From the Storm to the Table

23 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by in Encouragement, Faith

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

With the blackness touching my face and the silence filling my ears, there was no sleep for me. I lay there wondering how I became so accustomed to today’s sensory input that I couldn’t even find peace in the wake of a storm. I thought how dark and quiet the nights must have been for my grandparents. When their lamp was snuffed out, and the stars and moon were swallowed by the heavy bellied clouds, the dark was solid. There were no security lights; no traffic casting a glow through their dark windows as we have now. But there was more than the dark and quiet keeping me awake. It was that question in the back of my mind – what would I find in the morning’s light? What changes would the storm have brought that I couldn’t yet see?

Unable to await daylight, I entered the darkness by lantern and found some of the porch furniture cast into a bed of perennial plants that I was rather fond of, including beautiful 3 feet tall ivory colored Calla lilies, now lying flat on the ground under a large potted schefflera. I wrestled the potted plant back up onto the porch, and placed the lighter metal furniture pieces back onto their home as well. Taking my wet self back inside, I waited for the electricity to bring our ‘normal’ unnatural night lights, motor humming, and sleep.20190622_110305.jpg

With daylight I was better able to survey the damage, and for us the casualties were minimal. As quickly as the thought “what a mess!” entered my head, it was chased by the knowledge that this is nothing, and my heart was heavy for all the homes that suffered real damage this spring alone, by flood and tornado. I felt ashamed for grieving my lovely Callas. But then, I thought of those verses in God’s Word about even one little lamb being sought when the remaining flock was safe (Luke 15:4-5); and the one pearl of great price (Matthew 13:46); and sweeping the house clean to find one coin (Luke 15:8-9). Yes, my beautiful Callas were important to me, with all the work I’ve invested into that flower bed, and the pleasure I’ve had looking out the window at their beauty. Oh, I’m not really grieving, or “all tore up”, as we say around here. But as always, nature speaks to me of God and His ways. So, I lifted their sad little faces and supported them with a trellis, and salvaged a small bouquet to enjoy the creamy perfection in their blooms.20190622_112347

I’m comforted in the knowledge that my Father in heaven gets down in the deep with me to shoulder my burdens; lifts my face, picks me up when I’ve fallen; supports me and continues to work with what I have to give. If you’ve weathered a storm of your own lately, or perhaps in the midst of despair even now, you are surely fearful of what you will find in the path your storm takes. I would encourage us all to look up to our amazing God, Who by His grace and through Jesus Christ, saves us; and our sweet Holy Spirit Who takes our cry from the depths of our lows to the Father. He hears, and He works more mightily than we can imagine. Bring what you have to the table and let it shine. You are as important to Him as the whole flock, more worthy than ten times your weight in silver coins; a pearl of great price. He will salvage, He will save, He will keep you in His wisdom and time.20190622_113048

“He calms the storm, So that its waves are still.  Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven.  Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:29-31 (NKJV)

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Uprooting the Beauty With the Beast

03 Monday Jun 2019

Posted by in Life, MONDAY MUSINGS, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Today’s Monday Musings is a look inward where I find I may, as they say, not see the forest for the trees; throw out the baby with the bath water, and so on. You’ll find my actual gardening addiction may parallel some plane of your life where the busy-ness suffocates the beauty. Dig in 🙂

20190422_163456

Wild violets – disguised in their dainty blooms.

I know it’s true, I’m a hypocrite; a two timer and a shell of a housewife. I’ve backslid into the wayward life of a ground grubbing, weed wrenching maniac. Just last year I wrote and spoke on the topic of letting go; releasing the weights that pull us away from embracing new seasons. I’ve said that we must let go of what holds us back from celebrating the beauty within each new season, accepting, acknowledging and praising. Oh, I have accepted (that weeds and grass rule my life); I have acknowledged (that it’s up to me to get them); and I have…uh, prais…no, it’s time to come clean, cleaner than my fingernails. My praising in the garden was beautiful that first round of dew laden blooms, before the devil woke up the nutsedge, the bermuda grass, and the wild violets. I am a compulsive gardener; I need help.

How does it happen? I walk through the gardens once a day (a tip from Mama’s cousin for a successful garden). I figured if she did so, and lived nearly 100 years, that’s all the encouragement I need! And the therapeutic effect of evicting those weeds, clearing the ground filth and watching a garden take bloom, or become a dinner plate of delicious is just beyond compare! First an innocent walk-through, and the next thing I know, I’m up to my elbows in dirt, swatting those biting flies, with blurry eyes from the salty sweat; it’s time for dinner with nothing planned, there’s laundry to do and the dust bunnies are playing. Shame. So much shame.

