March 1, 2013

“A Mama Moment”….with Madison    

A smallish, thin letter from EKU's College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work came in the mail today.  We have been praying for Madison's acceptance into the program and she has worked very hard to be a good candidate.  Madison works 40 plus hours a week in Lexington, goes to college full time in Richmond and comes home to Georgetown on the weekends to spend a little bit of time with family and friends.  Her's is a busy life. 

 I am not sure how she does it.  I could not pull a 6pm until 7am shift in Lexington, drive to Richmond to clean up and head to 9am classes.  I just could not.  But, this is her life and has been for the past several years.  And, she has done it well, earning the Dean's List a few times in the recent semesters.

            I am proud of her. 

            So, when we heard the squeal of excitement as she opened her "ACCEPTANCE" letter to the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Social Work, we were excited along with her!!  

            As a little girl, she had a servant's heart, during her high school years she volunteered and served and even in her current job, she works with those who challenge and tug at the very fibre of her being (Eastern State Mental Health Hospital).  I confess that Ian and I often worry about her well-being and safety because she can and does face unusual peril when simply working a standard work shift.  But, she seems to love it and has often said that she feels like she truly helps those she serves. 

            She is different.  She sees way deep into the hearts of her friends, family and patients.  She sees good where no one else does.  She sees potential where others fail to look. 

            I sincerely believe she will be a wonderful Social Worker and look forward to the day she crosses that line all cap and gown and diploma in hand ready to go into the world, eyes opened and prepared....to serve.

            A Mama Moment is when you see God rise up the potential in your child in HIS way.....toward His will for her life. 

A Mama Moment...God thank you for each and every one!

           

 

           

 

           

 

“A Mama Moment”…..with Kenton                                               February 26, 2013

This Mama who is rarely sick has a bad case of strep throat.  Fortunately, I have some great young men to take care of me while Ian is at work.  After laying on the couch all day, I gathered up my  things to go up to bed at the same time Kenton came in from running. 

“Mama…can I have a short…brief conversation with you?”  “I know you don’t feel well, so it’s okay, it can wait.”

I confess…I wanted to take a rain check because I truly do feel pretty terrible, but something in my Mama’s heart thought to stay and listen.

 

I am grateful that God laid on my heart to stay and listen and that He gave me the ability to actually feel okay while Kenton talked. 

He wanted to talk about God and Jesus and the Bible.  About why I believed the way I did and why his Ladder and Grammy/Poppy believed they way they did.  Did I just believe the way my parents did out of respect for them or did I have my own faith? 

Is it okay to question God, where you go to worship, and the actions in the Bible, especially the sacrifices in the Old Testament? 

What I thought would be a ten minute conversation (this is my quiet child), ended up being a 30 minute conversation on all of these things, on family, on life. 

He wasn’t asking these questions as a boy….he was asking these questions as a man. 

I asked him to name five people whom he held in high regard and he gave me quickly five names, almost as if he had been thinking about this as well.  Then, I asked him what they all had in common….and, then I just listened…and, was touched beyond measure by what he had to say. 

And, inside my Mama’s heart, I knew that God was working on him….an answer to my Mama’s prayers.   

Tender to my heart are these “Mama Moments”……even when your son becomes a man…maybe, especially, when your son becomes a man. 

~A Mama Moment

 

If It’s Monday, It’s Mama

I is for Ice Cream Cones and Itinerian and Intercessor

 

While I was pregnant with you, I craved ice cream.  We lived not too far from an ice cream store and would go get the little sample sized cups.  My logic was that too much would not be good for you but a little bit might make you happy....well, okay....might make me happy:)

I believe it was a Baskin Robbins but whatever it was, it had a lot of different flavors, and I believe I tried them all during my pregnancy with you. 

Then, when we moved to the other side of town, we did move close to a Baskin Robbins and we did the same thing.  When I was first pregnant with your brothers, you and I would go get you a small, child-sized cone and I would get the little sample cup.  We would walk from our house to the ice cream shop and back.  My thought was that we would burn up the calories we ate by walking. 

And, while you loved going because you loved ice cream, I loved going because I loved watching you enjoy the journey. 

It typically took us quite a while because you would want to stop and look at every flower, bug and interesting thing we met along the way.  We did this often enough that people would wave to us and smile watching Mama and daughter walk, hand in hand, stopping often, talking all the while. 

