The wise man built his house upon the rock...

Hello again, anyone who happens to come across my humble little blog!  It's been a long time, and I thought I would make an appearance just in case you missed me... ; )  We are all doing well and enjoying our summer.  I hope you are too!

I went on a field trip of sorts with Josh today.  We visited an 82- year old man who lives with his wife out in the country, not too far from our home.  They live on a century-old Christmas tree farm that has slowly shrunk over the years as acres have been sold to neighbors.  Several acres remain, but other things have taken place of the Christmas trees.  There is a thriving garden there, boasting ripening veggies and a beautiful section just reserved for flowers.  There is a great old tree with about 15 bird feeders hanging from it, as if saying "Don't worry...there is room for all of you!"  There is a homely little cocker spaniel who runs around greeting guests with the happiest little smile and waggy tail you ever saw. And there is a hammock just waiting invitingly for any weary soul who wants to come and rest.

But the thing you will notice the most about this charming old home and property, is that this man collects rocks.  And when I say he collects rocks, I mean that in a very BIG way!  He has several  boulders, some of them more than 7,000 pounds!  And huge, garden-sized plots full of large stones of all kinds.  He has every kind of rock you can think of displayed as neatly as he could manage it, all over his backyard.  It's amazing!  He had been collecting these rocks for about twelve years until a couple of years ago when he decided he was getting too old to be going "rocking" anymore, as he called it.  We went there with the rock club we belong to, and it was a special treat for geology enthusiasts.  But what made the day so special to me was not so much the rocks, but the way God spoke to me through the very special man who so painstakingly collected them.

"Buck," as he likes to be called, is as charming a man as you would ever want to meet.  He is one of those sweet grandpa-types who has a kind word for everyone, a love for children, a twinkle in his eye, and a little mischief up his sleeve.  I enjoyed talking to him and listening to him share his stories of how he got those rocks. And as you spend time with him, you just feel like you have always known him.  Or at least you wish you would have.  You can tell that he is not the sort who would let the cares and stresses of this world get him down. When it was time to leave, I was sad that I would not have a good excuse to go and visit him again.  This sweet man who has lived a long, full life and has seen a little bit of everything, I would imagine,  has a way about him that emanates peace and contentment, and you can't help but just being drawn to him.  

I left his home wondering all the way why I am not that sort of person.  Why do I worry over every little thing so often the way that I do?  Why do I get myself all in a tizzy about this and that?  Mostly little things that will most certainly work themselves out with just a little time and trust. 

And I continued that train of thought and began to zero in on that one word in my mind...  TRUST. 

Maybe if we truly did trust God in everything--  like He so lovingly reminds us to all throughout His Word.  Maybe if we really DID let it all go and just let Him have it.  ALL of our worries.  All of our cares that take up so much space in our fretting little minds.    Maybe if we all decided to not be stressed.  Just as simple as that.  Maybe then we could have the kind of peace and contentment that Buck has found.  And maybe, just maybe, that heart full of joy that is so evident in him has been the secret to the long life he's lived...and it's a better medicine than every pill and herb and healthfood trend that's out there. 

I don't know, but through my visit with Buck and his amazing rock farm today, God helped me to remember once again the secret to that abundant life He's given.  And I am thankful I had the privilege of meeting a special man.  I won't soon forget our new friend.

Good Friday. What do you think?

Today is Good Friday.  The day we recognize as the one when Jesus was crucified.

I took this picture this past fall at our city's local artists' competition.  This amazing mosaic won the top prize.  And I think with good reason.  It is truly magnificent--especially in real life, although I think you can get a good idea from the photo. 

I took the picture of the artwork, of course.   But later when I looked at it, I found it moving for a different reason than just the sheer talent or the powerful focus of the piece. 

I noticed the people in the crowd.  Some of them are looking intently up at the cross.  Most are chatting, milling around, focused instead on this over here or that over there, seemingly oblivious to the Man on the cross above their heads. 

And I was struck by the comparison to real life. 

All of us here on the earth, milling around, going about our business...running here and there...some of us believing in this Jesus and what He did on that cross.  Some focused on Him, living for Him, and ready to even die for Him.

Some believing, but mostly just living for themselves while they take their ride around the sun all these years.

And some completely oblivious--not caring or even hostile to Him.  Many believing different things, in other gods, or only in themselves. 

And Jesus on that cross.  Pure Love. Arms outstretched, bleeding and dying, and three days later, resurrecting--  for everyone.  For all of us.  No matter what we think of Him. 

We are all of us--the whole lot of us--desperate sinners, in need of a Savior. In need of Him.

I don't know which group you are in.  Those devoted to Him, those who hate Him or think He is a fairy tale, or somewhere in between.  But I wonder if you don't know Him, if you might be curious?  Have you ever wondered if there might be any truth in this Christianity thing?  Eternity is something we all should at least think about, and I'm sure we all have at some point or other. 

