MY BLOG POSTS

Those of you who took Thomas Nelson Fiction’s Tuesday Challenge know that my first date with my husband was snorkeling in the Gulf of Mexico.

But you what you may not know is that he never intended for it to be a date, that his sister did intend for it to be a date, and that he accidentally (should I put that in quotes??) touched my rear end…all on that first date. So here are the juicy details…

It was the summer of 1994, and Dave I were working at a Christian summer camp. I had promised not to date that summer — I was going to focus on my campers and the ministry God gave me. Dave wasn’t going to date because most us working there were in our first year of college, and he had already finished college. He was just there because his brother-in-law was the camp director and because he had nothing better to do.

As he was leaving his home in Long Island to come to down to Florida for camp, his mom said, “Maybe you’ll meet the woman God has for you this summer.” To which Dave replied, “No, I won’t.”

Mothers are always right.

No sparks flew when we first met. I was focused on my campers, after all. No time for boys.

But I watched him. He was a godly man. He spoke at some of our chapels, and I could tell he really loved God. That was attractive. And, once I started watching more, I saw that he was cute. Really cute.

But I wasn’t going to date.

And Dave didn’t ask me on a date. He asked me to go snorkeling “with a group of friends.” Except the group ended up being me and one other guy. And the other guy went off by himself, leaving Dave and me alone. In the Gulf of Mexico. I had already been approached by Dave’s sister earlier that day. “Don’t break his heart. Please.” She pleaded. “But have fun.”

No pressure.

But we did have fun. Dave was funny and interesting and a great conversationalist. And, did I mention, he was really cute?

Then it happened.

Dave saw a stingray and wanted to swim backwards a little to get a better look. I didn’t know any of this. I was beside him, swimming along (and, just for the record, not at all interested in being anywhere near stingrays). To go backwards while snorkeling, you have to move your arms forward. So he did.

Right into my rear end.

We both came up out of the water. He apologized. Over and over. I quickly said, “Hey no problem.” And then we went back under water and stayed there for a while.

We got married two years later. (though we didn’t “officially” start dating for another six months…but that’s another story)

Moral of the story: If you’re snorkeling in the Gulf of Mexico on your first date and you want to back up to see a stingray and accidentally hit your date’s rear end, be prepared to marry her.

It’s January 10th.

My first book is officially out!

Some people say that having a book published is like having a baby. Since I did not suddenly drop 20 pounds, I would have to say that is not true.

But it is special.

And exciting.

And I have sent little notes to all my friends telling them about it.

And posted pics of me holding it on Facebook.

Okay, so maybe it is like having a baby.

A 336 page baby that lived in my brain for two and half years before making it onto the bookshelves.

I am excited. And a little nervous. But mostly excited.

Did I mention MY BOOK IS OUT?!?!

That is all for today.

If you want to read more…

Go buy my book!!!

The End

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get a little perturbed that I am not devastatingly beautiful. My skin is oily and my hair never makes those “beach waves” no matter what I try.

But here’s the deal, girls: God made me. God made you. If he had wanted us all to be supermodels, he would have created us all as supermodels.

But he didn’t.

Why? I don’t know. That is one of the questions I’ll ask when I get to heaven. Right after, “Why couldn’t you have made chocolate and cheesecake healthy, and broccoli and green beans junk food?”

But here’s what I know: God isn’t really all that concerned with how we look on the outside. He is looking at our hearts — our character (check out I Samuel 16:7). “Beautiful” has a different definition in God’s dictionary than it does in ours.

“Beautiful” to God is someone who shares the Good News with others, someone who helps those who are hurting, someone who puts the needs of others above herself. We are beautiful to God when we love one another and when we obey what he has called us to do.

But do I spend my days obsessing over whether or not I am loving others? Do I look in the mirror and ask myself, “Did you honor God today?” Do I get together with my friends and discuss how we can help those around us?

Or do I spend useless time stressing over the fact that, once again, the “beach wave” attempt is a huge fail? That my eyeliner is thicker on one side than another, and do I keep going and risk having half my eye lined or just take it all off and start again?

I’m not saying that trying to look nice is wrong.  But that shouldn’t be my focus. A bad hair day shouldn’t ruin my day. It is a far better use of my time and energy to be focused on being beautiful inside, to make God smile, than it is to try to meet some standard of outward beauty that only those with great cheekbones and a team of hair and make-up professionals can attain.

So let’s be beautiful, girls! Stunning. But let’s not try to be supermodels. Aim higher.

Much Higher.

I love books.

I’m at the library at least once a week.

Bookstores are more tempting for me than coffee shops. Bookstores with coffee shops — now that is the best invention EVER.

When I go to Ikea (something I love to do), I just sit in the “library room” and pretend I live there.

It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

It’s hard to pick just one favorite book. There are so many. Really, the Bible is my favorite Book of all time. But that was written by God, so it really isn’t fair to pit it against books written by mere mortals.

So my favorite book not written by God…?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Romance, humor, high tea and palatial estates. What’s not to love?

What about you? What is your favorite book ever?