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Faith Walk
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Evolution of a Name
Mom – Mom – Mom – MOMMY
My mind’s at ease with a mere mumble
of my name
With malice or muse you may exclaim
Mom please just mention my name
Mom – Mom – Mother – DODDIE
Be mindful of me in this moment
My maturity has made us opponents
You are no longer an essential
component
A mother – mom – ME, could it be?
A miraculous gift growing inside of
me
Misery and magic collide
As what was in, now comes outside
Ma, ma, ma – Ma – MaMa
Marvelous joy moves my heart
Magnificent mumbles do not depart
You called me Mama and melted my
heart
Mom – Mom – Mom – MOMMY
One moment, one minute, my bug
Mommy merely wants to sip from her
mug
I know you need me; here come get a
hug
Mom – Mom – Mother – JAYDE KELLY
What tone is this do I detect?
Are you now mirroring your peer’s
disrespect?
Does the name mommy no longer carry
affect?
Mother – Mom – My Mommy
My baby has matured out of the nest
My soul mourns and cannot rest
I fear I’ve become her unwelcomed
guest
Mom, my baby…she’s a Mom!
In those magical moments she held my
hand tight
While she moaned I reminded, “It’ll
be alright!”
My heart melted watching her miracle
come into light.
Mama – Mom – Mother – Mommy
Each name meaning one in the same
With each passing minute you can’t
reclaim
The magic and misery that mirrors the
name
Friday, July 27, 2012
Housekeeping
Pushing the
broom room to room I mutter and brood about my list of to dos
I’ll give you
one guess who will clean up this mess…ME that is who!
Sticky
fingers speckle the windows, the walls and often my dress
While the
laundry perches precariously in baskets and on desks
The menacing
dishes look at me with disdain
Relentlessly
pursuing me just like a freight train
Abandoned in
the halls, on the stairs and often in chairs
Are
reproducing shoes; how did we get so many pairs?
Finally
coming to rest on my plants that are bone dry
Frankly I’m
over it; I’ve had quite enough!
But here’s
the kicker; the best part of all!
This clutter
will never experience a final curtain call.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
God Encounter
Here is a snapshot of me a little over an hour ago…
My face was smushed into the corner of my favorite reading
chair. My butt was sticking up into the air. My knees were firmly planted on
the ground. My arms freely dangled off the edge of the chair.
Are you seeing it?
Exhaustion, weariness, and anxiety had forced my body into
this very unladylike position.
As I knelt there motionless for a few minutes I prayed that
the Lord would wash over me and fill me with peace and renewed strength.
Seconds later, my all time favorite praise and worship song
came on. I drank in every word and allowed myself to relax. The Lord was
answering my prayer!
Finally when my mind was clear and my nerves were calm I
asked the Lord to give me a word. As I played Russian roulette with my bible pages
I had faith that the Lord would speak to me.
After settling on a random passage, I scanned the pages of
my open bible. Almost immediately, my eyes were drawn to the heading, “Rest for
the Weary.” My eyes watered with the realization that the Lord loves me so much
that he was willing to answer my meager prayer.
Matthew 11: 28-30 Rest
for the Weary reads
“Come to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For
my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The Lord spoke to ME this
afternoon! It is little encounters like these that continually remind me that
God is real and present in my life. He is not a far off unattainable God but
rather an ever present source of help in my times of need.
I realize that the Lord could
have been teaching me about surrender, worrying less, the power of prayer, or
many other things. But my mind was
solely focused on the fact that it is moments like these that continue to reaffirm
how REAL my God truly is.
Have you had a God encounter
recently?
Friday, April 13, 2012
The Lost Became Found
One of my biggest fears came true last weekend. I lost my four year old daughter at a crowded
theme park. One moment she was by my
side and the next moment she was gone.
My husband and I searched for about 5 minutes thinking we would find her
playing nearby but soon we realized she was nowhere near us. At that point my mommy instincts kicked into
high gear and I demanded that they get security to help us search.
Ten minutes passed and she was still missing. The security guards had still not showed up
and I was beginning to shake and fear the worst. Dark devastating thoughts plagued my mind and
my hope began to falter. It was in those
moments that I knew I could not find my beautiful little girl but, the Lord
could! I took 45 seconds to call a
friend and asked her to pray and to start a prayer chain! The Lord was a part of this search party and
I knew with him all things would work to His glory.
