Holiday Alert: Reminder to Get Mom's Gift

It's about that time of year again--Mother's Day!  It's that holiday that is so easy to forget because it creeps up on you, but if you do forget it you're in big trouble.  Since moms spend 364 days a year worrying about everyone else's problems, it's nice to have a day to relax and be indulged.  Ok, that's not really what happens on Mother's Day, but if it did, it would be nice.  So this year, let's honor the moms in our lives and let them know that we are thinking about them and appreciate them.

The key to Mother's Day shopping is to show your Mom that you put thought into your gift.  Every good Mom will appreciate the effort.  Just don't forget that the clock is ticking.  You have until Sunday to find something for that wonderful lady in your life.  And FYI--don't make her cook!

Predictably Faithful--Even at Home

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much." Luke 16:10

 You know that question that human resource people like to ask in an interview, "What is your greatest strength?" I hate this question.  But I have a really great answer. I say, "I'm dependable. If I tell you I'm going to do something I will make sure it gets done." Interviewers eat this up.  You know why?  Because it's hard to find dependable people.

And it's really hard to accomplish anything with people who don't keep their word.  You know, the people who never show up on time; the people who don't actually call you when they say they will; the people who "forget" what they agreed to do.  These are the people who drop the ball on the little things so that you never want to trust them with something really big.

Even though I've always been a reliable employee in the workplace or at church, sometimes I do drop the ball on the little things.  I forget that keeping my word at home is just as important as keeping my word with my boss.  I need to remember that my word matters--even at home!  If I tell my husband that I'll take out the trash, I need to do it--today.  If I assure my son that he can help me make brownies, I need to make sure that he has that opportunity.  If I make an appointment at the doctor's office, I need to show up at the time I agreed upon.  And if I tell someone I'll call them, I actually need to pick up the phone and do it.

Luke reminds us that faithful people don't drop the ball when it comes to the little things.  They're meticulous and reliable.  They are predictable.  Isn't this the kind of testimony you want?  I know that I want be described as faithful. Let's start taking our words seriously and make sure our actions match up to our words--even at home.

Leah's Love Story

"Now the Lord saw that Leah was unloved and He opened her womb...Leah conceived and bore a son and named him Reuben, for she said, 'because the Lord has seen my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.' Then she bore a son and said 'because the Lord has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also'... She conceived again and bore a son and said, Now this time my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons'.. And she conceived again and bore a son and said, 'This time I will praise the Lord.' Therefore she named him Judah." Genesis 29:31-35

 I've read the story of Jacob and Leah many times before. And each time is just as depressing as the last.  I mean, this poor girl helps her Dad deceive Jacob and as a result ends up married to a man who never loves her.  To make matters worse, Jacob also marries her sister, Rachel, and he completely adores Rachel.  This story just seems like every girl's worst nightmare.

Pastor Brandon pointed out something about this passage that I never noticed before.  When Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are born, Leah makes the statement that she hopes Jacob will take notice and love her.  She's actually having babies to make her husband notice her.  Unfortunately, it appears that Jacob's just using her as a baby momma.

By the time she has her fourth boy things appear to have changed.  When Judah, her youngest is born, she says "This time I will praise the Lord."  She no longer mentions her husband, but instead praises God.  It's almost as if she realizes that Jacob will never live up to her expectations and love her the way she wants to be loved.  So instead, she focuses on God. Isn't this a beautiful love story? 

I'm sure we all know people who got married for the wrong reasons.  Girls who got married because they were desperate to have a life companion.  Or guys who married girls so that they could have a personal maid and cook.  There are the couples who got married because they got pregnant.  And there are even people who got married because they thought they were in love.  But once the honeymoon is over and life happens, these marriages end up on the rocks and people start to wonder if they will ever find true happiness inside their marriage again.

Leah's story is a reminder that we can all be loved the way we want to be if we focus on the One who loves us the most.  God wants us to receive His love and to experience the fullness of His grace.  When we seek our happiness from Him, our marriages will fall into place.

As for Leah, God honored her and sent Jesus Christ to be born to the descendants of Judah.  God fulfilled her when Jacob could not.  What an encouragement to all married persons!  Let's all learn a lesson from Leah's love story. Let's all remember to seek God and to rely on Him to bring love and happiness to our marriages.

Do You Like My Hat?

Apparently the British have this rule that women are expected to wear hats to royal weddings.  One commentator even stated that the invitations said that women were required to wear hats.  Since I didn't get an invite, I don't know if this is true.  But based on the absurd headpieces I saw today, it's probably true.  Apparently hats are still hip in Britain.  And fascinators are all the rage.

