LOL 10-18 Leveling Out Layers

I love the little accomplishments in life- things like ending up on a full dollar when I pump my gas (definitely more of a challenge now that high prices make the meter spin so fast), lifting the lint off my dryer screen in one complete strip, and eating the ice cream out of a quart container so that when I stop, I've leveled off what's left. No, my accomplishments won't earn me the Nobel Peace Prize or an Oscar, but they make me feel like a champ. To the mini moments in life... LOL!

LOL 8-13 Logging Old Lumber

Every so often, the Forest Service sends workers out into the woods armed with cans of spray paint. Their task? To mark useless, dead lumber. Trees that have no hope of revival, aren't homes for wildlife, and that are using up valuable growth space. Later, crews wielding chainsaws will cut the marked trees down. As I walked today, I did some marking of my own. I sifted through the dead lumber in my past- regrets, mistakes, sins... One by one, I examined them- Regrets that offered no hope for new life. Past mistakes that left no home for the positive. Sins that took up valuable space in my heart. And I marked them for harvest... The cutting of them? I'll leave that to the woodcutter I trust the most... Jesus. LOL...

LOL 8-12 Leveling Off Lopsided cakes

I'm a perfectionist, so for years when I baked layer cakes, I meticulously carved away at the bottom layer until I knew it would provide a level foundation for the rest of the cake. But now I just plop that bottom layer down on the cake stand, mound the middle layer with frosting, and adjust the top layer to sit as level as it can. It's not that I don't care about the cake's appearance- I do. No, it's that I've learned it's more about how good the cake tastes than it looking perfectly level. Life's like that you know- it's not about how good your life looks to everyone else. It's about how good it tastes to you. Here's hoping that your life tastes as good as a piece of homemade chocolate cake. LOL!

LOL 8-7 Love (it) Or Leave (it)

I spent some time back at the high school this morning. Although I left my classroom two months ago and haven't been back since, I fell in love all over again the minute I walked through my classroom door. First to greet me were the quotes on my walls- reminders that I'm there to not only teach academic knowledge and skills, but also to encourage my students to look at life- REALLY look at life- and embrace it in all its messy splendor. Next, my students' magnets on my dry erase board, each a mini representation of the lives God has blessed me with. Then, the rows of desks, each seat empty and desktops sparkly clean, but soon to be filled by the scores of new students that will rotate through my classroom, doodling their random graffiti on their surfaces. And lastly, my desk, cleared of all its clutter, but pregnant with anticipation for the upcoming school year. Here, I will pray each morning before school begins, craft my lessons, counsel with students and parents, and grade the thousands of essays and short answers that will be written over the course of the school year. Rest assured- although I may need to abandon my classroom in the summer to reboot and rejuvenate, I never stop loving it- it's another little slice of my heaven. To all the teachers prepping for the new school year, may God bless you in all your endeavors. LOL...

LOL 8-25 Luck Or Love

Death, in the form of an untethered construction gate, almost took my life a few years ago. A freakish gust of wind caught the heavy metal pole and swung it in a deadly arc across the hood of my truck, through the front passenger window, across my dashboard, and out my window. Had my daughter, who I was on my way to pick up, been in the passenger seat, she would most surely have been injured. Had my truck sat lower to the ground or my driving speed been faster, I would have been impaled at the end of the pole. Had the band teacher let the students out a few seconds earlier, one of them might have been on the receiving end of the gate instead of me. As it turned out, my hood was ruined, my windows shattered, and my front end alignment completely torn up. Yet me? I backed off the pole, drive back up the hill to the school, stepped out of the truck, and crumbled to the curb in shock. A few glass cuts on my arm and feet (where glass fell in my shoes) were my only visible injuries. Some would say I was lucky because I walked away alive. Others, that I had bad luck since my truck was torn up. I prefer to see it as love- love of the God who created me. Who has a plan for me. Who cradles me in His arms whether I'm facing joy or fear or sadness or worry. Although I may not always understand His method, I do understand His motivation and it's not a flip of a coin, or a roll of the dice. I don't believe in luck, good or bad. Rather, I believe in love. LOL...

LOL 7-29 Law Or Love?

