For My Husband... And My Sons... And ALL the Men in My World...

Yesterday was for my girls - today is for you, Dudes.  Because the guys in my life are special, and unique, and AWESOME as well... 

God created you for an amazing purpose... have you found it yet?  Are you living up to the MASTERPIECE that you are?

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; 
      you formed me in my mother's womb. 
   I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! 
      Body and soul, I am marvelously made! 
      I worship in adoration—what a creation! 
   You know me inside and out, 
      you know every bone in my body; 
   You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, 
      how I was sculpted from nothing into something. 
   Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; 
      all the stages of my life were spread out before you, 
   The days of my life all prepared 
      before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139:13-16, The Msg

Thank you for being you,
♥ Mags

Attention Women! This Is For YOU!!!

I've mentioned before, that when I meet a new kid - especially one of my kids' friends, I usually introduce myself as Maggie-is-Awesome.  I tell them that I will answer to "Mrs. Buckley," but that I honestly prefer either "Maggie-Is-Awesome," "Darth Magius," or "Magius Malfoy" (if you don't get the last two references, you need to stop reading this, and go out an BUY and WATCH "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter" ..... like, NOW).   

The need to continually remind others that I'm not a dork (which in turn probably gives just opposite message) likely stems from my elementary school years as being... well... a dork.  (Who needs psychotherapy?  See how easy that was to figure out?!)  But I've got a message for all my gals today... just in case you aren't feeling it, YOU are AWESOME.  But don't just take MY word for it...

Remember...

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

-Psalm 139:14 NIV

Embrace it.
♥ Mags

I See You

You can find little life lessons everywhere... this one is brought to you by Dove, :)

What a difference between how each lady viewed herself... vs. how each were viewed by complete strangers!

We spend so much time worrying over and obsessing about and looking at and dissecting the things we find NOT QUITE right about ourselves, when in actually, we should be reveling in the awesomeness that is each of us.

In fact, I think we each need to find ourselves a THEME SONG.

Back in the 1990's I loved the TV show, Ally McBeal, and one of the episodes, called "Theme of Life," involved Ally coming up with a theme song to make her feel empowered (she chose "Tell Him" which was covered by Vonda Shepard on the show).  I like that idea of having your own theme song - or a bunch of them!!  

It's a running joke among my kids' friends (and my friends), that when I introduce myself, I tell them my name is "Maggie Is Awesome," "Darth Magius," or "Magius Malfoy."  The Star Wars and Harry Potter junkies crack up - and the littler kids just sit there pondering if "Is Awesome" is my true last name.  But it is pretty darn awesome when I show up to volunteer in my sons' classrooms, and a bunch of kids wave and say "HI, MAGGIE-IS-AWESOME!!"  What a feeling!

I have a playlist on iTunes called "AWESOME, I AM" (not specifically Yoda-speak, but I wanted it to be at the top of the list so I needed something that started with "A.").  These are the songs on the list:

• Titanium - David Guetta
• Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars
• I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred
• SexyBack - Justin Timberlake
• Sexy And I Know It - LMFAO
• I Know You Want Me - Calle Ocho
• The Fighter - feat Ryan Tedder
• Survivor/I Will Survive - Glee Cast
• Because I'm Awesome - The Dollyrots (yes, that's an actual song!)
• This Is Your Life - Switchfoot
• U Can't Touch This - MC Hammer
• Good Life - OneRepublic
• The Champ - Nelly

My sixth grader would also tell me that no "Awesome Rock" mix would be complete without "Remember The Name" by The Rising Tied.  :)

Some songs are silly - some are serious - but all of them give me a little lift in my step and remind me that I AM awesome... just like you.

