Reconciliation

I love it when God uses my interactions with my children to help me understand HIM better.

Saturday night Joshua and I got into it with each other. He was giving me all kinds of attitude about his chores, wouldn't listen to me or do what I was asking, and I was angry. He finally yelled at me about being annoying and stomped off to his room.
I.was.so.angry! It isn't like I was asking him to do anything that difficult. And he's been driving me nuts lately with his attitude and refusal to obey. I told him (in a very loud voice) that I realize he's a teenager now, he's growing up and desiring independence. BUT, I said, I am still the parent and he is still the child - and he needs to obey. (That's when he yelled at me about being annoying...)

I stood then, in the kitchen, feeling like I couldn't wait for the next five years to fly by. Realizing I don't really want it to be that way. In my anger I didn't want to have to deal with Joshua or his attitude anymore. But in my heart I want to love my son and have a peaceful relationship with him.
And I prayed God would work in his heart.

Within the hour, Joshua came out to where I was and apologized for yelling at me. I could tell from his face and his tone of voice, he was sincere. He says he's "sorry" for things all the time, but you know he doesn't mean it. This incident was not one of those times. And I extended forgiveness to him.
In that moment, my heart changed toward Joshua. I truly was not angry anymore. I knew that I love my son, and that would never change. It was beautiful.
He went back to his room to do whatever, and I pondered what had taken place in my heart. That's when I realized God had just given me a picture of our relationship with Him. Just like my son's sincere apology brought reconciliation to the two of us, our confession and repentance reconciles us with God. I was no longer angry, and in the same way God turns His wrath away.

What a gift that was! I knew the condition of my heart, the way I felt about and saw my son. How much more does God take delight when we return to Him! I am so thankful for the blood of Jesus which makes that reconciliation possible!

Trapped!

Fishing season is pretty much over and Joshua has found a new interest to obsess over occupy his time. (Though he does make an occasional trip to the pond with his poles. *grin*)

Now he's into trapping.

He dug a hole in the back corner of our yard and put our cooler in it. He rigged up weights on the lid - which is propped open with a stick, and put a peanut butter sandwich inside. Thought he could catch himself a raccoon with this little trap!
When I found out what he was doing I was reluctant to let it go on. What was he going to do with the raccoon if/when he caught it? Why was he using the cooler? Surely a raccoon would shred the insides with it's claws! What's the point, anyway?
But then I observed him thinking and theorizing about the trap, and I was quite impressed.
*The weights fell off the lid, so he came up with another way to attach them.
*When he checked the trap one morning the sandwich was gone but the lid was still up. So he tried to come up with ways to make sure the lid could be held up, which was also sensitive enough to make sure it was able to be knocked down.
*He was thinking and asking questions and trying new ideas.
And suddenly I realized I didn't really care if the inside of the cooler got scratched up. We hardly ever use it, anyway.

I don't really expect him to trap a raccoon. But I think it is wonderful to see Joshua caught up in thinking, creating, evaluating, and re-working his theories. Ahhhh. Seems he has trapped himself into learning. And he likes it!

How Does HE Look?

Lessons From the Edge

A sense of humor lasts a lifetime.

Spending time with the folks at Edgewood has given me ample opportunity to hear funny jokes and share laughter. Indeed, though their bodies have grown old, most of the residents hold on to their sense of humor.
And this week, one gentleman told me a joke I simply cannot NOT share with you.

An old man went to see his doctor about a problem he was having with his ear.
"It feels like there's something clogging my ear, Doc. And I can't figure it out."
After examining the man, his doctor said, "Oh! I see. You have a suppository stuck in your ear."
The man thought for a moment and then chuckled. "Well. I guess that explains what happened to my hearing aid!"

R was very proud of himself for telling me that joke. I think he laughed even longer than I did. Perhaps he was laughing at me? *wink*
Whatever the case, I don't mind. It just makes me smile to think of the fun people have telling jokes - even when they've been doing it for 70 or 80 or 90 or more years!

A sense of humor lasts a lifetime.

Today I'm Over at Mel's World

Last month I met Melissa Mashburn face-to-face. (I was absolutely delighted to make her acquaintance.) And today she is hosting me on her blog.

Please join me over there as we talk about desiring God, through an excerpt from my book, Finding Joy.

Living Thankful

My friend Leah is being intentional about thankfulness. Living Thankful for 30 Days. I love that idea, so today I am linking up with her and focusing on being thankful, too.
It's kind of funny because yesterday - just moments before I read about Leah's thankful journey - I experienced the blessing of being thankful.
I had become very frustrated in the process of getting Matthew up and out the door. Pokey, pokey, pokey. How a person can move so slow and become so distracted, I will NEVER understand! But he made it to the bus stop on time and as I sat down to eat my breakfast I thanked God for that little miracle. I thanked Him for the quiet house and the moment of peace when I could be still. I thanked Him for His faithfulness and goodness to me. I found myself thanking Him for more things which kept coming to my mind. And then I realized something.
I was no longer irritated and full of frustration.
And I think that is the blessing of being thankful. As we focus on God's faithfulness to us; as we look for the things in our lives which are good; as we bless God's heart by giving thanks to Him, HE blesses us by changing ours.
I used to think it was rather hypocritical to try being thankful in the middle of frustration, but now I see things differently. God is good whether my circumstances are making me happy, or not. And when I give thanks, God - in His goodness - changes me.
Indeed, Living Thankful is the way to go!

Ker-plunk!

If ever I thought something would bring the world to an end, this was it.

Joshua walked into the house one day last week in tears. I asked what was wrong but I couldn't understand what he was saying. So I asked again. And I couldn't believe what I heard.

Joshua had dropped his phone into a pond while he was fishing.
He didn't mean to. He was just putting it into his pocket and thought it was safe, but the phone slipped out, fell onto the dock and quickly slid right into the water. And he was devastated.
To fully appreciate this boy's devastation, you need to understand how precious that phone was to him. He'd kept notes on it of all his fishing catches - kinds, lengths, and weights. He had pictures of all the fish he has caught. He had "over 100" contacts. And now it was gone. All gone. Sitting in the bottom of a mucky pond.
Though he tried twice to retrieve it with various nets, there was no way that phone was going to be recovered.

