The Meantime Ends

Surprise! Just when you think I have lost your email for good, I jump back into your inbox like I never missed a beat!

When I started writing the devotional In the Meantime, it was because there was a fork in the road before me in my life. The man I have worked for these past nine years chose not to run for re-election. There was a year to seek the Lord's will in my life and determine what the next phase would look like.

While it is always a good idea to seek the Lord's will in your life, if you are anything like me, you may have a tendency to explain to Him what that should look like. For example, while I said, "Lord, your will be done," I also made the statement that the one thing I would not do was to work for a freshman legislator. My comment was that training a freshman would be too much like house breaking a puppy. I consider myself too old and too wise to take that on.

I also voiced the opinion (in case God needed the advice) that I was through with the legislature and thought that my time might be better spent in a think tank environment. In a think tank, you get to come up with great ideas while the political reality of putting them into practice does not hamper the process. There I could be paid for having an opinion and wouldn't have to mess with those pesky legislators any longer. After all, I have been working in this environment for 18 years. And, in dog years (which many of them seemed like) that is a very long time.

Also, I said that I would not go looking for a job. If the Lord had something for me to do, He was going to have to bring the job to me. There would be no resumes, no fretting over interviews, no looking for opportunities. Just waiting. After the first couple of months, my husband was beginning to wonder if that were truly the best way to find a new position in this economy. He suggested I at least brush up my resume in case someone showed an interest.

The recommendation made some sense, so I began looking at what would need to go into a new resume. However, before getting very far in the process, a dear friend in a local think tank called and invited me to come talk. We caught up on old times, discussed some policy issues, and I was asked if I had any interest in a position with the organization. From my lips to God's ears! Was this great or what?! I was given the weekend to pray over the issue.

I left there delighting in the goodness of the Lord! Imagine that you are given exactly what you asked for. Is that good or what? Then, as I prayed, the revelation came to me. This was God's opportunity to do exactly what I wanted to do. I was free to take it. Or, I could turn it down and wait for the opportunity to do exactly what the Lord wanted me to do. Grateful for the insight before I made the wrong decision, I let the opportunity pass. It felt sort of like petting that perfect puppy in the pet store, and then turning around and walking away from it.

The next day - no kidding, the very next day - I received an email from a fellow staffer who had a candidate who has little opposition in the November general election in her office. She wanted to know if I would come down and meet him. I had received five separate emails from people telling me that this was the person who would be a perfect fit for me to work for. I told them all I had no interest in working for a freshman. I am never opposed, however, to meeting new legislators.

The man I met was about as different in demeanor from the current Marine Colonel, Italian I work for as you can get. In our office, you think somebody is mad if we are not all talking at once. Here was a man who agreed in principle and philosophy, but articulated it in a much quieter manner. He asked if he could bring his wife to meet me the next day. I met her and two of their delightful daughters. Before we even got to the point of discussing working together, I knew where the Lord was leading me.

However, I also knew the challenges that come with working with an employee as opinionated as I am. I insisted on the "New Guy" talking with my old boss. I told the old boss all the bad things I wanted him to share with the new guy. "Tell him I am opinionated and that I don't shut up until I see some glimmer in your eye that you understand what I am talking about. Tell him I annoy other legislators because I speak when they think staff should be quiet. Tell him that he will never have to doubt what I think because I will never be shy about telling him. Tell him…"

Talking it over with Jerry, he informed me that most people who actually want a job do not lead the interview with their shortcomings. He has a point. However, if this was where the Lord wanted me to be, I did not want there to be any of my shortcomings to come as a surprise. In spite of it all, New Guy did his due diligence on me and several months ago offered me the position as his chief of staff. I told him I had not planned on working for a freshman. He shared that he and his wife had agreed he would not hire a woman as chief of staff.

And, God laughed.

Anyway, that was when the Lord quit giving me material for In the Meantime and I fell out of your inboxes. The moral to the story is, do not ever be so intent on knowing what you want to do in your life that you miss out on what the Lord wants to do through you.

