MOM is WOW Upside Down :)

Today is a guest post from a friend of mine, Erin.  Her mom's story is one not so different from many moms today....single and doing it on her own.  A tough job, but one you cannot walk away from.  One that if you stick with it, will reap wonderful rewards as you watch your hard work, years of tears...and joy....be worth it all.

My mom raised my two younger sisters and I, all by herself. She taught me to be tough. To agree to disagree. To work hard for what we wanted. She made us pull a bucket of weeds, every day, in the summer, before we could go swimming. We had daily chore lists to be accomplished. She homeschooled us, off and on. She taught me how to replace a toilet. She taught me how to drive. Because of her, I love to garden and feed birds. We always had pets – dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters, bunnies, ducks and chickens. If we didn’t clean our rooms well, the toys we left out got taken away. We got spankings! We got grounded! I remember having to write sentences, and apology letters . . . and thank you letters. As soon as I started earning money, she required a ‘room and board’ monthly payment. She taught me how to cook. She raised my sisters and I to be responsible, and respectful.

The biggest things that have always been a part of our lives, as mother - daughters, was humor, fun, and spontaneity! Somehow, as a single mom with three, whiney little girls, and very little money, my mom still managed to provide for our needs, ....and teach us to enjoy life.

We had fun. My mom would take us camping, for weeks in a row, every summer. In a tent. With a rat terrier dog, and a hatchet under her pillow at night. We bathed in the river. We went to the beach. We drove down dirt roads, up the sides of mountains, to go exploring or picnicking! We hiked at Silver Falls. We swam in creeks. We slid down huge rock query piles! She let us play in the rain in our swim suits! She spray painted poison oak, so we wouldn’t accidentally walk through it. We jumped in puddles in parking lots. We sang in the car. Twice during my childhood I remember seeing my mom run – once, to rescue my three year old sister who almost drowned at Siletz Bay. The other time, was to jump in the Brightenbush River to save a Frisbee.

Through the years my mom has been mommy, discipliner, friend, confidant, mom and dad, teacher, enemy, boss,  . . . yet always Mom. Always Wow. I don’t think I could ever do what she has done. She’s raised three girls. She’s experienced love, life, loss, sickness, health, pain, hurt, laughter . . . and she’s lived. And she taught her daughters how to live. She raised me. She taught me how to be responsible, respectful, and have fun and enjoy life!

WOW, Mom! You amaze me! Thank you for teaching me how to live AND love life! 

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

I love you!

Erin Fern

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A Mother Worthy of Honor

Our third mother in the line of mothers we are honoring is another lady in Scripture.  Her name means "grace" or "favor..He has favored me".  

Hannah

For those not familiar with her story, you can read it in the Old Testament, 1 Samuel 1 & 2.  I've always been inspired reading about Hannah.  A woman who lived in anguish every day, hoping, wanting and being taunted because she could not have what most other women around her had.  A child.  Two other women in Scripture also grieved over not having children.  Sarah and Rachel.  But unlike them, Hannah didn't take matters into her own hands....she took her anguish and sorrow directly to God.   Even in the place of prayer, she was misunderstood (1 Samuel 1:12-16).  Despite this, her place of comfort and consolation was on her knees and on her face before God.  When Eli speaks a blessing over her, she leaves her place of sacrifice "her face no longer being downcast".    Scripture doesn't say she want away confident she would have a child, but that she was comforted.   

Who else can give a woman (or a mother) the comfort she needs in times of deep pain and anguish.  In times of desperate wanting.  In times when we feel there is not a soul on earth who can identify with our pain, or our longing?  No human can give us what we need....no husband, no friend, no false comfort, only the Father who knows, sees and understands all.  Sometimes, I feel like us moms carry the burden of those we love and have cared for so deeply, far deeper and heavier than any burden we have ever experienced.  When those we love, hurt.....we hurt.  When those we brought into life cry deeply, we cry deeper still.  I think there is a large portion of our heart implanted in their hearts.  That will never change.  Hannah inspires me.....she knew where to go for her comfort.

And amidst the ongoing days of our lives, God shows up.  Maybe not always in the way we wished, but He does show up.  When Hannah finally bore that son she desperately hoped for, she had words of praise that echoed down through history, so far down that Mary the mother of Jesus poured them forth from her soul as well (1 Samuel 2 and Luke 1:46-55).  We join the multitudes of women and mothers through the centuries as we praise Him for showing up.  

