"The Light"

     It was two in the morning and I was still wide awake.  I walked into my bedroom and my husband had quietly fallen into a deep slumber. The light from the bathroom was still on. There was the soft hum of his sleep apnea machine, but other than that the entire house was silent and dark.  I turned off the bathroom light and climbed into bed, but I still was unable to sleep.  My doctor had recently given me a new medication for restless leg syndrome. It was giving me a slight stomachache. I also have tinnitus (ear ringing) and tonight the ringing had simply become intolerable.  

     Laying there in the dark was making me feel dizzy and nauseous, so I got out of bed and went into the other room.  I turned on the floor lamp in my family room.  As I sat there squinting in the other wise darken room I began to realize that I was in the mist of the busiest moments of God's day in our home.  You ask, huh? 

    As I sat quietly in the soft glow of the light, I thought about how God had kept me awake for a purpose.  Tears began to slowly flow down my cheeks and my heavenly Father began to tell me of all the plans that he had for our family. He gave me the opportunity to be on the ground floor as he whispered the plans that he has to prosper me and not to do me harm.  He reminded me of the blessings that he had already bestowed upon me.  After sitting there for a few minutes the stomachache that I had earlier began to dissipate, and the ringing in my ears became tolerable and suddenly I felt sleepy and joyful.  Full of the joy that only God can bring.

     The next morning was Sunday.  I went to church and a funny thing happened, my pastor was speaking about catching the light before it leaves.  The title of his message that morning was, "In the Church, but not in Christ."  His scriptural reference was from John 17.  Later that evening I went back to that scripture, in John 17:13, Christ says to the Father, "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have full measure of my joy within them."

     It reminded me of the previous night.  Being in the world, but not of the world.  All the busyness of the day had ended and my heavenly Father and my pastor were clearly stating one message,   those of us who are walking with Christ are the light of the world.  So, the next time that you wake up in the middle of  the night don't become dismayed.  Your heavenly Father is calling you to sit at his feet and replenish your light, so that you may walk in the fullness of His joy.  So, go on, and let your light shine.         

Harvest

     There's nothing like God's timing to get you to see the perspective of things.  If you have read this blog than you know that I write about what God shares with me.  Well most recently, I've had an amazing revelation, I guess I should say another amazing revelation.  This revelation was about my youngest child, Theo.  I've always said that both of my children are free spirits, opinionated, headstrong, sometimes down right pigheaded, but deep down inside their good kids.  I know what you are thinking, can't this be said about  a lot of today's generation?  Yes, it's true, today's generation is a lot different from those of us who are over the age of fifty and who have grown up in the age where rebellion totally had a different face. I am simply stating, that he has had his moments of rebellion, but this was definitely a moment that God had ordained and blessed.

     I've spent a great deal of time praying and asking God that my children would grow up to be individuals that would first of all have a heart for God, be individuals with honor and see the good in everyone.  These are the prayers that many mothers pray for their children, we ask God to watch over them, protect them, keep them out of trouble and allow us to live long enough to see the fruits of our labor harvested in the lives of our children. Both my husband and I have always tried to teach our children to respect their elders and lend a helping hand to them when they can.  Well, yesterday God showed me the harvest that he's producing in the field of my son's life.

    
     Most recently my son started his very first summer job. He's one of the many kids you see at the grocery store pushing the carts back into the store after they have been left in the parking lot. After dropping him off at Karn's grocery store, I ran a couple of errands and decided to go home and relax by watching a movie.  I received a phone call from Theo about an hour before his shift was over, when I asked him if he needed a ride home, he said no, but he told me that he needed me to give someone a ride home and he needed me to come over to the store right away.  At first, I was a little hesitant to honor this request to give a stranger a ride home, but I decided to comply.  I sent him a text that said, if this person is a serial killer that my death would be in his hands.  His response was, "Mom, it's the Christian thing to do."

     When I arrived at the store, Theo was walking a little, white haired lady to my car.  He was pushing her cart, which had several bags and  box that contained forty pounds of meat.  He proceed to tell me that she had called a cab, but it never came.  She had been standing for forty five minutes outside of the store waiting for a ride home.

