Who Do You Belong To?

Mine, Mine, Mine...we hear these words from toddlers over and over.  There is a book written by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen called 'The Mine-O-Saur'.  In this book the Mine-o-saur keeps all the blocks to himself, grabs snacks from the other little dinosaurs and in a very loud voice shouts, "Mine, mine, mine!"  In the end he learns that the toys in the school actually belong to the school and that sharing is best.

When reading Psalm 43 this morning, a few words and verses jumped out at me and screamed - hold the phone - mine, mine, mine!  Vs. 1 - "But now , O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.  O Israel, the one, who formed you says, "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.  I have called you by name, you are mine."  I belong to God.  I am His.  I know this because I have been forgiven, ransomed by the shed blood of Jesus.
Who do you belong to?

When something belongs to us, that makes us responsible for it and typically we take very good care of it.  We make sure our pets are fed and have water, we tune up our cars and we make sure our children are safe and loved.  Because I belong to God, He takes very good care of me.  He feeds me through His Word.   He tunes me up by chastising when I have erred.  He protects and guides.
Why does He do this?  Vs. 4  "Others were given in exchange for you.  I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me.  You are honored, and I love you."  I belong to God.  I am His. I am precious to Him.  I am special because He loves me.
Who do you belong to?

Knowing that I belong to God gives me security.  He has proven over and over again His faithfulness in my life and the lives of my family.  He has met needs.  He cares about what I care about.  I am safe and secure in the knowledge that I am His and always will be. Vs. 13 "From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done."  I will always belong to God but, He is willing to share.  He shares me with my family, He shares me with friends, He shares me with the church, but I still belong to Him.  I am so glad He shouts mine, mine, mine!
Who do you belong to?  

Belonging to God is a choice each person must make for themselves.  (John 3:16 & John 14: 6) There is nothing you have done that God can not or will not forgive.  God's desire is to call you His child - His son or His daughter. ( John 4:23)  But it takes a response on our part for that to happen.  Ask, Believe and Confess - shout it from the roof tops if you must but proclaim it.  I belong to God. (1John 1:9 & 1John 4:15)   Once that response is made, God takes you into the fold and never lets you go! (John 10: 27-30)

Who do you belong to?

Click below:
I Belong to A Mighty God

Leap of Faith

Who Are You?

I have found that most women have some type of insecurity.  Perhaps how their body looks, perhaps the house they live in, the job they have, the fact that their children are always in trouble. Or it could be a much deeper personal insecurity such as a feeling of inadequacy, fear, the feeling of being unlovable, or not good enough or not good at anything.  All of these insecurities, no matter what they are, cause us to falter and be less than God intended us to be. I am obviously not a psychologist, but if you look very closely at insecurities, they all seem to stem from fear.  I speak this to myself as well as you, my friends.

I am going to say something I have never said on my blog...hear me well -
those insecurities are from the evil one.  His goal is to make you feel less than the amazing person God made you to be.  Those insecurities, those fears, are hindrances to all God has planned for you.

"For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of a sound mind." 
 2 Timothy 1:7 

So, how do we get over our insecurities? First, we identify them in ourselves.  Next we give them to God.  "I am done with feeling inadequate, Lord, I give it to you and claim the spirit of power and adequacy You promised in Your Word." Last and most importantly, remember whose child you are. When you absolutely without a doubt know that you are a child of God, (John 1:12) that automatically makes you a daughter of The King.  You, my friend, are a child of the Most High God, a daughter of The King of Kings. Think about that for a moment.  Let it sink in. You - are - a - daughter - of - The King.  That makes you a Princess with a capital P.  You are royalty of the most holy kind.  You are God's prized possession. (James 1:18)   A child of God. A Princess. - That is huge!  And there are no insecurities in Princessdom!!!