And then, she gave her son to God.  She didn't hang onto her blessing selfishly, she did what she had promised.  Her son, Samuel, would belong to God all the days of his life.  Once she had weaned him, she took him to the priest, Eli, and he lived and served Eli and God as a boy.  He grew up in a place of serving, worship and sacrifice.  He was the last of the judges of Israel and he anointed the first two kings, Saul and David.  Samuel, the much wanted and prayed for son of Hannah, lived out God's purpose for his life because of a mother who loved him deeply, but loved God deeper still.  A woman of faith....a woman of prayer....a women of obedience.  And God gave her more children (1 Samuel 2:20-21).   

Hannah is not a woman of faith because she bore a son.  She is a woman of faith because she sought God.  She trusted God.  In her deepest distress.  Only HE could answer.  Only HE could bring the consolation and purpose in life she desperately prayed for day and night.  And HE had far bigger plans for her son than she could have even imagined.  

Hannah, a woman of faith, a mom of prayer, a woman of obedience, a mom who loved and cared for her son from afar.  And a mom we honor today, nearly 3,200 years later, her faith, her trust, her obedience, her prayer life....still speaks.  Thank you, Hannah. 

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Remembering Mom... and Knickers

Today I'm sharing a guest post from JOANIE, a dear friend of mine.  We have journeyed many years together, and during our friendship she shared her mom with me.  I am honored to share her memory in remembering a woman loved by many.....

A new longing has surfaced, developing into a little nagging regret.

I would very much like to thank my mom for the wool knickers she made me.  I so wish this seemingly novel desire would have gripped me before she died ten years ago.

I was 10 years old and the only one in our family learning how to ski.  Even though I was quite fond of my wool knickers, I just took it for granted that my mom made them for me.  Didn’t everyone’s mother know how to sew that well?  Making wool knickers for  me to wear skiing, wasn’t that just a normal duty for a mother?  I can still feel how much I adored my knickers.  The fabric, the style, the colors still so tangible, but mostly I remember that I just felt really good whenever I wore them.  Without realizing it at that time, I think I just felt so loved in those knickers - specially and uniquely cared for.  Amazingly, I can experience those same securing emotions now all over again, 47 years later, by just seeing those knickers in my memory’s vivid view.

Those two pair of wool knickers always kept me perfectly warm in our Montana winters as I bravely embraced cold snowy mountains.  However, I do think much of that warmth was that of my mother’s deep lovingkindness in which I was always so very comfortable.  One pair was soft medium gray with very thin lines of red, blue & green making a very subtle pattern.  Not garish at all, but rather nicely artistic.  I always wore them with long bright red socks underneath which was pretty much standard for skiers in those days with knickers.  My laced up ski boots also had bright red laces.  My especially tailored just for me knickers gave me a sense of confidence, a clear advantage in persevering during that early struggle of learning to ski.  My mother was a very adventurous person with great athletic ability.  Had she grown up in Montana instead of Ohio, I am sure she would have been an avid and talented skier.   Those knickers were part of her ongoing lifetime message to me, “I am with you all the way, I want you to have fun and enjoy your life.”

I wish I could thank my mom for my wonderful knickers and for all the love she sewed into their seams.  More than that I would very much like to express my gratitude for the deeper, bigger, lifelong gift those cherished knickers have been (and will continue to be) to this middle aged woman who still feels warmly loved by a deeply caring and giving mother. She gave me a strong advantage for life.  Now, I never ski down a mountain without thanking my mom for my knickers.

“My heart is full and I thank you.”

"Graphic by Broken Box Designs, LLC."

Happy Mother's Day, Liz; we love and miss you!

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She Was The First

Her name means "life-giving"  or  "mother of all who have life".   As we launch into the celebration of moms, it is only fitting to remember the first mom ever.  Yes, we think of sin and it's far reaching consequence, the apple, the serpent, the deception and fall of man - all that happened in the garden that day.  But just for a moment, remember Momma Eve.

So much could be written and has been.  Even though her choice brought pain and agony, she was also given the promise of "you will bear children".  Out of Eve, would come mankind.

She was the first MOM.

She was the first to carry a child in her womb.  Did she even grasp what was taking place inside her?

She was the first ever to feel a life growing within her body.  The first woman to outgrow her clothes..or animal skins.

She was the first to have cravings :)  Did Adam have to run out to the local bush and grab her some strawberries in the middle of the night ?

She was the first to have questions....and I wonder, was God right there to answer them?

She was the first to have labor pains.  The first to give birth....without Lamaze classes.   What was Adam like during this time?  Did he look into her eyes to calm her...did he sing softly to her?

She was the first to do the mommy thing without any books or another mom to bring encouragement and assure her she would live through this.

But Eve still knew that God was in control of her life.  "With the HELP of the LORD, I have brought forth a man."  Genesis 4:1

She was the first to nurse.  How did that first snuggle and feed happen?

