The Great Date Experiment

Our Sunday school class is a group of young married couples, most of which have children and were starting the Andy Stanly series on "staying in love."  To kick off our 8 week class, this past Saturday {3/2/13} our teachers planned a date night deemed The Great Date Experiment."  They put together a packet of things to do, topics to discuss, questions to answer and times in our relationships to reminice about - and they provided free babysitting!   All the couples met at church beforehand, dropped off our children, were served hors derves and given our packets.  Where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do was up to us.  Joe surprised me and we went to Fred and Steve's Steakhouse in a local casino, a place that we wouldnt have been able to go with Olivia since she's not allowed in the building.  Neither of us had ever been there before and it was perfect.  

  We were seated by a window overlooking the rest of the casino and a live band.   

  Our waiter was amazing and super attentive.  The service was great and the food was amazing.         Joe and I got to talk and laugh and sit and eat without any interruption.  We talked about how far we've come in our relationship, things that we hope for our future, how much we love our daughter and are so, so blessed to be her parents.  We answered the questions in the packet about the beginning of our relationship, what we did to impress the other, where we'd want to live if anything was possible, our dream vacation and we even added in some questions of our own.     We laughed a lot and there were even a few emotional moments shared.    We held hands, kissed, hugged and just truly enjoyed our time together - alone.    

On Giving

Lately I've been feeling the nudge from God to give. Give more time, money, love, possessions, etc. It's not that I wasn't a giver before, but before there were wrong intentions behind my giving.

It all started back in November. Right before Thanksgiving. That time of year, that season in general, always pulls on my heartstrings. I think of people who are less fortunate, who can't provide for their families, who struggle and it saddens me. As our family is easily planning our large Thanksgiving dinner I realize that there are families out there in my very own community who aren't and can't do the same thing.  Then I had an idea and THIS HAPPENED.

Since then its been little things that I've wanted to give. My husband and I bought new furniture for our daughters big girl bedroom and had to get rid of some odds and end pieces that we were using in her room before. We had planned on selling them. Listed them on Craigslist and received some replies, set up a meeting time and place and then once again felt the nudge to give. We felt we were being pushed to not take money for these items just give them away. So we met up with the people who planned on purchasing the furniture from us and we did just that, gave them away.  We gave of ourselves because we felt pushed to do so by God.

It's also been little things here and there, paying for the order in the drive thru behind me, doing a chore for my husband and vice versa, watching his favorite show on tv instead of mine (sometimes!).

Most recently my heart was so touched by this encounter. Driving home from work on a cold day I see a young mother with two children - a toddler and a baby, no more than 6 months old. She's walking down a busy main street holding her daughters hand and carrying her baby. She bends down to pick up and carry her toddler who is obviously tired from walking uphill. Immediately I feel the need to give her my stroller.

I'm stuck at the red light and I'm having this conversation with myself all in the matter of minutes...

"I'm crazy! Give her my stroller?"

"We barely use it."

"But what if we need it?"

"Olivia always wants to walk so it should be fine, right?"

"It's expensive!" 

"What should I do?"

"She'll think I'm crazy pulling the car over!"

But in those few minutes I knew that God was telling me to do it. To give.

So, the light changed. I drive down the street she's on, pull over, get out and offer her my stroller. She was so appreciative, thankful and humble. In the end she doesn't need it, she has one but can't take it on the city bus. She thanks me and I head home.

I guess the point of this, of me writing it all out, was to try to make some sense of WHY I'm bring pushed and nudged to give. I've been praying about it, to show me why, to help me understand the purpose, for Him to put the right people in my path, to make sure I always give the glory to God.

I guess there are certain things we just won't understand and maybe this is one of them. But, in the meantime, whether I understand His ways or not, I'm going to keep listening.

A Child's Love

Before having Olivia (and accepting Jesus as my savior) I'm not sure that I ever really knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end of unconditional love.  Of course my parents love me, I've never doubted that, but it's a different feeling than when your child loves you, adores you. 

When you can do no wrong in their eyes.

There are so many conditions to most kinds of love. 

Couples fall in and out of love all the time. 

Relationships end, friendships part, parents are disappointed in their children, etc, etc, etc. 

All of those factors take little bits and pieces away from the true unconditional love that can be shared.  

It's no easy job raising a strong willed, has mind of her own 2 year old.  She's feisty and silly and mischievous and amazing all wrapped up into one little being that I love so fiercely.  I'm not a perfect parent and I have my moments where I lose my cool and yell while disciplining Olivia.  She pushes my buttons for sure and I can tell exactly when she's going to do it by her motions and the little smirk on her face.

Recently, when I was having a bad day already and she was having an

"I'm going to be bad today" day I yelled at her about something. 

I don’t recall if it was hitting the dog or standing on the table or dumping the dogs water bowl or...or...or... 

You know?  

One of those days when your 2 year old goes from one mischievous activity to the next almost seamlessly?  When you haven’t even finished cleaning up the first mess and she's already on the third? 

It was one of those days. 

Well, in the midst of my frustration and her craziness I yelled at her....

and in the midst of my yelling at her

...she says "Mommy?" 

...frustrated I huff "What Olivia???" 

...and in the sweetest little pixie voice she says "I love you Mommy." and gives me a hug.

In the middle of me being a less than good parent and taking my frustrations out by yelling,

she told me she loved me.  That is unconditional love.