Last night was the closing ceremony, ending the 2008 Olympics.  I have to admit that I was a little sad, I’ve had so much fun and joy watching the best of the best in athletes from all over the world.

I’ve not had as much sleep as I should have over the past two weeks.  I’ve stayed up late night after night watching anxiously to see if the USA would win, individual and team events.  It gave me chills to watch Michael Phelps win his 8^th gold medal in one Olympics. I welled up with tears to see the men’s volleyball team take the gold, working hard to bring some amount of joy to their coach who had lost his father in law at the onset of the games due to a random act of violence.  My jaw dropped watching the Jamaican runner, Bolt, run faster than any man should have.  And who could forget little Shawn Johnson, taking the gold for the balance beam rountine, that was nearly flawless.  I was moved by so many stories presented on individual athletes, that explained where they came from, how hard they worked, what they and their families sacrificed to get them there and how their countries supported them.  Through the two weeks of these Olympics one night sticks out to me the most.

Dara Torres, a 41 year old USA swimmer, with quite a decorated past in the Olympics, was about to swim the 50m freestyle.  As all of the competitors were getting prepared to take their places on the platforms, Torres noticed that one of the swimmers was not out from getting her suit on.  In fact the suit had torn while being zipped up, delaying her while she had to get a new one.  Torres went over to the judges and told them they could not start the race without her, they needed to wait.  There was bit of confusion among those of us watching, not really sure till after the commentators figured it out and told the audience what was happening.

I was so surprised that Torres would take the opportunity to possibly lose her focus to make sure this woman did not miss her opportunity to swim. It was an act of selfless sportsmanship as far as I was concerned.  In a short time the woman with her new suit appears on the starting platform and the race begins.  Dara Torres ends up winning the silver medal, loosing only by .01 hundreds of a second.

It struck me that Dara Torres was not only focused on her race, but that she was aware of her surroundings and those around her.  She  cared enough about another persons Olympic experience that she spoke up for them.  That required her to be selfless at that moment.

I am inspired yet again, to continue to “run” my race and to be aware of those around me, looking for opportunities to speak to them and on their behalf, praying often and showing love and concern in a selfless way!

We should all be a little more like Dara Torres!

While you are working on getting the kids back into the school routine I want to encourage you to also get yourself back on track.

We all know that God never takes a vacation, or detours from who He is, unfortunately we have a tendancy to get off track with the changing of the seasons, or our environment, or the changing of the school calendar!

Take this opportunity to get back on track in the areas that have been sporatic over the summer. Spend time daily in the word and in prayer.  Ask God to make you aware of humanity around you.  Ask yourself daily where can you be "love" to others? 

Spend time with your kids praying for their teachers and for the kids in their class. Even if you are the teacher and their siblings are their classmates.

Ask God to work in and through you the Fruits of the Spirit.  You will need all of them for the upcoming season. 

At the end of the day, allow the "ahh" to be the result of the good you have seen God do in your children, you and the family!

This past Saturday, I had the honor of attending a surprise 80^th birthday party for one of the most influential people in my life.  I began attending Sepulveda [4] Church when I was 7 years old.   I was not raised in a Christian home, so when our Pastor’s Dick and Barbara Galbraith reached out to my sisters and me often picking us up for church weekly, I responded.  Barbara’s mom, who I called Grandma Anderson, was my Sunday school teacher.  It was in her class that I asked Jesus into my heart when I was 8 years old. 

Barbara is turning 80 on the 20^th of August.  Her kids gave her a surprise luncheon and I was invited to be there.  Nothing would have stopped me from being there. You see Barbara and Dick (who went to be with the Lord nearly 15 years ago) were my Pastors.  They loved me unconditionally, accepted me, took me into their home, prayed for me and spoke truth with the word of God to every situation in my life. 

Barbara gave me every opportunity to “grow.”  She shared her family and her home with me.  Most of all she shared her heart and her love of the Father with me. 

I am sure she did not know at the time what would come out of her giving of her time to a young girl.  Because of Barbara the Kingdom of God was impacted.  My life just represents one of the many that have been touched. 

What Barbara did for me is what we all can do for those around us.   We can love unconditionally, reach out, and disciple those who God sends to us.  I want to be known at the close of my life as a person who impacted the Kingdom of God, don’t you?

Happy Birthday Barbara, you are deeply loved!

Tuesday morning while at the church property, on my way to the Totally Terrific Beach Day, I paused to watch the construction crew pour concrete for the site work on our UTURN building remodel.

It was fascinating to watch the concrete pour out of the cement truck into these pre-made forms that when dry will shape curbs and planters.  Some of the cement spilled over into the middle of the carved out area and seeped below the wood that did not completely touch the dirt, leaving a gap.  The workers scooped up the wet cement and put it in the forms, so that it would not be wasted and to leave the center clear so planting can take place.  If they left the cement there to dry it would be so difficult to break it out, causing much more work after the fact.

Unfortunately I had to leave before I got to see the finished product.  I will see it soon though.  It will certainly be dried and perhaps even the wood forms will have been removed, leaving the finished product to stand alone.

I couldn’t help but think of our lives as I watched this process.  What about the shaping and filling in our lives?  How exactly does that happen.  I think about how the wood that was shaped and nailed down with braces to hold its form represents those who we’ve chosen to live in accountability and community with.  We need those who will help us to keep the forms in place.  Those things that Father God shows us, requires of us, removes from us, so that we don’t do it our way and loose the proper shape.  And what about the concrete, wet as it went in?  That speaks to me of our hunger and thirst after the Holy Spirit.  As He fills our lives with His power, discernment, and wisdom, we can remain still and peaceful to allow the concrete to “set” (dry).  As it hardens we become stronger Disciples of Christ.  The elements outside, rain, wind, frost, heat won’t affect us.