I am reading a book right now called "The Case For Christ" by Lee Strobel.  Mr. Strobel was an agnostic journalist who went on a search to find out if there might be any evidence behind this man called Jesus.  He wanted to know if the Bible really might be able to be trusted, and if there is any evidence outside of the Bible that points to Jesus and the accuracy of the manuscripts that make up this Book. 

If you have ever wondered these same things, you might like to read it!  His research was extensive, and what he found was amazing!  I hope you will check it out.

I am spending time today reflecting on the amazing love of our Savior.  This song by Graham Kendrick comes to my mind:

Amazing love--oh what sacrifice... the Son of God given for me...

My debt He paid, and my death He died

That I might live!

That I might live!

Have a blessed Easter weekend, friends!

Driveway Delight--Part 2

So, here is the continuation of my last post....this time it's all from my own head. : )

The other night we were driving home from church, listening to one of our favorite radio programs called Down Gilead Lane.  We live a half hour from our church, so we get to listen to a whole program each time.  I guess that's the one good thing about our long drive.

Anyway, in this episode, the Morrison family was all in the car on their way to Grandma's for Thanksgiving dinner.  It was a long drive, complete with bad weather slowing things down, crabby kids, crabby parents, and an annoying little brother who happily, continually told corny knock knock jokes and kicked the seat in front of him.  Everyone was highly annoyed with the little brother, and one sibling eventually ended up saying things that weren't very nice to him, even blaming the horrible time in the car on him. 

However, it was finally made clear that during the whole drive, only this little boy had had a thankful spirit.  While everyone else whined and complained, he alone had stayed cheerful and thankful for everyone's company.  The episode ended with the family realizing that this little brother had been right.  Instead of complaining, they should all have been thanking God for the time they had together as a family, even squished together in a car on a long, tiring ride.  The mother on the show shed a few tears as she thought of years to come when the family would all be grown and gone from each other.  And I admit, that silly little radio show episode was so thought provoking, and so absolutely dead on...that I shed some tears too. 

I love that article by Carol Barnier that I shared with you last time.  I love it because it is such a reminder to me that we do not have a lot of time. I have been becoming more and more painfully aware lately that my boys are growing older.  Twelve and ten years old are ages frightfully close to the teen years.  I don't mean I am afraid of the teen years.  I am actually excited to discover what kind of young men my boys will be as they grow and mature out of the matchbox cars and sword fighting years!  I love the relationship I have with my boys, and I am sure I will continue to enjoy that relationship through the next phase of our lives. 

But two things I know for sure about the teen years...they will be very different from the little boy years, and they will fly by very, very quickly.  Much too soon, my boys (and Cassandra, and even too quickly, my littler ones) will be leaving our nest.

I want to make these years I have with my children count!  I am so often reminded that we only have ONE chance at this.  ONE go around.  ONE time to be a parent to our children while they are young.  I do not want to waste the time...to end up looking back and saying, "I wish....." 

God has given us this time to teach them and train them and love them and laugh with them.  Heaven forbid we waste it away on selfish pursuits that were not so very important after all.

So let's spend the time to have those talks, play those games, read God's Word and teach those lessons.  And let's have some driveway delight with our children.....while we still can.

How do we do this??

I remember years ago, I was part of a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group.  I was raising two, or maybe all three of my boys at the time, and they were all preschool/baby age.  Three.  Boys.  Preschool age.  And my life was very hard.  I remember being shocked at how really difficult it was, and I felt unprepared for the sheer amount of raw energy it took on top of very little sleep.  My journal entries from those days are filled with dramatic accounts of feeling like I was treading water-- and sometimes drowning-- in cleaning, laundry, loving, feeding, disciplining,  changing diapers, and wiping runny noses. Many entries include quoting Scripture and begging God to help me.  Yes, I was joyful and happy with my precious little flock, but I was tired too, and often feeling run down.  At MOPS, we would deposit our children in classes around the church where the meetings were held, and gather together for some breakfast and coffee, listen to a speaker we could relate to, and then divide into groups to pray and discuss the topic for the day.  I remember crying sometimes at those meetings.  Not out of sadness, but out of joy, because I was someplace where PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD what I was going through.  It was so encouraging just to know that I was not alone in my journey as a mom.  That it really is hard, and I was not crazy, but we could all make it through with God's help.

That was many years ago, and those boys are older, but they are still boys. : )  I still also have a preschooler, and I am also homeschooling.  I am not sure my life is any easier than it was then, but at least I am used to it!  : )

Anyway, I was thinking today about my life as a wife and mom.  About the many hats I wear, and how I feel the need to wear all of them well.  I took time today to really think about everything that I do.  Everything that is on my plate...all of the plates I have to keep spinning.  And I am quite sure that YOU are a whole lot like me!