Fifteen minutes passed and she was still missing. The
security guards finally arrived and began to search with us. I noticed parents glancing at me with those
concerned and compassionate eyes. They
recognized the fear in my eyes! A few
women gave me “the nod,” I knew instinctively that they were praying and
looking for my baby too.
Twenty minutes passed and she was still missing. As I rounded a corner I noticed a few of the
security guards walking my way. Between
them was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen…my sweet little blue-eyed,
blonde haired, sweaty, smiley, baby girl.
As I picked her up I drank in her salty smell, her warm body, and her
rosy checks. She had no idea she was lost! My playful little four year-old was more
concerned about the water area she wanted to play in than the water streaming down
her mother’s face! God restored my daughter back to me and I was overwhelmed
with gratefulness to Him.
Now, four days
removed from that horrific experience I’m able to recognize some Godly insight
concerning “lost” children. Our children can loss their way physically,
emotionally and spiritually. I lost my child for 20 minutes but other mothers
have lost their children for days, weeks, or years. Some have lost their
children to drugs, rebellion, offenses, custody battles, sinful lifestyle
choices, running away and more. No
matter the circumstance or duration losing one’s child sends you into a state
of panic.
Read how Jacob reacted after he was told that his beloved
son Joseph was killed by wild animals in Genesis 37:34-35. (Sidenote: Joseph was not actually killed; he was sold into slavery by his brothers)
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son
many days. All his sons and daughters
came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “in
mourning I will go down to the grave to my son.” So his father wept for him.
Moms, our children may wind up “lost” at one point or
another and our first instinct will ultimately be to go out and find them.
Praise the Lord, there will be times when they are quickly restored to us. Seasons
will also come when we will have to wait on the Lord to bring them back. Jacob had to wait a few decades before he saw
Joseph again. Whether it is a few
minutes or many years the reunion will still be just as sweet.
Gen 46:29b-30 “As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms
around his father and wept for a long time. [Jacob] said to Joseph, “Now I am
ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive.”
Our own strength is not always sufficient enough to bring
back a “lost” child. The Lord will have
to bring the restoration. Thankfully, the Lord has equipped us with a powerful
weapon in times like these…prayer! Continually pray and enlist the prayers of
your friends and family because there is power in our prayers.
Matt 18:20 “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I
with them.”
Phil 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
I love Philippians 4:6-7! I believe it is written
specifically for mothers. Anxiety is
inherit when it comes to serious matters regarding our children. The Lord
reminds us to pray with thanksgiving because the breakthrough is coming. Then “the
peace of God, which transcends all understanding” will carry us through these
times of crisis.
The Lord provides
strength and comfort in the fellowship of other Christians during times like
these. If your child has traveled down a path that has gotten them desperately
entangled in the world, don’t hide! Take
the “45 seconds” to call someone you trust and ask for help.
Mar 11:24 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer,
believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
God is so good to place other people in our path that
instinctively know what we are going through.
These people may give you an endearing glance, a squeeze on the
shoulder, or hold a comforting conversation with you. Many of them are strangers and some of them
are friends but they are all placed there as a support network from God. They are there to reassure you that you are
not alone in the search party efforts.
Isa 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed for I am your
God.
I
will strengthen you,
Yes,
I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Ps 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble.
Our children can get
so hopelessly lost that it is time to call in the guards. This is when you have
to go outside your immediate support network and seek professional help such
as, counselors, rehab centers, therapy, detectives, dropout prevention
programs, etc. It is incredibly difficult, as a mom, to give up the ropes and ask
someone to help pull your child out of hole they have fallen in.
Whether it takes 20 minutes, 3 weeks, or 5 years to find
your lost child, take heart because the word of the Lord says, “For this son of
mine…he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15:24). I
pray that you will soon be celebrating, as well.
Lord, I pray that you will find my lost child and bring
restoration to our relationship. It is in you that I place all of my trust and
hope and I believe you for reconciliation and healing. It is in your holy name
I pray. Amen.
Additional Scripture:
The
Parable of the Lost Son: Luke 15:11-32
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Doing it All
The last few weeks my family has been commenting on how
tiered, detached and dull I’ve seemed. Those are just the adjectives every
woman wants to hear about herself…yah right! I was noticing these things as well but I didn’t
want to admit it to myself. Was I depressed or just in a funk? Like any sane
women would do, I calculated my period in order to confirm that it wasn’t
P.M.S. Then I took a pregnancy test just on the off change that God had a sick
sense of humor and my husband’s vasectomy failed….it was negative (sigh of
relief).
