Through Sorrow She Sings

She is my friend. A beautiful bird -- like a robin. Sweet and honest, she brightens my day. She sings through her sorrow, and says that I encourage her. Yet her strength in grieving marvels me. She continues to believe, to trust, to live.

She is also my friend. My Pocahontas. My bright star and little sis. She is The Robin’s middle bird. Silly and not afraid to be who she is. She likes my camera.

This is the Robin’s Baby Bird. I adore her. She can marry whomever she chooses as long as the boy is one of mine.

This is The Robin’s too – The Builder of the nest. I love him in all his scariness. I must. He has frightening pictures of me, and he's not afraid to use them.

And this one. Pocahonta’s mirror opposite. The Robin’s oldest bird. The Sleeping Beauty, I named her. Little did I know that she would sleep before us all.

It is in this I marvel: The Robin still sings, still smiles, still lives, even though her first bird has flown to Jesus. Over a year passes, and we all still miss her. The heart may seem trapped in winter, but because of Jesus, The Robin can call forth spring.

"Let not your heart be troubled,"
His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness,

I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path He leadeth

But one step I may see:

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

Through Sorrow She Sings

What Brings You Home? (Friendly Friday)

For several years my husband, children and I lived away from our family.  We were able to visit, but not as often as we liked.  Now, we're just a stone's throw away.  I have a house and home of my own that I love and wouldn't trade for the world.  Yet, every time I step through the door of my parent's home, it's like stepping through the door of my childhood and into comfort and warmth and memories. 

the quilt

the mirror

the mantle

the candy dish

These pieces of personal history fill my eyes and heart with beauty . . . and bring me home.

It's Friendly Friday.  I ask; you answer.  (And I've really been loving your answers!)

What brings you home?
I really want to know.

What Brings You Home? (Friendly Friday)

WORD-Filled Wednesday: Sing with Creation

Pointing us Godward today.  Singing with all of creation.

"I will praise You as long as I live,

and in Your Name I will lift up my hands."

Psalm 63:4

Fill up with His Word.

WORD-Filled Wednesday: Sing with Creation

A Recovering Drill Sergeant

My kiddos don’t like to be told what to do (they're like their mom), but the house was a mess, and it was time to do some cleaning.  I was anticipating the weekly whine as I prepared to give out orders.

My oldest is ten. He’s responsible, smart and capable. Yet, when it comes time to clean the house, I find myself giving him detailed instructions:

    Take the bowls to the dishwasher
     Pick up the books
     Fold the blankets . . .

And sometimes, he bristles. Now, I believe in cheerful obedience, but I also believe that parents shouldn’t exasperate their children. I can be pretty exasperating. (If you know me, quit nodding!) I realized that I was not treating him according to his maturity.

But this time, before the barking -- and the bristling -- began, I had a light bulb moment. You see, I’m tired of playing the drill sergeant barking orders, and I think my rascals might just be tired of being bossed. A new approach popped into my head.

I looked at The Thinker and said, “I want to try something new. The house needs cleaned, but I’m not going to tell you what to do. I want you to look around, see what needs to be done and do it.”  I walked away and began working on the tasks that I needed to complete.

And guess what?  It worked. He began cleaning up everywhere he saw a need.  I wasn’t barking.  He wasn’t bristling. We both went to work, and the house looks presentable. Along the way, I had chances to compliment him for noticing things and taking care of them without prompting and with persevering. He beamed.

My younger son is a little less responsible, a little less mature and much more distractible. He’s also less bristly, but I get tired of reminding him to finish when he loses focus. I used a narrower approach. Instead of giving him the whole house to think about at once, I pointed him to the family room, the dining room, the stairs, etc. But I said basically the same thing. “See what needs to be done and do it.”

And it worked.  As I was upstairs sorting laundry, I could hear the sweeper running in the family room.  No asking.  No reminding.  No ordering. 

Now I just need to get started on Baby Girl, the biggest mess-maker of all. I think I’ll ask her to help me pick up the napkins she just emptied out of the drawer. As tough as might be, the Princess needs to learn to serve too.

A Recovering Drill Sergeant

In the Shadow

Shadows.  When I was a child, they frightened me.  Vague shapes fed my wild imagination conjuring terrifying images of monsters, wolves (a strange fear of mine) and other perceived evils.

The valley of the shadow of death seems a dark and lonely place that someday I will face if Jesus tarries.  Vague, yet real.

But what is a shadow but the blocking of light?  And Who is the source of light?  Who IS Light?  If something blocks the Light, doesn't that simply mean that there is Light to be blocked?  His presence is there, even when my spiritual eyes are too dim to see it, even when the Light appears completely thwarted. 

Even the shadows must obey Him.

So "hide me in the shadow of Your wings,"

for in Your shadow, I have nothing to fear. 

For You are with me. 

In the Shadow

Surprised by Beauty

Sweet!  I received an award!

The best part:  I didn't have to agonize over what to wear to an awards ceremony and plan the perfect look for when I won and the cameras zoomed in on me.  Nope.  I was in my comfy pajamas covered with Baby Girl's princess blanket and was just plain surprised. 

So thank you to JDaniel4's Mom for awarding me!  Isn't she sweet?!

Now I get to have some fun and reward others!  I love unexpected gifts -- receiving and giving!

Here are the rules for the "Beautiful Blogger Award" and "One Lovely Blog Award":

Thank and link to the person that gave you the award.
Pass this award on to 15 fantastic bloggers you’ve recently discovered.
Contact the Bloggers and let them know they’ve won.
State 7 things about yourself:

     1.  I love chocolate and good food (hence Sugar Tails Recipe Box).
     2.  I have front row seats to the best sunrises and sunsets.
     3.  I'll read just about anything -- even the back of the shampoo bottle while I'm rinsing my hair.
     4.  I enjoy playing the piano, but so does Baby Girl -- and she wins.
     5.  I'm super-new to the blogging world.  I know nothing.
     6.  I love being told I'm beautiful.
     7.  There is a King enthralled by my beauty. And guess what?  He's enthralled by yours too!

Check out these beautiful blogs:

A Familiar Path
A Pilgrim's Project
Christine Sweet Photgraphy Blog
Other Such Happenings
An Unpink Life
Sew Chic and Unique
Bina's Pad
Amanda's Musings
Journey to Beauty
Patterings
Sippy Cups and Fingerprints
Heart Songs From Haiti
Captured By God
Tarheel Stamper
Shasher's Stories

Congrats!

Surprised by Beauty

Don't Mess with Moses!

          Not only did King Solomon
          have seven hundred wives,
          he also had three hundred concubines.
          So was it customary,
          in the month of February,
          for the king to send a thousand valentines?

Welcome to “Writer’s Cramp,” just one of over a hundred fun poems for kids based on stories from the Old Testament of the Bible found in Don't Mess with Moses by Marty Nystrom. Some are hilarious; some are sweet. All are witty. I wish I could be so smart!

I know this is the second book review in a row, but I just had to share this one. My sis saw it in a bookstore a couple of years ago, and we each picked up a copy.  It’s still a favorite at our house. I had to pry it out of my son’s hands to share the poem above with you in honor of Children’s Poetry Day.

While I appreciate the books I read as an adult to keep my mind growing and learning (like the Isaac Newton book I reviewed for BookSneeze), and I love the idea of blogging for free books, I adore children’s books from my library. Maybe it’s because I can understand them without thinking too hard, or maybe it’s for pictures like this that tickle my funny bone:

 
So pick up some children's poetry and relax.  It's the perfect day for that.
Happy Sunday.  Happy Reading.

Don't Mess with Moses!