One of these days I’m gonna get back on a regular blogging schedule…but for now, I’m doing well to get through the day just doing the basics…taking care of my family, doing laundry and trying to keep house together while I feel sick as a dog most days.  This too shall pass, but for now it’s sticking around pretty solidly.

There’s something else that’s been going on lately which has taken a pretty serious place on this stage of my life.  I asked permission to share it with you all and was met with an enthusiasm to ask for your support as well.

One of my very dearest friends is battling cancer.

Melissa is one of the neatest people I know.  Her attitude is so constantly overwhelmed by the faithfulness of the Lord, and even when she’s in a hard place, she has the wisdom to ask friends to help carry her through it.  She’s fun, thoughtful, honest, caring, and has an adventurous spirit.  She is a phenomenal person, wife, mother, and friend. Her faith is nothing less than inspiring.

This is Melissa’s second round with cancer.  About 4 years ago she had breast cancer and after some treatments (she never had to do chemo), the Lord took the cancer away….Melissa was miraculously healed and went on to have and nurse 2 more children that the doctors had told her were unlikely.

A few months back, Melissa became really ill.  We thought it was pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus junk…just stuff that wouldn’t go away.  She saw doctors, and as her cough became more consistent over time, she began to lose weight and feel worse.  There was finally a scan done of her lungs a couple of months ago which revealed a mass in her lung that once tested was revealed to be the exact same type of cancer that she had before.  She was shocked.

There’s really so much more to this story than I can tell you in one post, but here’s what I want to say about it right now.

Her faith has been phenomenal…and as a result of her faith and the faith of our close group of friends and congregation at church, I am sure I have never seen prayer walked out in such an amazing way.  And that’s saying something.  Several years back we walked through a fatal pregnancy with a friend and saw the Lord answer thousands of prayers to restore life…their son will be 4 in March…it was a time where I was involved in praying like I never had been before.  But even this time with Melissa, I have to say that I have seen what prayer in the body of Christ can look like in an even more phenomenal way.  It has been amazing.

Some friends and I began doing a study on a book about healing, and have all been alternating days of the week in fasting, praying, and asking the Lord for words and scriptures for Melissa.  The recurring words have been really amazing.  Multiple times each day I get texts from this group of women with scriptures that the Lord has given them for Melissa and we all join in agreement to pray the same things.  And the theme that we see over and over again in the scriptures that the Lord brings us to is that “what has been done before will be done again.”

This morning I was reading in Matthew about Jesus feeding the 5000 and I was struck by a couple of things.  One was that when the disciples first told Jesus to send the people away, he told them to go themselves and feed the 5000 with the 5 loaves and 2 fish.  It was after they marveled at the impossibility of it that he almost seemed annoyed that he was having to explain this to them again….they had seen miracles and he empowered them to be a part of them.  He broke the bread, gave thanks for it and then handed it to the disciples to distribute….the disciples continued to see the bread multiplied in their own hands….to a point of excess….12 baskets of excess in fact.

A few pages later I started reading a story about the feeding of 4000.  I flipped back and forth to make sure I hadn’t flipped to a different account of the same story, but I had not.  This time there were 4000 people, 7 loaves and a few fish.  The disciples said to Jesus “what are we going to do…this place is desolate and we only have this little bit of food.”  I can’t imagine the look on Jesus’ face as he thinks to himself “Seriously guys…did we not just feed MORE people starting with less food just a few days ago?  Have you forgotten already?!”  So he gives thanks, breaks the bread again, and tells the disciples to give out food again…again it multiplies in their hands and there is excess.

And as I read this, I hear the Lord say that what He has done before, He will do again….and He uses his disciples to see His purposes through.  He allows us to be a part of the work that He is doing.  He wants and expects us to remember what He has done before and to claim that it will be done again. We are a part of the process.  And it gives a whole new meaning to prayer for others doesn’t it?  It gives a whole new level of faith, and a whole new level of expectation, and a reminder that we are to remember and call back into existence the faithfulness of the Lord that we have seen before.  Testimony is remembering what has been done…and faith is calling it in to being again.

