These few days with Dad and mother...

Mother says, "Honey, its freezing." Dad answers back. "Well, I'm hot and my nose feels stuffy." I then chime in, "I'm freezing too." But dad just had to keep it on 69 degrees so mother threw on her big black overcoat and I grabbed dad's sports jacket and she and I just snuggled deeper into the leather seats of the rental car.

This is my life with my parents for the next few days....

These few days have been incredible! I've picked their brains with questions I have had for some time. I've debated with them, goofed off, and then we have laughed and laughed until we had tears in our eyes. I've come to the conclusion that I am indeed a mixture of both of my parents. They both at times can be stubborn as a mule, and definitely opinionated when need be. They are also very sensitive to Gods spirit-several times while driving to our place of destination they would break out and start praying and I would hear them call out the names of people they were feeling a burden for-talk about a Tear Jerker experience! They are full of passion, vision and still are both dreaming big dreams. Dad I think has the brain of a 30 year old, some of the things he was telling me I was like, "Are you sure you are 72?" He still has his head in the clouds some would say, but I love it! He inspires me to fly high and not listen to negativity when it comes and perches itself upon my brain trying to get in and derail me and my mission. He has told me several times, "The battle is in the mind, if the enemy gets you there He's got you. That is why its important to guard what you allow to enter the mind." I don't see my dad sitting in a rocking chair rocking his life away for some time. My mother has been re-arranging their Stockton home working like a dog and has other things on her agenda. She is one who always has a few projects going on at 1 time. I'd say her Patent on life is, "You are what you feed your mind." "Your speech determines where you are headed." She and dad are always talking positive, and when the storms hit them they still see the rainbow even when it seems that they have been drenched in mud. It's a learned behavior because we are programmed to automatically focus on the negative. But we have had some great talks about health, blind faith, relationship with Jesus, and getting to that place where you are content but yet at the same time flying towards dreams and your purpose in life. (There really is too much information to type so I'm just typing out bits and pieces)

Mother made the best health friendly meals, one being veggie stir-fry with pasta and yes I gobbled up every bite. Then she made these amazing veggie tacos topped with sliced avacados which I posted on my recipe blog. I plan to make them at home for my luvie, so amazing! For dessert we had gluten free panacakes topped with peanut butter and homemade strawberry jelly, pure maple syrup with coffee and herbal tea. I also made the Delicio Salsa that I posted on my blog that my friend Deidre shared with me. My parents have been eating it non-stop with their blue flax seed tortilla chips. Luvie also made his famous guacamole and broiled tuna toasties and it was phenom!

Back to my stories....We went to a fairly large health food store and well, when you are with my parents, you might as well be carrying a calculator because they are calculating every penny that goes into that basket. Then I wanted a small bottled water for the rest of the trip but they had to remind me that a gallon of water was less than a dollar and a 16 ozer was $1.29 so I'd be saving a lot of money.(yes we bought gallons instead) Another way of saving money was the store had a members club where you would get anywhere from 10 to 20% off of food. So my mother went to the Customer Service desk and was signing up and then the lady said, "That will be $12.00 but when you turn 65 yrs it will only be $5.00." My mother said Oh, I am 65 and the lady didn't believe her and said, "I need to see your license." (She was taken in just as everyone else is by my mothers beautiful, healthy glowing skin)
So we get back on the freeway again and this time mothers driving and I'm in the shotgun seat while dad sits in the back because he said he wanted to relax. But he didnt seem to relax for too long because soon we were hearing,"Honey go straight, honey watch that car, honey are you sure your supposed to turn off there." By the 3rd or 4 time of hearing, "Honey" Mother and I busted out laughing we could not stop and then dad started laughing. It was so funny because dad was totally trying to tell my mother how to drive. And well, if you know my mother she has a mind of her own:-)

Well another incident I observed was...My mother and I went to the Library and when we went to check out, the lady at the front desk was a total snob to us. I mean she was so demeaning and snippity. Of course sweet little me wanted to snap right back and tell her to quit being a wretched witch. But I refrained and just stood there and instead watched my mother kill this lady's sour attitude with kindness. I watched mother stand there and give the lady her undivided attention and they began discussing the things in life. Wait! Did I see the lady smile? I did. OMW, she is chuckling now! My mother somehow got inside of the grouchy lady(hag:-). And do you know by the time we were ready to go that she was all smiles and going out of her way asking if there was anything else she could help us with. I was truly amazed. Once again I watched a classy lady (my mother)see through the eyes of Jesus instead of her own eyes. She told me later that she too was miffed at the ladies hateful attitude but that such a big wave of compassion came over her for that lady. Wow is right! I so need to see more through the eyes of HIM! Have I let myself become so modernized and perhaps have even allowed some of the methods and attitudes in the Christian Community to distort my view on humanity? I'm not talking about helping the homeless, abused, and the other things that seem to be the hype and "in thing" to do. (of course its all limelight stuff so people gravitate to it) Don't shoot me down....(These are all incredible things we need to be doing) But I just wonder if we didn't get recognition for doing these things and we weren't able to brag about ourselves for doing such great things would we still do them? I had a "moment" this past week to where I was one of those "out of control" females. Yeah me crying profusely and not from depression but from Jesus dealing with me about "My motives" and "My dreams/passions." Seeing through HIS eyes even when no one is looking. I watch my parents live a life that is the same when in a crowd and when alone with just a few of us. To be kind even to those who hurt you. "Oh God" I even prayed later that night, "Please let me see through your eyes and not be so self-absorbed and make it just about me." Needless to say as much fun as I have had with them I have been humbled, thankful and challenged to go beyond the norm yet again. These two people know what its like to fight the good fight. They know what its like to be at the top (in people's eyes) but yet they know what its like to feel pain, and to bleed but at the same time stay the course and hold on to the Only One who can get them through and give them inner peace that so many people are craving to have right now at this moment. I struggle inwardly at times, I'm so full of myself. Why? I ask myself. "Do I struggle with material things? and "Why do I allow myself at times to become immune and feel the need to fit in with the crowds who reason away why God didn't do this and that? Who analyze JESUS way too much so then nothing can happen because after all we are much smarter than Him aren't we? We know more than He does right? Of course I'm being fecicious.

People see my parents....They see all they have done and yes they are two incredible people. But yet, it did not come without a price. While on the way home after leaving them Asbel and I discussed the challenges we are facing and even amongst our peers. A very self-absorbed era we live in indeed for its all about "ME"...I raise my hand to say, "Yes me guilty too." We want the "Glamour" without the price.

Can my generation and the generation behind me still pay the price or should I say stay in the heat of the battle? When someone hurts us do we whine? Do we fight back or do we pray and give it to God? When we are at the bottom do we call 5 of our friends first before we take it to Jesus? We say we want to go to heaven, then shouldn't we put Him first in everything? Why do some compromise and make up excuses as to why prayer, fasting, filtering what goes in/out of the mind, and faith isn't necessary anymore?

I'm sure everyone has an opinion as to why. I really dont care about the thousands of reasons as to why anymore. I am preaching to myself...I say I long to go deeper in HIM but do I really?

For me I have determined in my heart that I will fight to keep these important methods that some deem as "old-fashion" and "things of the past" a part of my lifestyle. Will it be challenging and difficult? I'm sure it will be. Look around us, we are bombarded with new age christianity...Hello!