Happy Valentine’s Day to the best honey bun around! No hydrogenated fats, no suspicious food dyes, the Hubs is my natural man! There’s nothing artificial about him. He truly is one of the sweetest things the Lord has give me. I’d even say the Hubs is a honey bun among honey buns. I love him.
I bought a journal while visiting my middle son and I finally decided to start using it. This is a cathartic experience.
This girl’s name is Free. She has a powerful testimony.
I could clean the kitchen.
My fondness of words and letters began as a pre-schooler. I taught myself to read when I traced the letters in my Dr. Seuss Dictionary.
A pen is security and voice for me. Similar in feeling to a bowl of slightly warmed French vanilla ice cream with butterscotch topping preferably with a hint of sea salt, such is the delicious comfort I experience.
Though I am a word person, I’m not a drawing person. I can’t draw. People have called me a writer but NEVER a person who can draw. You would never have me on your team in Pictionary. Seriously.
But then something really unusual started happening a few weeks ago.
I started drawing.
And not just stick figures but actual recognizable images.
Who are these characters that appear on paper?
What is going on with my hands and fingers?
Why am I being drawn, excuse the pun, to spend hours surrounded by ink, colored pencils and pens?
Hey!
These images emanate deep from my soul. And from the Bible. My personal story, in part, is being played out. I don’t know where it’s going bu it has become a way to worship the Lord. I think maybe one day a grand-daughter would like these pictures.
As long as I keep my focus on who my ultimate audience is, I can draw.
If I start concerning myself on what others think, I freeze.
My audience is Jesus who is eternal and grandbabies who one day will exist, Lord willing.
It still amazes me to read some verses in the Bible which don’t seem to have any relevance to my life and then literally, minutes later, my circumstances change and there I am screaming in my soul, “Lord, you are real! You speak to me in my secret heart!” May I never grow tired of these encounters with my ever-present, 100% dependable God!
But I am slow to learn and can be a skeptic when it comes to this invisible yet all-knowing God I worship.
A recent event has brought to mind a time when the Lord showed me how important it is for me to stay in His Word.
Enter my time machine, if you please. (Vaporous, non-toxic smoke appears briefly). Do not be afraid.
Three absolutely adorable olive shoots who got a mama who will bust your behind if you mess with them. Thank you.
About 10 years ago, I decided to read the entire Bible in one year. Each day had about 20 minutes total time reading verses from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. I highly recommend doing this if you have never read the Bible from cover to cover for yourself.
Proverbs 7 from one of my most used Bibles.
Well, one afternoon I read some Bible verses that didn’t especially resonate with me. My day moved along per usual.
But then hours later, the phone rang.
It was a girl.
Calling not for my husband
but for my oldest olive shoot.
I had been reading Proverbs 7 – Seriously, read it if you are the mama of sons! Click here to read it!
Nate hung the phone up shortly afterward and I learned this girl had called with a few questions.
I was wearing my fluffy white robe and watching Crocodile Hunter at the time. Strange the things you remember when your world is about to get rocked.
She had asked if my son and his friend would go with her and her friend to the movies. And one more thing, could he also not tell his parents about it?
Instantly, the Bible verses I had only briefly considered came leaping into the forefront! Seriously??? The kid was in middle school! A clandestine meeting with a girl ain’t gonna happen on my watch!
Ok, darkness, I see you. Commence to stepping before it’s too late.
Not only did Nathan not go but we had him call the girl, decline her offer and then explain that HE wasn’t comfortable with her putting him in that position. He spoke gently to her giving her more respect than she had given herself. The girl never called again and continued to make poor choices.
Here I was thinking God’s Word was somehow not pertinent to me and like a dash of hot pepper sauce, a BAM came down from the heavens!
The same thing happened to me on Friday. I hastily did my daily reading after an eventful day which included taking my husband to the hospital among other things. (They thought he had damaged his spleen! He didn’t!).
I contemplated a chapter from an obscure book of the Bible (which I need to refrain from mentioning). It’s part of the 21 Day YouVersion challenge.
And then the phone rang.
Suddenly,
sadly,
strangely,
the words that didn’t apply –
did…
“Crud muffins,” I mutter to myself.
“Praise you, O God.” I also declare.
Today I wait expectantly for the truths I shall find and probably need sooner than I think.
Here are just a few of the people I pray for on the regular.
My 16-year-old walks into the kitchen and I’m slicing strawberries. He’s got a basketball game in a few hours and is heading out the door.
My thin, ginger wisp stands near my side by the sink.
This is the moment every Christian mom hopes will happen and today’s my day. This is cool. I’m going to write about this I vow to myself.
“Oh, ok, I can do that.” I stop slicing. My strawberry stained fingers lift into the air and words flow from my lips.
But no sooner did I finish the first sentence then Ike interrupts me and says,
“Mom, I didn’t mean it!”
You can’t be serious, Child.
That ginger in the jacket, yeah, that’s the kid I just prayed for!
For a second, I hesitated.
Then what did I do? I prayed for him anyway. #shablam
He had a great game. The team won. I did not cause these things by my prayers but I was obedient to the Lord.
