It's My Pleasure

I fell in love.
I fell in love with a boy at Chick-fil-A this past week.
That is, I was working in the dining room and I noticed someone looking at me.
It happened first when I was at the condiment stand re-filling straws or napkins or ketchups or something. (These really go fast during the lunch rush!) I turned around and there he was. A bit startled, I apologized for nearly bumping into him and then asked if he needed anything. He said, "No. I'm just watching you." So I smiled at him, said, "OK!" and continued with my work.
Moments later as I was emptying the trash I saw him again. Standing a few feet away, watching my every move. I invited him to come a little closer so he could see what I was doing.
"Have you ever seen something like this?" I asked, as I lifted the bin into its compartment.
He just smiled, and said, "My name is Connor. What's your name?"
"I'm Karen," I replied.
Then we talked about the similar sounds and letters in our names as we walked back to his table where his mother and brothers were sitting. Connor was quick to point out to me that his name had a "C" in it, not a "K". I made note of the difference but said it was neat that we both have "r" and "n" in our names.
Then I had to excuse myself to go on to other duties.
But each time I passed that table, Connor's eyes were on me and I fell more and more in love with him.
At one point I leaned in and said to him, "You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to go somewhere and see if I can hide from you. But you can't watch where I'm going, OK?" His mom made him avert his eyes and I walked to the other side of the dining room - but stood directly in what would be his line of sight if he was looking straight ahead. When he looked up, there I was! And the smile on his young face was the best thing I've seen in a long time.
So kind. Full of grace and esteem. Absolutely free of judgment. This little boy didn't care that I was getting kind of perspire-y, that I had forgotten to wear earrings, or that I did un-glamorous things like emptying trash and wiping messes off the floor. He just offered a sweet smile which said, I like you!
So when I passed by him again I got down on his level. I looked into his eyes, and I said, "Connor, I really, really like you."

And somehow this consitutes WORK for which I get paid??? Not sure how I got to be so blessed, but I am definitely looking forward to the next time Connor and his family come for lunch!

With Certainty and Confidence

But God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.

~Psalm 66:19

I mentioned in my video Monday that while I was interested in studying the meaning of the words "listened" and "heard" in Psalm 66:19, the part of the verse which really beckoned my spirit was the confidence expressed in the phrase "But God...surely". And since one of my greatest desires is to listen and respond obediently to the Holy Spirit, I am choosing for our study this week to focus on that phrase. It comes from the Hebrew word aken and is the same word used in verse 16 of this passage from Genesis. So, let's take a look.

10 Then Jacob departed from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 He came to a certain place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and put it under his head, and lay down in that place. 12 He had a dream, and behold, a ladder was set on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie, I will give it to you and to your descendants. 14 Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on its top. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel; however, previously the name of the city had been Luz. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, 21 and I return to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord will be my God. 22 This stone, which I have set up as a pillar, will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”

~Genesis 28:10-22

I suppose a bit of background to help set the context of this passage would be helpful.
Just before Jacob has this dream/encounter with God, he had followed his mother's advice and scheme to steal his brother's birthright, and their father's blessing. Needless to say, big brother was ticked. (And was making plans to kill Jacob.) Thus, mom's additional advice for Jacob to get out of town - which led to the journey when the above dream took place.
So we have Jacob - conned by his mother into being deceitful, angering his brother to the point of homicide, running for his life. Not exactly the precursers I would anticipate which would lead to the blessing of God. But then - God didn't ask for my opinion, did He!? Anyway, the dream happens and everything changes for Jacob.
What does God promise Jacob in verses 13 and 14?
Do His words sound at all familiar to you?
They should. Look at Genesis 12, 15, 17, and 26. God had been saying essentially the same thing to Abraham and Isaac for years!
With what additional promises does God follow up in verse 15?
What is Jacob's response in verse 16?
The word "surely" here is the same word used in Psalm 66:19 and is an adverb used with strong assertive force. In other words, the speaker who uses this word is confident of the thing about which they are speaking. So, of what does Jacob express certainty?
What vow does he make in verses 20-21?
OK, now based upon what you know about biblical history and God's covenent with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - did God keep the promises He made to Jacob in his dream?
Was Jacob right to express confidence in God, and to trust Him to keep His promises?
Thinking of Psalm 66:19, do you think the psalmist was reasonable in the confidence he expressed?
And what about you, my friend?
Do you have certainty that you can trust God?
Do  you believe He is who He says He is? And that He will do what He says He will do?
If you are struggling to find that kind of confidence today, may I encourage you to re-read the Genesis passages above? And this one from Hebrews?
Then spend time asking God to strengthen your faith as you seek to believe Him.
He is trustworthy, friend. And I am sure He will do it!

Psalm 66:19

But God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.

~Psalm 66:19

It's My Pleasure

What do you do in the drive-thru when your guest enjoys puns and silly math games as much as you do?
Why, you have more fun than usual, of course!

Wednesday I was confirming an order when I discovered a woman whose sense of humor closely matches mine. That is, I said to her, "Looks like I have for you a Chick-fil-A biscuit meal with a small coffee - two sugars and a 'whole'. I mean, two half & halfs. Get it? Two half & halfs make a 'whole'?"
Usually when I say something like this the guest at the window chuckles politely with me, but this time was better. The woman who had ordered that coffee with two sugars and a whole sincerely laughed.
Then we got into a conversation about playing with numbers and figuring out percentages, and a whole host of other math-related things. And as I was handing out her food my guest confided that Algebra was her favorite and most successful class during her schooling days. She said, "I could do Algebra 2 when I was in Algebra 1. But not Geometry. No, I just didn't 'get' Geometry."
And I? Couldn't resist.
I said, "OK. I have one more joke. What did the acorn say when it grew up?"
She shrugged, and I said with as straight a face as I could, "Gee! I'm a tree!"
And we shared another laugh - as she plotted out in a positive direction.
Oh, I crack myself up!

