Day 5.......And a little child shall lead them...

We had to go to the mall last night to get Hannah's glasses fixed. Jenny's shoes came untied. She is learning to tie but can't quite manage.  So her brother and sister each helped her out.

 I love how they do not think twice about helping someone.  They love to help others.  We are working on finding a way to help out some of the people who stand at the red light and ask for money. We don't have much to offer, but I am working on kits with a bottle of water, a snack, soap, etc etc in it.  So the idea on pinterest.  My kids always ask, can we help them mom? Now I don't carry money on me.  However, once I get our kits together we will keep them in the car and give our fellow man a drink of water at least.  I want them to help others. They love it, and so should we as adults.  My kids see them as someone that needs help. We adults, usually only see them as someone that needs a hand out. Jesus would say help them.  So I am working on a way to do this.  I want to be Jesus' hands extended.  I want to give water to the thirsty and food to the hungry.  I want to make a difference and teach my children you are never to big or too busy to help someone in need.

Day 4--Rain

Rain.........I love the rain, listening to it, watching it, even standing in the rain.  We all know rain is beneficial and how much rain is needed.  Yesterday, as it rained and rained I watched as the Fall leaves began falling with the rain.  The land preparing for winter, the earth receiving nourishment from its' creator.  And I know God is speaking to my soul.......do not worry about tomorrow. I watched some birds darting in and out of branches when the rain would soften..chirping their merry way. They were not frustrated or aggravated with the rain, rather seemed to enjoy it.  They were not fretful but as they fluttered, they fluffed their wings as if rinsing dust and debris off. The one bird I watched the longest was happily chirping along and content about her circumstances.  Her song was joyful and free.

How do I react to the rain that comes my way?  Do I worry and fret or do I trust my Father to take care of me.  Sometimes, to be honest, I worry, I fret and I grumble.  So, off base and to busy with my fretting to hear the still small voice in the rain........whispering.....Be Still and Know that I am God.  Whispering, do not worry for if I care for each sparrow that falls how much more I care for you. Whispering, sweet, precious words to me, to let me know the storms and rain that fall are for a purpose.  I may not see it now. I may not feel it now, but I can praise Him and dance in the rain like that little bird danced.  So today, I say, Lord, forgive me for my fretful ways.  Let me rest in the assurance that YOU are in control and that worry gets me nothing but frustration. However, if I will stop to praise You in the rain, and dance in the rain, things will be different because my attitude will be different.

So, whether physical rain, spiritual rain, or the rains that life brings........go dance in the rain.

Day 3....Dreams........

Better late than never...I forgot to do day 3 yesterday....

Dreams come in all shapes and sizes including of a pint sized boy who wants to drive.  Mom he said, "When I get my license, I will drive you wherever you want to go so you can take a break".  The sweetness of his statement was that although his wish to drive is shown, but it also shows his concern for someone else.

God gives us big dreams and small dreams. Do I included others in my dreams?  Do I share my dreams with others, or to I hide them under secrecy hoping one day they will come true.

Children actively dream, and hope and wish. A dream to them is more than a dream. It is a possible, regardless of big or small, possible or seemingly impossible. Their dreams are alive.  Adults dreams are as thin as vapor, easily let go of or lost.  We need to hold onto our dreams through Christ.  Let Him place the dreams in our hearts, planted  for the use of serving others.  Then we need to water those dreams with the Word and prayer and let God grow it to maturity or decide," this is not the dream I want, but I want to change it, because it will better serve my purpose for you".

So whatever you dream, that God has planted, let it live, let it grow and embrace it like children do.  God is the maker of dreams.  Let Him be your dream maker and dream weaver as He weaves your life into the tapestry He is making your life into.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made, created for a purpose and the dreams He plants are designed for a reason and He will bring them about, or He may even change them, BUT His dreams are the best dreams because they will bring Him glory.



He just wanted to sit at the wheel for awhile." I know I can't drive yet, but I wanted to see what if felt like behind the wheel."

Friends, fellowship and campfires......(day 2)

Friends, fellowship, roasting marshmallows and campfires.....what a way to warm the body and soul.

Jenny had never seen campfire before or roasted hot dogs or marshmallows over an open fire before. Watching her mesmerized, was so much fun. Seeing life through the eyes of a child.......is amazing.

When a stick little hand found its way into mine, my heart was filled with thankfulness.

Thankfulness for friendship. Thankfulness for love. Thankfulness that brothers and sisters in Christ

make for a beautiful fall evening as we talked, laughed, played and roasted marshmallows and hot dogs together.  