Time and desire to pray have increased since beginning the YouVersion 21 Day Challenge. Other crazy, interesting things are also happening which perhaps I will share one day.
I love and admire this potato head.
But the words “Bless me, Mama” resonate within me again.
My oldest olive shoot begins pre-Ranger school tomorrow at 11:45. Gulp. He will sleep on the ground and be pushed to his physical and mental brink. Many fail, it is beyond challenging.
“Bless me, Mama” is my charge as his mother. Nathaniel, my gift, I speak blessings and success into your journey. Oh how I treasure you. Shine brightly.
My ministry-minded middle will soon speak to group of high school students. About the subject of love. Basically it’s his first preaching opportunity. Plus each Friday he goes into the inner city of Chicago to reach high risk young kids with the Gospel. “Bless me, Mama.” I do, Aaron, I do.
Aaron loves this ministry and the kids he meets! Thanks be to God!
May I be fruitful with all you have given me, My Holy One. Allow me to seize every opportunity to pray. Grant me knowledge to embrace ways to boldly proclaim your truth and loving kindness, as a mom, as a woman; every role I play, Father may it be so all the days of my life.
Amen
A new project, I’ve been sketching and writing and smudging. This is a new way for me to express thanks to the Lord.
A young bride enters my home.
When she said she didn’t know anything about sewing, she wasn’t kidding.
I felt so smart.
I felt so old.
I also felt blessed.
We spent two lovely hours together. There are MANY more qualified women to teach her about sewing, I told her so. But I felt privileged to guide her youthful steps and wrinkle-free hands. It was a brave thing for her to reach out.
Don’t we all have things we all need to learn but are wary to ask? I do. What if I looked incompetent? Shouldn’t I know that (whatever it is) already? Does everybody know that (whatever it is) but me? These are the musings in my head often times.
She put forth some power to the foot pedal of the sewing machine and I witnessed her first stitches into fabric. Tentatively, she picked up speed and confidence. She threaded the needle, learned about feed dogs (not an animal) and imagined possibilities.
Yesterday after she left, I found time to continue the 21-Day YouVersion Bible challenge. No clue what were the verses in the day’s study, I read Scripture verses nearly custom-made for me. This is what I see.
In my sanctuary, imperfect but welcoming, a beautiful young woman taught me a few things as I instructed her. Hours later, God reinforced the lesson. I needed that especially after celebrating another birthday.
This is cool, join me in this life-changing journey!
This aging process, which I don’t always especially enjoy, grants me a chance to celebrate the things my grey, blonde, brown and pink hair have taught me. Sew and blessed all in one winter’s day. Nice.
YouVersion has a bunch of great Bible reading plans. See for yourself how God’s Word can change your life, seriously.
My son spends a lot of time on the train. I spend a lot of time on my knees praying for him.
“Don’t worry, Mom, I’ve got brass knuckles.”
This was my ministry minded middle’s way of reassuring me.
He has brass knuckles, therefore,
I guess,
if he is attacked on the subway or on the streets
at night
in a high crime part of the city
while walking back from coaching an inner city boys’ basketball team
I’m not to worry.
Uh, yeah, right…
It doesn’t work that way when you’re a mom.
I grew up feeling a lot of fear, that “muscle” is well-developed.
The trust and faith muscles atrophied
I’m building them back, working them out though.
Aaron provides me with many training sessions with the Lord.
Hurricane Sandy encountering MY olive shoot in Chicago. This is him and a buddy in the picture!
And when he went to Lake Shore Drive to experience Hurricane Sandy and sent me THIS picture of the waters nearly engulfing him…
Oh Lord, my olive shoots
With only five minutes to write, I featured just one olive shoot currently on my heart but I have a Soldier and an orange hair, freckle face OS too, sooooo,
Funky chicks write for five minutes! Come on and join us! Click here for deets.
At least the crime rate is lower during cold weather – (another one of Aaron’s gems…)
A talented friend took this picture during our recent “ice” event.
James Glaisher walked onto the platform of a hot air balloon. With a companion, the two men ascended 29,000 feet into the skies. While recording meteorological events and gathering research, they nearly froze to death before landing back on solid ground. Can you even imagine!
Ask my younger sister what my answer would be if she asked for me to join her on a subnivean adventure in the sky. She was the one I chose to test the waters of the icy creek next to our childhood home. Some days her foot plunged into the depths. Clearly, the creek wasn’t frozen over enough. Being a very perceptive big sister, I ascertained it was unsafe for me to risk life and limb. I helped her get back on dry ground, we went inside, had an argument and then watched cartoons. Other days we skated the bumpy circles on the ice. Then we went inside to warm up, had an argument and watched cartoons.
This picture makes me appreciate snowflakes a lot more than I usually do!
Glaisher and his buddy had higher motives than I (which isn’t exactly difficult!). Glaisher was captivated by snowflakes. He wondered about their shapes and design and contemplated great things of God. Glaisher even sketched the delicacies he found and then through the American Tract Society, wrote the aptly titled book “Snowflakes: a chapter from the Book of nature.” Each chapter of his devotional begins with a beautiful rendering of winter. You should check it out. It’s spiritually deep, really interesting. A super cool read, pun intended. And check out this website if you are a letter person. Very fascinating!