    I looked into the eyes of my son and saw a genuine desire to want to bless this complete stranger.  I agreed to take her home.  We loaded her groceries into my car and I drove her to her apartment.  Her daughter greeted us and they both proceeded to try to pay me for the ride.  At that very moment my prayers had been answered, a small field of kindness had been harvested.  Without the heart of a young boy I would not have witnessed God's movement.

     So, I am writing this to parents who are praying for God's harvest in the lives' of their children.  Keep praying, and remember that sometimes the  harvest is great and the workers are few, but the harvest will come for our children if we continue to remember the words written in Hebrews 11:1, Faith is the substances of things hope for and the evidence of things not seen.

    I am looking forward to the crops that will continue to be harvested in the lives of both my children. God has great things in store.

    
     

A New Season

     Yesterday was my son's last day of school for this school year. He had finished his last final and needed a ride home from school.  The high school that he attends was the school that I taught at before I retired four years ago.  As I got into my car and drove up to the school a sudden flash of memories began to flood my memory. I realized that I was no longer in the loop, or part of the gang when it came down to what was actually happening inside of the school.  Of course, I still am quite aware of all the school activities and events that occur during the school year, but there was one major thing that had changed that I was finally able and willing to admit, I would no longer have that misty feeling that I used to get when the students in my class would finish their finals, lay them down on my desk, and leave my classroom headed off to the start of whatever adventures that the summer had in store for them.

     This time of the year was always a difficult time for me, many of the students I had during my years as a teacher were kids that struggled academically, emotionally and socially.  The relationships that I had with them were special and I will always hold them close to my heart. When the last final was graded, I would be free to start my own summer adventures.  When my own kids were small, I spent all summer long engaging them in a variety of activities, swimming, children's theater, concerts in the park, you name it we did it.  The last four years has been so different, I no longer spend my summers mapping out the daily activities for my kids. They were making their own plans, finding their own way in the world.  They no longer needed their mother to plan their summer activities.  

     I sat in the parking lot waiting for my son, when he finally emerged from the building, I got out of the driver's seat and allowed him to drive home.  I know what you are thinking, that's nothing out of the ordinary, however, for me it was.  It was the realization that I had reached a new season in my life.  I knew that eventually it would come, but I was not expecting it to feel so daunting. The season where the roles in your life change their formation.  There were no more finals to grade, no teary good byes from my students, no classroom to pack up for the summer and no itineraries to plan for my own children.

     In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it says there is a time for everything, a season for every activity under the heavens. This new season had come for me, I had a choice, I could either embrace change or struggle with the realization that things would never be what they were in the past.  Change is good.  Change brings on opportunities for growth, renewal and creativity. 

     As we drove out of the school parking lot, my son in the driver's seat and me in the passenger's seat another thought came to mind, it was time to dance! If you continue to read Ecclesiastes 3 verse 4 tells us that there is a time to mourn and a time to dance.  Lets learn to embrace change, change is good!  Also remember in Jeremiah 29:11 that God has plans to prosper us and not bring us harm.  If we are not willing to embrace change we will never see what is in store for us just beyond the horizon.

    If God's word has not convinced you that change is good, then perhaps the words of one of my favorite children's authors, Shel Silverstein will, "Anything can happen child, anything can be!"   That's all for now, places to go, people to see and dancing to do!

     

  

    

    

    

Doing the Writer Thing

      I know what you all are thinking, its been quite a while since I've blogged.  Well, this is true, however, I've had some experiences that were truly worthy of blogging and I simply didn't find the time to sit down and write.  I've been too busy doing this writer thing.  I've recently finished my third book, "The Royal Story Teller."  I've also spent a great deal of time working toward making my literary character Mrs. Idabee Marbles a household name.  Well, folks, there is one thing that  you should know, becoming a well known writer is not for the faint of heart.  This stuff is a lot of hard work.
     In fact aspiring to breaking into any industry takes a lot of hard work.  This reminds me of something that my son re tweeted on Twitter, "Be phenomenal or be forgotten."  A lot of great quotes can be found on tee shirts.  Even greater things can be found on the pages of God's living word. One of my favorite scripture is from Mark 9:23, "All things are possible if you believe."

