Contemplations of a Mommy "Monk"

This has been a week of re-prioritizing and prayerfully considering what new things God wants to do in my life right now. I've been feeling weary and burdened , struggling with my attitude and finding myself down in the dumps more often than normal. I began the year by pouring out my heart to God and asking for healing and for hope. And He spoke to me - instead of adding more to my life, I need to subtract what is burdening me and focus in on what fills me. He fills, He restores, He heals, He inspires and this world only drains. He commanded us to take one day out of seven for rest, and I wonder how many mothers know how to take that much needed rest every week. I might find the ability to sit on the couch in front of the TV for a few hours, but have I actually laid down my burdens? So, it's time for me to rest. And this weekend I have the great opportunity to drink deeply from His cup quenching my thirst. My family has gone on an ice fishing trip and I have stayed hom...

I sat down beside my friend at the cafeteria table to eat dinner as we enjoyed chatting about our day. We were new friends and she had just informed me that her undergraduate degree was in microbiology. She must be smart , I thought. She pinched off a piece of her paper napkin and put it between her thumb and forefinger to grasp the salt shaker and season her food. I sat open mouthed at her OCD (Obsessive Compusive Disorder) behavior...What was she doing? She proceeded to lecture me for the next half an hour on the millions of micro-organizms which live everywhere around us. I guess there's a real down side to being a microbiologist. I always say, What you can't see can't hurt you . If you know what I mean. Now I am not a disgusting slob or anything but I do not see the purpose in being a germophobe either. You can carry a tissue in your pocket to open every germ infested door and before you know it, you'll just decide it's easier to stay home in your germ f...

The sun peeks over the horizon, piercing the dawn with shafts of brightness. In its beams, the world sparkles and shines anew. Sturdy blades of grass are laced in bright white beauty. Barren limbs draped with winter's freshness glitter brightly in the light. Blanketed in the first fresh snow, the world sings a new song - a song of cleansing power, of fresh starts, and hope. The blue spruces in a row sprinkled with the sweetness of heaven anticipate the season of advent. Children romp with rosy cheeks, tongues baring the cold air to catch the first snowflake. Bulky mittens attempt to roll the powder into balls for light-hearted fun. A black kitty tiptoes through the unusual texture beneath his paws. Fat, fluffy flakes tumble toward the ground, sticking to anything in their path. The world has been washed in newness and cleansed to purity; now it is clothed in the robes of heaven. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14). Yeste...

Lori, at All You Have to Give , has been meditating on the "details" each weekend and I've decided to join her. This week has been a full week. I looked back on my posts this week and thought about my activities and I see: the Word , Prayer , Fellowship , Family. The key components to life, really. But the details are in the small moments...My Cutie Bug made a mask for her party at school Wednesday. The theme was Wizard of Oz so her mask was supposed to look like Dorothy. I'm sure all of the masks were cute, but honestly, hers was the best - the eyelashes were curled, the eyes had little pupils and the hair was in two pigtails with red ribbons. That girl knows how to pay attention to details. So, I just had to take a picture of her with some classmates but then I realized I would never know who these kids are. The detail is this: masks. If we wear a mask, no one will know who we really are and that makes fellowship impossible. God created the church as a place for peo...