(Almost) Missed Blessings

Confession: I am a certified guacaholic. This term, coined by my 12-year-old, indicates that I am addicted to guacamole. Although food makes a nice compliment to this most perfect of condiments, I would eat it, on its own, with a spoon. True Story. And yes, I know it costs extra.

This brings me to lunch. Okay, I am going to confess one more thing that will either further endear me to you, or confirm that you think I am just a pecan shy of being a total nut job. Or both. Here it is: Lunch is my favorite word in the English language. Seriously. I like the way it sounds. Lunch. I like that it makes me think of things like tuna fish sandwiches, tortilla chips and lemonade. If our schedule and lifestyle permitted, lunch would be my family's largest meal of the day. It would be eaten on our terrace, overlooking the quaint village in which we live and we would all nap outdoors after we were sufficiently fed listening to wind blow through the trees.

Alas, our schedule does not allow for said lunch fantasies. Well, that and the fact that we don't have a terrace or live in a quaint village, which are also obvious hindrances to the aforementioned scene. If you've read any previous blog entries, you know these daydreams are quite common.

Moving on.

As a stay at home mom, I very often find myself at home, alone, in the middle of the day. As such, my lunches have, as of late, sadly been reduced to yogurt and granola. It's quick and easy. Extra bonus: there is minimal mess to clean up when I am finished. Now, there is nothing wrong with yogurt and granola. It's quite tasty. But, recently the hubs pointed out how nice it must be to be home at lunch time and get to make whatever I wanted to eat. He lamented that he often has to eat on the go and healthy, satisfying lunch options are limited. Man can only eat at Chipotle so many times before it loses its appeal. Woman can only eat yogurt and granola so many days.

So, today, as I reached for my standard yogurt, I noticed some leftover veggies. I saw some whole wheat tortillas. And then, I saw the thing that would ultimately seduce me into making a real lunch for myself. Guacamole. I had completely forgotten. We had company over for Cinco de Mayo. We had tostadas. We had, wait for it... Guacamole. It was on like Donkey Kong.

           

Don't worry, I am not going to give you a recipe for vegetable quesadillas. I'm pretty sure you know how to throw some veggies and cheese in a tortilla, top it with guacamole and enjoy.

                                            

Although the trip through my thoughts this Thursday has been a long and windy road, my point is how easily I dismiss God's blessings and so often miss out on fully enjoying and delighting in this life I am beyond blessed to live. I was at the park with a girlfriend the other day, also a stay at home mom, and we both acknowledged how easily we fill our days with tasks and to do lists. We confessed the guilt we experience if we sit down in the middle of the day or take a little extra time for ourselves. Oh how it must grieve the spirit when we feel guilty for enjoying the blessings and gifts our generous God gives us each day.

"And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live." Ephesians 4:30

The hubs was right. Most days, I have the opportunity to make myself a proper lunch and even sit down to enjoy the same. Yet, here I was, often carrying my yogurt from room to room with me in an effort to stay busy and be effective. I had failed to recognize a simple lunch at home, a brief respite in the midst of a hectic day and yes, even guacamole, as presents from my Father. Perhaps the most effective thing I could do for me, for my family and for my Savior, would be to slow down, enjoy His gifts, express gratitude, and truly experience the blessings, rather than rushing through one more chore, one more day.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

There will always be to do lists and there will always be chores that need completing. But, every now and then, there is this little space on that list between action items that allows, perhaps demands, that I stop and be still. Time is a gift and when there is time for guacamole, sister, that nearly qualifies as miraculous. So, today I am letting go of the guilt as I sit at my kitchen table and enjoy a homemade, healthy lunch. Today, I choose gratitude.

                                                  "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

          

And who knows? Maybe guacamole, with a side of gratitude, will be on the menu again tomorrow. 

Hometown Tourist

       

I love living in Arizona. I love the 70 degree temps in January and yes, I even love the 115 degree temps in August. I know, I'm a freak. I love being surrounded by mountains and cactus. After having lived just one winter in a snowy climate, I absolutely love that I can visit the snow in a mere two hour drive and yet, not have to shovel the same from my driveway. I love our sunsets and, when I manage to drag my booty out of bed early enough to catch one, I love our sunrises. I truly am thankful each day that God has planted us here. 

My husband and daughters are natives of this great state. Indeed, they like to call me an outsider and remind me that I'm not a true Arizonan despite that fact that I've been here since I was five years old. Despite my carpetbagger status, they've taken me in as one of their own. The hubs does have some pretty legit street cred when it comes to the issue though. His great grandparents were ranchers in Arizona before it was a state. A fact of which he is very proud and shares often.

Whenever we meet someone new, particularly when we are traveling, and any of the aforementioned facts come up, ninety percent of the time we will inevitably get asked this question: Have you been to the Grand Canyon?

Really? As if the Grand Canyon is the only thing Arizona has going. I mean, we're home to the Cardinals, the Suns and I think we might even have a baseball team. Speaking of baseball, how about spring training? Hello? We play host to one of the premier zoos in the country and the stunning Desert Botanical Gardens are right next door. Are museums your thing? The  Phoenix Art Museum, the Heard Museum and the Musical Instrument Museum all call this great state home. Broadways shows come to Arizona just to perform in beautiful venues such as the Herberger Theatre and Comerica Theatre. Do you like nature? Take a trip to Snowbowl, Thumb Butte and Mount Lemon and cast your sights on views that rival any vacation destination. Speaking of beauty, the Arizona Ballet and Phoenix Symphony Orchestra are not to be missed. I could go on and on about all Arizona has to offer that is not to be missed.

As much as I loathe the Grand Canyon question, it does highlight one glaring fact. I've never been to the Grand Canyon. True story.  In fact, many of the attractions I mentioned as not to be missed, I have, in fact, missed. Many of them I've not visited in years and some I've never even seen.  

This very topic came up for discussion recently as the fam and I drove out to an early Saturday morning hike. Just as we were feeling pretty down on ourselves, we had a stroke of brilliance. (And by we, I mean the hubs.)  Why don't we, he suggested, become tourists in our hometown? Let's create a bucket list of Arizona attractions and make this the year we finally visit more, see more, and do more.  

I know we're not mavericks when it comes to the notion of being tourists in your own city. People have been taking stay-cations for years. But, for us, the idea of being tourists needed to encompass more than just weekend trips to museums or eating at new resteraunts.

Dont get me worng. We definitely want to do those things and those are exactly the type of things on the list. But, for us, being a tourist also means approaching all we do with fresh eyes and renewed excitement. When we're on vacation everything feels fun and exciting. We might see a movie, but there's something about seeing it in a new city that makes it feel special. Dessert tastes sweeter. Hands are held longer. Dinners are lingered over and games last way past bedtime. This is the attitude we want to bring to our school days, our work days, our holidays. Our goal is to approach all we do with excitement and enthusiasm, whether it's a day out or a night in, a meal at a new restaurant or simply dinner and a movie in the living room.

This is the year we become hometown tourists. We certainly aim to do more and see more. But, most importantly, we are striving to be present more. 

All that and I don't even have to pack.