I am grateful for memories of singing “Arky Arky” with my young students and with the girls when they were little.

I am grateful for one piece of bread that was left over to feed the birds this morning.

I am grateful that there is no AC in the house right now and I am not so pampered as to need it.

I am grateful for memories of Karissa’s first birthday, complete with a Rainbow Brite cake.

I am grateful for room in my pants.

I am grateful for little bunny cookie cutters that my boss bought for me. They arrived yesterday, just in time to make some little cookies for my grandchildren before I leave tomorrow morning.

I am grateful that I do not walk like the “shuffler,” the “can’t walk normal in high heels-er,” or the “flip-flop slapper.”  But I wonder what it is I do that drives other people crazy.

I am grateful that the ironing is done and the corner of the room is once again uncluttered.

I am grateful that today is “Friday” at work for me and tomorrow I go to Texas for two days to spend Mother’s Day weekend with my daughter and her family. 

And I am grateful that there are people in my church who are gifted in story-telling and sharing their lives in a way that inspires those who listen and read, and I am grateful for the way my pastor is challenging me to re-think the WAY I have always heard the story of Noah’s ark, to realize the deeper meaning and the messages that are so valuable to my own defining story.  This was part of this morning’s devotions, and it is so worth reading:

Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist.

I’ve got a treat for you! My week has looked like a tilt-a-whirl on rapid speed, so my awesome husband, Brandon, volunteered to write today’s insight. Enjoy!

 

In the Genesis account, God spoke to Noah and laid out a pretty detailed plan for what Noah was supposed to do. God made clear his intentions, told Noah what materials to use, how to prepare them, and even gave exact dimensions for the ark. There are a lot of days I wish I got something resembling a blueprint from God, but that’s exactly what Noah got. Over the years, reading this story, I got a little jealous–why couldn’t God just give me some blueprints?

But there are a few big things missing from the picture. I’ve actually been on a few cruises in my lifetime, and the first thing you get, before you get near the boat, before you even pick out a cruise, is an itinerary. You know exactly where you’re going, you know when you’re going to be there, you know what you’re going to be doing there, and, most importantly, you know where and when you’ll be at the end of the voyage.

Noah didn’t have a nice little sheet that he could reference on his voyage.

“Let’s see, day thirty-eight: rain. Day thirty-nine: rain and gale-force winds. Day forty: rain and high waves. And then, Key West!”

God gave some very clear plans as to why Noah had to act, and how he had to prepare, but Noah had no idea where he was going, when it would end, or what would be waiting on the other side. I imagine Noah, on day 41, coming to the sinking realization that even though the rains had stopped as God said, it would be a long time before all that water went anywhere. Day 60 rolls around, and he starts to panic. Day 80 is when I imagine he realizes that God never really said anything about the end of the journey–He just told Noah how to prepare, and that he would make it through.

That part of the story makes a lot of sense to me.

I was 23, living in Florida, pretty fresh out of college, still trying to figure out what on earth to do with my life. At the time, God’s calling on my life seemed to be caring for people the best I could, reaching out to the outsiders, and playing lots of music–great preparation, I thought, but I had no idea what for.

I met a girl who lived in Kansas City, we hit it off, and within a few months, I started packing things into the young college graduate’s version of an ark: a ’96 Ford Taurus sedan into which I packed my every earthly belonging. Things had fallen together so quickly with the promise of a job as a worship leader at a small church in the area and a place to stay that I went from a blissful Florida resident with no plans of moving to a blissful Kansas resident with no roots in a span of a handful of weeks. I didn’t have room to bring much–mostly clothes, books, and musical instruments.

Moving to a new city in which you know only one person is hard. Metaphorically, it rained on me. Three months later, I found out that my job as a worship leader fell through and I lost that. And it rained some more. And just like Noah, I realized that I had no promise about the end of the journey. I had filled in some of those gaps with my imagination, of course, which just made the realization harder. And it rained some more.

In the Genesis account, Noah spent five months on that ark, drifting aimlessly with no end in sight, wondering some days if he would ever set his feet on solid land again.

