Tuning In To His Song

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SONG

Go…

Cringing and grimacing are often seen, along with some snickering thrown in for good measure, whenever I sing.  I can’t carry a tune to save my life.  Thankfully, I’ve never had to.

That’s why I find it so laughable that the man I call “husband” has such an amazing voice.

He doesn’t think he does, but, oh, how he can sing.  Not in a you-should-go-out-and-start-a-band kind of way.  No, no.  I’m talking about the I’m-gonna-stop-my-catterwauling-to-listen-to-you kind of way.  Others might move a few rows farther away when I get fired up, or wish they were in a different car.  Not so, when he does.  Others tune in and scootch closer.

He doesn’t think his song is all that special, because his brother sings, too. And well!  As in, already-an-artist kind of way.

But, each time that my man chooses to belt it out, and thinks he’s just blending in with the host of other voices around him?

My own singing ceases (thankfully).

I look up at him.

And I.

Just.

Listen.

To his song.

Because it’s always beautiful.

It’s Five Minute Friday time over at Lisa Jo Baker’s place. Dontcha’ just love it?  Today’s prompt is “song”.  You know you want to read what others had to share about this little word.  Click the button below and you can!

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Seek First

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When there are more tasks at hand than hours in the day,

And the heft of your circumstances exceeds the girth of your paycheck;

When you are tempted to check out,

And it seems like running away might be a good idea;

If you are on the verge of shutting down,

And all hope seems lost;

Seek God first.  

The Message puts it this way:

“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”

And the New Century Version puts it this way:

“Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well.”

Does any of this speak Truth into your heart, my friend?  Because, it surely does mine.

Those times that I am in the throes of agony, mired in controversy, or trapped in indecision, I don’t always seek God first. In fact, sometimes?  He’s the last One I seek.

Can I tell you something?  That never works out that well for me.  And I am not using the word never, lightly. It may bring momentary stress relief or seeming clarity to a muddy situation – but after?

When Later comes, time shows me that I could have gained more peace and perspective had I simply sought out my Creator. First.

Truly? Who else could know me better?  Who else could know the situation better. 

Who knows the beginning from the end?

Seek First the kingdom of God.

Oh, do!

Yes, indeedy.

and

One way that I seek first is by filling my heart with God’s peace and perspective one minute at a time. Proverbs 31 Ministries has been a part of my spiritual sustenance almost as long as I’ve called myself a Christian. One ministry that has been a constant and easy encouragement has been the one minute radio broadcast that Lysa TerKeurst and Renee Swope provide. These broadcasts air on radio stations across the country. I can not tell you how many times I’ve been struggling, turned on my radio, and caught this quick broadcast, only to have it be on exactly what I’m struggling with!  I can. not. tell you! Click here to listen to today’s P31 Ministries broadcast or to learn more. 

Making The Shakes

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Sweetman’s blender blew up last week.  This was cause for a Five Alarm Freakout, as he uses it every. single. morning. to make his healthy shake.  A shake, mind you, that he’s attempted to get me to try no less than 22 times in the last 4 years.  I’ll give him an “A” for persistence.

Anywho, Sweetman is a bit of a health food nut. He puts approximately 42 ingredients into this poor blender and expects it to just be up and attem’ every time.  (I kid.  He only puts 10 ingredients in there.)

I’ve attempted to explain to him that if he’s trying to pack that much “health” into one blender, it’s bound to explode.

He just sighs at me.

I wink back at him.

It’s the way we roll.

The irony is that I had just taken a picture of the before and after of The Shake Process to send to my friend who wanted to know what all was in it.  She suggested I post it for those of you sweet souls who are into that sort of thing.  You know… healthy stuff.

Here it is, in all of it’s glory:

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The Shake Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Fat Free Plain Yogurt/Greek Yogurt (whichever your “pleasure” – can yogurt be a pleasure??)
  • 1 cup Frozen Mixed Berries
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen chopped kale (it’s all the rage, dontcha know?)
  • 1/2 cup flax-seed (he has tried chia seeds – they are gross tasting – just a PSA for folks who care about, say… taste)
  • 1/2 cup steel-cut oats (uncooked, and not regular ol’ oats – apparently the “cut” of steel cut lends to their health factor. Okayyyyy. )
  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 1/4 cup 100% pure cranberry juice
  • 1/4 cup 100% tart cherry juice
  • 1 big squirt of buckwheat honey

____________________________

He blends the flax and oats together first into a fine powder. (I asked him why he doesn’t just buy already ground flax-seed, by the by.  He claims they lose some of their health properties once ground – so potency is, apparently, key.  Whatevs.)

He then adds all the rest and blends it up for a good 1.5 minutes.

Hopefully, your blender will last a good while before going on strike.

Enjoy!

* Sweetman most certainly does not need to know this, but, I don’t actually mind The Shake.  I just have to pretend that I can’t stand it so that I don’t end up drinking it every morning for the next 4 years.  Do ya feel me?*

Do Something Fun

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Barely able to contain her excitement at mama’s reaction, I watched my Sweetgirl out of the corner of my eye, yesterday, as I opened her Mother’s Day gift to me.  I unwrapped a lovingly made preschool painted print of her hand as a tree and her fingerprints as the flowers. Beautiful.  Then, I unrolled this interview paper:

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I’m thrilled beyond belief to know that I’m still in my first decade of life, and that she recognized my deep and abiding love for ice cream. However, do you see that arrow up there on the left?  I had to work so stinkin’ hard not to cry when I got to that line.

Immediately, I started wondering what mental image, of me, my children will take into their adulthood’s.  “She doesn’t do anything for fun.”? OUCH!

