And why you, as a woman, should too

“I’d just be voting for the lesser of two evils anyway,” a friend of mine said one recent afternoon, explaining the reason she plans not to vote in the upcoming presidential election. “And since Obama is our senator, we know the state will go to him anyway. So why bother voting one way or the other? It wouldn’t make any difference.”

A year ago I might have nodded along with her. But not now. And hopefully never again.

Sometimes the unusual circumstances bring the most joy

“You did what?” my friend Dawn asked when I told her what my husband and I did for our anniversary.

I nodded. “Yep. Scott and I spent the night in our Explorer in a Wal-mart parking lot.”

“On purpose?” She half-snorted.

I nodded again. “On purpose.”

Okay, let me explain. Almost every year for our anniversary, Scott and I drive two-and-a-half hours to a small historic, tourist town just east of the Mississippi River. We knew we wanted to go there last year for our anniversary. But because we had no place to leave our dog (we don’t do kennels), and because there were no pet-friendly motels in the area, and because it was November and no campgrounds were open, we opted to rough it.

I’ve learned I can bring him even my doubt and distrust.

It was one of those prayers that come with tears.

It was a while ago, and I was lying in bed before falling asleep—the space and time when I often assess the day with God. Looking back at my successes and failings, hopes and hurts. Asking for forgiveness, for help, for hope in our sometimes-jaded world.

Sharing what God’s really doing in my life

“Well,” my couples’ small group leader said as she smiled and leaned forward, “now let's go around the circle and share what God taught us over the last week.”

Inwardly, I groaned. Here we go again.

As the discussion moved from person to person, I realized I literally had no idea what to say when my turn came. Searching for something that would sound appropriately “spiritual,” I mentally scrolled through the events of my week. In the last seven days, I'd prepared meals for my family and others, walked our dog, completed my Bible study homework, phoned friends and loved ones and church family members. I'd done laundry. Grocery shopped. E-mailed and surfed, watched Dancing With the Stars, and played Word Twist on Facebook. Visited someone in the hospital. Ran errands. Ate lunch with a friend. And survived yet another week of the cavalcade of plumbers and carpenters who arrived early in the morning and left late in the afternoon for our major bathroom remodel. All pretty mundane stuff.

My heart sank. I had nothing: no earthshaking, extraordinary insights I could package as directives from God. My palms started to sweat.

It’s time to make marriage about more than just my spouse

Several years ago, my mother called to ask if I’d heard the new Toby Keith song that was currently number 1 on the country charts.

“It’s my life’s song, my motto, my mission statement!” she informed me. “Let me play it for you.” She placed the phone next to her speakers.

Out came Toby’s words: “I want to talk about me, I want to talk about I, I want to talk about number 1, oh my me my.”

My mom and I still laugh about that and say, “Well, after all, it’s all about me.”