Mamas*Little*Treasures

Washing Windows on a Sunny Spring Day

I've never been able to explain it . . . . but there is just something about the sunshine, a fresh spring breeze, and the beauty of creation on a day like today that always makes me want to wash windows.  It just somehow makes me feel hopeful, optimistic, and generally peaceful to see freshly washed windows sparkling in the sunshine.  The problem is, that I then begin to see all of the OTHER projects that need my attention, and if I'm not careful, I will spend my whole day washing everything in sight.  Including the kids (and the dog, if we had one!). 

 

It suddenly becomes so obvious that the deck needs to be washed down, the flower beds need to be raked, the cob webs and other junk that has accumulated up under the eaves . . . . all need to be taken care of.  And since I've always believed that I am, in fact, Wonder Woman, I once again become delusional and think that I can get it all done - today.  You would think that at my age, I would have come to the realization that I am NOT Wonder Woman, and it probably will take me more than one afternoon to get all of this taken care of.  But I can dream, can't I?  Except that''s not particularly productive, so instead of thinking about all of the things I SHOULD be doing, I decided to take a break, get another cup of coffee and make a list.  I know, I know . . . . I always put way too many things on my list, and then when I get everything on the list accomplished except for that one, last thing, I am disappointed.  I feel like I wasted a perfectly gorgeous spring day because I didn't get that one thing finished. 

I think I've already told you that I'm neurotic, but so is everyone else in one way or another . . . . so maybe you don't wash windows in the sunshine, but I'll bet there is something else that you do that never even crosses my mind.  That's OK, because at least we aren't psychotic, at least that's what the therapist always said  ;o)   So, now I have my list and I have to talk to myself quite sternly about getting discouraged because the list is so long.  Let's divide that list up and see if I can spread those tasks out over the next few weeks.  You know, painting and planting a garden actually do take more than a few minutes, even for the real Wonder Woman. 

This is such a joyful time of year!  Easter has always been my favorite holiday . . . . . without all of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas holiday, I can actually focus on the real significance of this celebration.  Remembering the gift of salvation that is free for everyone who simply accepts that gift.  And the overwhelming sense of gratitude for God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness makes every day a celebration of lfe.  Even during the tough times of struggle.  That's why I'm working on a Gratitude Journal - it is a tangible expression of my heart-felt thankfulness for everything . . . . everything . . . . including the dark and difficult times.  Because I have lived long enough to see how God can take the most painful, wasted, and damaged years of my life and make something truly beautiful of it all for His glory. 

So this time the journal will be all about the brokenness, the shattered dreams, the confusion, the hopelessness, and the dark places that we usually don't discuss, even in our personal journals.  This is my Journal Through the Darkness.  So that I can remember to be thankful, even for the pain and heartbreak.  Want to join me?  I'll be posting pictures here of my progress, and I would love to hear from you if you want to take this journey together.  Have a great Wednesday, Nina

Homeland Security in our neighborhood

As the warmer weather arrives, of course the kids want to play outside.  That's just normal, and it actually is a bit of a relief when they can go out in the yard and play on the swing set or explore in the wooded area just behind our house.  The other day the girls were tumbling around in the living room, giggling and tickling each other, and occasionally getting a bit annoyed with one another.  So I said, "Hey, how about going outside to play?"

I thought that made a lot of sense since it was a really beautiful afternoon.  So, off they went, wearing their new "feet flops" (as Gracie has always called them), to the back yard.  Five minutes later they were back inside.  "What's up with that?" I asked, just a bit distracted with the other tasks I was trying to accomplish that day.  "There's nothing to do out there!" they declared.  Really?  "Well, how about going out THERE and do what you were doing in HERE?" I asked.  "You know, the running and yelling, tumbling and falling down, giggling and teasing, and generally being loud and boisterous."  They both looked at me like I had lost my mind.  Perhaps I have, but at least I'm happy   ;o)  That idea just didn't seem to compute in their little brains.  So I told them to go back outside and figure it out. 

They did, and I was able to think one thought from beginning to end . . . but that was about all!  As they were outside playing, it suddenly occurred to me that life is much different now from when I was raising my older children.  Back then, I didn't worry so much about them playing in the yard or visiting their neighborhood friends.  They walked to the elementary school that was just around the corner, and they rode their bikes around the block.