I thought about what would happen here if a wedding invitation in Texas required hats.  And then it occurred to me that everyone would probably show up in a cowboy hat!  That's what we call etiquette in Texas. You probably wouldn't be able to find a hat store within 100 miles of here that wasn't devoted to creating cowboy hats.  It just seems like we're light years, or maybe decades, away from the trends in the UK.

I rather like the idea of wearing something ornate on my head, but I'm always afraid that I might obstruct the view of those seated around me. At least that's what I was accused of doing when I tried to wear a big sunhat in Mexico on a mission trip.  But maybe that's why they have the fascinators that many of the girls wore today--or as Philip Treacy the famous London milliner calls them--head pieces.

Who knew that milliners still existed?  The last time I was in a milliner's shop was when I was visiting The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Detroit, Michigan, when I was in the first grade.  I'm pretty sure that the shop I visited was just pretend too. It's so cool to think about going into an actual milliner's shop to choose a hat to go with a fancy outfit.  It seems (and probably is) very high society.

Even though I probably won't ever have a reason to wear a really beautiful hat (although I'm holding out hope that my husband will take me to the Kentucky Derby someday), we can still enjoy them from across the pond.  Here are some hats that I am loving:

These hats by Gina Foster, and many more can be found at http://www.ginafoster.co.uk/.

Every Girl Loves a Royal Wedding

I'm no anglophile, but I'm definitely a sucker for a fairytale love story.  And I must confess, I've been a little distracted lately by the upcoming nuptials of Prince William of Wales to Kate Middleton.  Isn't it every little girl's dream to marry a prince?

Unfortunately, I'm not hosting a 3 a.m. breakfast party on Friday morning to celebrate and watch the wedding.  But I might take a study break this weekend to enjoy a cup of tea and watch the recorded event on my DVR.  (What a wonderful invention!)  I must also confess that I've already watched the Lifetime movie about Wills and Kate, and I've watched at least 4 of the Lifetime documentary specials about Kate becoming a princess.  Even though their story makes me frown (they shouldn't have been living together already), the idea of a royal wedding makes me want to look at wedding dresses and flowers again.  And just thinking about England makes me want to read a Jane Austen novel. 

Anyway, if you'd like to see the royal wedding yourself, you can tune into any of the following stations at 4 a.m. Eastern time Friday April 29: ABC, CBC, NBC, FoxNews, CNN, MSNBC, E! Entertainment, BBC, etc.

And congratulations Great Britain on your new Princes Kate! 

Basic Estate Planning Rules for Wives

Disclaimer: Information on this blog post is not intended to be legal advice.  I am not a licensed attorney and would recommend that all readers consult with an attorney if you have any questions.

Ok, you know when I start my blog with a disclaimer that something's up.  But you can blame it on the fact that I've immersed myself in wills and estate planning for the past week.  As I've been reviewing the concepts for this class it occurred to me that there are some basic things that every woman really ought to know.  Unfortunately, most of us don't think about these issues until it's too late.

I know that as a wife and mom, I'm thrilled that my husband wants to handle the money/legal issues for the family.  It's just less for me to worry about.  But as a future attorney, I know that wives and mommies have a responsibility to know some basic information.  So here are a few basic things that every woman should know:

1) Every woman needs a will.  Every woman needs her own will, not one shared with her husband.  The best course of action would be to have an estate planning attorney draft a will for you.  Even though my husband is an attorney and is drafting my will, it's still my will and I won't be signing it until I'm satisfied with all the provisions. Trust me, getting a will is a pain, but it's one of the smartest ways to spend a couple hundred dollars.  Here's why: If your husband doesn't have a will, you don't necessarily get to keep all of your marital property when your husband dies.  It just depends on the state where you live.  And if you don't have a will, your husband could get tied up in probate court trying to sort out property according to the intestacy laws of your state.  So, if you want to make sure that your property and children go to the people that you choose, get a will and don't let the government decide for you.

2) If you move to another state, you really ought to meet with an estate planner and have him review your will.  Even though a good attorney should be able to draft a will that satisfies laws anywhere, each state has completely different property laws.  I've only lived in 2 states during my life, and both states have completely different rules--Texas being more friendly to wives.

3. You need life insurance.  If you and your spouse can't afford life insurance for both of you, the breadwinner in your family should have a policy for 10 times their annual salary.  (So if your husband makes $50k per year, you need a $500,000 policy.)  You can purchase a reasonable term life insurance plan, but the sooner you buy it the cheaper it will be.

4. You need to know your financial situation.  If something were to happen to your spouse today, do you know what your financial future looks like?  Do you know how you would pay your bills next month?  Do you even know how you would pay for funeral or medical expenses?

I know that thinking about the "what ifs" in life isn't fun.  But when you choose not to think about the future and plan ahead, you could end up in a dire situation.  If you haven't met with an attorney and talked these issues through with your spouse, make a date to do it.

