Meow.

I babysit two kids twice a week for two hours at a time. Try saying that ten times fast. I absolutely love it.

This family also has two cats. I used to love kittens when I young, until I was old enough to realize that they turned into cats. I've never been the biggest fan of cats. I think my distain for cats began in my teenage years. And now, in hindsight, I believe it came from being so like a cat - the selfishness, the short temper, and the conceit. As I've grown older, I've changed and so has my view on cats - just a little. I know now that they are a little more affectionate than I gave them credit for. This new view is largely credited to Ernie, one of the family pets where I babysit.

So there I was, starting an ordinary Wednesday afternoon with the kids when Ernie comes up to me for his regular back scratch. He purrs and jumps on my lap, and confidently plops himself down on his back, encouraging a tummy rub. I obliged.

I couldn't have anticipated what happened next.

Ernie pooped. On my pants.
Turns out Ernie is a little sick.
Turns out Ernie has diarrhea.

It gave me a whole new understanding to the phrase, "Cat caught your tongue?".
I was speechless.

Feeling only slightly bad for the sick cat, I turn to the five year old and ask her to go get some paper towel, baby wipes, tissues, anything. She obediently runs away complaining about the stench. Lucky girl, she could move from the smell. Ugh.

Mixed with sympathy and laughter, the words "Did you know that cat feces can carry toxoplasmosis?" was the response I received from both my Mother and best friend when I told them. Please note: should you ever be as unfortunate as I was to encounter such a situation in your own life, make sure you scrub and wash REALLY well.

Thank you, Ernie, for giving me one more reason not to like cats. In one fell swoop, you have undone all the hope you had started to give me. Back to square one.

Thank you, Ernie, for reminding me to be thankful in life for the little things and the reminder not to take myself too seriously.

Praying that you would be encouraged to smile amidst whatever unexpected 'crap' comes your way today.... literal or otherwise.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

Well Intentioned

"We judge ourselves

based on our motives

while others judge us

based on our actions."

-Dan Gabor

Sometimes there is a great disconnect from our motives to our actions.

We can be so well intentioned, and still come across hurtful or offensive.

If you've ever been on an overseas mission trip,

you'll know what I mean by that.

Or have you ever been in charge of an

event/lesson plan/etc that completely flopped?

Then you also know what I mean.

Or how about in your home or your marriage?

(Did you just get a knot in your tummy too?)

I know that I can be the most well intentioned person at times,

wanting to fix habits, speak encouragement, clean/tidy that one room, get the to-do list finally done, or go out of my way to do something nice for my spouse...

....but then excuses come and I make other priorities.

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,

but the Lord weighs the heart.

-Proverbs 21:2

Where your treasure is,

there your heart will be also.

-Matthew 6:21

Yes, the Lord weighs the heart and sees our intentions and motives.

In doing so, He also sees our priorities and where we place our treasure.

Sometimes, having the right motivations can be good enough.

Sometimes, we need to have the follow through as well.

And there is grace for when we don't meet our standards.
There is also grace for when we don't meet God's standards - which is a much more important goal. But let's remember that the disconnect from our words/intentions to our actions/follow through does have an impact on others.

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

This post is linked up to TimeWarp Wife's Titus 2sday Link up!

.:.Spices and Dust.:.

The true character of a woman

doesn't come from whether she is capable or willing to do things,

but rather if she can do those things with joy for the glory of God.

...like dusting off a spice rack. Wouldn't you know that's the dustiest place in my kitchen?
No recognition will come when their tops are wiped down and still I will say,

"Thank you, Lord, for all you provide,

for spices in the food you so graciously supply

and for a family to serve in this home you have given.

You have put a song of joy in my heart!"

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

This post is linked to WLW's Wednesday Link Up Party. Link up too!

Gratitude on the Go

It's summertime (love!) and I've been doing some travelling recently. I took a road trip across three provinces and back. I was blessed to be able to stay at friend's and family's homes along the way. Yes, it saved me some money, but I was also really blessed to stay in other's homes and receive amazing hospitality.

It occurred to me as I travelled from house to house that there is such a thing as Travel Ettiquette. You have influence wherever you go. Here are a few tips/ideas for taking an attidue of gratitude with you on the road:

*Sometimes I arrive with a small bouquet. I stop at a road side stand or a grocery store on the way, and give the bouquet to the host as an initial thank you.

*Offer to help with meal preparation (from chopping carrots to setting the table). This is a kind gesture, even if they don't take you up on the offer. In this case, stay and make conversation. It can be tempting sometimes to take extra time to "freshen up" and steal some moments away, especially on long trips when travel can be tiring. Resist the temptation and take the opportunities to show you care and are grateful for the sacrifice they're making for you.

*Don't be picky. Whether it's with food or accomodation, don't stick your nose up. On the other hand, if your opinion is asked, be honest. Don't say "you're fine with anything" if you truly don't like one of the two options provided. No host wants to serve you something you won't enjoy.

*Upon leaving, I strip the bed and fold the sheets. If I stayed on a hide-a-bed, I put it back together. I fold the towels I used and place them beside the sheets. That way, it saves my host a little time when they clean up from my stay.

*Pack and give thank you cards. I keep a package in my suitcase, even when it's in storage, just so I don't forget. Whenever I leave a house after my stay, I leave a card thanking them for their generosity and hospitality. I place it on top of the folded sheets.

These are a few of my tips on how to be a good guest. Some I learned from my mother and cousin and others I picked up from guests of my own.  What would you add?

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.:.

.:.Outside In.:.Inside Out.:.

“I don’t know how you keep your house so clean, Sarah!” said my neighbor as we enjoyed some much needed ‘girl time’ a few days ago.

“Well, I view it as a ministry and I do it unto the Lord. I know how a clean house can make family and guests feel relaxed and comfortable. And… I just hate messes, always have. It probably helps that I don’t have any kids.” I responded with a smile. Our conversation lingered there a bit longer before it moved on.

As I reflected further on this, I realized that the times my house appears disorganized are when my inner self isn’t right with the Lord. During times of life stresses, I can find myself trying to lean on my own strength rather than on God. In these times, the laundry goes undone just as my quiet times do. I distance myself from the dishes just as I distance myself from the Lord. I can’t go very long with a mess, so sometimes I tidy up, hoping that it cleans the state of my heart too. 

Who am I kidding?

The outward never fully reflects or affects the inward. It's quite the opposite. God works from the inside out, not the outside in. Even if my house and I are masked to look presentable, I can be a disorganized mess on the inside.  It is not until I seek the Lord, soften my heart, repent and accept His grace that my insides are cleansed by Him. And He does so faithfully.

I know He sees me clean my house and recognizes that I do it unto Him. But in those moments where I ask, “Lord, you could visit here, right?”

He gently whispers back to me and says, “Sarah, it’s beautiful. Thank you. Now will you spend some time with me? I care more about you than I do your clean tub. I want to visit you not your home, I visit your heart.”

Hospitality to our Lord isn't only in our home, it's in our hearts.

More important than a clean house, is a clean heart. How hard that is to remember and priortize sometimes! I am learning to think this way more often. I invest money in good cleaning products and time into having a clean home; and it does take time. It also takes intentional time to cultivate a clean heart. What’s the biggest difference? We can dust and vacuum, but it is God who works in us to make our hearts clean.

As the psalmist said years ago, this is my prayer today: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.