And if that doesn't help boost your self-esteem, consider that GOD looks at you and sees not your flaws, but an amazing masterpiece that He created:

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; 
      you formed me in my mother's womb. 
   I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking! 
      Body and soul, I am marvelously made! 
      I worship in adoration—what a creation! 
   You know me inside and out, 
      you know every bone in my body; 
   You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, 
      how I was sculpted from nothing into something. 
   Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; 
      all the stages of my life were spread out before you, 
   The days of my life all prepared 
      before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139:13-16, The Msg

Like the video states at the end:  you are more beautiful than you think.
And, as GOD reminds us through His Word:  You are fearfully and WONDERFULLY made.  

Own it.

See Me.

Please forgive any incoherent thoughts today.  I finally went to sleep after 11PM last night only to wake up at 2AM... and never returned to sleep!  When your mind is full, sometimes sleep is elusive.  But everyone once in a while, I feel a strong calling to write something very specific on this blog, and today, I have a message to share.

I know this will come as a surprise to those of you who know me in person, but as a child, I was a "Kick-Me-Kid."  You know the one:  I was last-picked at gym-- likely because I was terrible at any sport involving a ball... or climbing... or running... or sweat.   I had a hard time making friends-- because I was, (pick one)-- needy, bossy, afraid of confrontation, teacher's pet, attention-hogging, who knows.  I was a teacher's kid-- as in my Mom was THE English teacher for our school-- and nothing says "popular" like the straight-A kid of the English teacher. (note:  sarcasm)  Add to this that my school only had 15 kids in my GRADE, and you've got one nice recipe for

LEFT. OUT.

Fortunately, things changed for me when I went to high school for several reasons.  First, there was a HUGE ocean of students in which I could hide OR thrive:  440 kids in my grade alone... and all kinds of kids!  Tall kids, short kids, smart kids, arty kids, techy kids, bandos, hoods, goths, singers, student-counsel-power-people, homecoming queens and kings.  The sea of students was huge and wide and diverse... and heavenly.

Because there, I finally found people who "got" me-- People who didn't see a "kick me" sign on my back, but saw the "SEE ME!" sign up front.  People who ignored the "needy" and saw "funny" ... "clever" ... "hilarious," even.  People who (grudgingly?) accepted the "bossy" (the trait that would later make me a really good first grade teacher), but also saw the creative writer, the dancer, the musician (mostly heart vs. talent, but a musician nonetheless!), the thinker, and the loyal friend.  And now I'm blessed - because I have found good, solid, help-you-bury-the-body-in-the-backyard-friends who accept me in all my quirky, funny, awesome glory.  And to be honest, I don't have to be friends with people who don't!  What a freeing concept!  I can be polite and friendly, but I don't have to open myself up to people who don't get it.  And that is... well... awesome. :)  Because God made ME awesome - just like he did with you:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -Ephesians 2:10 NIV

He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
    and all his ways are just. -Deuteronomy 32:4 pt 1 NIV

I wish my "kid"-self could have known such great things lay ahead!  

Another child I know is dealing with a version of the same issue right now.  This child is quirky, goofy, creative, hilarious, witty, sarcastic, and more.  And for the most part, he has "never met a stranger."  But he and another kid he'd really like to be friends with just. don't. get. each. other.  They don't speak the same language, and I'm not talking about English!  I'm talking sarcasm vs. literal, goofy vs. serious, free-thinking-vs-straight-arrow.  It's frustrating them and for both families because they bring out the worst in each other.  However, I was reminded last night (or possibly early this morning, remember I've had just 3 hours of sleep), that God made all sorts of masterpieces:  the silly ones, the serious ones, the creative ones, the mechanical ones, the bossy ones, the quiet ones.  ALL of these children are important in their own way - and they have all been bestowed with amazing gifts that will serve them well later in life (EVEN IF those same gifts are hard to handle now).  

These two kids might have to settle with "friendly" vs. "friends." -- Which is such a hard lesson to learn!  Because it is NOT okay for either kid to be in a situation where EACH one makes the other one feel badly.  But for both of them, it is important to remember that their respective quirks and gifts have meaning and significance; they just might not know yet what for.

I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. 

-Romans 8:39

God has GREAT plans for you, Kid.  Embrace them, because

YOU

ARE

AWESOME.