For those of you laughing out the words “mow it down or spray it brown”, go sit with my husband. No thank you, I love my flowers and I hate that dead brown stuff left everywhere that he escaped my guard with his Round-Up wand. So what I end up with is this. I have weeded myself into a corner; a vicious cyclic corner where I have failed to adore the beauty and the Maker of it. I am so enrapt with weeding out the bad, that I haven’t given due respect to the beauty of opening buds and unfurling leaves that are the product of my work and God’s grace. I now ask Him to rescue me, remind me of His far greater purpose for me, and to return me to the communion I had with Him in the midst of His garden.

To apply a grain of wisdom I’ve gleaned, I hope to be able to read the newspaper, listen to the news and observe the unwelcome changes in life with a new eye for the good, the grandeur and splendor of life’s garden, rather than combing the corrupt with a long handled weeder. I want to acknowledge and praise God for the bountiful blessings instead of attacking life with a hoe, and a garden trowel. What is wrong with me? Who cares if my butterfly garden seating area is clean and welcoming, if I have no time to sit and invite others into it. Who cares how clean my rows of Blue Lake bush beans are, if I never pick and share them? Likewise, who will hear about Jesus the great physician, if I haven’t made time to visit the sick? I have weeded out life’s blooms; so focused on the work and blinded to the beauty.

But the summer is young. There is time for reforming. Oh, I’m not saying I will give it up. There is so much beauty in gardening that I cannot leave it as long as there’s breath in me and God gives me the ability. The secret is in balance. Schedules work for other important parts of life; I shall schedule my dates with the dandelions, and be sure to sit a spell mid the bluebirds’ perch at the wheat field’s edge, and inhale the fragrance of the warm moist garden dirt. If I am truly nearer God’s heart in a garden, then I will be using that time to meditate on His word and plan what I might be doing for someone else before the day is gone. When I begin to feel overwhelmed, I will stop and pray for the strength to walk away.

In Jesus’ teaching, as recorded in Matthew, I read that He doesn’t want me to be so aggressive toward the evil deeds that I uproot the good that can be accomplished toward all people.  I think He was teaching us to hate the sin and love the person, and the Father will sort it all out in the end. I know that if I begin to weed or hoe the garden while the young seedlings are too small, it will uproot them too. They would never get a chance to produce fruit.

“He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,  but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.  So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’  He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’  But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.” (Matthew 13: 24-29 ESV)

NICE DAY Part 5: Sweet Things

20 Monday May 2019

Posted by in Children

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24

As we’ve all agreed, children can say and do the cutest things; from embarrassing to enlightening, we never know quite what’s coming next. Their words may not be exactly wise as we think of wisdom from ages of experience, but they are so honest that their words are like sparks off the flame of wisdom. They are often observant of the little details we miss, while we’re looking at the big hurried picture.  And just when we need it most, they wrap a bad day in a nougat filled chocolate shell that we carry in our hearts for days.

My daughter was blessed with a pretty smile, not too big, not at all small like mine, just right. Someone once told her she had a nice big mouth (whatever that meant) to which she bristled and announced, “Uh-uh! My mouff is nittle nike my Mama’s!” (Interpretation: my mouth is little like my…)  Oh my! What a compliment when your beautiful little girl wants to believe she is just like her mother. It was sweet to my soul to know it never bothered her that my mouth wasn’t what society says is the going thing.

As you might guess, Stephanie had a little speech thing going on until first grade. You’ve no doubt heard that children learn what they live, so we never made fun of her speech, but instead found it rather charming and she learned acceptance in the world rather than bitterness. Her world was made up of a big brother, parents, and boy cousins. It was rare that she had girls to play with until school days, so the thought of getting to go where there might be girl peers was exciting for her. Before online shopping, Stanley and Tupperware parties were a common thing, especially for young moms who hadn’t already accumulated fifteen of everything. One evening as I prepared to attend a Stanley (or some product) party, I offered as I always did to take her with me, or would she rather stay home. Her sweet answer said she was thinking “what’s in it for me?” but was it cookies? No. Nor was it cake or punch. It wasn’t the games she had observed either. And, she’d probably had enough of Mommy for the day. Her question was “Will dem be any nittle gills dare Mama?” (Will there be any little girls there?) Companionship with peers is what she wanted. I told her I really couldn’t say, to which she replied, “OK, I wanna go with you anyway”.  People obviously mattered most to her, even if it was just her Mama. I suppose if I’d been looking closely, really seeing, I could have predicted that she would be in public relations as a career. I think it would be a nicer world if we grownups looked at every opportunity through the eyes of friendship more than materialism.

