A Dream Come True

When I was a little girl

I wanted to grow up

And have children of my own.

I especially wanted a daughter.

(I didn’t know, then,

What a blessings

Sons can be.)

Twenty-one years ago today,

My dream came true.

Only 19 months after the arrival

Of her brother,

Our middle child,

Sarah Elizabeth was born.

Because I’d been ill

After Joshua’s arrival,

While still in bed,

I informed my hubby

That I wanted another baby.

I felt I’d missed

That precious newborn stage.

(I’m sure he questioned my sanity,

But he graciously never said so.)

Raising three children

Hasn’t always been easy.

But I wouldn’t trade the experience

For anything.

I love them all

Even more than I imagined

I ever could.

And today

I wish my precious daughter

A very happy 21st birthday

You make my heart soar,

Daughter mine.

And I pray

Yours will have many reasons

To do the same,

Today and every day.

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him (Psalm 127:3, NIV).

Well Worth It

Life is hard.

When you become friends

With someone,

You make yourself vulnerable.

Will they lift you up

Or weigh you down?

Will they cause you to soar

Or anchor you to the ground?

When you choose to love,

It comes with all the same risks

Multiplied infinitely.

And a family?

Wow!

The ups and downs.

The joy and sorrow.

The laughter and tears.

The whispers and screams.

Reaching new heights

And plummeting out of control.

It isn’t only what others do

To and for us.

It’s what we do.

The challenges are great.

Love

When we’re not being loved.

Comfort others

When our hearts are breaking.

Doing what needs to be done

Even when we feel like

Running away.

Is it worth it?

Isn’t there an easier way?

Life is hard,

But the benefits of relationship

Make it well worth it.

Be devoted to one another in love (Romans 12:10, NIV).

This One Thing

Sometimes

The best word…

If it really is a word…

To describe my fleeting focus is

D’uh!

Yes, d’uh.

I have too many projects on the go;

Focus on one at a time.

There are so many writers’ markets;

Choose one that tweaks my interest.

Write.

Edit.

Re-write.

Submit.

Move on.

I have too many books to read;

I can only read one

At any given moment.

I have so much I want to accomplish;

One thing at a time.

This life is likely more than half over;

Lord willing,

There are many days ahead.

I want to make things better

For my family and friends;

I must do what I can

And leave the rest to Another.

It’s all so overwhelming;

Then focus on This One Thing.

I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do… (Philippians 3:13, NIV).

A Single Destination

There are drawbacks

To an itinerary

With too many destinations.

While I am eclectically-interested

And want to travel to

As many locations as possible,

There is a time to set my sights

On a single destination.

Finish that book.

Edit that story.

Write that manuscript.

The nature of daily life

Rarely allows me to do

Only one thing.

However,

There is wisdom

In focusing on

One thing at a time,

If only for a little while.

See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord (Colossians 4:17, NIV).

Grand Plans

I can accomplish anything,

Fly to breathtaking heights,

Achieve whatever I want…

In my mind.

I love to sit and dream.

Even as I child I believed

The sky was the limit.

There is,

However,

Another side to me.

I love to dream,

But the hard part,

The nose-to-the-grindstone stuff,

Often eludes me.

It’s a good thing

I’m not independently wealthy.

I’m afraid I would just sit around

Making excuses,

Thinking, “Maybe tomorrow…”

There is a certain amount of risk

In jumping from the precipice.

But there is a thrill

I would never experience

Sitting where I’m safe and comfortable.

So,

First I dream,

Then I jump

And then I soar.

May I pursue the grand plans

That await.

May I lay aside those

That hold me back.

…we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10, NIV).

Friendship

Laughing

Empathizing

Chatting

Planning

Dreaming

Hoping

Listening

Understanding

Respecting

Encouraging

Caring

Loving

Flying together!

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray (Proverbs 12:26, NIV).

The Coming Storm

There is a storm

Blowing in.

After a hint of spring,

The forecast is again

Very winter-like.

Like many families,

Ours is facing

A number of storms…

And not the kind

Reported by the Weather Network.

There are times

The storm can ground us.

At others,

We have to persevere

And fly through

To the other side.

I want to go beyond that.

I want to allow the winds

To lift me up,

To carry me higher than ever.

When I fly

During the storm,

When I rise above it,

I will be able to reach out

And lift others to new heights.

Storms will come,

But by grace,

We can prevail.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people (Galatians 6:9-10, NIV).

 

My Perch

Have you seen it?

The bird on the miserable day.

It hunkers down against the cold.

It fluffs out its feathers.

Fly?

Nope.

Definitely not.

How about me?

Recently,

I’ve had trouble focusing.

Too much…

Too much to do.

Too much to think about.

I feel like the bird,

Feathers fluffed,

Waiting for the storm to pass.

But the thing is

This life is often about

Flying in the storm.

There’s always something.

The pelting rain

Or the dark clouds on the horizon.

I see those who are struggling

Through the storm

And those who have

Never gotten airborne.

If I look at the masses,

I will stay

Right where I am

Overwhelmed.

Worse,

I’ll try to fly above the storm,

Refusing to see,

Refusing to help.

But I have a choice today.

Will I cling to my perch?

Will I pretend not to see?

Or

Will I do what I can?

The choice is mine.

I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me…I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead (Philippians 3:12-13, NIV).

Work in Progress

Many thanks to Michael “Bull” Roberts for allowing me to print his facebook status below. It spoke to me. I hope it speaks to you as well…

I may be rough around the edges

And not so easy on the eyes.

But know this:

My heart is polished

And smooth as silk

Thanks to Jesus.

I may not always have

The right words.

And sometimes

They may even be

Harsh or offensive.

But

I’m a work in progress.

God has put on my heart

To just move forward.

He said He will meet me

When I get there.

My trust is in Him,

Not in what mankind

Thinks of me.

Only God can judge me.

Counting My Blessings

Wow!

Makes ya think.

Woke up this morning

And

Our furnace

Is giving us problems.

What to do?

After checking the obvious,

We called the furnace repair people.

It’s a little chilly,

But not too bad.

We have lots of sweaters and blankets

To stay warm.

As I sit here,

I realize what a blessing that is.

I know that

Having a roof over our heads,

Food in our stomachs

And

Clothes on our backs

Makes us richer than most.

Still,

At times like these,

I realize just how blessed we are.

It would take a lifetime

To count my blessings.

And that certainly gives

Lift to my wings.

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30, NIV).