Be My Guest

Today is the last day of the year 2012, and what a year it has been, huh? So many major events in the world, some awe-inspiring and wonderful, and some tragic and heart-breaking. So many major events in the world ... so many major events in our country ... so many major events in families ... so many major events in individual lives. For me personally, I'm ready to put 2012 behind me, and I'm praying and hoping for a brighter, happier, more peace-filled 2013 ... the two key words in that sentence being praying (with every ounce of faith I can find within my heart and soul) and hoping (with every shred of desire I can search out within my being). 2012 has been a tough one for me, for sure ... 2013 surely will be a better year ... 2013 needs to be a better year ... 2013 must be a better year.

The week following my difficult meeting back in October with some of the gals I work with, those same sweet gals took me to lunch. It struck me as the lunch hour grew near that I had never been to lunch with any of those women ... not once in all the years I had known them had I ever lunched with them. That is such a sad commentary on the walls I had created between me and those lovely ladies, walls that were my fault and my responsibility, walls that have crumbled away over the last couple of months. It was at lunch that an idea arose while we waited for our food to arrive ... an idea first posed by one of the gals, an idea that quickly sparked my interest and gave me pause to consider doing something different within the posts of my blog. The words, "You should let me write a guest blog one day," caused me to think deeply and to ponder the truth contained within them. This blog has always been mine ... and mine alone ... to vent, to muse, to whine, to inspire (hopefully), to help (hopefully), to bring a smile to your face (hopefully). My thoughts, my feelings, my struggles, my victories ... this blog has always been filled with my words ... and mine alone.

Today, that is going to change. I would like to institute a monthly (if not more often) opportunity for you to be guest bloggers on The Tree House. I'm sure that many (if not all) of you can write much more eloquently than me, and I'm beyond sure that many (if not most) of you have things to say that would help all of us on our journeys through life. You may remain anonymous, or you may ask me to print your name. You may choose the subject, or you may ask me to offer up a suggested topic. You know it as well as I do ... it's a great idea ... an idea far bigger than those words uttered in an offhand comment at lunch. "You should let me write a guest blog one day."

The post you will read tonight was written by someone for whom I have the utmost respect ... as a friend, as a wife and mother, as a businesswoman, as a traveler on the road of life who truly and deeply cares for those whom she encounters along the way. She keeps her ears wide open, listens with her heart and does what God asks of her ... without hesitation, without question, without remorse, without fail. What follows are her words ... her subject choice ... her heart.

     “Welcome to my first guest blog post. Actually, my first blog post period. I've always wanted to be a writer. To share my thoughts and views and to have someone read them and think about things in a different way. To be thought provoking, to educate, to inspire, to change the way someone thinks about a situation. Or even just to gather my thoughts, organize them in some logical way and share them with others.

     Oh, to be a great writer. Or even just a mediocre writer. But that takes commitment. And discipline. And time. And life gets in the way. Between work, raising amazing kids (that's the goal, right?), to be a good partner to my spouse, to finding time to be with my friends, there's a lot. A lot of responsibility, a lot of prioritization, a lot of things being set aside for another day.

     But this is important. This post was a commitment to a friend. And because of that, it's a priority to me.

     I have all kinds of friends. I have friends who challenge me, friends who help me be my best, friends who love to have fun, friends who help me be in the moment, friends who love to talk about work, friends who would never talk about work, friends who love to talk about spirituality, friends who love to talk about cooking, friends who love to talk about style, and all types in between. Friends who never need help (or seem not to), and friends who love to discuss all options before making a decision. 

     I'm so appreciative of my friends. They make my life so rich. So incredible. It sounds trite, but they make life worth living. I don't often stop to think about exactly what they bring to my life, but when I do, it comes down to exactly the same thing. They make me feel loved. I have no two friends alike, but they are all there for me, and I for them. It's all about feeling loved, appreciated, valued, treasured. And also about loving in return, in appreciating, in treasuring these friendships. And all without a blink of an eye. There is not a lot in life that is close to the feeling of a friend being there when you need them. Or you for them.

     Terrie is one of these friends. It's not about how tall she is, or how not tall she is. It's not about how well she can cook, for I have no idea. It could be about how well she can write - we all know she's good. But it's not really about that. It's not about how well she shops - I found that out! It's about how she treats her friends. And her family. And that's what matters. She's supportive, she's loyal, she's smart, she's funny, she's kind, she's helpful, she's beautiful and she's sincere.

     And in return, I am supportive of her. As are so many others. We treasure Terrie for exactly who she is. For her amazing sense of giving. For how she loves her family. For her love of her children (it is quite awesome, as are her kids). For her love of her granddaughter. For her loyalty to her work. To her friends. To her spirituality. To her sense of style (even though she would never wear sequins!). I treasure Terrie for Terrie. She is who she is, and who she is is simply awesome.

