i was fired by merry maids

dear emily,

i know.   embarrassing, but, please hear my side.

i was the young mother of five active kids.  my loving husband
had built me a house that was too big for me to handle.  

the meals and laundry weren't too bad.  i managed to get my kids
to their basketball practices, ballet recitals, and piano lessons and
enjoy some mcdonald's french fries on the way.   i was only
homeschooling two kids by then . . . but the house was killing
me.

after a while, too long really, in desperation, i called merry maids,
who made my kitchen and bathrooms sparkle.  as the angels ladies
were limping out the door,  spraying some amazing scent out of  a
squirt bottle, i threw myself at the last one and grabbed her ankle,
crying, "please don't leave me here by myself!"

the next morning i had a notification in my mailbox saying the
merry maids would no longer be able to help me.

sheesh.   i felt like a desperate housewife.

love,
lea

"do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people
have entertained angels . . . "  hebrews 13:2

i don't like to cook

my middle daughter and i are completely hooked on the show
'breaking bad.'  i know i should be ashamed because of the bad
language and adult situations, but the characters and plot are
just so good.

in the drama, walter, the high school chemistry teacher, discovers
he has a gift for 'cooking' which is a gift i do not have.  i'm a
terrible cook.  the aforementioned daughter thinks it's because i
just don't like to do it.

something else i don't like is to answer this question, "did you
cook this?"  it feels like a loaded one.   the implication being "did
you buy this and try to trick us into thinking you actually made it?"
or "if you cooked it, i would rather have a peanut butter sandwich,
please."

i would prefer to be asked for the recipe.  if i didn't make it, i will
happily refer my guest to the caterer.  if i did make it,  it would
thrill the socks off me.

"you want my recipe?"

love,
lea

"i have food to eat that you know nothing about."  john 4:32

january 12th, 2012

today is my beloved father in law's 89th birthday.   he is probably
soaring around the Throne with the heavenly angels who escorted
him there early tuesday morning.   i don't know if he will have a
birthday cake but suspect there will be a banquet.

a dear friend told me that his ferocious eyebrows always scared
her.  he could be terrifying, but beneath those brows was a sweet
gentleness for those of us 'meeces' like pixie and dixie.   in the 36
years that i knew and loved him, he was completely encouraging
and loving.

my husband worked beside him for 30 of those years and enjoyed
the most companionable of relationships.  i pray that the Lord will
fill that office space with His own presence now.

my wise daughter exhorted her four uncles to fill those empty
shoes and be the protection and love she had cherished from her
grandfather.   big shoes.  

they will do it.

love,
lea