Join me in praying for Melissa?  That what healing has been seen before will be done again.  That hands that have seen bread broken before would not question if it could be done again, but would take the bread, break it, and distribute it to the multitudes again.  That our faith would be great to see what has been done before repeated.

Friends,

I’m sorry I’ve been so quiet lately.  Thanks to those of you who have asked if I am ok.  I am.  I have felt really sick lately though.  I promise that I won’t turn this blog into a full on documentary of pregnancy, but that is why I’ve been MIA online lately.  I’m exhausted all the time…as in taking a nap every afternoon and going to bed right after my kids do at like 8pm….leaving me very little time for blogging or doing anything else I love for that matter.  And I’ve been really really nauseous.  I don’t know who named it “morning sickness” because last I checked for me it starts one morning and then stays a few weeks…not some temporary 8am-10am bout with mild upset or anything.  In fact, I think it’s annoying that it’s even called “morning sickness”…any of you out there ever only have it prior to lunchtime?!

I have a busy week this week.  My brother is finally home from his tour on the George Bush aircraft carrier, and after 6 years in the Navy, he’s done with that too.  He’s spending the week with us here since we haven’t seen him in months… and he’s got some time to spare now that the government isn’t telling him what to do on a daily basis.  I think my little guys and I wore him out pretty well at the Upstate Children’s Museum this morning too.  I’m tired, and I’m used to them….he’s taking a nap and as soon as I’m done here, I will be too!

My baby turns TWO on Wednesday as well.  We’re having a small party for him in a few days and even though it’s small, I’m still doing all of the details that I love.  It’s going to be a dog themed party since he pretty much has an obsession with dogs.  I’ve been working on some doggie bag treats, bone shaped cookies, and a fun table centerpiece that I’ll show you all later this week.  I’m cheating and having a local bakery make the cake though.  I’m too tired, I really prefer focusing on all the other details, and honestly…he’s 2 and doesn’t care.  I”m excited about the inspiration photo that I found though. Check it out.

Our cake will be a bit bigger, and well see how it turns out from this bakery I’m using.  Most important thing is that my little guy loves it and it tastes good.  If I’m paying for it though, I’d obviously like for it to look close to what I have in my mind.

Well, I’m about to pass out!  Time for a siesta!  Have a fun Valentine’s Day tutorial coming up for you this week that I think you’re going to love…as well as a neat giveaway!

Bear with me the next few weeks as I’m doing my best to keep my head above water!  Can’t believe as my baby turns 2, Life for Dessert will turn 1!  Kinda fun…been pounding the keys for a year now….still loving it too and SO appreciate the time that all of you spend here!  I’m curious to hear from you all as well.  Leave me a comment and let me know what you’d like to see more of this year on Life for Dessert?  Do you most enjoy recipes, crafts, funny stories, home decor….what?  Why do you come here to read and what keeps ya around?  Weigh in and let me know your thoughts!  Give me your 2 cents…or 4 cents…or whatever you feel like sharing!  Thanks ya’ll!!!

Oh my words I’m so tired ya’ll.  Seriously…all day I feel like this…

Image Credit Sodahead.com

But somehow I feel it literally in every single joint, every single muscle…I think even the action of yawning is exhausting to me.  I forgot how pregnancy does this to me.  So fatigued these first few weeks that I fall into bed at my baby’s naptime.

After we put our kids in bed tonight, I dragged myself down the hall (at a whopping 8pm) and literally collapsed into bed.  I even groaned for added effect for my husband….he assured me it wasn’t any more impressive with the groan.  Maybe I’ll skip that part next time.  Seriously though…I did fling myself into the bed…and i nuzzled down into the sheets and I had this thought….

“I’m so glad that I’m a sheet snob.”

image from The Company Store

The truth is out.  I confess that I am a total sheet snob. I really only like good sheets.

