Hurray Failure!

To know me is to love me

for the outcome I inspire;

I am the final straw to feed

your motivating fire.

I will show up and you will not

think very much of me,

but I will pave the road for

your new opportunity.

The tricky catch that makes me worth

the trouble I will cause,

is that I’ll make you vulnerable

as I expose your flaws.

The only way you will accept

my ever-present knock

is if you pass through brokenness

and then begin to walk

each step through dark and deep

completely buoyed by God’s grace;

His hand of mercy holding yours,

your eyes upon His face.

My work for you is not to make

you quit, give up, or leave.

I’m coffee! Wake up! See His Grace

for you to just receive.

~ae

“To know that (my children) WILL fail, and that their brokenness is not an end,

but an opportunity to turn to Christ and receive grace from Him.” 

~6 Way Intersection

Days of Discouragement

Lackluster senses,

Monotonous brain.

Nothing entices,

Activities drain.

No calling to hunger,

nor cause to get dressed.

No reason for feeling

this down or depressed.

Confusing to children,

For husband a wall;

The blessings of life

seem too hard to recall.

Days of discouragement

tend to distill

each impulsive mood

and impoverished will

by drawing attention

to hopeless despair...

But thankfulness summons

the courage to care.

Simplistic reminders,
small whispers of hope,

breathe living reminders

for power to cope.

Recalling each joy

gives assurance new shoes.

Thankful obedience

can drive out the blues.

~ae


What are you thankful for?

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 

Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men.

The Lord is near.

Be anxious for nothing,

but in everything by prayer and supplication 

with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God.”

~ Philippians 4:4-6

Treasures Pondered

   My memories of excitement and anticipation when the time was near for each of our babies to be born are intermingled with vivid recollections of confusion, discomfort, distraction, awkwardness and impatience. 

   Last minute arrangements for the children, loading backpacks with clothes, toothbrushes, storybooks and favorite stuffed animals, repeated explanations of the course of events on a toddler’s level of comprehension, one extremely overjoyed and slightly nervous husband, the feelings of nausea, a troublesome pinched sciatic nerve, the ever-present backache and, to top it all off, labor pains. 

   Mary rode on a donkey.

  

   Our baby came home to a safe, comfortable, sanitary house with warm blankets and no cat litter boxes within ten miles. 

   Mary’s baby was born among dirt, hay and animal waste, warmed by the heavy breath of curious domesticated animals, wrapped in hastily gathered cloth normally used for wrapping the dead.

   Of course, then there were the well wishing friends and relatives, people from church bringing amazingly delicious casseroles and treats for the children, and a trip to the airport to pick up Mom! 

   Mary was far from home, family and friends, many of whom had rejected her for becoming pregnant as she did.  Unfamiliar men, astounded and prompted by a large gathering of angels, walked down from the hillside to adore her child.  Foreign dignitaries brought unique, expensive gifts which seemed out of context.  The town was extremely crowded and inexpensive food was difficult to obtain.

   In the wee hours, as the family slept, I arose quietly to feed and rock our baby, gently humming songs of praise to the Giver of Life.  These treasured moments of nurturing remain highlights of my entire experience as a mother.

   Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

   Mary and I each gave birth, witnessed the first breath of new life, nurtured and cared for our tiny helpless infants, received tidings of joy from very special people, and were amazed at the nearness and intimacy with which nothing else could ever compare.

   Did Mary know that her tiny precious newborn would be my baby’s Life as well?  Perhaps…

~ae

"But Mary treasured all these, pondering them in her heart.” 
~Luke 2:19

Storm

   My older sons decided that I resemble Storm, an Anime character.  You see, Storm has a really amazing gray streak of hair that swooshes to one side from above her forehead. 

   Not being familiar with this Storm woman, I asked if this was a bad thing.  “No, Mom!  We like it.”

   Proverbs 16:31 says “A gray head is a crown of glory; it is found in the way of righteousness.”