It could be that I'm just more protective now than I was back then, but I don't think so.  Even out here in the country where we have wonderful neighbors, there is still the fear of looking out my office window to keep an eye on my children, only to discover that they are nowhere to be seen.  That is terrifying to a mother's heart.  And when you hear on the nightly news of so many child abductions, kidnappings, murders, and rapes, I just think I can't be too careful when it comes to my babies.  Just two weeks ago a 14 year old girl was brutally abducted and murdered right here in our little farm community.  As it turned out, it was her 17 year old boyfriend, and he was arrested right away . . . . so at least we know that this was not some random act of violence.  But it was still horrible.  As I think about our family's homeland security plans and precautions, I am saddened to think that childhood is not the carefree time that it could be.  Maybe it never was . . . . but I'm definitely more aware of the many dangers that are out there in this big world and feel the need to be ever vigilant in protecting these little ones.  Keep them close to your heart, and ever in sight - at least for another day or two. 

Of tunnels, a journey, and roller skates

“I turn to wisdom not my own
For every battle You have known.
My confidence will rest in You;
Your love endures; Your ways are good.
When I am weary with the cost,
I see the triumph of the cross;
So in its shadow I shall run
Till He completes the work begun.”

~ When Trials Come
by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Do you ever feel so exhausted that you wonder how you are ever going to keep putting one foot in front of the other?  The pathway seems so dark and rough, and the journey seems so long . . . . what you really want to do is just lay down and take a nap.  Well, sometimes that might be just what the dr. ordered.  But there are other times when you are weary, completely worn out, and you want to give up, but if you just take one more step, and then another, one at a time, eventually you will realize that you are beginning to see the light.  You know, the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel," but in this case it is NOT a train coming straight at you!  This Light is the gift of God's love, mercy, and grace shining brightly in the distance of our journey.  He is there, just waiting for you to take that next step. 

When we lived in Colorado, there were several tunnels that we would drive through when we went down the mountain to Denver, and there was a really LONG tunnel we had to drive through if we decided to go up, over the top of the mountain to our west.  That one was kind of scary, for me because I can be kind of claustrophobic.  The shorter ones didn't bother me because I could see the other end when we entered.  But that long one . . . .  there were several turns (not exactly switchbacks, but winding) making it impossible to see how far it was until we got to the other end and the relief of seeing the sky again.  I remember thinking, "What would happen if there was a crash in here and a fire or explosion?"  Well, I guess I could figure out what would happen if there was an explosion . . . . but what if there was a crash, or what if part of the "roof" of the tunnel fell in?  And I couldn't get out? 

That actually felt more frightening to me than the thought of a crash.  If I couldn't get out of the enclosed space, and it was dark, and my babies were terrified - what would I do?  I have no clue, and fortunately I never had to figure it out.  At least, not yet.  But it reminded me of all the times that we are in that "dark place' of fear and uncertainty.  When we are completely exhausted from doing all that we know to do, all that we believe God would have us do, or even when we are weary from going the wrong way through the tunnel of life. . . . what can we do?  Give up.  That's one option. 

But probably not a very good one, because if you ever hope to get out the other side of that tunnel, you really do just have to keep moving.  It is kind of like riding a bike.  When a kid is just learning to ride a bike, it is a tricky balancing act to keep the bike moving and not tip over.  But the truth is that a bike is much easier to steer, and get it to go in the right direction (such as away from running head-long into a tree) if it is moving.  We have to keep moving, BUT we also have to keep our eyes on the goal.  We have to stay focused on the Source of our strength that will enable us to "just keep moving."

We've been taking the girls roller skating, and they are really doing great.  But Annie still tends to turn that left foot in, tip it down (which helps her stop, and that's a good thing!), and then she ends up tripping herself when she tries to move her other foot forward.  Now I know that is because of her CP, which only affects her left side, but it is rather frustrating to her when the other kids are beginning to cruise around the skating rink without holding on to the side rail.  So the other day, we worked on that annoying little problem.

I took her by the arm, and walking along side of her, I kept saying, "Chin up!  Look straight ahead!  Keep moving!  One foot in front of the other! Don't tip that left foot down!"   I know, I am a rather naggy, persistent mother, but I guess that's her lot in life    ;o)    And we would go down the practice lane, from the trash can to the end of the railing, and then turn around and go back.  "Chin up!  Shoulders back!  Keep moving!  Look down there!  One foot in front of the other!" 

