Looking back over the course

Lately, my reflections and evaluations of bringing up children at home have been a lopsided ledger. I have been able to see my liabilities and can't seem to find my assets under all of them. A couple of interactions with my young adult children have helped me to find some and my husband will say, "look at them. The three of them are wonderful people and you had a LOT to do with that." My response to that is "only by the grace of God." I really don't want to take any credit.

Then I read the following on another Christian Mom's blog:

If I neglect the challenge to teach and train my children to transition from a busy school year to a relaxed summer schedule I will resent them. The un-interrupted quiet time I have when the kids are at school give me mornings at the throne of grace. Those peaceful hours help me focus on the things that matter. (to read the post in its entirety)

First, I will share my response to this part of the post

Amy,
I just recently started following your blog. It was never my intent to post a comment, thinking that I would just be lurking, reading and digesting. My children are probably quite a bit older than yours. Something struck me and well I may blog about it because it was as if the LORD was speaking to me through you. What touched me was this:
"If I neglect the challenge to teach and train my children to transition from a busy school year to a relaxed summer schedule I will resent them. The un-interrupted quiet time I have when the kids are at school give me mornings at the throne of grace. Those peaceful hours help me focus on the things that matter."

When my kids were small (3 under 7), I would do my best to rise before they did to have that "un-interrupted quiet time" and quite often I would end up with one of them cuddling with me. Each of them knew that this was mum's time with the LORD, they were welcomed to be with me but they needed to be quiet. The first time I sent any of my kids off to school was last year when my oldest went off to college. (now they are 3 who are all over 17)
Thank you for inspiring me and reminding me of God's faithfulness.
Time for me to blog the rest of my thoughts.
Thanks,
Catherine

What strikes me now is the phrase, "focus on the things that matter most" and for me the raising (which included teaching and training) children at home was the primary focus. When children are small especially under the age of 7, which lots of people consider the formative years, and one chooses to gives away the best part of their children's day to be shaped and molded by someone else, the testimony of honest people is a lot of unlearning has to be done at home. This takes tremendous effort and a fair amount of tenacity. I can only imagine that it is like fighting against a great tide. The worldview of the teachers, the authority factor, and the time children spend under the roof and influence of a school seems to me like a strong opponent to set against a pair of loving parents.

Long ago, I came to believe that it takes a greater amount of faith to send your kids to school, often placing them under the authority of someone you don't know, then to keep them at home. I still believe it.

As I continue to think about what my fellow blogger is saying, I can’t help but think that she is the one who is in need of learning to be flexible in the transition from delegating the responsibility of her children to others to taking back the full responsibility in order to avoid resenting them. Depending on the kid, it is usually one of two reactions to the end of school: the old Alice Cooper, “School’s out for summer! No more teachers, no more books…..” or “I am bored and I wish I was back in school.” I suppose there are those kids who are middle of the road and simply tolerate the fact that they have to go to school. However, I think most parents have harder time transitioning from a school schedule to a summer schedule.

Parents need to be parents. It is up to us to establish authority in the home. In a culture that is so focused on our right to be individuals, it is hard to operate as a family and value family life even when one chooses to raise children at home and maintain that authority and responsibility. Children who are in a classroom setting whether public or private may be encouraged to respect the teacher and one another but it is hard to create an atmosphere that calls for unity. Let’s try to imagine.

“Good morning, my name is Mrs. Mullaney and I will be your teacher this year from September 2010 to June 2011. As 5^th graders, I expect that you will respect me as your authority and respect one another as fellow classmates. This year as my students, I will expect one more thing and it will require each of you to cooperate. We will conduct ourselves as a united class. It will be like being on a ship setting out on a voyage at sea. I will be the Captain and you will be my crew. In order to have a successful outing we will have to work together. Every crew member must pull his own weight and at the same time look out for one another, helping each other, encouraging each other and at times you may need to rescue a classmate or even your Captain.”

A student raises her hand and says, “Mrs. Mullaney that sounds like Kindergarten stuff.”

“Agreed and students who are educated do not leave the basics behind. An education is built upon a foundation. This is a foundational principle of the Farview Ave School. If you want to do well in this class and in life then you will agree to follow it.”