Those were days I cherished because I could see your sweet little heart all growing and developing and becoming.  You were an extremely happy little girl.  You sang and laughed and danced all the time.  We twirled and skipped and jumped.  It was a very precious time…and, just thinking about it makes me smile. 

It was when you were little that someone told me to make playing with you a priority so that you had happy memories to pull from when you got older.  I hope we did that.  I tried to do that with you.   

And, even now, when I get ice cream (which is not so often anymore), I always smile and when I close my eyes….I can see your sweet little face all lit up and laughing and licking your little ice cream cone….and, I know God loves me because He gave me you! 

I is also for itinerian which means traveler.  You have high hopes for traveling and baby, I hope you are able to travel.  It has to be a goal, not just a dream.  You have to save and work hard to plan it, and then it becomes real.  Ian has told you about saving over 17 years for a big hunt he wanted to go on.  That is what he used to take me to Bora Bora.  Seventeen years is a long time to save for a hunt.  And, then to do something else with the money….that is amazing.  What a wonderful gift he gave your mother.  His doing that taught me a lot about saving, and planning and giving gifts of love. 

One major thing that I learned from him is that “you will never get to your dreamed of destination if you don’t do the work of planning”.  This applies to all of our life’s travels, including that of our journey to heaven.

I see you planning…..and, I believe you will be an “itinerian”…..and, if that is God’s will for your life, I hope you do.  I still believe what Eva Self taught us, “Baby, dream big dreams and if you work real hard and if Jesus lives in your dreams…your dreams will live”. 

Dream big dreams.

Work hard. 

Plan. 

Then, Go….. 

Finally, I is for Intercessor which also means mediator.  God is our intercessor.  He will mediate between you and any one and any thing with which you have as an obstacle blocking you as you try to live your life.  It is in His ability to intercede or mediate that you can have hope and peace and joy.  Ask Him to intercede in your life when you come against things you cannot handle alone.  In fact, ask Him to intercede in all things…..He loves you and is just waiting for you to ask Him.

ILYAOYMC, 

Mama

If It's Monday, It's Mama.......

 

In the three plus years I have written, “If It’s Monday, It’s Mama” I have never written anything negative.  On purpose.  This is intended to be a positive love letter from your mother to her daughter.  And, while I don’t plan to do that even now, based on what you have been going through, I want so say a few things from my Mama’s heart.  I had started a long blog to you but deleted it…..prayed about what to say….and here is what came to my heart…. 

1)  You are a much beloved daughter and your Dad and I should praise God daily for the gift of you. I know I do.

2) Parents are human and make mistakes, even grave ones.  Work toward forgiveness but don’t accept unGodly behavior from either of us.

 

3) Your self-worth comes from God…and no one else….ever.

4) A forgiven past is dead to God.  Do not let anyone draw you back to the prison of your past. 

5) You cannot force a person to be Godly, but you can pray God will.

6) You cannot force truth, but you can pray God does.

7)  You cannot force relationships, but you can pray that God will restore them.

8)  Surround yourself with those whose lives reflect a love for God and for you.

9) Forgive.

10) Choose love…unconditional love. 

In my own life, those times I felt most broken were those same times I let the words or actions of another make me feel like I was a sinner…or bad….or unworthy.  I let them be my God rather than God be my God. 

I want to encourage you….don’t just utter the words….but, go to God….daily… and ask Him to grow you into the woman he wants you to be. 

He knew all about you even before He knit you in my womb….He knew the challenges you would face and knows what you are facing now.  Go to Him…..ask Him to help you, to guide you, to heal those broken places.

It is ONLY He who can….. 

And, Madison….it is really only He who matters….. 

I won’t always be here to remind you of these things….so, learn them now….. 

And, finally, I leave you with this…. 

You are a lovely heart…..you are God’s girl….You are a growing spirit….. 

God is not done with you yet….just like that song Mrs. Debbie and Mr. Mark taught you.. 

“He’s still working on me….to make me the way I ought to be….” 

That applies to your Dad and me as well.  Don’t lose heart…..but, give it over to God. 

ILYAOYMC,

Mama

 

He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me.

There really ought to be a sign upon the heart,
Don't judge her yet, there's an unfinished part.
But I'll be perfect just according to His plan
Fashioned by the Master's loving hands.

In the mirror of His Word reflections that I see
Make me wonder why He never gave up on me.
He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray
Remember He's the Potter, I'm the clay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If It’s Monday, It’s Mama…. 

H is for Hands, Humble and "HIS"

When you were little, and by little, I mean barely able to sit up, one of your favorite songs was “If You’re Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands.”