And, just so you will know, tomorrow I will begin a new devotional for those who want to stay tuned. It will be a forty day devotional leading up to the November election. Unlike most of the devotionals that the Lord has just imparted to me, He has actually been having me work for this one. I look forward to seeing what He has in store.

If you would like to unsubscribe to the emails, just let me know. If you would like to add anyone to the list, have them send me an email to ksdevotional@gmail.com .

 

If the Truth Hurts

One of my favorite fairy tales is The Emperor's New Clothes. It is the story of a couple of weavers who convince the emperor that they can make him a suit of clothes that will be invisible to anyone who unworthy of honor or position. In reality, the "invisible clothes" were non-existent, but the vanity of the king and all of his advisors dictated that they pretend to admire the new suit. Unconcerned about honor or position, a young child saw the emperor and cried out, "But he is not wearing any clothes." Everyone realized they had been conned and the weavers were run out of town.

The difference in the fairy tale and current events is that the one who notices that the Emperor is naked is ridiculed, punished, fired or shamed while the naked rulers continue business as usual.

Two current events prompted my rant today.

First, Congressman Joe Barton apologized to BP for the government shakedown of their business.

Is the oil spill a horrible disaster? Yes.

Is BP responsible for the mess? Yes.

Has BP made some ill-advised public relation gaffs? Yes.

Should they be held responsible for damages? Yes.

Has the federal government executed a government shakedown of their business? You better believe it.

The federal government has the authority to enforce current regulatory law and the authority to prosecute any violations of criminal law. They do not have the authority to threaten or coerce a company to relinquish assets or control of a private company to the government.

Why should it matter to you if the evil oil company is brought to its knees by the government? It is a violation of the rule of law. Any government that can exert powers not granted to it by the Constitution or statute to break a $191 billion company can certainly take you or me out in a heartbeat.

Congressman Barton is taking a lot of grief over his comments. He may even lose his seniority on the Energy Committee as a result of his fellow legislators insisting that they love the Emperor's new clothes. It was not politically correct for Barton to apologize, but he wasn't wrong.

Meanwhile, the top general in Afghanistan is being called back to Washington to meet with the President over comments that he and aides made in an article in Rolling Stone. (Not the first publication I seek for news.) The article doesn't come out until Friday, but apparently everyone is getting called on the carpet prior to its availability at the news stands.

It is never a good thing for a commanding officer or his aides to make unflattering remarks about the commander in chief. The general in Afghanistan knows that. So, it has to make you wonder just how naked the emperor might be for a general to offer his career as a sacrifice to point out the obvious.

One of my first mentors when I was a baby Christian used to say, "If the truth hurts, it shouldn't be the truth." His point was that when the truth hurts (Barton apologizing to BP), then it shouldn't be the truth (the government was shaking down BP). It is time to quit shooting the messenger.

News

Have you ever thought about what we consider to be news?

Many of you reading the headline might think there is something to share about our new grandson. That's not it. We haven't met him yet. The government red tape continues to slow progress to that of a bug on a fly strip. The current plan is that Stormi and David will meet with his case worker on Thursday and get to have their first visit with him on Friday. Now, that will be news!

Or, maybe you thought there was news about my boss who is on active duty with the Marines. Nope. He is in Okinawa interfacing with the new government about military base issues. The issue actually led to the resignation of the prime minister in early June. It's a hot topic in Japan, but rather ho-hum around the Capitol.

Then again, you might think there was something to share about the bomb scare at the Capitol on Friday. Still wrong. I was out of town visiting family in Houston. The bomb scare was a simple two hour diversion from business as usual in the building. And, since I wasn't here, even the inconvenience of the evacuation had no affect on me.

So, what's the really hot news topic for today?

Well, according to the news report on the radio, summer officially began at 6:28 this morning.

Thank you for that information. And, all this time I had been attributing the high heat levels to global warming.