Objecting the student replies: “We are not just fellow classmates, we are competitors. I see how it is good to be united. My family is united by the fact we believe that each of my siblings and I ought to be at the top of the class. We are achieving just that and will continue to do so.”

Let’s say at this point, I have done some preparations knowing full well there will be objectors and that this student indeed has been at the top of her class since kindergarten, doesn’t have a lot of friends, and does not have a problem with treading on others to get to the top.

“Unlike the other teachers in this school, your attitude toward me and your classmates will factor in to all your grades in every subject.”

The objecting student wants to object again, it is written all over her face as the other students and I can plainly see. With all eyes on her she sets her jaw and straighten up in her seat.

“I believe that you can still be competitive but in our class, it will be required that you compete with integrity. Those of you who are already what other teachers might call ‘good students’ will help those who are struggling students to become better students and in so doing you will become not only better students yourselves but you will become better people because of your willingness to help others.”

If this were a real classroom and I had maybe 15 students, I may be winsome enough to achieve this unity, but the odds are against me. Probably the administration would be against me as well. (unless of course I produced great results ;-)

Amy went on to talk about every summer day to be a precious diamond day with her children. I contend that childhood is SO short that to have shared summer, fall, winter and spring days with my kids for more than 20 years has been precious and almost seems like too few. To say that I am grateful to have had my children at home with me would be an understatement. Instructing them and learning along side them (I became a Christian at 21), growing up with them in the faith and sharing everyday life with them has been a gift, an incredible gift from my Heavenly Father.

Our decision to educate our children at home did not entail any romantic notion of enjoying family life. It was a decision made after looking at all the options available: private, public and home schooling. Prayerfully researching and seeing that the best chance for discipling our children in the LORD was to not just have them at home but walk through life and be in this world along side them.

(to be continued)

Reading Blogs

I have been reading and started following more blogs, every time I have sat down to write a blog post. So here are some interesting places that I have gone to on the internets, the web, and all the other goofy ways that people say when they go surfing on a computer......online.......linking up.....

Thought provoking

Inspiring

Heartwarming

Interesting

Again and Again, I find myself here so someone in this family can go here or there and everywhere.

And if you want to remember not to take yourself too seriously then I suggest you visit the following blog by one of my favorite authors.

Signing off.........Pax Vobiscum, CM

Spilt

My grammar is not perfect.

I am spell-chek dependant (check dependent).

Sometime I change persons in the middle of a paragraph.

Life is messy.

Words are powerful.

Expression is necessary.

Setting the scene in such a way that you are carried off to another place and time is an art form.

To create an atmosphere that would bring you to tears or cause you to draw the shades and make sure all the doors in the house were locked.

Enlightens

Inspires

Enrages

Stimulates

Crushes

Resurrects

Delights

Delivers

Transforms

Criticizes

Concentrates

Informs

And yet I can't help myself. I must write.

Wake Up O Sleepy Head

"I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety."

Psalm 4;8

This week I had the opportunity to meet up with a couple of friends and visit with a couple more in Upstate NY. Different people, coming from different places and a similar message. One coming from a book of prayers and one coming from a small but vibrant pulpit: It is the LORD GOD who carried me through the night and it HE who has woken me from my slumber. It was said it very different ways. The morning prayer from the book was something like this

Arising from sleep, I thank You, O Most Holy Trinity, that, for the sake of Your great kindness and longsuffering, You have not had indignation against me, for I am slothful and sinful. Neither have You destroyed me in my transgressions, but You have shown Your customary love toward mankind, and have raised me up as I lay in heedlessness, that I might sing my morning hymn and glorify Your sovereignty. Now enlighten the eyes of my understanding, open my ears to receive Your words, and teach me Your commandments. Help me to do Your will, to sing to You, to confess You from my heart, and to praise Your All-Holy Name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

And what came from the pulpit was something like:

Did I get myself up to come to church this mornin'? No. It was the LORD who woke me from my sleep. Who watched over while I was sleepin'? Was it me? I don't think so, how could I be sleepin' and watchin' at the same time? It was the LORD watchin' over me and I want to thank Him for bringin' me safely through the night! Can I get an AMEN? Did you wake yourself this mornin'? NO, It was the LORD who brought you through the night watchin' over you and then woke you this mornin' Amen? AMEN.

