Remembrances

"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3

I slipped a pussy willow sprig from her funeral basket and whispered my plans in our granddaughter's ear. "We'll plant it soon, in remembrance of Mammie."

So, I set that brown twig with soft-as-a-kitten buds in a bottle of water near a sunny kitchen window and prayed it grow roots. Buds continued erupting from the base of that brown stick to the top as it simply sat and drank.

Every time our granddaughter visited over the next few weeks we talked about that pussy willow branch - touched the soft buds, looked for roots, and remembered Mammie in heaven. And, every day I washed the dishes it caught my eye and I'd remember Mammie - giving thanks for the godly daughter she raised for my son and the times we celebrated our grandchildren together.

Soon, all the buds dropped and scattered across the kitchen counter leaving a lifeless looking branch. But, I still hoped and let it sit and soak - scheming to buy one at the garden store if this poor branch never rooted because I promised we'd plant our Mammie bush.

Roots appeared just in time for Mother's Day!

 

 We planted them in fertile soil...

 

...poured living water all around...

 

...and remembered Mammie.

Just like this branch, when we sit and soak and drink in God's presence - our Living Water - we grow and bear much fruit.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

Mammie planted her feet deep near the stream of Living Water, Jesus Christ. She never feared the heat or drought and the standing-room-only attendance at her memorial service testified to her fruit bearing life.

Now as summer approaches and the grandchildren we shared play in the shadow of this bush, we'll stop and give thanks for every remembrance of her.

What are some ways you help your children or grandchildren remember loved ones who've passed?

(Please stop by Christian Children's Authors blog today).

Once a Mama, Always a Mama

"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother..." John 19:25a (NIV)

We spend our youth raising children - cuddling babies, changing diapers, kissing scraped-up knees, schooling them and guarding them - equipping them for a successful launch. They outgrow their clothes, their shoes, their toys, our lap right before our very eyes. Then just when we catch a glimpse of who they are - how God created them - they fly away. And our mama's heart keeps right on loving - ever stronger, never shrinking.

Once a mama, always a mama.

Our empty nest offers  us time and freedom, but every idle moment we cover our children with prayer. And, when they face the hard times - take up their cross and bear the pain - we stand near, wishing we could bear their cross instead. Experience tells us, though, that bearing their own cross draws God closer and grows their  own faith. So, we watch and pray - even cry out.

Once a mama, always a mama.

Jesus had a mama just like us. Mary raised him - cuddled, kissed, schooled, and guarded him - equipped him for a successful launch. She knew he was created for great things - the Messiah for her people, the world - and yet, he was her child; the one whose scraped knees she kissed and whose toddler hands held hers before he could walk. Then, just when Mary caught a glimpse of who he was - who God created him to be - he flew the nest. And her mama's heart kept right on loving - ever stronger.

Once a mama, always a mama.

It broke her heart when he took up his cross, but she stood near and watched her son bear the world's sin. And, like every mama, I suppose she cried out, "God spare my son. Let me bear his cross." But she knew she couldn't. So, she watched and prayed - even cried out.

Once a mama, always a mama.

And Jesus saw her standing nearby with his dearest friend, John, and said, " 'Dear woman, here is your son,' and to the disciple, 'here is your mother.' And from that time on, this disciple took her into his home," (John 19:26-27 NIV).

Once a mama, always a mama.

Three days later, Mary gathered with John and all the other disciples and witnessed the miraculous resurrected Jesus - the One whom she birthed and raised and launched. Can you imagine the joy she felt as she beheld her risen son eye-to-eye, all shiny and reborn? How reassuring that all her heart pondered throughout the years, all of God's promises and prophesies foretold, held true in Him. What a moment for that mama!

Once a mama, always a mama.

As my children gather around the Sunday dinner table, I sit quietly soaking in their faces, the sound of their voices, and the brilliance of their lives all shiny like newborns. I savor these moments and tuck them inside my heart for quiet mornings in my empty nest when I pause to give thanks for God's faithfulness in their lives. I don't know what their future may bring, but as long as I live, I will always be their mama - always standing nearby, praying and crying out.

Once a mama, always a mama.

Happy Mother's Day!

Have you caught a glimpse of who God created your child to be? Won't you take a moment to give thanks for all you can see and can't see as you stand nearby watching God's faithful promises unfold?