Just for kicks, I used the topical index in the back of my Bible to compare the number of references to "law" with the number of references to "love." The former filled 2 columns of one page; the latter, every column of a page and a half. Since the Bible is God's inspired Word, wouldn't it make sense that He would want more to be written about topics He feels are more weighty than topics that are not? And isn't that why when Jesus, asked by a Pharisee (a group known for living their lives to the letter of the law), "which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" answered with what I believe is one of the most beautiful answers ever given? "LOVE the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... And the second is like it. LOVE your neighbor as yourself. All the LAW and the prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40). Law? Yes. But more so than law, LOVE. To those of us guilty of measuring our holiness by how religiously lawful we look to others, perhaps we would should instead, measure our holiness by how much we love. To loving without exception as we, in turn, have been loved... LOL.

LOL 7-28 the Lord's Outlook on Life

I don't know about you, but with all the concerts and plays I've attended in my lifetime, I've never once sat in first class seats... But after looking again at this photo I took yesterday of my view of Matagorda Beach, I realized God gave me the ticket to the best seat in the house- His house. For several hours yesterday, I sat in a front row seat and watched the most amazing show on earth- majestic waves that rolled in without ceasing and crashed upon the shore; dozens of different seabirds that dove and plummeted for food; busy little sand crabs that tossed sand to the left and right as they tunneled into the sand; an ever-changing horizon of azure blue sky and wispy white clouds and aqua-green sea... From God's outlook, His Creation is the best show on earth. The best part? This wasn't just a one-time performance. God offers us the best seats in the house every moment of our life... We simply have to take a seat, open our eyes, and wait for the show to begin. To my front row seat moments at Matagorda Beach... LOL!

LOL 7-25 Lessons Of (a turtle's) Life

I laughed at this little box turtle I spotted on the road on my morning walk. When I passed by him, he immediately ducked inside the safety of his shell. Thirty minutes later, on my return trip, the turtle was still tucked inside his shell and hadn't moved off the road. Had I not pushed him over to the road's edge, a logging truck or other vehicle might have driven over him. We humans tend to act just like this turtle-fear of pain and natural instinct force us to retreat into our personal shells for protection. And that's fine... For a very short while. For if we stay there too long, we endanger- rather than protect- ourselves. We can all learn a valuable lesson from turtle- If you hide out in a shell long enough, you might just lose your life. LOL!

LOL 7-18 LOLInspirations

This is my newest crop of shells, ready to be worked into pieces of jewelry. However, they didn't come to me looking like this. I had to first remove the shells from their natural environment and scrub them free of the grime that marred their individual attributes- it is only then that I can fully assess their potential. This first step in working with shells reminds me of what I do as a teacher. Each year, a new crop of students shows up in my classroom. It is my job to take them out of their natural environment of "just let the tide take me where it will" and challenge them to reach their full potential- to get them to share their unique gifts with others. But in order to do so, I often have to scrub away at the layers of accumulated academic and emotional grime that hides many students' potentials. Only then can I show them how their individual qualities- scarred or flawless, vibrant or subdued, simple or complicated- can be worked into masterpieces of art. Thanks, Danny, for the beautiful treasures you brought back for me from your Gulf Coast vacation. LOL.

LOL 7-15 Life, Other, and Lids

I love the "other" option on this lid. It gives people like me who hate labels the freedom to choose something other than the preordained, cookie cutter mold choices. For example, sometimes I start with a Diet Coke, then refill my cup with water. Where's the punch-in designation for that choice? Or what if I'm in a crazy mood and I add a zest of Orange Crush to my Diet Coke? I'd be lying if I punched in Diet. See, the problem with specific labels is that people attach their own connotations and judgements to them and their connotations and judgements often don't align with mine. It's kinda like that in life, too. Once you or someone else identifies you with a label, you're open to everyone else's interpretation of what they think is really inside you. Tell you what... For those of you that want to label me, I'm going to make it easy for you. Just punch "other." That way you'll save yourself a lot of incorrect guesses and for those of you that are "others," like me, LIKE this post. Thanks, McDonald's, for the inspiration. LOL...

