"A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE"

PERSPECTIVE: a particular attitude 

toward or way of regarding something,

a point of view. 

Nestled high on a top shelf of my walnut stained kitchen cabinet, tucked neatly in the corner... stands a stack of cups representing the evidence that "little people" have been present in this home.  Normally when I open this cabinet and peer inside, when this colorful stack enters my peripheral view, sadness washes over me like the sprinkles of a hot shower.  Sadness because these belong to grandchildren who are many miles away, literally the other side of the world in Thailand.  Today when they caught my eye... I looked at them with a "new perspective"! 

You see, most often I focus on the fact that the grandchildren are not here... that warm hugs are only shared years apart... that they are growing up so quickly without my being an active part of many of their activities... that seeing them comes in the form of skype calls or pictures sent... that when Kate (the youngest) says: "Nanny hold me" or "I want to come to your house" I have to turn my head so she doesn't see the tears fall... that when Jackson says: "Nanny, I can smell you" I long for him to be able to snuggle close and smell my perfume for real not just in his memory... that when Sophie says: "Come to my house tomorrow" I have to answer: "Oh Sophie, Nanny would love to come to your house... that the 845 Pins to my "Kid and Grandma Fun" Pinterest Board lay dormant till "furlough time"... and the list could go on and on.

Awwww... but TODAY, when I looked at that colorful stack - I smiled :)  I looked at them as evidence of GOD'S BLESSING on my life.  He has given me the awesome privilege of being a "NANNY"... of being loved by three little people who no matter how many miles they are away think that I am truly special... that I can come up with awesome experiments (some duds too) and fun things to do... that I am "fluffy" which makes me good to snuggle with... that I can sing silly songs (way off key)... I can read funny books and do crazy motions and sound effects with them... that PaPaw and I have a collection of cool toys stored just for them when they come to our house... that I have the privilege of daily praying for them... that even the sound of their voice makes me smile... that there is not a day goes by that I don't think of them... that I praise God they are healthy and have such unique little personalities all of their own... TODAY, THAT STACK OF CUPS BROUGHT... THANKSGIVING!

Our "PERSPECTIVE" is determined not so much by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life; not so much by what happens to us, but by the way our mind looks at what happens.

Our bodies respond and react to the input from our minds.  If we feed our minds with doubt, negativity, "woe is me," discouragement, or "stinkin' thinkin'" (as our son-in-law Jeff would say)... that is precisely the kind of day we will experience.  Thoughts positive or negative, grow stronger when fertilized with constant repetition!  

Look for the BLESSINGS amongst the trials... IT IS "A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE!"

Philippians 4:8 KJV

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

"AWE THE WONDER"

"Filled with wonder, awe struck wonder, 
At the mention of Your name. 
Jesus Your name is power, 
Breath and living water, 
Such a marv'lous mystery." 
(Revelation Song Lyrics)

Isn't it just wonderful when The Lord jiggles you awake at 2:00 AM just to spend time with you?  It is 3:10AM now and I just had to pen some of my ponderings.  

Above are a portion of the lyrics to the "Revelation" Song.  I have shared with friends the fact that the last few Sundays in our worship service... I have set and wept at the mere thought of what I see The Lord doing around me.  Things that I have prayed about for years being transformed before my very eyes, not because of me... but probably in spite of me and my feeble attempts to make them happen.  Usually when I am awakened at this hour I feel lead to pray for special needs that I have been made aware of, or people who God places on my mind at that given time.  Tonight I did that very thing but then just sat back in "AWE" and praise of the mighty God that I love and serve.

I never want to lose the "WONDER"!

wonder  [ wúndər ]  amazed admiration or awe - something marvelous: a miracle or other cause of intense admiration - extraordinarily good: exciting admiration or amazement by virtue of being outstandingly good, effective, or unusual

Synonyms: surprise, astonishment, awe, amazement, admiration, incredulity

Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.  (Psalm 40:5)

GUEST TOWELS

It seems as if the Wolfe house guest bedroom has been a "revolving door" as of late.  There is nothing like company... friends and family coming to share a few days of visiting.  Talk, laugh, sit under the pecan tree, share meals together, just "catch up" unhindered by time.  We have had the pleasure to entertain my friend Susan and her son Benjamin (just to love on and minister to), Steve's Parents along with Brother Ed and his wife Suzanne (a long overdue visit & blueberry pickin'), and our dear friends the Feuquays (spent cherished days before moving).  In preparation for our "honored guests" the main bathroom in our home is prepared for it's new occupants.  Sparkling clean, scentsy warmer emitting aromatic fragrance, and fresh linens await.