If you're happy and you know it,

Clap your hands

If you're happy and you know it,

Then your face will surely show it

If you're happy and you know it,

Clap your hands

 

I know we sang this at least 1,777 times!  I began singing this to you when you were in utero and we sang it until…well, until even now.  Precious are the memories of you growing up with this song…at first, I had to clap your chubby little fingers together because you didn’t know yet how to “clap” and then, you finally figured out how to clap, but could not keep the exact rhythm.  Later you found the rhythm but couldn’t remember the words and finally, you got it all together and could sing it on your own.

 

Also precious to my mother’s heart is watching you teach this song to your little brothers when they came along.  You were five when they were born and you very patiently and lovingly taught them many things, many songs, many tasks, but watching you teach them to sing and clap to “If You’re Happy and You Know It” is probably one of my favorite memories.

Hands are important, as you know.  Hands can be used to love or to hurt.  

You know I love hands because I have taken photos of yours, Ian's, your grandparents and other people.  It was touching to me that your dad took the photos I took of Mamaw and Papaw's hands to Papaw's funeral and set it up front in a place of honor.  Obviously, it touched you and your brothers because each of you mentioned it to me. 

Hands tell a lot about a person.  They are used to express emotions, they are used to care for a little baby or child.  Hands are used to work and make a living and are used to play sports and games.   

I think often of Jesus' hands and whether or not we will see the holes in them when we meet Him in heaven or will they be healed and as if they never existed?  I don't know...we will find out some day. 

I have held your hands many times in your 22 years.  I held them when you were born and they curled around my finger.  I held them when crossing the street to go play.  I held them in prayer at night or when we kneeled over the couch.  I have held them when you were scared, I have held them to encourage you and I have held them as you (and I) wept.

But, mostly, I have held your hand in love...at church...at home.... 

You have kind hands, serving hands.  You have happy hands, silly hands, sweet hands. You have hands who can take on a challenging patient and hands which can rock a baby. You have lovely hands...right now they are decorated with "nails" and are all pretty and French looking.

I look forward to many more days of holding your hand...and am grateful that God chose to give you such a wonderful set... 

Hands matter, baby.  Always use yours to the good...only take them places which matter.  Only behave with them in ways which are kind and loving and caring.  Take care of whose hand you chose to place your hand in....for the man who holds your hand for life needs to be worthy...Godly....tender and loving. And, ultimately, I pray you are greeted by God's hands...at the golden gate in the Ivory Palace.... 

H is also for humility.  Live a humble life.  Have a humble heart.  Be a humble soul. 

His is also for “HIS”.  You cannot truly “his” unless you are truly HIS.   

And, I believe that “he” cannot be truly “yours” until “he” is truly “HIS” 

So, baby…..be HIS. 

Blessings on your week. 

ILYAOYMC,

Mama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If It’s Monday plus five days (a/k/a Saturday), It’s Because Ian’s Birthday, Valentine’s  Day, My School Lunch and school were on Mama’s Agenda… 

G is for “Gam Zu L’ Tovah” Hebrew for “This, too, is for the best”

“Gam Zu L’ Tovah is from a story in the Talmud of a sage named Nachum, whose staunch faith in God led him to declare all of God’s actions as being for the best.  His name, therefore, became Nachum Ish Gam Zu, or Nahum, the man of “everything is for the best.”  Note that gam zu l’tovah does not imply that everything IS the best, that is, that this is the best of all possible worlds, but rather than everything is FOR the best, even if that future good is hidden from us at the present time.” (www.hebrew4christians.com) 

I have been studying a little Hebrew and really enjoyed this lesson of Nachum because he DECLARED all of God’s actions to be FOR the best, even those he could not see.  He placed his faith in the Lord and in God’s desire to prosper him…even when it did not feel that way.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I liked this with regards to you because you are at a point in life where many unknowns are coming onto your horizon. 

You have applied to your Social Work Program and await finding out your status

You work for a business which is laying off workers and you hope to maintain your employment

You are trying to decide to get an apartment or continue living at home and in dorm

You are looking at graduate schools and trying to decide where to attend

You are saving for trips for the future, which ones, if any, should you take 

You are trying to get back onto your PKU diet…it is hard 

You are striving to find a church home… 

You are challenging your friendships and are striving to keep only the true ones 

You are trying to manage your relationships, some of which are not easy 

You want to make good grades, in this you are successful

You want to be a good employee, as your review indicates, you are excellent! 