When We Confess

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the LORD would not have listened;

~Psalm 66:18

If you watched my video Monday, you know the word translated "cherished" in Psalm 66:18 actually means "to see". It is the same word used in the Creation story when God looked at what He made and saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:4,10,12,18,21,25,31) It is also the same word used in Genesis 6:5 when God saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth.
Thus, I believe the idea being expressed in Psalm 66:18 goes beyond what we typically think of when we use the word cherished. More than the notion of clinging to sin - of embracing it - I think this verse is suggesting mere awareness of sin in our hearts. That is, I think the psalmist was proposing that if he had simply known sin was in his heart (If he had seen it there - and not done anything about it.) then God would not have listened to his prayer.
Seems a bit drastic, I know, but I think it shows us just how seriously God takes sin. In fact, as I was getting ready to write this post I heard a song about the holiness of God (No one will ever convince me HE is not in control of every little detail.) and my spirit cried out in sorrow for the sin in me, and all around me in this world.
Indeed. Sin is a very big deal to God.
For that reason, as we consider Psalm 66:18, I want to also take time to examine a passage from 1 John.
Go ahead and read through these verses slowly and prayerfully.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

~1 John 1:5-9

What message does John declare in verse 5?
In saying that God is light, John is declaring God's holiness. His purity.
And he contrasts that light with darkness - that is, a "brand of moral, spiritual obscurity" which is associated with wickedness and results in misery. (a.k.a. sin)
How about verse 6? What conflict does John point out here?
The word "fellowship" implies something shared in common, an intimacy. Specifically in this verse, John is suggesting a person having the same mind as God and Christ. Not some sort of casual acquaintance, but real and truthful sharing.
So, based upon what you know about these words (light, darkness, and fellowship) does John's warning in verse 6 ring true to you?
It's a big deal! Sin breaks our fellowship with God.
Conversely, what does John assert in verse 7?
But is it really possible?
Can we truly walk in the light as He is in the light? Can we be holy like He is holy?
What about sin? Verse 8 pretty much convicts us about its presence in our lives.
So how is it possible for us to walk in the light? How can we be free from our sin?
(Verse 7 reminds us that neither of these - walking in the light, nor being free from sin - are possible without the blood of Jesus!)
How does verse 9 show us what to do?
To "confess" means to not deny, rather to admit our guilt to God in agreement with Him regarding the wrong we have done. In so doing, we step out of the darkness and are freed from the guilt of that sin.
Thus, we walk in the light as He is in the light, and we have fellowship with HIM.

Finally, how does John's teaching relate to Psalm 66:18?
And how are you going to respond???

Yes, Dear. That's What It Means.

I was sitting in Panera yesterday between appointments when my phone rang.
It was Matthew.
He said, "Uh, you know the fruit in the refrigerator in the plastic bag?"
I was well aware of the item to which he was referring. And I added, "You mean the bag with two knots tied on the top?"
"Yeah," he said. "Is that something you're saving that you don't want us to eat?"
"Yes, Matthew. You are correct. The two knots tied on the bag were meant to communicate that the fruit is being saved for something and you are not to eat it at will. You understood my message."
At my confirmation Matthew let out a disappointed sigh, and I let out a chuckle. Even as I promised he would be enjoying the fruit with dinner in the near future.
"OK. Good-bye," he said.
"Good-bye. Thanks for checking!"

Sometimes I write a note, but this time I decided to invite my hungry men to use their intuition and common sense. Glad it worked!

The *Not Happy* Report

So, the barbarian animal that recently munched on my hostas?
Has been at it again. But this time it attacked ate my lilies.
(Thus, I believe the culprit is a deer. The lilies are too tall for a bunny to reach.)
I made the sad discovery as I was watering my zinnias last week, and while I was disappointed I knew it wasn't the end of the world. After all, these lilies are in the back yard and no one but me will really miss them. But I did take a picture and colored a white spot on the tips of the stems - just so you can see how many buds the vandal deer consumed.

Moments later, however, I came upon a scene which really got me angry.
That is to say, a couple of years ago I planted lilies by our driveway - where lots of people can see them - and I have been tending to them lovingly ever since. And early this summer I got so happy when I saw a marked increase in the number of stems coming from one particular set of lilies. Every time I passed them my heart did a little leap for joy in anticiaption of how beautiful they were going to be all summer long.
But last week after I decided not to be upset about the lilies in the back yard which had been eaten, I came upon this sight: *cue Psycho music*

Ahhhhhh! Are you kidding me? I'm counting 32 stems which have been violated by some savage beast, who didn't even care about or stop to consider the joy it was stealing from me - all for a moment of juicy pleasure, as it wiped out any possibility for these lilies to produce flowers this year.
Thirty-two stems!!!
Each one which would likely have produced anywhere from 4 to 8 flowers throughout the summer. That's hundreds of blooms wiped out by one thoughtless, brutal herbivore.

The nerve.

In my angst, I *might* have considered putting venison on the menu for dinner that night.
But then I got closer to my would-be flowers and had this pleasant encounter:

I located one stem which didn't reach as high as the others and had, therefore, escaped the decimation expereinced by its taller comrades. (Lesson learned: Being short sometimes has advantages.)
Thus, in a moment of sudden reprieve I decided to pardon the leviathon of its grevious offense, and choose instead to look forward to the blooms which this little shoot will produce. (Secretly, this lone survivor gives me a sense of victory over that deer. As in, the ability to say, "You missed me! You missed me! Na-na-na-na-na!!!" Re-visiting my childhood with that statement.)

Oh, and I did go immediately to The Home Depot garden department and purchased a spray (which won't harm the killers animals) guaranteed to repel four-legged plant eaters. I sure hope it works!

Psalm 66:18

If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the LORD would not have listened;

~Psalm 66:18

It's My Pleasure

I seriously have so many joys working at Chick-fil-A.
But some of them stand out more than others, and today I want to tell you about one of the stand-outs.