I don't know about you but in our "guest bathroom" hang "guest towels"!  You know, the ones that no one is allowed to use.  Well, in ours hang plush black towels that took eons to find just the perfect ones.  Also, I am sure that you are aware of the fact that when black is laundered... fuzz attracts and is almost impossible to remove.  I say all of that to say... our "guest towels" are not even used by "guests".  

It is a case of "look but don't touch"!  It is even a humorous issue between Steve and I that he takes great pleasure teasing me about.  What brought all of this to mind was, I read a funny bathroom sign yesterday which said:  "Guest towels are to be used by guests, non-guests will please dry their hands on their clothes." ... Snicker!

So ridiculous are the material things that we place value on... no one worthy of its use.  I am so thankful that when I come into the presence of our Lord... nothing good is off limits... "no good thing" does He withhold.

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield:  the LORD will give grace and glory:  no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."  
(Psalm 84:11) 

A "SANCTIFIED" MARY

It seems that i have so little time to blog anymore but something happened this week that I had to record.  When you read the title you will think that maybe I am referring to a "well known" Mary... maybe Mary the Mother of Jesus, or Mary Magdelene whom Jesus cast seven demons out of, or possibly Mary of Bethany (the sister of Lazarus and Martha) who loved learning the teachings of our Lord.  Oh but no, the Mary that I am referring to is just the opposite of all the above... the Mary I am referring to is an atheist.  Let me explain:

On Wednesday Evenings a very special friend and I go to the local women's homeless shelter to do a Bible Study with the ladies presently living there.  You can't help but build a bonding relationship with these precious women.  There is a particular resident there named Amanda.  This past Wednesday Night she looked at me and asked if I was "kin to" a Mary __________ that lived in _____________.  After some pondering on my part, I replied:  "Not that I am aware of, why do you ask?"  She then proceeded to tell me about a dear friend of hers (named Mary) that I reminded her so much of.  She told me that she had prayed for this friend for many years because she was an atheist.  She then said something that I have rehearsed over and over in mind since... "I am going to have to take a picture of you and that big smile you always have on your face, send it to her and tell her that this is what she would look like if she knew the Lord... A SANCTIFIED MARY."

I do not know this Mary (this look-a-like of mine) and will probably never meet her face to face, but the Lord knows exactly who she is.  I'm asking that you join me in praying that Mary will truly one day soon, be sanctified.

(Acts 20:32)  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace,  

which is able to build you up , and to give you an inheritance among all them 

which are sanctified . 

(Acts 26:18)   To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from 

the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and  

inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 

(1 Corinthians 6:11)   And such were some of you: but ye are washed , but ye are  

sanctified , but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and  

by the Spirit of our God.

THE CRIES OF A MOTHER'S HEART

So it seems as if it has been forever since I shared my heart with my "blog followers"!  Good intentions often are interrupted by life it's self... and times passes by.  Then something happens and we remember the safe spot where in the past we have shared musings and others have listened.  Even if there is no audience - there are times that I just need to record my thoughts.

For three years, my son has pedaled a bicycle. I've witnessed 25,000 miles of asphalt and tears mix, evaporating him into a shell of the son I once knew, down at least 50 pounds from where he began. 

Uncertain of where he was "pedaling to" or "pedaling from," my heart ached that I couldn't wrap him in my arms like momma's do when they are "little boys" and fix his broken heart. His dad and I witnessed one who once was the "life of the party" go to saddened silence.  He ceased talking, he ceased caring, he ceased laughing, but what he did do was grab a pencil and bleed his soul into pieces of paper. 

