Be Thou My Vision

There is something comforting in hearing a familiar hymn.  One that you've heard over and over through the years.  The other day, I read a blog written about the song "It is Well" it explained how the man who wrote it did so during one of the most tumultuous times a parent can go through. His son caught pneumonia and died then a short 2 years later his four daughters died when the boat they and his wife were traveling on from the U.S. to Europe experienced a collision and sank.  Yet he was still able to write this beautiful hymn that would be a comfort to others on his journey across the ocean to join his wife.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!—

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!

Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

In May, I found myself the president of our United Methodist Women unit.  Our church had been through some trials.  I wasn't really prepared mentally or emotionally for the task so I began to pray-for guidance, direction, strength and wisdom.  Around the same time I took my first course in the Methodist Lay Servant Ministry and one of the chapters in our required reading was on Leadership.  I learned so much about the Methodist way of leadership, did you know Robert's Rules of Order aren't used?  We come to agreement by consensus, we discuss options and ideas; everyone gets a say and comes away feeling more a part of the decision than in a simple show of hands type of vote.  A couple of more suggestions were to set up a focal point in the room for every meeting-a candle or cross...something and don't have "bookend" prayers.

I continued praying and took it to heart.  At my first meeting I was so nervous, I was honestly afraid that no one would show up.  We had ten ladies that night.  My heart was full.  I had taken to heart the advice of having a focal point by offering a "reflecting point" along with a color page.  We set up a table at the front of the room with candles, the color page and used "Be the Miracle" from Bruce Almighty as our reflection.  It was such a positive and encouraging meeting.

Lately the word "refuge" has been on my heart.  I was led to the scripture Psalm 91:2 for UMW tonight.

I shared it with a friend.  Her response to me was:

HE is my refuge. But Christians get shot, get diseases and come under attack.

HE is their refuge but the disease or bullet still comes.

This shook me.  I ran to my bible and read and reread Psalm 91, all of it.  I did some research and found that it is known as the "Soldiers Prayer," it talks of being safe and not afraid of terrorists.  But bad things still happen.

This morning I saw the sky:

Suddenly I realized I was whistling "Be Thou My Vision" which happens to be one of my favorite hymns.  It's an old Irish hymn dating back to an 8th century monk who wrote it as a tribute to St. Patrick's wholehearted loyalty to God.  He had loyalty to God through the good and the bad, the easy and the difficult.

Our pastor is beginning a new sermon series on STRESS.  Let's face it we all have more than enough to go around.  Today as I was preparing for UMW and working on the bathroom stall calendars, I was focusing on stress, what a negative to focus on stress!  I traditionally use the reflection for that month from UMW on the bathroom stall calendars-this month the reflection is refuge.  Suddenly I felt a calm, a peace that yes while we may have stressful times-we may have diseases, we may have bullets coming at us-but He is our vision and we are crazy blessed that no matter what storms or trials come our way He dwells within us.  We may not understand why bad things happen, God gave up his only son...trust and believe.  Our stress can be counterbalanced when we look to Him as our REFUGE.

Serendipity

The word serendipity has always been one of my favorites!  I believe serendipity isn't just coincidence, I believe it is God at work.  In 1996-97, Ted was finishing his Junior year in college at SWOSU.  It was common for Computer Science majors to apply for internships for the summer between junior and senior year.  Ted was no different-we worked on creating a resume that we thought would reflect his willingness to work hard and learn.  He didn't have lots of job experience, like many college students, so we researched ways to round out his resume.  One of the things we learned was that if you had a hobby you were passionate about, it was okay to include it.  So being an "aquarium enthusiast" went on his resume.  Little did we know how those two little words would eventually bring threads together in our tapestry of life.

Ted's resume wound up with a distribution center team at Walmart in Bentonville, Arkansas.  The manager asked if any of his team members wanted an intern.  A guy named Lloyd, being an aquarium hobbyist himself, noticed the words "aquarium enthusiast" and said "I'll take this one!" Soon we packed up and moved to Arkansas for twelve weeks....and the years since then have flown by!

>>>If you'll humor me for a few moments while I shift gears serendipity will weave the threads of this yarn together shortly.<<<

Last year I was searching for the perfect calendar.  A friend showed me her bullet journal created in a beautiful Leuchtturm 1917 dotted notebook and I knew it was the answer to my calendar dreams!  I bought myself some pens and created my perfect calendar/journal/notebook!  I don't only keep dates in this notebook, I use it for doctor notes, meeting notes, things to tell the doctor, the kids community service, etc.  My pink Leuchtturm is hugely important in my life!  At first my doctor, kind of teased me about it but during the year she quickly came to realize how important and effective it was.  I rarely leave the house without it.

