And by doctor, I actually mean God, the Great Physician, the one who knows just what we need when we need it–and provides a way for us to get it. Brimming over with thankfulness this muggy Monday afternoon.

Let me back up a bit.

A few weeks ago, Gabe told me that his mom & dad and his brother & his fam would be heading down to Orlando, FL for the 2nd annual Bubba’s Bash. If you follow golf, you know Bubba Watson, the 2012 Masters Champion. Long story short, he and Gabe’s brother Tug (a concert promoter) met at a concert awhile back and hooked up to create Bubba’s Bash, a crazy mix of musicians and fun people singing their heads off to raise $ for a hospital in Kenya (Gabe’s mom started a ministry there a few years ago).

Anyway. They wanted Gabe to come down too. He said he wasn’t going to go. Then he changed his mind. An all-expenses-paid trip to FL? With seafood buffets? (Gabe’s love language) And hanging out with Bubba Watson and Duck Dynasty and rappers and country music stars and whathaveyou, taking pictures (one of Gabe’s big loves)?

Sounds a leeeetle too good to pass up. So he decided to go.

And I’ll be honest. It was a hard pill for me to swallow. Because here’s the deal. I like to be on the go. Remember that time our family went to 52 Zoos in 52 Weeks? And then Cambodia for 5 weeks? Remember that we came back from Cambodia thinking we were going to move there? Remember that we decided to homeschool our girls so we’d be free to leave town (or the country) at a moment’s notice?

Then remember that Gabe started having panic attacks and everything came to a screeching halt?

Since we got back from Cambodia in January 2012, we’ve taken 3 trips. One to a camp in NY for the weekend four hours away (where Gabe experienced a fair amount of anxiety), one to SC with my fam (where Gabe ended up in the ER) and another one to camp (where I spoke at Family Camp Week, Gabe had anxiety, and God also gave us a few days of miraculous peace).

And then we decided to host a foreign exchange student back in October which has canceled out the homeschooling freedom thing, since we take her to school every day and pick her up and can’t just have her skipping school on a whim.

So. No traveling in almost a year. The girls homeschooling themselves (or not) while I take over as breadwinner for big chunks of time when Gabe is having a rough patch. No visits to my sister’s in SC anymore, because the trip is too much for Gabe.

Now he’s going to Florida to party while I stay in Ohio, try to make ends meet, take Cherry to school, and try not to wallow in bitterness.

Help me, Jesus.

And then I got an idea. The girls and I would go to SC to visit my sister. I called her. She was going to be out of town that weekend. I hung up the phone and cried. She called back. They rearranged their schedule for us. Glory.

Then a bit of a fiasco with the arrangements for Cherry. Glory to God for working out a plan for her to stay with some wonderful people and not have to miss 3 days of school and sit for 18 hours in a mini-van.

The girls and I left Wednesday morning at 5:39, stopped 2 quick times, and pulled in to Daniel and Steph’s driveway at 2:30pm. And had the most glorious, beautiful, perfect time.

Seriously. It was everything we needed. Just exactly what we needed. I missed Gabe, but I didn’t miss the anxiety (and he didn’t have a whole lot of it in FL). My baby sister (9.5 years younger than me) babied me (in a good way) for 4 straight days.

Homemade sea salt caramels (I could die), homemade mac-n-cheese, homemade chicken lettuce wraps (be still my heart), homemade breakfast casseroles, veggies w/homemade ranch, homemade salsa, and on and on and on.

Settlers of Catan every naptime (she has a 3yo and a 9mo) and night, Ticket to Ride Europe, Balderdash, Up and Down the River, Bum, Quirkle (that I got at a yard sale on Saturday for $1). The girls and I looooooooove games. So does Steph. And Daniel likes them too.

Cuddling with my beautiful (and hilarious) niece and my adorable (and squishy) nephew, reading books and blowing bubbles and laughing, laughing, laughing.

