(Its been a busy weekend here, celebrating my sweet Emily’s 9th birthday – so, I’m posting some thoughts from the Christmas season last year… )

The Hiding Place…

My daughter discovered it this morning. The giant ornament. Its a red and green striped ball about 12 inches around and it sits out at my mom and dad’s house every Christmas. Sometimes it appears on the dining room table, sometimes on the coffee table in the living room. But its always a part of the holiday decorations.

There’s more to this ornament than meets the eye. I’ve known it all along and I suppose I thought my daughter knew too – but she didn’t. Secretly its a candy dish. The small gold hanger on the ornament is also a handle that pulls the top of the ornament off and inside there are M&M’s. Always.

As the events of our day unfolded, I watched my daughter from a distance. She was circling the perimeter of the large ornament. It occurred to me then that she was not sure of what was inside. M&M’s are a favorite candy, so her discovery would be cause for unbridled enthusiasm, I was sure. When she finally lifted the lid, she grabbed a handful of the red and green candies and ran over to me. Like a Pirate who had just found the buried treasure she said, “MOMMY! There are M&M’s in that ornament!” When I confessed to knowing, she demanded why I had kept the secret from her…

I can’t help but be reminded of my own response to the Heavenly Father sometimes. When I find that special portion of Scripture that is especially tantalizing, I have been known to ask, “Why have you been hiding this from me? Why didn’t you show this to me sooner?” But in my heart of hearts I know, He has not been hiding it from me. Instead, He has been waiting for me to search a little harder, in His Word. He anticipates my delight in the surprises He has prepared for me.

The Psalmist had this to say about the precepts of The Lord:

“The ordinances of the LORD are sure

and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.”

There are times when God’s word truly is sweeter to me than any bakery confection, tastier than even the finest freshly harvested honey. There is nothing better in my heart and on my mind than His word directly applied to my “sweet tooth.” I’m hoping to have a few quiet moments soon and enjoy His word in a fresh way over the coming week.

Maybe I’ll have a few M&M’s while I read… if there are any left!

md

(originally written December 19, 2009)

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching.  Well, for me, its already passed because we celebrated initially with the Canadians back in October – but, the American Thanksgiving is still to come, just three days away.

Over the past couple of weeks, between Thanksgivings, I’ve been thinking on all the things that I’m grateful for.  I even made a top ten list, that ended up having eleven things on it.  But, as I continue my journey of thankfulness this season, my heart has become full.  I find myself dwelling on it in my spare time.  Its like I’m marinating in a fine wine of beautiful memories and heightened senses…     God has moved me to a new place of remembering and enjoying what He has given to me.

What exactly is it I’m thinking about?  I’ve been contemplating how rich I really am…

It’s the smell of fresh baked bread in my oven.  A hug from my Isaac first thing in the morning.  The view from my kitchen window that frames the autumn beauty in my backyard.  It’s the lump in my throat whenever I have to leave my precious Emily anywhere.  The joy I feel standing at my cooktop, making bolognese sauce.

And there’s more.

The way it feels for Mackenzie’s baby soft cheek to brush against my face.  My husband’s voice over the phone. Laughter with friends.  Cookies in the oven – and bright faces waiting for them.  Anticipating that last mile on the trip home.  The embrace of a sweet friend.  Worshipping full voice in the driver’s seat while I’m running errands.

but wait…

It is a morning conversation with my Father.  the sweeping relief that accompanies forgiveness.  delight in sensing His presence, when I least expect it.  the glow that comes from knowing He loves me, He sings and whirls at the thought of me.

It seems that I may be one of the wealthiest women in the world…

And that’s just the beginning, the start of my list – every item a gift from my Heavenly Father.  As I continue this earthly life, with the grace that comes from Christ Jesus – I pray that I will remain grateful for the smallest of moments that make my life so rich.

Ephesians 5: 19-20 “Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,  always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

My daughter and husband enjoy watching Storm Chasers.  In fact, I’m sitting here with Em watching the most recent episode, via DVR, for the third time this weekend.  Its a documentary style show where scientists chase tornados and film it.  We’re watching the storm unfold as I type.  She likes natural science a lot and tries to figure out the how’s and why’s of a tornado – its almost like a game for her.

It does bring up questions that aren’t so fun… Especially late at night.  Regularly I am peppered with queries like, “Mommy, will there be a storm tonight?”  or “Could a tornado hit our house?”  and my favorite, “Mommy, would God let a storm hurt us?”  Of course, I try to give her comforting answers, as any mom would do.  But, I don’t usually have a solid answer for her – because I don’t know.