With hormones in check, why was I feeling this way? I
started to do some soul searching and the power of the female brain revealed at
least a dozen different things that could be affecting my mood. The list
included lack of sleep, dieting, new family stresses, not enough “me” time, not
enough time with my husband, lack of exercise, not enough time in the Word and
that is just to name a few. No one specific reason felt like the culprit to my
blue mood. I eventually put the soul searching to rest and called out to the
Lord.
He is such a good God! This morning, I opened my bible to
Exodus 18 and a piece of the puzzle was revealed to me. I will paraphrase the
chapter for you…
Moses, father in-law,
Jethro, came to visit him out in the desert. Moses told his father in-law about
everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel’s sake and
about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved
them. Jethro was delighted to hear all the great things the Lord had done and
said, “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods.”
The next day, Moses
took his seat to serve as judge for the people and they stood around him from
morning till evening. Jethro was every worried about Moses. He said, “What you
are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear
yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.”
Jethro then gave Moses
some advice. He told Moses to be the people’s representative before God and to
teach the people how to live holy and follow the Lords decrees. Jethro further
instructed him to appoint judges that would hear the minor disputes and save
only the difficult cases for Moses. Moses listened to Jethro’s sound advice and
did everything he said.
Moses was doing it all! Does that sound familiar ladies? How
often do we take on more than we can handle and then feel guilty if we don’t do
it all perfectly? After reading this chapter I hovered over Exodus 18:18, “What you are doing is not good. You and
these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too
heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.”
About a month ago, God called me to something new and I felt
a check in my spirit to clear a few things off my plate. After a minor dusting
of my duties I concluded my work was done…there was room for my new calling. I
can now openly admit that I was still trying to do it all!
A wise woman in my life has encouraged me to determine what
my top priorities are in life and to make sure those areas are well taken care
of. Then if time and energy allows partake in the other activities. Balance can
be hard to achieve but is always worth the effort.
Here is a link to a Priority – 30 Day Challenge worksheet http://www.chalenejohnson.com/30daychallenge/media/Priority-Worksheet-Day2.pdf
Monday, April 9, 2012
What’s the Plan?
What’s the Plan? How often do you find yourself saying those
words? Personally, I say it almost every day. In the mornings, I discuss plans
for the day with my daughters and most evenings my husband and I compare notes
on the week’s agenda.
For better or for worst, I am a woman with a plan; from
pregnancies to parties to career. I don’t want to be caught off guard and I
want to know that all the loose ends are tied up.
Presently, God is challenging me to lay down my plans and to
trust in His plans. Our family is facing some difficult decisions in regards to
my grandma’s health. Every inch of my being is screaming to, “MAKE A PLAN!” but
at this point the situation is very fluid so future plans cannot be made.
The Lord has been bringing to my mind one of Grandma’s
favorite sayings, “If the good Lord wills it.” Meaning, if it be the will of
God then, yes, she will make it to the bookstore, to the doctors, out to lunch,
etc. With this simple statement, grandma is always reminding herself to keep
Gods plan in focus not her own.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the
LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope
and a future.
|
Over 89 years of righteous living, Grandma has come to the
realization that no matter how much she plans or worries it is His plan which
will ultimately prevail.
Pro 19:21 Many are the
plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.
The Lord’s plans are always bigger and better than what our
human minds can conger up. He can see the whole picture; where as we are lost
in the fine details. I was reminded of God’s “big picture” plans this week while
reading Exodus 13:17-18.
Exd 13:17-18 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not
lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter.
For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to
Egypt.
So God led the people around by the desert
road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.
The Israelites were at a tentative place in their walk with
the Lord. He knew that great opposition could very easily send them running
back to Egypt. The Israelites, like us, had their own idea of what God would
do. They believed that they would have to travel through Philistine country and
would face the possibility of war so “the Israelites went up out of Egypt armed
for battle.” They had their own plan but little did they know that God’s plan
would far exceed anyone’s expectations. The Lord was looking at the big
picture.
By leading them through the desert towards the Red Sea, the
Lord would perform an awe inspiring miracle of parting the Red Sea. “And when
the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians,
the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his
servant.” (Exd. 14: 31)
Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course,
but the LORD determines his steps.” Although I may continue to make plans, I
have decided to let go of the reigns and know that ultimately the Lord
determines my steps. After all, I don’t want to miss a Red Sea moment in my
life! Do you?
In the words of my Grandma, “If the Lord wills it, I will
post again soon.”
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