Last weekend in Chattanooga, while exiting the freeway, I noticed two men walking along the road picking up trash and cleaning up along the roadway. This, in itself, isn't unsual. There are often groups of people helping keep America beautiful and I'm thankful for them. These two men had brightly colored vests on alerting motorists to their presence. The exception was that on the back of one of the men's vests were these words:

I AM A DRUNK DRIVER

That has bothered me ever since I saw it. In no way, do I want to diminish the problem of drunk driving. I am completely aware of the pain drunk driving has caused. I don't know if this man had multiple offenses, if he hurt someone, if he killed someone. But I'm also painfully aware that I don't know this man's story. I need to guard against looking down on him and quickly judging him to be a bad person. It was painful seeing a person wear those words. Do words like that make a person remorseful, defiant, or are they just humiliating? As I was telling Dena about this, she mentioned how she would hate to have all her sins listed down her back. No kidding.

I recently finished reading the book "Same Kind of Different As Me." This book gave me an understanding that sometimes life circumstances can determine some of the choices people make. Again, I completely understand that people still can choose and sometimes they choose wrong. "Same Kind of Different As Me" was about a black homeless man whose destiny was more or less chosen for him until someone entered his life who honored him and found worth in him. Then he had the opportunity to rise above his circumstances. The problems of the world are overwhelming if you let yourself think about it, but we must allow ourselves to think about them. If one person helps one person and it goes on and on, then a difference is made. I found this quote by Mother Teresa some time back and it's one of my favorites. "Help one person at a time and begin with the person next to you." Who is next to me whose life I can touch? I don't have to think very long for someone to come to mind. The question then is, will I do anything about it?

Think, Linda, Think

Last night after meeting with Dena, I could not find the keys to my car anywhere. These days I am carrying a pretty darn big purse, okay, it's gigantuous, but I really like it and actually it's not that hard to find things in it. Except for my keys. Well, that's because the keys weren't in it. I went outside, looked in the windows of my locked car and sure as shootin' there they were hanging in the ignition. Last night as I got to Wellspring, gathered up my Bible and my purse to meet with Dena all the while with the keys in the ignition, I imagine the heavenly host jumping up and down waving their hands and screaming "No, no, noooooooo **sigh**!" For pity sake, why do I do these things? Using my head now and then would be useful. But my story has a happy ending. Carissa, bless her heart, actually found the extra key, came back to Wellspring, opened up my car and I got back home without further incident. Thankfully. I would like to think other people do things like that. But maybe not. If anyone is reading this, please let me know in some form that I am not the only idiot actually walking around loose so that I don't feel so bad.

By the way, I saw a great Alan Jackson video this morning while trying to keep up with the treadmill called Good Time. Time to download and line dance .....

God in the Storm

I have a couple daily calendars on my desk, one from John Ortberg's book, "The Life You've Always Wanted" and one from Max Lucado's book "Facing Your Giants." Every day these little calendars give me a thought and a way of learning a little more about God. John Ortberg in particular struck a cord with me today:

"For a long time in my own life a very bad thing happened. I had reduced my "tools for spiritual growth" to a few activities such as prayer and Bible study for a few periods a day called a quiet time. I took an embarrassingly long time to learn that every moment in my life is an opportunity to learn from God how to live like Jesus, how to live in the kingdom of God."

In no way, do I want to diminish the importance of a quiet time of reading God's Word and spending time in prayer. It's a very important part of our walk with God, but I do believe God can teach us so much more if we open our eyes and are aware of His lessons no matter where we are or what we are doing.

Very early this morning, I had to bring Cody and Elizabeth to the airport so they could leave for their honeymoon. We left about 5:15 a.m. and it was still pitch dark, which was surprising to me since we are into June. I knew storms were forecast, but I didn't know just imminent those storms were. We got to the airport, I hugged Cody and Elizabeth, told them I loved them and to have a good trip. I was leaving the airport when huge raindrops began hitting my windshield. Heading home, the rain came harder. As I got onto the freeway, the rain kept coming harder and harder and up came the wind. The further I went the worse the conditions became until it was as if there was a gray wall in front of me and I could not see anything, not the lines in the road or where I was going. I managed to find the 22nd Street exit in West Des Moines, got off and even though it was still raining extremely hard, I could at least see and I made it safely home from there.

