God of Wonder

March 23, 2011

God of WondersWe had some massive storms roll through the state last night – tornadoes warnings, hail, strong winds, heavy rains.

With three of my kids at Teen Pact Camp in Des Moines – this momma bear was relieved when one of the coordinators posted this on Facebook:

“I just got back from the Teen Pact Camp. There was a tornado warming so we all went into this ‘cozy’ (that was the word we agreed on) basement. I must say, if being in a basement can be epic, this totally was. We did a bunch of singing. Let me tell ya, ‘God of Wonders’ takes on a whole new meaning when there’s lightning, hail and wind outside!”

Thank you Josh.

I had to smile. I knew exactly what he meant.

Years ago – when I was in youth group – we were on the church bus on a very hot and humid July night traveling home from an activity.

The air was so still it was suffocating.

There was lightning off in the distance.

We watched the storm get closer and closer – until the sky got dark and our church bus full of kids was in the middle of the rain, wind, and lightning.

It was a little scary.

Then someone started to sing the scripture song from Isaiah 41:10:

“Fear thou not, for I am with thee,
be not afraid, for I’m thy God.
I will strengthen you, yea I will help you,
yea I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.”

We all joined in. Song after song flowed out of that bus on that dark stormy night.

Singing “How Great Thou Art” while the lightning cracks above you and you can feel His power in the wind and rain is an incredible experience.

That impromptu acapella worship service in the church bus on a country road in rural Iowa surrounded by the raging storm remains one of the most meaningful ones in my life.

God of wonder indeed.

By Country Gal | Posted in Children, Deep Thoughts, Spring | Tagged , , | Comments (4)

Random Snapshots

March 18, 2011

Photo memoriesWe’ve been looking through the photo albums in the last few weeks searching for pictures of Matt to use in a video for his graduation party in May.

Talk about a trip down memory lane!

I haven’t taken the time to look at photos in years!

Boy, did Jan and I look young – and skinny – and tired! :)

My how fast life changes!

I can now understand why people who have lost everything in a disaster will mourn the loss of the photographs the most.

You can trace our history through the  long line of birthday cakes, family Christmas pictures, and summer vacations.

The birthday parties, the Christmas pictures, the family gatherings are all so fun to remember, but looking at them now – the pictures I appreciate the most are the ones of our every day life.

You know – the random shots. The ones where the kids are sitting – happy as clams – in the middle of a floor strewn with toys.

Or the one of the family sitting around the table for meal on a weekday.

Those pictures captured the “everydayness” of life – the everyday dishes, the everyday clothes, the everyday moments that we often overlook.

I think it’s those every day moments  -

the house messy with toys,

every chair around the table full at a mealtime,

the swing set filled with laughter,

the little helper doing chores with daddy – that we miss the most when they are gone.

Which makes those pictures even more precious – they are an irreplaceable reminder of who we were and where we’ve been.

Priceless.

By Country Gal | Posted in Children, Deep Thoughts | Tagged , , , | Comments (2)

Sharing a Moment

March 16, 2011

I’m sitting in a quiet house – the ticking of the clock on the book shelf and the hum of the furnace are my companions.

The sun is just beginning to rise, painting the sky outside my window.

The kids are still sleeping and I’ve just kissed my husband and sent him off to work.

This wasn’t always the case. For years he worked from home and our days would begin slowly – and a little later.

I am not a morning person so it was an adjustment when he first started the new job. For awhile he told me to just sleep in – he could grab some breakfast for himself.

So I did. I had his lunch packed and sitting in the fridge ready for him. He made himself breakfast and was on the road long before I was ready to start my day.

It was fine for a little while – but I gradually realized that I was missing something. It really didn’t feel right to start my day without my man.

So one morning, while he was in the shower, I got up and fixed him a nice breakfast. He looked confused at first as he walked into the well-lit kitchen and then broke into a huge smile when he saw the spread on the table!

I sat with him while he ate and he held my hand. I could see in his eyes that my small sacrifice made him feel cherished and loved.

I had discovered his love language.

It’s now become our routine. For the last 2 years I’ve had breakfast waiting when he comes down at 6:15. It might just be cereal and juice, but he doesn’t mind. Actually, he doesn’t demand or ask for anything, he just appreciates it.