What fun it was.

God gives us friends and family in the body of Christ to help us along the path.

Friends are a gift from God, a little glimpse of His heart.

What a blessing this evening was, and a testament to just how good our God is all the time.

Day 1....photo project

I am going to attempt to do a photo a day that leads me to something my Lord is saying to me.

Today is He leads me beside still waters.....now I did post this on facebook before I got this idea, so it is a repeat, photo.



As I sat by the stream today and listened to the flow, it dawned on me, this water was not truly still. It was moving along at a steady pace. It was not rapid, but it was steady.  It wasn't "still" water, but it stilled my heart and it was peaceful.  Still waters, are not necessarily still under the surface. Life exist under the surface of the water.  And even in a place that the water is completely still, under the surface there is life.

Our hearts are sometimes, still, sometimes trouble and sometimes, just flowing gently with all the things God has placed there. However, no matter what, our hearts are alive.  The key is what are our hearts alive to? Alive to self? Alive to the world? Alive to worry? Alive to Christ?

So I pray, Lord, let my heart not be troubled, but a growing, living thing You use to bring peace and love to others. Let my heart be that gently, flowing stream that feeds peace to others and takes life giving love to others down stream.  I can not do that without You Lord. For only, if my source is in YOU can my heart give off life.  Let me be that witness that speaks of You. You the one, who is the way the truth and the life........for in YOU I find peace and joy and in YOU I can be filled to overflowing so that streams of living water flow out of my heart fed only by you and from you.

Menopause, kids and crazy days

Menopause, that ugly word, the one I did not want to admit was headed my way like a freight train, has arrived.  Hot flashes and insomnia.  How one can be so tired but be unable to sleep, blows my mind.  Furthermore, me, the woman who has always been the one with chill bumps while everyone was fanning, needs a fan and ice packs.  I never pictured myself being that hot, sweaty woman trying to get the house cold enough to sleep.  Being halfway to 50 with 3 kids is interesting to say the least.  I have friends who are grandmas already, LOL.

But I have come up with a plan.  Tonight when insomnia hits I am going to spend time with the one who created me.  I am going to refocus and see it as a blessing.  Time when the house is quiet, the family is sleeping and I can spend time with my Lord.  Menopause, CAN be turned into a blessing.  I will see the silver lining, the glass as half full and all the possibilities.

It takes me back to the many hours I spent when my children were infants. Those night hours, nursing a new born and lack of sleep filled my days. When a middle of the night cry session of a baby, turned into a wonderful praise session.

The kids, well they are being kids and I am learning to adjust to the changes I am seeing in them. As I change, they are changing. So I can be in the mully grubs as my Mama always said, OR, I can embrace change. I can find ways to grow through their changes and my changes and we can grow together.
I see glimpses of the wonderful adults they will be. It may be mixed in among the squabbles and the stalling of homework, but it is there.  I am blessed.  I praise God for my family and all they are becoming.

Today has just been crazy for no reason. I did get some accomplished on my goals.  I am doing my fly lady stuff a little at a time.  I am plugging away at getting organized and my sink has been fly lady clean as of late. (See flylady.com if you want to know more. This is an unsolicited shout out to the fly lady). I have to do what works with my organizationally challenged self.  I am making progress. I am growing.

Watch me take wing and soar because as I wait up on the Lord, I will mount on wings as an eagle......and I will have strength.

Memories....are made of these.......

Tea parties, dress up, best friends, big brother, Daddy, and time on a cloudy afternoon

just to pretend, princess pretend, knights and spots of tea;

and a hero needing to be knighted

even if the hero is a big brother, 

being a hero because he took time out

to have a tea party with his little sisters.

Heroes do not have to be mighty men of valor.

Heroes can be a brother pretending to be a knight in honor of his sister's afternoon tea.

Memories are night time kisses and bed time hugs.

Prayer time and play time

all rolled into one.

Memories are the things life time stories are made of. 

Stories that matter for years to come.

Memories of times gone by

And dreams of the future and all the possibilities.

Because at the very foundation of our memories and household is 

FAITH.

For if we teach them the ways of God and we kneel before the King of Kings With our children

when they are old they will not depart from it.

Prayer is the the glue that holds our memories together with love

and faith, and hope and is a cord that weaves through every part of our lives.

Lord, let our memories be in you and let us remember all the things You have done.

For it is by HIS hand we are blessed to have a treasure trove of love and memories.