This was scary to me, I must have had a death grip on my steering wheel. It just reminded me how frail I am, how frail we all are. Much of Parkersburg, Iowa was completely destroyed by a tornado last week. Thousands died in China after an earthquake. We forget our own frailty and the frailty of the things we build. We forget God's power. I see so much of God in nature, I see him as I watch birds fly all around my house, I see Him in the beauty of the deer as they cross my yard in the evening and, yes, I can still appreciate the deer's beauty as I watch one stand in my garden eating my tulips. But it's also good to be reminded of his power and our frailty and our dependence on Him.

As I sit here typing this 4 hours after the storm, it's an absolutely gorgeous day. The temperature has gone down some, the humidity has left the air and there's a slight breeze with a beautiful blue sky. I see God's peace and goodness after the fury of the storm.

Praise the Lord, you angels; praise the Lord's glory and power. Praise the Lord for the glory of His name; worship the Lord because He is holy. The Lord's voice is heard over the sea. The glorious God thunders; the Lord thunders over the ocean. The Lord's voice is powerful; the Lord's voice is majestic. The Lord's voice breaks the trees; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes the land of Lebanon dance like a calf and Mount Hermon jump like a baby bull. The Lord's voice makes the lightning flash. The Lord's voice shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. The Lord's voice shakes the oaks and strips the leaves off the trees. In his Temple, everyone says, "Glory to God!" The Lord controls the flood. The Lord will be King forever. The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. (Psalm 29)

A Whirlwind Month of May

What a wonderful, busy, crazy month May was. A wedding and 4 graduations - and that was just our family. Sprinkle in a few more graduation parties of students and friends in addition to regular life and sometimes it felt like we were meeting ourselves at the door as we left again.

I recently read that Real Simple did a survey on women and happiness and one of the most interesting points was that happy women tend to seek out new experiences. Well my month of May was chock full of new experiences. We experienced a child getting married, we experienced a major university graduation, we experienced medical school graduation, I ate sushi for the first time, and I found a really sweet little bookstore in the East Village of Des Moines. I am so thankful my mom and dad were able, and willing, to drive to Iowa 3 weekends in a row and Mark's mom and dad also joined us in these wonderfully blessed times.

I was also blessed with experiences that were not new in May. Celebrating Katie's graduation in Wisconsin where Dale and Shari could write a book on how to throw a party, catching up with cousins I haven't seen for years and loving the fact that I could just enjoy the party without having to participate in the planning.

But here's the recap:

First of all was The Wedding of Cody and Elizabeth. What a wonderful day. How everything went so smoothly when the most disorganized and clueless people are planning someting like this, is somewhat of a mystery. But I'm not going to try too hard to figure it out. Understanding I speak from a bit of a bias, I do believe it was the nicest, most beautiful wedding I have ever seen. I'm sure there are other moms out there who may disagree with me, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I was so honored and so humbled by all the people who traveled to help us celebrate with Cody and Elizabeth and this certainly helped make the day extra special. Watching Carson out on the dance floor doing the moon walk and talking in front of 200+ people to give a toast, has me thinking this is not the same dude I have known for 21, almost 22, years.

I have been to many graduations in my life, but new to me was one involving 1600+ graduates. It was a 3-hour ceremony for the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts, but we heard them call Carson's name and watched him receive his diploma. Some of our pictures even turned out from our spot high up in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Another different graduation ceremony was at DMU. Lots of people and a ceremony that took about 2-1/2 hours, but we could see Cody and Elizabeth get their diplomas via a big screen. With the flags and regality of DMU, I felt like we were in a King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table movie. All that was missing were prancing white horses.

We finished up May with Katie's graduation. My cousin Nancy and I were so close in high school, but distance, time and life has caused us to not stay in touch with each other like we should. So seeing her on Saturday with her daughter Kristin and meeting Kristin's little ones was such a joy. Being with cousins Sue and Bill along with Bill's wife Mary, plus Uncles Bill and Pete and aunt Nicki; Sue's daughter Tracy with her husband Chris and their little boy, Benjamin, gave me a day I will not forget.

To begin June at my mom and dad's with my brothers and their families makes me feel wonderfully blessed. These are my favorite people, the people I love to spend time with, the people who make me laugh, who share life with me, who give me advice about my car and who are there for me, there for my husband, there for my kids.

Praise Him from Whom All Blessings Flow.

Love is what holds you all together in perfect unity. (Col. 3:14b)

The Lord's love never ends; His mercies never stop. They are new every morning; Lord your loyalty is great. (Lamentations 3:22-23)