Lindsay Willis

A messy Saturday

I am not fond of messes.  I like things neat rather than messy.  But today is the exception.  The house is a royal mess.  I have decided to get some new countertops for my kitchen and they are being installed today.  I have stripped the kitchen of every possible gadget, cleaned out many of the cupboards, and am now waiting for the installation crew to arrive.  They are due in that proverbial "Noon until 2:00" window, which means I am here for the rest of the day.

The "hardest" part of the process so far has been not having water in the kitchen since yesterday afternoon.  When I woke up this morning, I could almost smell the coffee I wanted to make.  Then I realized making my Americano at home this morning would not work. I was bummed.  I needed to run to the nearby DIY store to get a drain plug for the laundry tub and a drainer. So  I went without make-up, stopping at the near-by Dunn Brothers for the Americano.  They taste the same, with or without make up! 

The drain plug in the laundry tub is in place.  I have washed dishes and wiped down cupboards and made a lot of progress in the kitchen. 

Now it is time to turn to decorating the tree.  As long as I am housebound today, I may as well make the most of it.  Christmas is, after all, only five weeks away! 

Stay Amazed!

I was in St. Louis last week with my good friends Pastors John and Helen Burns (www.familyvictory.com). We had a blast spending time together.  They were doing some taping with Joyce Meyer and we all went to the Mercy Ministries home (www.mercyministries.com) in St. Louis.  That was kind of a homecoming for me because I was part of the team that launched that home 3 years ago. 

One of the moments that really struck me in all of the great time we had was when Joyce Meyer asked John how they have kept their marriage vibrant after 30+ years.  He had one of those simple, but profound, answers: "Stay Amazed!"  It really rang inside of me when he said it and it has not let go of me since.

I think it is a word for many people these days--not just for those who are married.  In our hectic, crazy days, it is so easy to forget about the amazing things around us:  the laugh of a child, or the smile of an elderly person who has lived a long, healthy life, a wink from someone you love, a curiosity question from your child that makes you look at life from a whole different perspective;  the sunrise this morning or the sunset tonight; the miracle of sight or taste or hearing, or the fact that our hearts are beating, our blood is flowing, our neurons are firing, our stomach is processing our food...all those things that we take for granted but are essential for life!

And we can constantly be amazed at God's love for us, His mercy and grace toward us, and the Holy Spirit Who is constantly present with us to guide us through any uncertainty.

So just a thought....stay amazed!