"They're gonna kiss, aren't they?" (giggle)

This weekend, I spent most of my time hanging out with the fam. Sunday afternoon, my dad and I decided to watch National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets, a movie which will forever live in infamy for me!

Ok, maybe not infamy, (pardon my dramaticism) but I did have a couple of interesting revelatory moments as a result. First, I am woefully uninformed regarding American History. Did anyone else know that there are actually THREE Statue's of Liberty? Or that the president's desk was called the Resolute Desk...and that the Queen of England has one just like it...or that they are really puzzle boxes which hold the secrets to ancient treasure troves beyond our wildest dreams? No? I didn't either! Darned public school education!

Anyway, the second revelatory moment was this: my niece, The Princess, is already a hopeless romantic...and she's only 5! Towards the end of the movie when the action was getting pretty intense and the male and female lead were facing imminent doom for the 4th time in 20 minutes and then it looked like they just might make it and everything would be ok, my niece (who had been napping in my arms and woke shortly before moment of imminent doom #4) said "They're gonna kiss, aren't they?" She then giggled and clapped a little. It was the cutest thing, but I have no idea where she gets this romantic streak from. I mean, none of the women in our family are overly girly and romantic-like. Perhaps she gets this romanticism is from the steady stream of princess movies she's watched since she was born. OK, so I bought the movies for her...but that doesn't mean anything. And, OK, maybe I planned my first wedding at 3, and maybe I had a full-blown wedding binder with dresses and colors and even furniture selections and baby names by the time I was 16 and maybe, up until fairly recently, my movie collection was almost entirely "chick flicks", but still...that is all completely irrelevant and circumstantial.

Then again, maybe she is really just very much like me. I know my dad thinks so. In fact, the other day he was fussing at the Princess for her sassy mouth and called her "Tina."

She's not named after me.
She is sassy like me.
She also doesn't like her food to touch...just like me
And, apparently, she is very girly and romantic, just like me.
Finally, it would seem she is also learning to value modesty and godliness, just like me.

When the male and female lead did actually kiss, my niece covered her eyes. I can count on one hand with fingers left over how many times I've had to cover her eyes because of something inappropriate on TV, but I can say that there have been times when I have averted my eyes in her presence. I know my weaknesses and, being a single woman who desires to honor the Lord in my habits, there are times when I just can't watch romantic scenes in movies or in real life. Its not that I think romance is sinful or wrong or yucky like my nephew does, I'm just trying to avoid temptation. I don't make a big deal about it and can't recall her asking me why, it's just something I do. But, apparently she has seen this and is following my example in this.

My niece's "they're gonna kiss" response tickled me, but her response when they did blessed me more than I can say. Much like old movies that would shut a door or pull a shade or fade to black before intimate moments, my niece wasn't being a prude or shamefully hiding her eyes, she just didn't necessarily need to see the kiss to enjoy the romantic idea of it all. It is a modesty and innocence that has been largely lost in this world...but now I've gotten all serious and I didn't mean to. Whew. Anyway, it was sweet. And after the scene was over, before we looked back to the screen, we looked at each other, smiled real big, giggled again and hugged. That was even sweeter.

(giggle)

Quote

Satan is ever seeking to inject that poison into our hearts to distrust God's goodness - especially in connection with his commandments. That is what really lies behind all evil, lusting and disobedience. A discontent with our position and portion, a craving from something which God has wisely held from us. Reject any suggestion that God is unduly severe with you. Resist with the utmost abhorrence anything that causes you to doubt God's love and his lovingkindness toward you. Allow nothing to make you question the Father's love for his child. --Arthur W. Pink

'Nother One.

So...I started another blog. It will not replace this one. It is just a place for me to post things that are not as "deep and thought provoking" as the things I post here.

Note: my tongue was firmly planted in cheek as I typed that.

Anyway, here's the link: http://lifeofamadfatwoman.blogspot.com/

Kids.

I don't have kids of my own, but I know people who do. Those people often let me spend time with their kids. It works out well for all parties: I get to exercise my maternal instinct thing, the parents get a well deserved break and the kids get to enjoy my madness and cushiness (which tends to put even the most resistant child into a coma). Good times. Good times.



