, as fruitful, and as fulfilled as the Spiritual Mothers who have gone before us all AND may we raise the banner high until the day He call us home.

Happy Mother’s Day to each and every one.

“Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me.”  Isaiah 8:18

One of the greatest discoveries during the 3 short weeks since Mr. Yummy’s birth has been watching my child become a parent. She tells me that she wonders when the real parents of this baby boy will return for him. She reminds herself that he now belongs to her. All the responsibility. All the attention. All the laundry. All the snuggles.

Now that I have returned home, I am so grateful for cellphones that take pictures. I also get to “hear” of her own discoveries as she begins to develop that mystery we all know as “mother’s intuition,” such as . . .

1. She can hold and snuggle her baby whenever she wants to.
All the new baby websites say, “Get a schedule,” “If he has a clean diaper and has just eaten, let him cry it out if he gets fussy.” “Don’t spoil your baby by holding him all the time.” Seriously? He’s only 3 weeks old!

2. She can pick out his clothes.
She has realized that she better take advantage of this very small window of opportunity. Choosing your boy’s clothes is a treat. For one who has never been concerned about the weather, she now has to ask, “Will he be too hot?” “Will he get cold?” “Am I willing to let him wear this long enough to debate ‘ Is it worth it to try to clean it, or just throw it away?'” This is a question she will ask about a little boy’s clothing almost every day until he can do his own laundry.

3. She can eat pizza, but only if she has anti-gas drops for Mr. Yummy.
In our day, we had Mylecon drops that seemed to have been discovered by the smartest people on the planet. The stuff could cost $1,000 for every small bottle, and would’ve been worth every single dime. There are organic products that do the trick today, or so she has discovered.

4. When the baby is wrapped in a sleepy wrap, people are less likely to touch you or the baby.
This results in a less treacherous trip to Target or anywhere else that strangers feel compelled to reach for a woman’s chest.

5. A clean and tidy house is way over-rated. 
Between feedings and snuggle-time and tummy-time, the only goals worth setting for a day is to brush your teeth, take a shower, and eat a bowl of cereal. And it’s OK if she needs all day to accomplish all 3.

6. It’s always a good time to read her bible.
Reading aloud is always soothing to baby and Mama…even the books of Ezekiel and Daniel.

May 1st has arrived and I have drank the Mimi KoolAid by joining a national prayer campaign, 21 Days of Prayer for Boys (http://www.themobsociety.com).   My response to a merciful and generous God for a baby boy that will change the world. He has already changed ours.

1 Corinthians 15:51…”Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.”

Guest blogger today is Christine Reilly Peaden…

Things to say instead to a pregnant woman…
1. Instead of “Man, you look huge!,” say, “That’s a really healthy baby.”
2. Instead of “Why are you still here?” say, “It’s great to see you today. You look radiant!”
3. Instead of “Are those pit stains?” say, “Let me turn down the air conditioning for you.”
4. Instead of “Your face is getting chunkier every day,” say, “Look at that pregnancy glow.”
5. Instead of “Are you having twins?,” say, “Wow! You are all baby.”
6. Instead of “Man, you’re butt is huge,” say, “You are carrying that baby low.”
7. Instead of “Wow! Look at you waddle,” say “Stay still and let me get that for you.”
8. Instead of “I could do a geography lesson on your stomach,” say, “Honey, can I get the stretch mark cream for ya?”
9. Instead of “How much weight have you gained?” say, “You are one of the most adorable pregnant women I have ever seen.”
10. Instead of “You haven’t had that baby yet?” say, “You should just go ahead and start your maternity leave.”

I’ve been a grandmother now for a total of 5 days and I have made some delightful discoveries…

Grandmothers get to be mothers again  This is when I can anticipate my child’s every need before she knows she needs it. Remembering that she likes water first thing in the morning, I have a cold bottle ready. Now that she has to remember feeding times, she probably won’t remember where she put her car keys.  I get to put them where they go. Keeping the seemingly never-ending laundry going without the new Dad feeling like I have taken over his home is a skill. I have watched some of the best Mother-in-laws and been taking notes for years.

Grandmothers get to serve in support roles  It matters more that the new Dad and new Mom learn what makes the baby tick and what ticks him off, than if I do. Serving new parents with no expectations for myself is freeing for the new parents. They gain confidence in their abilities, they exercise their new-found parent’s intuition, and bond as a family. This is their season and I am honored to play a small, supporting role.

Right now I get to answer the door when well-wishers arrive and grab the landlord to take care of some things when he stops by.  There are so many “favorite” parts.  The one that comes to mind at this moment is the conversations my Baby Girl and I have each time she feeds Mr. Yummy in the night.  My bedroom door is open and I can hear them as she whispers to her newborn son in the dark.  I join them as I set a blanket over her cold shoulders. These are the remarkable moments that keep this Mama’s heart from bursting out of my chest.

Grandmothers get new names  Here in the south, grandmothers get lovely new names like Grammy, Gammy, Nana, Nanny, and Gigi.  #1 Son began calling me “Mimi” several months ago and I guess it has stuck.  The new Dad called me Mimi after Mr. Yummy was born.

Grandmothers hold pictures in their hearts  Pictures abound for newborns. Mr. Yummy changes daily before my very eyes. So grateful for facebook to share photos with friends and family. But there are other pictures that can’t be posted. Like when the new Mama was laughing her head off at the waiter at the restaurant the night she checked into the hospital. Like when the new Dad grabbed a hug from me after we heard Baby Noah’s first cry. Like when I watched the new parents shovel food into their mouths while talking excitedly non-stop after Mr. Yummy was born. Like when I wake up at night and see her feeding her new baby by night-light. The pictures I hold in my heart don’t have me in them and I am so glad- I haven’t had a good-hair-day since I got here.

Guest blogger today is Christine Reilly Peaden . . .

You know you should go on maternity leave when…
1. It takes you 10 minutes and an inhaler to put your shoes and socks on.
2. When you bend down to pick up something you dropped on the floor and your pants split…twice.
3. When your co-workers greet you with, “Wow! You’re still here?”
4. When you come into a patient’s room who just had surgery and they say, “Man, I feel sorry for you.”
5. When you can no longer fit between the patient’s bed and the bedside table to get to an IV pole.
6. When you can no longer text because you hand goes numb due to pregnancy induced carpal tunnel.
7. When you weigh yourself at 8am and again at 10pm and you’ve gained 10 pounds in the same day.
8. When you no longer shop for style, but find yourself looking at the same outfit as a 75 year old woman because it looks comfortable.
9. When you knock over more than 10 items in an hour because you don’t know where your butt ends and your belly begins.
10. When you crash a woman with a stroller into a restaurant booth because you both thought you could make it through the hallway…you should go on maternity leave.

“Every child begins the world again.”  – Thoreau