So on my solo ride home, I was meditating on these things: how the GOD of the Universe is interested in the everyday details of our lives and how often I don't even give it a glancing thought. When Grace was a newborn, sometime I would just watch her sleeping. Sometimes just to admire this new little person who came from me and other times because I was a new mother and wanted to make sure she was all right and at moments the watching of this sleeping baby was a sheer joy and delight, what a precious gift from God. (Yes, I do know how to receive a child, who is a tremendous responsibility and still enjoy her, even to this day.) Parenting is a watchfulness.

The gift of making it through the night is not something that I consciously think about and it is a simple thing for me to be grateful for especially after a restful night's sleep. There have been times in my life that I have been very grateful, daily expressing my thanks to God and I need to get back to being grateful even for simple things like a good night of shut eye.

created on Wordle.net

Yesterday I saw ceramic sign in Target that said "Be Wise Be Kind Be True" and it reminded me of another sign we had in our kitchen when we lived on Mechanic Street in Marlborough, MA. It read: "Before you open your mouth ask yourself: Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?" then I texted a friend to tell her and I followed up with, "I think I need that sign." So, here I am reminding myself and anyone who may be reading that stopping and thinking before you speak is a good thing and it is worth trying to master throughout our lifetime.

I am aware that there are people out there who "engage brain before opening mouth" naturally and the Author of Proverbs says, "even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue." Then there are those of us that are a bit harder to train. Until well into my twenties, I regularly stuck not only my foot but practically my whole leg in my mouth. At the age of 27, I was hit over the head with a 2x4 and since then I have reduced my diet to toes, an occasional foot or two and a time or two of great indiscretion a calf muscle.

In the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions it states, "Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen." I would have to agree because once the words are out of your mouth: you can't really take them back no matter how sorry you are. There is the verbal diarrhea. It can be forgiven but it is much harder for it to be forgotten. Fortunately for me, for the most part, I have been granted much mercy from most people that I have a relationship with as we practice forgiveness, mercy and grace with one another.

"Pause when you are thinking too quickly or feeling too passionately" is another good principle. If we take a moment to breathe, ask for wisdom, ask the three questions I have listed above, then I believe we can grow and become wiser. There are times I find myself hurting people unnecessarily with my reckless words. I never want to do it, but I do still falter.

Indirectly, this is one way to be seeking wisdom and most thoughtful people desire to get wisdom in order to live well. Perhaps if I keep on seeking to become wise it will help to keep me young at heart and in my mind and help me from putting my foot in my mouth. Wisdom tells me to respect the fact that words are powerful.

Another good question to ask might be: Are these words life-giving or death-blows?

Connecting

I went looking for you in my inbox and you were not there,

So I moved onto my Facebook account you face was not seen even though I went to your profile

Opening ichat and your avatar could not be found.

Finally, I picked up the phone and there you were just in from town,

and by the sound of your voice I could tell you were happy I called.

Let's meet in the park and swing on the swings like little kids who are carefree.

Not necessarily a return to childhood but a visit to simplicity.

The Pilgrim Way

For a number of years, I have been getting Alistair Begg's daily devotional through Truth for Life. I am sharing today's below. (tried to post this yesterday for some reason it would not so here it is today.)

Wear the Badge of Perseverance

Continue in the faith.

Acts 14:22

Perseverance is the badge of true saints. The Christian life is not only a beginning in the ways of God, but also means continuing in those ways as long as life lasts. It is with a Christian as it was with the great Napoleon: He said, "Conquest has made me what I am, and conquest must maintain me." So under God, dear believer in the Lord, conquest has made you what you are, and conquest must sustain you. Your motto must be, "Aim higher." The only true conqueror who shall be crowned in the end is he who continues until war's trumpet is blown no more.

Perseverance is, therefore, the target of all our spiritual enemies.

· The world does not object to your being a Christian for a time, if she can tempt you to quit your pilgrimage and settle down to trade with her in Vanity Fair.

