What is becoming a bad habit

I have this bad habit forming. A bad bad BAD habit.
I can't believe that I've been blessed...protected...thus far.
But this habit needs to be stopped!

Okay...so as you can see by my lovely drawing, this bad habit involves me being in the front of the lane, that is going straight. In my peripheral vision, I see a light turn green and so then I go. BUT IT'S NOT MY LANE!!! It's the turning lanes that are turning green. So basically the traffic across from me is heading towards me. EEK!

The first time this happened, I didn't realise my error until I was just about all the way across...thankfully that person delayed in moving altogether otherwise we could have crashed.

There's been a couple of other times that I've caught myself, in that scenario, about to hit the gas pedal only to realise "RED LIGHT, YOU IDIOT!!!"

But unfortunately, I didn't catch myself early enough today! I started going but stopped when I realised a car was coming towards me, and had stopped when they saw me moving. It was so embarrassing, sitting 1/3 of the way into the intersection, clearly NOT where I was supposed to be. Plus, I almost got rear-ended to boot! The guy behind me saw me move and started to move as well and had to slam on his breaks when I quickly stopped. What a mess! One of these days, I'm going to be in head-on collision, ENTIRELY MY FAULT, for not staying put.

Why do I do this? Well, basically I'm distracted...not fully attending to my driving and all that is going on around me. Today I was thinking about some verses in James.

The moral of the story is NOT that meditating on the Scripture can be hazardous to your health! But rather, pay attention, Mindy!!! And maybe, beware if you are ever so lucky to be a passenger in my car.

I really am a decent driver...it's just when I'm at the front of an intersection at where I seem to get tripped up. Like I said...a bad bad habit.

What I'd like to do this weekend...

--Catch up on sleep
--Catch up on laundry...oy vey! do I need this!
--Go bowling (I wish!)
--Watch an episode (or two) of Downton Abbey
--Watch an episode (or three) of Once Upon A Time...I'm so far behind.
--Wear my pajamas all weekend (not gonna happen) or at least most of the weekend (maybe?)
--Have some quiet time and by quiet time, I don't mean devotions with God, I simply just mean some noiseless, no people-interaction, silence. Maybe some instrumental background music. But this girl needs a recharge and quietness is how it's done.
--Go out in the snow (if we are so lucky on Sunday!)
--Have a good wordy chat with a friend
--Make soup (Chicken Taco Soup)
--Drink coffee...yum!
--Work on my Beth Moore Bible Study
--Memorize some Scripture
--Shave my legs
--Spend some time reading the Bible
--Make something fun in the kitchen (cookie dough, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, chocolate mousse).
--Write a letter to a friend
--Take a nap
--Take off current nail-polish and maybe put new polish on
--Go to church and hug at least 5 people
--Work a bit more on my "ugly" blanket
--Take a walk around the lake outside or to the grocery store
--Discover something interesting
--Spend a little time thinking, daydreaming, researching options for my future
--Clean out the junk in my car (ie, swing by the goodwill to donate)

Happy Friday everyone! Enjoy the weekend!

Lent begins on Wednesday

Lent begins on Wednesday (so soon???).
I honestly thought it started the following week which would have suited me well because I know what I'm going to give up and now I have only 1.5 days to adjust.

My church doesn't celebrate or even acknowledge Lent. (I think they don't engage with Lent because it's not a Biblical mandate...just a church-created ritual...but so is Advent, which we participate in...so who knows???) Anyhow, I went to a Lutheran school from Kindergarten through 8th grade, where Lent was taught and encouraged. Just in case you'd like a little background...Lent is the 40 days prior to Easter...a season which begins on Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday is a day when some churches offer a special church service with the focus of our sinfulness before a righteous God. Typically in those services, the priest or pastor puts ash on everyone's forehead, in the shape of a cross, to serve as a visible reminder of our sins and how only Jesus can make us "white as snow" again. I believe the expectation is to wear the ashen cross on your forehead for the whole day, as you go about your business, to work, school, out to dinner or even to the grocery store. Then it can serve as an opportunity to share the gospel when someone points out the dirt on your face. But my church doesn't offer Ash Wednesday services and plus I work when any of the local services are taking place.

The purpose of the Lent season is to prepare one's heart for the Passion Week: the week Palm Sunday, Passover/Good Friday, and Easter. It also serves as a reminder of our weakness and need for the Lord's salvation. This is (often) accomplished by people fasting from chocolate, sugar, coffee, coke, dining out, watching TV, or whatever else is a key part of one's live. Then as the person struggles with wanting to cave in (or if they actually do cave in), it reminds them that they are weak without the Lord and that only because of the Lord do we have strength and redemption of our sins.

I've heard (and read) some viewpoints that Lent doesn't necessarily need to be denying one's self but could instead be about giving unto the Lord, such as volunteering through the Lent time, reading a large section of the Bible, intentionally encouraging someone every day, etc...this idea works too, I think, because honestly, I think the struggle to persevere would still be there.

Anyhow, this year, having been inspired by Lauren Winner and her book Girl Meets God (a great book!), I am giving up all reading, outside of the Bible (and the Bible Study that I'm a part of). I have been on a bit of a reading craze lately so this is likely to hit hard AND I just started a new book, which I was hoping to finish by next week but seeing as I can't finish it by Wednesday, I think I'll just shelf it until after Easter. *Sigh* But with this self-denial of only reading the Bible, there must also be a goal for me to focus on otherwise I fear that I will just distract myself with TV/Movies, which would not really serve any purpose. I haven't figured out this part yet but will come to some conclusion by tomorrow night. I know I want to include Bible memorization, along with reading...anyhow, I have a day and half to prayerfully determine a plan.

What about you? Any Lenten plans? Does your church do anything special for this season?

A spectacular place

I found out this morning that this wonderful old man I know, died on Wednesday.

I know confidently that this saint of a man is walking with our Savior in Heaven, which then made me think of all the other saints who are also up there. Men and women who prayed devotedly. Who trusted deeply. Who loved greatly.

And I've concluded (again!) that Heaven will be a pretty great place.

"What a fellowship, what a Joy Divine!"

Dear Advise Columnist--

Dear Advise Columnist--
I have a funny but very true story that I would love your counsel on. I help out, each Wednesday, at the Awana clubs at my church. I specifically work with the 3-6th grade girls...an often funny age group. Well, last week, this one girl (a 4th grader?) was flipping through her Bible and found "Song of Solomon." She showed me her open Bible and asked if that was a real song. When I saw what she was referring to, I told her that yes it had been a song when Solomon wrote it and was curious to see what would happen next. Well, she then began to start singing the words to her own little tune, all in silliness.

I really didn't want to make this into a big deal because it is a book in God's Holy Word after all and there's nothing shameful about what was is written but nor was I eager for her to start singing the more personal "descriptions" that are used in Song of Solomon, especially as I don't know what she's already be told by her parents. So, after a minute, I playfully grabbed the Bible from her hands (since technically she should have been doing something else anyways) making her laugh and scurry to find another Bible.

Thankfully by the time she found another Bible and found Song of Solomon again (which took her a small chunk of time), it was time for the entire group to move to the next part of the night. Sigh of relief! As soon as she left the room, I laughed over how funny and potentially awkward this all was and could have been.

But tell me Advise Columnist, did I do the right thing? Was there something different that I should have done instead?

Sincerely,
Someone who is not a parent!