Less is More

From PracticalMachinest.com

 ^"Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal." Matthew 6:19 (AMP)

Since I first saw the movie, One True Thing (1998), starring Meryl Streep, William Hunt and Renee Zellwger, I've adopted George's (William Hunt) mantra , "less is more." His wife, Kate (Meryl Streep) disagreed and so did my husband, arguing "more is more," until recently.

We knew there was a lot of stuff scattered throughout his dad's basement workshop and stuffed inside his back yard shed. The harsh winter of 2010 collapsed his garage and exposed his treasured heaps. We blamed the storms for the destruction and clean up, but there were no excuses for touching anything else. So, we didn't until he passed.

This weekend, between the basement and shed, we hauled off four truck loads of Dad's treasures to the dump discovering a handful of valuable or nostalgic pieces that caused us to pause. But mostly, we scratched our heads wondering what possessed him to accumulate so much stuff. Maybe it was the result of growing up lacking and never wanting to feel that emptiness again.

It wasn't the first time I've filtered through another person's earthly possessions and witnessed the liquidation of their lifetime savings. In both cases the truth about Jesus' words in Matthew 6:19-20 rang clear:

 "Do not store up treasures on earth...but, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and vermin do not destroy and thieves do not break in and steal."

Less is more when we invest our wealth of time, energy, talents and money into those things that last - God's kingdom and our family. The less material treasures, the more room we make to invest in eternal things. The less we accumulate, the more time we gain to invest in people, or as Ellen (Renee Zellweger) said in One True Thing, "The ones who love you; that's what counts."

Exhausted at the end of our second day, we gathered hand-in-hand around the dinner table as Mom said grace. We laughed, shared stories, gave thanks, and enjoyed our loved ones' company. That's what counts.

If someone were to sift through your possessions, what would they say mattered most to you? Is it time to start simplifying to make room for what matters most - God and family - the ones who love you?

Cast Out All Fear

"There is no fear in love. But

perfect love drives out fear..."

1 John 4:18a

The shadows rise tall above her bed in the purple room as the night light bleeds shadows across the ceiling. Blessed with an active imagination, monster pictures squelch sleep from her eyes.

 

She braves the shadows and tries to shut them out, but soon her tiny feet pad across the carpet and into my bedroom next door.

 

"Grams? I'm scared," she whispers.

 

(Psssst! Tip toe across the blogosphere with me and read the rest of the story at Christian Children's Authors blog, won't you? Click here.)

Resurrecting An Old Art Form: DIY Flannel Graph Stories

Do you ever wonder what to do with all your children’s mounting Sunday school papers or your old magazines?

Why not use them to create flannel graph stories? It’s a simple and entertaining project sure to diminish your piles of paper and engage your children in a creative form of storytelling.

Hop over to Christian Children's Authors blog with me where I explain this easy, recycling project.

When the Word Whispsers, "Let Go"

Warm winter rain tap, taps against my window. 

Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Slow, melodic awakenings bid my drowsy mind's attention.

Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

They build, crescendo. 

Tappity tap. Tappity tap. Tappity tap. Tappity tap. Tappity tap. 

And slow.

Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. 

Nature's untimely lullaby. 

Winter disguised as early spring.  

We live within these unpredictable, uncontrollable forces and yet we try to reign them in - east to west, north to south. We study them, predict their next move, realign our lives in hopes they'll give in to our demands. And always, we stand bewildered against nature's ways-powerless and silent.

Then out of nowhere,  a soft zephyr blows - whispers, "Let go."

(Pssst! I'm over here today. Pull on your goloshes and splash through the puddles with me? Click on the highlighted word above and we'll land there together).

Uninhibited Dance

"David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets."2 Sam. 6:14-15

The music segued from light jazz to upbeat, jitter bug. It was time to kick off our shoes, let loose and celebrate the Happy Couple. But, who would lead us out onto that dance floor? Not wanting to upstage the bride and groom on their special day, I waited patiently, tapping my toes in time to the beat.

 

Behind me I heard the running feet of my then, 23 month old granddaughter and in an instant she was at the edge of the dance floor, stopped only by the vastness of that great space. She stood there in her pink frilly dress, with a huge smile on her face, clapping her hands and tapping her feet in her sparkly shoes to the beat of the music. Instinctively she knew it was time to dance and she was ready!

(Join the fun at Christian Children's Authors blog today, wont' you?)