I’m not sure how long I drifted, because my journey to solid land was much more gradual, but I eventually got there. I took a job as a web designer at a local agency out of desperation and slowly began to set down some new roots. And over the years, God’s master plan was slowly revealed to me.

That girl I met in Kansas City? She’s now my beautiful wife. Together, we did things like plan benefit concerts to help stop human trafficking, help provide job training for kids graduating out of the foster system, and provide support for our church’s efforts in Malawi and beyond. We’ve since adopted our son through the foster system and I have an amazing family.

Those musical instruments I brought up here with me? I’m still playing them. I’m currently volunteering to help lead worship at three of our church campuses, sometimes playing up to four services a week.

That job in web design? I eventually became a manager and used my position to help as many people as I could. It opened the doors for some amazing relationships, and I was able to help my employees through some very difficult times in their lives.

None of that was a part of the initial promise that brought me here. God made sure I was prepared and promised that I would live to see the voyage through to completion, that I would live to tell His tale. My imagination had initially filled in the gaps, but I see now that God’s plan was much bigger than my dreams.

As for the end of the journey? I don’t know. Maybe I can tell you later. All I know now is that I’m glad I’m along for the ride, and that I know God won’t leave me unprepared for wherever I’m going.

I am grateful to have talked to Anissa for a few minutes this afternoon. I am so anxious to hold her this weekend.

I am grateful for each one of my Bingo moms. It has been quite a year getting to know them on Tuesday nights, and I wouldn’t trade that time for anything except more time with my own Mom.

I am grateful for Grace, one of the choir students from church, who came to Bingo last night and volunteered her time to help and play the game with the group. She is a sweetheart, and it warms my heart that a 16-year-old would sacrifice a school night to do this. There IS hope for the future.

I am grateful for Sam and his willingness to bend.

I am grateful for indoor plumbing and a restroom that is close by, now that I drink a gallon of water a day. I’m a little nervous about the choir trip and being on the bus for many hours at a time. This is not going to be easy or comfortable.

I am grateful for blooming red tulips, purple creeping phlox, and deep purple pansies that make Woody the Deer even better looking in the front yard.

I am grateful that the Holy Spirit has worked in me to forgive beyond what I could be capable of on my own.

And I am grateful for air conditioning in a hot car.

That’s all. 

I am grateful that I like a clean house, that even though I love cats, we don’t have one, that even though I love dogs, we don’t have one, and that for all of the years I HATED Saturday cleaning days that Mom made us live through instead of playing with friends and doing fun things on the weekends, I learned to love the smell of Windex and Pinesol and bleach and Comet and Pledge, and I can appreciate a lack of nastiness in my home, wherever I reside. Wow, wow, wow. I saw the complete opposite of a clean home last night. Wow.

I am grateful for a sleeping Dad this morning. He didn’t stir when we left for work, and I know he was in dire need of rest after keeping up with Angela, Mom’s daughter, who doesn’t have a “stop” or even a “slow down” button when it comes to memorials and museums that wait for no one.

I am grateful for Sam’s ingenuity. There was NO WAY that was going to fit in such a small space. Wanna bet?

I am grateful for one more sleeve of graham crackers and a leftover container of generic frosting in a nearly empty kitchen – it made for a perfect bedtime snack for the three of us, and it was a wonderful reminder of Mom’s creativity – poor man’s cookies.

I am grateful that I can recall in my brain the sound of Andrae and Anissa saying, “Tha’s NAS-ty!” after seeing something gross. 

I am grateful for Dad’s comment on the way home from the airport last night when asked what his favorite thing was in Washington: “I just wish Grace could have seen it all.”  Me too, Dad. Me too.

I am grateful that tonight is Bingo, and Grace, one of my choir kids who would like a summer job at a nursing home or assisted living facility, will join us to play and get to know my “adopted Moms.” 

And I am grateful that I now get to leave and go have lunch with my Dad.

I am grateful for the friends I DO have. I need to do a better job of letting them know how grateful I am.

