Sweets for My Sweets

I'm a glutton for punishment.  As if it wasn't bad enough that I gave up sweets for Lent, today I decided to do some baking.  That's right - I tortured myself in my own kitchen.

Yesterday we went to the grocery store after the kids and I saw Mr. Peabody and Sherman at the movie theater.  There were lots of fresh berries on sale this week, so we picked out fresh strawberries, blueberries and blackberries.

I was cooking dinner tonight and decided to put those fresh berries to use.  I made The Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Cobbler, except instead of blackberries I used a mixture of our cache from the produce aisle at HEB.  I was so good, I didn't even taste the batter.  That's a big step, my friends.

Before Pic - There's no after pic because the kids ate it too fast!

You were only supposed to bake it for an hour, but there must be something wrong with my oven because I had to bake it for almost two hours.  And I had to smell it the whole time.  Mike told me I should just have a taste, because I made it myself and it wasn't like it was a poptart or a donut.  I looked at him blankly.  That's a slippery slope - if that's an out, I made it myself, guess who will be deep-frying donuts tomorrow!  

Y'all should be proud - I never ate a single bite.  I didn't even try the spoon I served the bowls with.  Mike said it was amazing.  The kids practically licked their bowls clean.  And Mike said that technically on Sunday you can have whatever you gave up for Lent.  So I should just have it Sunday.  

Is that true?  Or did he make up his own rules again?  Sounds like a story to me ... Either way, I'm not eating sweets on Sunday.

Stop and Listen

Last Sunday, we went bowling with our Life Group.  We also played games in the arcade, and played laser tag.  Let me tell you what, do not cross me in laser tag.  My friend, Heidi, volunteered to watch the little ones, so I had the good fortune to go into the laser tag room with only Mike and Sammy, who's old enough to fend for himself.  I must have some kind of mom smell that emanates off of me, because sure enough within 5 seconds of me being in that laser tag room I had a little shadow.

She was about 5 years old, and followed me everywhere.  I would try to set myself up as a sniper, and there's my little 5 year old shadow standing right in front of me, so everyone knows where I am.  I told her to stop following me, I told her to go away, I even would take off running in a full sprint.  But wherever I want, there she was.  Her own mom was even in there playing laser tag with us, so I don't know why she chose to follow me.  I kept saying "I'm not your mom!" or "Go over there!" but there she was.  I couldn't lose her.

In the end, my little friend stuck with me the whole way, and even considering that I had a shadow I still ended up being third of all the people playing laser tag.  I still don't know where her mom was.  They give you a scorecard when you're done.  That's kind of dangerous for competitive people like me.  I'm proud to say, though, that ChasePlace ranked pretty well.  Mike was first, I placed third, and Sammy came in fifth.  Not bad, ChasePlace.  Not bad at all.

Which brings me to my larger point.  I'm a working mom now.  Working moms don't have time for illness.  Just like I didn't have time for my little friend in the laser tag room.  Sick babies mean taking a day off, and that's hard because it means (in my position, anyway) that you have to find someone to fill in for you if you have any trainings scheduled.  

Let me introduce Patient Zero.  Patient Zero would be Payton.  Payton is Sophia's friend, and she went bowling with us on Sunday.  On Tuesday, Patient Zero was diagnosed with strep.  Sophia was pretty whiny throughout our entire week, and on Wednesday she started complaining that her throat hurt.  I told her to drink a glass of water and suck it up, cupcake.

On Thursday, Sammy had his Open House at school.  Open House went great, and we actually ran into my friend, Heidi, and her daughter, Patient Zero.  Heidi told me that Patient Zero was doing much better, and I was thrilled to hear that, because Heidi just started a new part time job this week and I want it to go well for her!

Then we went home.  As soon as we got home, Sophia started up again that her throat hurt.  Paging Mom, are you listening here?  She laid down in the chair, and I went over to her and felt her forehead.  Surprise, surprise . . .she was pretty darn warm.  I took her temp and it was 100.1 or 99.7, depending on which ear I checked.  Part of me said give her ibuprofen and move along, you've got a training tomorrow and she can't be sick, but the other part of me said it's time to stop.  And listen.

My mom instincts took over.  Mike stayed at home with Sammy, and I immediately loaded up Sophia and took her to the RediClinic at HEB.  I was half-thinking they would think I was crazy because technically, she wasn't even running a real fever (100.4 is the magic number, my friends), but I took her anyway.