The poor kid couldn't bring himself to eat dinner. He was absolutely beside himself. And I was torn with how to respond.
On the one hand, I wanted to convince him the world was NOT going to end. I wanted to rush in and comfort him and remind him everything was going to be OK. But I knew that wasn't what he wanted to hear at the moment. Joshua seemed to want to just be alone, and though leaving him alone went completely against my nature, I knew that was the thing to do. I just hoped by leaving him alone I wasn't communicating that I didn't care. *sigh*

As the evening progressed Joshua began to calm down. The three of us (Brian, Joshua and I) made a plan for how he could get a new phone. And by the time I was saying good-night to him, Joshua was able to say that he wasn't as upset as he had originally been. At that point we were able to talk about the reality that a cell phone in the bottom of a pond does not equate to the end of the world. Joshua had utilized the time alone to reason on his own, and to come to his own conclusion that life would go on.
He didn't need me to tell him.
He didn't need me to swoop in and save the day.
He simply needed that space to think things through.
And though I had been a reluctant observer, in the end I sure was glad I'd given him space.

Argh. There is no end to the learning curve of motherhood, is there!?

By the Grace of God

Lessons From the Edge

Look out for one another.

In a world where people tend to consider their own interests as of greater importance than anyone else's, it is so refreshing to know women like D.
D moved into Edgewood about a month ago. At first she was very timid - not sure where to go, or what to do - but now she seems to have found her place. And it is wonderful to see.

D is a helper and an encourager.

She is a regular at exercise class and I frequently see her helping other residents, either by handing them a cup of water or helping them adjust their weights.
Tuesday I came upon her talking to another resident who has trouble remembering things. D has trouble with that, too, and she was showing this other woman how she keeps track of activities with her calendar. B was so grateful for the idea!
And Wednesday when I went into the dining room to make announcements, D called me over to her table. One of the residents who usually sits there was missing, and D wanted me to check on her.

That's just the way D is. She is happiest when she's caring for others. Oh, she has her own problems and aches & pains - especially her hip right now - but her greatest concern seems to be the well-being of her friends and neighbors.

While some would say we need to look out for Number One, D has chosen a different path. And I, for one, think her path is better. Let us choose to look out for one another.

I Am Not. Am I?

So the other night I asked Elizabeth to bring my bag of scrap-booking stuff upstairs. She had been using it to make cards (several months ago) and it just never got returned to me. She went down to get it and came back up a few minutes later.
Without it.
She asked me, "Mom, did you bring the bag up already? I couldn't find it."
We went into my bedroom to look and, sure enough! There it was. On the floor right by my closet. Suddenly, I remembered that I had brought it up a week or so ago when I was cleaning a few things out of the basement. I said, "Oh! Isn't that nice? I already brought it up for you!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at me and snickered, "You're getting old!"

Yeah. I remember when I was a teenager and I thought 40 was old. HA!

Is Anything Too Hard for the LORD?

My heart has been both heavy and encouraged recently.
Heavy for friends who are feeling hopeless in their circumstances, and encouraged because I am reminded that nothing is too difficult for God.

This song has been running through my mind and I want to post it for you today.
Are you facing a difficult circumstance? Are you feeling hopeless? Please allow me to encourage you to listen to this song - which you've likely heard many times before - and even say/sing the words out loud. There's something about hearing this truth in your own voice... It's a faith-builder!

I Can Work with That

Friday morning I went into Matthew's room to wake him for school.

You need to understand, getting this child out of bed is no easy task. It usually involves two or more visits and "warnings" that it's almost time to get up. I typically end up pulling his blankets off of him (a few times), bringing his feet over to the side of the bed for him, then grabbing his arms and helping him stand up.
BTW, I just made that process sound waaaaaaaaay easier than it really is.

Well, Friday I decided to kick it up a notch. I started poking him with my toe. I got him in the side, on his head (He had it covered by the blanket.), and even on his hiney. I was laughing, but Matthew - not so much. He said, "Stop it, Mom," and told me he was working on the pursuit of happiness. Staying in bed made him happy. To which I replied that poking him made me happy, and I was pursuing happiness, too!
I thought I had him, but Matthew is quick-witted. Even when he's too tired to get up. He immediately told me that pursuing happiness at the expense of someone else's unhappiness is a No-No. And I'm pretty sure he thought he had me. HA!
I thought to myself, I can work with that!

I said slowly and clearly, "Really? Well, you staying in bed when it's time to get up makes me unhappy. And I get unhappier and unhappier the longer you stay there. So, according to your rules, I guess you better get up!"
This time I knew I had him. I pulled the blankets off Matthew once more and dragged him out of bed.

Sorry, son. You've got to get up pretty early in the morning to pull one over on me!

I Waited Patiently

Lessons From the Edge

We have a choice.

Honestly! I started doing the Resident of the Week program for the benefit of the residents. I wasn't thinking about me. I wasn't being selfish. Honest!!!
Yet, I feel like I am the one who benefits most from the interviews. The joy I receive from meeting with each resident and learning their stories - gleaning from their wisdom - is such a delight to me. It's hard to believe I get paid for this! *wink*

This week, I interviewed D. D is 73 years old and is a charming man. He loves to sing and knows just about every song there is! Seriously. He sings along with everything. There is a sparkle in his eyes, and almost always a smile on his face.
D also has Cerebral Palsy and is essentially confined to a motor-scooter. He can't read and it is often difficult to understand his speech. He told me about a bike accident he had as a young boy which caused a neck injury and brought an end to many of his physical abilities.
D told me the doctor says eventually he'll be paralyzed. And he can see it progressing already. Numbness here and there. Loss of some use in his hands. It was sad to sit and listen to D talk about losing his physical abilities.
Yet, even as he spoke, I could still see the sparkle in his eyes.

We were almost finished with the interview, and I asked D my final question. "As you think back over your life, what would you say is the greatest lesson you've ever learned?" He looked right at me and said, "I could feel sorry for myself and my problems. But I have chosen to take life one day at a time."
Then I understood the sparkle and the smiles.
In spite of the suffering.
Faced with the option of being miserable or living, D has chosen to live. And so it is with each of us. We all have suffering of varying proportions. We all have the option of feeling sorry for ourselves. But we don't have to. We can live one day at a time, instead.

We have a choice.

"Are You Able to Come?"

My phone rang Monday afternoon as I was walking into McDonalds. (Had to visit their little girls room. *wink*) I knew it was Joshua calling, so I answered the phone. (Not everybody can interrupt nature's call, you know. LOL) And the first thing I heard was, "Are you able to come?"

He was at his last cross-country meet of the season and as of that morning I hadn't known if I'd be able to go to it. I needed to find someone to call Bingo for me at Edgewood, and told Joshua if I was able to do that I would come to his meet. So he was just calling to check.
I said, "Yes. I just got into DeWitt. I'll be there in a few minutes."
"Good! Bye!" (Which is different than, "Good-bye!")
And with that, Joshua hung up.