My mom pretty much always bought 100% cotton sheets for us as kids anyways, but as I got older, I began to realize that when I cozied up to my parents in their bed to watch a movie or something, their sheets were significantly more awesome feeling than mine.  So one year, I asked for a set of really pretty cream dotted sheets with a lacy looking trim from The Company Store for my birthday.  They were 350 threadcount supima cotton….and thus began my love for soft sheets.  I still have that set…they keep getting softer.

And as I’ve continued my quest for amazing sheets over the years, I’ve learned a few things that I thought I’d pass along.

A bit of preliminary deconstructing of the lingo for you here too….straight from the website of The Company Store (who by the way have phenomenal sheets.)

“What is Thread Count?

It’s the number of threads (strands of cotton) woven together in a square inch. Generally speaking, the higher the thread count, the softer the fabric. But it’s important to note that thread count alone doesn’t tell the whole story. The quality of the cotton used is just as important.

What is Egyptian Cotton? And Supima Cotton?

Egyptian cotton has long been recognized as one of the finest fabrics available. It has a longer staple: this refers to the length of the cotton strand. A longer staple means that the spun fabric is both stronger – and softer – than shorter cottons. Supima is American-grown, having descended from its Egyptian cousin. Both are superior choices for the finest of luxury bedding and high thread count sheets.”

Now for my personal research and development…which has basically come from extensive sleeping over the years.

• I’ve tried everything ranging from 200-1100 thread count, I think my favorite ones are in the 400-600 range. They get softer faster, and only improve with each washing.  While the 1100 ones are amazing now, they were too stiff for several years and not quite as cozy for a long time.  You can often find great deals on the 400-600 range as well.
• Egyptian Cotton or Supima Cotton Sateen sheets are my favorite.  Notice I didn’t say “satin”…but “sateen.”  I’m not into jumping onto the bed and sliding right off the other side of my sheets.  This particular kind feels so silky and soft without the sliding factor….you will love. Trust me.
• Good sheets equal great sleep.  Face it, you spend almost 1/3 to 1/2 of your life sleeping….it’s like buying a good pair of running shoes, or a good bra…it just needs to be done.  Your bed should be cozy.  And if you really want to know the truth, my most perfect bed ever is actually the one in our guest room…it’s like sleeping in a cloud.  Ask anyone who has ever stayed here.  There’s a good mattress, a mattress pad, a featherbed, and a down topper….and that’s just what’s under the fitted sheet.  Add comfy pillows and soft sheets, and you’re in dreamland in no time.  My Hubs doesn’t like to sleep in a cloud (after almost 9 years, I still can’t comprehend that,) but we compromised and have a mattress with a tempurpedic foam 4″ topper…and of course my insistence on fabulous sheets.  I still like the guest room bed the best though even though I don’t actually sleep in it….it’s the way I always did a bed up before I got married.
• Nice sheets don’t pill.  You know those awful little tiny balls that get all over crappy sheets?  It’s pilling….and if yours do that, then you need to get some new ones so you can know the awesomeness I’m talking about.  For real though…good sheets only get softer and smoother over time.
• Don’t get too crazy with sewn in patterns on great sheets.  We have a set that have a window-paned stitch on them, and while they’re 500 threadcount, I don’t like them.  The raised stitching to add visual interest keeps them from feeling as smooth as the plainer sheets.  I’ve gotten to where my most favorites are solid or have a tone on tone stripe or dot…sateen of course!

Listen, I’m not an expert or anything, and I can’t tell you about 15 different kinds of cottons and weaves…but I can tell you that I’ve easily slept on a LOT of different kinds of sheets over the years….everything from polyester to flannel to jersey knit to egyptian cotton…so while my research isn’t wildly specific…it’s tested!  And here’s what I’ve determined over the years (and confirmed even more over the past couple of weeks when all I can think about is crawling into my bed)….it matters…threadcount matters…fabric matters…good sleep REALLY MATTERS!

So I thought I would pass it along.  And honestly, I’m really so stinking tired that I can barely think beyond my bed right now anyway…so that’s what you get….a post written on my bed…about my bed.  And now…I think I’m going to go to bed.

