Bored? Climb a Mimosa Tree!

“I’m so bored!” Famous words from kids during their summer vacation even with all the technology gadgets they own – they still get weary from the same-o, same-o!

Did you complain of boredom when you were a kid? I did. My Mom’s reply to that – “Go outside and play. Make some soup.” WHAT? Oh, I knew what she meant. She wanted me to go outside because that's where we had lots of "play-grounds and play-gyms" that resolved boredom by offering great opportunities for imagination and adventures. My playground and gym was a mimosa tree in our front yard that I climbed and pretended I was in a fortress from all my enemies and when I got hungry, I made a delicious soup to share with my friends.

Those memories came back to me when we were at Beaver’s Bend this spring and mimosa trees were everywhere. I pointed them out to my grands! I still think a mimosa is the prettiest tree in the world. Its leaves are like ferns. Its flowers are pink puffballs. And it blooms in summer when few other trees do and when the puffballs fade, the tree grows hundreds of 6-inch long, bean-like, brown seedpods which hang from every branch.

As I said, not only did we climb my tree and ward off evil pirates from my “tree ship”, but we would take the bean pods from it and break it up into a big pot. We’d add the leaves, seeds, pods, and flowers from it, and add a little dirt for seasoning. Then, we pretended to cook it and enjoy our scrumptious pot of mimosa stew! BTW – I just found out in writing this post for today, that we could have actually boiled up the flowers for a real mimosa healthy drink. Both its flowers and bark were traditionally used as a sedative, specifically for calming and lifting one's spirit. HOLY MOLY! I could use a jug of it right now in dealing with my Animal Kingdom here in Austin!

We also pretended to be school teachers and mothers and sometimes we did some things that required bravery – like riding our bicycles with no hands or jumping off the high diving board. Sometimes our imaginations went too far. I’ll never forget the trouble my friend and I got into when we wanted a swimming pool and dug an 8 ft X 8 ft X 1 ft hole in my backyard. We were caught when we were adding water to “our luxurious mud pit”.

I’ll bet you can remember some wild and crazy adventures when you were a kid. Those adventures sure did break up the boredom. I talked about adventures in my post yesterday and it seems I’m on a soapbox for living life to the fullest, with no room for boredom. In Matthew 18:3, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you change and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” What exactly does that mean….especially when you’re as “mature” as I am? Of course, God wants us to come before Him as children, because children are innocent, and trust with a pure heart. To go before God as a child is to go with wide-eyed wonder that comes from total faith. Our Heavenly Father – our great Creator was an Adventurer par excellence (just think about all the adventures He directed His kids into – water-walking, water-parting, boat rides on stormy seas, giants tumbling with a mere stone from a shepherd boy’s sling, falling into pits and landing up in a palace). It sure seems like, as His children, it should be just “natural” to be adventure seekers because of the childlike faith we possess.

Here’s the thing -- God didn’t create us for boredom! We are always being “pushed” to be more, do more, experience more, celebrates more, live life larger than ever before. Here’s another GREAT verse. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing and they will do even GREATER things than these because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

So, why sit in the recliner of boredom, complacency, and idleness when there's so much to see, so much greater things to do and so much to experience? This world is the greatest "playground". Why should we be "dead men and women walking", instead of people who are alive, imaginative, creative AND adventurous? I’m already planning my next adventure. How about you?

There’s No Place Like Home, But There’s Also Nothing Like Epic Adventures

This post was inspired as I was having a phone conversation with a friend yesterday by the chicken pen at my children’s home in Austin. Our conversation was interrupted when I saw two little renegade chickens out of the pen again. Those who follow me will remember the last time I was here in Austin. I was on a daily mission to shore up holes around the pen where the younger chickens were escaping. When I returned home to Frisco, I heard that these two chickens weren’t escaping through holes, but flying out and back in the pen.

Here I am on "animal patrol" again. It’s a work-out, but I find being here is one of the most peaceful and beautiful places on earth. It’s back to nature and profound appreciation for God’s creation. AND, I get “aha” moments to share with you.