I dare say, since the day Stephen was born, I've prayed diligently that the Lord would find favor within him and use him for His good and His glory. I've wept oh so many tears watching my son 'run', wondering if God was listening, if my prayers had fallen mute, failing to remember that we trained up a child in the way he should go, and in the end, he will not depart from it. I think God allowed Stephen to throw his temper tantrum, to lose his balance, to get lost, because the joy in being found is a joy unspeakable, but also, the experience of feeling 'hopeless' can reach the masses.  The "I've been there" experiences that opens the ears of the deaf that brokenness has muted.

Stephen has never once came to Steve (my husband) or I and asked for help, he simply pedaled away the memory, but I knew however he chose to deal with his pain was justified - I merely needed to be an encourager, a constant source of love.

Stephen occasionally would come to me with shreds of paper with thoughts and stories he had written. My heart would shatter reading and listening because the way of his pen was so dark, defeated. Little did I realize he was garnering an audience with these writings from others who seemingly could not put similar thoughts into words. Stephen became their voice, their chance of reason, their platform to be heard - as I've heard described - 'Stephen enters their mind, and pulls the words they couldn't say off their tongues.' 

Fast-forward to this afternoon, and I would be honored to say that my son has stopped pedaling... He has not, however, I have witnessed a healing that just months ago, I was unsure would ever take place. But beyond his healing, those shreds of paper that shredded my own heart, were helping heal others in a world I couldn't entertain. Suicide, cutters, mental health disorderlies, don't belong in the church, our "legalized" Christianity teaches us, but here my son was ministering unto the least of these. 

Stephen began this journey with a notebook - in his words, that notebook is 'a collection of receipts of stolen souls imprinted in his mind, branded on his heart.' In my words, it's the work of my Savior helping my son find his way "Home".

This is my shameless plug to all my friends to like his page - it is new, it has just been launched, but it is his prayer within the coming days and months that this page will be a community of love, focused on breaking the silence on suicide, self-harm, mental health and beyond. Tentatively to be out this fall, his journey, his journal, he's titled: 'Beautiful Sprinkled, Speckled, Spackled Snails'  will be published and released!!

https://www.facebook.com/BeautifulSprinkledSpeckledSpackledSnails 

THROUGH RAGING WATERS

Today I was thinking how so many times we face trials that seem to be as raging waters trying to consume our very being.  During these testings in my own life... I have seen God choose to calm those raging seas, or part them so that I could pass through on dry ground, unscathed by the tempest that roared around me, unmarred by the mud that I trod upon.  But then there are other times such as now... that He chooses that I go through those furious torrents... waves of testing all around, batting me to and fro as a ship with no anchor nor sail.  All the while in the midst of the tempest I hear Him softly whisper to me:

"When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Fear not: for I am with thee:"  (Isaiah 43: 2 & 5a)

STICKS and STONES

Today I read this quote from Paul Sevillano... "Sticks and stones may break my bones... But words can tear apart, and break my heart."  It took me back to my childhood days when we would use a similar statement to ward off bullies and their unkind words... "Sticks and stones may break my bones... But words can never hurt me!"  Even then "words" may have not caused physical pain - but I dare say there are few to be found that "words" did not cause lasting wounds that even time has not healed.  I also recently read a statement that said... "Be careful with your words, once they are said, they can be only forgiven, not forgotten."

I wonder if that is not why in Proverbs 18:21a the Bible says:  "Death and life are in the power of the tongue:" or James 3:8 which says:  "But the tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

As I ponder the power of words to lift up or tear down... encourage or discourage... bring joy or despair... repair or destroy, I am ever more cautious in what I say and how I listen to the "words" around me.

STICKS, STONES, AND WORDS

CAN DEEPLY HURT US!

Santa for The Lord

Painting by:  Artist Michael Garland 1996

Today I joined the masses... looking for fun things to surprise my family with under the tree.  My daughter Jessie, son Stephen Jr., son-in-law Jeff, and "adopted into the family" daughter Jodie... all have outgrown the "Santa stage" and usually it is best to allow them to pick-out gifts, tell me what they want, or give them gift cards or money!  That pressure I have succumbed to... but still insist on a couple of things unexpected to make them smile.

