Friday, December 14, 2007

Illuminati

Sweet, sweet electricity – how I heart you. You warm my home and my cockles. You bring me season one of 24 in all its non-stop suspense. I’ll never stray from you again. No more sleeping in wool socks, sweats, and stocking cap under four blankets. No more blow drying my hair at the office. No more cooking curry by candle light.

Yes, I live in the state with the dubious distinction of holding the record for most Presidential “state of emergency” declarations in one year. We now have firewood for the next millennia. And my refrigerator has never been so clean.

Now, honestly, my husband has risen to the challenge of “ICE STORM 2007” in ways that boggle the mind. Chopping wood, rising in the night to feed the fire, purchasing dry ice and packing the contents of both refrigerators into igloo coolers, cleaning out the refrigerators entirely (yea, even washing the drawers!) and refilling them when the power came back on, insulating our pipes, and so on, and so on. Frankly, I’m flabbergasted. If he keeps this up, I’m going to have to start, you know, doing housework or something. I never thought I’d be a spoiled wife, what with the bumpy (like glass shards!) middle 10 years of our marriage. But I am truly, blissfully spoiled now. I reek of husband indulgence. And I must say it looks good on me!

P.S. Drop by my daughter Rachel's blog http://rroxannet.blogspot.com/ and leave her a note. She really wants readers!

Monday, December 03, 2007

Legacy

Lately, God has been stirring in my spirit about purpose, potential, legacy. Ringing in my mind are these words from Nichole Nordman, "I want to leave a legacy. How will they remember me? Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough To make a mark on things? I want to leave an offering. A child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically. And leave that kind of legacy."

In my constant state of "I'm not like other girls," I wonder if anyone else out there wants to leave the same kind of legacy that I do. My heroines were Joan of Arc, Deborah, and Jael (my favorite!). I want to be FIERCE! Not mean, but fierce. This would be where I (or maybe the enemy) say I don't think I'm like other women. I hope I'm wrong. I'm feeling challenged by God that we as American Christians are not impacting our world, because we teach our children to be cowards. Hide, don't rock the boat, separate. Even our general culture says that defending your country or those who can't defend themselves is for the foolish. Stay home and hope things get better. Don't volunteer. Don't speak up. Don't lay down your life.

Honestly, when I read Foxe's Book of Martyrs I'm so ashamed of myself and my comfortable Christianity. I want to know the honor of giving my life for God. I fall so short. Why do we value a mediocre life extended over a life well-lived with honor and integrity. I love that my children think I'm cool and funny, but I mostly want them to think I'm FIERCE.

I know this is not everyone's heart, nor do I expect it to be. I don't consider myself better than anyone for feeling driven in this direction. I just wonder today, what is the legacy you want to leave? How are you pursuing that?