Ups and Downs

 A small boy sits happily playing, enjoying life to the fullest, seemingly without a care in the world.  A little bit of a tilt too far, and down off his perch he goes, dissolving into tears.  Mama comes, holds and soothes him, offering words of comfort and understanding.  Tears are dried, wounds are tended to, and the smile reappears on his face.  He is ready for play, ready to resume his interrupted enjoyment.

Isn't life very much like that?  We are going along, walking in the sunlight, breathing in the air and living life.  Sometimes without warning a storm comes, bringing a strong wind that may knock us off our feet.  Our happy walk is pierced with pain, disappointment and discouragement. If we are surrounded by people who care, we find comfort in their ministrations.  We are soothed, encouraged and strengthened by their words and actions on our behalf.

But...perhaps the wound we have received is not visible or audible.  Perhaps we believe it is just too personal, deep or tender to share with another.  What then?  Who comes to our aid...where does our help come from?  The Psalmist gives us the answer...our help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. (from Psalm 121).  He is our ultimate Helper...and nothing is hidden from Him.  We might as well bring it before Him...He already knows all about it.

Mama was nearby and more than ready to hold and comfort that small, hurting boy.  Our Father is closer to us than our very breath, always.  When that sudden tumble comes, when we fall, He is there to comfort us...to pick us up, dust us off, and help us get back on our feet. Words from a song learned long ago come to mind.....

"He knows my name...He knows my every thought.  He sees each tear that falls and He hears me when I call." ~ Tommy Walker

What if?

I am quite certain that we have all, at one time or another, uttered the words "what if?" or "if only."  Looking back on unhappy situations, sometimes with 20/20 hindsight, will often bring sighs of regret and wishes for a better, wiser way of dealing with life's challenges. It is good to learn from our mistakes, but it is often painful.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to possess the wisdom without the process or the pain?  Unfortunately, from the time of childhood and throughout our lives, this is reality: we most often learn the hard way.  Hopefully, as we grow older we gain wisdom and have fewer of those difficult "what ifs" to deal with.

The really serious consideration is how our tendency toward "what if" thinking may hinder us from making decisions or moving in a direction that is vital to our well being.  What if I delay or shy away from taking a step in life that will lead me on a path toward wholeness and healing?  If I do, I will most certainly come to a "if only" place of regret. 

 There is the place, however, when the "what if" contains hope rather than fear and potential regret...when it leads to courage and  conviction.  The following lines from a song hold out that hope.

"What if you're wrong, what if there's more?  What if  there's hope you've never dreamed of hoping for?  What if you jump, just close your eyes?  What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?  What if He's more than enough?  What if it's Love?  ~ Nichole Nordeman ~

Soul Soggy!

My little granddaughter just didn't seem like her cheerful, enthusiastic self.  She didn't seem particularly upset or unhappy, but there was definitely something not quite right.  I sat down beside her and tried to think of a good way to initiate a conversation that would give her an opportunity to express anything she might want to talk about.  I looked at that sweet, but uncharacteristically somber, face and said " Are you doing okay, honey?  You just look a bit....soggy."  With a little sigh, she replied "Oh, Gramma, my soul is soggy." 

 I'm glad to say it was a very temporary soggy state....she was her usual happy self in a short time.  But I kept thinking of the words she chose to describe her mood, and I could relate!  I have been there.  I have been soul-soggy.  I imagine all of us have, at one time or another.  Thankfully, for me it is almost always, like Hannah's, a short lived experience.  But there are those days, or moments, when I just feel....soggy.  Soul soggy.  Most often, it is nothing I can put my finger on, nothing obviously wrong, just....a feeling of not-quite-rightness.  It might be called the "blues" or "malaise" or feeling "out of sorts", but I think soul-soggy is a much more accurate description. Wisdom from the lips, and heart, of a child!