What an amazing Father we have, who loves us extravagantly, that He prepares the foundation, puts braces around us to hold the shaping of the “forms” and then fills us with the cement of the Holy Spirit to weather anything that will come our way! 

Today marks another level as a Mom and Parent of letting go and trusting God with my daughter Brenna and her husband Paul!

Paul just completed his first year in medical school which required them to move to the Phoenix area in July of 2007.   We have known for this entire year that they would be moving to Ohio for his remaining 3 years of school.  I think there is a quote that says something like "there's no time like the present."  It's not like you really can prepare yourself for your child moving 2,000 miles away no matter how much advance notice you have.  I've really tried for the past year, mentally and emotionally to get ready for today and the truth is it didn't work!

I pretty much thought that when Brenna got married that I had let go and trusted God.  I am sure that today is requiring a whole new level of that journey.

Depending on where you are in the process of raising your children, you may or may not be able to relate.  If you are not at the actual physical letting go stage, where they move out of the house or go away to college, let me assure you of a few things!?!

First of all, God is so faithful to give us the stages of our children's lives to prepare us for moments like these.  You know, like when they say their first word, or take their first step, or start to feed themselves, start the first day of Kindergarten, ride a bike, stay the night at a friends house without calling in the middle of the night for you to pick them up, their first school trip, or school dance, and probably the toughest of all, the moment they shift their loyalty, devotion and love to another!  Without all of these stages, we would have such a hard time trusting God for the gigantic leaps now taking place.

Second, watching all the preparation and sowing into our children actually have fruit, reminds me to celebrate, growth not only in my daughter, but in me!  Long talks of explaining the why's and how comes, listening to drama and how to navigate it through the eyes of God and actually seeing her do it, makes me smile.  Coming along side (of both of my kids) to help dreams and ideas happen, and then watching them lived them out shows me that all those deposits were worth the time, effort and money.

Third and probably the most important, is all the hours of seeking God for wisdom and discernment of how to pray for their future, learning to run to my Father, for comfort when I want to be selfish and keep them close, being able with strength that only comes from knowing and trusting Father God, to let the rope out slowly always being available as a resource, allows me to take a step back to see the blessings of God on their lives.  I can see how He has provided teaching opportunities, though she is not known. Paul completed his first year in the top 27% of his class.  They were able to purchase their first home and it’s brand new, keeping their payments as the same as renting an apartment. And they will have an opportunity to find a new church home where they can establish community.

So I have to ask myself and so do you, will I let go yet again, trust the ONE who loves them immeasurably and is able to do much more than I ever can?  Based on what I've seen I have to answer yes!  How about you?

While taking a couple of days to spend time with my daughter and son in law at San Onofre State beach, I hiked down the cliffs to sit at the beach and finish reading a book that I started oh…lets say about 3 months ago.

It was mostly overcast, with the sun trying really hard to break through.  With my backpack chair and towel I found a nice spot on some rocks that allowed me to be high enough to watch the surf.  Only a few people were on the beach. 

I looked over to my left and there was a man sitting in a solitary chair watching intently out in the ocean. I kept seeing him give hand signs and looked out to see what he was doing.  In the distance I saw a small boy trying to catch some waves on his youth size surf board.  He was coaching him from the shore.

After a short time the small boy came in, looking very southern California, you know the look, blonde hair blue eyes, wet suit, about 10 years old.  No sooner did he get settled in to rest, and then his dad got up grabbed his board and hit the water.  He paddled very quickly out past the first break, then the second, third and so on.  The sets were coming in fast and pushing everyone to the north.  He made it look simple but I knew it was not. 

I tried to focus on my book because I really wanted to get it finished.  I would read a few paragraphs, look up to see if “dad” caught a wave.  Pretty soon, I saw the young boy grab his board and head out to meet his dad.  What I watched for the next half an hour, spoke deeply to me.

I sat and watched the boy lie on his board, and paddle with his small arms. He paddled as hard as he could, the sets of waves kept pushing him back toward the shore.  He also had to fight the current which continued to push him sideways away from where his dad was.

As the boy drifted sideways I began to notice that he seemed to figure out that if he went with the current, at an angle and continue to move slowly over each wave he eventually was able to work his way past all of the breaking waves to the more calm water with more distance between the swells.   Once he did that he turned himself around facing south and began paddling toward his dad.  Sure he has smaller arms and it took him longer but he finally arrived at the same spot where his dad was waiting patiently for the right wave.

I thought to myself that is just like our Father God.  He sits and coaches us, gives us directions to help us get better at this thing we call the journey of life.  And it’s just like us to get stuck in the waves that break on the sand keeping us from moving forward.  We can see Abba in the distance, we know where we want to get to and we keep doing the same thing over and over again, getting the same results.  We get pushed back over and over again, because we don’t see the right way path to get out of the pattern we are in.  Then in a moment, the Holy Spirit or an accountability person (who may be the second Holy Spirit at the time) or an event or circumstance happens that causes us to see the correct path that instantly brings us freedom and change.

We paddle as hard as we can, change directions, stop getting hammered by the waves till we are side by side with our Father,  It is there that we can hear his voice over all the crashing of the waves telling us how much He loves us and what and how we need to do things.  Side by side we can navigate anything that comes our way!