Saturday Morning Glory ~Day 8

Every Saturday morning it's always the same. 

Up bright and early to the sound of creaking doors and flushing toilets while a small, messy haired frame plops down on the bed, curls up in a ball and asks me to scratch his back.

This life.

Something to awaken to.

That's why night dawns and sun rises all for us to see all the glorious graces that keep coming, bringing  us closer and closer to the holy.

From scratching the back, to pancakes from scratch ingredients are muddled and whisked and twirled and tossed, finally to be served stemming and heaping with a side of sticky syrup.

Eager looks of glee and impatient prodding are no more.

Silence enters the home while little boys stuff hungry bellies with thick slices of soggy breading and I sip warm mouthfuls of coffee slowly and just revel in the silence though short lived.

This is home.

And your home will never be the home over the hill or the home you wish it to be, but it will be the home that you have, the home that you make it to be, yours.

God can fill any space. 

No matter how little or large. 

God doesn't measure the structure of your surface, but the inside of your heart.

Awake to knowing that home is not about "what" you have but "who you have."

With each breath we are blessed.

How we spend each one is up to us.

Link to Pancake Recipe, Enjoy!

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Winding up the first week and thankful for all you followers, journeying with me.

Reviewing this write31days Awake to the Day series:

Day 2). Awake to the presence of the Father by trying and setting those clocks back.

Day 3). Mood defines motivation and motivation measures how we awake. 

Day 4). Set the clock backs and rekindle the flame and open the Word and know that these words are written by love from God to you.

Day 5). Stand steadfast on His truths and promises in whatever the day brings.

Day 6). Awake to Pray, our love language of speaking to God.
Day 7). Taming the tongue to speak life.

A Small Spark Turned Fire~The Tongue~Day 7

I've always had a bite.

Many, many years ago I would sit with pad and pen and write page after page, filling every line tight with small print, being careful to make use of all space with words. 

I would chew at the ends of the pen and crinkle the paper, throw it aside and slump back with an unseen eye roll and pout. I would resist.

I knew I would have to start all over again, but I didn't care.

Back then, it was called "writing lines" to try and tame the tongue of a teen.

It worked and it didn't.

I can quote you the verse forwards and backwards and it's become one verse I'll never forget and always remember:

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29

It's hard to try to tame the tongue even at the brink of forty. 

It seems to be the fastest thing on this sluggish, tired, worn flesh of mine that still works and won't give up.

Not easily put out or forgotten or forgiven, a tongue is a small spark that contains a fire that leaves behind ashes of dark and stinging breaths of bitterness.

It's a test, to test our faith.

A test to speak life or speak death? The power is in the tongue for the tongue is how we leave our legacy of words.

What makes an unbeliever turn to the heart of a great God? A tongue that speaks life.

What moves my children to the love of the Father and the peacefulness of home? A tongue that speaks life.

What makes my husband feel valued, respected, adored? A tongue that speaks life.

What makes friends feel loved and cherished? A tongue that speaks life.

What can make the whole wounded world worship? A tongue that speaks His life.

So this...->If I awake to His words and lend an ear to His voice His words will move my words to His melody.

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1 Peter 3:10~"For Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit."

It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. 

Mark Twain

{Along with #write31days, this post is also part of the five minute free writes over at kate motaung's site.  A group of writers writing with one word for five minutes. Check out all the other gifted writer's encouraging words.}

Pour Prayer Wide Open~Day 6

Nothing will change anything except prayer.

If I could I would think back and try and remember and count all those times I've bent the knees and clasped the hands in prayer.

Too many to count.

Many a time, I've closed the door and sunk to the floor and cried out a prayerful plea, a pardon letting the tears flow knowing that God hears the cry of the heart of His child.

Prayer is the passage to the heart of a great God.

When there is nothing there is prayer.

When there are no answers there is a God who holds the future and all plans and takes delight in His children and never gives us more than we can handle.

It's those things. Those moments of fear and hope that raise our hands held high and breathe in His promises that he's got us and that everything is just going to be okay.

God is always, desperately trying to pour out His love on all the hurting and suffering and struggling people who feel fear more than the presence of His peace.

Pray Awake. Awake every morning to the sound of your voice speaking right to the center of His heart.

For nine years I've been praying crouched down low by the side of a boy's bed who takes his turn and speaks his own prayer of love and dreams.