It just served as a reminder to me that you have to be careful when you allow others to inform you of what is considered to be news worthy. Some things we should really be aware of are considered to be ho-hum. And, the incredibly obvious is being reported as news. It is always a good idea to maintain perspective when viewing the world through someone else's lenses.

When you have heard about as much of the "news" as you can stand, take off your secular, 3-D glasses and filter the day's happenings with your biblical world view lenses. Let the Holy Spirit explain what is happening around you. See God's goodness and grace, even in the midst of our ignorance and greed. It is amazing what a little perspective change can do for your attitude.

Romans 12: 2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and prefect will.

My Shoe Fashionista

It is summer. My boss is out of the country - on active military duty in Okinawa. To say things are going slow at the office is an understatement. Or, at least I think it is. Since I have managed to be out of the office most of the month, that is just a guess on my part.

Last week we mixed business with pleasure as we took our granddaughter with us to Dallas to visit friends and attend the Republican Convention. The whole political convention process reminds me a lot of my mother. As a child, my mother made me eat cabbage every time it was served, even after we had clearly established that it was not on my list of top 5 million foods. The only reason the "at least try one bite" rule was ever lifted was because of my good fortune of developing a stomach virus on one of the days when cabbage was served. (Something about upchucking a detested food seems to seal the point that you are never going to develop a taste for it.)

Back to my point, I do not particularly like politics or political conventions. I attend them, not because there is a chance I will "develop a taste for them", so much as a feeling of responsibility that non-participation leaves the determination of the fate of my political party to those less qualified than myself. Or, in other words, government is run by those who show up. So, every two to four years, I take the time to show up.

But, the really great part of the trip was learning that our granddaughter, Hannah, at the ripe old age of six, is a full blown fashionista monster. I packed for three days, anticipating both business and casual meetings, including two pairs of shows. All Hannah was going to do was hang around with Pops for the three days. She came prepared with five pairs of shoes. At their trip to the zoo, the shoes she was wearing caused blisters on her feet. The following morning as I dressed her, I insisted that she wear tennis shoes with her dress to prevent worsening the blisters. (My motto: If shoes hurt your feet, throw them away.) She was reluctant to give up her fancy shoes and was quick to tell me that the other shoes did not match her dress. Common sense prevailed and she reluctantly donned the tennis shoes.

I thought my common sense had won the argument until we were all discussing the agenda for the day. Since attending business meetings would prevent me from accompanying Jerry and Hannah to the Heritage Park, I suggested that Pops take pictures to commemorate the day. Hannah insisted that her feet were not to be included in any of the pictures. So much for my common sense and her vanity.

Her mother says that traveling with 50 pairs of shoes is a trait she can live with. (She did not get that from me.) Who am I to complain?

But, just so you know, Pops did include her feet in one picture.

It's a Nine Year Old!!!!!!!

Most birth announcements come with measurements in inches and ounces. But, that won't work with the new addition to our family. This announcement comes in feet and pounds.

Yesterday I got the long awaited phone call that I was once again a grandmother (this makes number four). He is a bouncing, not so babyish nine-year-old named Warren. We are awaiting pictures with the same glee and expectation of a mother's first ultra sound during pregnancy.

My daughter and son-in-law have been involved in the adoption process for well over a year. They have chosen to adopt out of the foster care system, because they are not seeking an infant, just a boy who needs a mom, a dad, and (in this case) a little sister. They have submitted on over thirty children - including multiple sibling groups - and, after waiting months in some cases, had heard nothing.

Then, they got the call. They were being considered as a finalist family for this little boy. It came suddenly. They had only submitted on Warren about a month ago. We knew the meeting was on Wednesday at 3:00. All through the afternoon and night the fear of getting our hopes up battled with the fear of losing our faith that God would place the perfect child for our family in His timing. Stormi's emotional roller coaster reminded me of an expectant father pacing in a waiting room, separated from his wife as she gives birth in the delivery room.

There was no word from the case worker on Wednesday afternoon or evening.

Thursday morning the phone rang at work. It was Stormi, cool as a cucumber. "Do you have a minute?"