I chuckled at his abruptness. But I forgave it quickly - as I considered the minor miracle I'd just experienced.
The boy who thinks I am annoying more often than not; the boy who seems to avoid me more than he wants to be with me; the boy who doesn't believe I was ever a teenager who experienced things like he is facing; that boy was glad I was coming to his cross-country meet.

When I got to the school I saw Joshua and he came over to talk to me briefly. But then he had to get away from me go warm up with his team.
I cheered him on as he ran, and met him at the finish line to congratulate him for a race well run. And I resisted the urge to give him a hug, or even a high-five, because I was pretty sure he wasn't looking for any public displays of affection from his mom. Honestly, I was just thankful he was talking to me.
We stayed for the awards ceremony, and Joshua told me I could sit in the stands. He was going over to talk to some friends. So I sat there and watched him with the other kids. I watched him sit with some of his teammates for the ceremony. I watched him receive his individual and team awards. And although I wasn't invited to be part of the festivities "up close and personal" I was delighted to watch from afar. Because I knew Joshua was glad I was watching.

"Are you able to come?" "Good!"
Ahhhh. How sweet the sound!

We've Come a Long Way, Baby!

I remember when Matthew was in second grade and his teacher was talking to me about troubles with his behavior in the classroom. I was completely overwhelmed with his problems, and trying to figure out what to do with how to help him. I took everything she said as a judgement upon my mothering abilities. Not because that's what she meant to convey, but because that's the direction my thoughts always went. And I tried unsuccessfully tried to keep a flood of tears at bay.

I remember the email messages I got from Joshua's sixth grade teachers just before parent/teacher conferences. They wanted to meet with me to discuss his classroom (mis)behavior so we could come up with a plan to improve things. As I read about their complaints concerns, I couldn't keep myself from crying. My mind was racing with thoughts like, I'm failing as a mother, and, These teachers probably think I'm a horrible mom. Because, that's where I always went with my thinking.

Matthew's fourth grade teacher was wonderful. She had an adult ADHD son. So she totally understood what I was going through. Even so, I cried in her presence, too.
And the first time his fifth grade teacher called me at home, well, you can guess what I did.

It drove me crazy that I cried so often. I hated that my thoughts were so negative about myself all the time. But I felt completely unable to hold back the tears, or to think differently.
Last March I finally visited a psychiatrist and told her about my tears and my thoughts. Just having me talk about it gave her the opportunity to see the tears for herself. *sigh* She diagnosed me with generalized anxiety and depression.
I started taking an anti-depressant and began learning how to combat my negative thinking. I worked on developing rational thinking. And I was astounded by the changes in me. For once I felt like I was in control of my emotions. Somehow it seemed like the medicine gave me time to pause and think rationally, instead of falling immediately into the negative thinking to which I was so accustomed.

And last week I had the opportunity to witness just how far I've come.

I was home Thursday, enjoying my day off when the phone rang. It was Matthew's teacher. She had his other teacher on the line and they wanted to conference call with me. This can't be good, I thought. They proceeded to tell me about issues Matthew was having with not turning in homework, and blurting out in the classroom. They told me - while they think Matthew is a great kid - these problems are not going away and they didn't want to wait until parent/teacher conferences to address them. And then one of them said, "Gee. I hope you don't feel like we're ganging up on you by having a conference call with you."
For a moment, I recalled what I would have done in previous years, with previous phone calls. I think I would've been in tears when I heard, "This is Matthew's teacher..." as I anticipated the flood of negative emotions which was about to come over me.
But this time I took a deep breath and said, "No. It's OK. I'm glad you called. I've been through this before and I think it's good for us to talk to each other so we can work through these issues." Because this time I was able to pause and think rationally. This time I knew it wasn't about me, or my mothering skills. It was about Matthew and how we could work together to help him be the best he can be. This time, I didn't cry or think negatively about myself.

This time I thought to myself, We've come a long way, baby!

I'm Not Biting

You must know by now that my Joshua is an avid fisherman. Well, last Thursday he seemed to be throwing out bait for me - only I wasn't biting.

Joshua was in a foul mood from the moment he arrived home from school. He was still stewing over the fact that the dock had been pulled early at his favorite fishing location (He'd found that out the day before.), he didn't want to do the thing our family was going to be doing together that night, and - to top it all off - he couldn't find anything to eat. He walked around opening and closing the refrigerator and freezer and various cabinet doors. (Slamming might be a better description.) Further, he was groaning and complaining as he paced in and out of the kitchen, where I was preparing dinner.
Typically when he behaves like that, I tell him to stop slamming things and get control of himself. To which he usually responds, "I'm NOT slamming things!"
And the argument ensues.
I'd been thinking a lot on Thursday about God being my strength - about Him fighting my battles for me. So I stood in that moment, as my son slammed and stomped and moaned around me, and I prayed. I asked God to take this one for me. Asked Him to fight for Joshua's heart, and to help me just be silent.
That's when I made the connection to the fishing thing. I thought, Joshua is tossing me all the bait that usually hooks me into an argument with himself. But I'm not going there today. Joshua, I'm not biting!

And I didn't. By the grace of God I was able to remain silent during Joshua's fishing expedition.
***********************************************
In spite of the small victory in avoiding Joshua's hook, my heart was heavy. I spent the next 24 hours thinking about my son and his behavior. Wondering about the direction of his life. Contemplating what I can possibly do to love him and lead him and encourage him. And God used one of His servants - a friend, and a mom who has 'been there' - to speak truth to me, to encourage my mother's heart. So as I continue to avoid biting Joshua's bait, I will also find comfort in the knowledge that God is fully in control - not me! And I will trust Him to fulfill His promises, and complete the work He has begun in my son.

Thank You, Jesus!

HIS Strength is Perfect

OK. I'll say it once more. You really need to get Kathy Troccoli's worship CD. It is such a blessing!

Lessons From the Edge

You shouldn't take yourself too seriously.

I was looking forward to doing my Resident of the Week interview this week.

Because the next person up is H.

He is a charming man. Seems very cultured and proper. He knows all about music. And he can sing! He usually wears a button-down shirt and dress pants - often his shirts are monogrammed. In short, H is a classy guy - and I was looking forward to getting to know him more.