· The flesh will seek to ensnare you and to prevent your pressing on to glory. "Being a pilgrim is weary work and makes me wonder: Am I always to be mortified? Am I never to be indulged? Can I not have at least a holiday from this constant warfare?"

· Satan will make many a fierce attack on your perseverance; it will be the target for all his arrows. He will strive to hinder you in service: He will insinuate that you are doing no good and that you need to rest. He will endeavor to make you weary of suffering; he will whisper, "Curse God, and die." Or he will attack your steadfastness: "What is the good of being so zealous? Be quiet like the rest; sleep as others do, and let your lamp go out like the foolish virgins." Or he will assail yourdoctrinal sentiments: "Why do you hold to these doctrinal creeds? Sensible men are getting more liberal; they are removing the old landmarks: Fall in with the times."

So, Christian, wear your shield close to your armor and cry earnestly to God, that by His Spirit you may endure to the end.

Page 27 of yesterday's Boston Herald

I found myself again reading the obits. It is the second most important part of the paper and to some the most important. Sometimes I read everyone but the following one caught my eye, so I thought that I would share it here.

John Shepherd-Barron, 84; Scot invented cash machine

A customer put a computer punch card in an ATM in London in 1968. The first automatic teller machine was installed in 1967. (Associated Press)

Associated Press / May 21, 2010

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LONDON — John Shepherd-Barron, the Scotsman credited with inventing the automatic cash machine, died peacefully in northern Scotland’s Raigmore Hospital on Saturday, funeral director Alasdair Rhind said Wednesday.

to read the obit. in its entirety please go to the following link. John Shepherd-Barron, 84; Scot invented cash machine - The Boston Globe

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This week one of my dearest friends lost her brother, Jon who was the same age as I am. It was sudden. He leaves behind 6 children, 3 grown and 3 young ones, a wife, grandchildren, both his parents, his two sisters and one brother and many other relations. I didn't know him personally but his sister Elizabeth loved him dearly and I have prayed for Jon throughout the years that I have been friends with his dear sister. And as I said in my last post about life and death, "Every life matters." Jon's life mattered. So as the Bodholdt family say their good-byes to their dear son. We say our prayers for those who are left to carry on in life. Jon will be carried on in the hearts of those who loved him.

The Path of Celtic Prayer

by Calvin Miller

Given to me by my daughter Grace

"Human beings are innate believers. While agnostics are sometimes celebrated for their unsure notions about God, atheism isn't likely to take hold in any permanent way. Why? Because we are so needy, helpless and insecure that we remain obsessed with something or Someone greater than ourselves. Not only are we needy, we hurry our lives deathward in a dead heat with that great universal clock that is destined to outrun us. We live face to face with our temporariness. And while we are trapped in the busy, empty now, we are convinced there must be - or must have been- a day when God seemed nearer and more accessible.

Our discontentment with our present affairs keeps us looking backward, hungering for times in our lives when we experienced God as clearly present. Even our casual reading tastes have found us out. The recent rash of novels about Christ's second coming may be popular because they hold forth a kind of promise that when Jesus comes again, all the pain of our empty age will be swallowed up in the warm presence of God. But at the foundation of such hope lies a reality much greater than current popular fiction. We-at least in our searching moments-want Jesus to come again. Why? We are eager for union with Christ. The second coming promises an end to our roller-coast relationship with God."

It is opening thoughts like these that make me read the introduction from books. The two paragraphs are the beginning of the introduction to Miller's book.

Miller goes on to talk about our longing for God and how we are like junkies looking for a God fix. So, this "living face to face with our temporariness" makes me think that yes, I want something more. I believe in eternity and in eternal things. It rings true for me that life is short, so it is best to work things out with those we love. We long for God to do what can't be worked out to intervene for us and sometimes we cry out like David and ask that He would just obliterate our enemies.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<^^^^^^^^^^^^^>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

One of the elements of this book is a reminder that we (Christians) serve a triune God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit: One God in Three persons. It is not something to easily get our heads around. There are many things about God that I don't think I will ever understand. God is Mysterious....one of the main goals in my walk through this life is to gain knowledge of the Holy One and it is a good chance that I am half way through my life, my knowledge is minimal.