One more little Stephanie moment: a moment of calling her daddy out on a technicality. Somehow, he managed to take us out for a restaurant meal about every two weeks, and his favorite was fish. Our little girl always filled up quickly and felt the need to stretch out, so it wasn’t unusual to see her lying across my lap and her chair while we finished our meal. But sometimes she had to wait until we were home and stretch out across her daddy in the recliner. One such recliner evening followed a nice pizza meal, but daddy’s full tummy denied her stretch across his lap. Out of habit, his response was, “Honey, daddy’s full of fish”, to which she cried, “But daddy! We had pizza!” She intended to keep him honest, if nothing else, as if that nulled his excuse. Technicalities!

Another little sweetie pie around five years ago, was chattering to her baby doll and following me around the house. At age three or four, she was oblivious to my quickly changing clothes. All at once she looked up mid sentence and gasped, “Aunt Trisha! You have on pretty panties!” I think she never expected anyone but little girls to have pretty designs on their undies. She went right back to playing without missing a beat, and as I said “Thanks”,  I thought how much more observant children are than we think; and way more honest than we may want them to be. How many moms have turned red because their word was contradicted by the great knowledge of a four or five

My girl
Aunt Trisha’s sweetie
Little Man Ryan

year old? Their innocence makes their eyes sparkle; their appreciation for small things dresses them in excitement. Their humility makes them say things like “that’s okay” and really mean it if you step on their toes or forget a promised bowl of frozen blueberries. They love everybody, without prejudice. Thank you God.

My final ‘sweet thing’ memory for this post is of the only young man who has ever asked me to dance. Talk about no prejudice, who but a four year old would ask a much taller girl going gray, without makeup, in old play clothes, to dance? I have (a gift from my husband many years ago) a crank up RCA Victrola which plays the old 78 records and the volume is controlled by how open or closed the doors of the cabinet are. As a toddler, Ryan was fascinated by the crank handle. After learning that some fun music from the 30’s could be heard, he would ask me to play it for him. My reward one day, for obliging him was the sweetest, as he opened the Victrola doors wide, held out his hand and said, “wanna dance?” We waltzed around my living room to “How Do You Talk to an Angel”  in a cloud of happy. Years later at a wedding reception, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and a much taller pre-teen Ryan asked me again, though more shyly, “do you want to dance”? My heart soared around the room even though the music stopped by the time we’d barely begun to dance. Consideration for an old friend cannot be overrated!

Friends, if we want to sweeten the souls and bring new life to old bones, just speak sweetly, and honestly. Consideration, compliments, and kindness go a long long way!

 

I Remember

12 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in Reflections

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

20190511_205124The cemetery was as silent yesterday as the gray drizzle hanging in the air. My daughter and I had come to place new flowers on my mother’s grave and to honor her with a moment of silence, standing over the plaque bearing her name. I did not cry over it as I knew she, herself, was not there, but in perfect peace, somewhere else; paradise some of us call it. I was able to feel immense gratitude for the life she lived, and for the time it was shared with us. We left the gloom just one purple bouquet brighter, and a mist in my eyes only because I would have loved to tell her once again that I love her. I wouldn’t wish here back here with all the bumps and bruises of this life.

The real tears I shed yesterday were for a friend I ran into, who is spending her first Mother’s Day without her beautiful daughter. I thought about all those who would awaken today without that one who was in their lives all too briefly. You who have lost children are in my heart today. I know you don’t need to be reminded that this is not what we call natural – to have children go on before you. No, but I believe you do need to know you are thought of, loved and appreciated for the strength you have gained on your journey. While I don’t pretend to understand, I offer my silent nod to your loss, your strength, and my sincere wishes for fulfillment, blessings and peace.

I remember you, I remember your loved one. Perhaps we had children in elementary school together. I may have met you recently; or may have known you most of my life. Maybe I worked with you when your world stood still;  or stood beside you as you said goodbye to your stillborn. It may be that I worship beside you, adoring the God Who blessed us with children. I may have stood in line one day with some comment or complaint that made you want to shake me. All your names, as many as I can remember, walk through my heart of prayer every week. My wish for you is to know that your children, no matter their age, are with the most loving Father we can imagine, Who loves them more than we can, ourselves. And there is a third grade teacher somewhere in the bliss they are now living, who would do anything in the world for a child if it were the Lord’s will to allow her to do so.