Thursday was a (FREE) trip to the zoo. WE FED GIRAFFES. It’d been awhile since I fed a giraffe. One of my all-time favorite activities of ever and ever all-time. We got Icees. We fed goats. The Riverbanks Zoo is so, so pretty. I just walked around the whole time with warm fuzzies.

Friday we picked strawberries. They were on sale and SO delicious. The girls had never picked them before. And we went to a fun Mexican restaurant for dinner.

Saturday we went yard-saling. I hadn’t gone in years. We scored big. Brand-new double Bananagrams ($24.95 value) for $1. The girls got a bunch of Creative Memories stamps/stamp pads for 25 cents and 50 cents. They got scrapbooking paper for making cards. I got some Pampered Chef stuff for super cheap. And like-new soccer cleats for Livi. And some other fun games. And a beautiful basket.

I spent $ on gas and tolls, $4 to feed giraffes, $7 for Icees, $25 at yard sales, $20 on strawberries, and $10 to eat on the way home. Everything else was on the house. And Gabe’s entire weekend was free. And he brought me back some super-delicious, not-so-cheap coffee that cost him zero.

Such a huge, huge blessing.

Now we’re all back together, and somehow, everything just feels better, lighter, free-er than it did before our trip. There’s a baby turtle (not our tortoise, Atlas) loose in our house somewhere (don’t ask), but other than that, I just feel happy and sweaty (we’re a little bit afraid to turn on our A/C that is 23 years old and supposed to only make it 17 years) and full of hope that things are going to get brighter.

Thank you, God, for simple, beautiful, wonderful pleasures. You’re so, so, so good.

Received any blessings lately you’d like to share?

I started my period when I was 12, and now I’m 37. That’s a quarter century of monthly cycles (minus the glorious period-free days of pregnancy/breastfeeding). And since I hate to be the bearer of TMI, let’s just say things have changed in those 25 years. I’ll leave the physical differences out and just comment on the mental/emotional ones.

For one day out of every 28ish, I am an uncontrollable ball of rage, anguish, and grief.

Yesterday I screamed at each of my children in turn (and also collectively), then stormed out of the house to run errands by myself and wandered through the grocery store wondering how on earth my anger could melt so quickly into such a deep, painful sadness that I had to keep reminding myself that no one I love had died.

And since Gabe has been seeing a holistic doctor, I’ve been thinking about myself and what benefit some natural something-or-other might be to my well-being.

Enter Facebook. Where I asked, “So, I (and my family) would probably benefit from some sort of natural supplement that tames the PMS beast and makes her sweet and cuddly. Know of any?”

Besides the wise-crackers (and completely serious people) who said Wine and Dark Chocolate and Fried Chicken and French Fries (those were all my friend Jolie) and Kit-Kats and Chocolate Bunnies, I got a TON of really helpful advice.

Really really OVERWHELMING (and somewhat expensive) helpful advice.

So, I’m going to think it over, pray it over, save up some moolah, and try to nip this thing in the bud. Because if I can learn about what’s actually going on in my body (after 25 years of just enduring it mindlessly), I can hopefully figure out what will be the best natural remedy/help/whatever.

Here’s the advice I got. I’m not sharing it to start a big discussion (though you’re free to give your input, even if it means I’ll be even MORE overwhelmed–thanks a lot!). I’m sharing it because maybe, just maybe, some of you are in the same Pre-Menstrual Boat of Angst that I’m in right now.

More Advice Than You Need, But Here You Go Anyway:

–I use Dr. Schutze’s female liquid herbs. Life saver for 12 years now.

–Progesterone cream that is called “Happy PMS.”

–Check out melaleuca. All our products are 100% all natural and we have some of the best vitamins.

–Lavender oils.

–1000g of Calcium and 50mg of vitamin B6 a day.

–Calcium, Vitamin D and Exercise!!

–Magnesium!