Oh friends…I had the most hellatious night.  As in, it was so bad that I picked up the “quotable women” book on the back of my toilet at 3am and felt inspired by the words of Roseanne Barr …of all people….

“There’s a lot more to being a woman than being a mother, but there’s a hell of a lot more to being a mother than most people suspect.”

You know things have gotten crazy when Roseanne Barr starts speaking to your soul.

For the first time in my life, I had to call 911 last night.

I’ve told you before that Tid Bit has food allergies.  But over a year ago he was re-tested and no longer tested positive for fish and shellfish, and eggs after 4 years of complete avoidance.  We’ve been enjoying all of those things ever since.

Last night I made this crazy looking pasta for my kids for dinner.  I thought it looked fun.  They did too.

But about 10 minutes after eating it, my 5 year old started sniffling and saying he was itchy.  After about 15 minutes, he started getting hives all over.  20 minutes in his eyes started swelling, he was coughing and his lips turned blue.  I was scared.  My husband was showering him off to see if that calmed him down and I was on the phone with the pediatrician’s office who told me to head to the hospital.

I ran upstairs to the bathroom before taking him to the hospital, and while I was on the can, he came in and standing about 2 feet in front of me started to gag and said he was about to throw up.

This is the part where I feel like Roseanne Barr is inspiring to me….because there is a “hell of a lot more to being a mother than most people suspect.”

You know those moments in life where you think, “If that ever happened to me I don’t know what I’d do?!”  Well…when you’re on the toilet and your kid is about to wretch all over you, you might just jump the heck out of the way like I did and somehow manage to find yourself panicking and simulatenously peeing in the freaking bathtub!  WHAT?!?!?!  I SOOO wish I was kidding.  I don’t know what happened…I just know my kid was sick and he needed where I was more than I did.  I can’t believe I’m even telling you this part, but quite frankly it’s the only comedic relief I can find in the entire ordeal.  Yes friends…I sat on the side, and I straight up peed in the tub.

So…he’s puking, I’m peeing over the edge of the bathtub, my husband is practically tossing our 2 year old into his crib as I’m yelling to tell him that I think we need to call an ambulance.  It’s the stuff real life is made of you know.

Somehow, the Hubs comes in while Tid Bit is throwing up, I run downstairs and can’t believe I’m pressing those dreaded 3 numbers…9-1-1.

The woman on the phone from the dispatch office was phenomenal.  I was holding it together until she told me I needed to use one of these….

Yes friends…that’s an epi-pen.  And if you’ve never had to see one then count yourself lucky.  I’ve considered myself lucky to only have to refill the prescription every year without having to ever actually use it.  The sweet voice on the other end of the line though told me to use it and I started to cry.  You basically have to slam the thing into your child’s thigh and hold it there for 10 seconds while the medicine dispenses. And if there was ever any doubt, 10 seconds is a freaking eternity!

I got the needle and was proceeding towards my little man when I heard the siren of the ambulance.  He was crying and scared, I was crying and scared, and with help within earshot, I waited the next 45 seconds until they got to my door.  Literally it was maybe 3-4 minutes from the time I hung up with 911 until there were paramedics running across my lawn to help us.  And ps. those paramedics will be getting some kind of goodies from us this week.  They were amazing….I give them a big stinking standing ovation.

Before the medics arrived, my hubs was praying over our son and blessing him, and by the time they came downstairs from the puking, my baby’s feet and lips were no longer blue.  The paramedics checked him out and said that the Benadryl my husband gave him was keeping things from getting crazier.  His oxygen levels were good, his skin was seeing signs of improvement, and despite a fast heartbeat (which was to be expected) they said that we could probably just keep a close eye on him over night.

So we put him in our bed and did just that.

