Bloopers & Blunders

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My life can get so serious and it's time to lighten up.  I didn't have to look far, not even past my nose, to find something (hopefully, humorous.) 

Why does lingo have to change?  It’s confusing to my little brain.  It puts me in awkward predicaments.  I risk embarrassing my teen-ager, not to mention myself.  Actually, my sweet son does not get embarrassed anymore. He used to. . .

and then he started to grow up and still I blundered. . .

now that he's older, he just laughs at me

I provide him with much laughter.  I think I make him feel grown up because I give him reasons many times to correct me.

This is not a good problem to have when you decide to write and put it out there for the whole world to see.  I’ll give you an example so you can laugh at me too J . . .I was writing a story and used the word incestuous when what I meant to use was the word incessant. There is just a tad bit of difference in the meanings of these two words. . .oops!

Would you like another example of one of my blunders?  I thought you might.  One time I wrote about being prostrate on the ground in prayer but I wrote the word prostate instead. 

This one cracked up my teen-age niece. . .When I was growing up, what we now call flip-flops, was called something else.  A few years ago, my sister, niece and I were in the car together and it was hot.  I said I couldn’t wait to get home and put on my thongs.  My niece gasped in the back seat saying,

 “Aunt Kristy, you wear those!?”  I replied, “What’s the problem, everyone wears them, you wear them.”  My sister says through her laughter, “We now call those flip flops” and turned to explain to her daughter that when we were young, people called those thongs.  An innocent mistake.

I made another innocent mistake at my mothers one day, way back when I was much younger and just newly married.  Keith and I were both experiencing achy muscles, so we bought an electric massager, the kind that massages deep into the muscles taking the soreness away.  One day, while in my mother’s kitchen, I was trying to tell her about this new contraption of ours thinking she might like one as she was always complaining of a bad, sore back.  I was explaining how wonderful this vibrator was and it felt so good and she should really try it.  I got that surprised, almost horrified look from my mother,

kind of like the one I got from my niece, and then my mother says through her hysterical laughter,

“Kristy, call it a massager, not a vibrator.”  Not until she said it, did I realize how the conversation was sounding. . .oops!

Our conversations are to be seasoned with salt. I think my conversations are ok but my vocabulary needs some work, or maybe I need an English lesson, or maybe I just need a fiesta. . .or should that be siesta?  What am I thinking, trying to now go into another language?  I better just stick with my own and learn it better.

But again, it can be so confusing.  When I was young for instance, if you were happy, you were gay.  Today you better be blissful, elated, or even tickled pink.  The last thing I want to do is upset someone, and so I can become anxious as I write, praying that I don’t offend anyone.

I’m wondering if this problem is a middle age problem.  I am officially middle aged now of last week. Or maybe I just need to go back to school.  What class would I sign up for? 

Foot in Mouth 101

Learning How to Talk for the 40-50 Somethings

How Not to Be a Blooper and Blunderer

That middle one would not work because I was doing this in my twenties and thirties too.

Oh well!  If I give people laughter, even at my expense, so be it.  Laughter is good for the bones, and for the soul.  So if I write or say something funny, strange, or just plain wrong, feel free to correct me.  I could always use a good lesson and laugh.  In the mean time, I’ll be working on my vocab.

*Note. . .all stories in this post are true and mine, pictures are not*


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Crossing the Threshold

My mother-in-law is preparing to cross that glorious threshold. . .getting ready to go home.

As her body is getting weaker and weaker, I believe Heaven is waiting with open arms to receive Ms. Anna Leota into their presence.  Yes, she is a believer, so soon, she will walk strongly into the presence of her Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thank you Mom Bridgman for giving me your son, Keith, who has been my wonderful helpmate, my loyal husband, my partner for life, my love.  You gave me the gift that was meant just for me, one that no other could have given.  And I am so thankful that you have received the gift from One that no other could give, the gift of salvation.  This helps us to release our loved ones to Him, knowing you are going to a better place, a place we will be one day ourselves.

I don't know what Heaven will be like but I smile as I think of you seeing for the first time, what all I cannot comprehend.  I imagine the colors will be out of this world, the sounds will be glorious, jewels around every corner and gold down the streets.  More than I can fathom, but you will see soon.  It might be completely different.  But I do know this for certain.  You will leave the tired body behind, the cancer you will say good-bye to, and you will stand straight, running right into that glorious home waiting for you.  And the best of all, standing face to face with Him, the One who Saves, the One who grants mercy and grace and has loved unconditonally like no other, the One who hung the moon and the stars, and the One who has been by your side and is now at this very moment. You will smile like never before, you may bow at the feet of Jesus, and then raise to praise like never before. However it looks, it will be glorious because He will be there!

