Airplanes and people and thoughts!

The dynamics of people are the best at the airport, boarding a plane, sitting next to strangers and especially exiting the plane! I always wish for people that will talk but it rarely happens! Sleep or headphones seem to prevail! This morning I even found sleep, rare for me! 

You see people in a hurry, working on laptops, reading, eating and mostly alone! We are all onsies on our way to our group. It's an odd feeling to be alone but yet surrounded by so many people. 

Do we follow such strict rules anywhere else in life? Pack luggage accordingly, take out liquids, stand in lines, put our arms over our head to be scanned, hope we don't have to check our carry on. It's amazing to stop and think that we just automatically do and never question it. It's the part of us that wants to follow when required.  What happens when it's time to exit the plane?   Lots of people ready to leave all at the same time and manners seem to get lost at our place of departure. I always wish for etiquette to prevail like it does at a golf range or library.

All kinds of people, old, young, tall, short, happy, unhappy, tired, creative looking, business looking and all going somewhere.  We all love the convenience of flying but do we all see the opportunities! I personally miss out much of the time being focused on feeling good and anxious. I can't read on planes so I watch people and wonder about their heart. I choose to start praying for all the people and their hearts. 

Today being September 11th makes me think about these people around me being the ones to help, protect, cling to and say goodbye with in tragedy.  It seems strange to think about but G-d made us that way and in times of need I think are true self and His love stand out most.  We really do care for others and desire connections, it's just easy to pretend for two hours we don't.

What do you think of when flying? Any tips on engaging people on airplanes?  Please share.

Thoughts as a mom lately!

So G-d has been prompting me to share my thoughts as a mom lately and what I have been learning.  My life has changed so much and yet it is the same in the ways that matter.  I love G-d more then ever, my husband, my children, my home and my season of life.  He has put me in Arizona and for that I am very thankful.  I don't know how to explain it but it is where I am meant to be and grow and expand.

My parenting has definitely taken a new direction with 4 teenagers in the house.  It is fun, crazy, busy, changing, full of conversation and going way too quickly.  It starts out so simple and then it just goes speeding by you and only because I pray do I make any sense of it and feel at peace in the middle of all the changes and hormones.

Prayer is the tool and reading G-d's word that has equipped me for each and every stage of this journey as a mom.  It is the only way I remove fear, anxiety, crabbiness, distractions and lonliness.  Those feelings completely overwhelm me at times.  They take over when I'm not hiding G-d's word in my heart and trusting Him with all of it.

Prayer is simple and yet so difficult.  It's talking to my best friend and its safe, freeing and also very convicting.  I realize so many things when I let Him speak to my heart and my mind.  I am a prayer journaler so I have for years kept journals of my prayers to G-d.  If you ever want to know the real and raw me that would be the source and some of my most intimate and desperate thoughts and emotions.  I need to do it that way, see it on paper, stay focused and not think a zillion things and try to pray, remind myself, go back and see where I have come from and how He has answered and just write a letter from my heart.

Update to this post:  I have 3 teenagers in the house and 1 away in college.  I was asked by many if I was sad or doing okay with her leaving home.  Honestly, I was so excited for her I could not begin to be sad.  I miss seeing her daily and her contribution to our home but this season is so amazing for her I would never want to take away from it by focusing on me.  I raised her to be independent, self sufficient and ready for learning and opportunities so she will do great.  Her siblings have had a bit of a tougher time without her but are adjusting and reconfiguring their relationships and roles in our home.  My prayers for my children will not change and my trust that He has them covered and protected remains the same.

If you need a good resource to help you with praying for your children I recommend "Praying the Scriptures for your Children" by Jodie Berndt and also "Praying the Scriptures for your Teenagers" also by Jodie Berndt.  The chapter on Teens Driving was a huge blessing and much needed.  I always joked I'd rather potty train 50 more kids then teach my kids to drive.  So far, we've made it thru two and two more to go and I think those that work in the student driving industry are pretty crazy and amazing!

Comment if you have other resources you recommend or areas of life not at peace so I can pray for you friends!