Of course with Princessdom, it goes without saying, (but I have to say it) comes responsibility.  You also represent The King in how you dress, how you walk, how you talk, what you do or don't do. (Romans 8:12-17) Just sayin'

Here's what I want you to do...go into a room with a mirror.  Look at your self and say "I am a daughter of The King! Say it slowly and stare right into your own eyes.  "I am a daughter of The King!"  And every time you begin to doubt yourself or those little insecurities try to sneak their way into your life, say it..."I am a daughter of The King!  A child of the Most High God!"  They say if you say something enough times you begin to believe it.  Say it enough times that you believe it.  It will change everything!  It will change how and what you think of yourself.  It will change how you see you and how others see you.  You will walk taller.  You will be more confident. - I am a daughter of The King!   You might think I am kidding about the mirror suggestion, but I am not.  I want for each of you to realize all God has in store for you.  That will happen when you accept and embrace who you are in Christ.

I think the next time someone asks me who I am, my response will be, "I am Roxanne, a child of The King!"

What about you?  Who are you?

 

What Is Success?

Success means different things to different people.  Ask 4 or 5 people what success is and you will get 4 or 5 different answers on what success is in each of their worlds.

I think I have found the very best definition of success in a little book called 'Think on These Things' by John C. Maxwell.  He says, "Success is choosing to enter the arena of action, determined to give yourself to the cause that will better humanity and last for eternity."  That is a mouthful but it is also a mindful...so please take a moment to read it again, slowly.  If you still have not grasped it fully, read it again.  I had to read it several times myself.  It is a doozy!!   Ok, ready to move on?   Maxwell goes on to explain each of the seven components that make up his definition of success. But at the end of the chapter he summarizes as follows:

"Success is
Knowing the truth and accepting it;
Finding a need and filling it;
Facing a challenge and meeting it;
Losing a life and finding it;
Having a plan and following it;
Developing a talent and sharing it;
Going to heaven and knowing it."

Your world is your family, your home, your workplace, your church, organizations you belong to, teams you are on, etc.  You have a great opportunity to change your world.

Much like the infant church in the book of Acts, every major decision in your world should be made under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Just think about the widespread influence of that handful of people...Peter, John, Paul, Philip, Stephen, Barnabas, Timothy, Silas, Lydia, Apollos.  Who was behind the success of those early church planters?  The Holy Spirit.

So, I would encourage you - daily, invite the Holy Spirit into your world, not as a guest, but as a resident.  Speaking from experience, on the days I remember to intentionally do this, I can tell the difference in myself, in my home and in the interactions I have with people around me.  I am different.  My world is different.  It is successful.

Friends, God wants to use each of us to make our worlds successful. This is how we can do it.

Maxwell closes this chapter with, "I wish you all the success in the world!"

And I say to you, "As do I".

Prayer Unspoken

The dictionary defines prayer as "an expression, especially of devout petition, addressed to God or a diety",  "an earnest entreaty".  (Webster's II New Riverside Desk Dictionary)

As Christians we address our words of prayer to God.  We believe He hears and answers our prayers. Always.  Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes no, sometimes wait, but He always answers.

Prayers can be of the simplest kind or very complex.   Small children can speak words of prayer that will reach God's ears and tug at His heart as can the greatest orators and preachers found.  Words of prayer can be focused on one particular thought, need or idea or they can be broad enough to encompass thoughts, needs and ideas for the entire world.   Our prayers can be those of complete and utter anguish or they can be full to overflowing with joyful worship of the Creator.   There are also times when we are at an absolute loss for words to speak in prayer.  It is in those times of weakness, those times of desperation that we have an intercessor that speaks on our behalf.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words can not express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."  Romans 8:26&27

The Holy Spirit groans on our behalf.  Close your eyes and imagine the nearly unbearable groans of a woman in labor...if you have ever heard this kind of groaning, you will know without a doubt of the pain the woman is in.  This is how earnestly the Holy Spirit entreats God on our behalf.  He groans as a woman in labor bringing our requests and needs, our hurts and most humble gratefulness to the Father. We may ask the Holy Spirit to speak on our behalf, but it is not required. God has sent the Holy Spirit to be our comforter to be our intercessor for those times when we feel something so deeply we are simply unable to voice it.  We have no words.

Sometimes when we are in this state, we fail to give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to speak on our behalf.  We are so frozen we fail to come to God in prayer.  We do not know what to say, so we do not go to Him.  Have confidence that the Holy Spirit will speak for you.  Have faith that the Words of promise found in Romans 8:26&27 are just that - a promise.  Have faith that God keeps His promises. Have faith that your unspoken prayer will be heard and answered by the Almighty through the groaning of the Holy Spirit.

