Some things just DON'T make sense!

Tomorrow Jeremy and Alyssa and I will catch a flight to Charlotte, NC to be with the family of a very close friend who passed from this life into the arms of Jesus last Saturday at 9:11 pm ET. Tara Rinehart (second from left in the photo above or my current Facebook profile picture) was only 35; the mother of two adorable kiddos that she was completely devoted to; the supportive, loving wife to John; friend to thousands.

Jeremy and I first met the Rineharts when we joined a married couples' Sunday School class at Central Church of God in Charlotte about 7 years ago. We were struck right away by the natural, real, and openly vulnerable style of this big guy and small woman who'd soon become two of the closest friends we've had in our married life together. They obviously loved Jesus but there was no stuffy, churchy language in this class. There was no spiritual pretense. This class was like nothing we'd experienced before. It was a Married Couples class that was actually a Biblically based challenge to work on our marriages week after week. It forced us to take a real, honest look at our relationship that was sometimes funny and sometimes painful...but always necessary.

In John and Tara we found friends we could completely be ourselves with. Friends who'd experienced a little more life than most people and lived through it, so they weren't surprised by much. Friends who made Jesus their number one priority without ever coming across as pious, judgmental, or condescending. We were so excited to be able to continue our friendship when Jeremy and I moved to Peoria in 2004.

Then we got the email in 2006...Tara had found a lump under her arm. Surely it was nothing. Then...it wasn't nothing. It was cancer. For the next three years through the struggles and the victories a story of faith unfolded that I'd never personally encountered. Tara and John showed strength in ways I can't even begin to explain. And, yet, they were still there for others...heading up missions trips, reaching out, helping out, loving. All of this on top of raising a family. And then, things took a turn for the worse. Surely God would heal her right? Her whole life was service to Him. She breathed obedience to the One who had created her and saved her. She would be healed and He would get the credit...right?

Well, her healing wasn't the kind we were all praying for. She and John will never celebrate a 20th, 25th, or 50th wedding anniversary. Tara won't get to raise her beautiful 8 year old daughter and super smart 7 year old son. She'll never tease me again about an insecurity I'm struggling with in that gently sarcastic but loving way that helps me look at things more objectively. She'll never serve us Cheese Pie or any of her yummy recipes again or take us on in Boggle, Scene It, or that game where you see which couple knows each other best. She'll never co-lead another short term missions trip or finish the photo project she was working feverishly on just two short weeks ago.

BUT...she is with the one she did all those things for! She is WITH JESUS! That's where the hope is, isn't it? And in the fact that in the big picture...HIS big picture...there's a reason for this. No one knows what will happen on Friday when the so many who loved Tara will gather to remember and honor this unique woman. No one knows how God will use this seemingly senseless death to bring life to others.

Does that make it easier for her husband and kids right now? No. Does it fill the hole in our lives that she filled? Of course not. But, there IS hope! There IS JESUS! Thank you, God, for Tara Rinehart. Thank you for the time we had with her on earth and the time we'll spend with her, and YOU, in eternity! And, please help me not to be mad at You! Help me in my time of doubt and hurting. And thank You for being able to handle my questions, fears, and anger!

Things you DON'T say to a three-year-old!

The other day Alyssa and I were in the car where we tend to have some pretty deep Mommy/Daughter conversations. Is it like that for you and your kiddos? Anyway, Alyssa wanted to know if Mommies and Daddies sometimes have time-outs too. I told her that no, grown-ups don't usually get time-outs for bad choices but that there are other consequences we face for doing something we shouldn't or for not doing something we should. This of course prompted a VERY CUTE "like what, Mommy?" So, the first thing that came to mind was showing up for work. I told her, "Well, if Mommy decided not to go to work when she was supposed to she could lose her job, you know...I could get fired." Yeah, I totally wasn't thinking when I said the word fired! But without missing a beat Alyssa came right back with, "But I would save you from the fire, Mommy!" Does it get any cuter than that? :) Of course I then had to explain for the rest of the ride home why being fired doesn't mean actually being SET on fire. But, that initial response kept me glowing the rest of the day!

Is that what I ordered?

Just got back from a quick run to Arby's. It's been a crazy day...dozens of errands and work projects to wrap up before leaving on vacation tomorrow morning. So, of course, in all the chaos I forgot my healthy, pre-portioned, whole grain lunch at home in the freezer. No problem...had to go back out for a couple of things anyway and decided to pick up a sandwich and drink. So, I ordered the small combo to save a little money because, let's face it, a dollar at Arby's doesn't go nearly as far as it does at, say, McDonald's. I thought at least I'll be smart and get the SMALL in order to conserve a little on the fat and calories. Well, I thought I was ordering the small. When I received my order I was given a drink that I believed would be a medium by today's standards and what would have been considered a large soda a few years ago. I asked just to make sure and the lady helping me said, "Oh, yeah, that's a small. They get a LOT bigger than that!"