I won't say good-bye, just so long for now.   Because some day I will be where you are heading. 

O death where is your sting? Oh hell, where is your victory.  Christ has had the final word here.  Hallelujah!

Dear readers,

Please pray for my father-in-law Kenneth who is preparing to let his sweetheart of 63 years go.

Please also pray for the two sons, Kenny and Keith.
Thank you!

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Bridgman

Inspiring Books

I just finished another book I couldn't put down.  It's title is Miracle For Jen.

A true story of a tragic accident, a mother's desperate prayer and heaven's extraordinary answer!

You will be amazed!  Our God is still a God of miracles!

The book I read before this one was Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic.

A man born with no arms and no legs going all over the world teaching people about the love and power of Christ and how God can help you live without limitations and anything is possible with Him.  If this guy can swim, scuba dive, and surf, than surely I can step out of a comfort zone!

This one is just. . . . . . .RADICAL!

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The author here challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences.  He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple-then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard.  There is just nothing like a radical love!

And of course, I cannot leave this one out. . .

This is the book that took me out of a huge comfort zone and changed my life these last three years, sending me into the homeless population and learned I can love what looks like the unlovable and I can see beyond what is in front of me.

Books are a gift.  Books are a blessing.  Books like these four can change your life.

But wait. . .I have one more. . .you know what it is. . .it is on the best seller list and if you step out in faith, it will change your life more than any other.  You want a good book to read, one that can change your life.  Read one of the books above.  You want to have a relationship with one who is crazy about you and will tell you how to have the most awesome, miraculous, living without limits, radical kind of life, leading you to step out of comfort zones to meet all kinds of wonderful people to share that radical love with?  Just check this one out. Love actually leaps off the page.  It's one you can read over and over and over and over and over. . . . . .

In every one of these books, you can carry away a huge gift.

Open them up and receive and then give away.

Happy reading!

Be blessed!

The Truth Project

Satan is the father of all lies. We already know this. We believers think we know one when we hear it.  But so many lies are subtly finding their way into the churches and amongst our people and that is scary.  One of the big ones being told out there now is about the Gospel of Prosperity.  This is not biblical.  Jesus did not teach this.  I believe the ones teaching it and following it have no idea this is wrong, and that is really sad.  We can read our bibles and quote scriptures, but if we don't study and get to know the Father intimately, we can be persuaded to things that sound really good and right but are not of our Father.

"Today not only in philosophy but in politics, government, and individual morality, our generation sees solutions in terms of synthesis and not absolutes.  When this happens, truth, as people have always thought of truth, has died."  Francis Schaeffer

My husband and I just finished a study with a small group of 7.  In all our 30-35 years of being a Christian and all the studies we have been through, this is by far the best.  It is called The Truth Project and it is created by Focus on the Family.  It is a 12 week study.  There is no book to read and no homework.  It is a video series and then your group discusses afterwards.  The key is to transform us and infuse us with the Truth so strongly, that we will not be swayed by the suble lies being put out there for all to grab.  And then for us to go out and share it with others. You seasoned believers may be thinking like I did at the beginning of the 12 weeks, "I'm a long time believer, I know the truth."  Yes, but this study will take you deeper and convict you even stronger and transform you even more.  This will make you want to get up and "Go tell" as Jesus instructed us to do. 

"Never let us be guilty of sacrificing any portion of truth on the alter of peace."  J.C. Ryle

My husband was so taken with this study, that he signed us up to lead a group ourselves.  And I wanted to share it with you.

Here is a link to the website and you can watch a 4 minute trailer to give you a good idea of what it is.  Please go watch it here. . .http://www.thetruthproject.org/

This is a piece of the website:
The Truth Project is a DVD-based small group curriculum comprised of 12 video lessons (recommended to be viewed and discussed over 13 consecutive weeks) taught by Dr. Del Tackett, instructor of Christian Worldview at the Focus Leadership Institute and a former Senior Vice President of our ministry. This study is the starting point for looking at life from a biblical perspective. Each lesson discusses in great detail the relevance and importance of living the Christian worldview in daily life.

If I pleaded with anyone to become a part of a bible study, it would be this one!

"Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior. . ."

Psalm 25:5

What study have you learned the most from?

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Serving Others With This!?