Occasionally she would trip both of us, or smoosh my foot, or lean too far back and her skates would go whoosh! out from under her and down she would go.  Eventually, I started stepping away from her, and walk backwards with my hands out to her but not touching her.  She would reach out her hands towards me, and I kept saying, "Look at me!  Keep your eyes right on Mama!"  Before long, she was skating all by herself, tentatively and timidly to be sure, with that left hand reaching out for me.  Occasionally that left foot would still drop and turn in, and she would wobble back and forth for a second, but she was beginning to correct her balance when she started to tip over.  We can't wait to go back to the skating rink on Saturday afternoon! 

That's how life is sometimes . . . . I just have to keep my eyes focused straight ahead, on the Cross, and know that I am never alone.  He is always there reminding me to keep my chin up, keep moving and put one foot in front of the other.  Every day I am getting better at keeping my balance and maneuvering those obstacles that might tip me over.  Just like Annie is going to be amazing at roller skating!  Just keep moving, and you'll be just fine, even though you might be in a dark place right now . . . . it is the shadow of the Cross.

Please visit Jennifer at "Scraps and Snippets" to find the links to the other "In Other Words" participants this week.  Then, leave a comment and a link back to you blog so we can read your perspective on this week's quote. 

Feathering Your Nest: A fun spring home decor project

Now that I have finally finished editing the spring issue of Ruby for Women, I can work on my next ebook.  I had so much fun with the writing and editing project that I just couldn't quite let it go . . . . I just kept going back over it and over it, and of course every time I went through it again, I would find one more tiny, little thing that needed to be corrected.  OK, so I admit I have perfectionistic tendencies! 

That's the bad news, but it is also the good news, because once it is finally finished, whatever I am working on usually looks pretty good.  But there comes a time when you have to let it go, decide that it is "finished," and not stress about whether there might be ONE more tiny flaw that was missed.  But even after I felt the document was as close to "perfect' as I was going to make it, then I had a new problem to solve.  Which is one of the things at the top of my TO DO list for today. 

Apparently the PDF creator that I am using (it really is old, and I need to update it) causes the pages to load so slowly that it makes you crazy if you are trying actually to read what is in the magazine.  That's not a good thing!  After all, lots of people have worked very hard to write and edit all of these articles, photos, devotionals, tutorials, puzzles, and recipes . . . . now is NOT the time for a technological glitch to cancel out all of the fun stuff that is available.  So, first thing I will be doing is checking out a few other alternatives, see if I can update my Adobe creator, and hope that helps.  It did help to find a different PDF viewer, but I don't think that will work for everyone.  I need to go right back to the original document and figure out a better way to convert to PDF. 

The thing is, I really have other projects that I need to move on to this week.  So I'll just say a little prayer that my brain will function efficiently, and that I will be able to solve THIS problem so that I can move on to the next event on my schedule.  If I can get that problem solved, I wanted to finish up this ebook pattern this week:  "Dolly Dresses Wall Hanging."  I made this sweet little decoration for Annie's bedroom when we painted it last year, and then I also sold one in my Etsy shop.   I really want to try to make up a similar version of this wall hanging in a variety of colors and styles. 

It would be really cute made up as a baseball jersey, either for a boy or a girl, with the name and number of our budding athletes.  It could also be made up as a ballerina tutu for a tiny ballerina, or it could even be created in bold colors with a few feathers and a little bling for our favorite teenage diva.  Or your sister, cousin, aunt, mom, grandma . . . . all in fabrics and trims that would reflect each individual person in your life who deserves a bit of celebration.  For now, however, I'll just finish up the ebook with this design, and then work on making a few different ones later this week.  But whatever design you might want to use, the same technique will work! 

So if you want to give this project a try, just leave me a comment and I'll send the ebook out to you by the end of the week.  It shouldn't take me all week to figure out this silly Adobe program!  Have a great Monday, and don't forget to check out Ruby for Women . . . . . . you can purchase a subscription here or you can buy a single issue here.  Also, be sure to let me know if you want to join Team Ruby for Operation Pillowcase.  We'll be sending at least 25 pillowcases to our troops in Afghanistan.  This is just one small way we can say Thank You for all that they do to keep us safe.  I'll be posting more about that project later this week, so let me know if you want to join the team! ~~ Nina

Reality check for the serious WAHM

This business of working from home is so attractive.  I love it.  It is such a gift to be able to get my girls up in the morning, have breakfast together, sometimes read together if they aren't goofing around TOO much.  And then I drive them to school out here in the middle of the cornfields where we watch the sun coming up over the trees with their bare branches, while we talk about life and our anticipation of spring when those bare branches will begin to reveal the new life that will burst forth. 