Happy Mother’s Day to you, and to my Mama, and to all women, who stand as role models in the world.

imagejpeg_0

making Mother’s Day memories, My daughter and me.

 

 

NICE DAY, Part 4: Angry Words Do Not Make Nice Days!

06 Monday May 2019

Posted by in Children, MONDAY MUSINGS, Reflections

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

I think the first child’s antics are more surprising because young parents have no idea! No. Idea. At that stage, we haven’t even counted as high as the number of emotions, trials, and tests we’re about to encounter. Everything your first baby says and does is amazing and funny because, hey, you haven’t heard it before. And no matter how many others do the same things, you still laugh, because it really is funny! I never get tired of remembering ours, and hearing about others’ memories as well. While remembering the cute things kids have done and said is heart warming and good, I wonder if I am the only one who may once in a while, find those memories followed by an unpleasantness that doesn’t belong there. I’ll explain later.

Our son was our first born, surprising us one evening with an early labor, in breech position, arriving at 9:20 PM. He has been a late nighter ever since, and a late riser as well, so the sun was always up before he was. Even still, the bed and breakfast were about all he wanted of the house. As soon as he was tall enough to see out the window, he checked the weather first, and then would report to me, “It’s a shine-shiny day out, Mama!” Interpretation: I want to go outside. See, what this kid knew was that the indirect approach worked so much better that the direct. A bedtime fighter, he found any excuse he could to resist bedtime routine. I had to pin him to the floor to brush his teeth, while he sputtered, “But my lips are reflexive!”, followed by “I wanna watch Gonny Cawson (Johnny Carson)! As if! When he wanted to go fishing a few years later,  rather than beg to go, he tied a construction paper fish to a stick and held it out the door as I was coming inside. Written on it was “I got an itchin’ to go fishin’!” Sly little dude. Next came fifth grade, with Mrs. Pittman’s rule of  ‘no locker opens after class starts’…did I mention he procrastinated other things as well as bedtime? To see Dora Pittman tell this is quite funny, as she slides one arm slowly back, leaning ever so slyly toward an imaginary locker to retrieve a book that should have been out of there before the bell rang! Some 30 years later, she still calls him her ‘locker boy’.

Yes, memories are fun…but sometimes it gets painful. There’s a little black-caped masked demon about an inch tall that occasionally comes slinking into the picture of a good memory, and it’s name is Regret. I hate that imp! He messes with my mind, and if I give him any attention, he starts growing until he is bigger than the picture. That’s the unpleasantness I was referring to earlier. I’m guessing there is a trigger for almost anyone to be reminded of their failures, for we all have some sort of regrets I’ve been told. For me, the trigger is remembering my kids’ childhood which makes me ask, why is such an awesome responsibility placed into the hands of the inexperienced?? Now, I know most of you were nauseatingly good, patient, creative parents; I mistakenly thought I was at the time. Let me just cut through the chase and bare my blisters: CHILDREN WERE NOT MADE TO BE YELLED AT. There. That is my regret. I grasped at the details and missed the big beautiful picture. Math problems, tooth brushing and choosing which toy to take, should never be a source of pain or anxiety. These everyday life things can create havoc, or heaven. The things that we think must be done should never override patience and gentleness. I was given the most precious gifts on earth, and I let them and the Giver down when I lost control and yelled. Mamas and Daddies, no one else would tolerate our ill tempered yelling, so why dish it out on the very ones who love and trust us to be their Rock? Seriously, they need more good memories, not more math; calm evenings more than clean teeth; and the time it took to choose which truck to take with him could have been spent planning supper, or tickling him into a decision. I wonder how many times he was about to make a choice when I again, called “would you come on now!” Oh how that dastardly bandit Regret can run off with your fun! But, God is good, and has forgiven me. My children say there’s nothing to forgive or forget; they say they had a great childhood. The problem lies within where forgiveness does not come easily for ourselves. I’m working on it, but I still hate those angry words that messed up good days.