And, very important, you are trying to grow into God’s girl and are praying that you are patient until that time HE sends you God’s boy, if He does…

The list could go on and on of the things you talk with me about…those future plans for which you are trying to prepare.  But, as you prepare, I want you to remember what God says…

James 4:13-14 “ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

So, it makes sense to me to become Madison Gam Zu L’ Tovah….Madison believer that “everything is for the best.”  Because of Him….. 

For it is in this believing that you let go of relying on yourself and put your reliance on God… 

And, that is where you will find the answers to all of your life’s questions.   

G is also for GUMPTION… 

Gumption is the courage to act or to take what action is needed, when it is needed and you have this in spades.  One thing I am so proud of concerning you is that you have used your past to make yourself a better future…granted, it has been and remains a very slow process, but in that process, you have grown in “gumption” and for that I am very grateful. 

I believe that you believe that when you rely on God to direct your path, you can do anything He will bless.  I believe that you believe that when you make up your mind to do something, you will do it.   

There are things still on your canvas of life which you have not yet accomplished, but I believe you will.  I can see you walking that direction.  I know you know what you should do.  I believe you are building up the gumption to get it accomplished and are readying yourself. 

I believe in you. 

And, finally, but FIRST, G is for God. 

I talk a lot about God because I want to reinforce WHO it is we live for…and that nothing in life matters except that we live for Him. 

But, I know in your heart you know this…. 

So, I just want to share that G O D is all you ever truly will need in life.  The rest of the things you achieve, the rest of the people you love and have friendships with, the places you will travel, the jobs you will have, the scarves you will collect, the boys you will date (or men), the color you will paint your home, the car you will drive, the songs you will play, the books you will read…

They are just the icing on the cake of life…the little life-gifts that God gives us to show us his love, to encourage us to use to His glory, to use to help others, to be a blessing during our short breath of life…

But, GOD….HE is BEST….he is the Everything 

HE is the “everything is FOR the best”…. 

So, give your life over to Him and let Him work on you, 

Madison Gam Zu L’ Tovah…..daughter of everything is for the best.

 

Blessings and love,

Mama

If it’s Wednesday instead of Monday, It’s Mama having a LOT of homework... 

F is for Farrow and Faith and Father 

A “Swine Song”……..

Years ago, I am not sure exactly how old I was, but I believe I was around 13-14 years old, we had some church friends who were pig farmers.  Gayle and Shirley Mattox, and Brenda, their daughter and my family attended church together.  We were a very small congregation, one where each person was important and generally did many church-tasks, so you got to become close…like family.

 

The Mattox’s had a sow who was farrow..meaning she delivered a new litter of pigs and invited us to come see them.  Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I would fall in love with those little pigs, but they were so cute…adorable…sweet….if not a little stinky, muddy and noisy!  I really fell in love with the runt of the litter and had to have her.  Of course, you can imagine Poppy and Grammy’s surprise that one, I would even want a pig and that two, Gayle and Shirley would “give” me one.  I remember the Mattox’s telling me, “Lesa, we will give you this little runt pig if you promise to take care of it yourself.  Not your Dad, not your Mom not even your brothers.  You must feed it, water it and take good care of it.

“Oh yes, I promise…I will love it, take care of it, feed it, water it all by myself, every day, forever.”.  Those were my words and I sincerely believed I would do just that. 

I named that pig after Brenda, Gayle and Shirle thus “BeGaSha”…..and, once it was big enough, we went to their home and picked her up in Poppy’s truck.  In the interim, Poppy had me “help – and, I use the word loosely” him build a smallish cage for the pig so that it would stay in one place.  He taught what and how to feed it and water it.  “I can do this,” I remember thinking.  

Oh, at first, it was wonderful to be a new pig farmer-ette…..I told all of my girl friends about the sweetest, cutest, pinkest pig ever….and told the boys that I was a tough-girl farmer who was raising a pig – hog!  We did live in the country and they all seemed to appreciate my new farming opportunity. 

All was going pretty smoothly until it rained…and, then it rained and got cold….and, then it rained and got cold and got muddy.  I do remember going out a few times and feeding that dang pig...ooppss…I mean sweet, precious little pig.  I do.  I really do.  But, I have to confess, she didn’t seem so sweet and pink and precious in the rain and the mud…in the cold and in the damp.  She didn’t seem as cute either as she grew…B I G. 

And, then came the Pig…lesson.

