a hero to me

a story was told of a man the other day
that called up his sister around midnight
back when no one called past eight
his nephew answered the phone 
his uncle says go wake your mom and dad
i need some money
the nephew let a few days pass
but he couldn't take it any longer
he said uncle why'd you need that money
the man said a man at work had been arrested
and i had to get him out, he has 3 kids, he needs to work
this man my grandpa, around 1965
after my grandparents passed away
and we were cleaning
we found letters my grandma had sent to judges
for a family friend to get custody of his children
i learned that they let a man live on the porch because he was homeless
even though they had four kids
i had witnessed my grandpa pick up strangers on the side of the road 
and give money to smelly, dirty people
he made and took fruit baskets to every widow and shut in in the community
no matter their color or religion
even when he had no money himself and couldn't see, much less drive
no he isn't going to have a monument made for him
or a movie
but he will always be my hero

writing for 5 minutes today on hero with Lisa Jo

the risks that keep on going #RiskRejection

let me take you back to the beginning  

my friend, Amy, has this great idea for us to take the plunge so to speak

and risk it for the goals we have been putting off

so i did

my three risks

run - as i sit typing my legs are aching, i have been running three times a week.  my first 5k is March 8 and i'm so excited.  it is honor of my sweet jude



money - the tastefully simple boxes are open.  my first party is Feb 9 and i'm nervous.  but i think it is going to be a good thing.  once i get my website up and going, i'll be advertising on here and you can order right there from you seat and it will come right to your door :) go start looking through the catalog



missions - i must be honest and say this one is kinda a fail.  i didn't talk to the people i had in my mind i wanted to mission to, but i did mission to some unexpectedly and learned that the risk that aren't prepared for, may leave you the most rejected 


so there you have it, the best thing about these risks is that even though this challenge was for one month, these risks are pretty much for forever

january has been busy, looking forward to february!

snippets of my sunday

pancakes at the table with my family of four 
sun blazing in the window to floor
running sound for the men
as they delivered the Word through music and words
remembrance of my grandfather and the way that he loved
how serving those next door is as important as those you don't know
laughter around the lunch table at the local steak house
with all 11 of my family gathered for lunch
picking on my brother about his shirt
that looks like it goes on a 8 year old 
not a big ol' boy
searching the part stores for an engine warmer 
so the tractors will crank and the work can be done
chili beans cooking on the stove
with cornbread fixed by my favorite son
back at our table forced to sit and talk and eat 
for 20 whole minutes without getting up 
serenaded by the mandolin while i washed the dishes 
and counted the blessings
and prayed for the week
and thought to myself
i don't know what i did Lord to deserve all of this 
but thank you for the blessings that i so often miss

visit

when did we lose the art of visiting
it seems now we only call if we need something
we would never stop by someones house without notice
the thought of someone stopping by our house is horrifying
because they will probably find it dirty
as i child i remember going to visit people



but only a few times as an adult have i practiced this old act of kindness
why 
because i'm too busy
because i don't want to intrude
because what will i do with my children


but the few times i have 
it has been a blessing to myself and the person i stopped to visit
because it takes time
it makes someone feel important
you get to say "i didn't come to see your house, i came to see you"

when was the last time you "visited"?

writing today for five minutes with Lisa Jo @ FMF

selfies and boxes #RiskRejection

RISK - a selfie after 20 minutes on the elliptical

gross

jello legs

a small step in a giant battle

my kids pulled up their bean bags and watched 

RISK - opening the boxes that begin a new business

whose idea was this

who has time for this

after my week at school

i think i might have had a momentary moment of insanity

the thing about risk #riskrejection

the nervousness pulls at your stomach
it makes your heart beat faster
it makes you question decisions made in your life, relevant or not
but i conquered the nerves and hit the enter button
and now i wait
and wait i did, but not very long
the email came

and just like that i had conquered part of my risk

but i didn't know the risk that lay ahead that day

that's the thing about risk and life

some of it is planned for, some of it is avoided, 

and some of it comes out of no where

sideswiping you and knocking you off your feet

but you have to risk it

risk reputations, relationships, and reward

because this life is precious and worth it

i beg you to risk truth

my risks

run.....yep this is what i look like when i run....i turn red and people say "what's wrong with you?"  and i have to say nothing, i'm just red.   some people are white, black, brown, but me...i'm red.  i'm overweight.  it's ok to talk about, i know i am.  and in the last 2 months when i've said i'm going to run a 5k in march, i've got funny looks and "really?" and it's ok. rejection is motivation.  i'm going to complete a 5k in march.

money.....nobody wants to talk about money, whether you have it or you don't have it.  but the truth of the matter is, moneys hard.  it's stressful, it keeps you up at night.  for 2 years i've prayed about this, this way to make money so i can have savings and have more moeny to help others and have less stress about money.  so i'm going in.

missons.....all in everyday....it's easy to plan for a mission event and to go to a church and talk about it because it's expected....but when you bring up Jesus with your co-workers, with your friends, with your family as more than "yeah I go to church, yeah I helped with that basketball camp" as if He's more than just that guy that you spend some time with in the summer and on sundays.  if you get deep and say "what do you believe" "how do you worship Jesus" and you don't walk away when the conversation gets heavy and the statements are made "yeah, i think there are lots of ways to get to heaven."  you stick it out, you stand up and be who you say you are.  

that's risking it all for Him

pray for me

risk pep talk {mostly for me}

are you scared or are you nervous about taking a risk?

do you think Jesus was scared or nervous His whole life?

His whole life was a risk.  
A risk God had to take. 
The only way, the only truth, and the only life, he says.

Why do we avoid Him and the risk He lays out for us? 
When he clearly tells us I am with you. (Joshua 1:9)  
I got you, He says.  
But there we stand a yellow bellied chicken, the kid at the end of the diving board, peering over the edge.

Saying I don't know, Lord.  
I can't do it. 
I can't do it.  
I don't have enough money.
I don't have enough time.
What will other's think?
What if something goes wrong?
What about my family?
What if....
I don't know. {shakes head}
I can't.

Meanwhile, the heavenly hands are waiting just over the edge. 
Pleading, I got you. 
I promise.  

Risk it.

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be zealous of that which is good?

But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; 

1 Peter 3:13-14

even if you fail

I got you, He repeats over and over and over.

lovely linky
Jen @ Finding Heaven

risk

2014......

one word to sum it all up......

r i s k

i don't think i really got to pick my word this year, it sort of was given to me

with an email from Amy 
with my family over new year's dinner playing blackjack
with Jon Acuff's 30 day's of hustle
with the dream of running for an angel
with a proposition and a fortune cookie

risk it
risk it all
risk it all for ?
risk it all for Him

If clouds are full of water,

    they pour rain on the earth.

Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,

    in the place where it falls, there it will lie.

 

Whoever watches the wind will not plant;

    whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.

As you do not know the path of the wind,

    or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,

so you cannot understand the work of God,

    the Maker of all things.

Sow your seed in the morning,

    and at evening let your hands not be idle,

for you do not know which will succeed,

    whether this or that,

    or whether both will do equally well.

Ecclesiastes 11:3-6