Our interview started off as I would expect. Childhood memories, the way things 'used to be', an impressive work history - including H's selection for Officer Training School in the United States Navy.
But when I asked, "What makes you smile?" I was surprised by his response. H said, "I have my own teeth!" And I started laughing.
H went on to say that he was raised in a family with a good sense of humor. He knows it's important to laugh.
I finished the interview by asking if there was anything else H thought I should know before writing up his story. He looked at me and said, "I've never been in jail." And he laughed.

And as I thought about it more, I was able to recall that for as many times as I have been impressed by H's air of 'cultured', I have been touched by his wonderful belly-laugh. H was a gun captain in World War II. He studied at Princeton and Columbia. He's been in management for big companies. He's even been an upper-level guy at a couple of NATO bases. He is an accomplished man.

But he still knows how to laugh, and he knows you shouldn't take yourself too seriously.

Next?

Can you picture the dis-interested receptionist in the crowded waiting room working her way through the line of customers, calling out, "Next?" as she finishes with each one? She doesn't seem phased by the long line. Simply does what is necessary for each person and looks ahead to those still waiting. "Next?"

I kind of felt like her this past Sunday. Only, rather than dealing with a long line of customers, I was addressing a long line of excuses.

I had reminded Matthew that he needed to spend some time reading, but he said he didn't think he had his book home. I responded with something like, "You mean the Percy Jackson book with the yellow cover that is sitting on the table by the couch?" Next?

Then I reminded him about his reading journal. He's supposed to keep track of the time he reads, and turn it in to his teacher. But Matthew protested that he'd left the reading journal at school, so it really wasn't worth spending time reading - since he didn't have the reading journal. I told him to write down his time on a separate piece of paper and transfer the information to his reading journal when he got to school Monday. Next?

Finally, after he'd read for a while, I suggested that Matthew spend time working on his book report which was due Tuesday. But, alas! That paper was a school, too! I thought, Really? You think this excuse is going to work? Haven't you learned? And I had him do what we knew he had to do, while I emailed his teacher to clarify the part of which he wasn't sure. And - wouldn't you know it - she replied and Matthew had enough information to work on that report.

Next?

Please Fight for Him

The LORD God Almighty

Who is HE?

He is the Lord of Hosts. The Leader of the fight.

Sunday morning our worship leader was talking about the LORD God Almighty and reminded us that - as the Lord of Hosts (That's the literal translation.) - God fights for us. He directs His heavenly army to do battle for us. And our worship leader encouraged us to trust the One who leads the fight for us.
In that moment my heart was drawn to the truth I'd just heard. And I began praying, LORD God Almighty, please fight for him!

You see, I have a teenage son. And I get scared for him. Right now he is terribly self-centered and self-absorbed. He seems to have almost no interest in the things of God, but only the things of his own pleasure. And I really don't know if it's a 'phase' thing, or a heart issue. I know I cannot force my son to love God. I can only pray and be a model for him. And I do both of those things to the best of my ability.

Even so, that makes me feel woefully inadequate.

Which is why I think I was so drawn to the image of the LORD God Almighty. The Lord of Hosts, fighting for us. I know God loves Joshua. I know it is His desire that Joshua would love Him back, and follow Him closely. And so I prayed with confidence that God would fight for my son's heart. That HE would do battle with all the things vying for Joshua's affections. Yes, LORD. Please fight for him!

Is there someone or something for which you have been battling? You can trust the LORD God Almighty. Call upon him to do battle for you!

Another Dream

As if I need another thing to occupy my mind and fill my dreams.
*wink*
This weekend Elizabeth accompanied me to the women's retreat at which I was speaking.
It was delightful to have her along. But the most delightful part of the weekend didn't have anything to do with the retreat, itself.
Saturday during our free-time, Elizabeth cozied up to my side and said, "Sometime, you and I should speak at a retreat together." Elizabeth has never expressed an interest in public speaking, so her proposal came as a complete surprise to me. She followed up her comment by explaining that we could maybe speak at a retreat for mothers and daughters about mother/daughter relationships.
I don't think I can adequately express how much that idea touched my heart. I trust it means she is pleased with our relationship - that she would want to tell other moms and girls about it. Besides that, I have admired a mother/daughter team in our church who serve on the worship team together, and thought it would be wonderful for Elizabeth and I to do something like that, too.

But until this weekend I had no idea Elizabeth might share that interest. And now that I know she does? Well, there's another dream rolling around in my head and heart.

*big grin*

Are You in a Slimy Pit?

Lessons From the Edge

If you haven't spent significant time around elderly folks and/or text-crazy teens, I apologize. This post might not be as funny to you. (Read it anyway!)
Because my kids are so into texting, and even speak in text-talk sometimes; and because I spend so much time with seniors, this list of 'texting codes for seniors' really made me laugh. Enjoy!

BFF - Best Friends Funeral
BYOT - Bring Your Own Teeth
CBM - Covered By Medicare
FWIW - Forgot Where I Was
HGBM - Had Good Bowel Movement *My personal favorite. LOL!
LOL - Living On Lipitor
LMDO - Laughing My Dentures Out
TTYL - Talk To You Louder
BTW - Bring The Wheelchair
WAITT - Who Am I Talking To?
WTFA - Wet The Furniture Again

It's good to laugh. (Just keep your dentures in!) Hoping this list brought some laughter to your day.
And - Many thanks to my funny co-worker for sharing this list with me. *grin*

I may be annoying...

...but one day you'll thank me!

Oh, dear. I am soooooo annoying my sons!
*I'm requiring them to make their lunch BEFORE they go to bed. Because there have been too many mornings when the rush to get to out the door has been crazy. (And I have ended up driving one or two boys to school.)
*I call them from wherever they are in the house to come to their bedrooms and turn off their lights - even though I could simply turn it off for them when I walk by.
*I vowed to Joshua that I will not drive him to school again because he missed the bus. He needs to plan ahead - and ask me the night before - if he needs a ride to school.
*Though I am not their school teacher, I tell them they need to work on projects prior to the night before they're due. Trying to convince them it isn't a waste of time to do work instead of playing.
*AND, I won't do their homework for them. Help? Yes. But they like to try to get me to do it. HA!

Those things plus my repeated reminders to pick up dirty socks, throw away empty yogurt cartons and snack wrappers, rinse out their ice cream bowls, and empty the trash make me ANNOYING.

Maybe. But if they get into the habit of doing these things, I am confident one day they'll thank me for being so annoying. Or, at least their future wives will.

*wink*

Yes. More Than These.