We had to wait over an hour, but when we were finally seen they did a quick strep test as well as a quick flu test.  The doctor read her strep test from across the room, so it was pretty conclusive.  She had strep.  I'm so glad I ignored the "you've got a busy day tomorrow" and listened to my instincts and took her to the doctor before it could get any worse.

My friend Danielle took my training for the day, and I started my Spring Break a day early, trading my professional clothes for yoga pants and a T-shirt.  Surprisingly, Sophia felt really great today.  Her fever stayed low, and we watched princess movies and cuddled.  I'm so proud to be her mom, and I'm glad that I stopped and listened...

Meanwhile, I'm waiting ... If Sophia had it, that means Sammy and I might not be far behind.  So I wait ... And stop ... And listen ...

Lent and Other Things . . .

As many of you know, I was raised Assembly of God, and now consider myself non-denominational, so I've never celebrated Lent by giving up something.  In contrast, Mike was raised Catholic, so he spent the first 25 years of his life giving up peanut butter, chocolate, candy, sodas, school (just kidding!).

Currently, in our Life Group, we are studying Kyle Idleman's gods at war, which focuses on the false gods that we live with in our culture today.  I know what you're thinking - no one has a false god, right?  That went out with the golden cow over 2,000 years ago.  WRONG!

When you look in the book of Joshua, chapter 24, it says to "choose for yourself today whom you will serve."  Something to keep in mind there is that in Joshua's time, serve not only meant to worship, but it also meant where your time, money and efforts are focused.  So in other words, to choose whom you will serve does not mean one big decision - it's a continuous action - made up of little decisions that each of us make every single day.

We all serve little gods.  They can be gods of comfort, pleasure, power, status, perfectionism . . . just to name a few.  Part of the study is identifying those gods that are at war for our heart, at war to take our focus away from the one TRUE God, Jesus.  Most recently, I've been digging deeper to identify the gods of comfort in my life.  Remember, a god is something we go to in times of struggle, rather than reaching deeper for the Lord.

With all of the focus on gods of comfort, I've realized that I'm a big dessert-aholic (is that a word?).  So, keeping that in mind, I've decided to give up sweets for Lent.  I haven't given up anything for Lent ever - not in 32 years.  This is a big step for me.  I've also committed to stopping and praying for God's acceptance and strength in those times when I would normally grab a piece of chocolate if I was stressed, or placate myself with a cookie after work, or plan a nice dessert when I had a bad day.

I'm not brave enough to say I'm giving up sugar completely, because I'm not going to scour labels for sugar.  However, if it fits in the sweets/dessert category (cookies, chocolate, cake, candy, poptarts, donuts, etc) then it's not going in my mouth!

It kind of leaves me wondering, though . . . I was driving to work this morning and totally jonesing for a donut or a cherry poptart, and I realized that I was pretty much lusting in my heart for some sweets.  Which technically means I already had them, right?!?!

Silly, I know, but definitely something to consider.  I know Ash Wednesday is pretty much over now, but it's not too late - anyone else have a god of comfort they plan to give over to Jesus?  Lent season is a great time to try . . .

Am I Still Alive?

Wow . . . wow, wow, wow.  So much to say, so little time.  Suffice it to say, I haven't blogged in a VERY long time.  But that, my friends, is about to change.  Get ready.  I really hope you are ready!

In the past few years (since I last blogged) . . . I went back to work and started teaching 7th grade math.  From there, I accepted a position in our district's technology department and am now a Classroom Technology Designer.  Yes, my friends.  I get paid to share what I love - technology!  iPads, SMARTBoards, using cell phones in class . . . it's all in the job description.  Definitely a challenge (some more days than others), but I love it!

And on the homefront . . . Sammy is now in 2nd grade (where does the time go - I still remember when he was making a pillow pet!) and Sophia, my little pooper, is now 4 years old and ready to start Kindergarten in the fall.

Plus, we adopted another German Shepherd!  Are you surprised?  Kona the Wonder Dog needed a friend, and we heard that a young GSD was in need of rescue.  Zeus is now almost 2 years old, and he has fit into our little pack quite well.  We're just glad he decided to make us part of his pack.  More on that later!

Meanwhile, stick around awhile - hoping to blog more often!