“If a person thinks himself to be religious and does not bridle his own tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is useless.” (James 1:26)

Lest I leave the impression that I was a total monster, I do have a memory of handling things well. This son of ours has an artist streak in him that was once used on the refrigerator, in crayon. I actually had a roll of film in the Kodak, and it makes a cute photo when a toddler is cleaning the refrigerator in his training pants. I think he was as proud of his job of removing the masterpiece as he was of making it.

cleaning up artwork
sneaking M&Ms

Happy Monday, stay calm, and make it a nice day! Go ahead and sneak a few M&Ms:)

 

 

 

NICE DAY Part III: I Wanna Go Home!

22 Monday Apr 2019

Posted by in Celebrating, MONDAY MUSINGS, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

As spring break was nearing its soggy end, the few nice days on the beach more than filled three-year old Grayson’s bucket. He had it all, yet he was fed up. Boy do I ever identify with that!

I hope you have had a beautiful Easter weekend, full of the hope and love that Christ poured into us those many years ago. Isn’t it great to know that He never changes; unlike we ourselves, who change our minds and attitudes even in the course of a few days. As promised, this week’s post is another inspiration from the mouth of babes. I do apologize for not having it ready this morning, but I, too, enjoyed the weekend, traveling to our daughter’s

20190421_153430

At Steffy’s, Easter 2019

yesterday after a fun Saturday evening at my sister’s, where we ate a scrumptious meal, loved on the littles,

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Great nieces and nephews

and praised God for His constant blessings and that ultimate HOPE, the resurrection! Now that will be a most welcome change for those who die IN Christ; “in the twinkling of an eye” (I Corinthians 15:52) we shall be like HIM! [see how those words in bold make their own statement 🙂 ]

“This World is Not My Home” is an old spiritual song that most of us probably know. Let me first say, I actually love my life here – in spite of the wrong turns, rough spots and cloud bursts, it’s been a great journey so far. But for the very young, as well as the aging, this world can be foreign soil at times. The older I get, the more I understand that song, and the desire little children have to be at  home. As I was saying, my great-nephew was taken to the beach with grandparents, parents and baby brother. Now how does a three-year old get spring break – he has teacher parents. NICE! One thing however was different this year – a baby brother. That five month old just may have stolen a bit of Grayson’s spotlight, as well as some golden silence…but I’m not saying where I heard that! Haha!

The day before going home time, Grayson looked up at his grownups and said, “I’m ready to go home now”, and just to be sure they didn’t mistake that for wanting to retreat from the beach into the condo, he added, “I mean MY home, I don’t belong here”. Oh my, bless his little heart! He was fed up. He was tired. Too much had changed, and he had filled his sand bucket and dug all the holes he needed to. He knew where peace and solace were.

I’m so grateful that my nephew and his wife have made a home that their little one loves and longs for. How about us? Have we looked into our Father’s design enough to know what home he has prepared for us? It is overwhelming for me to think about eternity. But because I believe the bible as God’s inspired word, I do believe there is a place that is perfect, without change, awaiting the children of God. The more things change here, the more I want to go home. Reading about it in the never-changing word of God, I know it’s where I belong. I am enjoying this great trip He has given me, but I know I’m going to enjoy going home even more.

Finding the glimpses of God and His design within nature is what motivates me from one day to the next. As that natural beauty becomes slathered over in asphalt and shadowed by tall buildings I have to look harder to find it. Thank you God for little children who often bring it right to us. As long as He wants me here, I’ll keep filling sand pails, so to speak, and sharing inspiration, but oh, won’t it be good to go home!

Please share your “littles’ expressions” here! Out of the mouth of babes….you know.

 

 

NICE DAY Part 2: Umbrellas and Flashlights – Up In the Basement

08 Monday Apr 2019

Posted by in Children, MONDAY MUSINGS

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Umbrella Girl

 

On this rainy day, I am reminded of my little Umbrella Girl. My brother had brought his wife and 2 yr old daughter back from North Carolina, where they lived while he was in active duty with our United States Marines. Trying to get settled into our grandparents’ old home in Jones’ Mill, TN and start a farming operation, didn’t leave a great deal of time right then to play with a tot like their inquisitive Sara. One pretty day Aunt Trisha drove down to take that little golden-haired girl home to play. We hadn’t had a toddler in our family in a while so I’d about forgotten how sharp their little minds are. About five minutes out of the driveway, an unexpected spattering of raindrops fell onto the windshield. I must have said something like “would you look at that?” Sara, sitting in the front seat (no there wasn’t a whole lot of concern 26 years ago about car seats) with her little legs straight out in front of her, cast those big eyes up at me and said in a most grown-up way, “And ya haven’t gotcha umbrella!” Exactly right. I did not carry an umbrella for unexpected showers. How did she know? I have, since then, carried a small umbrella in the front glove compartment. There have been several “cloud bursts” in life, some for which I was not prepared; I have since then carried in a compartment of my heart, encouragement from God’s Word, to cover and protect. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NKJV)  Yep! We may not see it coming, but God sees all, and knows those who love and trust Him, and He will take our storms and make them work for our good. We have God’s Word on it; that’s our umbrella.