So, this past Friday when I arrived at Cran-Hill for my retreat, I kinda felt like a little girl going to her friend's house to play. After I got settled in I wondered, What now? You know, like when kids get together and spend half their time trying to decide what to do?

So, God, I'm here. What do You want to do now?

I'd been spending the past week thinking about Psalm 40:1, "I waited patiently for the LORD..." and that verse was running through my head at the moment. I asked Him, Do You want me to just wait for You?
So that's what I did.

I waited.
And while I waited, I read through my journal. Entries going to over two years ago. That was a fun read!
And it prompted me to start journaling about some of my dreams. I included this one about meeting my Compassion child, and others about meeting blog friends, and several which relate to speaking. It was wonderful time of surrender - trusting that GOD, Himself, will bring about the fulfillment of these dreams if it is His will.

Nothing else matters.

And then Saturday morning arrived.
Something - make that SomeOne - lead me to read John 21:15-25 and I was drawn to verse 15. "Simon son of John, so you truly love me more than these?"
I realize the "these" to whom Jesus was referring was the other disciples. Jesus was asking Peter if he loved Jesus more than the other disciples loved Jesus. But in that moment, it was as if He were asking me if I loved Him more than these. And it was very clear to me the "these" to which Jesus was referring when He spoke to my heart. I wrote in my journal,

I felt like You were asking me - Karen, do you love me more than speaking? More than writing? More than the praises of man?
And I say with confidnece, Yes, Lord! Yes, I do! I love you more. Truly, I do. I love You more than all of these!

What a wonderful place God had brought me to. First, of waiting for Him, then of surrendering to Him, and finally - of being sure of my love for Him. That God really is the most highly treasured object of my love.

HE is!

And what about you, my friend? Do you love Him more than "these"? Is there anything competing for your devotion to the One who loves you endlessly? I pray you'll invite God to ask you this question, too.

A Little ADHD Humor

I know I have shared my woes here about the trials of raising an ADHD boy.
It feels like I am constantly walking behind Matthew in the mornings, asking him if he's done this, or that. Reminding him to stay on task. Telling him what time it is, so he realizes he needs to get moving.

It gets tiring.

The other day I knew Matthew had finished his shower. But he was still in the bathroom with the door closed, so I still needed to prod him along. I walked by the bathroom to tell Matthew he had 10 minutes, and to ask how he was doing. (How ya doin' in there? is code language for, Matthew, you don't have time to dilly-dally. Stay on task!)
As I asked the familiar question, Matthew responded, "Fine." And he paused. Then he said (and I could hear the smile in his voice), "I'm just about to get into the shower!"

Oh, funny boy!
Wish I could have thrown open the door to see the look on his face.
'Cuz I know he thought he 'got me'.

I said, "You're funny, Matthew. I know you've already taken your shower." And I heard him sigh. Awwww. Poor kid. He was playing a joke on me, and I didn't fall for it.
Maybe next time. *wink*

A Weekend with GOD

By the way, you NEED to get Kathy Troccoli's worship CD. What a delightful way to be ushered into the presence of God!

Lessons From the Edge

Sometimes it's hard to face another day.

I talked to B this week and saw this lesson in full color. He was in the hallway looking lost, so I stopped to ask if he needed any help. B looked up at me and said he didn't want to be here anymore. And I knew the "here" to which he was referring wasn't his wheelchair, or the hallway, or even Edgewood. He told me he doesn't know where he is half the time, and he's lonely because his family hardly ever visits, and he's tired of the aches and pains. I've heard him say these things before, but this time he seemed more sure of his feelings. The fact of the matter is, B is tired of living here on Earth.
I knealt down in front of B, grabbed his hands, and said, "Let's pray."
B thanked God for his many blessings, and I prayed for B's heart. I asked God to bring him peace, and to buoy him with hope for the day when the confusion, the loneliness, the pain, and every tear will be no more.
Sitting there with B, seeing the tears running down his cheeks, I realized I cannot understand the extent of his feelings. I cannot comprehend what it must be like - feeling trapped in a body that hurts, and which cannot do the things it used to do. I can't imagine not wanting to wake up to live another day.
It's beyond me.
But that's right where B was sitting.

Sometimes it's hard to face another day.

Yet, we still have hope. Because there will come a day when all the confusion and loneliness and pain and EVERY tear will be no more.

Mom Jeans Graduate

Do you remember my little 'issue' with jeans? And my kids' evaluation of my Mom Jeans? Well, it seems I have moved up in the world of teen-approved-fashion!

I went shopping last weekend and found a pair of jeans which I liked. They fit me in the waist. And they were $15. As long as the waist-size and price criteria are met, (Which doesn't happen very often!) I will buy a pair of jeans.
So Monday after work I put on my new jeans and went to the kitchen to start making dinner. Almost immediately, Joshua asked, "Did you get new jeans, Mom?" Elizabeth looked up from what she was doing and commented, "Oh. I like those!" And I responded, "Why yes, I did. You do?"
Elizabeth said, "They look like jeans I would wear. They're nice." And I sputtered, "You would? But, look. The waist goes all the way up to my waist!"
She said that was OK. Because they aren't baggy in the thigh, and they kinda flare out at the bottom. She would wear them if they fit her.
So I asked the question. The big question. "You mean, these aren't Mom Jeans?" And Elizabeth said with a smile, "No. They aren't. Looks like you've graduated out of Mom Jeans."

My kids are so proud of me.

And I feel so cool. *wink*

Change of Plans

Many are the plans in a man's (woman's!) heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. ~Proverbs 19:21
I pray that today you will be sensitive to God's purpose - allowing Him to alter your plans according to HIS perfect will.

So said my Facebook status Monday morning.

I had no idea - as I prayed for my Facebook friends - that God would use that same prayer to soften my heart later in the day.

Monday afternoon I was sitting at home after work, talking with my daughter, when my phone rang. It was the program director at Cran-Hill Ranch, where I was scheduled to speak for a women's retreat this coming weekend. I imagined he must be calling to go over some final details.
Not so. Instead he said, "We had to make a hard decision today to cancel this weekend's retreat." He went on to give some explanation and I could tell from his voice, he was feeling very sorry to cancel the event.
And I would be lying if I said I was not twice as disappointed as he was sorry.
Oh, I have been sooooo looking forward to the retreat. Excited about the content; the hope I believed God was going to deliver; the opportunity to minister grace and peace. Yes. I have been living and breathing this retreat as I've prepared.
And now it was cancelled.

