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I’m Not That Kind of Girl

I’m Not That Kind of Girl

by | Sep 4, 2009 | Daily Life

I’m not the kind of girl who expects God to work miracles in my life on a regular basis. In fact, I never expected God to work miracles in my life at all. When I was a kid, He didn’t make my sick dad get better. He didn’t convince my parents to get the cardboard vanity (with a complete set a play makeup) which was the only present I wanted the Christmas I was seven.

When I was a teenager, He didn’t make me cute enough to get dates or coordinated enough to avoid teasing in gym class. In college, He didn’t make me a world famous actress. When my son was born, He didn’t instantly heal my son’s physical condition.

However, earlier this week, when I saw a glowing clump of grass during my morning walk, I wondered if it was finally miracle time for Miss Jolene. Was God was in the burning bush business again and asking me to be a modern day Moses? Thankfully I realized the flames were only the sun hitting the feathery tips of the grass before I cut a willow switch and tried part the waters of the little creek down by the bridge.

But all week, the memory of that glowing grass warmed my heart, and I’ve been in the mood for a miracle. In face, I’ve pretty much been expecting one to happen. But God didn’t stop at one miracle. He performed a whole string of them.

On Tuesday, A Different Dream for My Child was released, and my no-frills rellies sent five balloon bouquets.

By Wednesday, I’d sold two cases of books.

On Thursday, the rellies called and said they’d be coming early for our Labor Day reunion because the college-aged cousins couldn’t wait until Saturday to see one another.

Today, the publicist at Discovery House said they submitted Different Dream for both the Christianity Today and ECPA book award nominations in the Christian Living category.

Tonight, my son will arrive for his first Labor Day in seven years. It will be his first reunion as an emotionally and physically, wholly healed young man. Both my kids are bringing their sweeties to the Labor Day for the first time. Last Labor Day, my daughter thought she would be an old maid forever and my son was a monk.

So if the first four items on the list don’t meet your definition of a miracle, I’m thinking this last one just might do the trick for you. It did for me.

Last week, I wasn’t the kind of girl who expected God to work miracles in her life. This week I’m sure He works them every day.

This week, I’m definitely that kind of girl.

Almost

Almost

by | Apr 2, 2009 | Daily Life

It’s almost spring, the calendar says, but the weather’s cold again today. Through the garden debris, the columbine are almost ready to unfurl their leaves. The peony tips are visible, almost pushing through the black dirt.

My life is a reflection of my flower garden. Mom’s house is almost sold, we’ve cleared out almost all it’s contents, and I’ve almost figured out her finances. I’m almost done going through the editor’s suggestions for A Different Dream, the mystery manuscript is almost done, and I’m almost ready for a speaking engagement. My house is almost in order, the bathrooms are almost clean, and I almost have the weekend menu planned.

The problem is, just like spring, I’m stuck at almost. As soon as I almost finish something, something more serious arises and I have abandon what’s almost done to address the other. Almost finished projects are piling up so fast they’re almost drowning me.

All I can do until April 10, when we close on Mom’s house, is make peace with the almosts. My friend came up with a perfect way to do it. We’re going to hear the author Bill Bryson speak at Drake University tonight. He’s a Des Moines native who lives in England and almost never gets back to Iowa. The talk will be an almost perfect ending to an almost winter day in what claims to be spring. And to think, I almost missed the opportunity.

Thanks for inviting me, Cindy.