Part of being a good wife and mommy is being responsible.  Most of us wouldn't dream of not having health insurance.  So why are we so careless when it comes to planning for end of life issues?

No Reason to Complain

"Do everything without complaining..." Philippians 2:14

I didn't get much sleep last night because of a thunderstorm.  And I woke up this morning with the realization that my first exam is in 2 days.  Then I sat down at my computer and realized that everything I had been working on for that exam over the past few days has disappeared, probably to a temporary file somewhere on the computer where I will never find it.  Then my 11 month old got into some chocolate candy all by himself and came to show me.  Ugh!

But when I flipped my Bible to Philippians this morning, I realized that my day isn't going to get better if I have a bad attitude.  Instead, I need to rejoice.  And I have a lot to be thankful for.  So these are my praises today:

• The Easter service at church was wonderful yesterday and we practically doubled our usual Sunday attendance.
• SMU sent me an email and informed me that my Juris Doctorate degree is already in the mail! (And I still have 4 classes to finish)
• God answered prayer and sent the Dallas/Ft. Worth area lots of rain and thunderstorms over the weekend.
• My husband's boss is out of the office for a few days--for some reason this always results in less stress at home.
• I found out last week that I'm finally going to be an aunt. (No, my brother isn't having a baby yet.)
• Ann Taylor Loft had a great sale last week and I'm getting a new outfit in the mail any day now.
• I have a bucket full of Reese's Peanut Butter cups in my kitchen

Yes, this morning was kind of a disaster, but I have no reason to complain.  I'm commanded not to complain.  And in the grand scheme of things, computer glitches and chocolate on the carpet aren't that bad.

Pray for Rain

"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
2 Chronicles 7:13-14

pictures from www.myfoxdfw.com

Something profound happened this week.  The Governor of Texas has requested that all Texans spend the next three days in prayer, praying for rain.  Regardless of your opinion of Governor Perry, the man did the right thing.  He didn't call the federal government asking for a bail-out.  He didn't make promises that he could squelch the fires raging through west Texas.  And he didn't form a new committee to investigate the devastation in the state.  Instead, he urged everyone to pray for rain.

According to Myfoxdfw.com, 8,000 wildfires have destroyed more than 1.5 million acres and 400 homes throughout the state.  In the last week, 2 firefighters have died as a result of the containment effort.  The news channels are full of images of burned homes, ranches, and even a church.  We've had rain, but not enough and not in the right places.

I don't think it's a coincidence that we're being called to pray during Easter weekend.  As the death and destruction is spreading through our state on this Good Friday, we have the promise of hope and healing that Christ can bring.  In 2 Chronicles God promised Solomon that he could send the rain and heal the hearts of the nation's people when they humbled themselves and asked for forgiveness.  Let us pray that the people of Texas would be healed this weekend.  Let us pray that people will seek God and that He will send rain.

Singing the Name of Jesus

"However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name...So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." I Peter 1:16,19

I was reading stories this morning about women around the world who are currently suffering as a result of their faith in Christ.  Women are being imprisoned throughout the world because they are believers.  Women are being physically assaulted and murdered because they are turning to Jesus and away from Islam.  Women  are constantly on the run because their Communist governments are not only trying to silence them, but trying to suppress their message.  The story that really touched my heart was of a woman who was in agony because she has to whisper the name of Jesus.  She hasn't been able to sing and worship Him in her own home.  I can't imagine not being able to sing to Jesus. 

At the moment, there's nothing I can do to save these women from persecution.  But I will pray for them.  And I will sing, knowing that I sing on behalf of believers around the world.  At the moment, I live in a country where I have the freedom to praise the name of Jesus.  Take a few minutes to praise Him today too. 

Law School Exams are Near

Don't you just love college exam periods?  (If you've never experienced college exams, you're lucky.)  Law school exams are worse.  In law school your grade for each class is based solely on your final exam.  One grade and one chance is all you've got to prove you've learned something.  I have no idea why law schools think that the one exam method is useful, but now that I'm approaching my 8th exam period, I have a great study system. See here:

Yeah, I'm not really into studying yet.  Cake balls and cupcakes aren't going to help me ace law practice management or juvenile justice.  But they do relieve stress.  And I'm not alone in being distracted--my study buddy sent me a text saying that she used her entire study period today to make graduation party invitations.  Let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope that I learned something this semester. 

Just kidding--my husband says I'm supposed to get serious 48 hours before each test.  Since he did awesome in law school, I've always taken his advice and done just fine.  And my outlines for each class are coming along nicely.  Anyway, if you're bored or hungry, feel free to come visit.  I have boxes of cake mix and lots of icing in my pantry!