My little Glory boy

My little Glory girl

My Glory Grands!

A Crown of Glory

Proverbs 17:6: "Children's children are the crown of old men."
"The glory of young men is their strength and the beauty of old men is the gray head." Prov. 20:29
"The hoary head is a crown of glory." Prov.16:31

We just returned from a camping trip with 8 of our 10 grandchildren at the lake. What an experience!  The grandchildren's ages ranged from 8-16. A lively  bunch to say the least! I was grateful for the five adults who spent a lot if time "counting heads"!

I spent my time on the shoreline watching their antics in the water with a raised brow! Not to mention their wild rides on the inner tube behind the ski boat which kept them airborne much more than I was comfortable with!

But just being with them made me feel like a Queen!  I truly felt honored that they wanted to be with their grandparents. Their hugs and their teasing were like gems in my crown.

As Toney and I observed their tirelessness and energy, we felt like we were aging just watching them! They tussled, swam, dove, jumped and kicked for hours. Reluctantly, they'd climb out of the water, gulp down some food and hit it again!  We were falling into bed at night and I think they would never have stopped!

I was amazed at their strength and stamina and I was trying to pull up memories of the past when I was that empowered!  And yes, I can remember making my parents shake their heads at the strength of youth!

That strength is their glory and what makes them shine. They wouldn't be youth if they didn't feel it!  The good thing is that I don't have to feel envious that I am not them. My glory lies in my experience and my gray hair. Its an honor to have been there and done that!  Yet, I'm comfortable where I am. My crown feels good just because my children's children bring me joy and comfort.

I missed my two youngest grandchildren. But I knew them to be much too young to have kept the pace of their cousins on this excursion! They give me a different kind of joy: their total dependency on adults protecting and loving them! I like it that I sometimes get to be that kind of presence in their lives. As tiring as that is, I feel safe keeping them safe. I was content with pictures and texts and knowing they were a thousand miles away from this wild adventure!

Not so with the older ones! My weariness came from wishing I could make certain they were safe.  I was pretty sure there was alot of the time, that wasn't a certainty:)

From my chair throne on the shore of the lake, I went from pride at their abilities and agile maneuvers to being scared to death of where that was taking them to joy at their enthusiasm and laughter.

This week, I celebrate another birthday. I am joyful that I have a crown upon my head. I feel honored that God has allowed   me to interact with my grandchildren. I had to leave most of them in different states. Eight live in three different states and I am often tearful at that fact. I miss their hugs. But today I feel honored that I can spend time with them whenever I can. I feel loved and cherished by all of them.

I'm pretty sure another year will bring more gray hair. It doesn't bother me. God is good.

My Blueprint/ Mother's Day Gift

A Cheerful Heart

Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine..."

We lightly refer to our attitude in the morning as whether we got up on the "right or wrong side of the bed".  Interestingly,  I read that in early days, a man always kept his weapons on the right side of the bed. Thus, that was the needed side to sleep and rise on. If he was inebriated,  and chose the wrong side,  that could  be trouble, if his weapons were suddenly needed.

I sometimes think of cheerfulness as being a perky personality trait.  It's really a lot more than that.  It is more than choosing positive thinking. I have tried that. I feel so proud of myself for literally turning my thinking around by a choice. It might last awhile but something will happen to flip the switch again. It's wearisome to try to keep on top of things that way.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit.  Meaning: I must have a driving force behind that cheerful countenance.  How is that done?

That pioneer fellow safely stored his weapon in the same right hand corner every night. He knew where he needed to sleep to access help. And if he was smart, he knew not to inbibe or he would be very disoriented if emergency arose.

I don't know why it takes me awhile to become focused on where my weapons are some mornings. I love to awaken joyfully and hit the floor running, so to speak. I am a pretty positive person and if the bones and muscles cooperate at my age, I can manage to get a fair start for the day.  But even on one of those good days, I'm on the short side of being "cheerful"!

Because,  the definition of "cheerful" ,"joy", "delight", or "happy" imply something beyond just having a "good" day.  By definition, these words mean that they are emotions evoked by the prospect of or actually the possession of things desired.

I'll be the first to say that there are physical things that make me temporarily feel great. Attention from loved ones, holding a baby, eating favorite foods, hearing beautiful music,  walking through a  flower garden, a good visit with a friend.  And lots of other wonderful things in my life. But they are momentary.

I have a dear friend who, unless God changes her course,  is probably dying. She is such an inspiration to me. The other day after my inquiry of" "How are you?" , she texted me back.  " I have pain, but God is good, good, good!" She is obviously cherished and loved by a God who is feeling praised!

Every morning, I must make an effort to find my bearings.  It is needful for me to know where my weapons are to insure safety for the day. I have found that immediately I must turn my thoughts to The Source of my happiness.  If I start out with praise and thanksgiving,  I find that I have fired my first shot for the day. The enemy is aware that I will fight and my mind is alert to his devices.

That alone sets the tone for day. By choosing to honor and praise the Lord,  I am placing everything in His hands. By doing so, I am establishing that my happiness is not dependent on changing winds of circumstance. It is grounded in an unchanging God. Even in difficulty, my level of cheerfulness is based on how much praise I'm lifting up to God. That is getting up on the right side of the bed!

My Blueprint

Proverbs 23:18: " For surely there is an end;  and thine expectation shall not be cut off."

My husband recently requested of me the description of a  needed piece of furniture for an entryway. I can immediately picture what I want in my head, but I'm really not good at putting it on blueprint. I verbally sketched my desires for him, knowing he is the master carpenter. I completely trust his amazing skill of putting it on paper and beautifully crafting a piece of custom furniture designed for the need. I also know he made numerous changes throughout the construction process. I never made him show those revised plans to me.