    

Lost & Found Diamonds

Not once, but twice, did I lose the big diamond in one of my rings.  The first time I was at work in an insurance office.  At that time, each client had a paper client file.  We had over 1000 clients so we had a lot of file folders.  At the end of one of our busier days, I was putting files back in the file cabinet so they weren't on the floor and in the way of the cleaning crew.  As I pushed and shoved one especially large file back into a not quite large enough opening, the top of my hand scraped across the bottom of the file cabinet shelf and I heard a scraping sound and then saw my beautiful pear shaped diamond sail through the air to nowhere.  Seriously, it was as if it vanished in mid air for as quickly as it dislodged itself from my ring it also disappeared - all in the blink of an eye.  The front office was fairly small, so I thought to myself, it really couldn't have flown very far.  So the receptionist and I searched every square inch of the floor.  No diamond.  Next idea was that perhaps if fell among the files so we proceeded to pull out each and every file folder from that cabinet and shake the file.  Then we dejectedly returned all the files to their rightful places.  No diamond.  We looked all around the two desks, all around the chairs, on top of the file cabinets.  We spent hours looking for the diamond. Finally after much thought, I concluded the diamond was just plain gone.  The receptionist, too, had sadly assumed it was a lost cause.  As she sat down in her chair we were joking about the fact that someday we would probably find the diamond stuck in a file.  I was standing next to where she was just about to sit down.  As she slowly sat down on her chair my eyes followed her and I saw a small flash of something fall to the floor.  You guessed it, my diamond.  It had obviously lodged itself in the chair cushion and then dislodged as she sat down.  You can imagine the giggling and hooting and hollering - what was lost was now found.

2 years later - the same ring, the same diamond.  Only this time, I had absolutely no idea where I had lost it.  One sunny summer day as I was driving home, as I re-positioned my hands on the steering wheel, I noticed that my beautiful pear shaped diamond was missing.  It could have been lost anywhere.  It could have been lost for days and I just happened to notice it that day.  I felt sure this time I would never in a million years find that diamond.  After calling my husband to tell him the diamond was gone - again, my next thought was to pray.  I walked into the house and went to the bedroom to remove my now naked ring and put it in the jewelry drawer.  The sun was shining brightly into the room through the patio door and I stopped to admire the sunshine when I got to the foot of the bed.  For some reason, to this day I do not know what made me do it, I glanced down at the floor at the foot of the bed and there shining brightly in the sun was my diamond - what was lost was now found.

In so very many ways these two stories remind me of how God pursues each person - His treasures - His diamonds in hopes that one day they will be found.  That's why Jesus came. ("For the Son of Man (Jesus) came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:10).  I once was lost, but now I am found and every single day, I thank God for finding me!

"Suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?  And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  Luke 15:8-10

Perhaps you are feeling lost.  You, too, can pray!  Today might be a good day to be found!

There is nothing you have done, that God can not and will not forgive.  He is seeking you today as a lost diamond - let yourself be found!


"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."  Romans 10: 9-13 and Acts 2: 21

Perfect Peace

It is 8:00 a.m. and the dog is barking like a crazy animal because a truck pulled up in front of our house.  The wind is blowing wildly, the snow is coming down fast and furious and suddenly I hear a loud crack.  One of the branches from our neighbors tree has broken off and fallen into our yard.  We go to the backyard to check it out and all we can say is "Yep! there's a branch in our yard" and we traipse back into the house only to find one of us has stepped in dog poop.  Sigh!

Now imagine another scenario - It is 8:00 a.m., the sun is shining and everything is still and quiet.  The dogs greet me with wagging tails and happy hearts.  I let them out to take care of business and they quietly and happily come back in for their breakfast.  The smell of fresh coffee and hot blueberry muffins permeates the house as I sit down at the table to read and enjoy my coffee and muffin while the sun pours in and the world wakes up.  At about 8:30 a.m. we see our friendly neighborhood squirrel and his friend the robin happily playing tag along our fence - their daily play date.  And the sun shines on.