Then when they are safely deposited at the doorstep of our little country school, I head back home for a second cup of coffee and a bit of breakfast.  A quick shower, throw in a load of laundry, and I'm off to my little corner office.  All of that is how it goes when everything comes together just right.  But then there are mornings when the phone rings and I have to listen to a friend (which is a good thing), or I realize that I really have to call the dr., dentist, eye dr., bank, and the car repair shop . . . . all before noon. 

Sounds so easy, but then you get put on hold for 20 minutes with the first phone call and when I finally get to talk to a real human being, I discover that in order to take care of THAT particular situation, I have to make three or four other calls first.  One step forward and three steps back.  So, I move on to the next call on my list and wait on hold for another 15 minutes, only to be told that I will have to call a different department.  Of course, they will put me through to that department, so I wait, and wait, and wait . . . . and after another 10 minutes the line is disconnected. 

By now it is 10:30 a.m. and I am starting to feel a bit anxious about all of those projects that I promised I would have finished by tomorrow.  After about an hour of all of this waiting and not accomplishing very much, I decide to give that a rest and go into my office and get something, anything, done.  I just get started, and I'm right in the middle of a great idea that I need to capture in writing before it escapes my brain . . . . and the phone rings.  "Did your realize that your daughters only received ONE H1N1 vaccine this past year?" says the lady from the health department.  "It is very important that you get them back in for that second shot as soon as possible."  OK, so I'll add that to my TO DO list. 

Lost my train of thought, so I decide to go out and put the laundry in the dryer, and while I'm out there I might as well sweep the kitchen floor.  In the middle of sweeping the floor, the phone rings again and it is a friend from church.  "Want to go to exercise class with me tomorrow?" she asks.  Now, that really is something that I'm trying to fit into my routine, but if I do that, I probably won't have time to finish the project before the deadline.  What should I do? 

By this point I really have completely lost all idea of what I was even trying to work on earlier in the morning, and it is now almost lunch time.  I'm suddenly feeling the "Clock Monster" breathing down my neck, because I will have to go pick the girls up from school in about two hours and I STILL haven't made much progress on whatever it was I had planned for today. 

On my way back to the office (with another cup of coffee), I discover that there are a few bills on the kitchen table that I was supposed to get out in the mail today, and a birthday card for Aunt Sue that should have gone out yesterday.  Well, I guess I better get that taken care of so that I can run into the post office while I'm out getting the girls from school.  I finally get the bills and the birthday card ready to go, and I notice that I didn't get anything out of the freezer for supper, so I quick grab some chicken and put it in the sink to thaw out. 

I start for the office again and remember that I agreed to bake cookies for the school carnival tonight, and I know that if I wait until after I bring the girls home, they will eat all of the cookie dough before I can bake it into cookies.  And if I actually manage to get some of them baked, they will probably eat all of them before I can get them to the school carnival.  By now it is 1:30 p.m. and I look at the clock.  I realize that, if nothing else happens, I still have ONE good hour before I have to leave to get the girls.  I sit down at my computer and pull up the project that I started at 8:30 a.m. and don't have a clue what I was doing, where I am going, or how in the world I will EVER get this finished on time. 

After I rack my brain for 5 minutes, some of it suddenly comes back to me.  I start writing, frantically trying to capture my thoughts before they are dashed out of my brain again . . . . . and the phone rings.  "Hi, Honey," my sweet hubby says.  "How's your day going?"  "Great!" I say, because I am completely exhausted and don't have the energy to try to explain it all.  So we chat for a while, and he tells me all about his day and who said what, and how that all sorted out, and what's next on the schedule.  My hubby is a "chatter" which is a very good thing - it's just that there are certain moments in time when my brain is just in overload, and he is very gracious and understanding. 

When he sees my eyes glaze over and I am staring into outer space, and when my best response is a one-syllable utterance, he knows that things are not going well.  "Gotta run, Honey," I say, "It's time to pick up the girls."  "OK, I'll call you later."  And on my way to the school, the post office, the bank, and then the grocery store, I remind myself how fortunate I am to be able to work from home, in my little corner office with a view of the lake.  I love it here.  When I actually get to STAY here and accomplish something. 

Just a quick reality check for those of us who dream of working from home.  Rule Number 1:  Somewhere, somehow, in the midst of "LIFE" you actually have to get the work done.  And I'm still not sure how to get there from here.  Have a great Wednesday, and I hope you get lots accomplished today.  Don't forget to have some fun along the way!

