Mother's Day 2010

This is my second mother's day where I wished my mother a happy day only in my heart and prayers.  Last year was brutal.  Jana had just died, and I was still reeling in grief from Mom's death 6 months earlier.  I feel so much better this year.  My, how time can change one's perspective.  How time can heal deep wounds.  I thought to myself, "this too shall pass" and it did.  The intense presence of their absence really did pass.   I still miss them, but it's a different kind of "miss" now.  Thank you, Jesus.

As I was preparing to teach Sunday school this morning, I wanted to speak something special to the ladies in my class.  Not all are mothers, so I needed a Word that could apply to all of us.  Proverbs 14:1 popped into my head.

A wise woman builds her house, 

but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

I did a word study on every single word and what I found was both surprising and encouraging.  The verse applies to every single woman; not one escapes the admonition.  "Build" is both literal and figurative.  It means repair, set up, make and build.  Similarly ,"House" is a broad word that can be applied literally and  figuratively.  It can mean a house, palace, temple, dungeon, prison, summer estate or home.  In addition, it can mean your family, your lineage.  When I combined as many of the possible variation of "builds her house" I found all sorts of hidden treasure.  Gosh, I am glad I am a woman; we get to do so many things and have so many opportunities!  When something is broken at home, whether it be a faucet or a child's arm or a teenager's heart, we have the privilege of building it back up, repairing it, mending it.   Who but a woman can do such varied tasks?  

Then I thought about our physical bodies; they are houses, aren't they?  You better believe it!  And we are wise to build them up, and fools to beat them down and pluck them apart with our own hands.

There is the next word that was interesting:  "hands."  Here we go again with a delicious word that has broad applications.  This "hand" is her power, authority, influence, means and direction.  See how these can all work together:  The wise woman encourages and builds up the people in her family, but a foolish one uses her God-given power and influence to pick them apart, piece by piece.  What a horrible picture!    Remember, this admonition applies to EVERY woman.  We all have family/houses that need building and repair.  I would guess the building process doesn't come naturally; it's the picking apart that comes so easily.  There have been times when I have nit-picked my children to absolute frustration, totally unintentionally.  They would feel like there was no way they would every be good enough for me.  I know I've done the same thing to my husband.

As I sit here at my desk (in the new chair I received as a gift today), I can think of so many scenarios that the scripture can apply to.  I'm sure you can think of some, too.

This mother's day is particularly special because I am blessed with great kids who love me despite all the mistakes I've made.  There is no greater joy in a mother's life than children that love the Lord.  I really do rejoice in the children that God gave me. There's no better gift...however, I am keeping the chair! 

Proverbs 23:25

Let your father and your mother be glad, 

and let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

LATELY AROUND THESE PARTS

The last few months have been full and slightly topsy-turvy.  It seems impossible that Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow....Happy Birthday, Monique!  I have been doing some traveling:  Spent a week in Springfield, Ohio with my dad in April.  We had a blast hanging out together.  One of the highlights of the trip was delivering Black Beauty (my first Trek FX bicycle) to her new home with my sister, Jolyn, who instantly fell in love with the wind in her hair and on her face as she learned how to "do the gears."  She said, "Are you sure this counts as exercise?  It seems so effortless."  I said, "Now you know why I like all those gears."  Maybe some day Jolyn will ride the Pan Ohio with me?

I spent the following long weekend in Lynchburg visiting David and Chris (and Nick and Brett and Andrea) and George!  We celebrated our 27th anniversary on April 23rd.  George gave me beautiful gifts, but the best one was the hotel room and time to put my feet up and read a good book.  (I read "The Last Song."  It was recommended by a dear friend who suggested I read it with Grace.)  Christian did the majority of the driving on the Lynchburg trip and spending 20 hours alone with him in the car was wonderful.  We don't take the time to sit and converse at home, so we took advantage of the uninterrupted hours in the car.  He's an interesting young man--few words, but thoughtfully spoken.

I have been very undisciplined about time spent working on "Free to be Fit" or whatever my book will be titled.  I did take one giant step by sending three chapters to the artist that is going to do the page layout and covers.  It really bothers me that this project continues to be so neglected by me.  I find it very difficult to make myself be still and work.  The projects around the house are so much more fun and I can instantly see progress when I am doing them.  I'm talking about things ike painting trim, re-arranging furniture and organizing closets.  I have been such a big talker about publishing it; now it's way past time to put feet to my words.

As you know, two trips are in my future, Lord willing.  First in July/August the Pan Ohio Hope Ride and then in October/November, the mission trip to Israel.  Interesting thing:  I have been putting links to financially support each of these trips in e-mails and on Facebook.  In the past few days, I have raised over $600 for the American Cancer Society Hope Lodges in Ohio and ZIP ZERO NADA NOTHING for Global Missions Project for my trip to Israel.  Cancer is a very "present" threat in so many lives and the need there resonates with nearly everyone.  Can you think of a single person whose life hasn't been touched by cancer in some way?  However, the ministry trip to Israel is just as far-reaching, but people don't seem to recognize that.  I am not going to lie; the thought of traveling to Israel is both exciting and scary.  I will get to play my flute along with other Christian musicians in an orchestra under the baton of Camp Kirkland, a church music hero of mine.  That is thrilling enough.  But the added joy of knowing that I will be serving in ministry--literally spreading the truth of the Gospel--is thrilling to me.  I have never been on a for-real mission trip, especially one that is out of the USA.  Both of my sons have been to several countries outside the States, but I've been nowhere except Canada and that was when I was a kid.  (Dad was USAF...we were stationed at Goose Air Base, Labrador Canada for two tours of duty.)  So, this trip to Israel is huge to me.  I keep telling George that the LORD will provide...I have no doubt He has "orchestrated" this trip for me. 

That's about it from here.  I have so many things to enjoy:  Riding my bike as much as possible to prepare for the Pan Ohio.  Working on raising funds for Israel.  Preparing for David to be home for the Summer.  Working on my book.  Rejoicing in God's abundance of blessings.  Thanks for reading.  God bless you.