Which of these scenarios does your life look like?  Or is it a combination of both?   For some very odd reason, I honestly thought scenario #2 is what our retired life would look like all the time. Oh, we do have days once in a while that are quiet and uneventful.  But most days are not.  There is always something that needs to be done, or something that happens, or a dog barking wildly and yes, sometimes we step in dog poop.  In my vision of retirement, there was no stepping in dog poop!

I have learned though, that peace does not necessarily equate with retirement.  The peace comes in knowing that God is in charge of all those wild crazy days as well as the uneventful days.  He has us exactly where He wants us and as long as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, we are in perfect peace. He is the constant among all the chaos and all the calm.  I read somewhere that "Your level of peace is directly related to your level of trust in God.  The more you trust God, the more peace you will experience."  So true!!

Just as He is in control of my days, He is in control of your days - wild and crazy or calm and uneventful.  He has you exactly where He wants you. And as long as you keep your mind on Him, He promises His perfect peace.  His peace is found inside your heart, not in your circumstances.

The verse I am about to quote here is actually the very first scripture verse I ever memorized.  Hiding this verse in my heart has helped me tremendously through all kinds of turmoil.  I will be quoting it from the King James version of the Bible because that is how I memorized it.  No matter which version you read, it gives the same message - stay focused on Jesus and you will have perfect peace and strength to deal with the chaos.  And that's a promise!

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee; because he trusteth in Thee.  Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength."  Isaiah 26: 3&4 

You Are Complete

It seems we all want more of something...
more money, more time, more friends, more courage, more wisdom, more patience, and on and on.

The word 'want' is the operative word there...wanting something and needing something are two entirely different things.

The Bible speaks to our wants and our desires, but it also speaks of our needs.   And you and I both know our needs are what God deems best for us and He is faithful to meet them at every turn.

So, this message is for myself included.  Stop all the wanting...

Jesus loves me the Bible tells me so, but, the Bible also tells me that I have everything I need -

I am COMPLETE in CHRIST!!

LACKING nothing!

And so are you.

You are COMPLETE in CHRIST!!

LACKING nothing!


Here's how I know -
Colossians 2:10
"Because you belong to Christ, you have everything you need.  He is the ruler over every power and authority."   (NIRV)

Let this sign post serve as a reminder.
                             You have everything you need!!  You are complete and so am I!!

 

Take Time

During my quiet times with Jesus, sometimes I am so focused on what I want to tell Him, as soon as it is all out, as soon as my heart has been shared, I just walk away.  I am done.  The conversation is over.  I have said what I wanted to say and I am on to the next thing.

As I think about this scenario, I can imagine Jesus saying to me,  "I understand.  You are busy.  I know how your mind works and I gave you that little touch of ADHD.  But child, take time to speak with me, not just to me.  I want to have a dialogue with you."

I might say to Jesus, "You want this with everyone, don't you? - A dialogue, a relationship."

"Yes", He would say, "I do.  I want a real relationship with everyone.  A real relationship means we dialogue.  There can only be a real relationship if people take time to get to know Me - not just as their Savior, but also as their friend.  Friends dialogue."

"Lord," I would say, "Please, forgive me for walking away from You."

He would answer, "Of course.  You are mine.  I have searched you and I know your heart."

I say with tears in my eyes, "You have searched me, Lord Jesus, and You do know me.  You understand my motivation.  You are in each and every situation with me and this knowledge is overwhelming to me.  You love the real me, all the time, no matter what, even when I sometimes walk away and do not take time to speak with you."           (paraphrased from Psalm 139: 1-6)

Words - Part 2

In Words - Part 1 found on Saturday, June 4, 2016 the discussion led us to agree that words are a means of communicating - just one way to share thoughts, ideas and feelings.  We also agreed that words are very powerful.  They have the power to uplift, encourage and change a life or they have the power to crush a spirit or hurt a heart.  If you have not read Part 1, I'd like to suggest you take a look at it for some insight into the less positive side of our use of words and what God's Word has to say about it.
  

Today we are going to look at Words from another angle - the more positive use of words and some helpful hints on how God would have us check ourselves when using our words.