Four years sitting next to a tiny love, his hand holding mine for every prayer and every song.

Teach them young. Pray for family and friends for people and problems and all this wronged and hurting world.

Prayer is the invisible spoken lifeline that connects our hearts and hands together across miles and miles. 

It's this bond that can't be broken or severed no matter how much evil rages for evil can't snuff out prayer. 

Evil can't interrupt the praying hearts of thousands of good people with longing in their hearts for a peaceful change and a peaceful presence to wash over this earth.

Evil can be defeated. The only way to defeat evil is on our knees.

God hears them all. He hears the hearts of His people crying out with hopes and thanks.

Pray Awake. Awake to Pray.

He gifts us prayer. You just have to use it.

Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan. ~ John Bunyan

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Matthew 7:7  “Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

How to Stay Steadfast On Sinking Grounds~Day 5

The world's in an uproar, a turmoil, a spinning of the head.

We, Americans, we can feel as if we're sinking, sliding straight down to the pits where we can't believe the he said she said and so dig a hole meant to hide with a voice going no where, undecided and silent.

Has it come to this? These two?

Deep in the cold, dark earth the President's of old lay in their graves and quake wishing they could break forth from the wooden confines to preach it to the throngs of how to keep America standing tall, proud, and free.

Will we one day awake to find the home that we love, no longer?

Maybe it comes to this? Be steadfast. 

Giving way to worry holds a person stagnant, silent and stale, ashamed to speak,

Giving way to God is finding His truths worth upholding hidden there in the crevices, sometimes laid bare for all to see. His truths are simple. 

Overshadowed by a tall, rigid form with a quirky hand, swift tongue, and squinted face are messages that lives need protecting and saved, freedoms need upholding, peace for the people, safety from the fear. All dressed and delivered in a disguise we'd rather forget, we sigh.

It's come to this.

But it goes deeper, much deeper than the two faces across the screens bellowing rashly their ideals and proven ways of deliverance for the people. 

It goes deeper to this. 

To the nine justices in the supreme court where every day laws, cases and judgment's get struck down or upheld. 

Some justices' abiding by the original intent of the Constitution others trying to influence other views and amendment's.  

So this pastor man and writer stood up in front of a crowd of hundreds and gave these thoughts recently published in this article.. 

Words to think on..

Concluding his remarks, Jeremiah said voters in this election are not only casting a ballot for a president who may serve for the next four or eight years, but are “voting for someone whose Supreme Court decisions will affect us for decades to come.”

“You must decide who you think will appoint the best justices for the Supreme Court, and then whatever else you may think of that person, you must vote,” he said.

Be steadfast. Awake.

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1 Corinthians 15:58  Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Opening the Word~Day 4

"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face."

Ronald Reagan

He takes it seriously, my nine year old boy.

Before the sun has even set its golden luster upon the green earth, I hear him in his room, door closed with lamp aglow.

Quiet, yet determined, his voice rings out strong in the wee morning hours.

Yeah, it warms this Mom's heart.

He says he's reading the whole Bible from start to finish. I couldn't tell him I never had.

Leviticus is the book he is on, so proud to have been reached.

I tell him just to skip it. In fact, just read the New Testament first  since it's more interesting and then do the Old Testament.

He wasn't impressed and there will be no skipping aloud.

Maybe there's something these kids of ours know more than we do?

That this Book, it's a challenge, that we have to make it through, push to the end, start the morning of right and awake to the word.

We make time for what we love.

There within the torn, creased, leather bound folds lays a book that has sold more copies than any other book to date, 5 million copies.

Its story, your story, written for you,  and inked for all the hurting, lost, sorrowful people who just know that within its pages flows the key to unlocking the peace our weary bodies desperately seek.

But with its flaps closed there will be no answers to life's questions, no peace in eternity, no freedom in forgiveness, no healing from the pain, because a book that's closed never, really fully comes alive. 

Fling wide the folds. Read. The greatest story every written and sold, waits to be awoken.

So set the clock back, unlock the mystery, rekindle the flame and know that these words are eternally written by love from God to you.

Here's a list of resources that I have found that really help in awaking me to awaken to Him.

Bible Gateway-this sight has Bible reading plans with reminders and many other resources.

She Reads Truth- this app is one of my favorites and has daily lesson plans, beautiful pictures.

