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I’m 3 feet from the crest of the hill.

And I walk.

I know better. I was almost there! But I just couldn’t push myself one step further.

My high school cross-country coach used to hollar about running “through” the entire hill… over the crest and on.

He’d train us: we’d run hill after hill after hill. The whole point was to get up and over that hill, running all the way through.

On a good day, all it takes is a little endurance, and – ah – I’m up and over that hill… suddenly the legs loosen up, the heart rejoices, and the run succeeds.

So I find myself needing to run some hills regarding servanthood.

I can sprint through a whole day, serving, serving, serving (you know how it is, moms). A smile, some energy, a gentle heart.

And then, ugh.

I’m 3 feet from the crest of the hill.

And I just can’t take it any more. I stop short.

I lose patience.

Need time alone.

I demand affirmation from my husband, my kids, ANYbody.

And I never crest the hill.

The tragedy is that cresting the hill is what servanthood is all about.

I can serve, serve, serve with a smile on my face and a cute apron around my waist, but if I turn around and hand my family a bill, I turn my offering into hired-help.

Never demanding paybacks or praise is what makes servanthood, servanthood!

So, I look with eager eyes to the Servant of All, and ask, “Father, strengthen me with endurance, so that I may do Your will with zeal and diligence, and that I might not quit pursuing the deep things of God… Direct my heart into the patience, or endurance in which Jesus walked. Give me strength to follow through in my commitments to You and to fulfill my ministry calling when it is difficult.” (prayer from Prayers to Strengthen Your Inner Man)

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In anticipation of this universal question of femininity…(read the rest – and catch a glimpse of the girls! – at Raising Homemakers)

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2. Repeat #1 again, and again, and again.

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So today, we sat across from one another in a sound-proof booth, in a mobile recording studio, parked on a street downtown.

Ryan asked about my childhood, my education, our relationship, our daughters, our memories – both good and bad. And, together, we told a story.

A story about a couple of our sweetest moments; a few words recorded about God’s faithfulness and His gift of life to us.

StoryCorps then gave us a CD of the interview and filed our conversation with 60,000 other stories at the Library of Congress.

Perhaps you would like to interview someone to preserve a story? They’ll be in Trenton, NJ next! I highly recommend this sweet experience.

I’m Peppermint Patty! Thanks for believing in me.

And it went well.

I read for Peppermint Patty and sang, “I Know Now”…

I felt the energy… and the love… and the mintiness.

And the director said, “Very nice!”

So now the big question is, “WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??”

I’ll let you know when they call sometime over the next few days…

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The next time your two-year-old (or twenty-two year old) comments only about a problem, let her know THAT is whining and ask her to come up the solution to her problem instead. A young child’s solution will usually require your help and attention, but you’ll be happy to grant his sweet request. An older child will realize that – (what-dya-know) – he can take care his own problem by himself. Presto-chango! No more whining!  We discovered this transformative concept from the book Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes in You… and Your Kids.

Here’s what I mean:

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