But the night wasn’t over.  I guess that our baby must have recognized all the stress going on when we put him in his bed because he ended up being awake….wide freaking awake…from 11pm-3am.  He was crying and yelling and wanting to get up and “weed books, eye awww done, pway, toys, see brudder.”  So my Hubs and I alternated back and forth trying to get him to bed between sessions of trying to let him cry it out.  So at 3am when I read Roseanne Barr….it’s really no wonder I found her full of wisdom.

Being a mother takes me places I’d never have thought possible…emotionally, spiritually, and physically….and while I would really like to get a good night sleep tonight, never again feed my kids weird blue squid ink colored pasta or have to call an ambulance… and I sure as heck would prefer to not pee in my tub again….I still wouldn’t trade this journey called motherhood for anything.

**I’m adding this question after my original posting of this, but I was wondering….What’s a crazy thing you’ve found yourself doing that you’d have never imagined for the sake of your kids?  Ready…Go!

Seriously ya’ll, can you believe that another year has come and gone?!  How did that happen?  Where did 2011 go?  What on earth will 2012 bring?  I’m so excited to find out!

As I’ve been thinking back on this past year, I find a sense of accomplishment of doing something I’ve never been much good at doing…keeping a journal.  I mean, I still don’t do the whole “dear diary” sort of thing, but as I look back at this past year, I have this space to thank for a more detailed picture of my life.  Some hard moments, some fun projects, family hilarity, great recipes, travels, times with friends….and it’s all written down!  I really enjoy reading back over some of my old posts, and I was thinking that maybe you would too.  So here are a few of my favorite posts from 2011, and some that statistically speaking you guys must have liked too!

There have been a few times where I let the lesser woman in me hang out a little…

Like when I confessed that the way it sometimes seems like I can “do everything” is actually just because I have a giant junk drawer.  Or how about the time my temper really got the best of me and I threw an egg at the wall?!  Remember that? Awful!

And some of my most favorite recipes have definitely gotten some love across the globe this year thanks to a place to share them and friends to try them out (you all!)

Like these mouth-watering Shrimp and Grits….counted among my favorite easy and impressive dishes to fix for company.

And several of you seemed pleased to learn How to Properly Cut an Onion and how to make Homemade Chicken Stock.

A few others that garnered rave reviews in my home and yours were my most favorite Banana Bread, Fig and Sausage Pizza or Salad, the greatest Sugar Cookies ever, Moroccan-inspired Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives, summery-fresh Fish Tacos, and Fall-Off-The-Bone Baby Back Ribs.  I have to be honest though, as I looked back through the recipes I shared this year, I’m pretty psyched to go back through them all myself.  I’m not kidding when I say that I don’t share it if it’s not amazing….I posted quite a few culinary stunners this year if I do say so myself.

I enjoyed sharing my propensity for ridiculous things said and done as well…like when I TOTALLY embarrassed myself at Arbys or when I tried to drink through a glue stick.  And oh my words…the sunglasses incident?!  So embarrassing!  And still…the best pedicure I’ve had all year was THIS one.  Give it a shot…if you dare.

I appreciated how you all let me be real with you too…about things like losing babies, hard days when even mommies throw temper tantrums, about my faith in the One who qualifies us for great things, and even those times when we all need to eat a big fat slice of humble pie.  I love that I can be honest here…and I SO appreciate how many of you seem to actually appreciate that as well.

I loved sharing crafts and projects with you too.  Like the bench I made from an old headboard, how to make a hymnal wreath, and how to antique a table.

I was able to tell you about a few of my most favorite products and even give some of them away too…KEEN Footwear, Goody Goody Bon Bons, a fantastic Eureka Steam Mop, Lily Pottery jewelry, the Foster’s Market cookbook, Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Gussy Sews ruffled awesomeness, and Red Letter Words artwork.

Having a place to share about fun parties and home decor was a blast this year!  My baby’s 1st birthday Very Hungry Caterpillar Party, the Easter Egg Hunt, the Rustic-Chic Wedding I styled, and finishing the year with a tour of my home and some super fun Christmas decorations.  Loved it ya’ll!

