Is There A GOD?

Is there a God? When the long road of life brings you hurt, pain and anguish, is there really a God?

Through twisted metal and unrecognizable debris, is there a God?

My man, the one who keeps me grounded when life takes flight, he kept getting phone call after phone call from our truck driving friends. From our truck driving family........"Johnny there is no way that anyone could of survived!" "Johnny I don't see how any one could of survived that twisted mess." It was a long wait that day.........

It's hard not to get involved, it's hard to not get close, to not form some kind of bond. Because the open road is a lonely place when your a truck driver......When your a truck driver's wife. They call just to talk, just to hear a familiar voice.

I've never met his wife but we share something in common. We know all to well about the sleepless nights and the anticipated phone calls. We know that the long open road can quickly make you a widow. She was in my prayers that day. I felt her pain, her fear. My man use to drive those open roads, and me I would hold the fort down until he got home. And I remember waiting in the middle of the night, ears open wide to hear the welcoming sound of the jake break, and the hum of the diesel engine as it pulled in the drive way. He never knew, I never told him how I would stay awake and pray that God would bring him home to me.

 Is there really a God in all this mess? In the wreckage of this life? Through the tears and fears? Through the worry and wishing, needing and praying?

Today Johnny talk to the man that survived this crash. Yes I said SURVIVED. Another truck had run him off  the road. He hit some guard rails, another truck hit his cab and he flew out on to the road. And when he came to he said "The first thing that came to mind was my wife and my kids and I was not going to die here on this highway, so I just started running."
This time the urge to get home to see the ones he loved was far greater, I believe, than any other time. So if you ask me, Is there A GOD?

Yes I believe whole heartily, with all that I have in me there is one true God. Now granted I know that the out come doesn't always happen this way. More often than not this sort of thing would of ended in death. But the miracle is not only did this man walk away,  but that God is the true life giver. He saves lives every day. From loss of hope and despair. From drug addiction and broken marriages. From alcoholism and emptiness.......The miracle is that He gave His one and only Son so that you might live. not only in this life but in the next.

And I can't help but think of the one true feeling this family is feeling right now. I believe they TRULY know now, the meaning of the word THANKFUL!

Fleeting Calendar Days

How do you harness your days? Those fleeting calendar days.........

Those blurry calendar days. How do we make each one count?

"I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin;" Psalm 39:1

He has numbered our days. Our time is but a breath and yet I find time to waste. I find time for words unhealthy. I spew them out and they spatter over all who share my space. And I know the damage one's tongue can do. I know it is wise to be quick to listen,  slow to speak and slow to become angry.
 James 1:19

And the ticking of the clock can be so loud, breaking the sound barrier of time. With each tick tock........Time is wasting away..... And what have I done in vain? What was it that was so much more important than hugging goodbye for the third time, just because little man wanted one more squeeze. What captures my attention more than butterfly girl's heart for showing me her creations? What is it that draws me away from Gentle Giant's love sniffles? {love sniffles? ...that's just our thing, it's what we do. They are our butterfly kisses.} What's more important than giving my man my undivided attention?

 As I walk down the hall of time......I wonder about the loved ones gone before. If I were to ask any of them, What would it be that they wish they would of done differently? I'm thinking their answer would be.....
Spend time with the ones you love and make every moment count. For we were only here for a little while and we couldn't find the time. We didn't manage our time wisely, we said things that hurt, we have done things without thinking of the pain it might of caused........Our days were numbered, but we lived life as though our days were endless.........

And I still have empty wall space to fill. My days are numbered and at times I still live my life as though my days are endless........

"Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days but a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. Psalm 39:4-5

Apart from you, O Lord, life is fleeting and empty. Help me spend my time wisely, help my tongue speak kindly. For you are the God of Mercy and you know all to well how brief this life.

193. Sweet Calendar days
194. Enjoying time well spent
195. Family Devotional at night
196. Sweet memories on the wall of time

Lessons Learned From The Tales of Beatrix Potter

The life of Beatrix Potter has inspired the young minds in our home to draw and write stories of their own. Its peculiar how a woman, born over a century ago has provoked creativity and imagination here in the hearts of the present..........