"Of course, what have you heard?"

"Well, congratulations, you have a new grandson."

Just like that. Cool, collected, in control. Where did this woman come from? That is news that you shout from the roof tops! Or, in my case, I just went up and down the hall opening everybody's office door telling them I had a new grandson.

Then I had to smile to myself. That woman has discovered exactly what the Lord was reminding me of.

The Lord always answers a mother's prayers. Stormi has spiritually grown by leaps and bounds during this adoption process. She has learned to believe what she cannot see and to trust the Lord with all her heart - even when her emotions might not match up with her belief.

And, that just happens to be one of the prayers I have prayed over her since youth, believing He would answer even when I did not yet see the manifestation of the answer. God is good. All the time.

3 John : 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Arizona

Being from Texas where everything is bigger and better, it is not easy to impress me. But let me tell you, the state of Arizona rose to the occasion.

Last week after flying to Colorado for the graduation of our goddaughter, we decided to swing by Arizona, visit with friends who are parents of some of my "grand conservatives," and spend a little money in protest of the protest that the City of Austin has against Arizona because of their immigration policy. We flew to Phoenix, rented a car and drove up to the Grand Canyon, over to Monument Valley, down to The Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, on down to Tucson, then back up to Phoenix.

As far as I can tell, that means we pretty much saw the whole state. Oh my gosh! Was God ever in a good mood when He was creating Arizona. The thought crossed my mind that Arizona was the canvas that the Lord used in creation to try out a few ideas. The mountain views and scenic drives are beautiful and watching Jerry's reaction to driving on the edge of a mountain with a substantial drop-off never ceases to amuse me. But, after all these miles of beautiful views, nothing prepares you for the moment you suddenly come upon the rim of the Grand Canyon.

Upon completion of His really big ditch diorama, the Lord moved east and dabbled in sculpture with the creation of His Monument Valley. Randomly, across the country side, huge rock formations sprout up out of the ground. And, in case you did not know it, the road that takes you through Monument Valley is not paved. This may, in fact, be the exact site of the original pothole.

By the time you get through Monument Valley every sense is overwhelmed. You begin to realize that things which would otherwise take your breath away have become almost common to you. So, like the wine taster who must clean their palate between wines, the Lord provided the landscape between Monument Valley and the Petrified Forest to get that feeling of awe and wonder out of your system. Well, at least that is what Jerry told me. Personally, I slept most of the way between the sites. Apparently, as a child I confused the terms "get in the car" with "let's take a nap." Much to Jerry's dismay, I've never straightened out the issue.

The Petrified Forest and Painted Desert were both impressive. Hot, but impressive. They tell you that, "it's a dry heat." But, then again, that's pretty much what I tell my turkey every Thanksgiving right before I put it in the oven. So, the desert loses a few points in my book for the extreme heat, but I suppose if it were beautiful and the perfect temperature I would then be complaining about the traffic jams.

But no scenery in Arizona tops the friends we have there. So, we received a guided tour of Tucson, enjoyed the hospitality of the parents of one of our Patriot Academy graduates, and proved that language is not a barrier to communication between me and a grand conservative. Hugs and kisses to Zoe.

We followed that up with a tour of Sedona, complete with time to spend catching up on current events and getting to watch Gaby (one of the children I have been known to feed ice cream to for breakfast) win first place in her race-walking track event. She even beat the state record for her age group. GO GABY!!!!! Hugs and kisses to Gaby and her brother, my very first grand conservative, Jose Arturo.

If you ever question the greatness of the mighty hand of God, just take a few days and look around Arizona.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise, His greatness no one can fathom.
Psalm 145:3

Not What I Intended to Say

Having been on vacation all last week, I thought this morning's devotional would be about the beautiful state of Arizona. But, during my scripture reading I found something even better to share.

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

That's it. No quips, or smart remarks. Just read over the verse a few times and enjoy the sense of peace and purpose it conveys.

Stay tuned for the Arizona message.