"This Little Prayer of Mine"

I recently discovered Anthony DeStefano one day as I was working here in my little corner office with a view   ;o)  and I was so impressed with his beautiful little book on prayer for children.  As we emailed back and forth a few times, I asked him if I could share his book with my readers . . . . and so, I have two of his books to GIVE AWAY!  One will be given-away here on my personal blog, and one will be given away on the Ruby for Women blog. 

All you have to do to participate in the give-away is leave comments here on this blog as well as on the Ruby for Women blog.  In celebration of lots of things, the give-away will run for the entire month of March, so of course the more comments you leave here and there, the better will be your chances of winning!  So, before I give you a bit more information about Anthony's wonderfully written and illustrated book that you might be receiving, let me tell you what we're celebrating   ;o)   First of all, it is almost SPRING!  That is definitely something to be celebrated this year, for sure, with all of the snow we've had around here.  We are all very ready for the delightful, sweet-smelling, warm breezes of spring.  Secondly, we are celebrating Anthony's new book!  This is his first children's book and that is certainly something to celebrate. 

And finally, (well, just for today "finally") we are celebrating my new job as Editor-in-Chief of Ruby for Women.  Although this is currently a small online Christian women's magazine, the previous editor, Karen, and all of the writers have already produced an absolutely wonderful magazine!  I am honored to have this opportunity to work with such a great team of writers!  Our goal is to expand our audience of readers by continuing to offer many of the same great articles that have previously been part of Ruby for Women, and we are hoping to expand the topics included in each issue to provide something of interest to all women in all stages of life.  But for now, here's a bit about Anthony DeStefano and his recently published book, This Little Prayer of Mine:

"This Little Prayer of Mine - my very first children's book - will be on book shelves February 16th.  My own little prayer right now is that children and their parents will respond to it the same way adult readers did to my first two books, "A Travel Guide to Heaven," and "Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To."  In those books, I tried to distill complex theological subjects and make them as simple and easy-to-understand as possible, without in any way compromising Christian theology.  That's basically the same thing I did in This Little Prayer of Mine.  Adults who read this book might recognize the foundational tenets of faith, like placing trust in God in all things, being grateful for blessings, being generous to those who are in need.  In simple language and rhyme, children can absorb those lessons, too, while also learning how easy and natural prayer can be.  After all, when you come down to it, prayer is just a simple, heartfelt conversation with God. 

I firmly believe the greatest gift you can give a child is the gift of prayer.  As children grow up and learn about loss and grief and pain, the ones who knowthey can turn to God in prayer at any time will always get through the suffering of course, but it will give them hope.  That's the difference between believers and non-believers.  Believers suffer, too - but they suffer with hope.  And that's exactly what you give children when you teach them to pray early - the gift of hope.  For this book, I teamed up with the incredible illustrator Mark Elliott, whose work can be seen in the "Princess Tales" series.  I wanted art work that was a little bit reminiscent of Norman Rockwell.  I think children will identify with the pictures - especially the funny ones.  I'm very fortunate to have received some high-level praise for the book in advance of publication.  For instance, the book has already been officially endorsed by the National Day of Prayer; and Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Corretta Scott Kind has that the book is a springboard for helping children establish a relationship with God."

This is truly a beautiful book, and it would make a perfect gift for your child or grandchild.  Especially as we celebrate springtime and all of the joy, wonder, and blessing that is the Resurrection, teaching our children to pray to our Heavenly Father is truly a gift that will last for eternity.  If you would like more information about This Little Prayer of Mine, visit Anthony's blog or find the book at Amazon.com.  Have a blessed day, and remember you could win a copy of this book just by commenting here on my blog or the Ruby for Women blog (or both!) between now and the end of March.  The more the merrier!   ;o)  

 

 

 

Monday Morning Checking My List

You know, even though I don't always post my TO DO list  here on Mondays like I had originally planned, I still HAVE a list . . . . . somewhere.  Usually in my head.  And, along with that list in my head are many well-intentioned plans.  For instance, I had several blog posts planned (in my head) last week, but then I got busy with my newest project and the days just flew by!  So, I thought I would share with you what is going on around here that has kept me from my blogging. 

