"We Did It!!!!" or "We Are Not Alone"

This past Saturday, the 4 of us decided to go to the BBQ Fest in Owensboro and and run the 5K. Mysha and I would run and Kisha and Mommy would walk Kisha's 1st 5K. Mysha & I ran together until the very end until I sprinted ahead and beat her by 15 seconds. (Hey, she's gonna beat me soon enough as it is on her own!) Then she stayed with Nana while I went back to check on how Mommy and Kisha was doing. When I caught up to them Kisha yells out for me and is so excited I came back for them. Steph told me about the whining and the crying that had transpired for 2/3 of the race and Kisha had done some of it too. (OOOOOHHHH, I am gonna pay for that one!) But when I arrived it seemed as if all was well. Kisha had even decided to run a little of it with me. We finally finished and decided to wear our shirts proudly of the accomplishment of finishing as a family. That night we were resting in the living room when Kisha comes out with a shirt that had 5K prominently displayed on the front it written in marker and the words, "I did it with Mommy!" on both sleeves. The only problem was, it was mommy's shirt she wrote on. Then we found hers and she did the same to her shirt. Mommy loved it, and Kisha wore hers to school today to show everyone what she accomplished over the weekend!
It occurred to me that her first thought was to recognize the fact she didn't do it on her own but with the help of others helping her, encouraging her, and sometimes pushing her to finish. She admitted the fact she couldn't do it own her own but needed help. Why is it so hard for me to admit the same thing? Why is there this incessant need to make everyone believe I could do anything on my own? The truth is, there is NOTHING I do in life of which I can claim credit for doing all by myself. I have needed and gotten help every step of the way and will continue to get help forever more. And here's the thing, it's O.K. This is the way God has designed it. We all need help in all we do. Ultimately, that help is from God. "Without Me, you can do nothing." I have seen His hand help me all my life through parents, family, friends, and yes, at times, even through strangers. So thanks to everyone who has gotten me to this place in my life!!!!

BTW: We still have a lot of work to do!!!

"Fat Albert's The Best" or "Thank God For Editing"

On a rainy day this week, the girls and I were bored and decided to watch some shows on Netflix. As I was scrolling through I came across 2 of the shows I used to watch when I was a kid; Rocky & Bullwinkle, and Fat Albert. I went on and on telling the kids how much I loved these shows and how much they would like them as well. I told them stories of Boris and Natasha, Dudley Doright and Mr. Peabody. I even quoted Bullwinkle and Fat Albert a couple of times. (Nothing up my sleeve!" or "Hey Hey Hey!")

As we turned it on, I have to admit I was disappointed in the girls' reaction. I wanted them to enjoyed these beloved shows in the same way I did. I could not understand why they weren't as amused as I was, until I sat and watched it with them. I couldn't believe what I was watching. Where was the amusement, the laughter, and the joy I once had in watching these shows? Why was the feeling of nostalgia the only positive feeling I had? Then I realized something I have been dreading for a long time now. I realized that the days of my youth were ... o.k., here it is, they were "the good ole' days". And now I was wondering why they seemed so good, when they clearly weren't.

I figured out I have a edit button for my memories. This edit button does well in splicing together all the good parts in a situation and then displays them in my brain. I come away with a happy memory which may or may not have happened exactly as I remember.

The really cool thing is God has a edit button too. He says if I confess my sin to Him and repent of it, He forgets them. It may be more difficult for me to do so but God casts them as far as the east is from the west. Thank God for editing.

P.S. I still think Rocky & Bullwinkle, and Fat Albert are cool!!!!