     Terrie has struggled with who she is lately, which I'm sure you've picked up on in her writings. But to me, she's everything I described, and more. Not one of these things alone defines her, but a combination of all of her attributes makes Terrie who she is. And to me, she's a friend. And to me, that's all that really matters.

     So struggle a little less in 2013, my friend, and just be you. Awesome you.”

Finding Nemo and Myself

I have a confession to make ... as an adult, I really don't care much for animated movies. Man, it feels good to reveal that deep, dark secret about myself ... confession really is good for the soul, I suppose. I'm sure that when I was a kid, I enjoyed those types of "cartoonish" movies, and I truly tried to like them when my own children were young. Oh, I can watch animated movies as well as anyone and even glean some great life lessons from them ... like last Thursday when I took my two young movie buddies to see Rise of the Guardians. That particular flick was filled with lessons ... lessons about fulfilling your purpose in life, learning to love yourself and working together with others for the greater good of mankind. The truth is that it was a great movie, but for me, it would have been an excellent movie had the makers chosen to use real people playing real characters rather than using animation to tell the story. Now having owned up to my lack of love for animated films, I must also confess that there are a couple of those types of movies I can watch over and over again for two reasons ... the story wouldn't work using actors and traditional film work, and the lessons contained within those stories are big enough to overcome my intrinsic dislike of animation. I watched one of those films a couple of days ago, and I haven't been able to shake it from my mind ... yep, a little animated fish has been swimming around in my head, and he just will not go away.

Finding Nemo opened in theaters in 2003, and it became an almost overnight success, including ending the year as the second-highest grossing film of the year, and it is the best-selling DVD of all time. It's hard to believe that a movie about a little fish could generate so much buzz (and money), but it has certainly stood the test of time and proven itself worthy of all the accolades it received. It's a well-done film from a technical standpoint, and for its time, the computer-generated animation was cutting edge. The nitty-gritty of the science of the movie wasn't what made Finding Nemo such a huge and lasting success, however, it's the story and more specifically, the life lessons contained within the story that makes the film so memorable. It's a story about survival, risk, love, commitment, trust, and so much more ... it's a story about being lost ... about finding your way ... about being found. It's a story about recognizing that different doesn't mean bad ... about realizing that you may be stronger than you think you are ... about reveling in the love of family and friends. It's just a darn good story about a fish ... it's just a darn good story about life.

As I lay stretched out on my couch watching the movie, I found myself identifying with little Nemo in ways that I never have before. I was struck from the very beginning of the film with the realization that little Nemo was born a survivor ... all of his siblings were eaten by a barracuda, and he was the sole survivor of the attack. He had a tiny right fin from damage that occurred in the barracuda battle, which made him different from the other fish around him. He got mad at his dad and took off on his own, and ... well ... you should watch the movie and see all the things that not only Nemo experienced but his family and friends as well. A couple of other things struck me as I watched the film this time, a couple of big things. Nemo never gave up ... no matter the obstacles he encountered, he believed he could conquer his fear and triumph over them. He believed in himself ... in spite of his shortcomings, he believed he would survive and make it home.

See here's the thing ... I think maybe all of us are flawed in one way or another, born with a tiny fin in some area of our lives. And often, instead of believing in the plan God has for us, we get so focused on our tiny fins that we give up and stop swimming altogether. Forget going on any grand adventures or helping our fellow fish or learning anything about bravery and courage. We tread water and look at our tiny fins and say, "A fish like me can never amount to anything. A fish like me shouldn't even try to swim at all. A fish like me couldn't, wouldn't, shouldn't ..." You can fill in the rest of that last sentence for yourself.

Hey, God ... remember when my friend called me a salmon? And remember when I said I was more flounder than salmon? If it's OK with you, I think I'd like to be Nemo.  

My Take

So many of you have asked for my take on the questions I posted last night that I thought I'd go ahead and respond this morning. I may have another post tonight, or I may not. Or I may. Or I may not. If I do, I apologize in advance for two posts in one day. Now, on to the questions from last night. But first, let me say that my answers are merely guesses on my part, hence the reason my questions are FAQs ... if I knew the answers for sure, I suppose I wouldn't keep asking the questions so frequently.

1) God must really like the color green because He chose to use it for the grass, leaves, shrubbery, frogs, lily pads, and even some fish. It's not my favorite color, but God didn't consult with me before creation (and that's a really good thing, because I'm quite certain I would have completely messed everything up, including choosing colors for things). As to the blue sky, I think He chose the beautiful blue because it matches my eyes (and those of my kiddos and my gorgeous granddaughter).