     Not only am I believing that all things are possible, but all things are done in His time. It was his call that reminded me that this blog was not just any ordinary blog,  the thoughts that I share have always been conversations that I have had with God.  Who am I to stop sharing my thoughts, so here I am.  As I sit watching the controversy that encircles the political candidates, God dropped this thought on me; as the world struggles with the pending political election and  who will have power over the country it seems to have once again forgotten about the living God who has power over everything.  We do need to remember God's words in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, who are called by my name would humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land."

     Humbling, isn't it?  Not enough tee shirts printed with wisdom like that.  Just another thought dropped on me.  I'll be back.  Who was it that said that?

     

The Universal Mommy

Yesterday I sat in a little street cafe in Paris having dinner. Besides me there was a mother and her two children. There was a little girl who may have been six or seven and a little boy who looked to be about five. 

The two children sat having the best time playing with their newly acquired toys from their fast food meal. In the mist of their delight they chattered away aimlessness and took total delight in emerging themselves into a world of make believe that children of that age do so well.

Meanwhile the mother managed the realistic things that all mothers manage. When it was time to go she nudged the children in fluent French that it was time to pack up their belongings and prepare to leave. Of course this saddened the two who were totally engaged in magnificent game of marching their little toys across the table.

As the mother gave each child directions her tone of voice indicated that she wanted a little more speed added to the process. Keeping in mind that I do not speak French there were no hinderances in my ability to understand what she wanted her children to do.

Mommies have a way of connecting to way of connecting to each other that surpasses language. I sat and watched as she reminded the children not to leave their belongings, to pick up their trash and to stay together by holding hands.

Before they left she straightened her daughter's clothing and took both children by the hand before leaving for their next venture in the city of Paris.

The language of motherhood is the same all over the world. We speak the simple language of nurturing, concern and sometimes frustration, but regardless  of the language we stand united as one when it comes to our children.

Blessings

As I sat in my hotel room in Paris at four in the morning unable to sleep listening to the soft purr of my friend fast asleep in the bed besides me I began to realize that once again God had awaken me to share His thoughts with me. It's the day after my fourth ninth birthday and He wants to recap a few of the highlights both the triumphs and the struggles.

We often have these early morning discussions. They are usually the types of conversations that are one way,

God speaks and I ponder in my mind the meaning. The variation comes in the length of time that the pondering last. Sometimes God leaves me pondering his words until he gives me a practical application that untangles me and opens my eyes for his clear vision. This can be anywhere from a day to a week.

However, today there was no pondering, God's words were clear and untangled in both my heart and in my head. My life has been one of victory and blessings.

God has given me many blessings that have come in the form of friends, like the one that so soundly sleeps in Paris, and a husband who loves me more than words can utter. 

I have been privileged to be honored with many victories, a daughter who graduated from school with honors who is finding her way in the world and coming to see God for herself, a blossoming career doing what I love and the opportunity to travel and see the other side of the world.

I enjoy these early morning discussions, they are God's gentle reminder that is just for me about how victorious and blessed I am.

 

  

A Lover of God's Creations

Every morning on my daily walk I go past a house that is heavily laden with the most beautiful flowers. When I first took notice of this house I thought the flowers were artificial; after closer inspection I realized that they were real.

The beautiful blossoms just seemed to flourish under the care of of their owner. Their vibrant colors and robust healthy leaves burst forth a zuberance that no other yard possessed. After walking past this house several times I realized that the gardener possessed something that many of us long to conquer, the ability to nurture our gifts and talents so they bring God glory.

As I continued my walk I begin to think about the small investment of time, money and energy that the gardener had placed in her hobby. It only flourished because of her care and effort . God tells us that our gifts are unrevocable, it's up to us to use them. When we begin to see them as the easiest way to glorify God, then they will flourish like the flowers of the Gardner.
God will gently catch the scent of our gifts and spread them like that of a pollen infused bee.

I want to glorify God by encouraging others to plant, water and nourish their God given talents and abilities.