Colossians 4:5-6 "Make the most of every opportunity. Let the words you speak be full of grace."   This verse give us a clue as to God's expectation.  Grace filled speech means forgiving, kind, loving, truthful, compassionate, understanding, uplifting, encouraging, positive, gentle - you see where He was going with this?  It's not always easy but this is what God's Word teaches us.  I think it is what He expects.  God wants us to be cautious with our words - as if there was a huge Yield sign 

The book of Proverbs very clearly spells out what the expectations are: 

Proverbs 12:22  "The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in those who tell the truth."

Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare."

Proverbs 16:21 "The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive."

And one of my favorites: Proverbs 16:24 "Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."  Does anyone remember or use the saying that goes - 'You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.'  There is such great wisdom in that saying.  Think of how smooth and flowing honey is - that is what kind words are like.  When you speak kind words to someone or they speak them to you  - the Bible teaches that it is sweet to the soul and actually healthy for the body.  The opposite would also be true - critical, sharp, condescending words are going to cause stress and make the person feel rotten about them self - that is not healthy.  Your words have the power to make or break someone.

As a child I grew up hearing words that empowered me.  "You can do or be anything you want."  "You are smart - figure it out."  These words caused me to believe I could do anything I want to do and pretty much, I have.  Here's an example:  It costs a fortune to have 2 big dogs groomed. I went and watched the groomers at Pet Smart and thought to myself, I can do that and so I taught myself to groom our dogs.  If I had not heard those equipping words all my life, I honestly don't think I would have had the courage to do many of things I have done over the years.  Words made the difference in my life.  Words delivered in a positive way that uplift and encourage will make a difference in your child, your friend or your spouses life, too!

God wants us to be cautious with our words - as if there was a huge flashing Yield sign in our brain.
James 1:19 "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger."  If you are listening, you are not talking...(silence is golden) it is the talking that gets folks all riled up so be slow to speak (heed the flashing Yield sign) and slow to anger. Taking things slow allows time to think before acting or reacting.

So, a couple things God (and mom) would have us do before speaking:
1. Stop and think about the words you are going to say.  Remember what mom told you - If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.  Good advice.
2. Ask yourself - How would I feel if someone said this to me? or spoke to me in this manner? Remember the Golden Rule - Treat others as you would like to be treated.  (Matthew 7:12)
3. Ask yourself - Is what I am about to say - the truth? uplifting? encouraging? positive? respectful?
4. Am I speaking to the right person about this? Is my delivery gentle and heartfelt? (Proverbs 27:9)

I came across a quote by Tony Dorsett a former NFL football player that I really liked and want to share with you.   He said:
"To succeed...you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you."

That 'something' that he speaks of, might be someones words.  May you (and I) be the one delivering them.

Speaking words of blessing to you this day, my friends!  You can do anything you set your mind to. You have the power behind you to facilitate change. (Phil. 4:13) You, out of all of God's creation, became His prized possession.  (James 1:18b)  Your name is written on the palms of Jesus hands - He loves you that much!!  (Isaiah 49:16)  Think of yourself as God's favorite!  Embrace it!  I do.

I am thinking there might be a Part 3 to the message on Words....Hmmmm?? We shall see.


"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O God my Rock and my Redeemer."  Psalm 19:14

Words - Part 1

Words are a means of communicating -- just one way to share thoughts, ideas and feelings.   Words are very powerful.  They have the power to uplift, encourage and change a life or they have the power to crush a spirit or hurt a heart.  The Bible has a lot to say about the words we use to communicate with our friends, our spouses, our kids and even strangers.

Colossians 4: 5-6 "Make the most of every opportunity.  Let the words you speak always be full of grace."  Another version of that same verse says, "Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone."

Proverbs 25: 11 "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."

I get the idea that teaching us about the use of words was important to God.  He gave us His very words in the Bible for that purpose among many others.

The Bible speaks to us about gossip - the most harmful use of words (Proverbs 26:22) and about having a lying tongue (Proverbs 6:17).  It also gives us a hint on how to detect someone with poor motives in Proverbs 26:24 & 25 "A malicious man disguises himself with his lips..." and a warning  "Though his speech is charming, do not believe him..."   

