Can you swallow a pocket knife?

My Uncle Bill could do the most amazing trick. All of us kids could be mesmerized for hours. He would sit in an old wooden folding chair while my cousins and I would gather at his feet.  

Y'all, he could swallow his pocket knife!

I can't make this stuff up...  He would sit in his chair and in a grand, dramatic way he would choke down his pocket knife.  Us kids, would just stare at him, thinking he would just die, but instead he would cough, and hack, and up would come the pocket knife.

It was the coolest thing!  We would just watch and look at him in amazement.  The grown ups would stand around and chuckle at how the kids were so entranced by Uncle Bill.  It was magical.

It wasn't until I was a teenager that I figured out the he didn't actually swallow the pocket knife.  Actually if I'm totally honest, I think my older brother had to explain it to me (I know, Duh)

I'll admit it, it was kind of a let down.  I thought, why would he trick us, why would he let us on to believe he could do something so amazing?

But you know what...  He COULD do something amazing!  He was a cool great uncle.  We loved hanging out with him, and hearing his stories, and watching him do his trick.  He made us laugh, he kept us entertained (which was kind of a miracle).  We learned from him.  I have great memories of him and his cool trick.  I wanted to hang out there.  Truth be told, his wife Aunt Mary Helen, was a great cook too.  It was the perfect combination!

Isn't God kind of like this.  We go through really hard times, and wonder, why.  We get caught up in the let down of the moment that we find it hard to see the growth in the experience.  We grow so much during the hard times.  It's not a trick or a quickness of hands, its life.  Life at its best.  Life.  Learning.  Lessons.  

Look back at your life and pray over your hard times.  What lessons can you learn?  What friendships were formed out of those times?  What cool trick can you do because of it?

Can you swallow a pocket knife?

Disclaimer: No one was hurt in the making of this post... Do not try this at home, professionals only.

Be still

Be still....

Let me paint a picture for you.  Three boys. The seven year old is practicing guitar, the 5 year old is playing monster trucks, and the 4 year old is pushing the loudest fire truck you have ever heard.  Can you hear it. It is neither still nor quiet nor serene at my house.  Usually after about 20 minutes a fight will break out.

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God

How in the world can I be still?  How in the world am I supposed to hear God's still small voice?  The noise level around me is so loud... so, so, so loud....

Did you know that God wants to talk to us.  He wants so desperately to have a relationship with us. A relationship with open communication.

He speaks to each of us.

The Lord speaks to me in different ways.  
For example, just today I was suppose to go to Holy Yoga, instead I wasn't feeling good so I drove home.  On my way home I saw a lady walking along the side of the road.  There is no sidewalk, and the shoulder of the road is narrow.  Its a winding country road.  I drove past her.  God tugged on me.  I felt compassion, and I immediately turned around.  It was a small pull from Jesus.  I drove her to her work, just about a mile up the road, but the cool part is I was able to make a connection with her, and hopefully help her again.  A simple ride a few miles up the road.  God is good.

When I felt the Holy Spirit urge me to go to Peru for the first time was an experience!  I was sitting in church, and my heart started beating faster, my palms got sweaty, I was nervous, anxious and a bit nauseous.  Yup! That was God urging me to sign up for the trip. So, I obeyed Him and I will forever be changed.

God has also laid certain things on my heart that I just can't shake.  Themes start to form around words, or situations.  And all of a sudden I have a realization I have to act.  Starting this blog, and my speaking ministry is an example.  

Even though my everyday is loud, crazy and unpredictable, God still speaks.  I am sure that I have not listened every time, and I have missed opportunities.  I have probably missed times to share the Gospel or help someone in need.  But the best part, is that God still tries.  He has not given up on me.  He still wants me to do His work, no matter what that looks like.  

I just try everyday to put myself out there to be available for Gods work.  I don't care how that looks, or what I am doing.  It doesn't matter how big or small it is, just as long as I am obedient.  It could be teaching my 5 year old how to manage his feelings, or passing out blankets to those in need.  

Listen to God.  Allow Him to change your day, and radically serve Him!

Be still and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:10

Snow! Snow! And more Snow!

We live in North Carolina.  I have lived here my whole entire life and it is very, very rare that we get alot of snow.  In fact we are made fun of because we shut down if we get a few inches.  Milk and bread are complete necessities, and are often sold out at the stores during these drastic snow storms.

Well, this winter, we have gotten SNOW! And alot of it.  Y'all, like, ALOT!

This is like 15 feet in southern measurement!

Carter loved picking up chunks of ice...Don't eat yellow snow!

Sometimes you just gotta lay down!

Carter kept throwing Walker down and wrestling. Walker didn't care.

Tyler made about a bazillion snow balls.

I don't think Walker could see...it didn't seem to bother him!

The Sled master!

The sled was bigger than he was.

I am glad that it snowed and the kiddos got to play in huge amounts of it.  But I am ready for my flip flops and humidity.  Enjoyed it while it as here, but glad to see it go.

Fives on Friday...Weird Foods I've eaten

My husband and first born, are in Florida on a boar hunt.  I thought it would be fun to list five weird foods that I have eaten....

1) Squirrel
To some of you this is totally normal, for others you are completely grossed out.  When I was a little tom girl growing up on the farm, I would go squirrel hunting with my brother and dad.  We would have squirrel and gravy with homemade biscuits for Sunday supper.  Yummo!!!

2) Deer
First off let me state that it is deer meat.  We do not call it venison.  Again, I would go deer hunting with my daddy, and yes I have killed my own deer.  And yes, I have gotten the blood wiped on my face, (its a tradition for us wood people)... And... I just lost some readers.

3) Guinea pig
I am not talking about your pet Fifi.  I have been to Peru twice, Cuy, as the locals call it is a common thing on every Peruvian menu.  Its really good, it tastes a lot like pork.  The villagers raise cuy.   They would sometimes give it to us as a thank you for coming to their village.  

4) Ethiopian Bread
I know this doesn't sound exotic or eccentric, but have you tried it...  Its grey, kind of wet,  and spongy.  I think it is an acquired taste, which I have yet to acquire.

5) Cow heart
This is also a  delicacy in Peru.  I must admit this was not one of my favorite things.  But, when in a foreign country, you must eat like the locals.
  
BONUS-  Bear, Elk, Snapping Turtle, Rabbit, pretty much any wild game meat-  Almost every year my dad's hunt club has  a Critter Cooking.  Its pretty much anything that you have killed over the year, you cook it up and everybody digs in.  It is also a fundraiser, its a win win!


 Food is only weird if you let it be. "Weird" food is all about perspective.   Let me know what weird things you have eaten.  I would love to know, maybe I need to try something new.  Maybe you need to try something new.