   Why ladies must feel they should prevent or get rid of any evidence of aging is a point of curiosity.  Apparently there is a perception that gray hair is not socially acceptable, a stark contrast to the honor and wisdom portrayed in God’s Word.

   There is evidence that gray hair can occur as a result of stress, trauma or tragedy.  There are countless other physiological responses to these events as well as the transformed top knot.  But somehow, gray hair seems to carry the brunt of the responsibility simply because of its obvious location. 

   Consider the children’s perspective as they listen to their mother talk as if they are to blame for this change of her hair color.  On the contrary, this transformation could have easily been as a result of heridity.  The children are presented with an inadvertent but clearly defined expectation to respond to this sarcasm, internally, by accepting the blame.   

   A more wholesome solution to this unnecessarily conjured issue would be to value the richness of this life station and the indications which accompany it.

   In the process of taking the advancing of years in stride, it is less expensive, monitarily and relationally, to stick with God’s plan; the coming Storm!

Motherhood ~ An Introduction

   Motherhood...  Ever since Cain and Able started arguing and provoking each other in the back seat of Eve’s mini-van, mothers throughout the ages have threatened to pull over, remove privileges, and even… *gasp*… well, just read Proverbs 23:13.

   Our family is no exception.  After our older children became adults, they had a good laugh together as they recalled each picking one of my favorite exclamations, then arguing until I shouted, “Stop it!”, at which point the winner (who had picked “stop it”) would feel quite smug, and the losers would be… losers.

   A friend, who is a young mother, recently asked that I blog my experiences as a mom.  This is truly an honor and a privilege.  Without any claim to perfection in parenting skills, my writings will be based on experiences and lessons learned. 

   In order to establish a premise for this blog, the following information reflects a humbly grateful heart. Over the course of the twenty-nine years in which my husband and I have been married, we have had seventeen children placed in our care:  six birth children, two unborn children, and nine foster children.  In recent years, an additional son-in-law and two grandchildren have entered our hearts and, as often as possible, our home.

   My prayer is that this blog will offer encouragement, reflect Jesus’ love, and revel in the joy of being a mom.

What Do Our Children Need From Us?

Following are notes from a recent parenting think-tank time with my husband.  It has been helpful over the years to periodically review the basic needs of our children as they grow through the stages of development and as our family dynamics change...

Prayer

Food, shelter, warmth, health care, time

Date nights

For mom and dad to have date nights

To see us in unity and to have a grounded security

A church home

Family devotions

Friends

To be listened to

To have hopes supported and schooling encouraged – to know it matters

To read

To develop the ability to write well

To learn about budgeting

To feel like we are on their side

To learn to view life from others’ perspectives

To begin making more decisions on their own

To think about how to be a good friend

To think about what kind of men/women they will be

To think about how to be a good husband/wife, a good father/mother

To be encouraged in who God made them to be

To learn hunting, fishing and hiking safety

To spend time with dad

The Source of Contentment

Contentment is dependant

Upon the source in which it lies.

Can one find happiness in

A multitude of enterprise?

Perhaps wealth or position?

Attainment of a lofty goal?

Obtaining independence?

Functioning well within one’s role?

The value of contentment

Reflects the source from which it came.

Therefore, to test its value,

One must remove the source by name.

Observe lack of contentment

In sudden change of circumstance,

Poor health or lost position,

Rejection of a cash advance.

Alas, bitterness enters

With expectations unfulfilled.

The seed of discontentment

Implants itself, begins to build

Upon the void left open

Where happiness did once reside,

And desperately one reaches,

Another source to put inside.

The only true contentment

Reflects the source from which it came.

And having firm foundation,

It does not move; it stays the same.

Though countless changes happen,

It is impossible to take

Away this true contentment,

Even with life itself at stake.

Where does one find the source of

Contentment in the midst of strife?

The Saviour, the Creator,

The Source… the Way, the Truth, the Life.

~ae    12/18/2000