Today I find myself continuing in the YouVersion 21-Day Bible Challenge. Pondering the 22 verse in Philippians 1 in the Bible, I stop on the verse about “If I am to live by flesh, this means fruitful labor for me.”
If James Glaisher would have asked me about a travel companion, I would have recommended my sister Lorri!
I think about Glaisher. Then I think about me.
My prayers consist of asking the Lord that my remaining days be fruitful for Him. That might mean a clean house, ironed clothes, nutritious food and a pleasant homestead.
Some days I feel so productive, other days are sluggish and it seems like nothing gets done. Could my fruitfulness be found in journaling and Bible study? What if the Creator gave me a very specific yet unusual task such as He did with Glaisher? He drew snowflakes!
Would that be enough for me? How do I measure success? Am I as willing to plunge or ascend to icy wonders of His choosing? I don’t know, it scares me.
I want to be open to what God’s version of fruitful is for me. Father, form the remainder of my days.
Oh the memories. Bitter and sweet, truly. Much to consider on this grey winter’s day.
A cold morning finds
a mama worried –
about a Soldier,
a ministry-minded middle
and an orange hair, freckle face olive shoot.
Tears flow.
They’re not in trouble or doing anything wrong (or at least not that I, I mean she know/s of!).
Two hours later
she reads Scripture for a weekly Bible study
Gently, unexpectedly
God tucks comfort and assurance into her heart.
Lamentations, of course, this totally makes sense
This mama can be
a big time lamenter
And just like that
Worries find solace and melt away.
On this January day
She breathes.
Imagine what you could discover by participating in Five Minute Friday! Join us, you will LOVE it!
Oh, Five Minute Friday, again you challenge me.
This word “again” is annoying. I connote unpleasant things with this word.
An olive shoot is being difficult again.
My husband has to travel again.
A family member is ill again.
They didn’t empty the dishwasher
or close the door on the dryer so now the light is out
No one puts away the clean clothes
They rustle through all the other clothes and leave things in disarray
An example of an irritating form of “again.” Disheveled laundry!
AGAIN
Ergh
You get the idea
Frustrating
Scary
Irritating
Repetitive
Something I don’t like is being experienced additional times. Wow.
And it’s not like I see it only in others.
I have my own “again’s” which feel even more disappointing.
But since I only have a few more minutes, let me tell you about another again which can help me not spiral into hopelessness.
A few years ago, the Hubs got me this pretty print from a West Point mom/crafty girl/blogger.
I bespy this reminder of God’s faithfulness again in my hallway. Again I stop and consider the Lord’s treasures and promises.
A pretty print made by a talented West Point mom. Here’s her Etsy site.
Again, I approach the throne of grace and ask for His guidance and help.
One of my favorite Scripture verses: Lamentations 3:22-24
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
‘The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
Defining moments in my life – reading these books, answering a question
What is the best book you have ever read?
I was asked this question 16 years ago while being interviewed for an article in a business publication.
Two answers swirled around my head.
a. The Bible
Option A – Upside – A great spiritual answer. Downside – I hadn’t read it entirely. Parts of the Bible, yes, but the whole thing circa 1996, uh, that would be a big fat no.
Madame Bovary is a seriously awesome book.
Option B – Upside – I had read Madame Bovary. In French. In France. Even bought it at a French bookstore. I read every word. Downside – not as impressive.
Briefly I wrestled with the correct answer.
So I did.
Best book ever read as of 1996 – Madame Bovary.
Today my answer would be different. I loved Madame Bovary. Gustave Flaubert is magnificent. But it was just a book.
I want my faith to soak in my every molecule because of the Author of Life. Today, ask me about the best book I’ve ever read, the only book I’ve ever read and continue to read regularly is – the Bible.
Tuesday I read the first chapter Romans (Romains) as part of the 21-Day Challenge in YouVersion. There is much to glean from this weighty text. Part of verse 16 in the book of Romans jumps out at me.
“Car je suis fier de l’Evangile”
The English version states “I am not ashamed of the Gospel.” In French, it translates to “I am proud of the Doctrine of Christ.”
I’m proud of reading Madame Bovary. In French. In France. Purchased with my very own francs. 😉 It was a big accomplishment.
My soul rests in The Word. This is my Journaling Bible which I love because I can write notes in the margin.
But for me, the life-changing book is Option A. The Bible is no longer an unfinished read on my nightstand. It is my source of wisdom and strength.
My past is decadent and jaded, I was intimidated to open the first few pages of the Bible for fear of great reprisal and judgment. I’m so dumb and was so foolish. But Jesus transformed this woman. I am a different and better person because I delve into Truth. Even in times of instruction, the Lord takes the hand of my heart and leads me to understanding.
The joy and pride I have now reading the Bible from Genesis to Revelation surpasses all other words.
If you want to know more about reading God’s Word, check out these resources. Bless you, sweet friends for hearing my life.
My Awesome Olive Shoots 