I am grateful for our tulips that just began to bloom this weekend. I’ve never had tulips, so I am SO excited that they actually BLOOMED!  I am also grateful for five peony buds. My first peony plants, too – at least since childhood. I can’t wait to smell them.

I am grateful for memories of our tire swing. It was the best swing in the whole world.

And I am grateful for the time Angela, Ron and Dad were able to spend together in Washington, and grateful that they coming home today.

What a great concept. And so easy to use. I would have called it rhondaslist, though.

I am grateful for a phone call from my sister last night, reassuring me that they were not at the bottom of an ocean, had not had an inflight emergency, and had spent the afternoon and evening traipsing all over Washington DC, thoroughly worn out and ready for a good night’s sleep.

I am grateful for the warm feelings I have when thinking about my Dad experiencing the monuments and the history and the “wowza” of Washington for the first time.

I am grateful for an hour and a half phone call with my beautiful daughter last night. Oh, it is so wonderful.

I am grateful for a little chipmunk that didn’t completely panic but looked at me and begged me to let her out of the squirrel cage this morning. We had a nice conversation before I opened the door and she ran away to her little hole.

I am grateful for stale pancakes that made the birds very happy yesterday.

I am grateful to have seen a large woodpecker on the feeder last night, and grateful to have seen that yellow bird again this morning at the end of the street. I love the trees that attract interesting wildlife in the neighborhood for us to enjoy.

I am grateful that I am not tied to TV anymore. Watching Mother’s Day commercials is a difficult thing.

I am grateful for Lisa’s short emails that include pictures like this:

And I am grateful for floor mats.

I am grateful that my sister took my Dad to Washington, DC this morning for a whirlwind 4 1/2 day tour.

I am grateful for the opportunity last night to re-live a favorite childhood memory – sitting down with my Dad and sharing a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. Which makes me grateful for macaroni and cheese, just about any kind. Kraft Mac & Cheese out of that blue box, Velveeta Shells & Cheese with the can inside, homemade in a 9×13 that is loaded with cheese and cream and gooey wonderful-ness… But, I am not that grateful for the leftover macaroni and cheese from a box that Mom used to put on the table, reheated with some milk to attempt to make it creamy again. I am grateful it is now a memory, although I would eat it with unbridled pleasure if it would bring Mom back for another meal at her kitchen table.

I am grateful for pretty fruit bouquets.

I am grateful for Mom’s bird book that Dad brought for me to use so that I can figure out what that bird is called.

I am grateful for memories of May Day as a child: the excitement of making baskets of flowers to hang on the neighbors’ doorsteps; winding the May Pole in the 5^th grade under the direction of Miss Meyers; and marching in the All Schools Day parade in McPherson as a drum majorette, complete with my white boots.

I’ll pretend mine were this cute.

And I am grateful for an absence of hunger.

I am grateful for a co-worker who thought of me when cleaning out her closet and gave me her discarded items.

I am grateful for fun at Bingo last night.

I am grateful that Anissa’s fingers are not broken and she is better today after having the door slam shut on them.

I am grateful for the anticipation of seeing my Dad tonight.

I am grateful for this quote that I will carry with me: “It can only bother you if you let it.” – Sam

***

My Mom used to call me Rhonda Donda. Kids in grade school used to call me Rhonda Honda. When it was cool to speak in “pig latin” in 5^th grade, I was known for a week or two as HondaRay.

I’ve been sung to all my life with this: Help me Rhonda, help, help me, Rhonda…

I went from Rhonda to Mommy, to Mom, to Mrs. Goering, to Mrs. G, to Ama, and now I’m back to Rhonda. There were times when my name was not spoken – I was just whistled at like a dog. You know, the “Hey you” whistle. And somewhere in all those years, I lost my name. I was no longer known as Rhonda, except by my parents and siblings. Everyone else knew me as a “title,” not a name.

I could fashion a name after that weird singer who changed his name to “The Artist Formerly Known as Prince” and make my name, “The Woman Formerly Known as Mom, Rhonda Goering, or Mrs. G.”

It has been a process (and still is) to get to know the real Rhonda again. It has been a process to unearth the little girl who grew up and lost herself.