As Christian wives/moms, We are expected to:
-Have a vibrant relationship with God.  Most important!
-Be a good wife.  In many different ways....
-Keep an orderly house including...
-Cleaning the kitchen, cleaning it again, and cleaning it again.
-Train our children in the way they should go...in our house we have devotions together and memorize verses
-Provide nutritious meals and snacks each day, and make sure those meals get cleaned up after
-Grocery shop on a budget
-Make sure all the children have clothes to wear for all the different seasons, shopping for and rotating them when needed.
-Schedule and accompany kids to doctor and dentist appointments
-Make sure everyone has clean clothes in their drawers--mounded up on the couch doesn't count--or does it?
-Discipline the kids in love, and not anger : )
-And for homeschool moms--plan for the kids' education, including shopping for and buying all materials needed and...
-Teach all or most of the subjects to multiple aged kids
-Supervise music practice and endure any whining 
-Chauffer kids around to Gymnastics, Speech Class, Violin, etc...
-Clean up all manner of messes made by children and animals
-Do fun things as a family
-Plan and spend quality time with each child
-Be a good friend and neighbor
-Serve the Lord in various ministries in and out of church
-Reach out to people in need
-I am sure I am forgetting some!

Yes, the family helps with some of these things, but the responsibilty really feels like it rests with us in the end, doesn't it?  I promise I am not having a pity party.  The point of this post is to encourage you, not discourage you!  Just like at MOPS, I want us all to be reminded that we are all in this together.  It makes me feel exhausted just thinking about that list, and yet, I do it.  Well, kinda, sorta not really....but I do it!  How do we do it???  I'm honestly not sure, but I do know that it is ONLY by God's mighty hand that it happens at all. 

I am amazed at the list of things I do, because I know that in my own strength I certainly could not do it all.  Somehow God gives me the energy, the patience, the stamina I need to keep going--and the grace, forgiveness, mercy and encouragement I need when I really mess up. 

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.--  Philippians 4:13

Sweet, tired mom, you are doing a great job!  Keep up the good work!!

I spy with my little eye...

So...two years ago when we brought Sarah home, she was adorable.  And fun.  And FUNNY!  And lovable, and huggable.  And she didn't throw temper tantrums or break her brothers' toys, or bother them in any undesirable way, really.  And those boys loved...no ADORED...their little sister.  They honestly did.  They could not get enough of her.  And that happy brother/sister bliss lasted and lasted and lasted.  I was amazed at the bond between them that did not wear off for such a long time.

And friends.......the honeymoon is now OVER.  I am very sad to say.

Well, it's not completely over.  Joshua and Sarah have a special relationship that I am sure will stand the test of time.  Their personalities just fit together so well, and they really still do adore each other.    And Jacob still loves Sarah too, and tries to be a great big brother to her.

No, the honeymoon is over between Brother number THREE and his not-so-innocent-anymore little sister. 

Let's put it this way.  Ben gets annoyed by Sarah because Sarah knows exactly what to do and say to get him riled up and push his buttons, thus annoying him more and more. Ben ends up mad at her, and spends his time constantly telling her what to do and tattling on her for every little thing causing her to be annoyed by him...and the cycle goes around and around.  And this happens every day!  It is enough to make this momma bonkers.  (Yes, sometimes Ben still shows love and sweetness to her, because it really is still inside him, but those times are becoming fewer and farther between!)

I am open to suggestions as to ideas about how I can help the odd couple, here, to get along, but  this is how I tried to get through to Ben tonight.

First I explained that Sarah is three, so she is still not as capable of understanding how to mend this problem as he is, so he will have to make most of the peacemaking effort for now.  I had him tell Sarah three things he likes about her.  (And yes, that stinker at first said he couldn't think of anything!  The little booger.)  Finally, he did say three things, and after the first one, it wasn't hard for him to think of the next two. 

Next I played a little game of "I Spy" with him.  He quickly spotted many pink things around the room when I told him that is what I picked. I pointed out that when we want to find something...we find it.  It's not rocket science.  It's as simple as that little game.  When we look for purple, we magically notice everything that is purple in the room, even when we did not notice it before.  Even the tiny, purple design on a little doll shirt suddenly jumps out at you when you are looking for it.  

It is the same way with people.  When we are looking for the bad in someone, we will most definitely find it.  We will see it clearly in our children, our spouses, and yes, in our brothers and sisters.  And the more we think about it, the more we will be waiting and expecting to see it again, feeding that ugly monster inside that loves to see relationships fall apart.

But, when we really look for the good in someone, we will see that!  And the more we focus on the beauty and fun and wonderful-ness in that person, we will see more and more of that....and the bad will fade away into the background.  Kind of like the color blue when you are looking for pink.

