miss fix-it

“All of life’s problems can be solved with two things—duct tape and WD40. If it moves and it shouldn’t, you need duct tape. And if it doesn’t move and it should, you need WD40.”—Unknown (through the mouth of my mother)

just thinking

"Jewel, we don't always have to figure everything out."

please

Me: "Mo-om, please can I get it?"
Mom: "Not today, honey."
Me: "But, I want it now!"
Dad: "You don't always get what you want."

a few words to think about

"We are all indispensable, but we are not irreplaceable." (from a funeral message)

conversation at the wendt home

As I was making apple crisp, my mother was gathering the ingredients for me. Making sure I had all them she said:

Mom: Do you have everything you need?

Me: Yes, Mom. And, do you know what else?

Mom: What?

Me: I have everything I want, too.

Mom: Isn’t that a blessing?

Me: It sure is!

to her ten year old

“Zip your lip!” - Mom

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.”

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

i was reminded of this today

“life’s too short…” -my mother

coming home to mom

“What you need is a couple days in the country!”

more from mom

“suck it up!”

a saying passed on

“Time marches on.” A statement often made by my grandfather and now repeated by my mother.

every time i walked out the door

my mother always said, “be good.”

my mother's favorite phrase for me

“Just monitor it.” -mother

another gem from my mother

“Honey, you don’t always have to figure everything out.”

big emotions

“Save your big emotions for big things.” -mother