The Bible even gives us a kind of prayer verse to help us when we are struggling with how we use our words.  I had this verse posted in my classroom for those times I would get especially frustrated with a child's behavior.  You know the times I mean - when you get so frustrated and upset with your child that you just want to lash out and yell because every single night they spill their milk or day after day you have to remind them to flush the toilet.  It happens.  We get so tired of saying the same thing over and over we are just overcome by the need to shout.   In my classroom when I felt that way, usually (I can't lie and say always.) I would see this verse on the wall and stop. Read it. And check my words.  Sometimes just taking the moment to read it or say it to myself was enough of a moment to regroup and calm down.  Psalm 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." 

My husband and I do not have arguments very often.  But there is a very common thread in them.  In fact 9 out of 10 times when we argue it is over communication.  The famous line from the 1967 Cool Hand Luke movie comes to mind - "What we have here is a failure to communicate."   Not that we use cruel words to each other - we just make too many assumptions.  Assumptions are never good. We talked about a topic 20 minutes ago so I assume he will know I am referring to that topic when I bring it up again later.  NOT.  My friend told me her husband thinks she is a mind reader - she is clearly not, no one is.   The communication issue is not limited to husbands and wives, however.

Words exchanged between friends can be misunderstood and can cause a friendship to dissolve.  I have heard many a child speak very disrespectfully to their parents.  I have heard adults speak to other adults in a condescending manner or make a joke at the expense of someone else which is very hurtful.  I have personally experienced someone making a joke with a derogatory remark toward me and knowing that deep down they were serious and trying to hurt me without coming right out and saying what was on their mind.  It was simply their true feelings in joke form.  I felt the hurt.  

I grew up hearing - Say what you mean and mean what you say.  Giving someone your word and keeping it is having integrity.  It helps people see that you can be trusted to do what you say you will do, whether in a job or at home. There is nothing sadder to see than a child who has had yet another promise broken by his or her parents.

What we need to remember is that once words are said - they are out there - there is no taking them back.  Even if you try to retract them or say - 'just kidding' - they are out there!  They have done the damage or that promise has been made.  With words spoken there are no do-overs, there are no tag backs.

All this to remind ourselves (me included) - to think before we speak. (Proverbs 29:20)  Make sure you are speaking apples of gold and placing them in settings of silver for whomever you are communicating with.

Watch for Words - part 2 in the days to come for how words can be used positively and some helpful hints on how God would have us check ourselves when using our words.




                           

Sweet Sounds of Music

The movie 'Sound of Music" is a classic.  Seriously, it has all the elements of life - love, hate, discord, war, humor, determination, pride, jealousy, innocence, stubbornness, family and best of all music.

Music - melody of the heart.  Did you ever stop and think about what might have been going on in Beethoven's life when he penned those famous notes - DA, DA, DA, DA...!

Or what of the Jeff Barry/Peter Allen lyrics - "I love you, I honestly love you.  If we both were born in another place and time..."  In those words I hear a heart of unrequited love - sad, desperate, lonely.

Or another love song - "How great Thou art - How great Thou art! - Love for a mighty and caring God.  Yes, music is indeed melody of the heart.

When my young granddaughter used to come to spend the night - we would go through a regular routine at bedtime: pj's on, wash up, brush the teeth, get tucked in, say our prayers, fun kisses followed by sweet kisses then without fail she asks, "Grandma will you rub my back and sing to me?"  Those few words make the tornado my house has become with her visit - totally worth it.  "Grandma, will you rub my back and sing to me?"  "Sure honey", I say, "what do you want me to sing?"  Of course I already know because it's always the same.  "The Color Song," she says, "then the Mountain Song."
And so I sing, slowly and softly:

"Red and yellow and pink and green
Orange and purple and blue
I can sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow, sing a rainbow.... can you?
                                                            (Nursery Rhyme song - "I Can Sing a Rainbow")

As the music gently floats through the air, I can feel and hear her settling in for the night.  She's relaxing in the soft sweet sounds of the music.

"You molded every mountain, You poured out every sea
The world is Your creation and yet You're here with me
Maker of all things, You are a mighty King
And mighty is Your love for me.  (Yes), mighty is Your love for me."
                                                           ("Mighty Is Your Love" Written by Jana Alayra)

The music caresses and envelopes her causing her breathing to become steady.  She has slipped into the sweet sleep that comes to her from hearing Grandma sing of rainbows and God's love.  Melodies sung from a heart filled with love for this child that is my granddaughter.