>>>Again, humor me while I add another thread to this yarn.<<<

Our sweet Melissa is playing school volleyball for the second year.  What that means to me is that I make one to four trips daily to Bentonville West High School in Centerton.  To help make my life a little easier, I partnered up with two other moms and we established a carpool.  Every third day, I drive three giggling girls early in the morning to practice.  Centerton is kind of a "bedroom" town, a lot of the residents commute into Bentonville or Rogers for work so when I drive carpool I'm going against the flow of traffic.  

A couple of weeks ago I was driving the girls to practice.  When I got to the intersection of Main and Bliss I noticed a notebook in the intersection.  I knew immediately that it was a Leuchtturm 1917 and I gasped, I knew that notebook had to be important to someone.  I had goosebumps...I told Melissa if we hadn't been on our way to practice I would've stopped and had her grab it.  By the time I got to the school I knew I had to turn around and go get the notebook.  The girls thought I was crazy.

By the time I got back to the intersection, traffic had slowed down the notebook was still there.  It was open with pages flapping, I could see the tire marks across the pages.  I hopped out and grabbed the notebook a quick glance told me it was a mowing business and this was the record of receipts.  In the nearby gutter  I could see pieces of paper so I thought I would retrieve them as well.  As I pulled into the apartment complex I could see that there was a check.  I stopped and picked it up, it was made out to a man and woman with "Happy Life" in the memo.  When I approached the gutter I saw there were several checks, gift receipts and a wedding card to the couple from the grooms parents.  I looked through the notebook and noticed the man had used the notebook to write out the vows he said to his bride.  Wow.

There was no name or contact information in the notebook however a couple of the checks did have the last name of the newlyweds.  After I got home I realized the last name was familiar...it was the same as the maiden name of Lloyd's wife.  Two little words on a resume for an internship led me to find the owner of the notebook. Serendipity.

We never know how the threads of our life will twist together.  Our tapestries are all unique, we get threads and we leave threads in the tapestries of others, we don't know how or when they will impact someone else.  Serendipity = Crazy Blessed Make your thread beautiful, make your thread worthy to stand the test of time, most of all make your thread a reflection of you...crazy blessed child of God.

Holding Hearts

In February 1994, I learned I would become a Mom.  Little did I know that almost 22 years later I would feel the way I do about each of our wonderful daughters.  Friday our youngest turned 12.  She's solidly in the double digits and well on her way to becoming a productive young adult.  My little sharp shooter asked for a "hotel sleepover" with her friends.  She doesn't ask for a lot so we worked hard to make it happen!  The possibility of having six "tween-agers" caused me to want an extra adult so I turned to our oldest for help.  She was excited at the chance to be there for her little sister, spend time getting to know her friends and help me out!  The evening was so much fun filled with laughter, crafts, games, movies and of course chocolate!  When it came time for the "adults" to turn in for the night, Anna and I shared the king size bed.  That is when it hit me....

She's an adult.  A real adult.  She has an apartment.  She has a job.  She has a boyfriend.  She has a dog.  Yet somehow when I look at her with my heart I still see the little girl.  

When I finally tumbled into bed, she had already settled in, her breathing was even and steady, she
was nearing sleep. I almost cried.  It's been years since I slept in the same bed with my oldest.  As I listened to her breathe I was transported back to when she was a toddler.....she and I spent large amounts of time together.  I was crazy blessed to be a stay at home mom-we played games, worked puzzles, went for walks, cooked, watched the very first episode of Blues Clues, laughed, and even cried together.  During the day Handsome went to class, did homework and then headed to work.  Many evenings, he was at work until late, if he wasn't at work then he was at the computer lab writing code for class.  At bedtime, I would curl up with Anna in her little twin size bed and we would read-book after book after book after book until she would drift off to sleep.  Often Handsome would arrive home and I would be sound asleep in her Winnie the Pooh wonderland.


Anna has always been my hand holder.  We have so many pictures of just our hands and still at almost 22, she will grab my hand.  The hand holding is a tradition I've continued with the Little's as well.  When something is important or "big" we hold hands to share the news, when we're tired or sad we hold hands, when we walk down the street we hold hands.  A few months ago when a new family visited our church the family had a teenage daughter as we watched them walk across the parking lot the daughter reached over and grabbed her moms hand and Melissa gasped, "Mom!  I can be friends with her, she's holding her moms hand!!!"


