Tag: gift

A Repeated Song of Thanks and Love, from mom

A giver of gifts, not my specialty.

Empty wallet, distant feet, words that struggle to leave my heart to speak.

For each of my children, if you could take an imaginary ride through my veins, you would witness my mind reciting thankful strains,

a heart bulging with inexpressible love,

and through each vessel, your name resounding in your mama’s blood.

My child, you are knit to me.

With lack, and loss, and struggles, and pains, I seek to think on an abundant theme:

God the Father, Jesus, His Son, and the Holy Spirit—God is love.

He’s the Beginning, He’s the End. He saved me, remade me, fills me new, time and time again.

He’s my “same old” song on my one-stringed guitar. He’s my note that hammers and slides, with added harmonics.

The bread, His body, broken for me, the blood that was shed on Calvary, He bid me to come to His Table one day, that I might leave with Him every guilt and every stain.

The Table is where I gave Him my all.

He faithfully re-created me. He told me, “I will not let you fall.”

Following His grace notes, He’s added more strings.

God is blessed with family. The struggle for unity, harmony,  and joy each one knows.

I give you Jesus. He’s the wine never ending, the Bread, the beauty a Rose.

The invitation comes from the King of all Kings. His word is true, He’s hope. He’s life. He’s deliverance. He’s rest.

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–” (1)

Jesus is the name above every name. He never changes, never leaves, He forgives, He believes, . . .

in you.

Always.

He is faithful. Of Him only, this is true.

He’s your keeper, your healer. He breaks down every wall. He’s present. He’s patient.  He’s  power, and  peace.

He was spat on, beat, abused. He was hated.  He knows your every thought, good, bad, and weighted. He accepts you. He’s perfect,

so the best gift I could ever give to you my daughters and sons, (apart from the first birth, many years ago), I can offer you Jesus, for a new birth, right now, right here,

that daily we can share His world together with new eyes and new ears, and we grow in His grace and His knowledge for all eternity’s years.

Talk to Him now, read His word daily. Love floods in like a symphony’s song . . .

I love you forever, my sons and daughters, oh, but He loves you most, more than any other,

for now and forever,

I am a thankful mom.

(1) John 1:12

 

 

"Trusting God is always the right thing to do." A happy birthday note to David.

“Trusting God is always the right thing to do.”
It might not always look like the “smartest” thing to do, but as each day dawns, if we seek the Lord with a yielded heart, doing the best we can, slippin’ and slidin’ along the way, He is our support.
His Hand is our hope and stay.
He offers grace, “unmerited favor,” and mercy, “not giving us what we deserve.” God is a faithful Father.
And God spoke from heaven in Luke 9:35, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”

There was a day I heard God say those words to me, so I spend time each day trying to do just that – to “hear Him”
 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14.
Perhaps I’ll spend my lifetime discovering what this verse is all about. But today I write because we celebrate the birthday of my 9th child, David.
Happy Birthday David! How can you actually be 17 years old today?
Born in the year 2000, I will never have to stop and do math to figure out your age. My 2000 baby.
David, you are such a blessing. Words could never express.
From the beginning, well, you did have a bit of a rough beginning, at least from my point of view – you were my biggest baby of the 11 at 8lbs 14 oz.
But for you, it was probably wonderful to be breathing well at birth because you had the chord wrapped around your neck during delivery. Thanks to the best midwife on the planet, Marylou Nalducci,
and our Lord Jesus, (who was watching out for you then and is watching out for you now,)
you recovered it all. The purple blue face for the first few days, all the prodding from the Neonatologist, the tests. And then later, coming home to a houseful of kids who couldn’t wait to hold you.
It is days like this when you can say with a heart skipping with joy, “It is always right to trust the Lord.”
And now to think, you will be approaching your Senior year in high school. And smart as can be. No damage done in that rough beginning, that’s for sure.
“Thank you Lord.”
David, 17 years later your mom and dad will still tell you, “It’s always right to trust the Lord.” We might not always say it with an outward “skip and a hop,” in our voice, but with a deep resound.
But God has shown himself faithful daily. To you, to me, to our entire family. That is why your mom and dad love the Lord so much David. Because He loves us first.
And He blessed us on June 3 with you! “Trusting God is always the right thing to do!”
But you have experienced and seen for yourself, in the 17 young years of your life, that “trusting God” in life is a bit like a marathon. It has it’s ups and downs and dizzy spells and muscle aches.
Sometimes “trusting God” just plain hurts. Especially if you feel you are on mile 17 of the run, or again on mile 26, with rubber knees and bleeding toes! ( I wouldn’t know from running specifically.)
But experientially, your mom and dad can say, David, It’s always right to trust the Lord. You see, He is the One who directs your steps through the rough terrain and the smooth.
He’s there at the beginning. He waits for us to believe. He hears us when we bleed. He helps us persevere. And in Him, He helps us succeed.
Seek His face as you wake. Hear His voice in His word. Talk to Him throughout your day.
Trust God. He is faithful. Always.
David, before you get out of bed, take a hold of your Father’s hand – your Father in heaven, and follow His lead. He will show you the way.
I love you, forever,
mom
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.“ Proverbs 3:5,6.
“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.“ Psalm 62:8.
“Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?” Deuteronomy 10:12-13.

brown paper wrapping with a scarlet chord

brown paper wrapping with a scarlet chord, amidst sparkling and glitter and silver and gold.
not chosen first. often chosen last – but when the gifts are all broken, all tired and worn, then on a lonely, cold night, the plain wrapping comes in sight.
Finally a curious glance at the scarlet red chord – and the question,”What’s it all for?”
To choose to pick up the package of brown, and loosen the scarlet chord tied around, feels uncomfortable, even painful in part. As if it’d be easier to simply quit, and not make a new start.
“I’m hungry. I’m in the dark. I don’t know which way to go. I need some guidance. I need a new life. I need breath -it’s time to grow.”
So, the choice is finally made, to take hold of the scarlet thread, and unloose the Gift that was given, of the Story that I’d only known, … in my head.
Great discovery was made – the boring package – magnificent – water and light and a sword for the fight. Gold and pure. Dispelling the lies.
God really cares. Even when I cared-less. When I refused to listen to His gentleness.
When I chose not to believe, and He wrote, “I believe in you.” With nail prints in His hands, He said, “I – believe – in you.” No matter what you do, I have paid your debt.  I Am truth.”
Now what? what do I do?
The package in brown, in Scarlet chord all around, is a mystery revealed in the pages of the Book.
Who wants to surrender against their own selfish will? “No one.” Is the answer. But He laid down His life on the cross. His is the example. Be still and know – He is God, and I am not. The Gift seems less, but it’s most. It’s not as I thought.
Jesus waits and watches: “Will they receive Me? Or will they not?”
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, …” Jeremiah 29:11-14.
I am the bread of life. John 6:35 and 48. I am the light, John 9 verse 5. 
I am the resurrection and the life, John 11: 25.
I am the good shepherd. John chapter 10. I am the door. John 10 verse 11.
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7 verse 7.
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.
Do you believe this?” John 11:25 and  26.
“Will you receive Me?” Can you hear Jesus asking?