What Is A Dare Worth?

     So what is a dare really worth?  Well, I guess that would depend on what kind of "dare" it was.  This was a dare that would cost me my life...one way or the other.  I didn't understand the ramifications then, but I am just starting to now.  Do I regret the dare?  No way!  The cost of my life is a small price to pay for what I will gain.

     A decade or so ago, we moved in next to these radical Christians.  They were pretty hard core I thought and took that whole Christian thing pretty seriously!  Yeah, I was a "Christian" because that was the "popular" label to wear, but secretly it was a little lower on my priority list than the "holy-rollers" next door.  "Sue" was a nice lady...my kind of gal.  Not so prissy and primpy, would tell you exactly what she thought, and a little bit tom-boyish and not into anything seriously fem....

     One day she stopped over and invited me to go to "church camp" to work in the kitchen for a whole week!  Now I had been to those when I was little and had no interest in reliving the event.  But she kept bugging me!  Finally I just said no, NO WAY...NOT INTERESTED!!  As I turned to walk back across to my own yard, she whispered to me, "I dare ya..."  I stopped dead in my tracks.  I turned back around.  "What did you say," I said.  She replied matter-of-factly, "You heard me."

     From that day forward the challenge was on.  We went to church camp and worked in the kitchen.  At first I hated it, but soon it turned into a lot of fun.  One hot 104 degree afternoon Sue and I are cooking beans for 500 kids on the stove.  She turns to me and says, "These are a lot of goddam beans!"  "What?" was my reply somewhat flabbergasted.  "You heard me!," she said.  "These are a lot of goddam beans!"  We laughed as we finished cooking those goddam beans and got them out on plates to 500 kids.  From that point on we were great friends.

     Fast forward 5 years, Sue calls me one day on the phone.  "Hey, you wanna go to a bible study?  It's really good and you'll learn lots!"  Blah, blah, blah.  I let her yammer on and told her I was just too busy.  Without even hesitating she said, "I dare ya!"  Now at this point I am recognizing a pattern.  She has done this before....more than once!  How am I going to get outta this one?  There's no way!  I can't pass up a dare like this!  So I say, "I'll try it."

Its now 5 years later and I am still in the same bible study.  Bible Study Fellowship(BSF); and so is Sue!.  She is a teaching leader for BSF and along the way she has taught me so much about what God has in store for me....really for all of us if we would take him seriously and give him some of our time.  I think God brought Sue into my life to save me from myself.  She taught me to take God seriously, but not myself.  To be an example and show them what kind of life Jesus really lived.  He wasn't judgemental or critical or condescending.  He spoke the truth plainly for people to hear; and live the truth plainly for others to see. 

      I used to think all Christians were "fakes."  "Do as I say, not as I do."  But, I watched Sue from the shadows.  She wasn't a fake, and she wasn't perfect....hence the comment about the beans!  But she taught me so much about what it meant to be like Jesus.  For that I will forever be grateful!  So where are you when it comes to God?  It is hard for most of us to know.  It all boils down to one simple question.  So, I DARE YOU.......Ask yourself, where are you gonna spend eternity? 

     

    

Hair

Hair.  Such a minor thing in the big circle of life.  But is it really?  I am not your typical woman, I personally can take it or leave it.  It covers up nicely with a hat most days....I occasionally pay attention to it; like when I get ready for church or sometimes work.  I makes me mad when I am riding my motorcycle and it tangles in my earrings...aarrgh!  Otherwise, shave it off.  It is in the way!!  But everyone notices your hair.  You wash it, wet it, dry it, gel it, mousse it, primp it, color it, curl it and glue it!  Besides your face it’s the first thing people see when they look at you...and if it isn't jjjjuuuuuusssstttt right, it ruins your whole day!