2) This question is one I have asked for many years, and I am certain I will never know the answer. My dad was one of the finest men on earth with a genuinely loving, caring, giving, forgiving heart ... a heart that loved God completely and sacrificially. Daddy suffered so much in the last 10 years of his life; the combination of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases ravaged not only his mind but his body as well. I didn't understand why Daddy had to endure what he did, nor do I understand why others like him must suffer incredible physical or emotional pain. Only God knows the answer to this one.

3) "Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice." Psalm 55:17

4) Talk about a heavy question, a question that has been debated in the church down through the ages, and a question that none of us will know the true answer to this side of heaven. My mind tells me that sin is sin in God's eyes, and that there are no levels of "bad, badder, baddest" with Him. But my heart has a hard time comprehending that, perhaps because I know my own heart and what lies within it at times, and perhaps because of the way we often judge one another as Christians. I know you know what I mean ... we judge ourselves and we judge one another based on how "bad" our sin is. I'm glad that God is the ultimate judge and has the ultimate say on me and everyone else, too. 

5) It's hard for me to believe because I am human and I am flawed and I am weak.

a) "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39

b) "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." Psalm 139:13

c) "But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever." Psalm 52:8

6) I sure hope so.

7) I sure hope so.

8) I would if I were Him.

9) I can't even begin to imagine what God looks like. Except that I'm sure He looks like love. And if He eats ice cream, His favorite must be vanilla with caramel syrup. Lots and lots and lots of caramel syrup. And whipped cream. And cherries. And sliced almonds. And a little hot fudge for good measure.

10) Please, God ... please forgive me again. And again. And again.

FAQs

One of the things I love most about my job as a senior editor for an advertising agency is that I get to proof and edit a broad range of materials from a diverse group of clients. From brochures for an NFL team to technical manuals for an animal health company to magazine ads for a hospital to glass milk bottles for a local dairy to coupons and packaging for cheese and dairy products, I love that I get to read about so many different things every single day at work. Many years ago, I worked for an engineering firm as a technical proofreader, and while I liked the company and the people I worked with, I would get so bored reading about the same thing day in and day out (it didn't help that what I was reading mainly consisted of plans and specs for nuclear power plants). For all the different pieces that come across my desk each day now, I always love it when those pieces contain FAQ sections ... Frequently Asked Questions. The reason I love those particular parts of the materials I'm editing? It's quite fun for me to test myself to see if I already know the answers to the questions before I read them, and if I don't, I always learn something new about our clients.

This morning, I spent some time with the stupid head doctor ... and by the way, I promised her that I would come up with a new name for her for the new year (seems that for some reason unbeknownst to me, she's not overjoyed about being known to the world as the stupid head doctor) ... and as she always does each time I meet with her, she asked me lots of questions. And today, several of those questions were about God ... questions that were deep, questions that will linger, questions that quite possibly may remain unanswered in my heart and soul this side of heaven. I'll give the good doctor one thing, though ... she certainly makes me think deeply, and I often think deeply about the things she says to me and the questions she asks of me for a long, long time after I leave her office. The more I've thought about her questions from this morning, the more it's made me think that life most definitely has an FAQ section ... well, at least for me it does anyway, especially when it comes to God and my relationship with Him. And the more I've thought about that, that my life has a God FAQ section, the more it's made me think about what questions actually reside in that section of my heart and mind. And the more I've thought about my own questions, the more I've found myself wondering what some of your FAQs might be. And the more I've wondered what your questions might be, the more I decided that I should write this post and list some of mine and hope that you will message me with some of yours.

So here goes, here's at least the beginning of my list of God FAQs (and I'll warn you up front that some of my questions are rather silly in nature, but they are questions that often cross my mind ... not sure exactly what that says about me or the scope of my intelligence).

1) Why did You make the grass green and the sky blue? I don't much care for the color green and think grass would look much cooler if it were red. I'm OK with the sky being blue, I just would like to know why You chose that particular color.

2) Why do some people have to suffer so much more than others? Especially people who are kind and giving and loving and who have such deep faith?

3) Do You ever grow tired of me asking You the same thing over and over and over again?

4) How do You really define sin? Is telling a lie really the same to You as killing someone? Are there really no levels of sin with You? 

5) Why is it so hard for me to believe that You love me just the way I am? That You loved me before I was even born? That You will always love me? Why is that so hard for me to believe?

6) Will there be dogs in heaven?

7) Will I be able to eat everything I want in heaven? (And by everything, God, I mean every sugar-loaded bite that I can stuff into my mouth.) 

8) Do You sometimes wish You never would have created people?

9) What do You look like? Do You have blue eyes or brown hair? Do You even have eyes and hair? Do You eat ice cream, and if You do, chocolate or vanilla?

10) You and I know that this is the question I ask of You every day, many times over ... it's my most frequently asked question of all, God. Will You forgive me? Again?