A few weeks ago I "accidentally" connected with one of the women who posted a comment here on my blog.  We emailed back and forth a few times and I sent her one of the ebooks that I was offering to my readers.  Then we started talking about different things, such as the "Wardrobe Refashion" website, and then I discovered that she had started a website where you could purchase eBook patterns for quilts and other kinds of crafts / projects.  Well, of course then we talked about having some of my eBook patterns on that site . . . . and then one thing led to another, and I found out that she also had an online women's magazine.  She was the Editor-in-Chief and had several other editors / writers, but she needed some help with marketing the magazine.  

The magazine is called Ruby for Women, and has been around for about a year.  There are six issues per year and they are available through a subscription, or can be purchased as single issues.  That sounded like a fun project that would get me connected with other women who share common interests, and I also have had many opportunities to learn a little bit about online marketing . . . . . so that's what we decided to do!  But then, suddenly, everything sort of got kind of mixed up when she emailed me and told me that she could no longer continue on as Editor-in-Chief and was wondering if I would consider helping out with the WHOLE project!  Well, I had to think about that - but since I do LOVE to write and create, and work with other women, I decided that this just might be what God has for me right now. 

I've been working from home since October, and my online adventures are doing quite well.  But here is another avenue for me to pursue in following my dream of working right here at home.  These girls really need me!  Of course, they need their mama   ;o)   But we are working on reading and math basics, and that really requires my attention in the afternoons.  Working away from home is just not for me (if I can avoid it - and still find a way to help out financially around here!). 

The next issue of Ruby for Women is in the final stages of editing and will be available next week.  I will post a link here so you can see what I've been up to for the past several weeks.  But I am not going to stop writing my eBooks!  I've got several planned and ready to put together.  As soon as this next issue of Ruby is out the door, I'll be back to the eBook writing project.  And I'll definitely share some of my new creations with you all!  Thank you so much for your continued support.  I've been so encouraged by the response I always get to my new designs. 

I will be posting the tutorial for doing a gathering thread with a zig-zag stitch either later this week or next week . .. . .I promise!  Sometimes it takes me a bit longer to get all these little projects finished than I anticipate - I guess some days I still think I'm Wonder Woman   ;o)   But eventually I do get them finished!  So, for now, maybe take a peek at the Ruby for Women blog that will be updated with additional projects, give-aways, challenges, and other opportunities for you to share your crafty little self!  And one more thing . . . . . if you have a poem, or an idea or something you would like to share with me for the Summer issue of Ruby for Women, just leave me a comment.  Let's chat about it!  Have a happy Monday, Nina

"Be afraid . . . be VERY afraid!" (I'm not listening!)

I remember hearing this saying a few years ago, and I have no idea where it came from.  But I do remember thinking that it was kind of silly and cute . . . . and said perhaps as a satirical response to something that was "supposed to be" frightening, but actually was just a Paper Tiger   ;o)   (or was that a Paper Monster?)  Because in reality there are many situations that we face every day that appear much larger and more terrifying than they really are.  And unfortunately we often don't stop and think about it to realize the truth. 

But even so, whether something that we are facing in the future or in the midst of at the minute is REALLY scary doesn't ultimately matter.  Because we have all of the resources to be victorious no matter what "monster" we will encounter on life's journey.  There are so many difficult situations that I have not (yet) confronted; but there are other frightening circumstances which I have encountered, perhaps, that are different from the obstacles and fears which you have conquered.  The most important truth that we need to hold on to, however, is that we are NEVER walking through the darkness alone.  Jesus has told us, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  And if I believe His Word and trust Him, even when I can't see the proverbial "light at the end of the tunnel," I must always remember that He is there. 

When all around me is silent and I am searching for an answer, a word, even a touch in that silence . . . . and all I experience is more darkness and more silence . . . . trust is my ultimate source of comfort.  We all have a variety of circumstances that frighten us in varying degrees.  Some of us have a fear of speaking in front of a group of people; some of us are afraid of the future with potential and probably financial struggles; perhaps some of us are fearful for our marriage or our children; others are worried about their health or that of an aging parent.  There are so many obstacles that we encounter on our pathway through life, but each one is so very real when we are in the midst of each particular difficult day.  And that is why it is so important for us to KNOW, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that He is absolutely, totally, eternally trustworthy. 