Truly….I have been amazed at the fun this has been, the friends I have made, the connections of old re-connected….it’s been phenomenal.  I am so beyond grateful for each one of you who spend your time here…with me.  I can’t tell you how my heart jumps with excitement each time I have a comment from one of you, how I’ve cried along with some of your stories shared, how blessed I’ve felt by your encouragement.  Really….thank you all.

Happy New Year friends!  Let’s take a big bite out of this coming year together….let’s savor it…and enjoy it…like the dessert that it is!

This is a post I wrote a couple of months ago….prematurely really, since it’s actually the perfect thing to serve for New Years…but it was just so so good that I couldn’t wait.  So…you’re getting it again.  It’s good enough to share again.  I promise!

I must confess that headed into this recipe I was skeptical. I’m a good Southern girl, but that doesn’t mean that I have a burning passion for all things black-eyed peas and collard greens that I want to tell the world about. In fact, memories of the food from every single New Year’s Day growing up still make me cringe.

If you’re from the South, you probably at least know what I’m talking about. The New Years Day dinner. Black eyed peas for luck and prosperity in the new year, collard greens for money, cornbread for gold, stewed tomatoes for wealth and health, and if you really want to be the luckiest one at your table, then you’ll be the one served the penny in the bottom of the pot along with all of your black-eyed goodness.

I started dreading New Year’s Day food always very shortly after Christmas. And every year I remember begging my mom to just make something normal.

SO, when my sister recommended that I try this recipe back in November (it is originally from Cooking Light 2007,) I just wasn’t so sure. But she’s a great cook and so is my mom who also recommended it. They both love the New Years food though. It was a risk to be sure, but after weeks of sickness, and busyness, and travel…I have to be honest and say that my creative cooking bone had taken a vacation as well. To put it plainly, I’d been in a culinary slump. And the first time I made this, I just didn’t want to have to think about what was for dinner…I just wanted to cook it.

I did it though. I went to the store and I bought the stuff I needed and I made this stew. And now since I’ve taste-tested, I can’t wait to eat it again. It is awesome! This stew has single-handedly changed my opinion on New Year’s food.  In fact, when I saw black eyed-peas on sale at the store this week, I was actually excited to make this again at the time that seems to most celebrate these ingredients!

Here you go ya’ll. For those who love collards and black-eyed peas…and for those who, like me, need a new opinion of them.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried black-eyed peas
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil (whatever…I used EVOO. I have a feeling any oil is probably fine.)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 8 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 cups vegetable broth (I LOVE Better than Bouillon more than broth or bouillon…give them a shot for any base broth)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 1 (10-ounce) bag prewashed collard greens (or mustard greens, or turnip greens…the collards are a little heartier though)
• 1 (10oz can) Rotele tomatoes (the original recipe didn’t call for this, but it added some awesome kick.) For a less spicy version, I’d leave this out.

Preparation

• Sort and wash peas; set aside.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 3 minutes or until tender. Add sausage; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Stir in broth; bring to a simmer, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Stir in peas, salt, peppers, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until peas begin to soften. Uncover and cook 15 minutes or until liquid begins to thicken.
• Stir in vinegar, tomatoes, and mustard greens; simmer 10 minutes or until peas are tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves.

Enjoy ya’ll. And lemme know if any unusual luck comes your way after you make it! 🙂

I can’t believe it’s almost the new year!?!

Yesterday was “one of those days” with my kids.  Or more particularly with my 5 year-old.

Granted, we’ve been kinda cooped up lately, and since he is a boy who is ALL BOY, we run into some behavioral issues when he gets too bored or cooped up.  So I have tried to stave off at least the boredom with things like making sugar cookies, working together to un-decorate from Christmas, playing games, doing crafts….you name it…we’ve been doing it.  But the hours in the day are longer than my list of things fun to do, and sometimes un-fun things just have to go on don’t they?!  (Laundry, tidying up, etc.)  The cooped up though….well, since it’s been raining like crazy…it was bound to get the best of him…and me.  And even when it stopped yesterday, my yard was a smooshy mess with giant trees swirling around in strong winds so I wasn’t exactly itching to send the kid outside to come in muddy-smooshy, or smooshed from a falling branch….even when he drives me crazy, I still love the little guy.