–This is my area of expertise as a therapist for women suffering from this, as I did all of my life. Several factors here but there is no one single “magic bullet.” First of all, PMS is usually a sign of sensitivity to estrogen, which is mitigated with the use of a natural progesterone cream which calms estrogen down. Must be a cream as that is the only way the body will absorb it and natural from wild yams or other source. Next is to increase the intake of B Complex but particularly 6 and 12 as the body does not store B vitamins, which are depleted during this phase due to being needed by the body in the uterine-lining building phase of this cycle. The next line of defense is to avoid sugar, alchohol (which turns to sugar in the blood stream) red meat and salt and anything with yeast in it as these are toxins that the body cannot handle during this phase. Ironically, we crave these things in PMS, a sure sign we need to lay off them. Drink tons of water to detox the body. Basically PMS is an allergic reaction to the increased hormone output you are experiencing and the foods you are eating to comfort yourself as you deal with the sadness and anger that arises during this phase.

–Natural remedies for PMS listed here.

–B Complex and STRJ (an herbal combination)……it takes that little “I might harm you” edge off.

–I know using a progesterone cream would help b/c you want a healthy balance of estrogen and progesterone. I have horrible insomnia and I just started B12 and Vitamin D drops, and I’m hoping that helps me too. Make sure you’re charting your cycle so you know when things are coming!

–Great natural sleep product for those with hormonal issues at any stage of life is Midnite for Menopause (good whether menopausal or not)

–A padded room?

–Definitely this along with the B-complex. OPC significantly reduces or eliminates cramps and improves cognitive function.

–Flaxseed oil.

–I used a womens formula (from heath food stores or on line) which had several ingredients (can’t remember name) but it had primrose oil, fish oils, and flaxseed oil. and I took 5-HTP (increases seratonim) for many years to help with moods and sleep!

–5 HTP good too. SAM-E too. Of course chocolate works but the problem is that it is like cocaine for the brain and absolutely does have a sedative effect. But after awhile it only aggravates the problem.

–I’m just thinking….maybe you better buy a stock in whatever will be of help to you & your 3 daughters. Won’t be long before you will need it!! God Bless!

–Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer Tea.

–Evening Primrose Oil. I take it all month long, with larger doses when I start feeling crazy. It works to balance hormones. Other things that help me are a fish oil/omega 3 supplement and a B complex.

–Don’t take 5-HTP if you are on any other anti-depressant though…lethal combo possible. Exercise has changed my life in this regard. And I was a beast the 5-HTP does help that, but it can make you sleepy if your body doesn’t need it. A great opposite would be L-tyrosine. Depends on what your body is lacking. Check out Dr Daniel Amen. I got his Ebooks at the library and for this kind of stuff it’s been life changing. Change your Brain Change Your Body was most helpful.

–I used Happy PMS for quite a few years – I’m beyond that now. It worked wonders for me! My family could always tell if I forgot to use it and they would ask me if I forgot!!!

Check back next month for results!

Hey, friends. I have a fun little project for us today. Our good friend Yvonne (who we met on Facebook then on Skype then face-to-face in Cambodia) is in the States for two months and heads back to Phnom Penh in early June. And I want to shower her with a little package of goodies to take back with her.

Yvonne is like a million kinds of awesome. She helps run the Boys’ Center (and pretty much does run it when Alli, the Director, is out of the country). And she speaks beautiful Khmer (well, it’s beautiful to me, who speaks about 10 words). And she loves to smile and laugh and have fun. And she has a whole slew of gifts and talents that she’s using to share the love of Jesus with the people of Cambodia.

And all of this would be completely admirable and remarkable even without this one tiny detail: she’s completely blind in one eye and legally blind in the other.

She’s really, truly amazing. Really truly.

And I would love for some of you to help me bless her (and her teammates in Cambodia, many of whom we also know and love). I held her at virtual gunpoint and made her tell me some things that would be useful to her, things we can get easily here that you can’t get in Cambodia (or that cost 8 million dollars there because they were imported from a billion miles away).

