Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day ... Contentment and Chocolate


Y'all, I wrote this poem on "contentment" several years back. I thought it might bring you a good chuckle on this Valentine's Day. We all face hardships of all kinds ... some easy/ some so hard we aren't sure we can press on. In the midst, we often find it hard to be content, and we grumble and complain. Who doesn't want life on easy-street?! But when we seek God with all our heart, through the hardship, we discover that the hardship brings us closer to Him and allows us to know Him in a way we would have never known Him on easy-street.

Being silly, as usual, I broke the word “con-tent-ment” down to define what “discontent” means:
Con - feeling like a prisoner

Tent - stuck in a tent (prison)

Ment (mint) - wishing one was in a hotel room with a pillow and a mint!

God, I don’t like this tent I’m in
Cause it’s cold outside and I’m shiverin’.
You know I don’t want to be known as a complainer.
But I’d rather be in a hotel room for the remainder.
Cause there’s so much left of the night to go.
I’m freezin’, Lord, cause it’s eight below!
The dust on this old air mattress is making me cough
And I roll on the floor when my husband gets off!
My toes are cold, and my poor ol’ back aches
And I think my husband forgot the tent stakes.
The tent has even fallen down a time or two.
Now, honey, I’m not pointin’ the finger at you.
And I know I look silly in hair rollers of blue.
The curl probably won’t stay anyway cause of the dew.
And I’m afraid of having to go to the potty at night
Cause there are too many critters in Texas that bite!
And the fire has died down …
Oh … what was that sound?!
I feel stuck like a prisoner cause the lightnin’ has changed its direction.
And every time I try to use the cell phone, I lose my connection.
I just don’t know that tent camping is for me.
I’d even be happy with a slightly used RV.
Oh Lord, I’m trying so hard to be content.
But, I’d rather be in a warm hotel room with a pillow and a mint!
Okay, how silly can this poem get?! (pronounced "git" ... Texas slang)
- By Shelli Littleton (copyright)

Y'all, when we begin to see God work through our hardships, being in the tent (our hardship) suddenly won’t be so bad; we’ll trade the hotel room and the chocolate mint because we won’t want to miss out on what God has in store for us.

Psalm 61:14 says, “I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.” Then we will be satisfied and content. Psalm 145:16 says about the LORD: “You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”

Dwell with God in your tent … His tent … and He will provide a shelter for you that cannot be shaken, and you will be content. In fact, your idea of what brings contentment may even change. Suddenly, we realize: God is all we need. That realization is sheer deliverance.
“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
Psalm 34:7

Friday, February 3, 2012

Celebrations

2001 Katelyn recovering from surgery
Y'all, we just returned home from Disney World with many things to celebrate - our 25th wedding anniversary, our youngest daughter being 10 years cancer-free, and our oldest daughter becoming a teenager (13).

We walked ourselves ragged through the Disney parks having the time of our lives. One day, after tormenting the girls at Hollywood Studio's Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster (my favorite!) rides, we sat down to drink a coke and when our youngest daughter plopped herself down, she said, "I want to sit on something that doesn't move!" Brian and I laughed ourselves silly over that!

The fireworks at Magic Kingdom from our balcony.

Katelyn (cancer-free), Minnie Mouse, Karalee (teenager!) and Shelli 2012
Brian & Shelli after 25 years. Wonder how long I'll be able to sit "criss-cross applesauce"?!
Our anniversary cupcake from Tigger, Eeyore, Pooh and Piglet!
We left Saturday returning home. We noticed huge smoke off to the distance. After arriving home, we discovered that there had been a horrible accident with 11 people killed on the very interstate we traveled the day prior. The smoke from brush fires had come over to the interstate, and in the wee morning hours, cars entered into that area and couldn't see anything. You probably heard about it on the news. Huge car pile-up. So tragic. I turned on my computer today to see where a young teenager was the sole survivor of her family of four because of that car pile-up.

Also on the way home, along I-10 in Louisiana, we heard gunfire. I immediately had the girls duck down. Brian said he saw the light from the gunfire in the car ahead and to the right of us. He said it appeared they were firing away from the interstate. Y'all? Why would anyone do something like that? Scared me to pieces. Never heard or saw anymore. I'm thinking that area should be called "The Big un-Easy!" Grin!

We all know it, but it just makes you realize all the more how fragile life is. We celebrated our 25th anniversary, but we know tomorrow is not guaranteed. I pray we are able to celebrate our 50th anniversary one day. But this is a reminder to handle this fragile life with care and to live each day with celebration in our hearts and gratitude to God.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Human Trafficking



I have a new article out on human trafficking - Human Trafficking: Are you Willing to Risk the "Dare"?

And if you get a chance, read this older article (Not for Sale: The Fabric of One Cambodian Woman's Life) that I wrote about how women are taking a stand and saying, "I'm not for sale and neither is my family."

Love, Shelli