If you saw my last post, Love Chooses From An Empty Plate, then you know for a time over 5 years ago, I had a hard time.  This is what the storm was about that I mention up above in my intro.  But God is so good, He didn't leave me there.  He used many things and people to help me come out of the funk I was in and this. . .

is one of those things He used.  Can you tell what it is?  :)

It's VERY delicious!

Homemade chicken salad.

How you may ask, did He use this to bring me out of my funk?

A friend, one of my angels at the time, dragged me, yes dragged me to our church to become involved in the lunch/hospital ministry.  There is a different team of people that show up in the church kitchen every Thursday morning and make chicken salad sandwiches,

bag them, and deposit them into these. . .

white lunch bags. Along with the sandwiches, these go in. . .

and these. . .

and these. . .

The bags are folded and a note stapled to the outside. . .

and then all the lunch bags are loaded into these Prime Timer tote bags. . .

Let me just say, I'm not a Prime Timer yet, but they let me come on board.  They have SO much fun!

We leave the church kitchen with totes slung over our shoulders and we head to the two hospitals in our town.  We hit the ICU room first and deliver the goods to the family of patients. Then we go looking for family sitting in the patients rooms. They sit there most of the day, worrying about their loved ones, not wanting to miss phone calls from the doctors, waiting for a loved one to get out of surgery, and so they don't eat a lot of the time.  This is our ministry to feed them and offer prayer for them and their loved ones.  I have met and prayed with so many neat, wonderful people and they are ALL SO appreciative of the food and the visit.

It did my hurting heart SO good to get out of my little pity party and go serve others, to offer love and compassion to others who needed it in their time of hurt.  And God used this to help heal my hurt.  Isn't that just like God?  To get one outside of herself, to remove the focus off of muah and focus on others, to be put into the company of others who are needing a visit, some food, and a hug and a prayer.  I leave the hospitals every time feeling renewed and good and alive with a smile on my face.  Healing was happening and it felt so good!

Like I said, this began 7 years ago and I am still serving sandwiches.  Three years ago, God led me to start the Blanket Ministry for the homeless.  Another huge blessing to me.

There is just nothing quite like serving others and showing the love of Christ to those in need. . .no matter what that need is.

I share this to encourage if anyone is out there, hurting in their heart, I believe one of the best ways to heal is to go serve someone, to focus on others, to love on others.  Healing and love will go full circle.

Try it!  I dare you!

;)

Love Chooses Over An Empty Plate

*(For my new friends E and K. . .this was taken last Thanksgiving.  The Easter plate was also empty.  Yes, I do understand!)*


I know they meant well. After the precious son left, I kept being told Proverbs 22:6…”Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, will not depart from it.” After so many times of hearing this, I just wanted to scream, “So, I’m suppose to wait until he is old!?” (I’m not a perfect being)

God came in and healed so many ways. But even with a healed heart, a mother still wonders, how long? There comes a point when you have to lay down expectations and love no matter what. It’s a choice. I choose to love even though there is no college education. I choose to love even though the hair is long. I choose to love the dirty fingernails. I choose to love even though there are rare phone calls. I choose to love even though there are few steps over my threshold. I choose to love even though there are no real explanations. I choose to love when there are no real answers. I choose to love when there is green paint on the piano keys. I choose to love when love does not come back. I choose to love in spite of the quiet day after day, week after week, month after month. I choose to love when he comes and when he goes. I choose to love when there is no music. I choose to love as I look at the empty plate.

I choose because I cannot do anything else. His heart beat inside of me for nine months. The child came out but the heartbeat still rings inside of me. He leaves, and yet he is still with me. I love because I cannot do anything else but love the one I bore, this precious gift from God, how could I but not love, no matter what.

The heart chooses to forgive and love grows even more. . .it lets the Eagle Scout go and accepts whoever comes back, because he is still her precious gift, no matter what the wrapping looks like. This love trusts her Heavenly Father, knowing He is working on this one, precious even more to Him. Love stays in the heart, but let’s go, believing it will come back in time as it was meant to be. Love quits asking, “When” and just believes.

“Train up a child in the way he should go and be ready to forgive him.” Ann Voskamp

Yes, we love, we train, we love, we let go, we love in the hurt, we love in the forgiveness, we just love, because we mothers were made to love.

We love because He first loved us.

1 John 4:19

. . .perplexed, but not in despair!