In the virtual world I list my religious views as "seeing through a mirror dimly." It is all vague while dealing with the flesh. So much gets in the way including my own bent in addressing God in one way instead of another.

One of the things instilled in me growing up in the Catholic Church was that I serve the God three in one (and I am not talking about Jesus, Mary and Joseph) but most things are done in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The author suggested that we don't forget any of the persons that make up Our God. One way to remember is to address all three in prayer. I tend to address God as "Heavenly Father" most often. Other times, I call Him Lord or Lord Jesus. I can't say that I address God as the Holy Spirit too often.

There are a number of prayers woven throughout the book. One I have committed to memory and have started using it to begin my day.

"I awake in the name of the Father who made me,

I arise in the name of the Son who died to save me,

I rise up to greet the dawn in the name of the Spirit who gives me abundant life."

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The book is organized around 6 different types of prayer. The other five are Scripture Prayer, Long, Wandering prayer, Nature Prayer, Lorica Prayer and Confessional Prayer. Miller is inspiring, deep, informative and helps me to pause. He has introduced me to new thoughts about prayer. For those who want to strengthen their prayer life, I would high recommend, The Path of Celtic Prayer An Ancient Way to Everyday Joy by Calvin Miller.

The following post was written over a month ago. It is a case of me speaking the truth to myself and I hope it is helpful to someone out there who is reading.

Who are you?

Who am I?

To whom do you belong?

Light has broken through the darkness. The darkness of sin and death has been conquered by first One born from the dead, The Risen One! The One who gave me life and then renewed it by the power of the Holy Spirit is what brings me to the above questions which were raised by two younger bloggers that I follow. My initial thought is we are all becoming, constantly changing and growing.

To know and be known. This is what we are attempting to look at through our questions and observations. One of the things that shapes and molds us is how we relate to others and how others relate to others. First we relate to people and then we relate to God.

Some people worship their parents and never transfer that worship to God. As a parent, my shortcoming have kept me humble and my willingness to relate to my kids as a fellow human beings have hopefully made such a transfer easy and early enough. These dear ones who are now all young adults have felt the sting of my wrongful acts and I have been showered with grace, mercy and forgiveness from each of them. I am often stubborn, prideful and arrogant when I am wrong, looking to be justified and it isolates me from those that I love. So, if I want to be relatable, it is going to require humility and a willingness to admit that I am wrong and ask for forgiveness. You would think after so many years of practice that it would come easily, not always. Forgiveness is what restores a relationship and there is nothing quite like a clean slate in order to continue to build a good relationship.

When you forgive me and I forgive you, we bid one another to come up higher because we will fall again, we will need to be restored again. I am doing my best to learn from my mistakes. Some sins are however harder to overcome than others. Without the Love of Christ and His grace, I am a reckless troublemaker.

All mothers are working mothers

I had fully intended to write this on Sunday, which was mother’s day, but I worked all day, then went to dinner and to my brother’s and finally to bed. Now, I must say that I was raised in a family where the special days were to be marked, remembered and to be made special. My husband and his family worked regardless of what day it was and he always has since we were married. So, we have done our best to make sure that each other and our children know that they are special every day. This creates some inner turmoil for me but without any guilt. So, you could say that I am very inconsistent about the special days, it is hit or miss with me. However, I do my best to be consistent with the special people and even there I falter at times.

So because mothers at home are often considered as ones who don’t “work” I thought it would be good to start off with a definition.

Merriam-Webster’s first definition of work:

1 : activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something

I would add that your heart and spirit is engaged in the work one does. Building people requires one’s whole being. Parenting, not just mothering, is the work of building people. The ones born or adopted by us are not a blank slate. The young are not just DNA to be rearranged and manipulated by adults. Everyone comes with personalities, gifts, weaknesses and strengths. As parents we are the ones who have an opportunity to love, influence, train, equip, contribute to the growth and maturing of children until they are ready to be launched.

By God’s grace, I have had the privilege of not only being a mother but being home with my children to raise them. For the past month and a half I have been working full-time with a round trip commuting time of approximately 2 hours. That is a lot of time away from home. Granted my children are now 20, 18, and 17, my best hours have been dedicated to my work.

