The Forest Through The Trees........

You know that saying,"You can't see the forest through the trees?" I always struggled with that, I mean what? But this past week I think God cleared it all up for me. For the past couple of months Dan and I have been really struggling with where he would have us. We were wondering if we were anxiety filled, restless or if God was tugging our hearts in preparation for something else. I have had a heart for missions since I was 14. I married a man who always said there was NO WAY he could ever see himself on the mission field. Then more recently Dan said maybe someday he could see God relocating us and using us in that regard. Let me stop and emphasize how much I believe with all my heart that my home and kids are the mission field. They are our ministry before anything else. That's why after much prayer and guidance from the Lord we decided to live on one income when our girls were born. But lately we have been asking God why? Why do you have Dan helping lead a fire department that is in a city that by all accounts is failing. Corrupt would be sugar coating it really. The stress. The tension. The feeling of defeat among the guys is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Is this really where you want my husband God? I shared that we were able to go up to San Francisco this past weekend and at first I told Dan,"I could see us up here." I can see our family anywhere God wants us really. "God could you just physically write it on the wall? Make it clear where you would have us?" Then we got home. Home to our house set apart from the chaos. Set apart from the rows of street lights and constant noise. And then I heard it. The frogs. Not one frog but an entire chorus of frogs. Singing and making as much ruckus as they could. I stepped out on the back patio and just stood there. Stood there listening to the beauty that you can't hear when you live in the city. Stood there being grateful for what we have right here in the now. Thankful that in the chaos and stress of what we call Dan's career God reminded me to stop and hear the frogs through the city. That's my new saying; Stop and hear the frogs through the city. Catchy right? Ha!                               
On another note; I had the VERY unpleasant experience of some idiotic man (and I use that term loosely) following me on the freeway today. So here is what happened and then I will give you my one point self defense tip. I felt like someone was watching me as a truck pulled up along side me on the freeway. Now mind you I'm in my own world trying to talk myself out of going to the Zumba studio. I realize he's keeping pace next to me so I speed up a little. Then he speeds up a little. I slow down a little. He slows down a little. I start to think,"Oh my gosh what if this creeper follows me to the studio?" I have our youngest in the car with  me so I do what any protective mother would do, now pay attention here ladies. This is your "scare the creeper off" lesson. And it's free. I speed up. He speeds up and is watching me. I slam on my breaks, look him right in the eye and start screaming at him,"WHAT IS YOUR FREAKIN' PROBLEM DUDE!!!!!" He slows down to about 45mph and zooms over and gets off at the next exit. He probably thought,"I might be a creeper but I NEVER mess with crazy." Looser. Block me again with my kid in the car and you will wish you never followed me. The end.....