As I was letting that piece of information sink in, the program director made me an offer. Besides telling me he wants to have me come as the speaker for next year's retreat, he said I could still come to Cran-Hill this weekend if I wanted - to have a personal retreat.

HELLO!!!

If you know me at all, you know I didn't have to spend two seconds debating that offer.
I've already got the day off from work Friday. All the plans have been made for my family to survive without me for the weekend. Goodness, I even have next week's menu and grocery list ready to go. (My usual Sunday afternoon chore.) So there is nothing holding me back from fully enjoying time alone with the Lover of my soul.
Yes, I want to have the retreat! But I trust God knows a better time for it to happen. And, I am going to be speaking for a different women's retreat next weekend - which has NOT been cancelled - on the same topic. *grin* I realize that I don't see what He sees, nor do I know what He knows. So I am simply choosing to trust the change of plans.

Besides, as I consider all the plans which have gone into this coming weekend, it delights my heart to realize God's purpose was to get me alone with HIM.

Taking a Sick Day

I have been fighting a cold since my birthday last week. Soooooo tired am I!

And sooooo not feeling creative enough to write.

Sooooo I'm taking a sick day today. Hope to be back into the swing of things tomorrow.

Loving 40!

Lessons From the Edge

Grumpy people need love, too.

So, there's this man at Edgewood who is kinda scary. He's grumpy and he yells at people frequently. He drives around in one of those automatic wheelchair gizmos, and sometimes a person might fear that he's going to run them over. Seriously.

The first time I talked with him, I didn't know he was grumpy. In fact, he seemed nice. But as time went on, I learned.

Or did I?

A few weeks ago he wheeled by me when I was kneeling down, petting our nurse's dog. And he stopped to see why I was on the floor. We started talking about dogs and funny things they do, and had a delightful conversation. *That was a surprise!*

Another day I chatted with A for a few minutes after I made announcements at lunch time. It was during our conversation I learned that A used to attend church regularly, and I suggested maybe he should come to our Bible study some Monday. He said, maybe he would.

And this past Monday, he did! There were a few individuals who were surprised to see him there. But everyone received him kindly.

And Wednesday this week was A's birthday. A balloon was waiting for him when he wheeled into the dining room, and everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to him. After I made announcements I went over to A's chair, gave him a hug, and wished him a happy birthday. I'm telling you, that grumpy old man had the sweetest smile on his face!

It's true. A yells. He complains. Often times, he is a very unpleasant man. But it is as though he's a totally different person when you're pouring love out on him. It's beautiful!

Soooooo, is there a 'grumpy old man' (or woman, or young teen, or needy toddler...) in your life from whom you feel like running away? Will you accept a challenge to pour love on them, and see what happens? It could be beautiful!

Because ~ Grumpy people need love, too.

Congratulations to Lorri ~ winner of yesterday's give-away!

A Birthday for Me, a Gift for (One of) You

Yes. It's true. I am 40 years old today.
Ha! I remember when 40 sounded old. LOL
Not so much anymore. Especially since most of the people with whom I spend my days now are at least twice my age. (Our oldest resident turned 104 yesterday!)
Anyway, it's my birthday today and I have a gift to give away to one of you! Well, technically, I don't HAVE it. But I have the privilege of giving it away and sending the winner's address to the appropriate person - who will then send said gift.

Here's the deal: Coca-Cola wants to help families enjoy time together with Coca-Cola Family Night through My Coke Rewards. And to help get you started, they are offering a Game Board Prize Pack worth approximately $100 and consisting of:
• (1) $25 Amex Card for snacks and supplies
• (1) Coca-Cola Coupon
• (1) Yatzee Board Game
• (1) Monopoly Board Game
• (1) Coca-Cola Polar Bear Puzzle
• (1) Checkers Mat
• (1) Set of Playing Cards

Can you say "FUN!"?
So, who wants it??? Just leave me a comment saying so, and make sure I have a way to contact you. That is, if your email address isn't already connected to your comment, please leave it in your comment. I'll choose the winner at 9:00 EST tonight.

Here's to having lots of fun with the family. *grin*



• The prize was provided by Coca-Cola, but Coca-Cola is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway. All opinions expressed in the post are my own and not those of Coca-Cola.
• Entrants must be 18 or older and located in the US or Canada only. Winner to be chosen at random.

I Have a Dream

I want to go to Ecuador to meet my Compassion child and her family.

I recently heard a story about a woman who sponsored several children in one family and was able to go meet them. I saw video footage of the meeting, and it was just beautiful.
Of course, seeing that video inspired me to want to meet my child. (I've seen pictures. She is ADORABLE.) And I started day-dreaming about it. Honestly, I enjoy writing to Noemi, and it is a delight to pray for her. But to meet her face-to-face and to be able to pick her up and hug her would be a dream come true.

Then I received a letter from Noemi's mother (She doesn't know how to write yet!) and at the end of it she asked, "Will you ever come to Ecuador?"

In my reply I said I would come if God makes the way. I know He can do it. And I'm praying He will!


Remember, I have a fun give-away tomorrow. Be sure to visit!

Seriously?

God must have been chuckling.

HE knew how things were going to proceed Thursday morning, and when I said, "Hurry, please. I don't want to have to drive you to school, too!"
He must have been chuckling.

Wednesday night Elizabeth came to me a bit teary, asking if I would drive her into school a little early Thursday morning. She'd forgotten to sign up for something and needed to take care of it ASAP, or she feared a detention. I wasn't so sure the consequence would be that severe, but I knew I'd have time Thursday morning, so I agreed.

Upon arriving home, I saw that Matthew was up eating breakfast, and Joshua had unloaded the dishwasher. Two good things. However, something happened to throw Joshua off schedule and he ended up missing his bus. He walked into the house and told me it had just driven away. And would I please take him to school?
I'd just gotten out of the shower. Had wet hair and was wearing my bathrobe, but I grabbed my purse and said, "Let's go."

Upon arriving home the second time, I found that Matthew was taking his shower. Not knowing how long he'd been in there, I knocked on the door and asked, "Are you almost finished?" Matthew said he was almost finished, and I relaxed a bit. Silly me. That's what he always says!
Five minutes later I was knocking on the door again. This time I said, "Turn the water off, Matthew. You're DONE!"
And a few minutes later I was back at the door, just checking his progress. Was he dressed? Had he brushed his teeth? Then I made the comment which came back to bite me in the, well, you know.
"Hurry, please. I don't want to have to drive you to school, too!"
He scurried around getting his shoes and coat on, then ran through the back yard to take the 'short cut' to the bus stop. I went into my room to finish my make-up and get dressed, and after a minute or two, I heard the door shut. Uh oh. That can only mean one thing, I thought to myself. And, sure enough, the next thing I knew Matthew was standing in my room with tears rolling down his cheeks. He'd made it to the bus stop just in time to see the bus going around the corner as it left his stop.