She was the first to discover she needed diapers....so literally she invented the diaper :)

She was the first to deal with sibling rivalry.

She was the first mom to lose a son.  Both sons.  The first mom to experience the pain and sorrow of her son's wrong choices.

Yet, she was also the first to experience God's promises....out of her pain and sorrow came Seth...out of Seth came Noah.

So many firsts.......

As I think about mothering and the years I have enjoyed this marvelous and incredible privilege, there were older moms who mentored me.  There were women my age where we walked the journey together.  We laughed, shared stories, sometimes cried...and always prayed for our children.  We have had those who "have gone before us" to show us how to do this mommy thing.    For me, as I am sure for many of you, the Word of God, His presence and His encouragement has been our sustaining strength and well of wisdom to draw from.

Honoring Eve....and the mothers who came after.  Each day, hopefully, up to Mother's Day, I will post a story of a mom who has made a difference in our lives.  Some will be the examples in Scripture, some will be stories you send in.  Life can be noisy and very busy about now......especially if you are a "MOM"  :)      A story a day....a mom a day to honor....send me your story.  Let's laugh, maybe cry, but always remember together.

Our Mother's Day Blog-A-Thon

Email me your stories to: DebbyJD@hotmail.com and put in subject line "MY MOM" 

You can attach a photo if you would like :)   This will be fun!  And a unique way to celebrate your mom this year.   Hurry though, ladies, we are on the countdown and there are only 11 days left before the big day!  (If you need a refresher of why we are doing this, read the post before this one :)

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A Mother's Day Blog-a-thon

One of my favorite holidays is just around the corner.  Of course, I am a MOM!  I love having my children pay attention to me :)  I enjoy not having to cook (unless my own mother visits and then I want to spoil her with a lovely meal :)   It is a time when a mom gets to enjoy being spoiled a bit!  By the time Mother's Day rolls around, spring has shown her lovely face and we begin to enjoy a bit of warm weather here in our neck of the woods.  And I am a big fan of "honoring" those who have not only given life, but have given so much of their lives and sacrificed to care for their families.

I especially am blessed by the many stories I hear of the way moms have touched a person's life.  Special moments and memories etched in our minds and hearts for eternity.  Some involve tremendous sacrifice, some as simple as a smile when needed.  Other times, a mom was there with a crucial bit of insight at just the perfect time.  And others, just the thought of a special meal or event....even a smell that invokes the feelings of never wanting to let go of that moment.

For the next three weeks, I would love to hear from YOU and your special MOM memories!  I want to dedicate the days leading up to Mother's Day (May 12th) to remembering and honoring our moms. Actually, you might not even have a memory of your mother, but there has been a mom figure in your life and you would love to share a memory.  If you would like to email me your stories (500 words or less), I will review them and then publish them here on the blog.  You can give me your first name only (or not), and I will give you credit for your piece.  I had a friend a few weeks ago send me the most amazing story of her mom who is no longer with us.  That will be one of the first ones I share, along with my own "mom story".   A new and creative way to honor your mom this Mother's Day.  All it takes is a few moments of your time to put your heart on paper (or computer page :) and send it to me.  I would love to hear, maybe shed a tear or two, and even laugh out loud as you remember your momma :)

Actually, when you email, you could attach a photo if you feel comfortable doing that also.

Email stories to   DebbyJD@hotmail.com and put in subject line "MY MOM" .  Ideally, I would like to post a story a day until Mom's Day, but it will take all of you sending me your memories to make this work.

So here we go...our very own Mother's Day Blog-a-Thon.... get those stories rolling in...

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Passionate Patience

To be passionate:  showing strong feelings or intense believe or emotion

To be patient:  to be able to wait without becoming annoyed or anxious

One word shows action....the other leads us to believe "inaction".  Or rather action without stress or anxiousness.

Can we be passionately patient?  I found this paraphrase of Romans 5:3-5 in The Message:

"There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us,  and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next.  In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary - we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!"

Verse 6 follows this up with..."Christ arrives right on time to make this happen."

Christ shows up right in the midst of our troubles...our battles.  He calls us to ENDURANCE.  Other translations reveal "suffering....producing perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, HOPE."  The end result is HOPE.

Bo Stern shares in her book "Beautiful Battlefields"  that endurance is not a gift, it is a developed skill.  It is what we learn on the battlefields of our life.  One battlefield is the groundwork for what lies ahead.  The seeds are planted, the lessons learned (if we endure and do not give up...although even when we give up, lessons are hopefully learned in the long run)....and we are prepared for the next battle.  Every battle becomes practice for the next one.

Bo also says "Endurance will inevitably be required to achieve anything of value.  That's why we should be thankful for our battlefields."