See, there's this "wheel" in the kitchen for us to spin when we're working at the front counter. On it are several options for fun things we can do - like giving a child some Chick-fil-A cow swag, or passing along a DOC card (for free food on a future visit). And the other day when I spun the wheel it landed on "give away a meal". So my charge for the day was to choose one guest and surprise them by giving them their order for free. And as I went to my register I whispered a prayer, asking God to help me choose the "right" one. Then, I all but forgot about it as I went about my duties.
Until a couple of women came in for lunch and the first one to order was having a hard time deciding. She furrowed her brow a couple times and semi-apologized for taking so long, explaining that she was trying to figure out the least expensive way to place her order. Should she order a meal, or this and that seperately, or... she wasn't sure.
And then I remembered.
I had a free meal to give away!
So I said to her, "Hey! It doesn't matter. I just remembered that I get to give away a free meal today, and I choose you. So order whatever you like. You won't have to pay for it!"
I am not exaggerating when I tell you that this dear woman nearly started crying. She looked at me, and she looked at her friend, and she smiled bigger than I've seen anyone smile in a really long time.
I have no idea what the story is behind her reaction, or how one free meal could possibly have such a significant affect on a person but I'm telling you - I knew without question in that moment, God answered my prayer about choosing the "right" guest with whom to bless a free meal.
And when she gushed words of thanks to me, you can know without question that my very sincere response was, "It's my pleasure!"
Because it was.

Teach Me How to Pray

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

~Psalm 66:17

As I mentioned in my video Monday, Psalm 66:17 has been an inspiration and a good reminder to me to give God praise each time I am also crying out to Him for help.
God knows we are needy and He loves to meet our needs. But He is also ALWAYS worthy of our praise. And I believe we can delight Him doubly when we come to Him with praise - while we're simultaeously confessing our need for His hand in our lives.
I think Paul was convinced of the importance of this kind of prayer, too. And today I want to spend time examining what the Spirit said through him on this subject.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 4:6-7

Ahhhhh, this is such an encouraging Word about prayer. And we're going to look at it closely. But to get the full effect - the total scope of what Paul is saying - I think it is vital that we study the words leading up to what he says about prayer.
Let's start with "anxious".
Most of us are pretty aware of what it means to be anxious. Even so, I think it is beneficial to look at the word as Paul knew it in his day. To be anxious meant to be "a part" rather than to be "whole". It was to be drawn in opposite directions. To be divided into parts. Pulled to pieces. And I think it is interesting to note that the word is most commonly used in a negative sense in the New Testament. Which I guess would be the reason Paul tells his readers to NOT be anxious.
OK. Are we good with that word?
Then let's move on to "nothing".
And let's really look at it.
Because in a world where we answer questions like, "Honey, what's wrong?" by saying, "Oh, nothing," when clearly something is the matter - well, I think it would be good for us to know what Paul meant.
Uh, he meant nothing.
As in, the word Paul used comes from two Greek words, one meaning "not a possiblity" and the other meaning "one". Making his word's literal meaning, "not even one." That is, when Paul said, "Be anxious for nothing," he meant absolutely "nothing".
Not even one thing!
A high standard, to be sure. But we'll get to how that's possible in a moment.
First, though, let's see what he meant by "everything". Actually, it isn't too mind-stretching. He meant every single thing. Every part which makes up a whole. All of it.
In other words, the very opposite of "nothing".
So he says, Don't be pulled to pieces by even one thing. Instead, in every single thing...
In every single thing, PRAY.
And this is where we're getting into the parallels between this verse and Pslam 66:17.
The word Paul uses here which is translated as "prayer" does, in fact, mean prayer. But more than simply asking for something, it speaks of worship - of relating to and fellowshiping with God. It's recognizing who He is and honoring Him for it. Ahem, it's having His praise on our tongue!
Then we get to "supplication" which also means prayer. But more specifically, it is a "heart-felt petition, arising out of deep personal need". That is, it's crying out to him with our mouth.
All this we are to do, says Paul, while giving thanks for God's grace.
In fact, if we were to translate Paul's words into Psalm 66 format I think we would come up with something like this:

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
I gave thanks to God while I told him what I need.

And what, according to Paul (by inspiration of the Holy Spirit!), is the result of this kind of prayer?
Ahhh, this is my favorite part!
The peace of God - that is, "wholeness" - when all essential parts are joined together. (Can you say, the complete opposite of "anxious"??!! Like, seriously. Look at it. Anxious is pulled to pieces, and peace is everything joined together. I love how God paints this picture of what it means for us to trust in Him!) That wholeness will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Ahhhh, but we aren't finished. There's one more picture for us to see.
It comes from the word "guard".
And I bet you want to know what that means, right?
It is "to guard (keep watch) like a military sentinel", or (figuratively) "to actively display whatever defensive and offensive means are necessary to guard."
Friends, I'm picturing a line of armed military guards standing between me and anxiety, as I'm on my knees praising God and trusting Him with my needs. And every time anxiety tries to encroach upon me, this line of guards - called the Peace of God - raises their guns and yells out,

Back off, dude. She's mine, and you can't touch her!

And that - the Peace of God standing guard over us - is how we can be anxious for not even one thing.

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

~Psalm 66:17

How do these words and this prescription for trusting God impact your heart today?

On This Day in 2005

Beautiful things happen when you clean the basement.
I mean, besides getting rid of cobwebs and dried up bugs and a plethora of stuff you don't need (Am I making my house sound attractive yet???) sometimes you come across a treasure.
Which is exactly what happened recently when our basement got a bit soggy from all the rain, and I actually started looking around and realized I needed to spend time down there in clean-up mode. That is to say, I got rid of the cobwebs and bugs and lots of "stuff".
And I came across a treasure.
Six old, spiral-bound notebooks which served as my journals, note-taking spaces, and general idea-capsules. Dating all the way back to 2003.
I have not had the time to read through all of them yet.
But the glances I've had have been a delight.
Like this one, from fourteen years ago, today.
It wasn't delightful, necessarily, to remember how awful I felt when I was writing this - to recall painful emotions and the self-deprecation I was carrying around in my head and heart. However, to be on the other side of it and to know God has been faithful in answering the cries of His desperate daughter?
Ahhhhh, such deep, deep joy!
That is, I know I am not yet who He has created me to be.
I know this is a process and God is still refining me.
But as I read this entry and look back on where I was, HE reminds me: I am not who I used to be.
So, I'm opening up my journal and sharing this moment with you - in the hopes that you might be encouraged in some way for your own journey.

O, my Lord, You give me hope in such wonderful ways.
Over the last couple of days I have become discouraged in myself. I have been impatient with my children and in general have been lacking joy. I have the desire to be a holy, godly woman, but I'm not seeing her!
Then there is the body thing, weight gain, menstruation...blah.
So I was just feeling yucky today - fat, and not godly; ready to cry at anything.
Then what shoud I read but an excerpt from Kathy Troccoli in Forever in Love with Jesus, where she says she used to feel shame and self-contempt; where she says that she prayed (in faith because she didn't really think it could happen) that she would one day be comfortable in her skin, and that she would have her character transformed by the Spirit of God.
And I thought, What?! I see such a godly woman in her, and yet she once felt shame and self-contempt?! Does that mean there is hope for me? Yes, it sure does!
Dee Brestin writes, "This is how redemption works: as we press in close to the Redeemer, He will 're-create' us. How He longs to answer those prayers that plead for a redemption of our character."
Lord, Jesus, hear my prayer! I want to be transformed. I want to be beautiful for You. I want to attract others to You! Please work in me that which is pleasing to You!

And that remains my prayer today.
I want to be transformed. I want to be a beautiful reflection of Jesus to the world around me.
I want to attract others to HIM. Lord, please work in me that which is pleasing to YOU!

OK. I'm Saying It.

There are a number of things mothers-of-grown-kids said to me when my children were young, which I swore I would never say to other young moms when mine grew up.
Because - although the words had the best intentions behind them - they did little to encourage me.
And sometimes actually did the opposite.
I mean, now I totally see the wisdom behind their words because I've made it to the other side.
In fact, there have been times when I have been tempted to say the very same things.
You know, like, "This, too, shall pass."
When? Because I keep waiting, and it's still happening.
And, "We've all been there."
Oh? So I shouldn't feel this way, because I'm not the only one? Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn't. Now I just feel guilty for feeling overwhelmed, irritable, tired, fill-in-the-blank.
Or, how about, "There will be a time when you'll miss these days!"
So not true. I still don't miss those days.
Oh, lots of the moments - to be sure. But not the entire day!!!
Indeed, those are among the statements I pray I will never say to a mother of young children.
But this past weekend I found myself thinking a thought I had when my kiddos were little, and recognizing that it may be helpful for me to verbalize it for a few moms of young 'uns out there today.
So, here goes!

I was outside cleaning the porch and washing windows. Partly delighted with myself for getting it done, and partly ashamed that it has taken so long. (Can it still be considered "Spring Cleaning" if July hasn't arrived yet?) Anyway, I was doing it. And I was astonished at how dirty the porch was.
See, the thing is, years ago Josh turned our porch and its immediate area into a bird sanctuary.
Several bird feeders fill the space and - up until he moved out several months ago - Black Oil Sunflower seeds consistently filled the feeders.
And something I've learned about birds?
They're messy and they don't clean up after themselves.
What that means specifically for our situation is that we have more sunflower seed shells filling the landscape than I could ever count. And in case you were wondering, mertyle doesn't grow well when buried by sunflower seed shells. Some of the weeds managed to push through, but the mertyle is being choked out. What once looked like semi-decent landscaping just looks like piles of shells now. With some languishing mertyl and weeds mixed in.
So as I was sweeping sunflower seed shells off the porch (Because they got all over the porch, too.) into the mertyl (Because, why not? It's dying, anyway.) and recalling all the times I had wished our porch entrance looked nicer, I remembered how much joy came to my son when he could claim that all the birds in the neighborhood liked our house best. Because no one else took care of feeding them with as much love and attention as he did.
Seriously.
This kid used his own money to buy the best bird seed - because he researched and found out what the birds really liked. He would fill the feeders every night, and only at night, because he didn't want to do it when the birds were around - so as not to frighten them. Josh would even adjust the curtains by the porch to give the birds more privacy in their feeders.
Is it any wonder they all flocked to our house day after day, season after season?
They had the best possible advocate and care-taker in my son.
And we?
Had a messy porch with terrible looking landscaping.
But cleaning up the mess and making plans for a nice front porch (Because Josh has moved out, the birds have moved on, and Brian and I want to create a beautiful space.) caused me to remember the thing I've heard (and thought!) so many times. "You can't have nice things when you have kids!"
And, you know? In many ways that's a true statement.
But as I reflected on my son's joy in caring for his birds - while cleaning the mess they left behind, even as I anticipated a lot of work in making the space beautiful again - I can honestly say, it's OK.
It has been totally worth it.
And if I had it to do all over again, I would still opt for a messy front porch - if it meant my son finding joy in caring for God's creation. If it meant my son could be delighted in learning about what birds like to eat, how they migrate and nest and survive, and caring for their little birdy needs.
Yeah. All that wins out over my desire to have a presentable front porch.
So, for what it's worth, mother of young children (especially boys!), don't worry about having "nice things" right now. For today, let your kids be kids and seek to find joy in seeing them finding joy.
Even if it means a messy front porch.

There. I said it!

Psalm 66:17

I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.

~Psalm 66:17

It's My Pleasure

Do you have any idea how much of a difference you can make, just by being nice?
Seems we don't give much thought to our words and actions. Most of the time we are focused our personal agenda, and we just do what we need to do to get it done.
Am I right?
But every now and then somebody gives us a glimpse into their heart, and we realize that there's a whole lot more to the situation than meets the eye.

That's what happened to me at the counter this week.

I was going about business as usual, chatting with guests as I took their orders and payment and got their drinks. But one particular woman was a little different, in that she seemed a bit more eager to talk about what was going on in her day. So I paused a few seconds longer to listen. (Honestly, I didn't consider my actions to be anything remarkable. I was being polite, and giving her the attention she wanted and deserved.) Not a big deal, right?
That's what I thought.
Until our interaction was ending and she looked at me and said, "Thanks. You've made my day better."
I what? How?
Just by listening???
And I realized the answer was, Yes. Just by listening.
That woman was hungry for more than good food. She needed somebody to pay attention to her, and God gave me the opportunity to be that person. And when she acknowledged how my act of noticing her made a difference in her day, I suddenly became aware that a little thing isn't necessarily a little thing.
What a pleasure it is to be an instrument of love!

May you find yourself with an opportunity to make a difference for someone who's hungry today.

Let Me Tell You

Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

~Psalm 66:16

What happens when we tell other believers what God has done for us?
Today, let's take a look at a few verses from Second Corinthians to read about a time when Paul testified regarding God's hand in his life.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

~2 Corinthians 1:3-11

How is God described in verse 3?
According to verse 4, what does God do? Why?
How does verse 6 describe the relationship between Paul's (and his companions') experiences and those of his readers?
According to verses 8 and 9, how bad were Paul's troubles?
Based on verse 6, how do you think the testimony in verses 8 and 9 would have impacted the Corinthians?
How do these verses personally impact you, in whatever circumstances you find yourself today?
Why does verse 9 say this circumstance happened?
What is Paul's confidence in verse 10?
According to verse 11, what role were the Corinthians to play in helping Paul?
How do you think Paul's words in verse 11 would have encouraged the Corinthian church?
If God "comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God," how can you offer yourself and your story for the benefit of others?
I would love to encourge you to spend some time praying, asking the Holy Spirit to make you sensitive to His nudge in each time He wants to use you as a comforter.

Praying for our Nation

OK, the need to pray for the United States of America is not a new phenomenon.
I get that.
But in recent days, the Holy Spirit has been pressing me harder and harder with the urgency to pray.
I'm reading stories of terrible conditions for immigrant children, and seeing "the sides" arguing with each other over who is at fault for said conditions.
Headlines keep popping up around me regarding Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her various encounters with Twitter, and an invitation to visit a concentration camp. I cannot help but notice how many people have it in for her, and want to see her brought down.
Not to mention the continuous stream of stories about abortion laws and law makers, LBGTQ battles, and attempts to discredit our president.
It seems every time I turn around somebody is fighting somebody else. Throwing out insults, belittling personhoods, denying compassion, and nearly ignoring the humanity of those whose ideas are "out of line". I see this behavior coming from both sides of the argument.
And it is breaking my heart.
I believe it also breaks the heart of God.
Because we're all here on earth fighting with each other - seeing other image-bearers as our ememies, forgetting the identity of our real adversary.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

~Ephesians 6:12

The Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse yesterday as I was praying for our nation - for these people and circumstances - and I am convinced HE was informing me in the way we are to pray.
Make no mistake, friends, the devil is our enemy. Rather than fighting one another, let us unite in prayer that we the people may be united under God through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit for His glory.
Let us pray for a nation of unity and holiness.

Psalm 66:16

Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.

~Psalm 66:16

It's My Pleasure

So Monday I was at work - making eye contact, smiling at guests, speaking enthusiastically, and making connections. I was moving as quickly as I could while still doing my best to not rush people or make them feel pressured. My recollection is that I was even being successful in order accuracy and efficiency.
From the outside, I imagine everything looked splendid.
But I knew it wasn't.
That is, on the inside of me I didn't feel enthusiastic. The words I spoke came at the expense of a whole lot of effort. The smiles weren't necessarily sincere. And I frequently found myself glancing at the clock to see how much longer I had to work.
I couldn't put my finger on any one thing which was causing me to feel this way. It just seemed like I was in a funk, and I wanted nothing more than to get out of it.
Then something wonderful happened.
A woman came to my register and ordered a salad.
Nothing else. Just a salad.
Which totaled $8.89.
The majority of people pay with credit cards, so I was anticipating she would do the same thing. However, when she pulled out her wallet and reached for a bill I readied myself to accept payment and collect her change. But when I saw her retrieving a $20 bill my heart skipped a beat. The smile on my face became ultra-sincere. I nearly let a tear roll down my cheek. And as I was tending the money a loving voice echoed in my heart, Yes, dear one, I am with you.
Then I looked my guest in the eye, I smiled at her brightly, and I said, "You're change is $11.11."
She got her salad. I got kissed by the King.

Being a Cheerful Giver

I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.

~Psalm 66:15

As I mentioned in the video Monday, according to Leviticus 1, burnt offerings of fat were an aroma pleasing to the LORD. And in Psalm 66:15 we see a man joyfully bringing such offerings to God.
I'm arriving at the conclusion that the psalmist was joyful based on a few things:
*He spent the first half of the psalm giving instruction to praise God (and reasons to do it).
*The big BUT in verse 12.
*His recollection of God's faithfulness in the midst of trouble. (v.14)
*And the understanding from Leviticus 1 that this offering was a delight to God.

The thing I would like to do with you today is spend time examining our own hearts, in light of what scripture says regarding the way we make offerings to God.
And to do that I want to have a look at 2 Corinthians 9:6-9.

6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9 as it is written,
“He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever.”