I am grateful for that process, for my counselor, for the prayers of many, and for the support and acceptance during the journey.

I am grateful that God knows my name, knows everything about me, knows where I’ve been, where I am, and where I’m going, and He still loves me in spite of all of that.

I am grateful for this song:

He Knows My Name 

But now, says the Lord—
the one who created you, [Rhonda],
    the one who formed you, [Rhonda]:
Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    when through the rivers, they won’t sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you won’t be scorched
    and flame won’t burn you.
3 I am the Lord your God,
    the holy one of Israel, your savior…
4 …Because you are precious in my eyes,
    you are honored, and I love you. – Isaiah 43:1-4 (paraphrased)

 My name is Rhonda Scofield, Child of the One True King. 

I am grateful for my devotions today that are no coincidence:

Good deeds have a way of coming back to bless us. John Wooden, the great basketball coach who passed away recently at the age of 99, was admired for the inspirational influence he left on players and fans alike. His life was shaped by a seven-point creed. He often passed it along to others, explaining that his father had given him this bit of advice upon his graduation from grammar school.

1. Be true to yourself.
2. Make each day your masterpiece.
3. Help others.
4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
5. Make friendship a fine art.
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7. Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

When we are kind to others and practice a merciful attitude, we become recipients of mercy ourselves. Just as the sower reaps the crop he has sown, so do merciful people reap what has been planted in the lives of others.

Don’t get tired of doing good!

Talent is God-given; be humble. Fame is man-given; be grateful. Conceit is self-given; be careful. – John Wooden

Let Me teach you thankfulness. Begin by acknowledging that everything – all your possessions and all that you are – belongs to Me. The dawning of each new day is a gift from Me, not to be taken for granted. The earth is vibrantly alive with My blessings, giving vivid testimony to My Presence. If you slow down your pace of life, you can find Me anywhere.

Some of My most precious children have been laid aside in sick beds or shut away in prisons. Others have voluntarily learned the discipline of spending time alone with Me. The secret of being thankful is learning to see everything from My perspective. My world is your classroom. My Word is a lamp to your feet and a light for your path.

Last evening was interesting. Something bizarre happened that I could not have predicted. I should have expected it, because at this point in my life, when God is involved, bizarre things happen. But once again, I was caught off guard and blown away by His goodness and the way He directs.

As I posted yesterday, Sunday afternoon, Sam and I decided to take a walk, since I had erroneously listened to the weathercasters predict doom and gloom in the form of damaging winds/hail/rain/tornadoes, cancelling our small group party, when in fact, it turned out to be a breezy, sunny afternoon. I was a little irked at myself for cancelling, but we decided to take advantage of the afternoon and take a long walk. And of course, I made another bonehead decision and convinced Sam we should take the much longer route for more exercise…

As my day went…the storm clouds rolled in, and we realized we weren’t going to make it back before they were directly on top of us. We cut through a neighborhood to shorten the distance home, but it wasn’t enough of a shortcut and we were caught in the rain.

And that’s when God decided to rain down a blessing on us in the form of a stranger named Ernie.  He was at a stop sign on his way to the store for some aspirin and saw these two desperate walkers trying to hurry their way to shelter from the storm. So he rolled down his window and asked how far we had to go and would we like a ride? No hesitation on our part, we jumped into his pickup and gushed our thanks, introducing ourselves and giving directions to drop us at the corner of our street. Nothing doing – he insisted on driving us all the way to our front door. As we exited the vehicle, we again said “Thank you” and promised to pay it forward to someone else. His response was a handshake and, “Well, thanks be to God.”

Yes. Thanks be to God. End of story, right? Nope. Normally, yes. But God had an even better blessing in mind.

We had been inside for a few minutes, still marveling over the kindness of a stranger and how in fact, we were so thankful to God for Ernie, and Sam wished out loud that if only we knew his contact information, we could take him some homemade banana bread or cookies or something in appreciation. We knew the neighborhood he lived in, so we made a batch of cookies, and just before dark and after the storm ended, we set out to find that green Ford pickup.