So, that is what I told Ben tonight.  I know it's not very profound, but I know I need to be reminded of it myself quite often!  I am praying for him to get it, and take it to heart, and start focusing on all those wonderful and charming things about Sarah (and for Sarah to stop getting so much joy out of tormenting her brother and thinking it is hilarious.)   Oy...

God bless you all!  Wishing many blessings and wonderfully well-behaved children for all of you...    And try playing I Spy with YOUR family this week.  : )

2,500 letters

I just felt I had to share this with you today.


I was driving and listening to Focus on the Family today, and I was so moved by the program, I literally smiled the entire time, and was even brought to tears a few times.  And I am normally not the type who cries easily.  It was just really special.


The story was about a man--a teacher at a Christian middle school named Mr. Dan Stroup--who has a unique way of reaching out to his students.  Since he got the idea back in 1985,  (again...that is 1985...) he has been writing letters to his students on their birthdays.  EVERY SINGLE STUDENT he has now and has ever had in his class, (he is able to keep in touch with 98% of them) gets a personal, hand-written letter on his or her birthday, every single year!  He encourages them, lets them know he still cares about them and their families, adds Bible verses....  All of them.   At the beginning of the radio segment about him, they played a recording of so many of these students, many of them men and women now, telling what this teacher means to them and has meant to them over the years--how he was such an amazing teacher, and how he went out of his way to make sure that each child knew they were special and loved.  One of them went so far as to say there is no one like Mr Stroup in the entire world.  The host interviewed him then, and he said he writes about 2,500 letters a year.  Every night he works on them.  Such a beautiful labor of love.


Well, I was so greatly touched by that.  I thought about what middle school was like for me, and that special science teacher I had in the seventh grade who went out of HIS way to make us feel special.  I will never forget him.  He gave us nick-names and decorated our ditto sheets with silly drawings.  We knew he truly and honestly cared about us.  He sent me a birthday card once that I treasure to this day.  I can't even imagine getting one every single year.  Simply amazing.


That story about Mr Stroup (and the memory of my 7th grade science teacher) helped me to remember how really easy it is to make a difference in people's lives.  It's truly the small things.  A special nick-name, an encouraging word, a letter on a birthday...can make such a huge difference, especially to children.  We might not have time to write so many birthday letters each year, but we can all do something to make someone's day brighter.  We'll never know the impact our words and actions have on people until we get to heaven.  The new school year is kind of like New Year's Eve, isn't it?   I am committing to make it my goal to be a blessing to as many people, and especially children, as I possibly can this year.  Who's with me? 

Have a wonderful rest of the summer!  It sure is fading fast!

This week

This week we went to Family Camp.  We had a wonderful time together, enjoyed each other's company, and loved having Sarah there to have fun the whole week, since last year we had doctor appointments part of the time.

And this week, while we were celebrating our family being all together, our sweet little buddy, Micah, went home to be with Jesus.


Dear friends, it has been one emotional week for me. 

Micah went in for his surgery, and so many were praying.  The surgery went very well, although the surgeon found when he went in there, that things were worse than he had originally thought.  He had to put in an artificial artery, since Micah's was so full of cancer, he had to delicately work around some tiny new ones that the body had started creating (isn't the human body incredible??  Hmmm...I wonder what kind of crazy, miracle mutation could have caused that in the evolutionary process...)  And he ended up needing a whole lot of blood.  But after all was said and done, the surgery was a success, and all the cancer in the liver was gone.  We heard the news and rejoiced, praying that all would be well as the scary recovery time began.

But, so sadly, all was not well.  Micah did not stay with us even until the sun came up the next day.  There were some complications, and his family had to say good-bye.

First, let me tell you that his family is doing well.  They know the Lord, He is definitely comforting them and helping them through this, and today at the funeral, I could see that they are making it through. 

I am just struggling to make sense out of something that simply doesn't make sense to me at all. 

Why did God allow two 2-year-olds in one relatively small church to both have rare types of cancer within a year's time?
And why did God leave one family with a beautiful story that ended in healing, and the other family with empty arms? 

We will never know the answers until we join Micah in heaven someday, but one thing we do know is that Micah is healed.  God answered all of our prayers in the best way, even though it definitely doesn't seem like the best way to us.  We know it is best because God is only good, always loving, and ALWAYS has what will ultimately be best for us in His plan.  Once more, we just have to trust Him.

I took a walk around my neighborhood tonight.  It was a beautiful evening, after a storm. A soft breeze was blowing, the clouds were tinted pink, the trees were dark green silhouettes against the dusky sky, and the fireflies were just starting their nightly show.  And as I breathed in that sweet, fresh air, I thought about Micah, and about Steve and Elizabeth, and I remembered again how much God loves us. 

Good bye, precious little Micah.  We will see you soon.