I, myself am a storm chaser.  Hard to believe, but true.  Often I chase hypothetical storms – typically they are storms of my own making.  “What if one of my children gets sick?” “What if I get cancer?”  “What if the market crashes and the country goes into a deep depression and we can’t afford basic necessities and we lose our house and have to move in with my in-laws and… and… and…” Suddenly I’ve got a real storm brewing – all of the thoughts swirling and whirling around in my brain.  Even I can get sucked into an unruly game of “what if “.

When I find myself in the middle of one of these full blown storms, hypothetical or otherwise, I am reminded of a similar situation from Scripture.

Matthew 8:23-27

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

No matter what – He is in control.  He has the answer.  He knows the future. He holds everything in the palm of His hand.  When things happen beyond my understanding, when storms brew creating towering vortexes of doubt and fear, my response can be peace.  And, in the eye of that same storm, I can be sure that He loves me and He will care for me and my family.  Knowing that the winds and waves obey Him is more than enough to calm my heart.

The final answer to all of my questions in the What if game is:  JESUS.

amen

(originally written May 2010)

Recently my young family visited the local Panera on a Saturday evening.  My husband and I with our three children were hungry after a long day, and it just sounded good.  Now, there is a lot that goes on when you take three children to any eating establishment, and this particular evening was no exception.

Between return trips to the restroom and the drink fountain, I learned something.  We sat at the table, myself and my daughter on one side of the table, my husband and my son on the opposite side, with Mackenzie in a high chair at the head of the table.

There is nothing as complicated as feeding a one year old at a restaurant while they are discovering the joys of table food, especially if there are only two bottom middle teeth involved in the discovery process.  As I tried to feed Mackenzie her very healthy chicken and vegetables, she fed herself little bits and pieces of things that all of us would give her from our plates.  A bit of cheese, a crumb of a bagel, some of the apple from my salad, a sip from my husband’s straw and she was absolutely beside herself.

She was so excited, and so interested in those little tidbits, she would not look at me.  Her mouth would open and she would eat the food from the spoon, but she was constantly looking elsewhere for something to please her.  At one point, (still unwilling to turn her head towards me and the healthy stuff) when my husband got up to get a refill of his drink she cried out, “na na, dada, na na, dada!” because she didn’t want the sweet tea to leave her reach.

As I heard her cry, I realized just how much my daughter and I have in common.  Truthfully, I worship, I read Scripture, I pray and meditate on His word. These are the healthy things that fulfill the deep needs of my heart – that will give me strength for life.  Still, in my humanity, I’m always looking in my periphery for other things to satisfy.  And when I see worldly things fading, that used to give me pleasure, I am devastated.   I try to hold them in my clutches, but in the end they always slip away, leaving emptiness.

Time and again I’m reminded that the only satisfaction on this earth comes from our Heavenly Father because of His love and sacrifice for us.    Anything else bringing momentary happiness is a mirage.  Vanity. Unworthy of our attention.  It seems this is a lesson I will keep learning over and over.

There’s an old hymn my dad used to sing, and it rolls through my mind regularly, when I start looking for earthly trappings to meet the needs that only our Heavenly Father can.

Satisfied

All my life I had a longing

For a drink from some clear spring,

That I hoped would quench the burning

Of the thirst I felt within.

Hallelujah! I have found Him

Whom my soul so long has craved!

Jesus satisfies my longings,

Through His blood I now am saved.

Feeding on the husks around me,

Till my strength was almost gone,

Longed my soul for something better,

Only still to hunger on.

Poor I was, and sought for riches,

Something that would satisfy,

But the dust I gathered round me

Only mocked my soul’s sad cry.

Well of water, ever springing,

Bread of life so rich and free,

Untold wealth that never faileth,

My Redeemer is to me.

Ps 63:4-5

“I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. ”

Thank you heavenly Father for being all that I need.  And thank you for my little Mackenzie, who helped me remember this once again.

This is a special poem written for the blog today in honor of my sweet little baby passing the 18 month marker.  (I’ve also added my favorite pictures of her from the past months…)   What a blessing that the Lord chose to add her to our family!  I think every mom who reads this can appreciate my sentiments!  ; )

18 Months…

Is it really possible,

the time has come and gone?

It seems like only yesterday

we brought our baby home.

 

One of our three, it is not new

how the time has flown right past.

Still, in the end I can not tell

how to make each moment last.

 

Her sparkly eyes, sweet little voice

tiny hand in mine divine,

will only be a memory

to cherish in my mind.

 

So soon she’ll be a little girl,

not long after a young belle.

The moments one by one I’ll recount.

I’ve memorized them well.

 

For now I count the blessings,

like the soft curls upon her head,

thankful to our Heavenly Father

She now sleeps all night in her own bed.

 

Children are a gift from the Lord;  they are a reward from him.  Psalm 127: 3