IF:Gathering- this app is nothing short of amazing on your phone. The group goes through various studies and you can order the books online and follow along. 

Incourage- this site is a gathering of women who share stories, speak grace, and encourage you and one another.

These are just a few that I've found what are some that you have found encouraging?

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BibleBrimmings~Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.”

 >MinuteAboutMe~the struggle is real and I find it hard to often times, awake get up and get going on God's word, but the benefits far outweigh the selfish struggle to toss it aside.
I am what I love. Today, was pumpkin picking day, autumn hours full of beauty and warmth, soaking in all this holy goodness. Happy Reading.

Mood in a Minor Key~Day 3

My moods not for the faint of heart nor the weak nor for the one's who wish to keep their sanity at least so I've heard.

It can change faster than a cheetah chasing its prey in hot pursuit across sub-saharan Africa. 

Only my mood sometimes doesn't give out, like a cheetah every 500 meters having to rest, at least so I've heard. 

So grace for this wayward mood bearer, who needs more learning so that her mood can mirror that of the Father.

But mood, it can bring you down to the melting point of no return where getting out of bed and awake can seem like a million miles out of reach.

Melancholy sets in and downright miserable, it can harness you to the confines of the comforter thrown on top of interior springs that will never spring you forward unless you awake and take reign before it melts all possible moments.

Mood defines motivation and motivation measures how we wake.

We can lay and look and close the eyes just one more time and believe the lies that we need more time when what or Who we need time with waits and waits every morning for us to awake.

What is missed?

Time.

Time with a Father who loves unlike any other Father.

Time with a Teacher who teaches the way, the truth, the life.

Time with a Healer who can mend every broken heart, cure every ache, erase every fear.

Time with a Savior who longs to save souls from their own selves, their own destruction.

They say that a mood can mend many calloused hearts that have been ached and broken, sorely bruised

Everyone aches. Everyone longs to be looked at, appreciated, respected, and loved.

Mood can move others to awake to the life God's been etching for them since the beginning of time.

Mood can bring about a miracle in someone elses melancholy.

Bible Brimmings~ "Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called,with all humility and gentleness, with patience,showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3 

Sound Savor~Set your phone, your clock, whatever it is to this and just listen, make yourself smile. More than likely your not from this country and sometimes it's good just to listen to the moods of other places, to lift our own. Click link---Italiano Song.

>MinuteAboutMe~ Classical music is my go to music for writing, but lately I've been switching it up with soundtracks and my favorite as of now,"Gladiator." For some reason this track really gets the blood flowing through these feeble fingers of mine. {it also has me daydreaming which may or may not be a good thing.} 

MyMoodMoments {within 24 hours}~ 
1). A croc catastrophe where my oldest lost a croc that couldn't be found for two hours. I searched everywhere including the wardrobe, I was none too happy searching for it at least this time it wasn't on top of the roof. 
2). Husband put all the spoons in the dishwasher. Normally this is a good thing, but when you only have so many spoons and they run out before dinner~not good. 
3). I couldn't find solid color shirts for the boys homeschool co-op, spent many an hour looking and looking. 
4). I couldn't find my credit card. 
5). I didn't arrive at Hallmark in time to grab the last limited quality Catwoman ornament for my sister.  
6). I'm dreading wearing my worn, holey blue tennis shoes tomorrow on our homeschool field trip. These our just a few of my mood moments that I can remember late at night. Thanking the Lord for His words to bring my mood moments back around to His mercies. 
What's yours? 

Awaken Beginnings~Day 2

We all do it. We all wake to a beginning each day.

We all end it the same way, in the dark.

Before we know it the lights of the day blur black and the tug of the sheets to the chin signal dark, a day's done.

Ragged and worn from a day's dealings dark comes and we rest and close the eyes and trust that a loving Father cradles his children in His arms and in what seems like a fleeting moment the eyes flutter open wide.

Open to what?

To the sounds of the blackened box with its red eyed numbers glistening, beckoning bones to get up and do the daily drill now?

To the chimes of the charged cell that never sleeps during the day and at night always tempt to stay  and enlighten me to twilight?

To the sounds of the creak of a door and little footsteps on the floor? And a silent wish that I'd had just a moment more of myself.

How do I awake to the presence of the Father instead of the pressures of the pieces of plastic?  

How do I awake to a day of no regrets, no moments to erase?