He is here, right now, and He cares about your fear, your sadness, your confusion, your heartache . . . . and I know that because, no matter what anyone else says about not being able to "prove" that God exists (well, of course not.  Then it would no longer be "faith") - I do KNOW what He has done in my life, and that can not be taken from me by the mere scoffing of unbelievers.  There have been times when the darkness was very deep and the pain was almost unbearable.  You've had those days, too, so don't pretend   ;o)   (and if you haven't it is because you haven't lived long enough to experience the struggles that come with this thing called "life").  But I can now look back on those days and remember how, EVERY SINGLE TIME, at just the right moment, in a perfect way that showed me truly, He cared for me and my family. 

We all need to be reminded, even if we've been down this road before, when the next mountain (or monster) looms in the shadows just around the next bend in the road, we are not alone.  You are not alone.  I am not alone.  Fear is paralyzing, it cripples us as we attempt to travel our personal journey through life.  Even in the midst of terror, we must remember that we are not alone.  We are not alone. 

PS.  One day I will share with you all our story of bringing Annie home from China.  It is a story of one unbelievable event after another, starting with "finding" her through an agency website where she was in her final hours of being available for adoption . . . . to the fact that she is now a happy, healthy first grader.  If nothing else had ever happened in my life, that story alone proves to me that He does care for all of us, even a tiny little girl alone in a Chinese orphanage. 

Please take a minute and visit the other "In Other Words" participants this week.  Debbie is our hostess this week at Heart Choices.  Stop by and say "Hi" - you'll be glad you did!   ~~ Nina

 

 

 

I've conquered the Paper Monster! (At least for today)

Perhaps I am the only one who is terrified of the Paper Monster.  I definitely do not get the impression that anyone else that I know struggles to escape the grip of this devious little guy.  Everyone else that I talk to never expresses any concern about having a monster around that just has a way of creeping into every nook and cranny and depositing piles and piles of paper.  Big pieces of paper, little pieces of paper, ripped up envelopes, unpaid bills, phone numbers scribbled on the back of a napkin, notes from school and church, and all those annoying "things" that come in the mail that require me actually to DO something with them.  I hate it. 

I used to think it was the mail lady's fault.  If she would just stop leaving so much junk in my mailbox, I thought that would solve the problem.  So I just ignored the mailbox for several days, but when my husband discovered that there was a HUGE pile of mail out there, he went out and brought it in.  Maybe it's his fault, then.  Or perhaps it is the fault of the school and my girls' teachers.  If they just would stop sending home so many papers and craft projects and notes reminding me that Friday is popcorn day, next Tuesday is field day, and Wednesday there will be a puppet show in the gymnasium at 6:30 p.m.  I just can't sort it all out, especially when there is also a pile of homework that we not only have to  keep track of (so it doesn't disappear under the bed or get stuck in the clothes dryer), but we actually have to DO something with it.  Every day.  I'm tired. 

But that might be because I've been fighting this dastardly Paper Monster for so many years, that I've just about given up.  Until today.  I think I put the Paper Monster in his place. At least for a day or two.  It took me all morning, but I sorted through all of the piles of papers on the kitchen counter and in the basket that I bought, just for tossing papers into when I don't know what else to do with them.  I took them all out and put them on the dining room table.  I think it is good to get your enemy right out there in the open so you can see what you are up against.  That's when I almost decided to make a second cup of coffee and go sit down to watch the news.  But I realized that would be even more discouraging than wading through that huge mountain of papers! 

It was amazing . . . . . just going through that intimidating pile started to bring it all into perspective.  That Paper Monster was not going to win this time!  I was starting to get just a teeny bit annoyed that I had given that Monster and his piles all that power in my life.  And you should see my house when I get angry annoyed!  Everything in my site gets cleaned . . . . or painted, or thrown in the trash.  Once I finished throwing out all the stuff that was just trash, that Paper Monster started to become much less scary.  Whittled that thing right down to size.  And that's when I remembered my "Philosophy of Piles." 

I developed this philosophy many years ago when I had twice as many children to keep up with (but I WAS 20 years younger than I am now!).  I had discovered that if you have a pile of papers, even if you have numerous piles of papers, deposited in every corner of your house by that nasty Paper Monster, you can safely throw just about everything in any given pile into the trash if it has been sitting there for 3 months.  Now I realize that all of the really virtuous women out there would never let a piece of paper sit in a pile for three months. . . .but just in case you ever do, trust me, after three months whatever was on that piece of paper has already happened and you missed it (and you're still alive), or it has already happened and you somehow managed go to it, or it is completely out of date and a NEW piece of paper has been deposited on your kitchen counter by the Paper Monster. 

