Time for Intermission

INTERMISSION – interval, interlude, halftime, break, recess, pause, rest, respite, gap, space, lull, stop, halt, hiatus

I remember INTERMISSION when I went to a play or outdoor movie. That was the time we could visit the restrooms or get a snack or just to simply have a good ole' stretch. I had a two-day intermission from my trip to Tulsa and Oklahoma City last week, before I received an SOS message from my Austin family. The boys were sick and their Mom and Dad had to go out of town the next day (yesterday). I quickly loaded my “still warm” suitcase and clothes bag, threw cosmetics back into the bag and within 30 minutes, I was on my way to Austin. My two-days at home had been packed full of “catch-up” and around 3 pm, I thought I’d grab a little nap (an intermission) before a meeting at church. I was awakened with that “SOS” call and was thankful I had been prompted to rest before then, because I was wide awake for my 4+ hour trek to Austin.

I sent text messages to those who were expecting me at events for that night and the next day. My sister-in-law sent these words of affirmation to me: “It’s a privilege for us to be able to help our children. They are our gifts from God. So glad you are there for them. It’s all about serving.” My daughter said, “Mom, how great that God has you available for your children!” I know she means that because she is the recipient of Mom’s “freedom” schedule. Now I know what my Mom felt when she was "on call" for us. What a tremendous blessing she was to our way-too-filled schedule.

Yesterday, I took the boys to doctor appointments. I embraced being the stand-in representative for their mom. This season of my life is precious, especially when it is being "on call” for my family. Last week it was getting to go with my grandson as he registered for real estate school. Yesterday it was praying for my granddaughter as she was taking her drivers license test. She passed. Thanks be to God!

I love schedules and I also love "winging" it because when I just run with the wind and I trust that my steps are ordered of the Lord, He gives me some of the most precious moments. I felt it big time yesterday. Psalm 37:23 "The steps of a good man (good woman) are ordered by the Lord: and he (she) delights in His way." Little intermissions of pieces of heaven at home and at every stop along the way. I'm just thanking God, once again, for shining His light brightly into my world.

Intermission sounds like a come-to-halt on the main show, but I’ve determined that the “main show” is living audaciously with as much gusto as we can to celebrate those we love, do the things we enjoy that gives us pleasure and enjoyment, and when the time comes to take an INTERMISSION to gain strength for our next assignments and adventures…..we’ll be there with bells on and with hearts open wide to pour on the love to those we love when we can!

Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

What Punctuation Mark Defines You?

What Punctuation Mark Defines You?
I always want to be growing and learning. When we "cease and desist" our desires for living a full, active life and hungering and thirsting for knowledge and creativity, we will become stagnant. Like a rose that is cut off from its stem, we'll wither up and eventually lose all zest for living. In essence, a PERIOD defines who those folks are. Go here PERIOD. Go there PERIOD. Do that PERIOD. And, when all those goings and doings end, they END. I've heard about folks who had a full, successful and profitable life, but when retirement came....they quit living. Oh, they may be alive, but retirement, to them, was a PERIOD. Done. You might as well place a period after their name, because as far as they are concerned, they've gone as far as they are willing to go in this life. That certainly wasn't Mother Teresa. At age 86, she was accomplishing more and helping more people than a 20-something year old. I want to follow her lead.

A COMMA is a punctuation mark that separates words and phrases. A COMMA is never used at the end of a sentence. Whenever we see a COMMA, we know that there is more to come. A COMMA lets us know that after a short pause, more will follow. It is so awesome to be around COMMA people. They'll finish one project or service or outreach, and before you know it, they're on to the next one. They pitch in at a moment's notice, and without complaint. They’re first in line to volunteer, despite their already busy schedule. They work COMMA, work-out COMMA, teach a Sunday School Class COMMA, volunteer at a charity COMMA, help a neighbor in need COMMA..... not PERIOD. They just take a slight PAUSE, and they're at it again. Actually, our lives should be a series of COMMAS. We ought to go from one good deed of kindness to another.

The QUESTION MARK folks have so much potential. They are always growing because they are always learning. They are humble enough to know "they don't know it all". They are the ones who don't ALWAYS have to be right. They are the ones who are willing to ASK for directions, the one who is teachable and is always able to make course corrections and change directions.

Drum roll please!!! The GRAND FINALE of my punctuation post is about the EXCLAMATION POINT folks. The EXCLAMATION POINT signifies some dynamic, powerful and enthusiastic moment, action, and life being lived. EXCLAMATION POINTS are reserved for life’s great adventures and accomplishments that excite the spirit and set our hearts on fire. That's how we should be living our lives. Ordinary is not for them EXCLAMATION POINT! No complaining from them EXCLAMATION POINT! These folks are defined by their enthusiasm and live with great anticipation of what tomorrow holds EXCLAMATION POINT! Don't you love hanging out with EXCLAMATION POINT people? They live with relentless faith and will power to trudge forward in spite of a lot of COMMAS, PERIODS and QUESTION MARKS that have come their way. They have a life to live and they're not giving up until they're taken up.......… EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have work to be done….. EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have mountains to climb.....EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have victories to achieve…. EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have a devil to defeat…. EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have a storm to calm…. EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have a prayer to pray…. EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have a promise to claim… EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have a hunger to be satisfied…. EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have a thirst to be quenched…. EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have a race to be won......EXCLAMATION POINT!
They have a mission to be accomplished....EXCLAMATION POINT!

I want the DASH punctuation mark on my tombstone to say......
SHE LIVED LIFE FULL ON....EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!

Selah! Pause, Praise.....and Rest a While

I heard a beautiful message last weekend on the importance of pausing to rest. The Hebrew word, selah, is used often in the Book of Psalm, and is defined as a pause at the end of a verse or in a musical arrangement, to pause between measures. The singer or instrumentalist sustains (or holds) the note until the leader continues.

And, it's time for us to "pause". It's time for us to rest. While listening to this message, I wrote a little "love note" to my daughter. It said, "It's time to rest!" Staci Wallace is a woman who has a "no quit" attitude. From sun-up to sun-down, she is all about not only doing the most and best she can for her family, but is relentless in helping other families as well. I'm so thrilled those words from her Mama went straight to her heart. I was bringing Lexi home with me anyway, but I loved it when she said, "I'm coming too! I want to see my Granny!" Yay!

I had a several-hour-meeting to attend. I took the girls to Granny's and we surprised her. It was 3+ hours of girl time, pausing time, and resting time. So much so, that when I returned to pick them up, there was Mom and Staci "pausing, praising, and resting". That sight reminded me of the many times my sweet husband would go visit his Mom and, inevitably, he would fall asleep in her recliner. Her little home represents comfort, peace, and rest. All you can hear while in that chair, are the little wind chimes outside her back door.

Maybe it's time someone told you and I to hit the PAUSE button on our TV, our phones, our many tasks, and rest a while and to LOOK BACK -- to remember the tough times and PAUSE to see how God worked it all for our good. Right now....right in the midst of our circumstances, to PAUSE and PRAISE. Maybe a "SELAH" philosophy should become our LIFE philosophy.

Psalm 46:7 "The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah." Indeed. He is our Selah Philosophy AND our LIFE Philosophy -- we find our soul's rest and comfort in Him.