LOL 7/8 Links Of Loopholes

I love using square knots to weave jewelry. When woven right, the links of loopholes tighten into perfect symmetry and form beautiful patterns. Key, though, is making sure the two middle strands always stay tight- if I let them droop, no matter how I might tighten my loopholes, my final pattern will end up looking disfigured and knotty. Then I have two choices- I can compromise the piece's beauty and just ignore the flaw or I can undo my work and try again. I like to look at my life in the same way. Each day is like a single loophole... Another knot in the pattern of my life. Critical to the look of my finished life will be those two strands- I see them as what Jesus said were the Law's greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" and "Love your neighbor as yourself." When I hold these two strands firmly each loopholed day of my life and tighten my choices around them, I form beautiful, symmetrical patterns that are pleasing in God's eyes. But when I let the temptations of this world compromise that tautness, my patterns look disfigured and unbalanced. Then, again, I have a choice- ignore the flaws as if they don't exist and compromise the final witness of my life or "undo" them by asking for God's mercy. Only then can I "unravel" my "loose" choices and reweave them again. Inspired by God's continuous hand in the crazy loopholes of my life. LOL...

LOL 7/7 Lessons of Looking up

I love this old temperature gauge. It's hanging on one of my porch's pillars, right outside my kitchen window. Manufactured originally as a catchy advertisement for RC Cola to promote their cold drinks as a remedy for hot weather, I've come to love the upward pointing arrow on the sign as my symbolic reminder that when my personal stress temperature heats up, I need to look "up" to find relief. God has proven time and again that He is my "best by taste test"... All other things that I've tried to substitute could never quench my thirst when I was spiritually, physically, or emotionally stressed. Now, when that red mercury of life starts to rise up a little too high, I turn my eyes heavenward, drop my knees earthward, and bow my head in prayer. Only through my faith can my thirst be quenched. Thanks, RC Cola, for the inspiration. LOL...

LOL 7-3 Losing Oneself in Literature

"Ink on paper is as beautiful to me as flowers on the mountains; God composes, why shouldn't we?" ~Terri Guillemets
Call me crazy, but I've just spent the past five hours sitting at my computer and writing... By choice. No movie could have engaged me more. No caffeine could have hyped me more. No comedian could have filled me with more genuine laughter than that with which I have laughed over crazy parts I've written into my pages. When I am "unhinged" and inspired, there is no other high for me that compares to what it's like when I write. I feel satisfied. Complete. Purposeful. Perhaps it's because- as Guillemets points out in this quote- God created all of us to compose something. For one, it might be music. For another, art. Still others, delicious recipes, life-saving vaccines, beautiful gardens, sturdy bridges... When we merge our talents with our passions to create, perhaps it is then that we are closest to our Creator. I thank God that He has gifted me with the power of words and the imagination to paint with them. LOL...

LOL 6-29 Living On Local time

I love living in a little town. Reasons: 1) When I stop in the post office, the postmaster knows not only my name, but my husband's, my children's, my dogs', what kind of new stamps I might like, and what the best way to mail Christmas packages to my relatives is. 2) I don't have to wait at traffic lights for the red to turn green. We don't have one. 3) I taught most of the kids that work at the grocery store and gas station, so know they can at least read the label on my purchases and make correct change. 4)The old men still call me ma'am and take off their caps when they talk to me, even though they're twice my age. 5) Farmers aren't afraid to wear their overalls to town. 6) Old women aren't afraid to wear their rollers to town- just saying, it makes me smile. 7) Goats and chickens still run loose in backyards 8) I gossip with one set of locals at breakfast and then by lunch, have the gossip come full circle back to me 9) Locals still walk to the grocery store to have one slice of ham and another of cheese cut for supper... And urge me to cut in front of them to pay for my ice cream before it melts 10) It's unique- no cookie cutter plazas and shopping centers or billboards. Just old buildings, homes, and... Small town. Thanks, Richards and Anderson, Texas, for the inspiration. LOL...