He was tough though yesterday….mean to his brother, rude to me, wildly disobedient, and ridiculously strong-willed (I wish I could say that last part was a real shocker, but with 2 hard-headed parents, the kid comes by it pretty honestly.  SO….to all of you who said that I had it coming from when I was a kid….hope you’re happy now!)

Sometimes, I SOO wish I was one of those people who was described as a “gentle and quiet spirit.”  But I’m not.  I’m not necessarily an all out firecracker either, but I would have to say that if I leaned one way more than the other…I’ve naturally got more spark than serenity.  And yesterday, I felt like my fuse got lit in the morning and as soon as I’d think I’d get it extinguished and under wraps, he’d do something else.  Running around like a wild thing when I was on a phone call, poking my littlest one with a recorder, stealing his balloon, popping his balloon, and then….the thing that about put me into complete explosion….the pickles.

I was trying to take down some of the Christmas decorations…the ones that were so dead even 2 weeks ago they’ve been a fire hazard…wrapped around my banister, flanking my china cabinet, over the doorways….good thing my temper couldn’t ignite them, or we’d have been up in flames by 9 am yesterday!  Anyhow…I digress.  So, I’m taking down decorations in the foyer and my son starts yelling at me that he’s hungry.  I tell him he needs to ask nicely and wait til I’m done and I’ll be glad to help him find something to eat.  Next thing I know, I hear a crash…the sound of glass shattered…and I run into the kitchen yelling “What did you do?!”

I wish I ran in yelling “Are you ok?,” but by that point in the day…I was just over it.  I did remind myself to make sure he was ok, which he was, but when I rounded the corner and smelled the stench of pickles combined with chards of glass strewn clear across the room….I wanted to just absolutely lose it.  And I didn’t completely…but I was angry…and I yelled at him to please just go away so that I could clean the mess….and to please take his brother so that we didn’t end up at the hospital with glass embedded in anyone’s foot either.

It was one of those messes that makes you frustrated just looking at it….lime green, stinky pickle juice seeping across the room in the tunnels that the tile grout lines make…a pile of sandwich stacker pickles covering up even more broken glass…huge chunks of glass jar strewn even up to 8 feet away…and it stunk….pickle stink.  Where to begin?!  Sop up the juice with too many paper towels?  Pick up the mound of pickles, retrieve the chunks of broken glass?  All the while trying to keep a 2 year old out of the room which had quickly become a safety violation.  So so frustrating.

I wiped, I picked up glass, I vacuumed TWICE, I swept, I mopped, and then I steam mopped….and I think…I hope that I got it all.  As I was doing it all, I thought to myself…. “don’t cry over spilt milk…or spilt pickles.”  And by cry, I mean “lose it.”  Don’t let one thing ruin the rest of them…be slow to anger….turn away wrath with a gentle word…even my own wrath…with my own words.  And I find myself realizing that even though I’m no monster by any stretch…not someone who goes nuts all the time (it happens sometimes though), I felt so so angry in my heart….and from the mouth flows what’s in the heart….and, from the heart, I ooze some serious ugliness.

This morning I spent some time studying anger during my quiet time.  I came across these verses in Ephesians 4:

” and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, ²⁴ and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.  ²⁵ Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another. ²⁶ BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, ²⁷ and do not give the devil an opportunity. ²⁸ He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. ²⁹ Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. ”

Do not give the devil an opportunity….let my words give GRACE to those who hear.

Whack!  Upside the head!  And I feel convicted and resolute….that a battle against allowing anger to rule my emotions in these moments is a battle against giving evil a foothold.  It’s me claiming the grace that’s been paid for on the cross, and grabbing that grace…clinging to that grace, and somehow…supernaturally…allowing that to be the thing that takes over my heart and proceeds out of my mouth.