The best news is that I know the antidote for soul-sogginess.  Psalm 103:2!  "Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits."  Just as my little granddaughter's attention was soon drawn to some delight, some wonderful childhood joy, and her sogginess melted away, I too find my own soggy state mended when I consider all my Father has blessed me with and turn my focus there.  One cannot remain soggy while giving thanks!

And so today's quote comes from an unexpected source, spoken at the breakfast table, with simplicity and honesty.

"Oh, Gramma, my soul is soggy."  ~Hannah~

A Silver Lining

I doubt very much if pain, sorrow, hardship, loss or suffering are welcomed with open arms or hearts into most lives. We would prefer the sunny days, the carefree life, the goodness, the happiness.  And yet....is it not the dark days, when we have come to the end of our own resources, that find us drawing closest to God, drawing on His comfort and strength?  There is a richness found at the place where we are empty, dry and desperate...when we climb into the Father's lap and find the truth....He is not absent, He has not left us, He knows.

Looking back, reading my journal from pain filled days, remembering.....I am amazed at how God brought me and those I love through the storms.  But there is more., I am also aware of how much I miss the intensity of the closeness I felt to God, my Lifeline, during that season of sorrow.  I don't want the pain, but I treasure the memory of how tenderly I was held.

"The Father draws His shattered child very close to His heart."  ~ Amy Carmichael ~

A Great Man

I know three great men who were born in February!  My late husband, my son and George Washington.  Well, alright, I never personally knew General Washington, but reading his writing and studying his life has left me with great admiration and respect for this man whose courage and character still impact the world today.

Today, on his birthday, I spent some time perusing a collection of Washington quotes and was once again amazed at his eloquence and the depth of his understanding.  The challenge was to select just one nugget from the treasure chest for the day's blog entry. A process of elimination brought the number down to three, and finally to the quote below.

I wish I could sit across the table from this great man and glean wisdom from his keen insight.  He was a man, I believe, who understood what it took to live a life of integrity.  He understood that the greatest tests often come into our lives quietly and may not be recognized by anyone but ourselves.



I have heard integrity defined as who we are when no one is watching. I suspect this was true of George Washington.

"The turning points of lives are not the greatest moments.  The real crises are often concealed in occurrences so trivial in appearance that they pass unobserved."   ~ George Washington ~

A Birthday to Remember

I think it is appropriate that on this day, February 12th,  I am quoting the man whose birthday and life we honor and remember.  I own a little book, "The Words Lincoln Lived By", which I enjoy reading from time to time.  Lincoln's observations on a wide variety of subjects such as courage, determination, honesty, justice, adversity, simplicity and many, many more  are full of profound wisdom, giving the reader a glimpse inside the man whose life so dramatically and effectively impacted our nation and the world. Most of his words recorded in my little book reveal his thoughts on serious and thought provoking characteristics and values.  Occasionally, however, there is a lighter element.

As I leafed through the pages, looking for one quote to share today, I found it quite a challenge. Each page contains wonderful words from our 16th President.  Finally, I decided upon a quote on humor,  a trait that all who knew Lincoln observed in him.  One such person, Congressman Isaac N. Arnold, remarked that Lincoln's laugh had been the president's "life-preserver."

I find it interesting that Lincoln used the word "evergreen" in his thoughts on humor. I read Webster's definition of evergreen and was pleased to find one definition as "retaining freshness or interest".  Certainly Abraham Lincoln's words have retained their freshness and stir our interest today.  His wisdom is timeless, to say the least.

"Laughter is the joyous, beautiful, universal evergreen of life."  ~ Abraham Lincoln ~

And Still More Thoughts on Friendship!

There is nothing like a cold, snowy winter morning with nothing on the "to do" list except enjoy the morning!  It is a perfect time for reflection, prayer, and remembering the many blessings that have graced my life.  Among those blessings is the joy of friendship. 

When I think back on some of the more difficult seasons of my life, I am acutely aware of the strength and comfort I have gleaned from the love shown and the encouraging words spoken by my friends.  The following quote from the lips of a great man puts perfect words to my offering of today's thought.

"Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life.  Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend."   ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon ~