My life has once again been interrupted. It seems to happen to me more often than not in this season of life. Just when I get comfortable, God places a person, an event, a situation, a book, right in front of me with a big silent, “Hullo…, DUH!, KNOCK KNOCK, WAKE UP!”

That is exactly what this book has done to me. For three years now, God has been preparing my heart for this message. He strategically led me to Church of the Resurrection and the teaching and practice of healing grace that is so evident in every message/mission in the church. He strategically placed my counselor in my life for a reason. He strategically put the message of “Love Does” by Bob Goff into my hands through my daughter and son-in-law, and 12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (Like Me) by John Fischer through my cousin Mark and Aunt Patsy. He spoke through the challenge of my sister to be grateful for three things each day and look for His miracles everywhere around me. 

And it all led me to Jen Hatmaker’s, “Interrupted.”  God has used this beautiful, crazy, radical girl’s story to affect me. To change my direction. To interrupt my comfortable world. And for that, and for what is to come, I am extremely grateful today.

One of my many favorite quotes from this book:

I’m going to gamble on the fact that Jesus didn’t have much patience with believers who attempted to limit the scope of “who my neighbor is” to the fewest possible people (see Luke 10:25-37). Jesus always colored outside the lines here, extending grace and healing to those well beyond His people group. He often healed people first; they believed second. If I’m wrong, the worst thing that could happen is that some desperate people are cared for, and I’m guessing that Jesus will look the other way. He seems to favor unmerited grace. To me, this is a wheat-and-weeds issue, and since that’s not my call to make, I’ll just err on the side of mercy and let Jesus sort it out at the harvest.

I have extra copies that I am just itching to pass on if you would like to accept my challenge to read and allow your life to be interrupted, too. Just let me know, and one will be on the way to you.

I am grateful that it is Friday.

I am grateful that God loves me even when I’m like this.

I am grateful for Cat in the Hat books and Snoopy’s laugh.

And I am grateful for a second Scooby moment that makes me momentarily happy.

Today, I am grateful for Sam. It is his birthday, and he deserves the best of the best of the best. I thought it was interesting that my devotion this morning in Dad’s devotion book was all about the way Sam lives his life.

Have you smiled at someone today? Held a door open? Let someone slip ahead of you in traffic? Changed a diaper? Written a check to charity?

Do any of those things make you more acceptable to God?

There’s a biblical balance when it comes to acts of kindness and good deeds. Our lives should be filled with them, as flowers filling a springtime meadow. But we don’t labor for the Lord from necessity but from love. The aim of spiritual maturity isn’t to become more acceptable to God, for we are already fully accepted by Him through the blood of Christ. When we’re justified by grace through faith, the righteousness of Christ is credited to our account. Thereafter we live a life of service because we love Him who has already accepted us in Christ.

Never worry about whether God loves you. If you know Christ as Savior, don’t feel you have to win God’s favor. You have all His grace for all your needs. Just serve Him with a desire to please Him in all you do and say.

Good works cannot put us right, but they necessarily follow when we are right; they are the natural fruit and the ordained sphere of the new creature in Christ Jesus. – Bernard H. Nadal

I just had a moment. I was sitting at my desk talking to my boss while peeling what I thought was a “Cutie” or “Halo” orange – you know, those little sweet extremely peel-able things that have no seeds. And what did I discover as I popped a segment into my mouth? SEEDS! I immediately got grouchy and crabby and cranky…you know, Maxine old. How entitled and spoiled have I become that a seed in an orange makes me cranky?!

I am grateful that I do not “get” the whole hashtag Twitter tweet Instagram Vine Pinterest lingo.  I somehow signed up for a Pinterest account, who knows how, and I keep getting all of these messages saying that people I know are now following my Pinterest account. I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO ACCESS A PINTEREST ACCOUNT. WHAT IN THE WORLD.

I’m old and I love being this way. I’m old and I am married to a young man who feels the same way I do. We are satisfied with life (with the exception of seeds in oranges and watermelons), we are satisfied with the ancient system of EMAIL, and Facebook and Linkedin are as far as I delve into the world of technology, thank you very much.

That was a “SQUIRREL!” moment. Back to the reason I am so grateful today:

When you’re 64, yes, I will still need you, and I will still feed you.

I am grateful for this man who holds my hand every time we pray.

I am grateful for this man who loves my family.

I am grateful for this man who has the most generous spirit.

I am grateful for this man who makes me laugh when he dances.

I am grateful for this man who taught me that pineapple plants do not grow in fields in Kansas – it’s called MILO. And grateful that he taught me about yields and moisture content. And grateful that he comes to life even more than normal when he is on the farm.

I am grateful for this man who loves to sing.

I am grateful for this man who says the words, “I am sorry” and truly means them. 

I am grateful for this man who loves his Mom and Dad, his daughter, and his brothers and sister and their families so much that he looks forward to the next time he will see them, dreams of their visits and trips we could take with them, and his face lights up every time he talks about them.

I am grateful for this man who helped me tackle my fear of motorcycles.

I am grateful for this man who faces unfairness by holding his head high and not having an ounce of revenge in his being.

I am grateful for this man who loves ice cream before bedtime, just like me.

I am grateful for this man who values family and makes sure his employees’ families are a priority.

I am grateful for this man who appreciates a good fanny pack and doesn’t care what the rest of the world thinks.

Is life not full of opportunities for learning love? Every man and woman, every day, has a thousand of them… And the one eternal lesson for us all is how better we can love. – Henry Drummond

I am grateful for this man who is teaching me how to forgive others even if they are never repentant or remorseful.

I am grateful for this man who tells me he loves me many times a day.

I am grateful for this man who turns the light on the flowers that he gave to me so that when I walk into the room, they are the first thing I see. 

I am grateful for this man who does not want any recognition but would rather do for others quietly and in the background and will probably cringe at this post.

I am grateful for this man who is so patient and is a great teacher when it comes to Excel and accounting.

I am grateful that Sam’s life bears much fruit and shows that God is working in him.

I am grateful that we are growing old together. Thank you for the love and the laughter and the living again. Happy birthday, Sam.

I am grateful for little things that make me smile and give me enjoyment. Like this act from America’s Got Talent. I love Scooby. He makes me think of all of my dogs that made my life so full once upon a time… Have a smile on me today:

Scooby

I am grateful that I have worked at my current job now for two years. Today is my work anniversary, and I am grateful that my coworkers remembered and made me feel special.

I am grateful for Bingo time last night. It was good to be with my friends again. As everyone was slowly, and I do mean SLOOOOOOWLY, getting up from their chairs to go back to their rooms, Ruth happened to notice one of her Bingo chips that had fallen between her legs and landed on her chair. She picked it up and said, “I hatched one!” I laughed.

I am grateful for water that tastes like water, not like funny. “This water tastes funny.” No, this water tastes NASTY.

I am sometimes grateful for technological advances and social media; other times, not so much. I AM grateful that my life is not dependent on either.

I am grateful for the beauty and complexity of a blooming rose, the way the petals nestle against each other and unfold.

I am grateful for a random phone call from Karissa before lunch. Oh, how I love talking to my daughters. So bittersweet – I want to be there and just be there.

Learn to enjoy life more. Relax, remembering that I am God with you. I crafted you with enormous capacity to know Me and enjoy My Presence. When My people wear sour faces and walk through their lives with resigned rigidity, I am displeased. When you walk through a day with childlike delight, savoring every blessing, you proclaim your trust in Me, your ever-present Shepherd. The more you focus on My Presence with you, the more fully you can enjoy life. Glorify Me through your pleasure in Me. Thus you proclaim My Presence to the watching world. – Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

I am grateful for coupons that save money.

I am grateful for people who know how to cut hair and make others look good.

I am grateful for the person who decided that chocolate and peanut butter should go together.

And I am grateful for new pictures of the most beautiful children in Texas:

I am grateful for farmers markets.

I am grateful for 1^st days of school, for brand new spiral notebooks, for being the student who gets a NEW textbook all pretty and clean and unblemished, for the smell of lunch wafting down the halls, for the temporary determination to make THIS year better than last, for the first homework assignment and the care taken to make no mistakes in my handwriting, for a clean locker all organized, for a new Trapper Keeper and a pencil pouch, and for memories of being allowed to drive to school for the first time.

Dorky me would have chosen one like this.

I am grateful for the smooth feeling of shaved legs.

I am grateful for celery that is not bitter.

I am grateful for my newfound love of the Royals. I wish Mom were here to enjoy their success with Dad and the rest of us who are fans.

I am grateful for the talent of Robin Williams.

I am grateful for the hard, dedicated work of Dean, Sandy and their girls – they put together a wonderful family directory to keep us all in touch and together.

I am grateful for dental floss.

I am grateful for ice cream before bedtime. What a simple but marvelous routine my parents began when I was young. Everyone should eat a small bit of something they love just before they go to bed.

I am grateful for a lunch time phone call from my Dad. He just wanted to ask me if I had watched Royals player Jarrod Dyson do his backflip last night, a guy having fun at his “job.” He commented how much fun Dwight has at his “job,” taking senior pictures, and Dad wanted to make sure I am also having fun at my job. What a wonderful middle-of-the-day surprise – nothing beats a call from Dad.

The backflip. 

I wish I could effectively write with descriptive words that paint the correct picture. I’m not very good at it, but this is the best I can do at work, in the middle of computer searching otherwise known as digital peeping-Tomming otherwise known as headhunting via internet. It’s one of those “you had to be there” experiences, and I’m writing it for me, so that I do not forget:

We could have just stayed at home and watched the game. We could have been too busy cleaning up the kitchen or doing those tasks that keep getting further down the list. We could have been too tired from the stress of the day. But instead, we decided to go. Instead, we decided to pursue, to seek, to do something different on a Monday evening.

I am grateful for moments that don’t slip by unnoticed.

I am grateful for a partner who has decided that life is too short to miss simple, wonderful opportunities and insists on capturing moments.

I am grateful for the privilege last night to get on the bike and ride to a spot in the city where we could wait for the sun to set and watch the beautiful twilight sky with its hues of pastel colors slowly turn to night. We wanted to catch the moonrise. As we sat on the bike and watched the show in our own little world, the cool breeze in our hair, deer bounding through the soybean field in front of us on their way to play with friends, we enjoyed the sounds of the evening – locusts and katydids beginning their night songs, traffic in the distance, music coming from the cars of passersby, and the beautiful silence. Silence that wrapped itself around us, silence that was loud, silence that we could feel as His creation called out, “Pay attention. Don’t miss My miracle that is in front of you, above you, beneath you!” We sat in silence and shared gratitude for this heavenly gift.  And just when we thought that maybe Mr. Moon had decided to take a night off, it peeked with brilliance over the trees in the distance, and the glowing orange moon graced us with its presence on the horizon. Breathtaking…causing my SOUL to sing in the silence, “how great Thou art.”

So, finally, I am grateful for the beauty of a moonrise.

I am grateful for crisp carrots, sweet watermelon, and tart apples.

I am grateful for automatic online giving so that my tithe is never late.

I am grateful that my co-worker friend is back from vacation.

I am grateful that the Royals are WINNING again!

I am grateful for the sweetest thank you cards from Karissa, Anissa, and Andrae.

I am grateful for emails from former students (Erin and Nanette, I WILL email you back this week!) and for former students who want to connect with me again on Facebook.

I am grateful that the office across the hall is finally going to be opened and I won’t be staring at an ugly blank door any longer.

I am grateful for my piano to play whenever I want. 

I am grateful for new ideas. My head is spinning with them today. Ideas for a special birthday this week, ideas for our 2nd annual Counting Our Blessings party, ideas for a fanny pack video, ideas for weekend getaways. Oh, if only I could make it all happen!

I am grateful for groceries in the house again.

I am grateful for my roses that have opened up and are HUMONGOUS.

I am grateful for Max and the blessing he shared with us on Saturday evening when he began singing, “Let the Lower Lights Be Burning” as we drove in the truck.

I am grateful for underwear. Think about it.

I am grateful for a beautiful super moon last night to enjoy. I can just imagine what it looked like from Dad’s 9^th floor apartment. Lucky duck.

And I am grateful  for this:

I am grateful for this face. I am grateful that I am her Ama.

I am grateful that I have learned to be grateful, to focus on the beautiful things in my life and to accept those things that are not so lovely but not allow myself to dwell on them.

I am grateful today for this devotion that began my morning. Simple but profound.

I speak to you from deepest heaven. You hear Me in the depths of your being. Deep calls unto deep. You are blessed to hear Me so directly. Never take this privilege for granted. The best response is a heart overflowing with gratitude. I am training you to cultivate a thankful mind-set. This is like building your house on a firm rock, where life’s storms cannot shake you. As you learn these lessons, you are to teach them to others. I will open up the way before you, one step at a time. (Psalm 42:7; 95:1-2; Matthew 7:24-25)

Reading it brought this hymn to my mind. I can hear Elwood, and Roy, and Shirley, and Josephine, and Lowell, and Mom’s strong alto voice. Ahhhhhh, such wonderful memories.

Each step I take, I know that He will guide me;
To higher ground He ever leads me on.
Until someday the last step will be taken.
Each step I take just leads me closer Home.

I have been through a few of life’s storms, as the devotion speaks of, and God has cultivated that thankful mindset in me – by providing people all along the way to walk beside me, to hold my hand, to encourage me to take another step forward and not look back, to bring me back to the realization that I do not need much but can be content with exactly where I am. He is teaching me to let go of my past, to quit trying to please people, to take off the mask and be authentic. He is teaching me to DO love, not just talk about it. He is teaching me to walk in my OWN shoes and not look at anyone else with judgment. I don’t know their journey and if I want people to accept ME, I must accept THEM. That is what Jesus would do.

As this song says, I also say:

When life is not what I thought that it would be
The pain is sometimes more than I can stand
And I have had to learn a lot the hard way
But I’m trusting that my life is in Your hands.

Storms by Shawn McDonald

I am grateful for pink roses that were tucked into Sam’s jacket last night as he drove into the garage on the bike. Flowers are best when they are “just because.”

I am grateful that it is not impossible to clean up splatter mess in a microwave.

I am grateful that the nervous feelings, the feelings of dread about school starting again and being a teacher who felt so unprepared, are just memories now. I never once felt adequate as a teacher. However, I am grateful for the other feelings of being excited to see the students again, excited to get back into a routine, excited to start dreaming up another musical. Those are GOOD memories.

I am grateful for Zak today. I am very proud of this guy and privileged to call him my son-in-law. Today is his birthday, and if you know him, you are blessed.

I am grateful to have been able to stay awake last night for the first night of “My Big Family Renovation.”

I am grateful that I have a sister who fights for compassion for children who just want a better life in America. She’s got a heart as big as Dallas.

And I am grateful that I have someone who will listen to me at the end of the day and tells me all about his day, too.

I am grateful for the anticipation of a new sermon series that begins this Sunday – it is a topic I have wanted our Pastor to address for a while and I am excited! Here’s the teaser:

The Power of Words

I am grateful to have seen “my girl” at lunch today. I love that feeling of seeing someone who makes you happy down deep.

I am grateful for a really great job, for good news at work, and for a return to some sense of normalcy.

I am grateful that not every young person is dependent on a cell phone. It is so refreshing to actually know a young adult who does not spend every minute of their day with a cell phone attached to their hand.

And on THAT note, I am grateful for young people who have learned to leave their technology home when in a social setting with others and understand how rude it is to talk or text on their phones in front of others.

And on THAT note, I am grateful for young people who know how to hold conversations with adults and do it so well.

And on THAT note, I am grateful for parents and guardians who teach their kids good manners and expect them to use those good manners in all situations. Okay. I’m done.

I am grateful for a surprise strawberry yogurt that I discovered I had left in the office refrigerator last week. Yay for my lunch.

I am grateful for a bank who calls me when they are concerned about a charge that was made on my account.

I am grateful that an angel in the form of a man helped my daughter this morning when she was stranded on the side of the road with her four little children in the morning Texas heat after having a flat tire.

I am grateful for decent iced tea, because when you get a bad iced tea, it kind of makes the drive not as wonderful and you waste your money on something that tastes NASTY.

I am grateful that tonight is the first episode of “My Big Family Renovation,” starring one of my favorite people ever whom I’ve never met, Jen Hatmaker and her family. Be there or be square – HGTV tonight at 10 and 10:30 pm CST!

I am grateful for cherry tootsie roll pops.

And I am grateful for this lesson in the form of a short video. How many times have I ignored someone because of the way they look? Conviction is a good thing.

The Real Homeless Man

I am grateful for heated seats and a sunroof that is open in the 45 degree air at the top of Cottonwood Pass and the Continental Divide this morning.

I am grateful for smooth interstate road after the washboard dirt roads of the Pass.

I am grateful that there are only three more hours of driving tonight after driving all day long.

I am grateful for the sound of rain on the windshield as we go down the road.

I am grateful for a beautiful trip, new friends, a river rafting experience that made me think of Mom and Dad, the privilege of staying in a hotel/condo that is probably the nicest place I’ve ever stayed, and the gift from God of waking up every morning to His beautiful creation of mountains just outside the window.

I am grateful for a washer and dryer in the room so that the suitcase is full of clean clothes to take home.

I am grateful for crispy bacon.

I am grateful to have finished my court report, my Jen Hatmaker book “Interrupted,” and relax in the hotel bathrobe in front of a fireplace while drinking hot cocoa.  Ahhhh.

I am grateful for a hotel towel to dry off after exiting the raft and very cold Taylor River.

I am grateful I didn’t fall out of the raft and grateful for an awesome guide and rafting friends who also wanted to do 360s through the rapids.

I am grateful to have seen deer, big horn sheep, hummingbirds, muskrats, hawks, a bald eagle, and these wild creatures on the trip:

I am grateful that we had internet access today for a little while so that I could read this email/blog post and reflect on how much I learn from others’ reflections. I loved this particular one and it needs to be shared:

God Loves Hamas

And finally, I am grateful for a husband who would rather have the radio off so that we can visit as we watch the miles go by.

Clicking my heels three times…

Funny how this happens. Sam and I intentionally set out each day with the goal to reach out with kindness to everyone we meet – to not let any opportunity pass without trying to have some type of conversation with every person we meet, whether through the drive-thru, at a check-out counter, opening a door for someone, appreciating the landscaper outside the building, etc. And inevitably, almost every single time, we end up being the ones who are blessed and in awe of the kindness and stories behind the faces.

Three examples to share with you today, and three reasons to be extra grateful for these beautiful people God placed in our path this weekend:

1. A woman named Sherye, probably incorrectly spelled, and I could kick myself for not taking her picture. We walked into a Braum’s store on Saturday at noon. She was the employee in the market area, and as we began to walk by her, Sam said, “Hi there! How you are doing today?” Her response: “I’m so blessed!!” There is NO WAY you can keep walking without inquiring as to why. So we asked. And boy oh boy, did we meet an angel who was eager to share. What a beautiful young woman of 84 years. What a life of positivity and encouraging words. What a testimony she had to share about how God has given her a great life. And because she answered the original question with more than just “Fine,” or “Good, thank you,” she passed on a blessing to us, and we met an angel on the way.

2. Have you ever been to Syracuse, Kansas? If not, you need to plan a weekend drive. We were passing through and stopped to fuel up late Saturday afternoon. Sam had gone inside and while I was sitting in the car, I happened to notice a little girl standing on a corner across the street, holding a sign. When we pulled out of the parking lot, we drove slowly by her, reading her sign. This is what it said:

We kept driving, but at about the same time, we both looked at each other and knew we had to turn around and go back. And wow, are we glad we did. Fermina was actually standing outside her parents’ business, “The ‘Ole Cook Shack,” and she was on the clock. We parked the car, went inside this adorable little building that has to be brand new, and our taste buds were treated to some of the most wonderful barbecue we’ve had – and we live in Kansas City. We had the Sampler plate, shared between the two of us, and we had to ask for a to-go box. The ribs, brisket, sausage, chicken, and pulled pork were perfection. Yes, five meats on our plate. I wanted to try Mrs. Englert’s Texas Peanut Butter Cake but we couldn’t have stuffed another bite into our growing bellies. But, even better than the food, was the atmosphere of a Mom and Dad behind the counter, and three of their four adopted daughters all working on a Saturday evening. What a beautiful family. We sat in this small restaurant and had the best visit with 8th grader Candice while she wrapped silverware and tried to watch a movie on the TV – Sam wasn’t about to let her slack off. She said she is much more productive during commercials! Oh, what a delight and a blessing this family was to us, and they gave us the boost to complete our long drive to Manitou Springs that night. A family of angels on our journey… Seriously – take a drive to Syracuse and visit this place. Dad – you could even eat there. They have a great salad bar and potato salad and cole slaw, just for you!

3. Fast forward to Sunday early morning before Manitou has barely begun to stir. We were out for our morning walk before beginning our drive on west to Crested Butte, and we made our way to sleepy downtown, where the only life was in the form of four-legged canines, obsessed runners decked out in spandex, and Gil. He is from New York, and he spends his summers in Manitou where his son and family live. Of course, this guy happened to grace us with his friendliness because Sam greeted him as we walked by. Talk about a great way to start a beautiful, sunny Sunday morning – conversing with a New Yawker who was just anxious to share a few minutes with us. Ten minutes was all it took to completely bless this couple who just happened to be out for a walk. He even offered to buy us a cup of coffee and continue becoming friends. Gil from New Yawk. Another angel on the path. (Kicking myself for not getting his picture, too…)

These three encounters with strangers seem to be object lessons from my book, “Interrupted,” by Jen Hatmaker. I finished her book on Saturday morning, and I am so grateful for the message, for the conviction, for the challenge placed in front of me. I’m throwing out my offer once again – if you’ll read it, I’ll send it to you. But you have to promise to read it and tell me what you think of it. (Oh! And if you love HGTV and home decorating, or even if you don’t, the Hatmakers are the subject of a new show that starts THIS WEEK on Thursday evening at 10 PM CST. It will be a great show – this pastor and his family renovate their whole house and get REAL about it all. Just click on My Big Family Renovation for details.)  

I am grateful for relationships that bring us closer together, for encounters with strangers who are not strangers at all, and for the reminder to lift someone/everyone up today, because in giving, we receive so much more…