I realized the other night there is something intimate and special about listening to your child breathe.  Praying over them as they sleep and trusting them to God.  It made me think about my Mom and all the prayers I know she has offered over me.  During my 20's, 30's and into my 40's when I'd go home for a visit I always looked forward to laying in her bed with the hushed, end of day conversations as we waited for Dad to lock up the house and come to bed.  Those were treasured memories, we weren't holding hands, we were holding hearts.  I knew we weren't just talking, she was praying for me, for my husband, my kids...my life.  I didn't quite comprehend the specialness of those times until I was listening to Anna the other night and I realized that with my parents across the street I no longer have that opportunity with my Mom.  I know she still says just as many prayers, we talk every day-usually several times a day but that quiet time is past.

I'm so crazy blessed to have a Mom who taught me the importance of the quiet moments.  Savoring every moment together.  I'm hugging my kids a little closer these last few days, savoring their unique smells, the feel of their hands in mine, the way their voice sounds, the texture of their hair.  I want to remember all those things so when they are grown and these precious moments have passed so I can always hold their hearts when their hands aren't close!

Deal with it!

Anyone who ever talks books with me quickly learns that Nadia Bolz-Weber is one of my favorite authors.  A few years ago a volleyball mom friend recommended the book "Pastrix" to me, I ordered it and finished reading in just a couple of days.  Her way of "speaking," her philosophy, her love of all people was something I readily identified with.  On my bucket list is hearing her speak in person.  She is the only recorded sermon I ever listen to.  On July 7th she posted one that spoke to me more than any sermon has ever spoken to me.  She started off by admitting that about 15 years ago she had a case of hypochondria.  She spoke of numerous trips to the doctor and just hoping he'd find something wrong so maybe if something was really wrong she'd get a "hall pass on life!"  After one of her many visits, her doctor sat her down and said,

"Nadia, nothing is wrong with you. 

You just have to deal with your life!"

 Just let that one sink in for a minute.

 Nothing is wrong with you.  You just have to deal with your life.  

Nothing is wrong with me.   I just have to deal with my life.

Hypochondria-I've been there.  Many days when the alarm sounds, the kids fight, the phone rings, another task is added to my never complete task list, or the dog whimpers and I wish for a hall pass on my life.  My feet hit the floor and I have to deal with my life.  My life isn't bad but I do have stress, sometimes it feels like too much.  When I see friends and they ask how I am, I often struggle with saying I'm fine.  Actually my answer is generally, "I'm FABULOUS!" because I know there is nothing more I can say.  People don't really care how you are, it's just a question one asks to be polite or a way to put a label on you as the tired person, the happy person, the complainer, etc. I'll be the "fabulous" friend everytime!  They don't care to know that your dog pooped in the house twice that morning and you stepped in the middle of it in the utility room.  They may care that your daughter had a wreck but the phone calls helping her keep it together and not feel consumed with guilt, they never know.  The parents who are aging and the siblings who are in denial, unless someone has been here they just expect a response of "great."  Everyone is too consumed with their own "garbage" to care about mine.

Lately I have realized that the stress in my life is creeping out in subconscious ways.  Recently my teeth and jaws have been hurting and I've had a constant headache.  A couple of days ago I saw my dentist and he told me it's classic symptoms of grinding my teeth in my sleep.  When he looked in my mouth, he was shocked at the damage to my teeth in the last six months.

Some of you may have seen my Facebook post which read:

Because I'm honest, here is what I learned at the doctor today:

1. I'm still fat. (I was just as surprised as you!) 

2. My cholesterol is bad. (Same with my parents & grandparents.) 

3. My thyroid is still off. (Thank you surgeon for not monitoring both my TSH & T3 for a year after surgery. Thank you Lauren for trying to fix it!)

4. No more gluten >period < (My doctors research is showing cutting gluten benefits persons with low thyroid and reduces inflammation.) 

5. Eat three meals a day. (Which is funny because #1, she told me to eat more because I often forget.)

6. Prioritize Dana. (Um, wow. She said, "Seriously Dana, you cook for the dog. You put the dog ahead of you. Take care of Dana!")

The other day when I saw my doctor which prompted the above post, we talked about the number of women who are stressed, so stressed it is manifesting in physical problems. (Thanks Lauren for your time, genuine caring for my health and the health of my family-you're a gem!) It may come as a shock but this is absolutely >>not<<< a new problem. Through my years as a mom, my own mom has shared with me stories about how difficult it sometimes was raising us kids in from the 60's - the 80's; during many of those years she was also caring for her aging parents.  Mom has always been a "bath every night whether you need it or not" kind of woman; when we were young she'd literally fall into the tub shed tears and cry.  Tears of exhaustion,  tears of isolation,  tears from being the glue that always held our family together and cries to God for the strength to do it all again tomorrow.