LOL 6-28 Liberal Or (conservative) Labels

Very seldom do I publicly post about my political beliefs, but today- in light of the Supreme Court's decision to uphold a law I violently disagree with- I cannot stay silent. First, let my clarify... This isn't about which party I support or vote for. After working and living in the government sector for years, I've learned that labels are more for appearances sake than for what people really believe in. I've known liberal Republicans that I've disagreed with and conservatives Democrats that I've agreed with so to say I'm one or the other falsely labels me. But here are some labels I'll be proud to wear- American. Individualist. Localist. Freedom defender. Constitutionalist. Pursuer of the American Dream. Military supporter. Employed. Overtaxed Citizen. I want government's hands out of my pockets and as much as possible, out of my life. I want to make my own decisions about how best to take care of my health, my children, my land, and my purchases- I tend to make better decisions for my own welfare than they do. I want to live in a democracy, not a monarchy or socialist society. I believe in helping those who first help themselves and I believe our churches would be playing the role of caring for the poor more if our government would stop playing wet nurse. Come November, I don't want to see labels on my ballot- I want to see answers. Real answers to how we are going to restore America to a country founded on the Constitution, bred through a passionate desire for freedom and individualism, and that rewards those willing to work and strive towards the American Dream of living free from oppression... Not just living for luxury. Those of you that feel the same- time to speak out! LOL...

LOL 6-26 Lumps Of Life

Every now and then- usually in the most visible part of the jewelry piece I'm crafting- a strand of the natural hemp I'm weaving with won't lay smooth. It's annoying! For whatever the reason, the strand's fibers revolted during the manufacturing process and it remained lumpy. No matter how I try to play with it, cajole it to fit into the pattern I'm weaving, or ease it into laying flat like the other strands in the jewelry piece, the lump refuses to conform. It would rather stay lumpy. At that point, I have a choice. I can tear the piece of jewelry apart and throw my time and materials away, or I can accept the small imperfection in the hemp as a natural part of the piece. I always choose the latter. Why? Because these little lumps are a great reminder that life- just like these hemp strands- doesn't always weave smoothly for me. No matter how hard I plot and plan, life still tends to lump up along the way as events and relationships weave in and out of itI know that when those "life lumps" raise their ornery heads and refuse to conform to the smooth patterns I desire, I have the same choice as I do with my crafting- I can chunk away the materials and time I have already invested or accept the imperfections. It's taken me awhile, but I've learned that in life- just like in my jewelry- those little lumps add a beauty and charm all their own. The imperfections show that my life- and my jewelry- are both handmade by me. LOL...

LOL 6-25 Long-distance Oceanic (phone) Lines

I smiled the other day when, during our craft show, a young boy grabbed his little sisters and mother and dragged them to our booth. It wasn't the jewelry that caught his eye- it was our shells. Without hesitation, he grabbed one of the small lightning whelks I used as a display and cupped it to his ear- Marian joked that it was his "shell phone". He shushed us into silence, then focused on listening. That's when I saw it- as he listened to the waves of the ocean lapping against a far away shore, mirrored on this little boy's face was the same childish awe I feel in my soul each time I stand on the edge of the shore and gaze out at the timeless majesty of the ocean. "I can hear it, " he whispered reverently. "It's there." In rapid succession, he grabbed the other shells and like a desperate AT&T cell phone customer searching for 4G signal strength in the middle of the forest, tried them out. Yet, none of the "shell phones" left him disappointed. It made me think... Perhaps God scattered shells into the sea so that when we beachcombers find one on the shore, pick it up, and take it home, we'll still have a direct line to the wonder and majesty that the ocean- and the God who created it- brings us. I hope next time you have the chance to walk along the seashore, you'll be lucky enough to find a shell phone. When you do, cup it to your ear, gaze out across the awesomeness of the ocean, and then listen. You might just hear God's voice asking, "Can you hear me now?" LOL...
"...and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." Genesis 1:2