I could hear the saw and I would step into the shop every now and then to see the progress he was making. He had told me he was giving it to me for Mother's Day. Not once was I concerned about the finished product or the delivery of it as promised.  I knew the crafter and I had observed his handiwork. I saw the blueprint and I sincerely believed it would all be completed as desired. My expectations were high.

As it happened, some unforseen circumstances arose, and he was delayed. He was intent on keeping his Mother's Day deadline so was planning to work into the wee hours the night before.  I went to him and told him something like this:  "I appreciate the dedication and care you are putting in this for me, but I know I will get this piece of furniture. It doesn't have to be tomorrow. I will wait for it."  I can still remember the tired look of relief he gave me when I released him.

The above scripture tells me that I can trust God to bring an expected end to every unanswered question in my life. And believe me, I have a lot of them! If I let myself,  I can live in a never ending whirl  of "whys".

Why do innocent children have to suffer for the sins of their parents?  Why do good people die early and evil people live on and make life miserable for others? Why can deserving couples remain childless while promiscuity produces unwanted babies who get murdered?

The questions can get much more personal if I choose to become introspective about my own life. I admit I have asked God some pretty tough questions.

But He holds my blueprint for the future. I don't have to make Him sit down and review the blueprint every few days.  I am tempted to. I am also prone to demand deadlines to my prayers. I want things to turn out my way. It is not easy for me to graciously give God permission to alter my life or delay my plans.

Sometimes,  I want to take that Master Plan right out of His hands and, with my inexperience, redraw the blueprint. But I am reminded of another scripture that says: "I know the plans I have for you. They are good, not evil."

I trusted my husband.  Every day I walk by my beautiful gift from him and I love him for the great thought, care and time he put into it. It will be a treasure passed down to our children because their father made it. 

Not once did I try to help my husband build this piece;  not once have I complained over the finished product. I see it as a work of love. I even trusted him to change the blueprint and gave him permission to be late on delivering it.

How much more should I trust my Master Planner with the blueprint of His great Creation and even more of my own life? I am ashamed to admit the many times I've complained to God or asked Him to change my circumstances. I have questioned His love for me at times.  And my time frame is hardly ever in sinc with His.

I am reminded that I need to often thank Him for all the love and care he pours into my life.  I desire to trust Him more and question Him less. And above all, I want my life to be His Masterpiece.

Our Substance

Proverbs 3:9.."Honour the Lord with thy substance."

I know this "substance" refers to money in this reference. But I have been thinking about the definition of substance that means: "matter; anything that takes up space".

Has anyone else thought about all the different kinds of clutter we let in our doors and whether it is all honoring God. I have really been trying to "declutter" my life in more ways than one.

My mother grew up in the depression years with few worldly possessions. She wasn't a big spender,  but she really was a collector. I was privileged, in the last eight months of her life,  to be her caregiver. She and I spent a great deal of time sorting through all her "stuff". What a challenge! A lesson learned: do this job before your children  have to!

Now, I am not saying my mother was dishonorng God. I believe she was thinking she was thrifty by saving styrofoam trays and plastic bags!!!! She remembered the day when she had nothing and couldn't bring herself to discard those kinds of luxuries!

But my generation has had it all! And our children haven't known want of much at all! Thus we tend to have "stuff" in every fashion surrounding us!

I don't know how I became a collector of dishes! It wasn't until I made a couple of moves in three years, after being in one location for several years, that I was embarrassed at the boxes I needed just for dishes! I was reminded of visiting a missionary one time, several years ago, and seeing she had some very mismatched plates and cups. I generously asked if I could send her a new set.  Was I surprised when she told me, "No, thanks,  I have a lot of native visitors,  and I wouldn't want to appear to be so much better than them." How do you think that made me feel? I have actually had to ask myself some tough questions. And I have been simplifying. I think God is pleased. Because it is a sacrifice for me. I really liked all my dishes, some if which may have been used once a year, if that! I am still working on it though I've made a lot of progress!

My husband and I both love good books. Instead of buying new bookshelves,  we now limit ourselves to the ones we have. We limit our purchase of new books; accessing audiobooks or the local library.

I am a lover of beauty and harmony in my home. But, I have learned to recycle to satisfy my need for change. I can grab scissors, a sewing machine and some spray paint and have a  lot of fun!! Long ago, I decided that my home is a place for living comfortably,  and expensive "stuff" was something that didn't belong.  I do not want to be upset when something is broken or misused. I do have a few treasured family pieces but they are safely blended into my decor and I make them useful. I love my family and guests to feel warm and welcomed and I want to be relaxed with them.

I feel like God wants honor in the way I dress. I want to be convicted if I spend too much time, money or space on filling my closet.  It is an effort to pass up the sale rack in the store when I love a good bargain!  The bottom line is I don't need a thing!

I want it to be a priority to be practical in stocking my kitchen. The grocery isles are full of temptation to splurge!  My only hope is to discipline myself to stay with the list and abide by the sage advice of not shopping when I am hungry. I will not let myself be influenced by tempting advertisement in any form.I like to try new recipes but I also am more dedicated to the tried and true! The two main criteria I try to practice  are God-honoring and simple. Plan nutriciously and economically.

I am always challenged by the old poem,  " If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two....." If Proverbs 2:9 is referring to our money,  then where's a better place  to start  saving than with all our "stuff"? I am part of the generation of free spenders, who rarely think twice about honoring God.  I am glad my parents didn't let me be spoiled with everything I wanted, but I am surrounded by ostentatious living. It's hard not to be affected by this lifestyle. I want to make a conscious effort to not be a part of it and choose to live simply!