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.

A Tender Moment Pushing the Grocery Cart

Recently I've been spending a lot if time at the grocery store. There's some thing exciting about all the possibilities on variations of foods that you can choose from as you stroll from aisle to aisle.

My daughter always tells me that I need to get a life, because most people detest going to the
supermarket. However, this has always been an enjoyable task for me. My most recent trip proved to be quite enjoyable. Any one who knows me well knows I have a fondness for nuts, the edible ones that is. As I stood in the aisle deciding on whether I should get walnuts or pecans I was witness to the most tender moment between a man and his son.

The two came along side of me and stopped to browse at the many variations of candy that the store offered. The little boy, who couldn't have been any older than five asked his dad if he would buy him some gummy bears. The dad replied, "Only if we get some swedish fish to go along with them."
The smile that appeared on the little boy's face was priceless. They had struck a deal on the purchase, they even made it official by shaking on it.

As they proceeded to gather their purchases the father said that they needed to head down the aisle where the milk was, after all that's what this trip was for in the first place.   As  we parted our ways I thought this was the last that I would see the deal making pair.

They had acquired several other purchases beyond the candy and the milk since our earlier encounter in the nut and candy aisle. The three of us were now in the frozen foods aisle. The gummy bears and the swedish fish were now securely at the bottom of the cart and there was no doubt about their purchase.

As the little boy stood along side of his father as he pondered about the brand of vegetables that his wife wanted, he gently tugged his father's hand to get his attention. His father said, "Yes, son what is it?"  The little boy, with his innocent face and crystal blue eyes looked up at his father and said, "I love you daddy."  His father looked down at him and took his son's small hand in his and said, "I love you too."

Witnessing God's tender moments is a miracle, they are often far and between, but for me they were between the frozen peas and the milk.  Remember, God's miracles are happening all around us, if we take the time to hear we might be surprised what happens in the frozen food aisle.  Happy shopping!

When The Son Touches Us

It was a bright sunny morning when I looked out my dinning room window and I saw my husband leaning back into the seat of his wheelchair with his eyes closed resting his head on the side of the garage, with his baseball cap and a pair of shades protecting his eyes.
He always has a total look of contentment on these bright sunny days, ever since I have known him, he has truly relished a sunny day. It makes me happy watching him find happiness in something so simple.

When we close our eyes and lean back in our spirits and take in the Son of Man finds that same joy, when we close our eyes and sup on this word. He stands at the dining room window of heaven watching us sink into his word just as my husband finds total contentment sitting in the doorway of the garage.  When I walk away from the dinning room window and I know that my husband will again find comfort and warmth on the next sunny day it gives me the reassurance that The Son of Man finds that same reassurance that we will continue to turn our hearts and minds to his word and seek the comfort and warmth of a living word that washes us and breathes the breathe of life into our very souls.

The Little Dead Deer on the Side of the Road

One morning I was taking my son and his friend to school and on each side of the road I saw something that caused me to think about God's ability to keep us close to Him when we stay in his word.

On the left side of the road there were two dead possums. These little possums were laying close to each other as if to symbolically say, "We have stuck together to the very end, together we have seen our last."  On the right side of the road there lay a young deer, he was alone.  There was no fellow comrades laying on the side of the road with him, his symbolic epitaph reads, "I have left the heard, here I lie alone in my last days."
The little deer had chosen to leave his heard, he pulled away from his hedge of protection.  He went his own way into the arms of danger, he had no brother to stand in the gap with him or to lead him back to the woods where he would be safe from on going traffic.  The little possums met with an unfortunate fate, but together they stuck it out together.  Isn't this what we often do when God does everything to get us to stay under His hedge of protection.  When we stray and go our own way we often endanger ourselves as well as others who might be easily led astray.  I want to stay under God's hedge of protection, there is peace in knowing that we have Jehovah-Rohi our shepherd who leads us in green pastures and makes us lie down.

I know what your thinking, that's a little deep for a bunch of road kill, but that's what's so profound about this, God uses anything and everything to keep our minds stayed on him.  By the time I reached my house I was fully praising God and thanking Him for the dead possums and the lonely  little deer, because in these mundane and a little gross things he kept my mind stayed on Him and in Him I have peace that goes beyond my understanding.