Oh, how I want them to remember that mama did indeed have fun doing this most difficult and important job. Most of all? I want them to recall a mother who enjoyed being their mama.

The word “intentional” comes to mind here.  If that is truly how I want to shape their memories, then I do believe I’m going to have to do a little less of the head-down-finger-dance on the keyboard and a little more of this:

boogie_board_missindeedyThat is my mothering goal, moving forward.  It turns out that my Mother’s Day gift was a lesson.   One I’ve heard before, but clearly forgotten.

“Good, better, best;never let it rest.
Until your best is better, and your better is your best.”

If you’ll excuse me,  it’s time to go do something fun.

Be a mama to the two sweetest kidlets I know.

Yes indeedy.

Have You Called Your Mother?

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The Nana and I have fought, and hard, for our relationship over these last 40 some-odd years.  It’s been worth it.

Where we are now?  It’s a good place.

There was a period of time, an altogether-too-long period of years, where my mama would be the last person I’d call for advice, comfort, or inspiration to carry on.   Is that a harsh thing for some of you mothers to read?  I’m sorry.  It is a true story.  One that, I hope, makes what I write next, about my mom, all the sweeter.

Ours is a relationship redemption story, if there ever was one.

Walking down that road of pending motherhood, I realized that all of these hopes and dreams that I had for my own sweet children, were tied up tightly with every fiber of my being. And that was a frightening revelation, a scary prospect, and a depressing way to behold the future of my children. Does that make sense to some of you? The thought overpowered me that, “I was only going to be able to do the best that I could with what I had.”

Sadness permeated my heart at that thought, followed by no small amount of resentment.  I didn’t feel like my mother had prepared me for this mighty job that I now had.

And, at that point in our relationship, I didn’t feel that I could or would ask her for her help. Nor did I think, for a moment, that she would have any constructive or encouraging words of wisdom to share.

Redemption sometimes comes unexpectedly. As I lay with my firstborn nursing him in the wee hours one morning, it dawned on me that my mama truly did do the very best that she could with what she had.

That brought a softening to my heart.  And, ultimately, opened the door to some Grand Scale Healing in our relationship.

Is it sunshine and unicorns now?

Nope.

It is progress.  And Love.  It’s a blooming friendship built on the hope of continued trust and a committment to slather on the grace whenever and wherever.  It’s all of these things, and so many more, wrapped up together to strengthen the fibers of my being.

And, hopefully, hers too.

Now?  I do ask her. All the time, it seems, I ask her what she thinks I should do, could I have handled this better, which outfit should I wear to this event. It’s almost like these last 8 years or so, we’ve been making up for lost time, cramming each interaction with as much mother-daughter love as it can possibly hold.

And I am deeply grateful.

My mother, The Nana, my mama?  She is a gift to me; a precious gift that truly does keep on giving, with each new day that we spend knowing that we are mother and her daughter.  This redeemed relationship is a gift from the God who sees; and isn’t afraid to reach right in and continue to draw us closer to one another, and to Him.

Dear Mama,

I love you.  I’m so glad you’re MY mom. 

Now, turn on your phone, you’re about to receive a call.

Love,

Pooh

Sole Comfort

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Charles Schulz penned a Peanuts cartoon where Snoopy sits atop his doghouse wondering “Who comforts the comforter?”  I can’t even tell you how many friends have sent that to me over the years.

The first few times I received it, I laughed uncomfortably.  They were all emailed or snail-mailed or Facebook messaged with little notes saying things like, “Take time to fill up your own tank, too.” and “Who’s helping YOU through this?”.

The next time or two that this cartoon drifted into my inbox, I sat up and took notice.

It slowly dawned on me that in all of my desire to comfort and encourage others, I had missed how necessary it was to accept comfort for myself!

Although there are sweet friends who have done a lion’s share of comforting over the years, my sole source is God.  It is He who stands with me and for me, and never leaves me to stand alone.

It is He who provides the experiences that allow me to then pour comfort out onto others.

And that is a gift.

Yes, indeedy!

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

2 Corinthians 1:4 (NLT)

I’m linking up with Lisa-Jo Baker , and all of the writer hearts that join her, for her Five Minute Friday write.  The only rules are to write on a one-word prompt that she gives for five minutes and to encourage a couple of other brave souls who have shared as well.  If you’re curious what others thought of when they heard the word “comfort”, just click the button below. 

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Where To Go On Vacation, Again

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The words that I’ve been writing lately have been far more reflective than I ever thought they would be, when I began blogging last year. I’m waiting patiently to see where all of this reflection is going.  Hopefully, somewhere with a glorious bent?

In the meantime, it’s time for a little levity.

What better way to lighten up than to look at… vacation pictures! Aren’t you “so stinkin’ sited!” (as Sweetgirl would say)? You are not required to answer that. 

During our April vacation week, we went to Disney World.

Again.

It was magical.

Again.

There is not a one of us who doesn’t want to return.

Again.

And soon.

It makes all of us so incredibly happy to be there.  It really isn’t much more complicated than that.

Watching our children, walk hand in hand – or even better – skip, hand in hand, on their way from here to there? Seeing the absolute joy in their eyes, as they spy their favorite characters or rides? Eating every single meal together – as a family – and hearing them chatter away about all the things that touch their hearts in the course of a day? Dole Whip? I cannot put a value on these things.

And this, from a woman who grew up down there and swore that she would never fall into that mousetrap as a parent.

Ha! The joke’s definitely on me.

Oh, indeed it is.

Without further ado, here ya go:

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Has there been a vacation spot that you wish you could return to (or have) again and again?  Share, please!  I’d love to know.