I was going to be driving him to school, too.

All I can say is, it's a good thing these events all took place on my day off. Cuz if I had to do all that running around and still make it to work on time? Yeah. Matthew would've been walking to school! LOL

By the way, I have a fun give-away coming up Thursday. Be sure to stop by!

 

HE Knows

Sorry about the background noise on the video. Especially when the fan on my computer turns on. I re-recorded it but couldn't get rid of the noise.

Anyway, I know God can speak through the noise, and I pray He'll reach your heart with these words today.

Lessons From the Edge

Forgetful people are gracious people.

Has this ever happened to you? You go into a room to get something, but when you get there you can't remember what you're after?

If this is a foreign concept to you, feel free to close the window. You need not read further. But, do come back for Monday's devotion please. *wink*

For those of you who know what I'm talking about, I have a story to share.

Last Tuesday was Pizza Night at Edgewood. Once a month I host a pizza party in the Activity Room, and we always have a good time. So, anyway, I was getting the Activity Room set up and discovered I needed to get another table. I knew the card tables were all in the library and I walked down the hall to get one. Now, the Activity Room is a good distance from the rest of the world atrium, office, dining room and library so it took me a couple of minutes to get there. Yes. I am totally trying to justify what I'm about to say. And when I entered the atrium I looked around at the five or six residents sitting there talking with each other, and I realized I had completely forgotten why I was there. Completely.

The look on my face must have conveyed my embarrassment, because one of the residents asked, "What's wrong?" I sort of shuffled my feet and replied, "Uh, I just came down here to get something, and now I can't remember what I was coming for." *blush*

The rest of the residents chuckled and said, "Don't feel bad. We do that all the time!"

I knew they were speaking the truth, and I thanked them for understanding.

And I made note of another lesson learned. Forgetful people are gracious people.

*****************************************************************

By the way, after our interaction I said to myself, "What's going on tonight? Pizza Night. So why might I be here? Oh, yeah! To get a card table out of the library!"

All's well that ends well. *wink*

I'm the Rubber, You're the Glue...

...It bounces off me and sticks to you!
How many of you remember calling out that little rhyme when you were a kid - any time someone said an unkind thing to you?
Well, I didn't say that line out loud yesterday, but I thought it. I know. I'm so mature!

You must understand. Joshua has a habit of frittering away his time in the morning and tends to miss the bus. No big deal, he says, because he can just ride his bike to school. And I'm not about to argue that one. If he wants to waste his time and miss the bus and ride his bike, instead? I say, Go for it.

But Wednesday morning as soon as Joshua opened the door and stepped out into the garage, he turned around and came right back inside. "Mom, can you drive me, please? It's too cold." (It must have been all the way down to 53 degrees. Poor kid was probably concerned about frost bite!)

I looked at him, paused with a sigh, and said, "Uh, no." I mean, seriously??? Did he really expect me to drive him to school? After all the lectures I've given about taking responsibility and not wasting time in the morning? Did he now want to sit in the van with me for five or six minutes and listen to another rant about timeliness? I couldn't do that to him! LOL

So I said, "NO."

And at that, Joshua turned back to the door, grumbled, "Mean parent!" and was on his way.

I imagine he thought he really got me with that parting statement.

Little did he know what I was reheasing in my head. I'm the rubber, you're the glue. It bounces off me and sticks to you!

Yep. Maturity at it's best, folks! What can I say?

*wink*

Order My Steps

Do you ever feel like life is more than you can handle? There's too much to do, and simply not enough of you to go around?

Silly questions. I know. *wink*

I was feeling that way last week.
I was getting ready for our big Grandparents' Day celebration at work and, as much as I love holidays, I was even more overwhelmed because I didn't go into work on Monday. Felt like I was a day behind on Tuesday, and wondered how I would get it all done.
Wednesday morning as I sat down to pray before going to work, I laid out my day before God and said, Father, You know everything I need to get done today. You know how overwhelmed I feel. You know I can't manage it all. So I'm asking You to order my steps. Order my steps, LORD, and please lead me through this day.

And can I tell you? That is exactly what He did.

I walked through that day amazed by God's hand in every circumstance. Delighted by how obvious He was making Himself. So very thankful that He truly was ordering my steps.

So, I'll ask it again. Do you ever feel like life is more than you can handle?
Remember none of it is too much for God. Trust Him to give you strength as you lay your life at His feet. And ask Him to order your steps.

How have you seen God order your steps?

Nobody is Driving Me Nuts

A couple weeks ago I noticed a hole in one of the cushions on the living room couch. I asked Elizabeth about it, but she knew nothing. Matthew said he didn't do it. Joshua professed his innocence, as well. (But he pointed out to me that I could just flip the cushion over. Nice.)
So, it wasn't the kids.
And it wasn't me or my husband.
I guess Nobody did it.

Last weekend Elizabeth asked me to buy some bagels. I got a bag of twelve mini-bagels, thinking it would be a nice snack - which should last for a few days. The next day, she asked me how many bagels I'd eaten. I told her I'd not eaten any, and she looked puzzled. She said, "Dad ate one, I ate one, Mary had one, Matthew had two, and Joshua said he only had one. There are three left. Who ate the other three?"
That must have been Nobody, too.

And this isn't new behavior. Nobody has been doing stuff like this for quite a while. Like Joshua's school picture in the hallway. One day I was walking past it and noticed there was no glass in it anymore. Looks like it was broken and thrown away. But none of my kids knew a thing about it.
Another mess, made by Nobody.

Recently, I noticed a spoon laying on the living room floor. I was about to go in and pick it up, but I stopped myself. I thought, I didn't put that spoon there. Surely, whoever left it will come back and take it to the kitchen. That would be the responsible thing to do, right?
But the next day when I walked through there again, I saw the spoon.
Nobody put the spoon away!

I found a hole in another living room chair, two holes in a pillow on the couch, and there continue to appear finger prints and smudges on the mirror in the living room. But the only responses I get from my kids about these issues are, "It wasn't me," "I didn't do it," and "I dunno." And that can only mean one thing. Nobody is wreaking all this havoc in my house.
*grrrrr*

Nobody is driving me nuts!!!