The other day, I was spending time with three of the aforementioned kids who belong to other people...two boys and a girl. Precious, creative, smart as all get out, and did I mention precious, kids. I was joining them, and another friend of mine for a short road trip to pick up my friend's kid (who is, by the way, equally precious, creative and smart). We all piled in the car and got strapped in and settled and I turned to the little girl, who was applying copious amounts of lipgloss and wearing plastic princess dress up shoes, and said "E___, I really like your shoes!" I really did. I was actually a bit jealous...they don't make those in my size. Anyway, my tiny friend said "Thanks" very matter of factly, and then, after a short pause said, "Ms. Tina, you're a really fat girl", just as matter of factly.



"Yes, I am." was all I could say. And then, I laughed a little.



James 4:6 says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." I fell into the latter category in that moment. And, it's good, ya know, to keep it real and know that though there are moments when I'm tempted to think I have it all together and might just be kind of a big deal and the world might just revolve around me...there's a 4 year old waiting in the wings to call me fat.



And that's a good thing.

Ok, so...not really.

Don't let the blog title fool you....I'm not really mad. I mean, I'm not mad in a "I want to pour a pot of hot grits on you" kind of way. My madness is more silly, like the Mad Hatter...and not at all athletic like March Madness...or psychotic, a la Jack Nicholson in "The Shining." Sadly, it is also not so funny as "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World."

I apologize.

So why this particular (misleading, demographically-challenged, slightly annoying) title?
Well, that's simple: I thought it sounded funny.

FYI: Most of what I write is just because I thought it sounded funny. And, most of the time, I am the only one who thinks so.

Thank you for your pity.

Moving on...
What is true and helpful and not misleading about my blog title is this: I am fat, I am a woman, and I do have a life. Said life is filled with, um, times...and stuff...and that or those times are filled with people and places and, most often, cameras, food and music, and sometimes sparkley things and always, I repeat, always, lipstick. It is also filled with an overriding sense that no matter how much life and times I get and to what frequency these are filled with people and places and such, there is a God over all, who loves me and chose me and redeemed me...and has a really, really good sense of humor. Oh, and a drastically different sense of timing...but that's another post for another day.

Until then, feel free to kick back, enjoy the madness, and feel slightly more sane (and blessed) for your trouble.

"It must be well"

Reader, if God has given you His only begotten Son, beware of doubting His
kindness and love, in any painful providence of your daily life! Never allow
yourself to think hard thoughts of God. Never suppose that He can give you
anything which is not really for your good. Remember the words of Paul: ‘He who spared not His own Son - but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things’ (Romans 8:32).

See in every sorrow and trouble of your earthly pilgrimage the hand of Him
who gave Christ to die for your sins! That hand can never smite you except in
love! He who gave His only begotten Son for you, will never withhold anything from you which is really for your good. Lean back on this thought and be content. Say to yourself in the darkest hour of trial, ‘This also is ordered by Him who gave Christ to die for my sins. It cannot be wrong. It is done in love. It must be well.’ -- J.C. Ryle

It must be well. It MUST be well. IT MUST BE WELL. Not because I deserve it to be well or have earned favor or it is right or fair or reasonable...it must be well because "He who gave His only begotton Son...will never withhold anything ...which is really for [my] good."

It must be well.

Christ is the seal and guarantee of that promise.

Amen.

HT: GirlTalk

Things I'm thankful for: Psalm 103:9-10

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him (Psalm 103:9-10)


I think there are moments in every believer's life when there is the temptation to think that some event or circumstance is punishment from God. It happened to me just yesterday. A situation I thought was certain suddenly didn't look that way and immediately, I thought of all the reasons why it was right of God to deny a "favorable" outcome or withhold this thing from me. That might not sound all that sinful on the surface. It might sound like I'm rightfully acknowledging God's sovereignty and right to say "no" to things. But in my heart, I was believing God was against me...that he was dealing with me according to my sins. This is a lie. Because of Christ, I will never know what it is like to be on the receiving end of God's wrath. Because of Christ I can know that all things work together for my good and God's glory. Because of Christ, I can know that whatever my circumstances, God remembers me and is for me and is showing His steadfast love toward me. Even when or if He says "no" to something I want very badly. His no is not punishment but protection, not and expression of his unhappiness with me but an expression of His love and care, not a withholding of His best but of something that might stand in the way of His best.

He does not deal with us according to our sins...
What a promise!
What a comfort!