Today, there will be those of us in church, worshipping and enjoying our friends and family.  We might have smiles on our faces.  But how many of us/you are fighting a battle that only you, or a few know about?  Or maybe your battle is well known.  Having someone "hold up your hands" in the battle is a treasure that we absolutely must have to survive.  

Today, ask yourself a question "What is on the other side of this battlefield if I endure?  Will I grow and be better for it?"  Another quote from Bo, which reaches into the very depths of my heart, "Love led Jesus to the cross; obedience and endurance held Him there.  I am so grateful that He chose to stay, to outlast the suffering, to ENDURE it all for you and me."  Oh, how that touches me so deeply!

Passionate patience.....a developed skill that I so ardently desire in my life.  Alert expectancy.  Can I feel strongly in the waiting, without becoming annoyed or anxious, to reach the hope He promises.  The hope that does not put us to shame.  The battle where Christ arrives right on time and makes it happen.  I pray in the midst of whatever battle you may be facing, now or the one that is ahead, you will have passionate patience and joy will show up in the middle of the war.

Image from "Walking with Jesus Online"

note:  I highly recommend Beautiful Battlefields - a testimony of finding joy, peace and endurance in the middle of our battles. 

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Knock Knock...Who's There? Elijah...

Love, betrayal, mystery, murder, war, famine, drought, miracles, adventure, intrigue, faith - only a few of the words we could use to describe the Old Testament of the Bible.  The stories hidden within the pages of this centuries old book are filled with lessons that reach across the millennia.  Men and women who lived, loved, believed and died leaving a trail of stories to be told.  There is no better "storybook" !

One such story which is finding a very prominent place in my faith walk right now is 1 Kings 17. Elijah a prophet, has just declared a drought.  God leads him away from his hometown, seemingly to "hide" (verse 3) and he is fed by ravens near a brook where he is also able to have a water supply.  He has his needs met by Almighty God for a season.  When the brook dries up, He is instructed by God to go to a widow in Sidon who will provide food for him.

When he arrives and asks the widow for food and water, he discovers she is nearing the end of her "supply".  She only has enough flour for one more meal.  He tells her to not be afraid.  He instructs her to continue her hospitality anyway.  Make him a loaf, bring it to him first.  Then, she may make something for herself and her son. He proclaims "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says to you...the jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land."  Our weary widow does as she is told and there is food every day for Elijah, for herself and her family.

Let me see...

No bread, a handful of flour in a jar, a little olive oil, a few sticks for fuel.....obedience + generosity = abundant provision...in fact, ALL WE NEED.

Are there times when God asks us to do something and we hesitate because of our limited resources?  I think more often than we realize.  What if there are miracles He wants to do on our behalf?  What if He has an "appointed time or season" He wants to provide daily in a way that is truly miraculous....where He shows up in the flour and the oil...and it doesn't run dry.  What if...there is someone He wants us to bless, reach out to, impact in a way that only our generosity will speak to....and He tells us to grab that last handful of flour, that last drop of oil, and take care of them first.  

If you read further in Chapter 17, you next see the widow's son becomes ill and dies.  Oh great, he is fed miraculously for weeks only to turn around and die from something else.  This widow panics and blames Elijah.  He takes the boy and cries out to God....God hears him and returns the boy's life.  The son is returned to his mother.  The last verse of the chapter says "THEN the woman says to Elijah, 'NOW, I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is truth.'"   Hmmm...I would think she had THAT thought during the weeks of the flour and oil not running out.  But we in our human nature, sometimes miss the miracles of the day.   But again, here comes our FAITHFUL GOD and He shows up in the middle of our humanity, our daily grind, our panic and worries; just when we think all is about to run out...GOD brings resurrection.  He brings Himself and His presence.

My faith walk right now is requiring a deeper level of TRUST.  Scraping that flour barrel, shaking that bottle of oil.....on the word of the Lord to trust Him in every step of my journey.

Obedience + Generosity = Abundant Provision of all I NEED

This goes beyond oil and flour and financial need....our energy, our time, our resources, our health, our faith.....what barrel or jar do you feel you are running low on...about to run out?  But you know you have to keep going.... Is there an area of generosity deep within us we can tap into?  Is God's whisper of trust and obedience requiring steps that will open the door to the provision of what you feel you are lacking right now.  I think there is a miracle....a never running out.....a resurrection awaiting us as we tap into His perspective on the intertwining of obedience and generosity.  

What will we do when an Elijah comes to visit...or some opportunity presents itself but we feel we are lacking in some area?  I want to open the door for a miracle.  From my heart to yours....I hope you see that miracle when you open that door.

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