Ahhh!  The sweet sounds of music - timeless, precious, meaningful and definitely an important part of our life.


"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;  I will sing and make melody.  Awake, my soul!"  Psalm 108:1

Do Fairytales Come True?

Do Fairytales Come True?

Do fairytales really come true?  If I were to ask my 8-year-old granddaughter she would probably say without hesitation, yes!   Because she is a bit precocious she might even say, “Of course fairytales come true, don't you remember the wedding?!”  As I look at an enchanting photograph of her taken just over a year and a half ago I can see why she would say that fairytales do indeed come true.

In the forefront of the photograph, she stands with her back to the camera drinking in all that she is seeing.  The back of her white net flower girl dress is adorned with a perfectly tied bow.  Her hair is pulled up in a childish ponytail and around her head she wears a sparkling ribbon headband laden with white silk flowers and tied in a bow at the base of her neck.  She is staring intently at the scene in front of her. Her jaw line reveals that she is mesmerized.  She is lost completely in this moment.   In her mind what she sees is magical -- a fairytale come true. 

In the background twinkling lights that look like perfectly spaced stars dot the lush green foliage.  Sparkling tree limbs can just barely be seen in between all the fine greenery.  As dusk approaches, the last of the light peeks through the branches letting us know night is about to fall. 

Under the umbrella of the trees, as if under the spell of this magical fairytale setting, a newly married couple stands in an embrace.  The couple’s arms are gently wrapped around each other.  They are poised for their first dance as husband and wife.  The bride in her exquisitely airy gown has her back to the camera.  Long flowing blonde hair gently curls down her back to her waist.  This is the beautiful princess the child sees -- so much like Cinderella at the ball with her prince charming.  The groom gazes lovingly directly into the eyes of his new bride.  A smile graces his face revealing a dimple.  I can almost hear his gentle whisper, “I love you, my bride.”

I see two very different steady but intent gazes -- the groom to his new bride and the child to the bride and groom.  The groom, eyes locked on his new bride, sees only her.  He is unaware of anything going on around him.  The child’s steady focus is only on the couple.    I sense that the child is projecting herself on to the image of the beautiful bride.  She is perhaps imagining that she will one day be dancing with her own prince charming on her wedding day.

The couple is completely unaware of the child and the affect the moment is having on her. They are in their own fairytale world.  The child, unaware of anything but the couple, is in a fantasy of her own making. 

Most girls have a very vivid dream of their wedding day.  They imagine what it will be like, whom they will marry and what they will wear.  Little girls pretend to be a bride.  This child is no different.  She dresses up in a bridal costume, wandering through the house humming “Here Comes the Bride”.  “Grandma,” she asks, “Do you have any flowers for me to carry?”  Of course Grandma has flowers.  “Grandma”, “Can you put a veil on me?”  Of course Grandma can and does.  “Grandma”, she says, “stand over there so I can throw the bouquet.” as she quickly turns around and hurls the fake flowers through the room and over the dividing wall just barely missing a vase. 

The serenity of this charming photo is in direct contrast to the hectic and stressful pre-wedding days and hours.  “What do you mean the flowers aren’t arranged on the tables yet? The wedding starts in 20 minutes!”  I say in a not so nice voice.  And yet, when looking at this photo all I remember is the magic of the moment.  It is sort of like labor pains, once a mother sees that newborn baby, all the pain is forgotten.  Now, I only remember my beautiful daughter walking down the aisle with her father.  I remember seeing tears in her eyes as her dad gives her hand to the man who will now love and cherish her for the rest of her life.  I remember that my baby is no longer my baby.  My daughter is a grown woman fulfilling her own happy ever after.

Do fairytales come true?  For this young girl, a fairytale came true on August 25, 2012 at the wedding of her Aunt and Uncle.  She watched it happen, she participated in it and she memorized it all.   This simple photo of a little girl watching and drinking in the love and beauty of this newly married couple offers the possibility of forever after, happy endings and dreams coming true. 

         Fairytale weddings are a part of the here and now -- vividly etched in our minds and hearts. There is also an eternal forever after, the eternal happy ending, the eternal dream come true and it is called heaven.   The final fairytale come true awaits.



"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you."  John 14: 2