[weak smile]

in a world of gray, you add a little yellow.

life

there’s a lot of letting go.

choose your battles

With tears falling from her big brown eyes, and a red face from the passion built up inside of her, the little girl screamed, “that’s not fair!” In-between sobs, she repeated, “that’s not fair!” Her mother held her close trying to immobilize her angry child. The mother gently ran her hand down her daughter’s hair and hot back and whispered, “Choose your battles, Jewels. Choose your battles.” The gentle, quiet voice of her mother eventually calmed the little girl down and the sobs subsided. Still angry at the injustice that had just taken place, the tears continued to fall until the little girl was rocked to sleep in her mother’s soothing embrace.

This past weekend I heard a talk from a representative for the International Justice Mission. The words shared continue to linger in my mind. It reminded me of those days of sobbing in my mother’s arms. “Choose your battles, Jewels. Choose your battles.” It makes me wonder if the battles I’m fighting right now have eternal significance. And, if these are the battles that wisdom would lead me to choose.

precious words from mom

“Remember I love you.”

...Lord

…in your mercy, hear my prayer.

discouraged

I wish there was such a thing as an encouragement booth. And, when you are overly aware of your weaknesses you could go there, and they would give you a back rub and remind you of all of your strengths.

so are my ways higher than your ways...

Sometimes the ways of the Lord are so not what one would expect. Andy Widman was a classmate at GCTS who was preparing to serve the Shan-Dai people overseas after he and his family raised their support. He was shot in Fort Myers, Florida while serving on the police force. He leaves behind a wife and three children. .

humbled

all over the world people are praying…

broken

Wretched [wo]man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25a)

resting in my thoughts

Recently many phrases that are often rehearsed in my family have been resting in my thoughts. I don’t want to lose them, so I have been recording them here on my blog. I’m not sure why all of these phrases keep coming to mind as of late. Perhaps it’s the same reason that we so desperately need to memorize Scripture and fight sinful thoughts/words/behavior…because in difficult moments what we have committed to heart comes to dwell in our mind.

responsibility

“It’s a two way street.” - the big daddy

mother's musings

“Following the rules has always been important to you.”

so true

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

pretty quiet lately

“If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all.”

being grown-up

“You know, when you were little, I could just fix it.” - the best Mother in the whole world

distribution of grace

- Debbie Johnson

- waking up this morning without an alarm

- focus while leading worship

...

sometimes silence is better

safety

So thankful for the protective love of my father.

the elements

Last Sunday the grape juice was gross and the bread was rye. Until then, I’ve never taken communion and thought “yuck!” Good thing God’s grace isn’t dependent upon the quality of the vessel.

~ by funsize on July 9, 2008.

discombobulated

a word that sounds like, looks like and describes how i feel.

precious words passed on

Grandmother Caryl’s handwriting in my hymnal.

refreshment

piano, violin, and rain

fearful tingles

With great force, his hand struck my skin. Tears instantly erupted from my eyes as the tingling sensation continued to remind me where his hand had been. I struggled to be free from the hands of my father. But before I could get away, his hand met my tiny bottom again. The spanking accomplished its goal. sort of. I knew I wasn’t supposed to “talk back” although I didn’t know what that meant. Make no mistake, the love of my father for his Jewel is greater than I can express here in this blog. But, the fear of getting in trouble and getting spanked again and not knowing why followed me around for weeks. I noticed that just thinking about that spanking would send fearful tingles throughout my little body.

Sometimes I still have fearful tingles.

in the news

What kind of society do we live in if two celebrities marriages/affairs are breaking news?

in not so many words

a year ago today.

the love of my parents...

never ceases to amaze me.

~ by funsize on July 3, 2008.

"good point" says michelle

Only God defines me.

this morning

emptied of strength.

i was reminded of this today

“life’s too short…” -my mother