Here’s what she said:

–instant pudding mixes (no citrus flavors)

–Maxwell House International instant cafe/latte

–Nescafé flavored instant coffee packets

–Betty Crocker instant mashed potatoes

–Bear Creek instant soup mixes

–McCormick salsa, taco and pesto packets

–just add water muffin mixes

–a mango splitter

–a whisk

–Amazon/iTunes gift cards

And the guy in the pic with Yvonne is our dear friend, Panha. He and his family are super-special to us. Our go-to gift for Panha and his brothers is yummy-smelling deodorant. Their fave at the moment is Fiji old spice spray, if you feel led to bless some young men with deodorant.

So, here’s how you can help:

1. Buy a few of these items and bring/mail them to me. (I’ll send them all in one big package along with the other stuff I have for her.)

2. Buy a gift card to Target (where Yvonne went to make her list) and send it to me for her.

(I’ll let you know when we have a mango splitter/whisk, so she doesn’t get doubles/triples.)

E-mail me with questions. Thanks so much!!

Good afternoon, friends! How in the world are you today?? Me? I’m just a wee bit weary and a LOT BIT HAPPY!! And encouraged and invigorated and thanking God for answering my prayers.

I wrote this on Facebook a few days ago: Been asking God to move some mountains, and he up and moved some totally different ones. Okay then, I’m flexible. I can re-route. I see what you’re doing here, God. Nice move.

I realize it’s a bit ambiguous, and I’m going to keep it that way (ish). But I can fill in a few details, because they’re fun and God is awesome.

If we’ve been friends (online or otherwise) for awhile, you know what’s been going on in our fam the past year-and-a-half-ish. Gabe’s heart attack, 5 weeks in Cambodia, God calling us to Cambodia, Gabe’s anxiety/panic attacks, having to quit his job, Ava’s trampoline accident, piles of hospital bills, lots of frustration and anger and heartache, counseling, finally losing our health insurance because we couldn’t afford it and Gabe’s meds both, hopes and dreams dashed, and on and on.

HOWEVER. Let’s talk about all the good that’s been mixed in there too. God never leaving us, friends and family not giving up on us, anonymous gifts (and not-anonymous ones), lots and lots of prayers being offered on our behalf, homeschooling, marriage muscles growing stronger, writing jobs, learning to lean on Jesus 100%, lots to write about, an amazing church family, Ava getting started on braces, still being able to be a part of what’s going on in Cambodia from here, and on and on and on.

The past few weeks have held some hard stuff that I haven’t shared (and won’t for awhile). And then a bright ray of hope. An appointment with a holistic doctor. Someone who can explain to us how and why Gabe’s plethora of meds are treating his symptoms but not getting to the root cause of his heart attack and subsequent anxiety/depression. And are, in fact, messing with his system, lowering his creativity, his motivation, his emotions, and making it impossible for him to “snap out” of this “funk.”

And that’s where I’ll stop with that part for now. We’ll share more as this new journey goes along.

The hardest part for me in all of this is having these big, huge dreams God has put in my heart and not having my husband share in my joy and excitement. He’s my most favorite friend, my partner-in-crime, and we make a really awesome team when we’re both at our creative, God-gifted best.

More on that in awhile too.

For now, I’ll just say this. God and I had some words. A lot of words. And some tears (well, I don’t know if God cried–maybe he did). A lot of tears. And then he gave me a gift. A big one.

He told me to go get ‘em, to stop crying and mourning, to quit pleading for Gabe’s healing so we could go to Cambodia. (Well, not to quit praying for that, just to quit hanging my whole self on it and making every day a pity party when it wasn’t happening.)

He told me to look at the little lunch of loaves and fishes I already had in my hands and give it to him and watch what he did.

What’s my little lunch? My writing, my books, my online platform. All the stuff I gave to him back in January 2012 and said, “You can have this, God. I’m done with it. I’m all about Cambodia now. I won’t be needing this.”

And he’s showing me that I may have been done with it, but he’s not. And, if I’m willing to trust him, he’s going to use it all to get himself some glory AND (eventually) to help our family realize the bigger dreams he placed in our hearts.

And I started doing some of the book promotion stuff I usually despise and found joy in it. And God reminded me of how much I love blessing pregnancy centers with Expecting books, and he helped me get that up and running again. And then he dumped some writing jobs into my lap, ones that pay money. And on and on and on.

