Memories

For years, I have been encouraged by a dear friend to really spend some time focusing on making memories. With summer finally here....what better time than now to pass on this valuable lesson. Time goes so fast!! I know you have heard that a million times but it is so true. We can't do a thing to slow it down but we can do tons to make the most of the time we have. What does this look like? Well, for me....I have to make a conscious effort to remember to take lots of pics. At the end of the summer, I love to pour over them. I then upload my favs to any number of sites to put a book together. I use snapfish.com or shutterfly.com. So fun. For those that are not creative or the thought of trying to be creative shuts you down....both these sites have the ability to simply take the photos you want and put them in a book for you! Cool. I am confident I will look over these books for years to come. A guaranteed "warm-fuzzy" generator! In the past, I have given each child a copy of the finished product as a Christmas gift. They seem to love them. Some other things we do: bubbles!! (always fun for any age), sidewalk chalk (old standby), water balloons on a hot day, sprinkler (we have a pool but sprinklers get them giggling), bonfires (this is a must!), picnic lunch at a local park, homemade Popsicles, reverse dinner (go get ice cream before dinner!), grow something (we have a garden and each child has an area that they are responsible to weed. This makes my job easier and they really take ownership. This could even be a potted tomato on the patio.), lighting bugs in a jar (I know, I know...this seems so...."yeah, whatever" but trust me..the kids will pull that memory forward forever!), bike rides, and the list goes on and on. These are just some that we do. As you can see, little or no money is involved. When my children were small, I had to think about making sure I did these. They did not just happen! Maybe if I was a Muppet or something, these types of things would just pop in my head to do. Seeing how I am a real mom, that loves her kids madly but would rather just sit and read a magazine on a warm summer day....I had to kind of push myself to do all this fun stuff. I want my children to look back on their childhood and think happy thoughts. I want to be remembered as the mom who was tough at times but was full of great ideas and full of fun. Don't you want that too? Well, if so, then this does not just happen. It is thought about and planned for. I would like to encourage you to think about what ways you can make this summer the best one yet! My prayer is that you begin to understand how significant you are. Significant first and foremost to our Creator and also to your children. See there...YOU ROCK and you didn't even know it!!

Vertical vs. Horizontal

OK....with summer being here, it has been really tough doing a blog. I hate the fact that I have not written in such a long time but ya know...it is what it is. I can only blog when something moves me and these days...well, with kids home...you know how that goes. Not many moments for inspirational introspection. I did hear something this morning that I just had to "selah" about. I think I mentioned this before but just so you know, "selah" means to pause and reflect. This term is Hebrew and often appears in the Psalms. I love it. Anywho....because I am a girl who has dealt with depression/panic for many years, this saying caught my attention.

Vertical perspective helps eliminate horizontal panic.

Now, think about that for a moment...or...selah.

I put panic, anxiety, worry, and depression all in the same life folder. I first had to deal with panic attacks in my early 20's. If you have ever had one, you know how horrid they are. I dealt with them for about a year. When I say a year, I mean non-stop for one year. Rarely did I experience relief from the terror that one feels in the midst of a panic attack. It was hell on earth. Truly. Along with this panic, I was depressed. I had not come to know the Lord at this point in my life but looking back, He certainly was with me and guided me through this very difficult period in my life. I got through the panic and depression with counseling and medication. The combination of the two helped me to discover things about myself that enabled me to "cope" in a much more healthy way. Let's fast forward to now. I have not had any panic attacks for more than 15 years (praise God) but I will say that depression has come and gone. The level of depression I feel, since coming to know our Lord, is somewhat closer to the normal, human kind of depression. I think that everyone has moments when they feel depressed. I think my moments might be a bit longer or deeper than the average girl...not sure. Nonetheless, being able to deal with moments of depression in a Godly way is key to not only getting through them, but getting through them quickly. This saying, A vertical perspective helps eliminate horizontal panic, really speaks to that. When I came to the realization that this world is NOT all about me, there is a much bigger picture going on, that I am part of a huge, masterful plan by a wondrous creator...then the moments of depression during my day to day living, became "easy" to deal with. Well, not easy. Let's say, doable. I remind myself that my life needs to be from a vertical perspective. VERTICAL!! (that's up girls. = 0)
I get into the Word, I read a book, I sit and get quiet with God, I listen to Christian music....these are the top things that help in these moments. Because I have become a student of scripture I have also come to realize that dealing with yucky stuff such as depression is simply part of our fallen world. Being a Christian does not mean no yuck happens. It only means I have Someone to run to WHEN yuck happens. Christians have a place of refuge. If you have accept Christ you know exactly what I mean here. It is such a comfort...a none explainable comfort! Keeping my focus on the bigger plan that God has vs. my plans is just where I go when my heart feels down trodden, when my soul feels heavy, when my heart feels gray. My prayer is that anyone reading this is able to take this saying, A vertical perspective helps eliminate horizontal panic, depression and worry, and think about applying it to their lives... as needed. Selah!