A Mother's Moment

About 2 weeks ago I had a real mother's moment. But first a little background.

Dorothy was a woman I knew in my teenage years. Her daughter, Christine, and I became friends through the church youth group. Dorothy took attendance. She was a faithful Catholic and a mother of ten. Christine was her youngest. I also became close for a time with two of her other daughters, Eileen and Caroline. Shortly after I graduated from college, Dorothy passed away. I recently reconnected with Christine online and we had been sharing pictures and stories of our children and families now.

So, back to the present day, about two weeks ago, I was home with the kids on a Saturday, alone, as I usually am on those days. Someone was crying, someone was having a temper tantrum, and this had been going on for the better part of about 45 minutes. This was after a fairly trying morning that had included a child feeding a dog off of a spoon that she refused to use to feed herself, another child hitting his sister hard enough to leave a mark, and a delivery man coming to the door which had caused dogs and children alike to go bonkers. In the middle of it all I said outloud, "Dorothy, I don't know how you did this ten times!"

Suddenly, I heard Dorothy's voice, clear as day, "They're only this young once. Just love them and enjoy them." It was so clear and real I turned in the direction I heard it but, of course, she wasn't there. I looked down at the two squalling toddlers at my feet. I felt my eyes tear up and a lump in my throat. I knelt down and scooped up the baby in one arm and coralled the two-year-old to me with the other. I just held them and we sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star a couple of times. The crying began to subside. The temper was cooling and the two-year-old was now cuddling. I looked up at the cross hanging on the bedroom wall and whispered, "Thank you Dorothy, your intercession was just what I needed!"

Missionaries

A girl I went to high school with is living in Madagascar. That is right, living in Madagascar. She and her husband are missionaries with the Assemblies of God churches. Her husband is a nurse practioner and runs a mobile clinic and they run an orphange of about 40 children. They also have two children of their own.

I pray for their safety and for those they care for. I read on a blog of hers recently that roads are so bad there they pray for angels to be with them each time they drive. There is plague in Madagascar and they have found rats in their home from time to time. There are frequent kidnappings, especially of foreign children.

I pray for them because, without people as courageous as Heather and Aaron and their kids, Isabelle and Josiah, there would not be people receiving medical care or hearing the word of God. I pray for them, because I myself am not couragous enough to leave the comfortable country I live in with my children and husband to live in a place where I know no one and don't know the language just to spread my faith.

But Heather and Aaron are examples to me of something else. They are examples that we should all be missionaries in our every day life. We should pray and read the Gospel and live the life God wants us to live so that others may see and be converted.

God Bless the Santmyire family in Madagascar and all the other brave Christian missionary families and religious brothers and sisters. May God always protect them as they spread His word.

A Life Altering Conversation

It started out very casually actually. It was between me, my mother and my sisters a few years ago. My parents were in their late sixties and my dad was beginning to experience some heart concerns. I was ~100 lbs over weight, I had headaches, reflux, hip pain, foot pain, knee pain, depression etc, etc, etc.

My sister shared a story that she had read that proclaimed that the greatest gift that you can give your child of any age is your healthiest spiritual, mental and physical health. It was like a dagger in my heart.

I love my four children more than myself, more than life itself. I sacrificed in so many personal ways. I made sure that they knew about God, went to church,and were fed well. We ate meals together, had a nice home and a lot of material things...But I neglected myself. In neglecting myself, I neglected them. My physical and mental health were deplorable. I was obese and I was a mental train wreck tormented by useless anxiety.

The conversation was a life altering moment that would define the path that I would choose, with God's help, for the rest of my life.

I had to loose weight and with prayer and tears that is where I began.
Today, with the Lord always before me, I am ~100 lbs less and very active.
I am working to secure a future that will allow me to be a light in the lives of my children and grandchildren and not a burden.
I continue to walk closely with God and seek Him in every way.
I talk to HIM.
I am fit and active and moving in toward a very healthy weight.
I aspire to be a joy and comfort in the lives of those I love.
I cannot spare them the pains and disappointments that life will inevitably throw them,
but I can love them, attend to them and be a HEALTHY sounding board and resource.
I can RUN!!!!
I may not leave my children the wealth of this world,
But by Faith, prayer and the Grace of God,
I can leave them the riches of heart and soul,
and the best Me I can be.
What wondrous love is this?
A casual family conversation lead to a pivotal moment of truth.
My cup runneth over.
Peace and All Good!
Lynn

Note from Base Camp

This morning we are battling hang nails and poopy diapers.

I live for days like this!