I believe that women and men are wired differently. The way mothers and fathers relate to their children is different. I can imagine that there is a great tension internally for a mother of young children who works full time outside of the home. I wonder, do these women have to, in some way, distance themselves emotionally from their children? If you are going to give your all on the job, wouldn't you have to? I don’t think it is humanly possible to be fiercely dedicated in the practical to both the job and the family. How does one do both well? In your mind, one can convince oneself just about anything. The way one lives out the best hours of the day determines where the heart lies unless of course, your heart is in one place and the living out is being done somewhere else. Can such work be successful to the one doing it? [If there are mothers who are in this category reading this blog, I hope that they will leave a comment and answer some of these questions honestly.]

The reason I am speculating is because the job I have been doing is running my brother-in-law’s business with my husband and it is all consuming. It is not something you can just go and put your hours in and then go home to your family and leave work at work. It is on my mind constantly. I really care about the business because I love and care about my brother-in-law, Billy. Billy has entrusted his livelihood to us.

Switching gears to home has been difficult for me. I just know that I would not have wanted to do this even 3 years ago with 3 teenagers. Perhaps that is because I solely invested in my children since they were born. It is not just a case of me being at home, these dear ones have been at home with me being educated there. One of the greatest joys of my life as a mother at home has been equipping them with the tools for learning. Of course, if I had to work outside the home, I believe that I would have been given the grace to do it, however, the internal tension would still be there for me. The heart connection that developed between my children and me by being at home is a surprising gift.

The women who have divided their loyalties between the job and the home. My hat is off to you. You love your husbands and your children. It is certain that most of you give your best to your family and at your place of employment. To give your all to both however is just mathematically impossible. There is no such thing as superwoman or super mom. Super tired and worn out is probably more like it. To do it and keep your sanity, that is a miracle. Yes, I believe in the supernatural but not superheroes.

Single moms who solely carry the burden of home and the job, my heart goes out to you. Whether it is by choice or circumstance, that has got to be a tough road.

It is my hope that children continue to have mothers and fathers who are attentive to their upbringing, to be the primary influences in the formative years and to limit the delegation of their care while their offspring are very young.

It's one hour before bedtime (nearly 7 PM). My night owl friends groan and hope to be eating dinner by 8. Most people consider early about 5 AM. Let's just say that I am getting up a few hours before most people in my life. My life is interesting, bored is not really how I would describe living. I saw the first 7 hours of 2009, because I pulled an all nighter. So there is really no place to categorize me, except for maybe, flexible. When opportunities present themselves sometimes one needs to make radical adjustments to one's regular routine (that is if you have a regular routine). You could say that I have become routinely more flexible in the last 7 years.

To be of service to others calls for us, as Christians, to be flexible and to remain pliable in the hands of the Master. This is not easy. Being stretched, smashed, turned round and round on the Potter's wheel sounds like torture (pronounced torcha). When one is stiff necked with heels dug in, you can bet your money on it, the fighting and squirming just makes everything more painful. Surrender is the key.....give up the reins and say have your way with me LORD. Pain may still be required but whining about it is unnecessary.

Not sure where this post is going and right before I sat down, I thought, "do I go back and read the old stuff not posted and just post one of those or do I stay in the moment and write?" I chose the latter.

Lately, I have been meditating on this small part of Psalm 119

⁵⁷ The LORD is my portion;
I promise to keep your words.
⁵⁸I entreat your favor with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
⁵⁹When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies;
⁶⁰I hasten and do not delay
to keep your commandments.
⁶¹Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
I do not forget your law.
⁶²At midnight I rise to praise you,
because of your righteous rules.
⁶³ I am a companion of all who fear you,
of those who keep your precepts.
⁶⁴ The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;

teach me your statutes!

When I think on these words, my mind envisions one word: trust. If the LORD is my portion, then I need to believe that He is enough and that all of my needs will be met.

Then there is the matter of promises. Promises that God has made to His people, not just to me as one person but to all who fear Him as it says toward the end, "I am a companion of all who fear you" My life is not to be led as a solo one woman show. I am a part of a family, a part of the communities, I live and work in, a part of God's family.