These two little black chickens have learned there’s fun, living-life-large adventures, as well as yummy bugs and treats outside of the pen, so they fly outside the safety and comfort of home. I don't worry about them roaming around anymore because they know where home sweet home is. When they need water or hanging out with their “family” – they’ll fly right back in. On the other hand, take a look at the photo on the right of the renegades. Those are older, mature hens and roosters who are watching what the renegades are doing, but they aren’t tempted to follow them. They are quite comfortable in their familiar surroundings of home.

To the right of the chicken photos is a quote by Helen Keller from her book published in 1940: "Let Us Have Faith” and a chapter titled “Faith Fears Not” contained the passage: "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Don't you love that a blind woman speaks about faith AND adventure?

Have you ever done something that took you out of your comfort zone like becoming a pilot? Have you joined a new group that required you to meet total strangers? Have you spoken in front of a room to a group of people you don’t know? Have you gone on a 21-day trip with total strangers to Europe? Or eaten at a restaurant and were the only one in your booth? Have you taken on a crazy assignment like the care of a motley crew of animals? All of those questions, I've said “yes” to. Those all speak to the season I am in. I could stay at home in the comfort and safety of home or I could take risks and enjoy the adventures that are “outside the pen” like those adventurous chickens. If you have, maybe you’ve made the same discovery: adventure breaks monotony.

Adventure breaks monotony not only in the roles I play, but it also breaks any ho-hum-ness in my relationship with God.
Sometimes … my consistency, my predictability, my same-way-every-day when it comes to the way I interact with God can get downright "ordinary", and ordinary sometimes is BORING! God didn’t create us for ordinary and boring. He created us for EXTRAordinary. In John 10:10, Jesus said He came to give us a rich, abundant and satisfying life. Are we taking Him up on His offer? Taking on some out-of-the-comfort-zone adventures with the Holy Spirit can sure break ordinary.

Life is a great adventure. Seriously....there is so much awe and wonder to life if we live with the attitude of adventure. Let's blaze a trail for others to follow. Let's live life with gusto. Let's pursue it. Let's hunt for it. Let's say "no" to the whines of those who have settled for a mediocre life and who want us to do the same so they won't feel guilty. It seems our options are quite clear: On one side, there is the voice of safety. We can nestle into the pen (our home), settle for living for “us four and no more” and we can watch others that are spreading their wings and are flying to places of wonder and delight. We can hear the voice of adventure -- God's adventures. Instead of nestling in, we can ignite a fire in our hearts. We can follow God's impulses -- maybe......adopt the child; move to a new place; change careers; run for office, give blood, accept that teaching position at church or school, join that group with a cause to change the world and determine to make a difference in other people's lives. What a way to live! What a GREAT adventure!!

This is NESTING -- Preparing, Waiting, Anticipating

This is NESTING -- Preparing, Waiting, Anticipating
On Saturday, I went outside to water some plants and I was startled by the fluttering away of a mama dove that had laid two eggs in my fireplace vent outside. I quietly left that area because I wanted her to return to her nest. Then yesterday morning, I was about to clean my BBQ grill when I looked up and there, patiently, peacefully and undisturbed was this mama dove sitting on her soon-to-be-hatched babies. How significant to see such a beautiful wonder of creation on Mother’s Day. That adoring and devoted mama was waiting, anticipating and, obviously from the well-built nest in a cozy spot, preparing for her brood. I kept going outside, and Mama had not moved from her spot. She is on a mission to bring life into this world, unconcerned at all by the bird watchers that would check her out throughout the day -- and especially, when my children and grandchildren came over to power wash my porches right near her..

We, women relate to “nesting”, not only in birds, but when we, as expectant mamas, are getting close to that day when our baby will arrive. We wake up one morning feeling energetic and have the distinct urge to clean and organize our entire house. It's that overwhelming desire to get our home ready for our new baby. Sometimes, that urge is from boredom or frustration from still being pregnant, as well as knowing that the baby’s care is going to take lots of time and energy, and we want everything to be ready before the baby arrives. I recall the excitement and anticipation of that bundle of joy AND I knew the hours of love and care that I was about to give. There would be little time for much else, so, like that mama dove, my "little nest" needed to be just right.