11 Corinthians 4:8

*(to my new friends E and K, we will stand together in prayer, we will keep loving and we will keep serving and we will keep trusting)*

Teresa; Once was Blind but Now She Sees

Teresa didn’t ask for her mother to die when she was little.  She didn’t ask for beatings as a little girl from her father, the man who should have protected her.  A little girl should have the right to be brought up in a home filled with safety and love and teachings that will help her to become a strong woman, not to be raised up to be filled with anger and bitterness and not know what to do with all that emotion.

Some children who are raised like this begin to cut themselves to feel the pain and then to let it out.  Some try to gain control by controlling the one thing they can, their eating habits.  Anorexia and Bulimia then sets in to create even more pain.  Some turn to drugs and/or alcohol.  Some try and some succeed at suicide.  Teresa in her pain became rebellious resulting in her becoming homeless at the age of 14, having no where to go but to the beach.

How does a 14 year old girl, not a child and yet not a woman, make it out there in a great big adult world?  She does what she can to survive the best she knows how.  Teresa did not witness a good role model in the home as to what a good father and husband should be.  As she grew older, she began to pick men that was not good for her, but how they were, was familiar to her.  It’s what she knew.  As she became older over the years, she found herself homeless again with three children.

There are different reasons for people being homeless.  The majority is from bad choices.  And if you’ve been raised by people who are making bad choices, choices that have hurt you, the children grow up not knowing how to deal with the negative emotions.  It’s inevitable they are going to grow up making bad choices and gravitating towards what they know; what’s familiar even if it is not good.

When you see a homeless person, more than likely they are not and have not felt loved and safe for a long time.  This tends to harden ones heart and spirit.  Before we judge them from our nice comfy sofa in our nice warm home, let’s think about what we are doing.  Are we out there showing them there is a love greater than what man can offer?  Are we telling them about this great love that died for them and then conquered death on the cross so that they could live forever in Heaven with God?  Are we telling them about the Hope that we have received? Or do we point that imaginary finger in disgust, judging?  What have you done wrong this week?  How would it feel to have God’s finger pointing at you with harsh judgment?  Instead, His Son Jesus Christ holds out his nail pierced hands in love toward you . . . . .and to them.

I wonder if we all would let that love of Christ pour out onto these people, if it would not soften the hardened heart.  I wonder if homeless people were loved with unconditional love, taught who Christ is, not just that He is God’s Son, but that He can be their Savior and Lord; if we exhibited patience and kindness, grace and mercy as the Father has shown us, if we could point them into the direction of the cross and then into the direction of more help for their situation, I wonder. . . .could homelessness end?  With God all things are possible!

We live in a fallen, sinful world but God didn’t leave us alone to deal with it.  Teresa felt alone and tried to fill that with men.  It wasn’t until she totally surrendered to her Savior and made Him Lord of her life at the small kitchen table, that she realized He was all she needed.  She doesn’t need a man anymore. God may bless her one day with a man, a good man, if He so chooses, and that would be a blessing.  But her hope is not in man anymore, it is in Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior. He has blessed her with forgivness in her heart for others, a good job, a good home, and five children she is a loving, godly mother to and a church home that she faithfully serves in.

Oh people!  (I'm talking to myself here as well) We have a responsibility and as believers we’ve been commanded to go tell the Good News.  The Bible doesn’t say to just go share with the nice, pretty people in the salon and with your next door neighbor, and the guy in the three piece suit.  Jesus came for the sick and dying and these just mentioned may be just that and need to hear the Good News and feel Christ’s love, but so do the ones out on the street, in the alley’s, underneath the bridge, and on the park bench. Even the young, sad, 14 year old girl sleeping on the beach. 

If someone is reading this and is thinking, I cannot physically go, then pray.  Pray for the people who need to hear, pray for the ones who can go, pray for the Lord to bring them to you.  Pray our hearts will grieve for the lost, hurt, and dying, for their eyes to open so that they may see, so that they can say, I was lost but now am found. O amazing grace!

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Arise My Love by Newsong

Counting the blessings. . .

Calvary's Hill
His uncompromising obedience
His quiet love
the wooden cross
the torn veil
victories
jobs finished
the empty tomb
freedom
security
grace
salvation
a risen Savior
my very grateful, saved heart!

He has risen indeed!

The Get-Away

It was a long season.  I had been feeling tired and weary for a time. Befriending the homeless and writing their stories is a joy for me. . .they have captured my heart. . . but over time I just need a break. Sometimes we just need a break. Break from work, break from people, break from the seriousness of life.

Can you tell I need a break?

