Prayers are often answered in the most unexpected ways. Preconceived notions can cause us to miss the answer when it comes. Therefore, we must always be receptive and alert. Most especially, we should be grateful, regardless of how the answer is delivered or by whom. The Lord will send us angles and answers to our prayer, but we must be willing to receive them.
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
When the day ends sadly no matter how hard you tried, hot cocoa and a warm quilt acts as a hug for the battered soul.
Do I accept the quiet of my mind, or do I try to form a thought? I think I will allow the quiet to win…
It seems no matter how hard parents try, youth will dabble with risky behavior. Never having been one to enjoy scary movies, this tendency has baffled me. Living on the edge and taking risks for any reason is just not part of my nature. Sure, in my 20’s I sometimes drove too fast, drank too much at parties, went running in areas many felt were unsafe, and pushed myself unceasingly to achieve a goal, but none of these actions were done for the thrill of danger or out of rebellion. I was aware of the danger involved in my risky behavior and chose to take the risk, often in a need to prove something to myself rather than to others or for any kind of thrill. In truth dangerous behavior makes me uneasy, anxious and rather ill, but for others it can be like an opiate.
Venturing into risky behavior is part of the nature of many youth and is not necessarily an indication of bad parenting. Conscientious parents face this reality quite frequently. Some succeed in teaching their youth that such behavior is dangerous. Some, despite their best efforts, do not. Sadly some, through their well-meaning rules, regulations and restrictions, simply delay such lessons until their youth are no longer youth but legal adults.
Life is tough and sometimes in our youth, we make life tougher for ourselves and our parents. Risky behavior is found all around us, encouraged by many in our society, and is a reality of life that is not new to our time in history. Good people, old and young, choose to do foolish things. This makes parenting a tough job, and too often a highly criticized one as well.
(Note To Concerned Readers: It was my husband who left the driver seat and traded places with our son. I remained in the shotgun seat, trying to avoid taking a nap myself. Not an easy task on undulating, country roads.)
Take the time to reflect on the hard work you have done today.
Take the time to reflect on the many blessings you have received through your hard work.
Take the time to reflect on the All Mighty who gives you the opportunity to work, the ability to work and the blessings you receive from that work.
In His name, have compassion for those who do not have the opportunity to work, have not been taught to work, or do not have the ability to work. In His name, all things are possible, but without compassion, in other words – charity, nothing good is possible.
Take the time to reflect… and when you are done be grateful.
If the day is so filled with fog that you can’t see past the nose on your face, at least be sure of where your nose is.
Crying, when life is hard, is not a bad thing, as life can look amazing through sparkling tears. Like the rain is needed for the rainbow, tears are often needed for the return of the smile.
While losing power for twelve hours is not on my list of fun ways to spend a family evening at home, it does have some positive attributes. Yesterday a vicious wind blew up from the south. The wind never really stops on the Eastern Plains of Colorado, a reality one learns quickly if they want to prosper here. My daughter, a much heartier soul than I, considers most of our light gales to be nothing more than pleasant breezes.
The wind and weather can come from all directions: blizzards from the north, rain from the east, and hail from the west, but it is the wind from the south that is to be feared. Barns blown over, trees uprooted and shingle roofs shredded, these are commonality not rarity with winds from the south.
Yesterday’s wind began with blustery force. Hair had to be re-combed at church, even super-hold hairspray and gel withered under the assault. The drive home was a challenge for the newbie behind the wheel. No drivers ed course could prepare the novice for the head wind he faced, but luck was with him and the dust cloud arose only after he had safely made it home. One new driving challenge faced, one saved for a future day.
By 5pm the wind was gathering strength, but animals still needed care. The stalwart, hearty daughter braved the crossing of the yard, only to become imprisoned with her wards in the rabbit house. A decade of living on the plains has taught us to build strong, permanent shelters for our animals. Our rabbit house was built with the knowledge that our daughter would also spend many hours inside it. When the full force of the angry wind struck, we knew she was safe. When the power went out from multiple power lines being blown down, we knew she was prepared with emergency light.
The wind raged, escalated and began to sound more dangerous than anything we had heard before. The power went out. We heard sounds of crashes and wondered which yard items had been destroyed. Then as if the wind knew havoc had been rendered, it died down returning to the soft gale my daughter calls a breeze.
Dinner was jelly beans, Oreos and cheese. Lap tops provided a few moments of entertainment, books emerged and the piano was played as darkness settled in for the night. Baseball caps equipped with LED lights donned the heads of one and all. Quiet pursuits and conversations, calm thoughts and contemplations, broken periodically with laughter were the activities of the evening.
The power seldom stays out this long and we are prepared for emergencies. We could have cooked a warm meal, we could have lit a lamp, but the peacefulness of a simple evening was too inviting. The blanked quite of the night calmed our minds and gave us rest; a break from the world, the blessings of a blackout.
Is there ever a time when sharing confidences, burdens, joys and adventures no longer require a grandmother’s ear or mother’s shoulder? Does the need for a mother’s embrace or a grandmother’s smile ever go out of style? Does one ever stop missing them once they are gone no matter how long it has been?
Husbands and children, sisters and brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends – the love of so many does not seem to fill the chasm left in one’s life after a mother is gone. Most days go by without mourning, but every so often your heart yearns to cry, “Mom, I miss you,” and your shoulders begin to quake and the tears begin to fall.
Do you ever stop missing your mom once your mom is gone? I think the answer is no…
Pithy Ponderings 