It took awhile. But after 20 minutes of driving up and down street after street, in the darkness of the evening, and just when we were about to give up and so disappointed, there it was.  Parked in the driveway of a nice home with no porch light on, we took a chance and rang the doorbell. And sure enough, Ernie answered the door. Sam quickly handed him the container of cookies and a thank you note, we apologized for interrupting the night, and we got back in the car, once again so grateful for the chance encounter with this kind older man. End of story, right? Nope. Better blessing to follow…

Fast forward to last evening, just before dinner. Sam and I were in the driveway, getting ready to go inside, when he noticed a green Ford pickup that had pulled up to the curb next door. A kind, older gentleman got out and was walking up the sidewalk to the house, and Sam realized it was none other than Ernie! He called out to him, and Ernie realized he was at the wrong house.  What a surprise to see him once again! He wanted to stop by to thank US for the cookies and note. And he wanted to introduce us to his wife, Delores. What ensued was a beautiful conversation with the two of them and the beginning of a new friendship.  We discovered that we had something in common – they also attend a Methodist church and work with children and youth in the church. And we all agreed to keep in touch and get together again soon, that this connection was no coincidence – it was God-inspired, and God-blessed.

I am grateful for chance meetings that aren’t chance at all.

I am grateful for devotions that continue the life lesson God is teaching at the moment.

I am grateful that Sam has taught me to reach out and touch.

And I am grateful for Ernie and Delores, no longer kind strangers, but new friends.

I LOVE MY DAUGHTER. I am so grateful for the privilege of having her back in my life again.

I am grateful for chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookies – the best recipe ever:

PEANUT BUTTER-OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

I am grateful for sprinkles that made us “hoof it” to beat the rain, and even more grateful for Ernie, a kind older stranger who saw us desperately trying to get home quickly while getting wet and gave us a ride all the way to our front door.

I am grateful for the satisfaction that comes as a result of hard work.

I am grateful for yesterday’s message about the “nobodies” that Jesus revealed Himself to after His resurrection, and about the call He’s given us “nobodies” to spread the Word and be a light to the world. And I am especially grateful for the story Glen shared about the blessing that he had on Friday when he witnessed a chapel full of people on “the front porch of eternity,” residents of local assisted living and nursing homes, singing Great is Thy Faithfulness. What a beautiful sight to the eyes and the ears…

I am grateful for the sound of rain.

I am grateful for people who go out of their way to compliment the musicians after a church service. Too often, people exit and don’t take the time to say “Thank you.”

I am grateful for Neal, the sample guy at Sam’s Club, who made us smile with another joke yesterday.

And I am grateful for all of the people in my life who get back up more times than they are knocked down, who give more than they ever expect to receive, who still show love to others even when their own heart is broken, who smile through the sad times, who light the way for others, and who spread laughter and joy. You know who you are. Thank you for making the world a better place.

Worry is an old man with a bent head, carrying a load of feathers he thinks is lead.

I am grateful for a very unexpected lunch invitation today.

I am grateful for the silliness of a man pushing a broken down lawn mower all the way home that he found in someone else’s trash pile. It created some unexpected laughter and under-the-cover-of-dawn neighbor theft at 6 am. As Sergeant Schultz said, “I know NAHTHINK! NAH-THINK!”

Ah, I loved Hogan’s Heroes. What a great show. May its theme song play in your head for hours:

Dah dah dah dah dah dee daht dah dah…

I am grateful for the wonderful taste of a hot dog and a helping of baked beans. And for the fact that I enjoyed those two things more than the potato chips and salad last night.

I am grateful for a good pair of scissors, because when a cheap pair of scissors breaks and it’s all you’ve got, it isn’t any fun. Next time, I should use some garden clippers instead.

I am so grateful for a forgiven past.

I am grateful for the beauty of fresh flowers sitting on the counter in the bathroom. Thank you, Sam. It was a sweet surprise.

I am grateful for these four adorable grandchildren:

And I am grateful for a “new” car.

When we take time to notice the simple things in life, we never lack for encouragement. We discover we are surrounded by a limitless hope that’s just wearing everyday clothes.