Imagine my surprise when my sons came home with colored gel and wanted to wear it to school!  “Okay, okay, you can wear it to school.” I say.  Hoping that it is a phase that will quickly wear out.  Nope, going on a week now, we’ve had red hair, blue hair and green hair.  It wasn’t just enough to color their hair, lets make it into a mohawk and add some bling to it too!  You know, somehow it just doesn’t seem right when your 7 year old runs up to you in the morning and says, “Mom, how do I look?”  Red hair, mohawk and some silver chain he found that weighs about 2 pounds around his neck.

While working on recovering from the shock of the whole thing;.  I said,  "You look pretty good!  Why do you wanna wear your hair like that?"  "Because it's cool mom!"  OK, cool meant something WAY different when I was little......hmmmmm...

Let Me Go Easy...

I remember this day....my mother was so happy. Us kids were so miserable. We had to wear stupid wedding dress clothes (that my mom had made us by hand), and fix our hair.

My parents got married at Wayfarer's Chapel. An outdoor chapel on the way to Yellowstone Park. It was so beautiful there. The smell of the pines after the summer rain, and the sound of the water traveling round the bend.

I found that dress that she made me the other day. I held it to my face and sat down and cried. I hated that dress....just hated it! Now I wouldn't trade it for anything because she had made it just for me. A small piece of her hard work; something tangible that I could touch that was from her....

I think I will go there this year on our annual trip to Yellowstone Park and show the boys. I still miss her so much.....

Come pleasure me again. I'm so tired of digging in.
I've done my share, I don't need to win, just let me go easy.
For six days my body fights. At this point it don't seem right.
Just to do it out of spite and keep hanging on.

Go on let me go easy.
Won't you let me go easy, you let me go right now.

I see the numbers dwindling, of my enemies and my friends.
And still I know it never ends, so I'm passing you this torch.
Fight the greed and the federals. Fight the need and the toxic spills.
Drink from that wishing well, but may it never quench your thirst.

Let me go easy.
Go on let me go easy. Won't you let me go easy,you let me go right now.
Let me go easy.
Go on let me go easy. Won't you let me go easy,you let me go right now.

So when you get to Ladenville, 'fore the tears the fare thee wells, for a moment stand real still and you'll feel me moving on.
You go ahead with your plans, you won't be seeing me again, but you'll feel me in the hand, the hand that holds the plough.

Let me go easy.
Go on let me go easy. Won't you let me go easy,you let me go right now.
Let me go easy.
Go on let me go easy. Won't you let me go easy,you let me go right now.

The last pic of my mom....

It has been 75 days since my mom has left her body at Rockvale in a pretty metal box and her soul went to heaven to be with Jesus. I miss her so....this is the last known pic of my mom. It was taken around Thanksgiving 2009 when she helped move Dez to Helena. She is trying so hard not to cry in this pic...that was such a tough time for Dez and us all....I just still am really not so sure that God needed her more than we did.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZeveYm7_rs

I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom to make it all better
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom who will love me whatever

I want a mom that'll take my hand
And make me feel like a holiday
A mom to tuck me in that night
and chase the monsters away
I want a mom that'll read me stories
And sing a lullybye
And if I have a bad dream to hold me when I cry

Oh,
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom to make it all better
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom that will love me whatever, forever

When she says to me, she will always be there
To watch and protect me I don't have to be scared
Oh, and when she says to me I will always love you
I won't need to worry 'cause I know that it's true

I want a mom when I get lonely
Who will take the time to play
A mom who can be a friend and a rainbow when it's gray
I want a mom to read me stories
And sing a lullaby
And if I have a bad dream, to hold me when I cry

Oh,
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom to make it all better
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom that will love me whatever, forever
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom to make it all better
I want a mom that will last forever
I want a mom that will love me whatever, forever
I want a mom
I want a mom
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom
I want a mom
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom that'll last forever
I want a mom...

Best Friends...the Glue of Life....

So recently I lost my mother. She was such a pain in my fanny most of the time. Harping on my about my character, doing the right thing, taking care of business....you know what kinda mom I am talking about!! But she was also such a good friend....I miss her so.....But I digress....

Since she has died, my focus on people instead of things in life has become monumental. Especially my friends....

