A Gem

 

 

 

 

Warm candlelight flickers throughout the room. White Christmas lights softly glimmer as glass ornaments catch their light. Three of my children giggle at the other end of our home and cannot help but smile. I can hear the sizzling of bacon in the background as our dog Ollie barks, reminding the chef it's his heart's delight. And I give thanks to God for this moment in time.

It has been a long week with my Mom in the hospital suffering from Pneumonia and then being moved just two days before Christmas.
With bags in tow, Andy and I made the two-hour trek Christmas day only to find that her covid had returned, contained without me to be at her side. No kiss or hug. My Dad took the soft bunny I had brought and placed it at her side.

A few weeks prior, Mom had called me to say she was ready for some more girlfriend time. Home now, I recalled that conversation through tears. We laugh a lot! Have the same Faith and interests. Yes, my Mom is a gem.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring or the decisions to make. I do know this. We are not alone. Christ came as a babe to be a light to the world. Later to die and rise again so we can live. That is it, folks. No complicated scenarios. It is by Faith, I believe. It is through Hope I have peace. It is in His Grace and Mercy that I know my Mom will live. Whether here or across that golden shore, Mom will never die.

Music

 

 

 

Music is a lifeline to the soul. I believe that full well.

 

"'Tis the season to be Jolly." Isn't that what John Ceiriog Hughes penned in 1862? But what if you find yourself this Christmas feeling the least bit Jolly?

 

Many are feeling the heartache of a loved one's passing. The grief pressed heavily upon the chest. Beloved's fallen ill as they lay in their hospital beds. Or a diagnosis that has brought fear and trepidation.

 

I am there with you holding you up in prayer onto the anchor of Hope. May you experience a Faith renewed in the love of those who surround you. May you find Joy in the Beauty of the Season. May Peace flow through the course of your veins.

 

Music nourishes a hungry soul. Where words fall short, music articulates. It is a magnificent gift that reflects our feelings and helps us move on to the next. "I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre." ~Psalm 49:4 ESV

 

So, turn on the music and up the volume high. Soak it in and sing it out. I won't judge. Oh, what a sweet release.

 

 

"Music should strike fire from the heart of man and bring tears from the eyes of woman." ~ Ludwig van Beethoven

 

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without.” ~ Confucius

 

 

Welcome to my World

 

 I close my eyes, and I am there. A tiny babe nestled within his mother's arms as a great multitude of angels proclaims the Glory of God. Peace rains down from a Heavenly light.

 

There is warmth found here in a lowly stable. Animals lull in quiet reverence of the newborn King. A love so real fills every fiber of my being as tears stream down this woman's face, humbled by this beloved sight that lay before my eyes.

 

I find myself down on my knees. I stretch out my trembling hand to brush his tiny brow. The radiant mother nods with a permissive smile. And I quietly whisper to her son, "Welcome to my world."

 

Lessons Learned

 

 

 

The English poet Alexander Pope once penned, "To err is human; to forgive, divine."

I am a work in progress. There are days that I wonder if I will ever arrive.
With every step forward, I perceive to take two steps back. I give in, allowing pain to rule the day. To not hold back my tongue with those in harm's way.

May it not end there. May lessons learned throughout the bouts of chaos shine all the brighter. May they take witness to the grace in which I stand.
To know the warmth of my love shall never falter.

Yes, we will fail. Not one is exempt from this truth. But there is such beauty within our failure. For that is where mercy is born and hope renewed. And that's life!

The Holidays are upon Us

 

The Holidays are upon us. Families will gather and share in great feasts. With care, Christmas trees will be darned with ornaments of all shapes and sizes. Warm white lighting will be threaded through the garland and hung with care. Yes, it is the most magical time of the year.

What, then, for those less fortunate? Lonely souls who have no one and nowhere to go? Ones who stand idly by as loved ones draw closer to breathing their last breath, and those who observe with only the memories of their beloved?

We set a place setting for one more.
We extend a hand of kindness.
We mourn with those who grieve.
We become His instrument, nourishing their soul through God's Grace of unconditional love.
And, remind them, though the journey may be long, they are never alone.


"I have found when there is no answer, the Lord IS the answer."
~C. S. Lewis


And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased.
~ Luke 2:10-14

51

 

 When I look at my life and these past 51 years, I cannot help but wonder the impression I have made thus far?

 Have I mirrored God's kindness and love, mercy and grace?

 I hope that this Mama has been just that for my children. 

To take hold of the beauty within the chaos. 

To have learned it is only within our brokenness that true restoration can take place. 

When walking through the darkness it is then that we can understand the beauty of His light and see it all the clearer.

 To take witness to the triumphs within the trials. 

And to never give up. To always take that leap of Faith for it is so worth it! 

 Life is beautiful and I chose to embrace it.

Collateral Beauty

 

 

I had allowed limitations to steal my joy. I allowed sorrow to rule the day and lost my way for a while. In this time of seeking solitude within a hopeless state, I learned something. 

Through the pain, I remembered how far I'd come. In my state of weakness, I found strength within the love of my family and my loving God. 

 
No longer do I ask why or when? Instead, I found abundant grace for the taking. No longer does frustration rule the day. 

 
I found contentment within this collateral beauty that has become my life. 

 
Nothing is our own. What we are and what we have is a precious and priceless gift. We know not what tomorrow brings. It is the now and how that matters. It is in who we choose to be and live that will be remembered and cherished by others. In this, our legacy is born.

May it Be

May it be when confusion shadows our mind, clarity clears the way.

May it be when our heart grieves loss, the magic of memories sustains us.

 

May it be when the struggles of limitation weigh with frustration,
a change of perspective brings deep satisfaction.

May it be we choose to forgive, then begin to see others through a new lens.

May it be we choose life over death, revealing God's great purpose and plan.

May it be we look into the mirror and see beauty and perfection.
Wholeness and redemption.

Do What's Best

 

 

We all have heard or memorized The Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. I want us to focus specifically on verses 9-10

The Message translation brings it home for me in such a way that it sparks excitement within. 

"Our Father in heaven,

Reveal who you are.

Set the world right;

Do what's best -

as above, so below." (emphasis added)

As the ocean's surface rises and falls in its consistent state, so do I wish for consistency within my life. My heart desires to continue to grow in my relationship with the Lord. In all I do, I long for the revelation of His will alone. For it has been in these almost 51 years I have learned that His Will is best. 

My situation may not always be ideal. My health is not where it ought to be. But my mind is at complete peace, for I am right where God wants me to be. You see, He has never wasted one moment of my life and continues to use me in ways I have never comprehended. What I have learned has been taught to others. There is an undeniable joy that dances within my soul. 

God has this. Always. So beloved, He is waiting for you. He desires to get to know you. To Love you, to place your trust into the very palm of His mighty hand.