Female in Motion

Last Tuesday was my 49th birthday. Yep, I'm officially an old chick. If it comes as a surprise that I put my real age in the first sentence of this entry, you need to know a little secret. I'm grateful for every year that God gives me. When I was 25 years old, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and the next day I found out that I had malignant melanoma. Going through surgery, post-op infection and a long recovery was a daunting task at 25. Add in a newborn and a four-year-old, and it was a pretty scary time. God guided me through each step and with the help of my family, I was back to normal in a few months time. Never again will I take for granted another birthday; another year of life. Never again will I complain about getting older. Since then, I love celebrating another year with a big, noisy birthday party. Yes, my hair is gray and I've got more wrinkles than a Shar-Pei puppy, and I'm loving every minute of this messy, loud blessed life that God has given me. **...

If someone gave you a gift, would you open it right away, or put it away until a more "convenient" time? Or maybe for when you turn 21 years old? When my brother was very young, he would jump up and down, waving his arms, screaming, "Open it! Open it!" What if God was the one giving you a gift? Romans 12:5-8 (KJV) "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness." What is a spiritual gift? Some talents are easy to see, like athletic prowess, musical or artistic ability or preaching skill. Intangible gifts are more difficult to discern, like en...

Today I have a special surprise for my readers. Never before has this happened. I have invited a guest blogger to post on my website. *gasp* No, I'm not being lazy this week. I wanted you to hear a very important message from my guest. In fact, you may know her already if you live in Cowley County. Her name is Janelle Keith and she is a morning disc jockey for The House FM radio station (89.7 FM), among other things. According to Janelle, "I serve both stations as Promotions Director and am co-host for the "McCoy in the Morning" show on The House. I live in Perry, OK with my husband Terry. My son Shayne attends OSU. My daughter Lindsay is now living in Denver, CO with her husband Billy, who is a First Officer for Great Lakes Airlines. I have a passion for spreading the word about the ministries that God has entrusted to the staff of The House FM and Praise 88.7. I love seeing lives changed for the cause of Christ." Janelle traveled to the Dominican Republic...

This is going to come as a bit of a shock to my readers. I'm not perfect. There, I've said it. I have my strengths: I love everybody and I'm a very forgiving person. I also have my weaknesses: I don't like confrontation. The longer I live, the more I realize that I am not everyone's cup of tea, and that's alright by me. Recently, I had a conversation with someone about perception. Who people perceive me to be and how I perceive others. As a Christian, some folks think I am judgmental or intolerant. Actually, as a Christian, I am commanded to be loving to all. I try to take time to get to know someone and not pass judgment on anyone. Some people talk about tolerance, but it's just a ruse. They really just want others to agree with them. My grandmother had very strong opinions, but superb manners. She would never interrupt anyone or lose her temper. She always listened to all sides of an issue. I learned a lot from her. Maybe manners and kindness could help ou...