LOL 6-24 Looking at an Overflowing Layout

Right now, my house looks like a sorting warehouse for the Salvation Army. Boxes stacked on top of boxes- some overflowing with clothes, others with books. Odd pieces of furniture- couches, end tables, dining room chairs- are stacked onto other pieces of furniture. Bright pinks clash with beige florals, black and white houndstooth fights with country-style braided rugs... Nothing matches. Poor Martha Stewart would have a heart attack. It's chaotic, but sensical, sad, but heartwarming, this transition. Why all the mess? One daughter is moving out of her apartment and shipping off to barracks-style living at the Air Force Academy... Sad because we'll miss her, but heartwarming because we know it's another step towards her lifelong dream. Her stuff will be stored. Another daughter is moving out of Air Force barracks and into her own apartment... Sad because I'll worry more about her safety, but heartwarming because I know this new place will feel more like hers. Movers will pick her stuff up in a few weeks. Our son is ready to upgrade his apartment decor and change out some of his furniture... Only heartwarming, because I know pieces that have been a part of our family for years will find a good home with him. He's already enjoying the upgrade. Even with all the clutter, for now, the organized perfectionist in me is at peace... The clutter represents family-my family- and that is worth the mess. Thanks, kids, for the inspiration and Danny and Gary for all your sweat moving the stuff. LOL...

LOL 6-23 Landlubbers' Opportunity to Learn

Yes, that's me and my business partner in the picture below. We're selling our jewelry, handmade beauties designed around shells we've gathered from our multiple trips to the coast. Nothing new there- you've heard about that venture before. But what is new is where we chose to sell it. Not on the coast, but rather inland... In the small Texas town of Bremond... At a Polish festival. You read that right. Smack dab in the middle of a pickle race, polish sausages on a bun, and tee shirts sporting way too many z's in every word, we decided to take the beauty of the coast and market it. And you know what? We sold! Not blockbuster amounts, but enough pieces to make us realize that you don't always have to be on the coast to want a piece of the coast. Would we do it again? I don't know- I feel like I've sweated off at least 10 pounds sitting in today's hot temperatures. But I do know this... Because we landlubbed today, a few more pieces of our jewelry are reminding a few more people that you might take the ocean out of the Texas inland, but you can never take the ocean out of a sea-lover's soul. Thanks, partner (Marian), for putting up with my crazy ideas. LOL...

LOL 6-22 Life Outside Labels

I love independent souls... Individuals that risk living life outside the labels society would tag them with. Take this mushroom- although it contains healthy nutrients like selenium, vitamin D, and iron and in addition, is low in calories, it is labeled "druggie" because some abuse it as a psychotropic drug. Sadly, I can barely even mention how I love mushrooms (to cook with and eat, not trip out with) without hearing my students snicker. To them, a mushroom is a symbol for drugs. It reminds me of individuals I know who are struggling to rise above what society has tagged them as because of their past or perhaps because of their family name. No matter what they do or how good a life they try to lead, they are always negatively labeled. I admire them. I admire their courage and determination to plot their own course, define who they are, and defy a society that often wishes to tear them down instead of build them up. To those of you that fit this description, God can help. Just like the mushroom in this photo that chose to grow strong in the cleft of a tree rather than cluster with its kind in the dirt below, those who hide in the cleft of their omnipotent Rock will always succeed. Never be afraid of who society labels you as... God already knows you and loved you. Jordan, thanks for the inspirational conversation. Love you, girl. LOL...

LOL 6-20 Layer Of Lacquer

Take a long look at these two shells. I picked both up off the shore at Matagorda. Both are calico scallops. But other than their size, what do you note that is different about them? Even with lousy pixels, you can probably tell that the larger one is more vibrant and colorful... It's far more attractive to the eye. Why? Because I shined it. I added a layer of lacquer to preserve and heighten its colors. Before I did, it was just as plain and dull as the shell next to it. I like to think that God does for my life what I do with my shells. He picks me up off the sifting shores of life, cleans me up, and polishes me to heighten and preserve the colors of my soul. Brushing me with mercy and love, He brings out hues in me that I never knew I possessed. In His hands, I become more than just a shell of my former life- I became a work of art. Thank you, Matagorda Beach, for your continual inspiration, and to my artist friends- Marian, JB, and Nan- for beautifying the world with your art. LOL...

LOL 6-18 Live. Oops! Love.

I noticed a strange coincidence today. The "i" on my keypad is right next to the "o". "Okay, Sofi,"you're probably thinking. "Like... Duh!" Bear with me a moment longer while I explain. Do you know what one word I most have to correct, because autocorrect doesn't? Live. That's right... Live. I mean to type "love", but repeatedly end up missing the "o" and catching the "i" instead. I'm not the only one who does this- I've seen this error countless times in others' postings and emails, do fess up, guilty ones. Call me a little bit too imaginative, but I think that God intended these keypads to be designed this way (after all, we humans may claim the patents for our inventions, but He plants the seeds in our minds)... That way, each time we had to change our "live" into "love", we'd think about how those two words go hand in hand. You can't live without love... You can't love without wanting to live. In future posts, if you see my lives and loves interchanged, you'll get just what I mean. Thanks, iPhone, for the inspiration. LOL...

