Level Up- In Frogger and In Faith

The other day I was enjoying a long walk. My walks have become slower yet longer lately. I feel like I’m needing more time to just think, talk with God and try harder to listen to Him. I’m feeling a bit unsettled. 

I’d like to live my life where I can say with complete truth- 
“One step in faith is enough for me…”
But lately I’ve been feeling like the truth is-
“No way!” “Tell me more!”
I know it’s not God’s way to do so…
But sometimes I wish I had a larger road map with the specific turns, streets, and people clearly marked. 

Wishes…

Last spring we were blessed to be able to share a zip code with both of my boys and their families. We gathered for Bry’s birthday celebration complete with Stromboli and his favorite Funfetti cake. This kid deserves a celebration! He had just completed all the requirements for his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. He’s a hard worker, incredible friend, and a light in his discipleship of Jesus Christ.

A few candles were placed in the cake and as the family sang an off-tune version of the familiar song- “Happy Birthday”. My momma’s heart was full. I looked around, noting the smiling faces of the people I love, being most grateful for togetherness. As voices waned in the last line…”Happy Birthday to you…”  I chimed in “Make a wish!” as he was taking a dramatic big breath to blow out his candles. 

He paused and said “I don’t do that anymore. For eight straight years I wished the Nuggets would win the NBA Championship….
…and they never did. “

The room erupted in laughter while my heart momentarily sank. There was a sad thought in a moment that as a parent, my son’s birthday wishes never came true. 

I quickly brushed off the thought, joined in the joyful celebration only to return to that thought regarding wishes many times since that day. Wishes, beliefs, faith, and hope are all just words wherein many co notations lie. It’s the concepts that I’m interested in thinking about…

Those thoughts bring me to these three questions that one of my brilliant sisters, Kimmy, has taught me to ask:

What’s mine?
What’s God’s? 
What’s theirs?

Answering these questions has led to so much wisdom and peace as I try to level up my faith. 
With any internal angst, stress, challenge or question I ask myself:

“What’s mine?”
God expects me to do my part. Some of life’s battles, especially those connected with my own journey require effort on my part to fight. My strength is compounded as I seek for Christ’s help. 
 

“What’s God’s?”
Sometimes no matter how hard I pray, how hard I work, or how much I want to control the outcome- the position and power of ALL things resides with God. The harder I work to try and control what is happening, the more frustrated I become because it’s not “mine”. It’s God’s decision and my choice is to accept His will or not. 

“What’s their’s?”
As a mom- peace is pivotal to understanding this. My kids will be blessed with their own mountains to climb. With these- rarely does God want me to carry them in anyway. Sometimes I may be blessed to be an instrument in His hands with an inspired thought- but the journey is theirs to own. In these times as I relent to surrendering control- the growth and refinement get to be claimed by my children. (Or anyone else I love that is facing their own battles.)

This is obviously God’s perfect plan  for love and agency as we work to return to Him. 

The other day I slowly finished my walk, I was blessed with a phone call from Jess in between her college classes. We chatted about all of the  happiness she’s choosing in her life right now. There was much to talk about. I thoroughly enjoyed the company on my walk, and the ability to connect with her despite being a couple of states away.

I approached a five lane road that I cross at the beginning and at the end of my walks. There’s no crosswalk.  I don’t mind.  I played the video game Frogger a couple of times as a kid and appreciate the adrenaline rush each morning as I play it in real life on my walk. 😉
Jess has walked with me on breaks from college and (sort of) plays it with me too.  We wait at the sidewalk and I’ll just holler “Run!”  She doesn’t think I’m very funny but we laugh and dodge cars as we make our way across. My right hand is currently in a cast. As I set out for a moment of Frogger while holding my phone in my left hand, I bobbled it. I retrieved it from the asphalt but had to take a minute in the middle turn lane as the extra few seconds cost me a long enough clearing in the lanes of oncoming traffic.  I was again reminded of how waiting in the center lane helped me “level up” on Frogger.

It’s also a necessary mode in life. -Knowing whether to pump the brakes or slam on the gas. As I journey, life often moves fast. Prayerful assessment of Kimmy’s three questions encourages me to pause and thus- “Level up” in faith-

More faith begins with Christ. I know through the Atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ there is hope. 
There is also peace, strength, grace, forgiveness, and penalties paid.
I know He has paid the price for all of my pains, temptations, sins and afflictions and I have a choice to carry those burdens or surrender them to Him. 

I’m working to surrender- 
And my right hand in a cast is a start. There are literal tasks that aren’t “mine” anymore.  And the change in expected workload each day adds to a deeper assessment of “What’s mine?” right now.  I feel like it’s time to “level up” with my faith.  I know it completely centers around accepting the answer I’m receiving in prayer right now.  I’m where God needs me to be, doing His will for me today.  I desperately want to see tomorrow.  He’s telling me that’s not my view to see.  So today’s task is trust…

And as I work more to become like Him- it’s easier to trust Him.

-JC

Candy Bar Cookies

1 cup soft butter
½ cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs 
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips
2 cups+ chocolate based candy bars cut into pieces (use any variety of Snickers, Milky Way, Baby Ruth, Reese’s, etc…)

Cream butter, oil,  and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high for 3 minutes or until well blended. Hand stir in eggs and vanilla; don’t over-mix. Add dry ingredients all at once and mix until fully incorporated. Add 2-3 Tablespoons more flour for high elevation. Stir in chocolate chips. Gently fold in candy bar pieces. Scoop out approximately 24+ 2.5” balls of dough.  For a richer flavor and smoother texture, form cookie dough balls, flatten slightly and refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake. Place on greased or parchment paper on an aluminum cookie sheet.  
Bake at 375 degrees for 10+ min. Drizzle with melted Hershey Bars, if desired.
Let set.Share.