I can't BELIEVE how large the drinks and food servings are getting these days. And then we wonder why we're all struggling with our weight? It's crazy!!! I do have to say I made at least ONE wise dietary choice by giving away half of the fries to Jay, our promotions intern. He's young...he'll burn it off, right?

Note to self...order salads and water on the road trip!

Hey, have a great week and a very happy Fourth of July celebration with your family. After today Jeremy and I will be off for several days. We're looking forward to being back on the air on Monday, July 13 for Doing Life with the Traceys on 91.5 WCIC!

The way we ate when we were kids...

I don't know about you...but I really wish I would have become more disciplined in my eating habits when I was younger. Instead, I distinctly remember going swimming with my friend, Stacey, every afternoon in the summer. This would make us ravenously hungry so we'd go back to my house and promptly pool our money and order not a small, not a medium, but a LARGE pizza for just the two of us which we would then devour. And, yes, we would usually eat the entire thing between just the two of us. If one of my brothers were home we might give them a (emphasis on A) piece depending on how generous we were feeling. And, sometimes we'd toss a few pieces of crust to the beloved family dog, Benji. Yup, we had no idea just how much we were harming not only ourselves but an innocent animal as well with our dietary choices on those hot and humid days. So, our nutrition for the day would usually consist of some chips and sodas consumed at the pool, 1/2 a large pizza, and whatever our Moms were serving for dinner that night when they got home from work. Healthy, huh? And I wonder why it's so hard to practice self control now in my thirties...almost forties!!

Looking back on all of this I know without a doubt that I want to give Alyssa a hand in learning to make healthy choices and developing a taste for yummy nutritious food instead of yummy not-so-much-in-the-nutrition-department foods. And, I know the older she gets the harder that's going to be since I will have less and and less control in this area. So, what do you do to help the older kids and teens eat healthy even when they have to fend for themselves? Share your ideas! And, thanks for the help! :)

Last Birthday in my 30's!

This is it...the final birthday I'll ever have in my 30's. How did it get here so quickly?! Wasn't I 19 like five minutes ago? You can't expect me to believe twenty years have flown by while I was busy doing other things.

When I stop to think about some of the things I'd like to accomplish before I turn 40 and then realize I now only have ONE YEAR to do them...it can be a little overwhelming. I've never visited the Grand Canyon. I haven't learned to speak fluent Spanish. I haven't lost those 40 pounds that have been dogging me for the last 3-4 years. And so on and so on. I'm sure you have things you'd still like to do but don't know when or IF you'll ever get to cross them off that proverbial list. I am SO there!

But, I can't complain really. Look at what I have to celebrate...a God who loves me unconditionally and gave me the best gift ever in Jesus. A husband who is truly committed to me and a LOT of fun to be with. A daughter who brings me so much joy and inspiration day in and day out. A family that supports me. A job that I enjoy. Friends that enrich me. So...BRING IT old age. I think I can handle it.

And, who knows...maybe I'll actually do some of those things on my list this year after all!

Have a great weekend! ~ Jill

Becoming a Grown Up...is it possible?

The other day on Doing Life with the Traceys we talked about when you knew that you were a grown up and we heard a lot of great stories. I think most of us definitely grew up in a hurry when we became parents, don't you? There's just something about realizing you are now responsible - COMPLETELY responsible - for a teeny, tiny, helpless human being that makes you braver somehow. I would say I fit into the category of people who GREW UP a lot at that point in life. It was just a little later for me than most since I didn't become a Mommy until I was 35!

But, does this mean that I am officially a GROWN up? I mean, is that really a valid term...GROWN up? Does that mean that at some point the growing has come to an end? I don't think so. I mean, physically, yes, the growing UP one day ends. (Unfortunately for me, the growing OUT never really seems to end.) But, when it comes to growing in other ways...mentally, emotionally, and especially spiritually, does the growing up ever end? I sure hope not. And, what about the desire for new adventures, thrill seeking, and risk taking?! I don't want that part of my life to ever stop. How about you?

I guess we could go with the term ADULT instead of GROWN UP. But, that can have some negative connotations, can't it? I tried to explain to Alyssa that she couldn't watch a movie the other day because it was an ADULT film. And, well, that just sounded wrong. Now I tell her that some movies are for Mommies and Daddies and not for kiddos that are just 3 1/2 years old. So, for this and other various reasons, I don't think ADULT quite describes what I've become at this point in life either. No, I think we need to coin a new term altogether.

I think we should call ourselves grow-ING ups. We're at that stage where we are older, more responsbile, and (hopefully) wiser. But, come on, we're not DONE growing! Whether we're 25, 35, 65, or 105...there's so much more to come. There's so much more life to experience and so much more growing to do. We can learn to open our hearts just a little more. We can learn to love just a little more. And, we can always learn more of God and experience more of a real relationship with Him.