God is going to heal my husband, and I have work to do while I wait.

And here’s where you come in. In the past 2 weeks, YOU (blog readers, facebook friends, etc) have donated 80 Expecting books to crisis pregnancy centers around the country. HOLY COW. And I have a big ol’ growing list of centers who want books. And I’m just asking God to bless it and then working my tail off until he tells me it’s time to give it a rest.

And here’s where I insert a disclaimer, because I’ve been around the blogging block a time or two and know (know know know) that there’s a naysayer in every crowd, on every blog. And I’m not judging, because I’ve actually been her. And here’s what she’s thinking:

You say you’re blessing pregnancy centers with all of these books, but aren’t you pretty much just boosting your own book sales and amping up your royalty check?

Great question.

Yes and no. Yes, this is good for book sales (especially for someone who has had two failed books), and yes, my royalty check (I get them 2x/year) will be higher.

But. I ask people for $5 a book. They actually cost me $8.80 apiece. That’s $3.80 per book out of pocket (and my royalty per book is less than $1). Plus shipping the books to the centers. Plus hours and hours of getting the centers’ info, e-mailing back and forth with them, signing books, packaging them up, and taking them to the post office. And when I do get my royalty check, a huge chunk of it goes right back into buying more books.

If I make any money from this in the end, it isn’t much. But the rewards are greater than any of that. I believe in this book, and I believe in the work of those who give tirelessly to care for pregnant women in need, and I believe them when they say the book is a blessing to them.

And I believe that I have some of the most big-hearted, generous, amazing friends (YOU) who are so quick to hand over $5, $10, $50 to be a part of the blessing.

Here’s what I need right now:

10 books for a center outside of Philly.

10 books for a center in Oregon.

10 books for a center in Kansas City.

10 books for a center in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

If you’d like to donate a book for $5, leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail.

And if you have a local pregnancy center you’d like me to add to my list, let me know! And if your church or women’s group (or whoever) would be interested in pooling your resources and buying an entire box of 40 for a local center, let me know that too.

Any questions? Don’t be afraid to ask. And THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. I love partnering with you to bless these women! And I certainly won’t turn down your offer to pray for our family if you’d like.

Holy cow. So, my friend Leigh posted a link on her Facebook wall Friday about this free Kindle book. I LOVE FREE KINDLE BOOKS.

And do you know what I love even more? Free kindle books that are also family travel memoirs about crazy people who take their children across the country in a big, blue bus for who-knows-what outrageous reason.

In my head, this new free e-book just took a flying leap over the 413 waiting-to-be-read library books piled all over the bookshelf by my desk. I had some other important stuff to do Friday, but when nighttime rolled around, I was all over it.

How to Use a Runaway Truck Ramp: And Other Tales From Our 10,000-Mile Adventure

I loved it from the very first page (screen).

And it’s a good thing it was on my Kindle (where I refuse to try to figure out the note-taking, highlighting features) or I would’ve been scribbling and scrawling and asterisking all over the thing (which can sometimes be annoying when I would like to read interrupted).

I laughed and nodded and smiled and nodded and thought, “Oh my word, ME TOO!” And nodded and nodded, so much nodding.

SO MUCH of it reminded me of our Zoo Trip. Taking our family on an adventure that really didn’t make much sense AT ALL. Staying with strangers, trying to explain ourselves, having no idea on earth where our next five dollars were going to come from.

These were my people, these Shawn and Maile Smucker characters.

And this is going to be so much TMI (and yes, I realize that’s as redundant as an ATM machine), but before I started the book, I was suffering from some pretty intense stomach cramps. And they were getting worse as I read and moving up my body which can only mean one thing: that my greatest fear was most probably about to be realized.

I AM DEATHLY AFRAID OF VOMITING.

The pain got worse. I knew I couldn’t go to sleep, so I just kept reading. Midnight, 12:30, 1:00. And I prayed as I read, “Please, God, let it come out the other end. Please, God. Pleeeeeeeeease, God! I don’t want to throw up!!!!!”