 My husband sent me a surprise e-mail saying pack an overnight bag, I'm taking you on a secret rendouzvou.   Hmmm, I pondered. . .

for a about the length of a second. . .and then these words came to my mind

. . .HALLELUJAH! THANK YOU JESUS!

  I was needing a break I tell ya!  And as a true blogger, as I have been deemed by people, ( I think just because I carry a camera),  I had to chronicle it.  It's just more fun! 

NO, WAIT!  The idea was to get away from work, people, computers, laptops and cameras!  It was all put away. Sorry. . .it was great but no pics

After telling my college age son we were going away for a couple of days, he looked sad and asked if I would be leaving any food and would I do his laundry before I left. What do you think I said to the big boy. . .

I'll just say he figured out how to feed himself, he didn't waste away and there was a pile of laundry waiting for me when I got back.

  People have been asking me about the get-away.

As my husband called it, it's a secret.  Some things are better just left unsaid and unwritten.

But I can tell you this.  An overnighter and a couple days away from the routine of life can do wonders for the tired soul and mind.

Can you tell. . .

Thank you sweet Jesus for the gift of a sweet husband, sweet time away and refreshment.

Just what the doctor ordered. . .I didn't know it, but the two loves of my life did!

I'm ready to go again, full steam ahead! Thank you Lord!

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Do you ever just need to get away?

I think Jesus did.

Where do you go?

Sometimes, just a "Calgon, take me away" is great :) 

*the pictures were self taken as an assignment and then to use them in a post*

  

A Quiet Love

Sshhh. . .read this in your mind as a whisper. . .ssshhh. . .

My brother is nine years older than me, my sister 5 years older. Yep, that makes me the baby. The three of us are different from each other in many ways, yet we have one thing in common. We are people of few words. None of us are big talkers, yet we show our love in quiet ways.

When I was little, our parents divorced. My sister and I stayed with mom. We had very little money and shopping for new clothes did not happen very often. My sister was skilled with the sewing machine and reading patterns and she sewed me new outfits every now and then. A new top, a new dress made me feel special and I would be on top of the world. Her quiet love came through.

My brother, a master carpenter, made me 6 ½ ft. x 5 ½ ft. bookshelves for my 16^th birthday present. He built four drawers at the bottom. It was beautiful to me and I loved it. This went into my bedroom at the time to hold all my teenage treasures. His quiet love came through.

As I ponder on this, another powerful quiet love comes to my mind…Jesus love. When Jesus was being tortured and mocked, how did He respond? With quiet love. When the people sneered at him, spit at him and made fun of Him for saying He was the Son of God, how did He respond? With quiet love. When they drove the nails into His hands and feet and hung Him up on the cross, how did He respond? With quiet love.

Imagine the noise coming from the crowds accusing Him, demanding He be crucified. Imagine the noise coming from the ones administering the torture, and the crowds growing louder and louder. What did Jesus do? He remained quiet. Why? Because He was doing the Fathers will. Why? Because He loved the Father and He loved you and me so much that there were no more words for Him to speak. He spoke the loudest with no words through His blood being spilt, carrying that heavy, wooden cross, and hanging on that cross suffering physically until God received His spirit.

His quiet love was so powerful that it touched one of thieves to his side and made this thief realize that Jesus was who He said He was and the thief wanted to be remembered by Him.

Such powerful, amazing love came through the quietness of this man, Jesus, through the most brutal of events towards Him.

I can’t leave the story here though. You know how it ends. He was raised three days later. Was there a parade? Was there fanfare? No…just a quiet entrance back into the presence of His disciples, and then 40 days later, a quiet ascension back to Heaven. There is something to be said for quiet. It’s in the quiet that we hear our Saviors voice the loudest. In our quiet times, let Him hear our voice telling Him how much we love Him, and then when we are out in the noise of the world, show Him our love by our actions, however quiet they may be.

My Lord shows His quiet love every single minute of every single day. He is always there by my side helping me through every moment, blessing me every which way, guiding me to see all the gifts He is giving. My bookshelves from my brother now proudly sit in my dining room, holding books written by ones who love the Lord, and with loved ones pictures in their frames. I feel my brothers love through this masterfully crafted piece. My sister shows her quiet love now through the many prayers she offers up for me and my family. My siblings live over 700 miles away from me now, but every once in awhile, they call me to see how I’m doing. The quiet love flows through the telephone lines and makes me smile. I think they are smiling too…in their own quiet way.

May you all be blessed as you ponder this week about the death, buriel and resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

sshhhh. . .do you hear His quiet love?

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