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Flashlight Sisters

Another story of being prepared was spurred by a sweet conversation between my two great nieces about five years ago.  If you have read my January 11, 2014 post titled “The Cream in My Coffee: A Tale of Two Sisters, then you know this story. The girls were overheard by their grandparents discussing their order of birth. The older, Katja, had told her little sister, Isabella, that after she had been “cut out of Mommy’s belly” the younger had later been placed there and was born, having in the meantime been in “God’s imagination”. (Be still my heart!) This did not set well with little Isabella! With a quivering voice she replied that “it was dark in Mommy’s belly” and that she should have been given a flashlight! It was her opinion that they should have been there together in the first place, to prevent her from feeling afraid. We can rest assured however, that being in the mind of God with His plans for us, we do not need a flashlight. David wrote, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?…” (Psalm 27:1)

Kids really do say the funniest things; they are so honest and open. They aren’t concerned with being politically correct; pulling no punches, they want us to understand them in no uncertain terms. Little Micah Simons was proof of that this morning in the church nursery. She told us “No” several times when offered the wrong book or toy – she wasn’t letting anything get in the way of her own agenda! I loved watching her take care of her doll on her own terms! But sometimes they get their terms a bit mixed up. Alan is my brother’s third child, and could say some of the cutest things, most of which didn’t make a lot of sense, but gave us so much fun!

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA

Making funny faces.

I recall at age four (which by the way, is the BEST age for conversation) he sat with me on our front porch and asked life questions, like “just what is a ‘hickernut’ Aunt Trisha”, and “how will we bust ‘um?” and “why are they on the ground?” Alan is still trying to get this life thing figured out, like we all had to, so what I recall him saying later that day fits him perfectly. We had just moved into our new house, and he and sister Emily were visiting. I showed them the attic, complete with some really great toys left over from my kids’ childhood. The day being a nice autumn temperature, they had some time to play up there. Later, he asked me if he could go “up in the basement” to play again. We never had a basement, nor had one been mentioned.  He’d heard that somewhere else, and put it with anywhere other than ground level. Up or down. Life for most young adults is up and down; it’s confusing to say the least. I wouldn’t go back and do it again, would you? I pray daily for the youth of our family, friends and church. Sometimes life is a real kick in the pants and I long for them to know the Warrior who will lead them through their battles and fight for them like no-one else ever could. Will you bow down with me, to look up, and plead on their behalf? “Oh our God…we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” (II Chronicles 20:12 NIV) Help them Lord, to know up from down, right from wrong, and how to speak up for themselves through Your power. In Jesus’ name, amen.

You know, the fact that they can’t always tell us what they want, or that we don’t always listen, doesn’t stop them. Thank God that He made them persistent. I can learn from that; I can keep trying, praying, listening to God for His answers, and never give up. Keep asking questions, like Alan did that day, which is how we learn at any age. Oh, if we could just be like those little children – open, honest, inquisitive without judging – and take each day as an adventure! Most of us will admit we’ve been about as deep in the basement as we can be sin-wise; but thanks be to God, we can still be UP – up in HIs arms, under His umbrella, in His light. Have a Nice Day!!

(Part 3 in two weeks: Sweet Things Make Nice Days! Perhaps if I am brave enough a Part 4 will emerge. It’s title will no doubt be “Angry Words Do Not Make Nice Days”.)

NICE DAY!

25 Monday Mar 2019

Posted by in Children, MONDAY MUSINGS

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

20170608_110746

“CHILDREN ARE A BLESSING AND A GIFT FROM THE LORD.” (PSALM 127:3) CEV

I used to think that verse meant one’s own children, but after watching a couple of generations growing up, I realize it is certainly not a blessing exclusive to the parents. Littles of our friends and relatives, or even a toothless smile from a shopping cart at a much-needed time, can just MAKE. YOUR. DAY!! Right?

As much as I feel “nearer to God in a garden”, I know where you really can get as close to the heart of God as anywhere this side of Heaven – sitting with a three or four-year old!