Maybe this all has something to do with my final birthday in my 30's staring me right in the face. Maybe not. ;)

So, what do you think? Will you join me in becoming a grow-ING up?

Another Holiday Weekend Gone!

Do you ever feel a little bit of a let down after a Holiday Weekend like the one we just celebrated? I don't know about you but it seems that I look so forward to having a little time off...a little break in the routine. And, then, before I know it, it's gone! Then it's back to the regular mundane stuff of life...scheduling hair appointments, going to the grocery store - AGAIN, filling up the tank, cleaning the house - AGAIN! So, I'm thankful for the little breaks even if they're too fast. Otherwise I think life's to-do's would just overwhelm us all. Don't you? Remember when we were kids? Those special days were HUGE - three or four day weekends were EXTRAORDINARY and vacations were LEGENDARY! We hardly paid attention to the in between stuff. Now, at almost 40 years old, it seems like the in between stuff can be all there is sometimes. So, here's to the long weekends and the days off that help us refresh and better tackle the everyday! Hope you had a GREAT weekend!!!

Rain, rain, go away!

Yet another rainy day in central Illinois! It's amazing how much the weather affects my mood. Yesterday with the sunshine and the warm temps, I had so much energy. Today, I think I could sleep all day if I had the chance. Does it affect you like that too? Well, at least I remembered my umbrella before I left to do Doctor's appointments and drop offs at school and work. So, today I'm sleepy but not soaking wet like I was while I was running errands on Wednesday! :)

Hopefully we'll have a little sunshine for ya this afternoon on Doing Life with the Traceys. We'll find out whether a new release this weekend is Family Friendly at 3:21. And, at 4:31 we're going to take a short poll to see whose family is attending the most recitals or end of year concerts this month. There just might be a prize for the winner. Tune in to 91.5 WCIC to see if you win!

In the meantime, stay dry and awake!!!

Happy Weekend, Jill <><

Variety is a good thing...right?

Tonight Jeremy and I decided to stop by KFC for dinner. Thing is...we couldn't agree on what we wanted. I wanted a bucket of grilled, he wanted Original Recipe. Alyssa didn't care, she was just bummed that we were still going to be eating at home instead of in the restaurant. But, she doesn't stay bummed for long, so really she was pretty happy.

In steps the VARIETY BUCKET! We got the grilled chicken, the OR chicken strips, and Jeremy's favorite, hot wings! Boom, everybody's happy!

But, this got me thinking...there's so much variety in our world these days. Nobody ever has to give up what they want, or at least it seems that way. But, is all of this variety really a GOOD thing? What about when we're trying to teach Alyssa that you don't always get what you want? Could she argue that she could as long as we get a Variety Bucket? OK, OK, I am NOT blaming KFC for all the ails in the world and all of the problems with kids these days. Besides, they wouldn't sell the variety bucket if people weren't buying it, right? And, that goes for restaurants and retailers in general.

So, where is the problem? Is it with advertisers who dream of schemes of getting us to believe we deserve more, more, more?

I believe it's more of a human heart condition. It's a base desire to have everything we want right when we want it, isn't it? Advertisers in our country have just figured out a better way to tap into that desire.

It all goes back to free will. Sometimes I wish God would have made my heart in such a way that the only things I'd ever desire are the things that please Him, the things that are good for me and for others. But, that's up to me, isn't it? I've got to pursue that harder, less immediately gratifying path toward pleasing Him instead of myself. He doesn't push it on me. He simply waits and watches as I try Variety Bucket after Variety Bucket and eventually decide to turn to the ONE THING that truly satisfies my soul.

Hmmmm...all this from a bucket of KFC. Maybe it's indigestion. Regardless...I'm starting to think about it. How about you?

We're back!

Hello! Jeremy and I hope you've had an awesome week! We are still basking in the glow of memories of the Music Boat 2009. But, at the same time, we can't wait to talk with you this afternoon! Feel free to check out our photos on my Facebook profile page!

Oh, and speaking of warm weather memories...tomorrow afternoon on Doing Life with the Traceys on 91.5 WCIC we're going to be talking at 4:31 about researching summer camps for the kiddos. Any ideas on good questions to ask before they go? Also, we want to hear your favorite camp memories.

PLUS...don't forget that you and your family could enjoy a FREE family summer membership at the Clubs at River City in Peoria. That includes free admission to the outdoor pool ALL SUMMER LONG. Nothing wrong with that, right? Here's how you can win...join the Doing Life with the Traceys group on Facebook. That's it. Once we get to 500 members, we'll do the drawing. Everyone who's a member will automatically be included. The faster we get there, the faster you can win! So, tell your friends!!!

Have a great rest of your day and enjoy this BEAUTIFUL weather. Love to you!!! Jill <><