Poppy and I were discussing my swine-situation….”well, he said, you can always let me take her to the butcher and our family can enjoy pork chops, and bacon, and pork roasts and all of the other good things which come from port.” 

“OMG….NOT BeGaSha!!...Daddy, I would…I could NEVER butcher my sweet, cute, pink little piggy girl.  NEVER”. 

“Oh well then, Poppy said….guess you will have to keep feeding her...as he kept strumming along, never missing a beat.” 

Out I would trudge to the barn and feed BeGaSha.  I know I fed her at least 1,000 times…well, at least a few weeks worth.  It was torture.  I think Uncle Chuck fed her mostly or Daddy….(I’m sorry, Dad and Chuck).

Feed her or butcher her. 

“Wait…where did that thought come from??”  Would I actually go so far as to actually butcher her?  

But, she’s my pet, my piggy, my pink little swine-ette…. 

Could I?  dare I?    

Then, Gayle came in and saved the day…he said he would take back BeGaSha and would trade her to us for another pig from which our family could have pork.   

Sounded like a good deal to me…HE takes back BeGaSha and WE get pork on our table from a different pig. 

So, that is what we did. 

But, I confess as I write this…I don’t remember eating much of the pig we received because I always wondered if it was BeGaSha or not?  Did they really change out my pig for a new one? Or, did they just let me think that. 

I did ask Poppy the question…as we sat there with pig roast on our table, and he looked me in the eye and said, “what did I tell you it was?” 

To which I replied, “a different pig.” 

“Well, that is my word.  This is not BeGaSha.” And with the faith that comes from a believing daughter, I grabbed a slice of the port chop and ate. 

But, I learned a few lessons along the way: 

1) Taking care of a animal is not for the faint of heart

2) Taking care of an animal means you have to “take care of the animal”….outside

3) Pigs live outdoors and in a pen because they are messy and when you take care of them you become messy, too

4)  Daddys that let little girls have pigs, build their pigs a pen and then teach you how to care for a pig really love their little girls

5) Daddys who then, when you the little girl, out-grow pig farming, allow you to take back the pig are being VERY generous in the lessons they are teaching you

6) Sometimes, our hearts take on more than our bodies can handle

7) Sometimes, when we take on too much, we not only hurt ourselves, but we inconvenience or hurt others.  THIS is an important lesson.  It is one thing to make a decision which affects you, but when you make a decision which others are forced to deal with….that is not good. 

8) THINK about what you are doing hard and long and consider the consequences…and PRAY before you act (I don’t remember praying about the piggy situation.  I confess, I don’t remember thinking about praying at all…NOW, I pray about everything…even piggy situations).

9) Be grateful that even when you take on more than you should have, God always can take your choice and make something good out of it…like pork on the table to feed a family of seven

10) REJOICE in the opportunities God provides to add joy and laughter to your days…sweet and tender memories to your life…king and loving lessons to your heart… 

D A N C E….even when your Pig Story becomes your Swine Song!! 

My Pig Episode taught me the power of faith on so many levels….faith that I could take care of a pig, faith in friendship that a family loved me enough to share their livelihood and then faith that they helped me out of a questionable decision.

Faith in a Daddy who walked me though a life lesson and did not quit on me until the end…just as he does not quit on me even today.  And, faith in a Daddy’s word…. 

Faith in a Heavenly Father…the creator of pigs, friends, Fathers, Mothers and.... 

 

because of a Godly, earthly Daddy...

 

God loves us even when we are messy!  And, so do our earthly Daddys!

 

Blessings on your day….

ILYAOYMC, 

Mama

 

 

 

 

 

“A Mama Moment”…..with Kenton                                                    February 1, 2013

….Kenton is my more reserved child; however, he is my hugger.  Daily, he will come up to me and say, "I need a hug".  Some days, he may ask for several.  Some days he senses I might need a hug and says, "Mama, come here, you look like you need a hug."  His are not the typical teen aged boy hugs...his are the arms around your shoulders, full on, bear hug of a man who knows the value of encircling a person with his presence.  His hugs are a thermometer of how he is doing.  Stressed out...more hugs.  Less stressed...fewer hugs or more hugs because I need them.  I love that God uses traits of our children to learn to gauge how they are doing...and, while not perfect, the "hug-o-meter" is a helpful way of keeping in tune with Kenton's great heart.

~A Mama Moment

May I never miss a single one…..