LOL 6-17 Light One Life's fire

Last October, a student that I dearly loved took her own life. 180 LOL postings later, I still struggle spiritually and emotionally with her decision, mostly because I feel guilty... Guilty that I wasn't able to save her. But during our praise and worship time in church this morning, God opened my eyes to a new perspective. I am not God. I am not meant to save the world. My purpose on earth is to glorify Him through my words and my deeds. If, through my life, one person "sees" God, then my life will have been worth living, for it only takes one spark to ignite a flame, one flame to start a fire, one fire to purge the world of Satan's messages of hate, guilt, and despair. I wish I had been the one to save Jordan... I wasn't. However, because of Jordan's decision, my faith has grown stronger, my love for my God has grown deeper, and my conviction to inspire others to live each day with the joy God meant us have has not wavered. If one person hears my message, if one new spark of joy is ignited, then the pain of Jordan's death will have been conquered. To my eternal Abba, thank you for the inspiration. LOL...

LOL 6-16 Lost, Overwhelming (grace), Lyrics

"Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see."
Bet most of you know these words. Some of you may even know a bit about the story behind them. Penned by John Newton, an often rebellious sea captain of a slave ship who later became a clergyman, they serve as an autobiography of God's merciful intervention in his life; Amazing Grace does the same for many Christians. For me, the song goes one step further, for it is the story behind the story that makes me want to drop to my knees each time I hear this song. You see, John Newton penned the WORDS to the song, not the TUNE. Because the notes are strikingly similar to the spirituals slaves would sing and Newton penned the song while captaining a slave ship, many believe that it was these agonized lyrical notes- sung to lighten the burden of bondage and pain and death- that inspired Newton's words to Amazing Grace. Think about it- a spiritually ruined man calling out to God to save his life aboard the very ship he captains that has robbed hundreds of their lives. Not only does God hear Newton and save him physically, He molds him into a Christian and later, a preacher. Weaving the agonized words of a spiritually lost white man together with the agonized notes of physically lost black men, God takes the worst that life has to offer and crafts it into a beautiful and inspirational song that will impact millions for hundreds of years to come... A lesson to all of us that ANY life- given over to God- can become a thing of great beauty. Thank you, John Newton, for the inspiration. LOL...

LOL 6-15 Literary Opening Lines

What is about words? Put them
together in the right order with the right combination and they have the power to impact millions of people around the world for years after they are written. Think about it... The words in the Bible, Homer's Odyssey, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird have inspired generation after generation who chose to read them. But therein lies the key... In order to benefit from great works of literature, one must choose to READ them. In case you haven't made a date with a classic lately, let these tantalizing opening lines tempt your reader's palette. Then get thee to a library, download one on thou technical device, or hoof thyself to a bookstore and GET READING!
http://americanbookreview.org/100BestLines.asp

LOL 6-14 Lines, Order, Lanes

I noticed something this past few days as I travelled through several airports... Order, at least in the travel world, seems to be really important. For example, if you are a "Gold Card Member," you get to bypass everyone in the baggage line. If you have a small number on your boarding pass, you get to board the plane before people with larger numbers. And if you are a "Preferred Flier," you get to sit two deep instead of three, stand in smaller lines to use the restroom, and get fed special meals while the rest of the passengers eat a bag of pretzels. I may not fly very often so haven't racked up millions of air miles, and I'm not rich enough to buy myself a first class seat... But I do know this. When it comes my time to fly home to heaven, I won't need to worry about the baggage lines... I'll be leaving all my baggage behind. Customer service? I believe my ticket will be stamped "First Class". Food to eat on board? Doubt I'll even need it- the joy of the Lord will be sustaining me. And my pilot? You guessed it. Only the best. God will be flying me home. Thank you, United and Delta Airlines, for the inspiration. LOL...