If I awake to a Presence not a rush to performance or a place or a feeling, I will awake to the whole point of life, Jesus.

And if I don't am I missing something? 

Missing out on something or Someone?

Someone who could make all this mess of this life seem purposeful.

Here's a start: Day 2

(I'm trying) Try this: It's been said before, it's good for you. Set the alarm clock earlier by 45 minutes. It's ruff. It's hard. It's real life worth living and awaking for...your thoughts, your heart, your moment undivided,  your walk. 

A chance to set the mind on things above, where the whole point and Person worth awakening to is the one who can Save us from all that breaks the day, but first awaken, breathe, and give time to the bones that carry us, to the soul that enlivens us, to the vessel we've been given and awake.

Quietly (for if you have kids they'll awaken too!) grab the Good Book or study book (examples in Day 3!), that cup of dark deliciousness, or however you do it, but do it to awake to the Presence by first awakening and being present. You'll love it. I'm trying it.

Bible Brimmings (our cup overflows): "Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed." Romans 13:11

"For anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says Awake, O Sleeper, and Arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Ephesians 5:14

Savor: Pumpkin Spice Latte

http://www.sweetsociety.com/recipe/homemade-pumpkin-spice-latte-recipe

>Minute About Me: Favorite coffee ~Pumpkin Spice or Cafe Latte when I'm out and about. Favorite at Home Coffee~local grown coffee beans brewed at home or simply Folgers.  Tip- Forget and reheat during day. Also, I'm still a beginner when it comes to waking up early.

To me, the smell of fresh-made coffee is one of the greatest inventions. 

Hugh Jackman

How to Keep Your Sanity in a World that Savors the Status Quo

I'm the last person who should ever be writing a "how to" post. 

Let me point that out first (before my husband does?).

Or maybe the title should read more like, "How to Not End Up Like Me When Your 38." 

That seems more plausible to my current state. And what is that state you may be asking? 
I'll leave it up to you to decipher.

But here's a quick recap. 

It's been awhile since I've written, maybe even a year or so since I've put pen to paper and jotted down an actual post that's more than a book review and which consists of more than just an encouraging note which I do love doing occasionally.

  I guess this post is more for me. 

Me talking to my almost thirty-eight year old self blatantly and honestly and not flowery of pose but downright just me, open, raw, bare writing.

So, yes, there will be grammatical errors and misspelled words and run on sentences and etc. etc. But whom am I kidding? I'm not writing for an award or for the hopes of being discovered, but maybe just to make myself laugh and feel uplifted and maybe a few other followers along the way. And Mom, I know you'll still be checking for those errors! 

So How Do They Do It? It's been almost two years since I've had time to write. Sure I've wasted my fair share of too many evenings spent watching my shows on netflix (especially the ones in Spanish with subtitles!) but really?

Everyone always makes it looks so easy and flawless (I'm thinking of melted butter right now) and simple. All those mom writers with five plus kids they homeschool with a blog on the side that looks all bejeweled and bejangled (I can't even put mail chimp on mine) and with a facebook page that keeps spitting out posts every three hours. 
It makes me want to crawl back into bed and weep (and watch my netflix) and throw myself a pity party with two children in pajamas watching me.

Yes, yes they work hard. I agree. 

I guess may age is catching up with me along with my gray hair that  keeps sprouting new follicles (or taking over my old ones) and I just can't keep up with it all, especially with the status quo. Oh yes, there was a time I could or at least I thought I could but those days are all done with and over and buried too deep to dig up with this back of mine. 

Speaking of gray hair, the older I get and the more I see older woman I marvel about how they keep their hair so up kept. 
I can imagine them having their monthly salon trips to get their haired dyed, multi colored highlighted and trimmed (yes I'm a tad bit jealous.) 

I can barely afford the time or the money, so I opt for the six dollar box of dye that disappears in 28 washes because I'm too paranoid of using chemicals on my hair (I'm saving the chemicals for when I really need them.) 

And I've just plain given up on finding a hairdresser that can cut hair the way I'm looking for. I always seem to end up with the new girl who just finished salon school less then a month ago and who just happened to have an open spot that day and whom I don't have the heart to say anything to. 

Yes, it happens all too often to me.

And pedicures? Oy. Every time I attend my Bible Study I pray they don't ask me to take my shoes off because that will just happen to be the day I didn't get around to my toes or my husband didn't, I guess I should say. 