Today I pulled out "The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter" we read the Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, and they loved it. I thought they might be too old for stories like these but the simplicity of it all even pulled my older ones in a time or two.  

 By the way little nutkin was impertinent in his manners!     A new vocabulary word........

Impertinent: intrusive or presumptuous, as persons or their actions; insolently rude; uncivil: a brash, impertinent youth.

So this book has inspired us to draw, paint, write and start a study on The Animal Kingdom, God's Creatures. It's not what we started doing, but it's what sparked an interest so we are going with it.

I believe we may even go as far as making it a Unit Study. Oh the places we could go! The people we could meet from a far away time and a far away land. The rabbits we could count and multiply. Endless possibilties!

We watched the movie about Beatrix Potter quite a few months ago and it stole my Butterfly girl's heart. {mine too}what does it take to get excited about learning? Can we really stop mid stream and change what we are doing? Is it ok to listen to their hearts and let them have a voice in what we do?......

Isn't that how they learn? When they are truly enjoying what they are learning? Isn't that how it sticks? Your mind recalls the things you enjoy and tries to forget the things that are unpleasant. Isn't that the way of life?  It's ok to let them choose, it's ok to drop what your doing......Try it, you may learn something!

Early Morning Symphony

It's late January and I'm seeing the first signs of Spring......

I'm led outside by God's Orchestra . I take my seat for an audience of one. All for me, this Symphony. It helps if your an early riser.......Oh I don't like to be, but these are the times when He reminds me I should be.

The robins, they don't stay long enough for me. I'm a northern girl at heart. But I enjoy them so when they pass through on their long journey to bring spring.

I'm in His place. I stand on His holy Ground. I stand among the created and I rejoice and sing Thankful praise to the Director of this Symphony just for me.

Did you ever wonder why they migrate? Why they just don't stay where it's warm all year round? His creation always amazes me. How everything that was made knows exactly what to do, where to go, and how to exist. He takes care of them. Watches over them from above. His eye is on the sparrow.

As the crescendo slowly rises, my morning also has a crescendo. The voices and giggles from the rooms down the hall. Those early morning voices that crack the silence, like cracking eggs for the pan. It's an inviting sound, one you want to wake up to when your a Mama.

And His Creation sings in harmony this morning! What a wonderful Symphony! Are you listening?

Once A Mama, Always A Mama

Mama had been swollen with life for sometime now. To our surprise she emptied life out, right in front of us. We were coming home from Sunday Church, I saw Mama struggling. "Hurry Johnnny, Stop the truck! The kids have to see this!!"

 This is how they learn, feel and grow. Seeing life and all that it holds. All that there is to see, all they haven't seen. Precious LIFE.

They have to see how Mama, swollen with life, lets go and gives in to the natural process. They have to see that she uses all that's with in her, all the strength that's in her, so that her body can let go and give life.
I wanted them to see in wonder how Mama immediately knew what to do. She cleans her baby off. And right away she helps him to try and stand.

No one showed her, she just knew. It's that Mama love that takes hold, takes over.

 Much in the same way it takes a hold of me. "That Mama love."

Swollen with life, I remember it took all that I had in me, all the strength I had in me to let go and give life......And oh how I would do it again just to hold precious new life and watch them grow. I can't help it, I was made to be a Mama.  I feel so blessed to be chosen. Chosen for the Ministry of Motherhood.

I ran into a dear friend in the grocery store today. We were talking about kids, hers and mine. How she can't wait to be a Nana someday......Then she looks at me and says "you are such a wonderful Mommy!"
Oh I don't know about wonderful, I try, I said.

You see I'm this sin soaked Mama, who from time to time needs a soul drenched rain washing. The amazing thing is.......It's not just our kids that are growing, I'm growing and learning right along with them.

And as we grow, we live life, live this life the best we can.

In the spring time Mama will have to let her calf go, And oh do they whale and cry out for their babies. They call them for 3 days wondering where they are. So sad to hear them mourn.

I'm learning how to let go little by little, piece by piece. The mile stones they seem to speed pass oh so quickly. There is one thing that always stays, one thing that never changes in a Mama's life........

Once a Mama always a Mama......Enjoy this life, Enjoy your kids always...................