I'm half asleep. The 10:00 news is wrapping up and I hear a girl tiptoe into our room. I pretend I'm sleeping. Madison whispers to Curt, “Dad, you know that bar that holds up the shower curtain in our bathroom? Can I hang on that?”

At least she asked permission. 

This is typical for our little gymnast. She does handstands in the living room. Cartwheels in the kitchen. Back-walkovers up the steps. And that’s all before leaving the house. Once we're out and about, she spots opportunities everywhere. A narrow retaining wall makes a great balance beam. Tree limbs become uneven bars. You get the point. The world is her gymnasium.

It baffles me. This girl spends hours every week training at the gym. But does she get tired of it? Nope. Cartwheels, splits, handstands and flips are all part of her everyday life. Now, piano was a different story. She'd go to her lesson, but then she wouldn't touch the piano the rest of the week. But gymnastics? She loves it. It’s woven into every area of her life. 

This doesn't mean I have to beat my kids over the head with a Bible every minute of every day. We just need to include God in our everyday activities. If we keep our eyes open, we can spot Him everywhere.               

• While driving through the mountains of Colorado and rafting on a mighty river, we marveled at God’s power and creativity.
  
  
• When a serious car accident happened just a few feet in front of us, we talked about God’s protection and thanked Him for keeping us safe.
  
  
• When employees from Curt’s work volunteer to feed the homeless, Curt takes our girls along to help. 
  
  
• When God blesses us with something, we try to share it with others.

God doesn't live in a church building. He is everywhere – in every area of our lives. As a parent, it’s my job to teach this truth to my kids. Now, if only I could teach Maddie to stop doing cartwheels in the kitchen!

Hi Everyone!

We've all had those days. You know the ones. The days our kids test us ... disobey us ... and push every button we didn't even know we had. This week I'm sharing some suggestions on how to manage our emotions and prevent those major mommy meltdowns. 

Click over to the Quad City Moms Blog to read it here:   http://bit.ly/1xwW0JV

Have a great week,

Sheri

I knew I was supposed to appreciate my blessings on Thanksgiving, but as we pulled into my grandparents’ driveway, I had mixed feelings. I was thankful to still have my grandparents. I was glad my girls could know their great-grandparents. But lately, visiting them was difficult – sometimes even heartbreaking – as I watched their health decline.

Grandpa, once a big, strong farmer who operated bulldozers and hauled truckloads of rock, cattle and corn, could no longer walk from his chair in the living room to the kitchen table without assistance.

In the past, Grandma had handled their finances. She balanced the checkbook, figured income taxes and paid the hired men. But lately she’d become confused and disoriented. Sometimes during conversation she'd mix up her words. She also struggled with her memory. Last year at my parents’ 50th anniversary party, we watched a slideshow of family photos. Time and again Grandma asked, “Who is that?” as the faces of her children and grandchildren flashed across the screen.

I grabbed my camera and closed the van door. As I walked up the sidewalk, a question lurked in the back of my mind. Would Grandma even know me today?

Voices and laughter echoed through the house. In the living room, family members greeted us. Grandma looked up with a blank expression.

“That’s Sheri,” my mom said from across the room. “You remember my daughter, Sheri. Right, Mom?” 

Grandma gave a slight, unconvincing nod. Maybe she thought I looked familiar in some vague way, but her eyes never seemed to register.

Over the next few minutes I listened to the same conversations I’d heard as a kid. Grandpa asked Dad if he'd gotten his corn picked before the snow started falling. Somehow, the discussions always focused on farming. Grandma sat silent.  

I held my camera out to my aunt. “Would you mind?’

Curt and I sat on either side of my grandparents. Our girls settled down on the floor.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Grandma staring at me. Her eyes narrowed, studying me. All of a sudden she gave me a bright smile.

“I am so glad to see you here!” She patted my knee with her wrinkled hand.

I was completely caught off guard. Had Grandma suddenly recognized me? I couldn't say for sure, but I’ll never forget my initial thought when she spoke those words.  

That’s probably what she’ll say when she sees me in heaven!

I let the idea settle over me. Of course. Grandma may not recognize me today, but she will definitely know me in heaven. I needed that little reminder to look at the big picture.