Anchors in Life....

Last weekend, my husband and sons attended the wrestling meet in Townsend. Unfortunately, I had to be gone, but I got this pic a little while later from one of them. And it occurred to me that little boys; while being such strange, peculiar creatures are really like weeds. Wait...wait....go with me here....and see if you don't get my meaning....
1. You never have to water them and they grow so fast
2. They show up in the most unlikely spots and when you are least expecting them
3. Their ability to be annoying knows no bounds
I bet I could go on and on....I have found though...that the blessings they bring far outweigh the weed factor. They have taught me the meaning of joy in the simple things of life: lighting firecrackers and throwing them at their dad; scaring Ecko with grasshoppers in the Land cruiser on the way to Cracker Barrel(almost had a wreck on this one); peeling the skin off of firebugs and sticking it on your teeth and then smiling at each other in the dark (I actually taught them this one...gross huh?); making bows and arrows with dull knives and string; making all manners of weapons out of just about anything; hunting for gold and buried treasure; making maps to buried treasure (that they buried); riding bikes; climbing trees; swimming in dirty water; motorcycle riding (one of my favorites); and general overall dangerous stuff that all little boys try.

I spend lots of time giving them the fingerwag and preaching at them. Now that they are a little older, they have suddenly learned the meaning of reverse psychology. I harp on them all the time: pick up after yourself, put your shoes and coat away, is your bed made, stop picking on your brother, don't talk to me like that I am your mother, you guys get my drift. You can best sum this whole discussion up by listening to the mother's version of the William Tell Overture. Here is the link...it is worth the listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcfeVZkS-2g

So the other day, the oldest says to me, "Mom, you didn't hang up your towel in the bathroom after you were done." Busted! "Mom! We aren't allowed to say that word, why are you?" Busted! "Mom, aren't you going faster than the speed limit? The speed limit here is 35, not 45." Busted again! I think the Good Lord put my children here on earth to keep me honest. I know I work a lot harder at it than I would've ever otherwise.

I have come to the conclusion that they are little blessings in disguise.

So She Is Really Gone?......Really?

I got the proof today for my mother's headstone. I can hardly believe that we are picking out headstones. To go and do it was morbid and surreal. Kind of like you were going to the mall to shop for clothes; or Herberger's to buy flatware. I can just hardly believe it! I am still reeling from the shock of the whole thing.

It was exactly 58 days ago that my mother died. It took her 24 hours to suffocate to death...she was conscious for all of it except the last 4 hours when my brother insisted that they morph her up to put her out of her misery....I still have the nightmares from it all. I also have nightmares that she is alive; that her treatment is going along...not without its struggles, but at least going....and it is so stressful to watch her suffer.... And then I wake up and realize that she is really dead. The sense of loss for those few seconds is so staggering that I can hardly breathe in the darkness. The silence is overwhelming and at that moment I know the true meaning of the word sorrow.

Death is a harsh thing, but even harsher for kids. I have watched my sons suffer through all of this. Not understanding why their favorite gram is gone and in heaven. "Mom, did God need her more than we did?" How do you answer that? I have held them all while they sobbed for their grandmother....just sobbed....it was so hard. Their little hearts broken and hurting but not knowing exactly why. "Who are we guna stay with during the summers? She taught us to swim. Who is guna take us to swim lessons so we will be good at swimming?" they all asked me? I don't quite know how to answer their questions. So many unanswered questions...not just for them, but for me...

I ask God about her almost everyday...stupid stuff. Is she behaving in heaven? Is she still as bossy? Does she worry about us? Did he really give her a mansion? Is it close to mine? Why couldn't we send her to heaven with her cell phone? Just a phone call....ONE phone call to make sure she was okay up there....

It seems like this experience has made us all a little older and rougher around the edges. Even the kids. Life seems a little more raw than it was at Christmas. My one comforting thought that I try and pass on to them is that we will get to see her again. That death is really just a comma in the sentence of our lives....We just can't see past the comma...