What is the first thing you notice in verse 6? What correlation?
According to verse 7, what is to be the motivation for the amount sown in verse 6?
Who does verse 8 indicate is the One behind everything we have to sow?
Verse 9 is a quote from Psalm 112 which examines the life and behavior of a righteous person. If you have the time, I would encourage you to read it!
OK. Now that you have a general familiarity with this passage, I want to focus in on verse 7 and ask God to speak to us about our hearts when it comes to the way we make offerings to Him.
First, let's look at the word "purposed." It comes from two Greek words which mean "before" and "choose". And when the two are put together it means "to choose for oneself before another thing."
That is, to purpose something - to decide that you're going to do one particular thing.
Now let's examine "grudgingly". The transliteration from Greek is lupe (Pronounced loo'-pay - as in, You'd have to be crazy to let this be your motivation for giving! *wink*) and it actually means pain of body or mind. It could be used to describe the kind of heart-sorrow that brings a person down.
Next up? "Compulsion". This word in Greek carries with it the idea that an action must be performed. It describes a situation often brought on by pain or distress, and may even imply the use of force to get something done.
And, finally, let's look at "cheerful." As a stark contrast to the previous two words, this one means "joyous". It describes a person who is "cheerfully ready to act" because they have already decided - without outside influence, compulsion, or otherwise - to do a thing. And that - we are told - is the kind of offer-er in which God takes pleasure.
So, my friend, as you consider the joy of the psalmist bringing his offerings to God in verse 15, and in light of what you see in these word studies from 2 Corinthians 9:7 - how are you doing with your giving?
Not only in the financial/material realm, but also with regard to your time and talent, your attitude and intent? What is God saying to your heart?

In the Garden

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain - first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head."

~Mark 4:26-28

As I walk in my back yard toward my flower garden, this verse comes into my mind. Because every night and day since I have scattered my seeds - whether I have been sleeping or getting up (or laying in be wishing I was sleeping *ahem*) - they have been sprouting and growing.
Except, well, I know how.
That is, because God is faithful and He is a miracle-worker!
And that, right there, is the greater reason I love my flower garden. I mean, the beautiful blooms I am anticipating delight me. But it is the constant and consistent reminder of God's faithfulness and power that makes my spirit soar.
Especially this season, when I wasn't even sure the seeds were "good" or that they would grow, I am wonderfully encouraged to remember that God is in all and over all and working all things out.

Even since last week, my little garden is progressing beautifully.

See? I don't need to draw green lines in order for you to see where the zinnias are sprouting.
(I have even thinned them out, so they will have more room to grow and flourish. And, believe me, pulling sprouts was not easy for me to do because I didn't want to harm those innocent little plants. *gulp*)
Yet another lesson from my Father about pruning and planning and hard times being used for good.

OH, and do you remember the suspicion I had that the alyssum have returned?
Confirmed! Check out the tiny flowers which have already begun blooming!

When I was weeding I came across some leaves of which I wasn't sure.
I decided to let them be "just in case" they were alumni from a plant my friend gave me last summer.

And when I compared them to new plants of the same kind she gave me to plant this year, I found my just-in-case actions to be justified. (Do you see the resemblance?)

And, speaking of alumni...
The Everlastings (For which the ladies from my Precept class gave me seeds last year.) are back!

These beauties are on the side of the house and are situated right next to two rows of zinnia sprouts. Looking forward to lots of colorful blooms!

I wish that was all I had to say about my garden and the flora around my house. But the truth is, while I am simply delighted with the plants that are growing I am also quite annoyed with an animal, or two.
Remember my tulips that lost their heads this spring?
Well, I'm thinking this chomping was done by a larger scoundrel.
So, yeah. While some wonderful growth has been happening around my yard, this has occurred, too.

Yet, even as a look at my chewed-on plants (And as I realize the scoundrel animal didn't have it in for me. It was just hungry and was happy to come upon these morsels.) God reminds me that He is the author of life - and new life! I can trust Him to bring these plants back again.

It's in My Genes

Some time ago Brian and I did one of those ancestry test kits, and now I receive occasional emails with exciting information and new reports (Yes, you may read those words with a hint of sarcasm.) which I usually ignore.
However I just got another of those messages, and this time I couldn't ignore it. Because I thought I had caught them in the wrong. That is, the message said:

You have a new Trait report available: Fear of Public Speaking.

And I'm all, Hold on a minute there, Sam! I am NOT afriad of public speaking.
So I clicked on the link to see how they came to the conclusion they had reached.
And this is what I found.

Oh, so that's the report. Not that I have a fear of public speaking.
Turns out, genetically I am less likely to have a fear of public speaking.
And there you have it.
My gift of gab?
It's in my genes!
Can't wait to tell my mom that all those years when she said I was talking too much I was just doing what I was made to do. *wink*

Psalm 66:15

I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.

~Psalm 66:15

It's My Pleasure

Do you know what I really love at Chick-fil-A?
I mean, I love a lot of things at and about Chick-fil-A. But one of my favorite things is when young kids come through and I get to help them place their order.
(Moms and dads, my intent is not to ignore you. But I do love to speak directly to your children to ask them what they want - and let them feel a little "bigger" by placing the order, themselves. The sparkle in their eyes accompanying the "I did it!" satisfaction is priceless.)

So, yeah. I delight in opportunities to help little kids feel a bit "bigger".

More than that scenario, I love, LOVE it when parents let their children place an order AND pay for it. That is, I treasure seeing the kids take pride in doing a grown-up thing. And I think it is so important for kids to learn life skills which will lead them to independence.
(It's a little thing. However, I believe it can make a big difference.)
But even more than that scenario, when a child is paying with cash - and I get a sense from our interaction that I can press them just a little bit - I like to ask if they can figure out how much change I owe them. Sometimes it takes a short minute for them to do the math, but when a kid successfully figures it out and tells me the correct change they should be receiving - oh - the look of accomplishment and delight on their face. I just love it!
Because in a world where children are too often told they're in the way and they need to be quiet (Yes - this happens at Chick-fil-A, too, sometimes.) it's my pleasure to give them special attention and let them know they are seen and loved.
One order at a time.