Who needs a pedicurist when you have a carpenter for a husband? Yep, give him some sand paper a bucket of hot, sudsy water and let him go to town on the feet (he likes it), but who am I kidding myself the salon pedicures are better and it makes me uneasy..sorry honey!

And what about the teeth whitening? and the exercise classes? and the new clothes and skinny jeans?! I wore skinny jeans once at church but had to do an incognito button release because my ovaries were just screaming for air. I do like skinny jeans though.   

#1 How to Keep Your Sanity-laugh, laugh, laugh!

So yes, six days shy of my thirty-eighth birthday (changing the topic here) and I'm driving my eight year old to his homeschool co-op (along with a four year old) in my car I purchased during my college years. That car should have seen the junk yard by now. They don't even make those cars anymore (I think). 

Usually  my husband drives it with all his tools crammed in it to work, but since he is working in a upscale, high end job he wanted the truck. 

So I caved. 

So there was I was at 8:30 in the morning praying it wouldn't rain because the husband told me the night before that yeah, the tires, are not so good and even in the rain they kind of slide. Of course he said all this with a smile on his face as he gave me a wink out of the corner of his eye, my mouth gaped open. (did I mention my husband has a.d.d.?). 

So there I am bounding along morning rush hour traffic, foot to the floor, wondering what that popping sound coming from the wheel is or that sound coming from the tire was and just praying under my breath the way my mother used to, "Dear Jesus please get us safely there and then Dear Jesus please get us safely home." The kids of course in the back having a ball. 

I tried not to think about what would happen if a car or my car just so lightly grazed another vehicle I'm sure it would disintegrate into fine pieces of orange, red, and brown flakes of rust. I didn't even think the horn worked or I was too scared to try it. And putting the visor down..unthinkable.

Then I tried to think positive and uplifting. I'm in the clunker everyone else will just stay away from me and avoid the car. Wishful thinking. They zoomed around me with sideways glances to which I smiled and white knuckled the steering wheel. 

Once we made it to co-op, the parking lot shined of wax and dollar signs as I meandered my car through the parking lot. I looked down and avoided the looks that I knew we're coming. Just smile. 

#2 How to Keep Your Sanity-Even when all is falling apart and looks bad around you and is not as it should be--smile.  

Once home (with a child in tow with itchy throat who went to the nurse twice), it was dinner. 

Potato soup. Yum. 

If I could only count how many potato soups and bean soups I've had in the past month it would be more than enough to make any person gag. But I'm grateful, because I do really like potato and bean soups and my niece really likes her under-armour clothes for her birthday (at least I hope she does.)

Anyways, flicking the wrist, peeling potatoes, when my itchy throat, eight year old saunders up to me his arm at his side, his voice low and gruff, 
"Anyone got any potatoes around here?"
"Huh?" 
I glance down at his side and notice the gleaming red and black plastic potato gun he'd gotten at awana the night before. I didn't even know they still made those. I didn't even know what to think except, "No way."

But of course I caved. And dinner was spent having small, kernel size, mushy pieces of potato being shot (no better word) at me as two boys shoved the gun into a potato, chasing each other around the kitchen. And the mess on the table was beyond reproach, but sometimes the biggest mess brings out the biggest moments..smile.

And it's just about time for me to do another ant walk through. Spring=ants=walk through of rooms, (we rent of course) because once they form a line it's just more work. So dinner, ants, and yes the gurgling sound coming from the shower drain after the toilets been flushed and the landlord needs to be told...again. 

So yes, I'm that woman. 

That woman who lives the above in a day and more. 

That woman who buys one set of white curtains for her dining room (really eat in kitchen) because she just can't afford the second one just yet and forgets about it and comes back months later to find it's no longer sold. That woman who forgets she needs extra milk because of that potato soup, who needs to tape the labels back on the spices so she knows what's what, the woman who needs to throw out the two empty bottles of jelly in her refrigerator, who needs to wash more clothes, who needs to loose more pounds, who needs to love a little bit more and love herself and the list goes on but bottom line.... 

#3 Love Who You Have and Who You Are and Forget the Status Quo.


Yes, so this is a day and tomorrow, Lord willing, will be a day just like it because how we learn to dance through the moments is how we learn to live life happy. And all the every day ordinary moments become our holy ground, our holy hallelujah places. 


Bonnie