And then I felt it. The urge to go sit on the toilet, not hug it, and I ran to the bathroom, Kindle in hand.

And just after 1:00 a.m., as God lavished his mercy on me in the form of the opposite-of-throwing up, I read these words on my Kindle screen, “I sat on the bathroom floor. It was 1am, and the worst stomach pains I had ever felt came and went like contractions… I stared at the toilet, held my stomach, and moaned.”

I KNOW. Isn’t that NUTS?!?

I don’t want to give the whole book away, so I won’t tell you everything that happens. The bottom line: Shawn and Maile and their 4 small children (right around the same ages our kids were when we did our Zoo Thing) head out for a 10,000-mile adventure in a borrowed blue bus. And they learn stuff. And they live stuff. And they love and change and grow.

It’s beautiful.

And also a little bit messy. And frightening. Like all good stories are.

And the minute I finished, I ran to my computer and wrote Maile this gushing, rambling Facebook message about how much I loved her. And if I scared her, she didn’t let on, because she wrote me the sweetest message back. And now we’re the best of internet friends.

And I would totally write out some sweet quotes from the book that just moved and inspired me, but I want to get this post out before it’s too late for you to get the book free.

Two things I need you to do. GO GET THIS FREE BOOK. And HURRY! (It’s only free until midnight tonight!)

Then I need you to tell me something:

In one sentence, tell me about a CRAZY ADVENTURE you’d love to go on someday. 

(you don’t have to do this, of course, but I would LOVE to hear what gets your motor running)

And if you’d like another FREE e-book–Once Upon the Internet, the tale of our family’s crazy journey around the country–shoot me an e-mail, and it’s yours.

Happy Free Day to You!!

Well, actually I can’t really make any promises. But I AM a bit of a nerd, and reading non-fiction books about different places (and things and times, but mostly places) makes me feel like I’m learning things.

I love to learn things.

And share things.

Here’s what I’ve read lately. (all these links are to my Amazon Affiliate Account, so if you buy something I linked to, I’ll get rich instantly)

Call the Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times (Jennifer Worth)

I heart memoirs, and ever since I met Tara Livesay online and learned about Heartline Haiti (providing free maternity care for women in Haiti), I’ve been super-intrigued by women giving birth in hard places. Mostly third world countries, but in this case: in the slums of post-war London. The author left her comfy home at 22 to be a midwife among nuns, and this is her story of the people she met and babies she helped deliver.

I loved this book and would love to read more like it. And HA. As I was getting the link just now, I noticed it’s the first in a trilogy: Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse and Call the Midwife: Farewell to the East End. I just reserved them both at the library. (and yes, I know this is a PBS mini-series–I’m partial to books but may have to check it out)

The Big Truck that Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster (Jonathan M. Katz)

Speaking of Haiti. Haiti breaks my heart. So much hard, so much hurt, and it just keeps piling up on top of everything that’s already there. This book was amazing. I feel like I have a much better grasp of Haiti and the earthquake and why it’s so hard for them to crawl out from under so much poverty and oppression. I know it’s just one author’s opinion, but I felt like he was someone I could trust (feel free to prove me wrong if you know something I don’t know). He was working in Haiti when the earthquake hit and stayed there for 2 more years after that. If you have a heart for Haiti, you should absolutely read this.

Does Jesus Really Love Me? A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America (Jeff Chu)

Oh, friends. You need to read this book. We all need to read this book. I haven’t had the energy to get involved in any gay marriage debates online (or otherwise), and I don’t know that I ever will. There are a lot of things I don’t know (and I was so smart a few years ago–what happened?), but there’s one thing I know beyond a shadow of a doubt: I want to love people like Jesus would (does) love them, and so I’m devoting some time and energy and prayer to finding out how to do that. And I’m not just talking about gays. I’m talking about my husband and kids, my neighbors, the poor, people I don’t agree with, people who sin differently than I do, etc.