Three year old Grayson, one of my great nephews, found Spring peeking into the back door of Winter, and able to go outside after a nasty round of influenza A, was observed enjoying his own blessing. Kids are the best at observation and appreciating!! At three and a half now, he is so old and accountable that he is allowed to go into their fenced backyard by himself. Last week his daddy shared with me what his neighbor observed as the door slid shut between Grayson and his grownups. He said the boy looked each way, taking it all in, then proclaimed in as manly a voice as possible, “Nice Day!” Knowing a thing or two about this little guy, I wrote the following for Grayson.

GRAYSON

As in any good family yard, we have many things to do. There’s mud for playing, and a dog, uh-oh, what’s on my shoe? Toys, a trampoline, a slide and swing set; I can’t wait to play ball, but it’s not summer yet. The neighbor is grilling, but I am not. Dad said we’d play – I think he forgot. No flowers yet to pick, nor grass for bare feet, but with that bright sunshine, life is sure sweet! A look to the left and a look to the right, I breathe in the air and I feel alright! Not a worry in my pocket, just one thing to say, with a nod to my neighbor, I shout, “NICE DAY!”

Yes, children are a blessing for a number of reasons. They ground us, in more ways than one! Getting my head out of the air and back down to basics is one of the best reasons for being around them. God said “…But to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8b) Who is more honest than a three or four-year-old? Who  needs more mercy than a little child? Humility – oh my, they are the best at that! They have no other choice, being so dependent on all of us. They are the best reminders of how God wants us to be.

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven”. (Matthew 18:3-4) NKJV

Part 2 of  “Nice Day” is taking form already as I recall several other touching or funny ways our “Littles” have blessed us.  They really do say the funniest things! So, bye for now, I hope your Monday is going just right! See you back here in two weeks, with a few quotes from Katja, Isabella, Alan, Sara, and more!

 

 

MAKE WHAT YOU WILL OF IT

11 Monday Mar 2019

Posted by in MONDAY MUSINGS

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , ,

cropped-12004789_925420587531115_7230690804507754513_n.jpg

Happy first Monday of DST! I’m sure many more households had their version of adjustment, and ours was typical of needing to be reminded – again – that it is what you make of it. Yeah, yeah, the facts of an hour darker, and the weather, can be called “it is what it is” but that’s as far as our attitudes have to be dictated. The day, the moment, the situation, whatever you are living, is lived in light of what you make of it. 

I am a light-lover; no, not one who loves lightly, but a lover of light. I was not looking forward to daylight savings time because if the sun ain’t up, neither am I.  Well, not voluntarily anyway.  It actually is my favorite to be up and watch the sunrise – I stress BE up; it takes a grand alarm clock system to do that, but once up and awake I am happiest just about dawn. My first awakening today was a phone call about 20 minutes before my alarm was to sound. Viewing what appeared to be wet outside again sent me back under the covers grumbling about the weather man. I fell asleep and dreamed about the outcome of that day-opening phone call. Next, the old-fashioned clock radio blared a ten minute warning that my cell phone alarm would soon be calling me out. One peeping eye confirmed the dreariness of the day. Back under the covers. As I took the ten minute snooze, a cold little nose in a furry little face told me to stop snoring please, and as I did, he snuggled in between my husband and me, luring me to doze again. When that dogged cell phone commenced its irritating tune that I really need to change, I saw no promise of sun. Clouds, drizzle and dampness outside caused a Monday malfunction – I went back to sleep. Another phone call brought me to my senses and I faced the day, about an hour late.

As sluggishly as my day approached the starting line, it is pacing itself pretty well and I hope yours is too. I found a few markers along the route to point out how to make more of the race. Those would be prayer for hope; scripture for direction,  and love for endurance. That first phone call – one requesting prayer for her day; my sweet daughter was concerned about some who were about to lose their jobs today, and she asked my prayer for their sakes. And I thought, yes, how wonderful that we have an intercessor to take all our concerns to God Who sustains us not only in hope for eternal life, but in our day-to-day matters. That sweet Holy Spirit! He comforts us and understands our groaning from dawn to dawn, all day long, never leaving, no matter how many clouds overshadow the way. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:26 NKJV)

Next came the morning walk with that fur faced alarm. Chilly air on my face and bird melodies in my ears, made it good to be alive. Once he had communicated with the world, you know the sniffing input and the output which should be self-explanatory, we happily returned to a warm house and hot cup of coffee. Ain’t life good?