[right now I am thinking save it in the drafts. Get ready for bed. And who knows how long the post will sit before it sees the light of day? It's just a blog.]

For what it is worth, let's attempt to conclude: two of the actions that the author of the Psalm is doing, 1. entreating the LORD for His favor and 2. he opens himself up to the Lord to teach him His statutes. Each of these things require an individual to have some degree of flexibility and put their faith and trust in the LORD.

It is both hard and good to change things up. I think it keeps life interesting and my spirit young.

Since I am actually looking forward to going to bed.

Good night and God bless each reader. Thanks for enduring this post.

This one is from January 1, 2007. It was written after all 5 of us participated in Nanowrimo, November 2006.

I like 'Rithmatic but I love . . .
Reading and Writing and Reading and Writing
As some of you know we (the Mullaney Pilgrims) wrote novels during the month of November. I have not touched mine since then and it is time to read through my manuscript. It is unedited but I am taking the advice to read it through once without editing and then decide whether it is worth my time.
Upfront I just want to say, I really like my story and particularly, the characters. In fact, as much as I have been hesitating about reading through it, I actually miss writing and the story. So, I think today would be a good day to read through it and I will have to report back to you.
Sitting here at the computer with my reading glasses on seems strange to me, but I am so grateful to have the eyes to see, the ability to not only read but to also understand the written word. There are many people today who are not readers, even though "going to school" is compulsory in the US our society is less literate today than when "school" was a choice.

One of the greatest joys in raising our children has been teaching them to read. Each one has a different learning style and personality. And all three of them love to read and it is not just the love of reading that brings me joy, it is the love of learning that each one possesses.
Rithmatic is essential, reading vital but writing is an avenue to express ourselves.

Post Script

I never did read through that whole novel. I did love the story. The working title was Identity Theft. It was a world where children were raised in Centers, not allowed to know their parents and not even called by a name. Everyone was just a number. Of course, there were some rebels fighting the system, rescuing them, caring for them and giving them names with a formal ceremony and making them a part of the family. This is a story about the destruction of the family and how important it is to save it from a society gone mad.

It was one of my favorites. With hopes again of noveling in November, maybe even before then.

FYI

This evening I decided I would read through my drafts of blog posts never posted. The one posted earlier tonight was written in June of 2009. There are 40 more sitting in draft form and I am reading through them now. The next older draft will indicate when it was written.

Thanks for reading.

There are families who come together
and those that don't
There are families who laugh out loud
and those who cry
There are families who sing four part harmony
and those who can't find the note
There are those who enjoy communion
and those who are lonely
No family is perfect and some experience more brokenness than others.....when you see a family who is united in spirit something inside says I want that. Some of us will have that with parts of our family, perhaps with our spouse and children and some of our extended family. Some family relations are perhaps broken beyond repair.

Did you hear that?

"Weren't you listening?"

"How can you possibly be listening if you are still talking?"

Every year my children continue to teach me and help me with my communication skills. One of the most important skills is the ability to listen. I am not talking about the ability to hear. Let's just start with a couple of definitions:

Hearing - To perceive or apprehend by the ear; to gain knowledge of by hearing; to listen to with attention.

Listening - To pay attention to sound; to hear something with thoughtful attention; to give consideration; to be alert to catch an unexpected sound.

"To hear something with thoughtful attention" As a child, I lacked SO much self-control and I was not trained to stop and listen, that it was difficult for me to listen. There was so much noise in my head that I would go to sleep to very loud rock music....there were headphones back then but I preferred my portable radio.

At the ripe old age of 20, I began to listen as only the dying can. A 180 was needed in my life and so far, I had not done well at all in running my own life. If I really wanted a life, I needed to start listening to others. It was humbling and I was desperate. Desperate for much needed change. Even though I still had an attitude towards authority, I discovered that I needed to submit to someone else rule in my heart, in my mind.....

stop

listen

become

teachable......

This post is sort of disjointed but that is ok with me. I need to be listening more these days.

