Harper D. Mayes

Harper D. Mayes.  So those that know Harper, know that the D truthfully stands for Davison, but I'm beginning to think the D stands for Determined!  When given the right motivation...this kid is some kind of determined.  We noticed it most recently with football.  Our smart, funny, creative, non-athletic kid gave up going to get pizza for playing football...all for a bag of Skittles.  Had an asthma attack.....to get the bag of Skittles.

That same smart, funny, creative, non-athletic kid surprised us again this morning!  His amazingly brilliant teacher has a class challenge.  Whoever earns his/her reading goal first in the nine weeks, earns lunch of his/her choice. Ummmmm, did you catch that?  You earn F-O-O-D!  Last nine weeks, he tied with one other girl...so they both earned the lunch.  But, this time...Harper was in it to win it!  He came home yesterday telling us that this girl just needed one more point to earn her goal, but he was bound and determined not to let that happen.  With that, he read for one hour....reading, begging us to ask him questions to make sure he knew the books and would pass the tests, and asking us to read with him.  Finally, after an hour, he reluctantly went to bed.

Then, the strangest, craziest, most amazing thing happened.  I heard his bedroom door open this morning around 5:30am.  I listened as he went to the bathroom and then tiptoed into our room.  I lifted the covers and motioned for him to crawl in bed with us, to which he replied "No, mom, I want to get up and read, but could you help me get dressed quickly?"  Whaaaaaaa???  There's a difference between determination and just plain crazy!  It was 5:30 in the morning!  "Oh wow buddy.  That's awesome!  Daddy can help you get dressed."  So, at 5:30 in the morning, Chris dragged himself out of bed to help Harper get dressed quickly so he could finish reading.  

When the rest of us got up at 6:00, we found Harper sitting in the family room, reading quietly.  When Warren joined him for breakfast, we found Harper reading quietly as he ate his grits.  And this morning, as we received email after email that he had taken and passed all of his tests, we found Harper.....first one in his class to earn his reading goal!  

Crazy....yes!  Determined.....heck yes!  

My Story

By now, many of you reading already know that I've recently been diagnosed with Lupus.  I'm learning a "new norm".  But, more importantly, I'm learning about my story.  

The day before my initial appointment, I sat in church listening to Pastor David's sermon on "The Power of Your Story".  As I sat there, I listened thinking "Gosh...I grew up in the church.  I've never really strayed.  I don't have a big 'ah ha' date where I became a Christian.  I don't really have much of a story."  HA!  Little did I know that my story was being written as I sat there.  

The following day I had my first appointment, followed by a ton of bloodwork and other tests.  Because the diagnosis wasn't confirmed yet, I didn't tell many people about what was going on.  But Tuesday morning, I did tell a handful of close friends, including some of my Bible study "sisters".  Tuesday night, those friends showed up at my door to offer a prayer circle over me.  Those who know me well, know I am not a "hugger"....so the thought of a group of people circling around me and laying hands on me freaked me out a bit.  But....not only was I humbled beyond words, I was moved to tears.  And when they left, it dawned on me...... "This.....this is my story!  I have a story now!"  I felt so at peace with whatever the doctor had to tell me in the coming weeks.

Fast forward four weeks to Monday.  With Chris by my side, I listened as the doctor told me (in very direct terms) "You have Lupus."  Because the diagnosis had not been final until that day, I did not allow myself to research much as I was afraid of what I would read.  So, as I sat there, I really didn't even know what all that diagnosis meant.  But, what I did know, was that I would have a "new norm" and a huge responsibility in my diagnosis.  I stand up on stage, help lead worship and serve in a lot of other “visible” ways at church.  As people find out about this, they’re going to look to me and watch how I handle it.  Truth is….I’m totally fine with it.  I feel good; I know God’s got this.  This is part of my story!  What a witness I’ll be able to be to so many.  And that’s a big responsibility.  If people can see that because of God’s perfect peace, I’m able to be at peace during “rough waters”….won’t they want that same peace?

And, as a side note.....I have always paid close attention to the lyrics of songs.  Lyrics speak to me.  Somehow, they seem to "hit" me at just the right time.  Consequently, I've adopted Ryan Stevenson's song Eye of the Storm as my theme song during these "rough waters."  My boys even sing it in the car with me.  (Well, Harper sings; Warren drums.)  And, the morning after my friends prayed over me, as I got in the car to head to work, Big Daddy's Weave's song My Story just "happened" to be on the radio.  So, I don't believe for one minute that God's hand is not in my story, right now....and always.

In any case, for those of you reading who didn't know what was going on, please know that I feel good….I don’t “feel” like I have anything as serious as what you read.  So, the way I see it....if my medication can help whatever is going on internally....I'm good to go! Bring on the rest of my story!  God's got this!

Blessed Beyond Belief

We have a friend who signs all his emails with "Blessed Beyond Belief."  And while Chris and I have never for once taken for granted anything that we have, it wasn't until just recently that I really understood what our friend meant.

Another good friend of mine and her children were at our house over the summer.  While playing in the backyard, she made the comment, after seeing our half painted back of the house, that "Maybe the Mayes family isn't as perfect as she thought."  Trust me when I say we are far, far, far from perfect.  And in many more ways than just the paint on our house.  But, it was this same friend whose daughter reminded me that "We are not perfect. And we never will be."  While we're far from perfect....we are most definitely blessed beyond belief.

We have two incredible boys, who continually amaze us in their own individual ways.  Warren is naturally athletic.  He played flag football for the first time last spring and loved it thanks to his three amazing coaches!  He played his final two games and walked away with an undefeated season and some pretty unbelievable plays!  While most people would consider themselves blessed with the athleticism, Warren not only excels on the field, but he's a great student as well, earning straight A's all year!  He was chosen to be a tour guide to incoming kindergartners at his school's Kindergarten Discovery Day last year.  And was also chosen to be a principal's helper (aka Hollen Helper) this year.

Meanwhile, Harper held his own in Kindergarten, also making straight A's all year.  And while he hasn't quite found his niche in hobbies yet, his personality has a tendency to naturally capture an audience.  He was also selected to participate in Kindergarten Discovery Day (as a "model" in the fashion show).  And was one of two kindergartners interviewed by a federal grant review team, talking about what he learned last year.  He is a smart kid, with an amazing vocabulary and the ability to hold a conversation with nearly anyone.  (When asked, by the federal grant reviewer, what he would add to his school...he responded "A pool and a hot tub.")  He has never met a stranger.  He is confident and incredibly hilarious and is able to bring a smile to nearly everyone's face.

As I told our incredible football coaches who have now become our friends, Galatians 6:9 says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  And so, as we have already been "blessed beyond belief", we will continue doing good.