This book was so well-written, so thoughtful, so brave. To stick our noses in our Bibles (aiming them at a handful of specific verses of course) and ignore/berate/condemn the voices of those around us who identify as gay AND love Jesus? Not cool. And I think Jesus would take the time to listen. And love. (No promises, but I’d like to talk more about the book after some of you have read it.)

A Walk Across the Sun (Corban Addison)

This book is actually a novel, but it’s about human trafficking in India and totally could’ve happened. Ahalya and Sita (17 and 15) are orphaned by a tsunami and then sold into slavery. This book follows them on their horrifying journey into the world of human trafficking. If you haven’t heard/read much about this topic, it will open your eyes big-time. I’ll be honest though. Knowing what I know about sweet little kiddos in Cambodia, there were times when I thought, this isn’t nearly as horrific as what’s happening to not-much-older-than-toddlers in Svay Pak.

If you want to know more about human trafficking, I highly recommend starting with this book. The story is compelling and is just like countless others that are really, truly going on in our world right this minute. In the coming months, I’m going to share more resources and ideas for how we can help fight this evil with God’s hope and light.

What Is The What? (Dave Eggers)

This one’s actually (technically) a novel too. But only because the narrator couldn’t remember details and conversations word for word from his past. It’s pretty much a true account of one boy (man’s) life from age seven when he had to leave his home in Sudan to walk and walk and walk (and starve and fight off beasts and watch his friends die) to “freedom” in Ethiopia.

Disclaimer: I got to page 322 and had to take it back to the library, because someone else was waiting for it. I’m going to check it out again and finish it. So eye-opening and sobering. Makes me want to do more for others in war-ravaged countries and the refugees right here in my own backyard.

Read any good books (preferably non-fiction) lately that I need to add to my To-Read List?

I was driving Cherry to school this morning and saw  ^ that ^ on a bumper sticker on the SUV in front of me. I rolled my eyes, and if I would’ve been alone in the car, I would’ve started ranting out loud.

Do I follow Jesus this close? Well, my first thought was yeah, yeah I do. I get right on his bumper so he knows I’m there, so he can feel me breathing down his neck, feel the pressure. And if he doesn’t go fast enough or if he puts on the brakes, I HONK REALLY LOUD and yell, C’MON!!!! JEEEZ!!!! (I think this is a friendly nickname for Jesus.)

And sadly, I’m not being sarcastic. I really do this. “C’MON, Jesus! What are you waiting for? When is this going to be OVER ALREADY!??! I DO NOT LIKE what you’ve got going on with my life right now. This is NOT WORKING FOR ME. Will you pleeeeeeeease HURRY UP?!? I don’t have all day!!!”

And then my thoughts changed course. And I wondered what the driver of the maroon Highlander meant by “following Jesus.” Because here’s the thing. I think we all have different ideas. And I feel like there’s a really good chance that my idea of following Jesus and Ms./Mr. Highlander’s idea might be slightly different (because I would never put that ridiculous bumper sticker on my car, for starters).

What does it mean to follow Jesus? To follow him close? (or closely, if you’re into proper grammar and all that)

Go to church? Wear Christian t-shirts and bumper stickers? Stay away from bad things (and bad people)? Forward all the “Forward This if You Love Jesus” posts on Facebook? Keep your language clean? Protest gay marriage any chance you get?

Is that following Jesus close?

Probably one good way to figure out this follow-Jesus-close thing is to open the Bible and read about Jesus.

His first recorded words were these: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)

I love these verses. They’re my kind of verses. If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you’re not surprised.

And here comes the part of the post where I talk about how to reeeeeally follow Jesus you have to give away all your stuff and take care of the poor and move to Ethiopia or Myanmar.

Except not, because…

My friend, Krysten, and I were talking last night (she drove 45 minutes to my house after teaching 2nd graders all day–and brought pizza!), and we both admitted that we’ve been doing a not-so-hot job of loving the people who follow Jesus differently than we do. With all the loving the poor, fighting human trafficking, and what-have-you that we’ve been doing, we’ve caught ourselves looking down our noses with disdain at the people who “haven’t caught on yet.”

That’s not following Jesus close. It can’t be.