Malcolm MacDonald

Isn't that a great name for a Bag Piper? Well, it just so happens that my nephew Malcolm MacDonald is a Piper and one that I can highly recommend for any event where you might want to have one. The most popular events are weddings and funerals. Now that he is a Piper for hire, I thought I would do a spot for him here on my blog.

Malcolm is facing us in this picture taken at the Loon Mtn Highland Games last fall where he competed with his pipe and drum corp.

Malcolm MacDonald

508.612.6948

Piper.Specialist97@gmail.com

Just a bit from Malcolm's letter to prospective clients:

"The most requested tune at funerals, is of course, Amazing Grace. Many Pipers, including myself, usually reserve that noble standard for the very last tune. Also, there is the walk-away effect, where when the playing the last verse, the Piper will walk away, creating a fading sound."

If you are in need of a piper for any event, please give Malcolm a call or shoot him an email. He does realize for funerals, it can be a last minute thing, if he is unable to meet your needs, he will gladly find another quality piper who can.

"The very stones would cry out."

The mystery of the love and sorrow found at the Cross may be found in the shadow of our Lord's magnificent entry into the city. Jesus was being hailed as the King, homage was being paid and the Pharisees were ticked off. There was however no stopping what was taking place. If Jesus' followers kept silent he told the Pharisees then the rocks would cry out.

In my life, I have had seasons of carrying a rock or rocks in my pocket to remind me that if I don't praise my Lord, the rocks would. Do I believe that the very rocks in my pocket would cry out?

Do I believe that Jesus was bodily resurrected from the dead?

Do I believe He is fully man and fully God?

Is there power in the blood?

What is belief?

Who holds the Key?

Did Almighty God make the first move? (or did we)

This is not what I expected this post to be, but when I reflect on the Passion during this Week of Remembrance, it makes me scratch my head. I am full of questions because the LIFE and Death of Jesus Christ....the Resurrection is a mystery.

The best way to describe my faith may seem weak and feeble to some but it is truthful and to no surprise they are words taken from the Bible, written by the Apostle Paul from his 1st letter to the Corinthians:

"we see in a mirror dimly"

When will I/we see and know fully as we are fully known? The 13th chapter indicates that it will be upon His Return, when Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords returns with power and might. His first coming was in humility, His Second coming will be nothing like the first.

The Lord Jesus made loving appearances once he was resurrected. Not as a ghost but as the man that He was only made new baring the scars of His brutal death. Jesus cooked and dined with His Beloved. The Beloved were bold over by His Great Love for them:

Mary, a woman, a sinner forgiven was the first one recorded to have met the Risen Lord and upon hearing Him call her by her own name, she knew in an instant that it was her "Master" and Jesus gave her the task of bringing the Good News to his disciples.

Peter ran like the wind to get to the empty tomb. Later, Jesus made him breakfast and restored Peter as he had him affirm three times, that he did indeed love His Lord.

The two who were on the road to Emmaus, walking and talking with the One First Born from the Dead and not realizing it until He supped with them and broke the bread. Before taking off to find the eleven they said to one another: "did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us...?" There is something in a heart to heart conversation that knits those hearts together.

When I think of power and might, it makes me think of war. Will Jesus come as a great warrior?

But what about the greatest of these things, Love?

What will the Greatest Thing in the World look like? We can dream, we can imagine, but that brings us back to the beginning of this post and that is mystery.....

In the book of proverbs chapter 30, there is something of a clue

¹⁸ Three things are too wonderful for me;

four I do not understand:

¹⁹the way of an eagle in the sky,

the way of a serpent on a rock,

the way of a ship on the high seas,

and the way of a man with a virgin.

Are not these things full of mystery?

Here is another: When you discover a friend, that you didn't ever expect to be your friend are you not delighted in this new friendship? Can you explain it?

What will Love look like through the lens of Power and Might? A Glory beyond our imaginations?

I contend that He bids us to try.....use the imagination He has given you and me. Paint a painting, run a race, write a song, fight a battle, touch the skin of a new born baby, hold the hand of a new widow, craft the story.

Colossians 1

¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God,the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. ¹⁷And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. ¹⁹For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

²¹ And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²²he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Praising my God less the rocks cry out!