We sit together for a few minutes in the quiet of the early morning and discuss the little things that couples talk about- the daily things of life.

What are your plans for the day? Can you stop and get milk on the way home? Could you mail the letter on my desk? Do you have any jobs for the boys to do?

Then I kiss him good-bye and send him off knowing that he is loved.

In an episode of The Walton’s, a young house guest comes down early in the morning and discovers John and Olivia Walton sitting at the table sharing coffee.

She describes it so well, “I knew it would be like this, the two of you sitting here together sharing a moment before you start your day.”


Yes, that’s just what we’re doing.

We’re sharing a moment, enjoying each other, reconnecting as we start our day.

We’re taking the time before the busyness of life interferes to appreciate each other.

Now that’s a moment worth sharing.

I‘ve linked this post up with Thought-Provoking Thursday at Some Girl’s Website and Wifey Wednesday at To Love honor and Vacuum.

By Country Gal | Posted in Deep Thoughts, Home Making | Tagged , , | Comments (9)

What’s Your Focus?

March 4, 2011

“You get no forgiveness from just looking at your sins.

You get no healing from concentrating on your diseases.

You get no redemption from studying the pit you’re in.

You get no crowning with glory from fixing your eyes on your failures.

You get no fulfillment of desires from looking at all you don’t have.

You get no renewal from focusing in your oldness, staleness, dryness.

Only He…

Forgives all your sin…

…heals all your diseases…

…redeems your life from the pit…

…crowns you with love and compassion…

…satisfies your desire with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalm 103: 3-5)

Only He!

Look to yourself and ultimately you will be embarrassed.

But:

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.’ Psalm 34:5″

From: I Want to See You, Lord by Anne Ortlund

So – what are you focusing on today?

By Country Gal | Posted in Deep Thoughts | Tagged , , | Comments (4)

Let’s Love Them While We Can

February 14, 2011

CookiesOn Saturday – like every year on the Saturday before Valentine’s Day – I took my kids in to the nursing home to help their 4H club host the February birthday party.

I will admit it wasn’t something I looked forward to. It was more like something I made the kids do because it was right and good.

But I walked away from that nursing home with tears in  my eyes and a full heart.

As we were arranging cookies and passing out the well-used bingo cards, I noticed a couple walk in. He was gently leading her – holding her arm while carrying on a quiet conversation, pointing out things of interest, asking her where she would like to sit.

She was silent, her head down, her eyes open, but vacant as she shuffled in beside him. I wondered if it was a sudden stroke, or the slow moving effects of Alzheimer’s that had robbed this man of his wife.

He gently seated her at a window table and continued the one sided conservation – all the while holding her hand.

I watched through-out the Bingo game as he played her card and his own, announcing her Bingo and choosing the prize he knew she would like.

She remained seated there staring into space – quiet and still  – except for the involuntary spasms her limbs made.

I lost sight of them for a few minutes while we passed out the frosted sugar cookies and punch. But later, as things calmed down, I looked over to see that he had gently tucked a napkin under her chin and was slowly, methodically, patiently feeding her a sugar cookie.

I wish you could have seen his eyes. They held no pity for her, no shame, only love. It was as if they were the only two people in the room.

That’s when my eyes filled with tears. I wanted to take a picture – but I couldn’t. It was such a private thing. That man was sharing his heart.

But if I had taken it – it would have been a perfect picture of love.

“Love is patient, love is kind… It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking… It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I wondered how many Valentine’s they had celebrated over the years? How many Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays they had shared? How many times they had sat down and enjoyed a cookie and small talk together?

How many times she told him she loved him before her speech was gone?

How many times he had told he loved her before she couldn’t understand?

It made me want to go home and hug my husband, tell my children I loved them, and call my parents and siblings – with a heart full of gratitude because they are still here to love.

“We must love them while we can, we must love them while we can
For time just seems to hurry by, and the days slip into years
And the moments that we have will disappear
So love them while we can…”

from the Chris Christian song, “Love Them While We Can”


By Country Gal | Posted in Deep Thoughts | Tagged , , | Comments (11)