Scripture – a big part of my writing – came into play as I sat down to work toward a deadline for an article submission. Reading again those steadfast promises lifted my mood and attitude like sunshine themselves. The fog was clearly lifted!

That last phone call was from my sister. Bless her heart! May I say again, Bless Her Heart! Still wearing a back brace, she needed help to take a rectal temp on her 19 pound grandbaby; (maybe a little moral support?) and later finding 3 out of 4 grandchildren have influenza A, and the fourth with a stomach ache – well the whole family really needs blessing, right? And I counted my blessings at that moment! Only love – L. O. V. E. – took me into the house with my flu vaccine already four and a half months old. Get it? (I hope we don’t.) By the way, the sight of that sweet baby boy melted my heart. Even sick, they are so worth it all!

Arriving back home and greeted by my fur baby spinning in circles, I knew it was a good day. I am alive. With loved ones. A modern washer and running water. With hope, and scripture, and love. And the sun came out! OK, I tried to have a bad day, really I did, but God just kept pushing all that good stuff under my nose, and here I’ve gone and had a good day after all. Key words (I have emphasized) for making it a great day are in the following verses.

17 God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.
18 So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.
19 This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. (Hebrews 6 NLT)

IT TAKES PRACTICE: Cultivating and Turning the Other Cheek

24 Sunday Feb 2019

Posted by in Encouragement, inspiration, Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

, , ,

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” Matthew 5:44

MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAPlant zinnias, reap zinnias.

February 24, 2019. My apologies to those who may not be enjoying sunshine today! You will eventually.

It’s been two weeks since I shared a thought or two here; (thank you Linda Pugh for missing me) and as of Wednesday, I was finished with 2018 tax preparation for our farming operation. Whew! I don’t know which was worse, that, or the torrential rainfall of this month! Neither one inspired me to write (Understatement). The sunshine of this morning couldn’t be more welcome, and I know you were happy to see it too!

We had a truly inspirational Ladies Retreat this weekend with four fabulous speakers who brought inspiration from the depths of their hearts. Chelsea Hendrick, Rebecca Simons, Vicki Simmons and Kelly Mackey each filled us with encouragement from real life hard stuff, and I applaud them for allowing us to warm our hearts by the fires of their own trials. The light from all the beautiful hearts present this weekend helped me find my way through another otherwise gloomy weekend.

Speaking of light, have you noticed how one color takes on different hues according to the light around it? Paint on the wall in morning light, a dress on the rack under fluorescent light, or even your make-up in daylight compared to the bathroom bulbs, have all looked so different in varying sources of light.  Just like those colors, my understanding can change somewhat under the light of different moods. I know I’m not alone in this. So, I’m thinking it was this glorious sunshine that made me happy to get out of bed, even before the alarm sounded, and even made me wear a purple shirt! No, I’m not a purple girl; give me greens and blues, yellows and browns, but I leave purple to my daughter, Stephanie. She loves it. Maybe it was even the bright morning, on the heels of the awesome speakers, that made me see something I hadn’t before, as we looked this morning at the sermon on the mount by Jesus.

The meaning of turning the other cheek, blessing your enemies and praying for persecutors is still what I’ve always thought – be like Jesus. And it is still in hopes of helping them see God, and pointing to Jesus. I also believe it is to praise God since we are “in His image”.  But what struck me this morning – and I’m sure most of you already knew this – is that it’s also about the one being spoken to here; the stricken, the persecuted, the wronged. God loves His children like we love ours, but more. And He is perfect in the instruction He gives us, for our own sakes! As I read Matthew 5, I thought of the heart as fertile ground, which we all know sprouts what is planted in it. The more it is cultivated, the more it produces, and eventually you no longer see the ground, but the leaves, vines, and blossoms of the garden.  What if God said, curse those who curse you, go ahead and stir the strife when another starts it, and tell the world how unfairly you were treated. Oh my, what a harvest of hardened hateful feelings we would be growing; and rather than perfecting the peace of Jesus, we would be perfecting the practice of evil.  He knew that to cultivate peace and goodness, we need to practice it in the fertile soil of our hearts. Oh yes, I’ve done it both ways! And I can tell you first hand that in the days when I spit back in the spite of others’ meanness, I felt the strife. When I learned to pray for them, I felt the peace and warmth that God desires us to feel. Isn’t He wise? How marvelous to bask in the sunshine of His love for us!

Verse 45 of Matthew 5 finishes Jesus’ thought: “so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Have a beautiful week, whether rain or sun, bless others and be blessed!