chipmunk manicures, my 8th grade dance dress, and guess whose book is released in 21 days???? It is

Nothing makes me doubt that God is real like unexpected dead stop traffic when I am trying to get to morning Mass. That, and when you sit down to write and your computer takes 40 years to respond. See how mature my faith is? I know. You are wondering, "how can I get a faith just like hers?"

Someone told my daughter yesterday, "I love your costume."

Which is funny.

Because she wasn't wearing a costume.

She was in her everyday clothes.

As I write this, I am still laughing.

Thank God for laughter.

And of course you know I will now say that to her every morning after she gets dressed.

I love your costume.

Ha.

I am nearly 100% convinced that chipmunks are taking over the world.

Remember when they used to hide? In rocks?

They are everywhere now, in plain sight.

All over my yard. Jumping in the grass. And running in the driveway. And inside of my house reading books and drinking wine on my couch.

Ok.

They are not reading books.

But they might be...soon....

My 8th grader has been on a painful journey of suffering and I need your prayers.

She is having tremendous trouble finding the right dress for the 8th grade dance.

People.

She is perfect.

In every way.

Everything looks beautiful on her.

She hates it all.

Except for the one that shows way too much....

I am contemplating finding the dress that I wore for my 8th grade dance...and having her wear that.

Because all I can say is that it came with a large matching bow that I wore in my hair, and may or may not have been made from a circus tent or old bedspread.

I have been under enormous stress lately and so I bought nail polish in two different colors at CVS yesterday because doing my own nails is the obvious answer. Want to make a bet that I will never sit down and actually paint my nails? Seriously. Such a stupid impulse purchase. The chipmunks stand a better chance at ruling the world and reading books than I do at sitting down and doing my nails. Why? Well...fist of all...there is the sitting part. Then the nail polish remover that needs to happen because I did treat myself to a manicure back in early April....and so I would have to find the cotton balls...and then you know the polish would look crappy because those ladies at the salon are magic and doing your own nails is never quite the same...and then the worst part of all? The waiting for it to dry. Can't do it. Just can't do it. Feels like the greatest waste of time ever to me. Can anyone relate? Or should I just increase my weekly therapy sessions?

So guess what? It is June. And June means....my book Victorious Secret: Everyday Battles and How To Win Them is almost released!!!!! Go to my Book link up above to pre order! And I am pleased to announce that I am presently working on my second book titled Victorious Secret: Every SECOND Battles and How to Fight Them Poorly. Sure to be a best seller. Honestly. What was I thinking writing about spiritual warfare? It is like sending the devil an engraved invitation that says, "please come and attack me and my family forever and would you like the chicken or salmon because I am happy to feed you and make you as comfortable as possible." This really is no surprise, is it? It is the beauty of our faith. Preach it loud then freaking DUCK, sister, or you'll get hit!

Maybe I should paint the chipmunks nails...?....just a thought.

So....looking for some encouragement on this June 1st Friday since clearly, you have not found it here?

At 10am today join my dear friend Kristy on Walking With Purpose's Facebook page as she goes Live talking about Lisa Brenninkmeyer's brand new study, Fearless and Free : Experiencing Healing and Wholeness in Christ. Then be sure to join me on WWP Instagram all next week as I talk about the final lesson in Fearless Free...The Warrior. I may or may not be wearing a suit of armor for this presentation. Let's just hope I don't die in battle before Monday.

Finally, because I feel like I should say something of value today....I read Anne Lamott's Hallelujah Anyway last weekend in one day and was struck by this, that she said:

"The secret is, if what we need and want is missing, we begin by going to where we last saw it."

And sure, that makes sense when we lose our keys, or cup of coffee, or that thing that we need and put down God knows where....but I read this over and over and even wrote it down because it makes me think of those people that I love, who are not really gone, but certainly lost, and although still right here, you cannot find them, and so I am digging through my brain and turning it upside down just trying to get to that last moment, that last place, that good memory where I last saw. And I wonder if we all have that someone...and if we need to retrace our steps...and if doing this actually changes anything, or just makes us more sad? Puts living in the present moment into perspective because even by the time this post goes public, it is yet, another moment gone. A possible moment of something seen for the last time. That's the tricky part about seeing for the last time. Nine times out of ten, it gives us no warning.

Well that was a depressing way to end this.

So sorry.

Should have stuck with the chipmunk manicures.