I think one of the most exciting and magical traditions of the Christmas season is gift-giving.  Beautiful packages wrapped in brightly colored paper with bows and ribbons are placed beneath the Christmas tree, to be shook, squeezed, rattled, and guessed at it's contents.  Each gift under the tree offers a blessing, both to the recipient and the giver.  The custom of giving gifts began even before the wise men brought gifts to Baby Jesus.  The Romans gave gifts that symbolized specific blessings.  If one received a gift of sweets, it was a wish for good things for the coming year.  A gift of a lamp ensured light and warmth, while small presents of gold and silver symbolized a blessing of wealth and prosperity.

Today I read these verses in Matthew 25:37-40 (KJV)

"Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

These verses challenged me to pause in the midst of my Christmas hustle and bustle... and consider ways that I can reach out to others and make their lives better.  There is always something we can do --- whether it's prepare a meal for a family struggling financially, share toys with a child, or spend time with someone who is alone.  The size of the gift doesn't matter - it's the love behind the gift that matters.  I once again had to stop and ask myself this question, "What has God placed in my hand today... that was meant to be shared with someone else... and not kept for myself...???  My desire is to be used as a "Santa for The Lord," blessing the lives of others ! ! !  Can you imagine how different Christmas would be if each of us found one person to bless... can you imagine how different we would be?

Dear Lord, are there those that You would have me to reach out to this Christmas Season?  Show me, I'll be watching... Speak to me, I'll be listening... Guide me, I'll follow.  AMEN 

It's not about the Presents.... but the Presence

As Christmas is approaching... and I - like most everyone else, am scrambling to purchase that perfect gift for those that I love.  For a couple of years Christmas was a very sad time for me.  In 2008 my sister & I lost our mom and a few days before she died... our daughter Jessica and her family left the U.S. to serve on the Mission Field in Thailand.  Those losses... took their toll. 

Now, over 3 years later... I am looking to Christmas with anticipation.  For

Our Grandchildren:  Sophie, Caroline, Jackson

myself though... It's not about the Presents... but the Presence.  There were years that "getting" that perfect gift was exciting and Steve and others have given me some very special gifts... but the older I get - I can honestly say - there is NOTHING that I want that can be wrapped.  The "presence" of family and friends and their well-being - are the most precious gifts of all.  To have Steve, my children, and grandchildren, Lord willing, with me this December 25th will be enough and worth more than anything "money" can buy.  The only thing that could even begin to make it better is the "presence" of more family and friends, and health and healing for some very special people in my life!

I can't help but feel that way about the Lord also.  He has blessed me with many things (blessings) over the years but... It's not about His Presents that He gives... It's about His Presence in my life that is most important.  I don't want to live one minute that His Presence is not with me... leading and guiding my everyday!

(Psalm 139:1-7)  "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?"        

Don't RUSH the SEASON

Today while I was out doing my Thanksgiving Dinner shopping... I was a little confused as to the Holiday we are about to celebrate.  The Salvation Army bell ringers were out and wishing those of us who dropped money in their little red buckets... Merry Christmas.  Poinsettias greeted me stacked like a Christmas Tree when I entered the store's double automated doors... Christmas stocking stuffers and Christmas candy lined several aisles... and Christmas music was playing in the Electronics Department.  As I walked through the Ladies Apparel the first article of clothing was a festive Red Sweater with candy-canes dancing on it's bodice... then peeking through the Men's Department, I was faced with "Santa Boxers"... and Rudolph "red nose" socks.  

I looked at my list and checked it twice to make sure what I was shopping for!  Stuffing... Gravy... Sweet Potatoes... etc.  Yep, I'm here because of Thanksgiving!

I'm not being a scrooge... I LOVE CHRISTMAS... but just haven't got that "Jingle Bell" spirit as of yet!  Also if you have... I'm not knocking it!  I just want to savor Thanksgiving first - then I'll prepare to "deck the halls" and bring out the Christmas decor.

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."  (Psalm 100:4)