Ramps

WW3.
I waved goodbye to the kiddos and Baldy this morn.
Slowly, very slowly I turned around and closed the door.
Just moments ago, we were all 6 piled in my bathroom spray painting HAIR and rolling laughing.
"Couldn't we just STAY there?!", I imagined as a hopeless happy emotion sanguine junkie?!

I took a deep, deep breath.
I think I even closed my eyes while I whispered, "Help."

See, my house looked like what is left after....
EVERYday Spirit Week projects,
9 practices (and the subsequent loading/1/2 unloading of gear!)
2 Literature Projects,
My painting job EVERYWHERE,
dishes from 2, yes 2 nights ago,
dust like you can't fathom,
and couches overrun with (thankfully CLEAN!) laundry.

I 'shoulda' rushed for a date with the Lord, but I try not to "should' myself much these days.
No.
This was a carpe'diem moment and I knew it.

Busted out my new Mumford & Sons cd.  (#TURN.UP.LOUD.)
Slipped on my tennies.
Cranked the hair in a bun (you'll come to notice this happens when I'm serious.)
and went after it.

I went to bed last night with one of those Matrix bubble wars going on in my head.
Ramps.  Ramps.  RAMPS.  They were surrounding me and trust me I will explain momentarily.
I was thinking deeply on this topic, reflecting on definitions, photos, examples, scriptures, etc while
BUSTING A SERIOUS MOVE.

Attacking rooms like a freaking madwoman.
Constantly coaching myself through my ADD tendencies.
You know,
"This goes in the other room." "Do NOT leave this room Julz!""But this goes in there too!"
"DO NOT LEAVE this room JULZ or you will be reading a book you find in that room too!"

On and on.

I was getting super dooper proud of myself as I watched the clutter bow to either the trash can or my hand.  "Yes!  BAM!  That TOO!  Oh Baldy is gonna LOOOOOOVE me tonight!"

When what do ya know.  I go to stick a can of root beer on the top shelf of the fridge.
I knew it wasn't a solid placement, but let's get real, I was moving LIGHTNIN' SPEED and nothing was gonna stop me.

Next thing ya know, all of my limbs are flailing.
Root beer was literally spraying not only my face, but EVERYthing within 10 feet.

Here goes, the title.

Ramps.

30 seconds crept up on me.
"DAD GUM IT JULZ!!!!  IF, BIG FAT IF,  you would have taken the time to DO THAT WELL this wouldn't have happened!  You're always in such a freaking hurry!!!! You cause more messes that you can ever manage.  IF the fridge were clean or organized you would have HAD a PLACE to put that!  Sheesh.  You're such a mess!!!! NOW you have a REAL mess.  You know in a year, you will STILL be finding splatters from THIS ONE, RIGHT?  And you know it will be JUST when the most snooty OCD person you know comes over."

Ok.  Laugh away.  But stop and think.
Does that happen to you?!?
Can you be feeling pretty peaceful, semi-on-top of things one minute and suddenly an unexpected situation NAILS ya?!
Maybe it's just me, but what happened next was a perfect example of RAMPS.

See.
3 1/2 years ago, my daddy passed away from this earth.
The first month was absolute and complete shock and survival.
But what happened next will forever change my perspective.

I settled deeeeeeeeeep into depression.
That is an entire entry of it's own, but RAMPS definitely are a FRUIT of that season.

It was a looooong dark year. (Probably closer to 2)
But one day the Lord laid on my heart this concept of RAMPS.

"Julz, you have a choice.  You can keep winding down this path or you can trust that I WILL do the hard work....if only you'll choose to jump on a new ramp once in awhile."

I began practicing what He was whispering to me.
This was how practical it was.

Julz, this is what you've been doing:
1.  Unexpected (or occasionally expected) situation happens.
     Folks, I'm talking someone didn't call when they said they would, I broke something, I forgot an    
       appointment, child had a melt-down, Baldy would give me a 'look'.
2.  Everyone, ESPECIALLY ME, reacts their typical way.
3.  You JUMP on a DOWNWARD spiraling RAMP and without an intervention it would be DAYS
       before you would even HEAR MY VOICE again....and let's face it, a mass of people were left
       wounded from your verbal destruction.

THIS was the strategy the Lord was now giving me:
1.  #*&* is GONNA happen.  Face it and don't be thrown off.
2.  MINIMIZE YOUR REACTION.  (Yeah, I still throw out a bomb or let a hurtful phrase slip
     occasionally) but MINIMIZE it.
3.  SEARCH with ALL YOUR MIGHT for the LEMONADE IN THIS LEMON!
4.  When you find it laugh your butt off (even when u aren't so much feeling it b/c laughter
     simply changes things!) and then.....
5.  CHOOSE to JUMP on the RAMP of positive thinking......BEFORE YOU ARE FEELING IT!
6.  Trust ME and LISTEN until your raging emotions begin to catch up.

So there you have it.
I'm a year into RAMP practice.
Fail every cotton picking day.  (Ask Baldy or one of my 4 ;)
But, I honestly wake up and go to bed KNOWING that with MY cooperation HE will DO what I cannot.

Oh and just to make you laugh.
After the root beer catastrophe, I decided to sit on the back deck and read for a minute (my FAV thing!)

I looked out over my backyard smiling and immediately another ramp opportunity presented itself.
Friends, it looked like SANFORD AND SONS!!!!
We host way too many gatherings and the kids are in charge of 'outdoor recovery' which also means, the job is always half @#@/way done.

I snapped this pic to give you yet another RAMP example.
THIS was gathered from MY backyard.

*This 'EYE SPY" is what I CHOSE to see and the RAMP I CHOOSE to jump on... semi left to right.
- 1st...the shoes our MParty came to us wearing.
-my fav striped gloves that can be used on phone!
-my daughters fascination with my thrill for mixmatched craziness socks
-'stray cat' food scoopers bc my kiddos heart for the lonely is even bigger than mine!
-evidence of old trampoline and blessing of new one!
-thin mints....need i say more?!  blessing no matter what!!!
-nasty cigar & lighter plate, evidence of an amazing men's meeting on back deck
-2 bags full of Poo =evidence of boys semi DOING chore.  I mean really boys?!  You did the job, how hard was it to hit the can with it?!  Whatev!
-forever duct tape weapons.....omgosh i love boys
-kitchen supplies that forever go MISSIng but = someone had FUN!
Yeah, and lots o trash from house church kiddos that obviously got lost and carried away with fun!

Pay attention to how many opportunities YOU have today to CHOOSE a positive/negative RAMP.

Have a funny one lately?!?!?!
Please, oh PLEASE make me laugh and feel semi normal?!