So, I’m going to keep on trying. To follow Jesus like I think he wants me to follow him, to inspire others to do it too, but to never, not ever, get all high-and-mighty about it.

Because that’s more obnoxious than a bumper sticker.

p.s. Anyone have a redonkulous bumper sticker to share?

Good morning, friends! Thanks so much for your prayers (and gifts) for the teen mama (and her baby boy) in Cambodia. Please keep ‘em coming! And I’ll keep you updated on how they’re doing.

I’ve got a fun deal for you today. My e-book, Once Upon the Internet, is part of the Bundle of the Week this week. It’s a Tech & Internet bundle: 5 e-books to help you get tech-savvy for just $7.40.

(And aspiring writers, this is a GREAT way to learn about what makes a good e-book, so you can write your own someday soon!)

Here’s my special deal:

If you share this Bundle of the Week link on Facebook and/or Twitter (and let me know), I’ll send you a FREE copy of ALL THREE of my e-books: Once Upon the Internet, The Husband’s Guide to Getting Lucky, and the Wife Life.

AND:

If you share the Bundle of the Week link on Facebook and/or Twitter AND buy a bundle yourself for $7.40, I’ll send you a FREE copy (hard copy!) of Is That All He Thinks About? or Expecting with FREE shipping. (AND the e-books!)

DUDE. That’s a stinking good deal!

Curious. What kind of books would you like to see in the Bundle of the Week?

I’ve got an urgent prayer/financial need to share with you, friends. There’s a precious 17-year-old girl in Cambodia who needs our help. Our friends in Cambodia have known (and loved) this girl for several years now. She’s a sex worker and hard-core addicted to meth. She didn’t choose this life. She’s been abused and trafficked and now she depends on her pimp for the drugs her body desperately needs.

And two weeks ago, she gave birth to a baby boy.

The doctors at the hospital said he wouldn’t survive more than a couple days. His mama was using lots and lots of drugs her whole pregnancy. His chances of being HIV positive are overwhelmingly positive.

Miraculously (thank you, Jesus!), our friends have been granted temporary custody of baby boy, because his mom was going to sell him to who-knows-who for drug money.

Friends, this girl and this baby are the least of the least of these that Jesus talks about. The fact that they’re both still alive right now is all God’s grace. Mama is in a treatment center, and once she recovers from her c-section, she can get into a drug rehab program.

God is moving and working and redeeming, and we can help be the hands and feet of Jesus in the lives of these two kiddos of his.

The hospital bills are high, and diapers/formula are expensive in Cambodia. There are doctor bills for the baby and bills for his mama’s treatment and care.

If you’d like to help in any capacity (no gift is too small, really truly), you can donate directly here (just put “teen mom and baby” in the memo) or you can e-mail me for more info. I don’t want to tell the whole story (names, identifying info) here, because I want to respect her privacy.

If you can’t give, will you pray? I just know that God is going to do huge things in this girl’s life. And I look forward to the day when my family returns to Cambodia and gets to meet her and her little guy face-to-face. And I’ll introduce her to all of you too.

Thank you, friends. You people are my favorite.

I couldn’t help myself. I blogged about my new e-book, the Wife Life, on Thursday even though it wasn’t available yet on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes.

BUT NOW IT IS!! Woot woot!

I would be ever-so-happy if you bought yourself a little copy for $2.99. And if you don’t have one of those fancy-schmancy reader thingies, I can give you a link to a pdf you can read on your computer. Just click here, donate $1.49 (half price!), and I’ll e-mail you the link.

And, remember, if you own a copy of Blushing Bride, you can have a pdf of the Wife Life for F-R-E-E. (e-mail me)

You can also have a copy for free if you promise to blog about it/tell all your friends about it on Facebook/Twitter.

And how about this? Buy a copy of the Wife Life from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or iTunes, then e-mail me, and I’ll give you a free copy of The Husband’s Guide to Getting Lucky or Once Upon the Internet (or both, if you ask nice).

Thanks for your love and support, friends! xoxoxoxo