When We're in Trouble

- vows my lips promised, and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.

~Psalm 66:14

The first 13 verses in Psalm 66 have certainly given us many examples of trouble.
*Being stuck between the Red Sea and an army of angry Egyptians.
*Being in prison. (Whether that was literal, or figurative...)
*Being laden with burdens.
*Having men ride over ones head. (Again, the literal or figurative question.)
*Going through fire and water.
I know we can add our own troubled circumstances to this list.
And now in verse 14 we see the psalmist making reference to those troubles again - as the springboard for vows he made to God. So today I would like to go a little deeper into how we can respond to God in the midst of the troubles we face.
Because we will face them!

Let's spend some time studying Psalm 27:1-6.
How does the psalmist describe the LORD in verse 1? And what is the psalmist's response to his own description of HIM?
Verses 2-3 speak of situations most people would fear. Based upon what you know from verse 1, why does the psalmist respond with confidence?
According to verse 4, what is the psalmist's greatest desire?
Does verse 5 indicate that the psalmist's life will be free of trouble if his desire in verse 4 is achieved?
What will happen instead?
What does verse 6 say will be the result of God's protection? Both for the psalmist and his enemies, and the psalmist and God?
We see in both Psalm 66:14 and Psalm 27:1-6 that God's help in the midst of trouble elicits a response from those whom He has helped. Maybe it is the fulfillment of vows, or passionate shouts of joy. I shared with you in the video Monday that my own response has been one of surrender - letting go of my attempts to control my circumstance, because I have recognized that God is the only One in whom I can trust.
In light of what we have seen today, how will you respond to God the next time you're in trouble?
May I encourage you to prayerfully read through Psalm 27:1-6 again, asking God to speak to your heart about His power in your troubles, and your response to it all?

Garden Hopes

Do you see what I see???

OK, maybe not.
Lemme help you out a bit with seeing what I'm seeing...

Those little specs above the green lines. Do you know what they are???
They're the beginnings of zinnias in my garden. And I'm so excited!
Not just because they're going to be beautiful flowers later this summer. But because of their history!
I mean, do you remember the flower garden I planted last year?
It was a labor of love.
I really loved it.
And somewhere in those summer months I learned that I could harvest seeds from the flowers in my garden, and use them to plant new flowers this year. So I did some research (That is, I watched videos on Youtube...) and discovered how to get those seeds.
Then I waited as patiently as I could for the petals on the flowers to dry out, and when the day finally came - I got the seeds! And they've been sitting in a little container in my refrigerator all fall, winter, and spring, just waiting for the right time to be planted.
I got the flowerbed ready and planted my seeds a week and a half ago, and waited nervously to see if my little seeds would grow.
Because, honestly, I wasn't sure I had harvested the seeds correctly. That is, I was so eager to get them that I feared I may have not waited long enough for the petals to dry. Thought maybe the seeds hadn't matured enough, or weren't ready for some other reason.
(Have I mentioned before that I am not the best wait-er on the planet?)
So, anyway, since last summer there has been a nagging doubt in the back of my mind, occasionally throwing out questions regarding the viability of those little seeds. And since I put them in the ground eleven days ago, those questions have been coming more frequently.
Until Saturday when I went out to water them, and what I saw delighted my eyes.
Sprouts! Little zinnia sprouts!
Offspring of the beautiful flowers I tended last summer.
And inspiration for years to come. I just think it is so cool to plant seeds and grow flowers from flowers I have already grown.
Oh, and one more thing!
I am not fully certain, but I think the alyssum I planted last year re-seeded itself. Because I've heard that can happen, and these leaves look very familiar to me!

So, I'm looking forward to tending the children of last year's flower garden.
And you can look forward to pictures!

When the Dog Came to Visit

Last week our emptying nest was a little fuller.

That is, when Josh moved into his apartment in January he took Mindy with him.
And, honestly, I didn't realize what a significant part of our family the dog was - until she was gone.
I mean I have had to stop myself from saying, "Bye, Mindy. I'll be back soon!" when I walk out the door.
And sometimes I still expect to be met by her when I walk back in. (As annoying as it can be to have a dog in your face when you're bending over to take your shoes off, I have found I was actually missing her enthusiastic greetings.)
Not the dog hair, though. I have NOT missed the dog hair!

Anyway, Josh went out of the state last week on a fishing trip, and his roomie was also gone. So, Mindy stayed with us! And I'm here to say, things are sure different in her new home.
(Josh says she likes it better now he's in charge.)
For one, in her new home she's allowed on the couch.
We had to blockade our couch with the Swiffer to remind her what the rules are in these parts.
Second, in her new home there are no rooms which are "off limits" to Mindy.
We employed barriers to the basement and dining room to remind Mindy that she was only allowed on the wood floor.
Third, now that she lives on the second floor she gets taken for walks every time she needs to go potty.
The chain in the back yard was all she got during her stay with us.
(I mean, I did take her on a couple of walks. But I know it wasn't as spectacular as the treatment to which she has grown accustomed.)
And, fourth, she gets to sleep in Josh's bed at her new place.
Truth is, she got to sleep with him when she lived here, too. But she didn't get to sleep with US during her visit. And she whined quite a bit in protest.
However, for all her new-found freedom and the fun it is to live in the bachelor pad, I do believe I noticed one thing Mindy misses about living here.
That is, every time I started to make dinner that dog was right by my side. Just like I used to do, I tossed broccoli and cauliflower stems across the room for her to chase and eat when I was making salad. And - not that I dropped bits of food on purpose - but whenever I did drop something, Mindy was right there to clean it up for me. It was almost as if she was watching the clock, because Mindy seemed to know just when I was going to be in the kitchen making food.
And those were sweet moments the two of us shared there.
Yeah. I think Mindy misses my cooking.
Just sayin'.

Psalm 66:14

- vows my lips promised, and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.

