Swine Flu comes in a variety of ways!

Tuesday night Noah came in at 5 p.m after playing outside with his friends. Upon coming into the kitchen where I was preparing dinner, he was white as a sheet.

"Noah are you okay?"

"I'm okay. Just really, really tired."

He asked if he could lie down. This from my ten-year-old son who never, ever, ever, ever, ever wants to sleep.

I knew something was up.

For the next 16 hours, Noah slept. I kept waking him up to check for a fever, but he never had one. I allowed him to be late for school the next day. He seemed okay, but still a little tired.

When I picked him up later, he said, "Mom, I feel great!"

Yesterday morning I woke up and felt as if a train had hit me. Headache and I was just exhausted. I've slept around 18 hours of the last 26. But now? I feel great!

But John woke up this morning and you guessed it, he was achy and exhausted.

I talked to two moms about this and they told me that their kids had the exact same symptoms. One of them asked the doctor about it and he told her it was the mildest form of swine flu without the fever. But it gets worse if you don't allow yourself rest.

So if you or your loved ones feel tired, don't shake it off. Go to bed! If you have what we had, a day or so later, you will feel great!!!

Kimberley Woodhouse's book Welcome Home!

I love this book! Kimberley Woodhouse's book Welcome Home tells the story of the Woodhouse family as they go through many, many trials and tribulations. Kayla, Kim's daughter, is diagnosed with HSAN, a rare disorder that causes Kayla to not be able to sweat or feel pain. The Woodhouses live in Colorado Springs and were recipients of a brand new home care of the ABC show, Extreme Makeover.

Reading this book deeply encouraged me. It's hard to not think, "Well if the Woodhouses went through this and prevailed, I can go through difficult times, too."

Through each leg of Kimberley's journey, we read about God's leading Kim to joy. Joy in the midst of, joy despite, joy no matter what. The phrase "Consider it joy" is peppered thoughout the book.

If you are going through anything difficult, have gone through anything difficult, or believe that difficulties lie ahead, this book will encourage you. The word encourage means "to give courage." Kim gives us courage to keep going,hang on to Jesus and choose joy.

Read it! :0)

Life leads us to Humility

I woke up this morning extremely tired, even though I had 7 hours of good sleep. I'm sure that colored the day a little.

After the boy left for school, I watched a little of the Today Show and saw the story about a 15 year old boy who was lit on fire by 5 of his classmates - bullies. He had called the police about one of them trying to steal his dad's bike. They retaliated.

Horrible. Tragic. I cried for him and I cried for his mom. Pray for him - his name is Michael and he received burns over 80% of his body. And pray for his family. And pray for those kids who did an evil, evil thing. This is Michael.



So after I finished crying, I noticed that Noah left his lunch. On my way to go write with a friend, I dropped it off at his school. During that trip I encountered some one who was downright mean to me. Mean with a capital M. I drove on to my friend Loretta's house, mumbling. Not positive mumbles either.

As I got to Loretta's she was on the phone. I set up my computer on her dining room table as is our custom. She hung up the phone and screamed.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"What's the problem, Loretta?"

"Oh, just some woman and miscommunication. But I know this is supposed to lead me to humility."

Lead me to humility. Wow.

I thought about those words and applied them to my own situation. Watching the horrible actions on TV - should that lead me to humility? I think so. God is the only answer to those boys' problems. He is the only one who can heal Michael. I thought about my own son, and I thanked God, in humility, for his safety.

I thought about the mean woman I'd encountered. Was that incident supposed to lead me to humility? Yes. I can love her back, in humility, even if she is in a bad mood or place. If I turn on the pride, which I did this morning, I just get angry and defensive. How dare she? But if I let her words lead me to humility, well then God can show me the high road.

Life's situations often lead us to humility. And humility leads us to better resemble our Father in heaven.

But I have to confess, I hope nothing else happens today that leads me to humility.
:0)

Family, Family, Family!!

This last week a whole bunch of Iobsts came to Denver! My mother-in-law, JoJo Iobst, came to celebrate her 70th birthday. Joining the fun was her sister, Nan, my three beautiful stepdaughters, Marriah, Sarah and Hannah, and Marriah's boyfriend, Schno (pronounced Snow - he said he had hippy parents :0) ) and of course the three of us.
We laughed and ate and celebrated. We played games and visited and loved on one another, especially the patriarch of our family - JoJo. A sweeter woman never lived. :0)

So I am exhausted and happy. Relieved it's over and sad they left.

Here are some pics of the Iobst gang!

Our family - (standing) Sarah, JoJo, John, Noah, Hannah, Nan (sitting) Schno, Marriah
This was taken in front of the Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs. We went one night for some western barbeque and music.



My three lovely stepdaughters, Hannah, Sarah and Marriah! They are each wearing heart necklaces JoJo gave them on HER birthday. :0) She is so kind.



Of course, our dog Scooby was a huge hit! This is Nan and JoJo and the dog! :0)



When JoJo was leaving she told us it was the best birthday ever in 70 years. Wow, thank you Jesus.

Have You Smelled Yourself Lately?

Ever watch Bravo’s The Actor’s Studio with James Lipton? It’s a show in which Lipton interviews celebrities about the craft of acting. At the end of each interview, he asks his guests the same list of questions. One of them is “What is your least favorite word?”

Sure, I’ve daydreamed about being on that show. Silly. Harmless. And I always answer the same when Mr. Lipton asks me this particular question.

“Robbie, what is your least favorite word?”

“Stagnant.”

I can’t stand this word. When I think of it, I always picture a pond of stinking water. No life going in and none going out. And maybe I don’t like this word because I have hated the times in my life when I was seemingly stagnant.

No growth. No challenge. Kind of stinky.

God made us to be people who are constantly and consistently growing. Not just sideways. But in the core of ourselves. That part that sees our weaknesses and tries to change them into strengths. The part that recognizes the beauty of a simple challenge, whether it be traveling to a place we’ve never been or picking up a new hobby.

I find myself looking at that part of me these days. A corner of it is producing a bit of an odor. Just a little. But definitely a funky kind of scent.

Stagnancy must be addressed as soon as it is recognized or it infects other areas. Courage becomes fear. Productivity becomes laziness.

Are you stagnant? Is there a part of you that God is nudging you to look at?

Do you smell anything stinky?

You have a choice. Let it passively go by the wayside, or get busy.

In that elaborate daydream in which I look absolutely fabulous, James Lipton also asks me “Robbie, what is your favorite word?”

My answer is always the same.

“Growth.”


(I won’t be blogging Thursday. Family in town. See you next Tuesday.)

To Tweet or not to Tweet - Help me out!

To Tweet or not to Tweet, that is the question.

I tweeted for a while and gave it up. My problem was that I followed a bunch of famous people, some of which who tweeted every day, several times a day. So I would open up my Twitter account and have ENDLESS tweets from people I don't know. I admire them, but I found myself just not caring about their activity updates.

Just had the best coffee ever.

Meeting with Smith right now.

What a glorious sunrise.

The best tacos are in my town.

Seriously? Do I care?

But I look at Facebook and it is basically the same thing, right? Little details about our lives that really aren't that important. Right?

The difference is on Facebook, I find myself getting to know folks. I read their posts and I truly enjoy the details. Why is that? Is it because they are not super famous? Is it because I personally KNOW most of my FB friends?

I read an article today that said I should start tweeting to build up my online presence as an author. But what I don't understand is what Twitter will do for me that Facebook won't do. Can anyone explain this to me?

I just don't get it.