The Church

For quite a while now, I've struggled with what the Church should look like and how that should manifest in my life and in the local body with whom I worship.
I need some time to really reflect on what I've heard to say more on the topic. But if you are curious, please listen to these two podcasts and let me know your thoughts.
Thank you!

Samuel Wells, Choose Life

Ravi Zacharias, The Revelation of God Through Us (1 of 2)

Working on her stand-up

She's got the punchline down, you just have to REALLY listen...

We have a no-frogs-inside the house rule, but this time I'll make an exception.

Top 10 Reasons Why I Talk A Lot About Healthy Start: #9 My Mom

I have a mom. I appreciate her.

I'm sorry she had to wait for me to reach my 30's to begin to understand, even in just a small part, her experiences, losses, & sacrifices as a young mom.

She reminds me of and apologizes for falling short when I was young. But as the years pass and I've (too slowly) matured, I recognize I fall short on a daily basis as well. How can I hold this against her?
She loved us.
She stuck it out.
I love the Bible verse, 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

Plus I have many memories of ways she came through for me, my sisters, and others around us:
-She read books and prayed with us every night before bed.
-She surrounded us in a supportive community at church and school.
-She was hospitable; offering a listening ear, meal, and our small home to people with deep struggles.
-She was determined to make a better life for us; even if that meant swallowing pride and accepting help for a time.
-She expected independence & responsibility from us....and remained consistent.

I'm still mourning the fact that it has taken me so long to recognize and commend Mom's efforts.

I'd like to take part in encouraging young moms; to not give up, even if you have a strong-willed child, like myself &
to take the hard road. It will pay off in the end.

Thanks, Mom. I love you.

Top 10 Reasons Why I Talk A Lot About Healthy Start: #10 Pete's Bandaid

It's strange how seemingly insignificant moments in my past come back vividly by the littlest prompt or cue. No matter how trivial it seems at the time, to me or others around me, certain moments leave lasting imprints in my heart and mind.

Pete's Bandaid did that for me several months ago. Pete, a good friend of ours, works at the Baby Fold. This time was not the first time he spoke about his job, but his bandaid "badge" struck a chord with me.

For several days, he wore a bandaid with "400 women" written on it. This number represents the number of pregnant women last year who need support because they themselves are victims of neglect or abuse or are struggling in ways many of us cannot imagine. They need help....but the funds aren't there to offer support.

This bandaid conjured up a childhood memory when I was 5 or 6 years old. Walking home from Vacation Bible School, the pastor of the tiny church chatted with my mom and me. He noticed I was picking a scab on my arm, and gently pointed out that that scab was God's way of providing a bandaid and allowing my wound to heal. To pick it off was hurting and hindering that healing process. I've never forgotten that metaphor.

One of my favorite authors, Henri Nouwen, in his book, With Burning Hearts, defines the commonality of pain, "If there is any word that summarizes well our pain, it is the word 'loss.' We have lost so much!" As I've grown up, I've learned we all go through various losses...some much deeper than others. I've struggled with the question, if God cared about my scraped elbow, wouldn't He care about humans' experience of loss in all sorts of forms?

I continue to wrestle with this, but grow more and more convinced we are to be part of God's Bandaid. This verse has been a recurring anthem in my mind, "Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:11

It's overwhelming and paralyzing, at times, to find a place or a role in the world's healing process. But Pete's Bandaid was just the nudge I needed.

Am I more of a Sweet Mother or a Glucose Mother? Wait, don't answer that....

Isaac is helping set up my Sugar Mama Cakes website. They provide possible domain names.

I'd love to hear a dramatic reading of this list....any takers?

From Evernote:
isaacgaff.com - Register New Domain
Clipped from: https://www.bluehost.com/cgi/register
Standard Domain $10 .com .net .org .info .biz .us
cakesbysugarmama
mycakesbysugarmama
cakesbysugarmamaonline
thecakesbysugarmama
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bestcakesbysugarmama
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cakesbysugarmamasite
cakesbysugarmamahome
officialcakesbysugarmama
aboutcakesbysugarmama
justcakesbysugarmama
supercakesbysugarmama
virtualcakesbysugarmama
cakesbysugarmamalive
cakesbysugarmother
cakesbysweetmama
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cakesbysugarmum
cakesbysugarmamaplus
cakesbysugarmamanation
cakesbysugarmamacenter
cakesbyhoneymama
cakesbysugarmamagroup
cakesbysugarmamanet
barbysugarmama
cakesbysugarmummy
cakesbyglucosemama
dishbysugarmama
cakesbysweetmother
allcakesbysugarmama
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procakesbysugarmama
cakesbysugarmamaclub
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cakebysugarmother
cakebysweetmama
cakesbysugarmommy
cakesbymoneymama
coverbysugarmama
easycakesbysugarmama
bigcakesbysugarmama
cakesbysweetmum
cakesbyhoneymother
cakebysugarmum
cakebyhoneymama
barbysugarmother
onecakesbysugarmama
topcakesbysugarmama
realcakesbysugarmama
greatcakesbysugarmama
123cakesbysugarmama
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cakesbysugarmamaforum
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intercakesbysugarmama
hotcakesbysugarmama
netcakesbysugarmama
barbysweetmama
cakesbysugarmomma
cakesbyspoonfulmama
coatbysugarmama
cakesbysweetmummy
cakesbysugarmamausa
cakesbyhoneymum
cakesbyglucosemother
cakebysugarmummy
cakebyglucosemama
barbysugarmum
barbyhoneymama
dishbysugarmother
dishbysweetmama
cakebysweetmother
cakesbysugarmom
cakesbybreadmama
bunsbysugarmama
cakesbysweetmommy
cakesbyhoneymummy
cakesbyglucosemum
cakesbymoneymother
cakebysugarmommy
cakebymoneymama
barbysugarmummy
barbyglucosemama
dishbysugarmum
dishbyhoneymama
coverbysugarmother
coverbysweetmama

Note: may only be interesting to their grandparents...

(And for the record, he is saying, "clock.")

This is what happens when Big Sis isn't home