~Psalm 66:14

It's My Pleasure

And sometimes in the drive-thru you might have a brush with fame.
That is to say, Monday morning I was going through my usual routine. Passing out good food, chatting it up with guests, and doing my best to be sunshine in their day.
Then I encountered a man who had a day ahead of him unlike anyone else to whom I had spoken so far.
When I asked if he had anything fun planned for the day, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, I'm going to be on a 7-hour bus ride to Kentucky. I think I'll just sleep."
The look on my face must have said something like, Oh, wow! Why the long trip? Because he followed up by explaining, "I'm in the 'Hamilton' cast."
(Hamilton, the musical, just finished playing at the Wharton Center in East Lansing on Sunday night.)
I'm sure my face lit up at that point, and I asked, "Oh, really! What role do you play?"
The breakfast-seeker at the drive-thru window smiled humbly and said, "I'm Hamilton."
Then I'm all, "What? You're Hamilton? How cool is that!?" And we proceeded to have a conversation about show business and New York City and how he got started in it all. At one point I admitted to him that when I was in high school I had a dream of "making it" on Broadway, and I told him about traveling to New York with my high school choir and singing in Carnegie Hall. And how the City had so much energy and excitement that I didn't want to come home.
He smiled graciously and told me he understood. (Or maybe he was holding back his laughter at this old lady in the drive-thru who was trying to make a connection with the star in the car.)
Regardless, I thought it was so fun that the lead actor from Hamilton drove through Chick-fil-A Monday morning, before he left town with the rest of the cast on their way to the next gig.
And I got to serve him!

P.S. In case you're wondering, Hamilton drinks Power Aid for breakfast. *grin*

What Shall I Offer?

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you -

~Psalm 66:13

As I said in the video Monday, thinking about Psalm 66:13 has caused me to really consider what I am offering to God. That is, I know I don't have to bring Him physical offerings like the psalmist did. We don't have a temple building where God's Name dwells as in days of old, where we are instructed to bring sacrifices and offerings. Even so, this verse has been stirring in my spirit and leading me to ponder what I am bringing to God.
So today I would like to spend some time studying Romans 12:1-8, and consider what it looks like for us to make an offering on this side of history. (If you don't have your Bible by your side, feel free to use the link above to access the passage on Biblegateway.)
What, according to verse 1, is to be the motivation for our offering?
Does that kind of motivation seem to be a response, or a duty? How do you tend to think about offerings? As a response of love, or a duty to be fulfilled?
How does verse 1 describe the kind of sacrifice we are to be?
What does verse 2 say will make us that kind of sacrifice?
How can your mind be renewed?
Speaking of our minds, what does verse 3 have to say about the way we think?
And what do verses 4-5 tell us about our role in the body of Christ?
What do you learn about spiritual gifts in verse 6-8?
Sooooo, if we are to offer our bodies to God without thinking too highly of ourselves - rather by recognizing that each of us has a specific part to play in the body of Christ (according to the gift with which He has equipped us), how will you respond to the invitation to come to God's temple and fulfill your vows to Him?
May I encourage you to prayerfully read Romans 12:6-8 again? Then consider the way God has gifted you and ask Him to lead you in how He wants to use you today?
I pray as you respond to God's love, you will find yourself delighted in offering your best to Him!

Speaking My Language

So, Matthew went to the store yesterday to buy himself some new shorts.
And when we were both back home later in the day I asked if his trip had been successful.
He smiled, patted a bag sitting beside him, and said, "Yes!"
Then our conversation went something like this:
Matthew: Oh, and you'll like this! I mean, I don't know how you'll feel about this part. That is, I liked the shorts so I decided to get them, but they were $25 and I thought that was kind of a lot for shorts. But I was going to get them anyway. Then when I was paying for them, they were only $13!
Me: That's awesome. Good job!
Matthew: I know! I mean, I looked all over but didn't see a SALE sign, so I didn't expect them to be on sale. But they were. And I decided it was better not to ask questions.
Me: Yep! Never ask questions when something is nearly 50% off.
*fist bump*

An Open Letter to Women's Clothing Manufacturers

Dear Manufacturers of Women's Clothing,

I've had it!
We've all had it!
For a while I thought it was just me - that I was the only woman on planet Earth who could not seem to find a pair of pants which actually fit.
Because, surely, you make pants for SOMEONE. Right?
Oh, how wrong I was!
I recently aired my frustration about pants-that-don't-fit on Facebook and felt my complaints vindicated when many friends - of all shapes and sizes - grumbled about the exact.same.problem.

Let me show you what I mean.

Do you see that huge gap in the back of my waist?
Otherwise, the pants fit quite nicely. Why did you need to make the waist so big?

And how about these pants?

Same problem. I could nearly fit my fist down the back of these pants, even though they fit snugly through the hips and thigh. Um, I don't need to put my fist down the back of my pants!

Next pair, please?

Different manufacturer, same problem.
What is it with you people?
Who do you know that is shaped like these pants? I mean if the legs were super big I could understand the size of the waist you put on the pants. But the legs aren't large. In fact this particular pair of pants were quite snug in the thigh. What person has legs the one size, and also has a waist the other size???

OK, one more.

Here we go again.
This pair was great everywhere - except for that one spot in the back. Where, again, I do not need to have the ability to insert my fist. Yet there it is - a gaping space, with nothing to do but look stupid whether your shirt is tucked or untucked.

So, manufaturers of women's clothing, do you see the problem here?
Because if you are not convinced by my experience I would be happy to put you in touch with the women who shared my woes in Facebook-land.
Still don't believe me? Check out all the tutorials for how to fix this problem!
(And that's just eleven of them. There are many more.)
We aren't shaped like the pants you make.
Therefore, I'm asking you - we're all asking you - to go back to the drawing board and re-think the measurements you've assigned to our waists.

Very sincerely, on behalf of the rest of the girls,

Psalm 66:13

I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you -

~Psalm 66:13