So, if you happen to have a battle looming in your own life with the Paper Monster, just ignore him for three months and you will have completely conquered him . . . . . until you find the rest of the piles that haven't been there for three months yet, and you feel pressured into doing something with his daily gift of piles.  After spending four hours sorting through those piles of papers, throwing out about 7/8 of everything that I had been afraid to look at for the past month, and making a few phone calls, I feel victorious!  At least for today, I win.  But now I have to make a few more phone calls to find out when the next Brownie meeting is going to be, and when sign-up for spring soccer is, and how much are swimming lessons going to cost . . . . but that's a battle with the Activity Monster, that I'm too tired to contemplate right now.  Maybe tomorrow, if those monsters don't eat me up first. 

Curiosity 101: She might grow up to be a scientist

Does it ever surprise you when your children ask questions?  I've been doing this "motherhood" thing a pretty long time, and I'm rarely surprised but often I am amused and intrigued by the questions my children come up with.  So when I walked into the bathroom last night to brush my teeth (after working on the computer for about a half an hour while the girls were supposed to be getting their jammies on and their teeth brushed), I discovered that there had been some very interesting activity going on right there in front of the bathroom sink. 

"So . . . . . what's this white stuff all over the mirror in the bathroom?" I asked our Miss Curiosity.  "What do you mean, mom?" she asked, looking completely clueless as to what I might be referring to.  "Here, Honey, take a look.  See all that white stuff all over the bathroom mirror?" I asked.  "Do you know what it is?"  "Oh, sure!  That's the same stuff that is all over the counter, and in the sink, and on the carpeting."  OK, now I'm pretty sure that she figures that is an answer. 

"Oh, well . . . . but what is it?" I ask, trying to see if she is just dodging the question.  But she isn't.  She is completely serious.  "Mom . . . " she says as if it should be perfectly obvious and logical.  "After I took my bath, I wanted to see what would happen if I put some of that pretty pink powder in my hand and then went "POOF" and blew on it."  OK, now I see.  "So what happened?" I asked, still trying to figure out how it got smeared all over the mirror over the sink as well as all over both mirrors by the bathtub.  "Did it just like float around in the air, or what did you do to it to get it to stick to the mirror like that?"  I really tried not to laugh. 

"Well, when it was all over I thought it would be fun to see what would happen if I mixed it with water."  And?  "It was so great!  I swooshed it around on the mirror and it made a cool design!"  But this was only the most recent adventure for Miss Curiosity.  At Christmas time she found the food coloring and wondered what it would do if she put some on her hands.  So she had red stains on her hands for a few days. 

She also told me that one day she wondered what would happen if she ate one of the pretty little Rolaids in the bottle WAY UP on top of the medicine cabinet.  "So what happened?" I asked.  "Nothing," she said, apparently rather disappointed.  "But would I die if I ate all of them?" she wondered.  "Gee, I don't know," I replied.  "I've never tried it, and I've never heard of anyone else trying it."  Hmmmmm. . . . . but please don't try it, I thought. 

And then there are the questions that seemingly come out of nowhere.  Usually right when I'm in the middle of doing something that requires a few of my remaining brain cells.  "Mom, what is blood made of?" she asked one day.  Um, it's been a while since I studied biology so I can't remember.  "What is catchup made of?" came pretty quickly after the blood question, so I'm guessing she had been trying to figure out how sometimes people get hurt on the TV, and there is "blood" but we know it isn't "real blood."  Maybe it's catchup?  Well, I do happen to know a bit more about catchup than blood, so I told her about tomatoes and stuff. 

Another time it was, "Mom, what's inside your eyeballs?"  Beats me!  "How do you make slime?"  SLIME!!!  Now how would I know how to make slime?  "What is skin made of?" and "How do bones get inside your body?"  Good opportunity to talk about how God makes every one unique and special . . . . but still, I'm not a dr. or a scientist or a biologist, or a medical examiner. 

"What would happen if I ate this worm?" and "How does food go down your throat?" and then the most recent one (just before the talcum powder experiment) "Mom, can bugs get into your brain?"  Now WHY would a nine year old ask about bugs in your brain?  Maybe she's been watching Animal Planet too much.  After all, the other day there was a program about how chameleons turn red when they get mad.  I really don't know where some of these questions come from, but I'm sure all of this curiosity will eventually lead her somewhere.  And I just hope she survives.  I've always had this theory and I've told my older children:  "I don't want to know about it until you've lived through it."  Then we'll talk.