On this Mother’s Day, I was pondering about the thoughts I had before my babies arrived. We already had their names picked out long before their arrival day. I worked tirelessly on their nursery, being sure it all set up and ready to go for the tiny, new occupant. All the gifts of clothes, nighties, and underclothes were washed and folded into the little dresser drawers. The hanging diaper holder was filled and all the tiny items were all organized for the imminent arrival of our baby. I would open those drawers and smell that sweet baby aroma.. My house was clean. My bags, with my baby’s "going home" outfit, was packed and ready to go. With our girl's arrival, we had all the plans made for taking her big brother to Granny & Papa's to stay until we came home with her. Everything was ready for her debut. The excitement was building for the BIG day!

Though I am no longer in that “season” (Thanks be to God!) of nesting because a baby is on the way, I still find myself nesting in times of sweet reflection, peace and quiet, and really pondering God’s goodness and mercy to me. Aw, pondering. Mary, the mother of our Lord, perfected that term – she pondered all those angelic messages in her heart.

This little mama dove reminded me about the importance of "being still" nesting in our Lord. It's a given that He abides in us, but when we spend time refreshing and reviving our relationship with Him, to really know Him, His peace (like the dove) comes over us and all the clamor and activity around us is as nothing. That dove really looked like a decoy -- unshakable and unmovable. Her babies were her preeminent responsibility. Nothing else mattered.

Today some of our precious family from Winnipeg, Canada are coming for a visit. I've prepared for them. I baked and cooked and made sure my house is clean. I even ordered the hockey channel on my TV for watching our Winnipeg Jets play their second game in the Stanley Cup Western Conference finals. In essence, I’m nesting and I’m preparing, waiting, anticipating, and preparing for their arrival. Maybe “nesting” is the mindset we should always have with our relationship with Christ. Peacefully, thinking about what He means to us, being still enough to know His indescribable love for us and preparing, waiting and anticipating, with joyful sense of expectation of His return. Oh, what a DEBUT that will be!

Go Outside and Make Soup

“I’m so bored!” Famous words from kids during their summer vacation. Did you complain of boredom when you were a kid? I did. My Mom’s reply to that – “Go outside and make soup.” WHAT? Oh, I knew what she meant. She wanted me to go outside and play, because that's where we had lots of "play grounds" that resolved boredom. Playgrounds that offered great imagination and adventures. We had a Mimosa tree in our front yard. We kids would take the bean pods from it and break it up into a big bowl. We’d add the leaves, seeds, pods and flowers from it and other trees, and add a little dirt for seasoning. We didn’t eat it, but we had so much fun pretending we were cooks. That little pretend scenario was one of many we imagined. We pretended to be school teachers, and sometimes we did some things that required bravery – like riding our bicycles – no hands, or climbing trees to get into our "club house". Sometimes our imagination went too far. I’ll never forget the trouble my friend and I got into when we wanted a swimming pool and dug an 8 foot by 8 foot by 1 foot hole in my backyard. We were finally caught when we were adding water to “our pit”. I’ll bet you can remember some wild and crazy adventures when you are a kid. Those adventures sure did break up monotony and boredom.

Even more so as adults, we know that adventures break up monotony and the same oh, same oh routines. That’s why our family loves fishing in lakes, ponds AND in oceans.

"Boredom” isn’t a word used in my vocabulary any more. I seem to be flying by the seat of my pants….quite regularly. In a moment’s notice, you might find me hitting the road to go see my kids in Texas, or taking off to a fun location or venue with friends, or volunteering for yet another ministry outreach.

Here’s the thing -- God didn’t create us for boredom! In John 10:10, Jesus said “I have come to give you LIFE, and LIFE more abundantly!” The question is “Are we taking Him up on His offer?”
We are always being “pushed” to be more, do more, experience more, celebrate more, live life larger than ever before. Here’s another great verse. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing and they will do EVEN GREATER things than these because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

So, why sit in the pit of boredom, complacency, and idleness when there's so much to see, so much to do and so much to experience? This world is the greatest ";playground". Why be "dead men and women walking", instead of people who are alive, imaginative, creative AND adventureous? After all, this ABUNDANT LIFE is ready for us to enjoy it to the fullest.