"A Mama Moment"…..with Johnson                February 1, 2013 

….Johnson, my extrovert and verbose child, loves coming into our bedroom and doing what he does best...T A L K I N G. I have learned a lot about my son during this season of "bedroom chatting" and will always treasure his sharing. He seems to come in with a purpose...to tell us about his date, what is going on at school, new happenings at work. Sometimes, you can tell he is stressed and just needs to get things off of his chest. Other times, he is there to share a joke or tell us of a funny happening in his life. Today, he was having us help him with an internet quiz he was taking....it took me 30 minutes to blow dry my hair in the bathroom next door because I had to keep turning off the dryer to respond to his "Hey Mama...what's the first thing you think of when you hear the name Elvis Presley?"

~A Mama Moment

May I never miss a single one…..

Pssstt....."polyester suits was the Elvis answer he needed....."

“A Mama Moment”…..with Madison                          January 31, 2013

….Sitting next to my daughter, Madison, in Madison County(her namesake birth place), in the Combs building listening to her sing “It is well with my soul” with one hundred or so of her fellow CRU students.  My arm neatly tucked into hers, she leans over and says, “Mama, are you cold?” and snuggles closer to me as if to warm me with her own body.  “No baby, I just want to hug on my baby and enjoy this Mama moment”.  ~Thank you Jesus, that you gift Mamas with those little moments not just when our children are babies, but also when the are young adults.  I pray I don't miss a single one!

~Richmond, Kentucky

It Is Well With My Soul....................

If It’s Monday, It’s Mama

E is for Elesabeth, Equanimity and Elephant

When I was young, way before I ever married, I told God I would really be grateful if He could find it in His heart to send a daughter to me.  I would be grateful for boys, but I really, really wanted a daughter.  And, God was good.  He sent you to me and I have been grateful ever since.  You were named Elesabeth (really Elizabeth) after Beth Morris, my BFF who went to be with Jesus long before you came to live with me.  “A gift from God” is what your name means, and I truly believe that to be a truth.

You are a Gift from God.

 

I don’t take that for granted.

Nor should you.

When life would try to pull you down.  When others would try to drag at your spirit.  When work wears you out.  When bills start piling high.  When school becomes a challenge.  When men are monsters and brothers are bears.  When parents are off-putting and friends put you off, I hope you will remember….

HE WILL NOT.

And, as a favored treasure of His, you have an obligation to live brightly….for Him.  The whole purpose of our life here on earth is to be God’s reflection to others so that they will want to come and know Christ as well.

Ask yourself?  “Does my life portray God in a good light?”

“Am I consistent in my Godly behavior? Do I give of my best first to Him?”

How you are able to answer this matters.  Noone expects perfection, not even the Perfector.

Don’t ask me how to do this.  I don’t have it all figured out.

BUT, what I have learned is that it does require some “EQUANIMITY”….some, “evenness of temperament”, even under stress.

One thing I pray you are able to grasp more of as you grow in maturity is equanimity. 

The ability to keep your temperament even…to think through things, to set goals and walk toward them, to make good decisions.  To guard your words, your actions and your heart. 

And, I can promise you this…there is only one way to do that and it is by following HIS WAY.

Do that.

Don’t just write that you are going to do it.

Do it.

Pray for strength to do it.

Write it on your hands, put stickies around your room to remind you…(like Sarah taught you).

Be purposeful!

Grow equanimity in your life.

And finally, your elephant story….when you were little, I took you to ride on an elephant.  You had to step up high onto a ladder to climb on its back and you didn’t want any help…you could do it “all by myself” you told me.  You giggled and laughed until the moment you got to the top of the ladder.  At that point, you stopped and turned around and looked at me as to say, “I am not sure I can do this….it is too high, the elephant is too big”….

You said out loud, “Mama, I might be afraid”.

Hmm….what does a mother say to that? 

I replied, “Baby, at some point, you have to decide, do I want to be afraid or do I want to ride the elephant?”

To which you very clearly said, “I don’t want to be afraid.”

My reply, “Then be careful, do what the elephant helper tells you and climb on it’s back”.

Never will I forget your getting on top of the elephant and the ear-to-ear “I did it” grin on your face.  You were so proud of yourself and so was I.

Don’t get me wrong, I always want you to be wise in your decision-making.  I want you to think long and hard about the consequences of the decisions you make, but I do pray you are able to walk through your fears and INTO your faith.  You can do that with confidence when you are living for Him and not for yourself.

When you remember whose gift you are….it is simpler to be the Gift you were intended to be.

Blessings,

Mama