Suspended

I've already posted once about facebook this week.  That was this week, right?  Either way, it's not going to be my habit to talk about FB on here, but I read something on there this morning, and it touched my heart.  I just had to share it with you.

Two words: Suspended Coffee.

There's an article on it here, which is different from what I read on facebook, but it explains the premise.  In case you don't like clicking on links, I'll also explain the premise.  You go to your coffee shop.  You say "I'd like 3 coffees.  One for me, two suspended."  You pay for 3.  You get 1.  You leave.  You've not been ripped off.  You've donated two coffees, so that if someone comes by later who is cold, or tired, or worn down, and they would like a coffee but cannot pay, they can still have one.  

It doesn't have to be coffee, y'all.  Think about where this could go.  Suspended sandwiches.  Suspended pancakes.  Suspended Prius.  Okay, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.  But I love this.  Some would call it "paying it forward".  I call it love.  Loving those around you, even though you don't know who they are.  

Another bonus?  The person who gets the suspended __(whatever)__ doesn't have to ask for a handout.  They don't have to say "can I have some free food because I'm poor and needy."  They just ask "Do you have any suspended __(whatevers)__?"  It might not be much different, but its different enough.  And, for the skeptics/concerned citizens/my husband, you know that your money has gone towards what you meant for it to go towards, and not booze or baseball tickets.

Wanna know what else?  I thought to myself, "I shouldn't write about this today.  It has nothing to do with Easter.  I should write about something Easter-y."  REALLY SELF?  Really?  Someone else, paying for me before they even met me, taking the cost upon themselves so that I may have a gift?  That has nothing to do with Easter?  Really????"  Apparently, I need my theology checked.  Because thinking about it now, I'm 100% sure that suspended coffee has everything to do with Easter.  

Easter is about Jesus.  (Sorry, Bunny.)  It's about how Jesus, the Son of God, came to this earth, lived a blameless life, and yet was willing to allow Himself to be crucified for our sake, and then beat the pants off of death by rising again.  It's as though He said to God, "I'll take everyone ever's hope for eternity.  Suspended."  and then He paid for them.  So that later, when I realized I was wretched and in need, I could go to God and say "Do you have any suspended eternities?" God could say, "Why yes, yes I do.  Here, have eternal life and a side of Peace now, on Jesus."

Happy Easter, all.  Remember that someone else has already paid for you.  Be aware of ways you can "suspend" things for others.  Much love.

<3 M.

Names and Titles

Want to know what I love?  I would love for you to share with me, what you love.  And since I'm assuming you're a little bit like me (but not too much, don't worry), I'm going to assume that you want to know what else I love.

I love when handsome calls me something that's not my real name.  Even if it's "Mrs. Motor Oil" like I got yesterday when I showed up at the fire station.  Those guys, they thought it was hilarious that I had slicked my hair down while changing my oil.  Sometimes it's sweet, and that's normal to like.  And sometimes it's a joke or a wisecrack, and maybe you're not supposed to like being called things like that.

But I do.  It lifts my heart.  Makes me happy to be so... known.  

I guess people who don't know you could call you something other than what your name is, but that's hardly ever heart-lifting.  

My grandmas, they call me MeMe (although one spells it MiMi).  It's a grandma name, which is fitting in a backwards sort of sense.  I've been called that by them, ever since I was a baby.  Something about running towards the couch yelling, I don't remember much of it.  But I love when they call me that, too.  

Being called "Thee FireWife", well, I think that's sort of weird.  But it seems that everyone who knows anything keeps telling me that branding yourself is key.  "Key" to what?  I'm not sure.  I still don't know what I'm doing on here, other than connecting with you peeps.  

ASIDE:  Oh no.  Peeps.  Now I've done it.  My mind is on a candy craving again.  23 days until Good Friday.  Is that when Lent is over? Gosh, I'm not good at this!

No Seconds For Me

To reiterate my previous disclaimer, "I was not raised in a church that followed Lent".

Ah-hem.

Yes.  It's true.  Or maybe I was and somehow missed it for all those years??  It doesn't seem possible, but then again, you wouldn't think it possible for me to need to check the mailbox when I've lost my keys.  Sometimes things just happen around here.  

My words may not be the right words, and my methods may not be typical.  But my heart, my heart wants the real deal.  So for Lent, I'm giving up seconds.  Which seems tiny and petty.  I'm not giving up on the going-back-for seconds for my waist (although it may benefit!) or for my pocketbook, but rather because I want to remember that what I have is enough.  That Jesus is enough.  That what we were given on the cross, what our first portion was, is enough.  

Suffice to say, buffets are pretty much off-limits for a while.

There is a tricky part of this, where I need to not try and trick the system and just carry two plates back with me the first time, or something like that.  This morning, I had two cake pops given to me.  Good day, right?  So I ate one, and it was delicious.  And I did some things.  And then I went to eat the other, and I thought, "Mariah, do you need this?  WAIT!  This would be your second cake pop, wouldn't it?" and so I gave it away and thanked the Lord for being enough.  

Maybe this is weird and doesn't make any sense.  That's okay.  I also ate 3 crackers this evening, but it was a one-fell-swoop kind of thing.  The details are fuzzy.  But I know what I'm meaning.  

Love & Sunshine,

TFW

I Will Not Miss Easter

I won't.  I'm not going to miss it this year. 

Last year, I sort of missed it.  Not in the same way that I currently miss Christmas, but in the way that it came and went and there wasn't a whole lot of focus given to it.  

To Easter.  [Really, Mariah?  you just missed it?  The day that makes your faith alive?  Really?]

Yep.  I just ate chocolate eggs and went on with my life.

And I regretted it.

And then I vowed not to let it happen to me again.

Unfortunately, Lent has snuck up on me again this year.  Today is Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent (I believe...?).  And although i don't much pay attention to the goings on of the Catholic Church, I do believe that some of their rituals are beautiful and spiritual and worth paying attention to.  And I think Lent may be the very thing I need to not miss Easter this year.

But I don't know much about Lent, how to "do" Lent, what good resources (books, study guides, etc.) are out there concerning the whole idea of Easter and it's solemnness.  And I don't have much time to find out.  So if you know, or could direct me to someone who does, please share.  Or if you do something special, give up something special, or have some tradition, I'd love to know about that, too!

My absolute favorite mass-produced Easter Candy

And if you have some extra chocolate eggs, feel free to share those, too.

Scrambling My Eggs,

TFW