A few months later, Grandma and Grandpa moved into a full-time care facility. Sadly today, Grandma’s Alzheimer’s has progressed to the point that she can no longer form words. But I know this isn't the end of the story. Grandma and I will talk again.

Until then, I’ll treasure that photo with my grandma’s hand planted firmly on my knee. Each time I see it, my heart fills with thanksgiving because I know there’s a better future waiting for Grandma.

Hi friends! I am excited to have a new facebook page, specifically for my writing. 
If you'd like to know when I've posted a new blog or hear about my writing endeavors, 
please like my writer page at: https://www.facebook.com/SheriZeckWrites. 
Thanks. I appreciate your support! 

“I'll take a half-pound of honey ham, please.” 

The skinny kid behind the counter gave me a nod and grabbed a plastic glove.                                              

“Ma'am, do you think you're in a rut?”       

What did he say? I looked up from my grocery list. 

“Excuse me?” 

“Um … it’s just that uh … you always get honey ham.” 

“Yes, I do. My family likes honey ham.” I sounded like a commercial. Choosy moms choose honey ham. 

He shrugged and handed over the ham. I grabbed my cart and left. But I couldn't get his remark out of my head. 

Why did this guy notice – or even care about – my deli meat preferences? Did he think he was being clever? In-tune with the customer? Just because I like honey ham doesn't mean I'm in a rut! 

That night we went out for Mexican food. When the waiter brought our menus I pushed mine aside. No need to look at it. I always ordered the same thing. 

“I’ll take one medium shell beef taco with sour cream and tomatoes.” 

Come to think of it, I always order the same things at all my favorite restaurants. It’s no big deal. I like to know what to expect. I enjoy predictability. Routine. Oh man, maybe I am in a rut! 

I've got to break free from the daily routine of life. I need to get out of my comfort zone. Do something out-of-the-ordinary. Something fun. Maybe even something unpredictable! 

Bungee jumping wasn't my thing, so I made myself a promise. I'll at least take advantage of the little opportunities that come along and make life more interesting. So here’s what I did:

I did something fun. 
When the eighth-grade volleyball girls challenged us parents to a game, I was a little apprehensive. I mean, I played volleyball in school, but that was a long time ago. Then I thought about it. This could be fun. Instead of sitting on the bleachers, I’d be right in the action. And guess what? It was fun – especially when we won!

I got out of my comfort zone.
If you've read my blog very long, you know how much I enjoy public speaking. (Not!) Last week I was invited to talk on live, local television about one of my recent blog posts. If you missed that post, you can read it here: If I Could Bubble-Wrap Her Heart. Talking on TV was nerve-wracking, but it was also a great way to get out of my comfort zone. 

I did something out-of-the-ordinary.
I reconnected with a friend I hadn't seen in twenty years. It was wonderful. We laughed. We cried. We giggled like teenagers. And we promised not to wait another twenty years to do it again.

And then I did something unpredictable.
I saw them from a distance while strolling through the mall. A cute pair of boots. A small voice spoke up inside my head. You are a grown woman and you've never owned a cute pair of boots. It’s true. I've had tennis shoes, black, brown and blue loafers – even my fair share of ugly pumps from the 90’s – but I've never owned a stylish pair of boots. (No Curt, my snow boots don’t count.) It suddenly became clear. Buying these boots would be perfectly unpredictable. Besides, as I was standing in line, a sweet old lady slipped me her coupon so I knew it was God's will. 

Last week at the grocery store I looked for my young outspoken friend. He was nowhere to be found. Didn't matter, I was on a mission. I was taking charge. I was busting out of that rut! A lady behind the counter interrupted my thoughts.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes,” I said with a grin. “I'll take a quarter-pound of sweet maple turkey breast.” I felt empowered.

She wrapped it up and set it on the counter.

“Anything else?”

“Yes...” I tapped my finger against my lips, pondering. “Give me a half-pound of honey ham.”

I mean seriously, let’s not get crazy. These things take time.

Have you ever felt like you were just going through the motions in life? I think everyone feels that way sometimes. So tell me, what have you done lately to get out of the rut? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Also, I've got some exciting news!
Are you on Facebook? Do you like my writing? Well I would LOVE for you to LIKE my new Facebook page! 
Visit me here: https://www.facebook.com/SheriZeckWrites. I'll keep you updated about all my writing endeavors!