Hope, Joy, Peace, and TRUST

Oops! I said Romans 5:13 in the video. It's really Romans 15:13.
 

Lessons From the Edge

We're doing things a little differently this week for Lessons From the Edge.

I made this video with D on Wednesday. It's for his granddaughter, but I enjoyed it so much I just couldn't NOT share it with you. *wink* Besides, there are some good lessons in here.
For school children. hahaha
Enjoy!

Are We Having Fun Yet?

My apologies to any unmarried friends who may be reading here today. But this post really is intended for my married friends.
*******************************************
Do you remember when you were newly married?
Or when you were still dating?
Remember how everything was fun? and new? and exciting?
Several years of marriage, maybe a few kids, and a whole lot of familiarity can really change things, can't it?

Brian and I recently had a fun exchange, and today I want to encourage you to have fun, too.

I'm sure I've mentioned Brian's new job here before. It is really stressing him out. He works at work, and works at home - just trying to get all that learning into his head and out onto the computer.
The other night as I was saying goodnight to him and the kids - I walked over to where he was sitting with his computer on his lap, and saw that his phone was also there. So when I went to bed, I sent him a text.
"I'm going 2 bed n*ked. Thought u might want 2 know."
His reply? "I'll b right there!"
We were giggling like teenagers when Brian came into our room.
Imagine! Cutting out on work to be with your wife. And while the kids are still up. Scandalous!
It still makes me smile to think about our little rendezvous. Just having fun. Being spontaneous and playful. It's good!

I don't know what ideas are coming to your mind, but may I encourage you? Go with it!
And have fun. *wink*

The Power of HIS Love...

...and music.


I don't understand either one, but I'm thankful for both!

Sunday night I sat at the computer with a less-than-happy-heart. It had been a long afternoon and I was simply in a foul mood.
So I turned on Pandora.

Because music soothes my soul.

And after a while, this song started playing. I found myself humming to the music. I was feeling peaceful. The 'stuff' of the day was over and I was convinced once more of my Father's love. *ahhhhhh!*

Are you in need of a heart pick-me-up today? Why not pause a minute here, click the play button, and let God sing to your heart?

Beginner's Luck

I believe I have previously given adequate information for you to judge what an avid fisherman Joshua is, have I not?
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
The boy LOVES fishing.
He breathes fishing.
In fact, I'm wondering if he's going to exhibit any withdrawal symptoms now that school has started and he won't be able to go fishing nearly every day. For several hours.

Yeah. He's that into it.

Joshua reads about fishing, looks fishing information up on the internet, watches YouTube videos about fishing, dreams about fishing, and loves spending time at the store just looking in the fishing aisle.
So you can imagine his feeling last week when he took his sister fishing with him.
Thought he'd teach her a bit about this fascination of his; help her cast a few lines; you know - give her a little taste of this fine activity.
Joshua let Elizabeth use one of his new lures and she was delighted when a little Blue Gill bit the hook. Rather than reeling it in, Elizabeth wanted to let the fish swim around, like it was her pet on a leash. Only, as the little fish swam around, a 20-inch bass caught sight of it and decided Elizabeth's pet looked good enough to eat. So he went for it.

Before Elizabeth knew what was happening, she had a 20-inch bass on her line!

Joshua helped her reel it in, and they let it go. But Joshua couldn't let go of the fact that his sister - the Newbie! - just caught that big fish. Without even trying.
He showed me the lure and said, "Mom, look at how small this hook is. She shouldn't have been able to catch that fish with this hook! I can't believe she caught a 20-inch bass! It was her first try!"

I just smiled at him and said, "Joshua, that's what we call Beginner's Luck."

And hoped his ego isn't permanently damaged. *wink*

God is BIGGER

Lessons From the Edge

God sets our appointments.

Wednesday when I was leaving work I found out about a scheduling problem for Thursday morning. Two of our residents had appointments in opposite directions - at nearly the same time. Since it was not physically possible for our driver to accommodate them, my boss was going to take one of them. But she was the only one scheduled to be in the office that morning. (My day off, co-worker on vacation...)
One of the appointments was near my house, so I volunteered to take J. I planned to get up and work out, go pick him up, and come home to shower while J was seeing his dentist. It just seemed like a reasonable option.

Thursday, as J and I were driving to the dentist office, we had a delightful conversation. J used to be a minister and was telling me stories of God's goodness. Including the struggle he and his wife faced trying to have children. She was not conceiving, and even adoption wasn't working out. They finally accepted that God must have different plans for them besides parenthood. And shortly after their surrender, she became pregnant. Twice!
When we arrived at the dentist office, I signed J in and started to ask how long his appointment would last. Wanted to find out how much time I had to go home and shower. That's when we found out - his appointment was September 15, not September 1! Oops.
So we drove back to Edgewood.
And continued our delightful conversation about God and His goodness. It was a great morning!

After I dropped J off and was on my way home, I realized his appointment Thursday was with me, not the dentist. He'll get his crown and filling on the 15th. But the plan for the 1st was mutual encouragement and delighting in God's glory. God knew it would be that way. He wasn't surprised by the 'mix up'.
Because, God sets our appointments.

Cell Phone Prayers

"I'm in the van with Mom. So make sure it's appropriate."

So said Joshua last week, as we were driving along.

At first I giggled to myself, finding his comment quite humorous. Then I thought about it a little more and began to pray.
I prayed for my son's heart, asking God to capture it and shape it. Asking Him to bring Joshua to the day when the desire to do and say good things would come from his heart, rather than from his motivation to avoid a lecture from Mom.
I mean, for now I understand his motivation is external. He doesn't want to get into trouble, so he tries to do what is right. But as I listened to him on the phone with his sister that night, God was prompting me to pray for his heart. Reminding me I can trust Him to work in my son to complete the good work He's already started.

As their conversation ended and Joshua explained the reason for the call, (Elizabeth's friend was having boyfriend troubles, and they wanted to talk to Joshua to get a guy's perspective.) I was prompted to pray again. This time it was a prayer of thanksgiving. Thinking back to all the fights the two of them have had - and the moments I have wondered if they would EVER get along - I couldn't help but be glad for this picture of friendship.
It was a ray of hope for me.
A reminder that God works in the hearts of my children.
And since I was just praying about my son's heart, this was an appropriate encouragement for me.

Hmmmm. When Joshua made his list of 101 reasons why he should have a cell phone, he didn't include, "So you will be reminded to pray for me."Perhaps that inclusion would have gotten him a phone sooner. *wink*