Cries to God

AKA Prayer

At Beer & Hymns with my Anna-girl, she still holds hands with me!

I've always believed in God.  I've always prayed.  Somehow I came up with the bright idea of our United Methodist Women ladies retreat focusing on prayer and I started researching.  I've only scratched the surface of the book "The Circle Maker" but I find myself being bolder with my prayers and more consistent.  I'm working to create a prayer journal and found advice on a blog using a book I remember from my Mom's arsenal for prayer, "The Hour that Changed the World."   I haven't been bold enough to start but I know it is coming, I feel a little afraid of the difference it will make.   As a nod to old number 6 above to Prioritize Dana, prayer is going to be a 
dedicated, focused part of my everyday life.  Here is the blog entry I am patterning my prayer journal after.  I will be personalizing it for three daughters (and a daughters boyfriend), prayers I love and prayers I will write.  I look forward to having it ready to fill.  This will be my daily "power hour."  My life is crazy blessed and so full....my life is full and I'm so crazy blessed.  They go hand in hand because there is not one single element of my life I'd choose to go without-the good, the not so good, the great, the horrible, the ups, the downs, the happy moments, the sad--every one makes me the person I am.  

My friend Mellissa says, "Today is a good day for a good day!"
I found this one and like it too...
"Not every day is a good day but there is good in every day!"

A piece of my heart

Family doesn't always share DNA, some family is chosen by your heart.  Today I'd like to share with you a little about a family we are blessed to call our own...

I got my first glimpse at these folks back in the Fall of 2013; I had no idea how important they would become.  Jessica was a whopping 9 years old and really hadn't found her "tribe" of lifelong friends.  We struggled at birthday time because it seemed other than the kids at church there really weren't kids to invite.  For the first time as a homeschool mom, I felt I was failing my child in the "socialization" department and I didn't know what to do.  I'm really not sure why but somehow Jessica and Melissa wound up trying the Ozark Youth Shooting Sports 4H club for their BB season.  Melissa thought it was okay but volleyball was where she had found her "tribe."  Jessica loved it but being 9 wasn't quite ready to compete or participate in their spring season.

We'll flash on forward to fall 2014 when Jessica returned to BB she was invited to a skating birthday
party-she didn't really know the little girl or the other kids well but she went.  She was treated like family by this group of almost strangers.  As the season continued, I saw coaches laying in the floor with her, helping her get just the right position for prone...encouraging her as her little arms struggled to hold the BB gun steady in standing position.  Her confidence began to grow.  By January she was ready to sign on for the BB competition and learning the rest of the season with the club.  By summer she was ready to go with the rest of the club to their state competitions.  Her coaches had encouraged her and helped her so much that even when they realized just a week before a competition that her Muzzleloader needed new sights and they knew she wouldn't score a single point, thanks to encouraging from a senior member-Felicia-she decided to try anyway just to see if she could load and fire the required number of times.  At competition when she came out one of the coaches asked how she'd done and she replied with a smile on her face, "Zero!"

The coach being the caring guy he is responded, "Jessica, it's okay!  You'll get it next time!!"

Jessica excitedly said, "I don't care!!  I did it!  I loaded and fired every time!"

A group of people who educate your child so well they can see the success they have had in their failure.  Let's read that one again...a group of people who educate your child so well they can see the SUCCESS in their FAILURE.  What would life be like if we could all have an attitude like that?  Seeing  the success our failures.  My respect began to really grow for these people.

I really watched and listened.  As I did, I realized this group wasn't just an ordinary collection of people, this group had honestly and truly become a real family.  As an newbie, I was in awe of the way they laughed together, cheered their kids together, when one won a trophy they treated every kid as important to the success.  My little girl who didn't score a single point in muzzleloader and not many more in the other disciplines that year was included in the team picture with all the trophies just like the other kids because they love each other.



Slowly but surely I began to feel like I too was a member of this family.  How can you love a child and cheer them on and the love not extend to the parents?  These moms have a very unique relationship because they have found their family, chosen by their hearts; the village, the tribe, the mom squad, the people they call their own.  When Jess had her last competition in 2015, I found myself missing the "family" time with the club.

When the fall rolled around I was myself eager to attend the parent meeting.  The insecure teenager inside was thrilled when I was greeted with hugs and kind words as a part of this family.  As the season started and new families arrived I watched as this "cluster" of ladies welcomed new families to the fold by sharing tips, suggestions and how the club works with them.  I've never been a part of anything where all the adults work so hard to encourage every child to succeed.  When Team #3 placed third in rifle and Jessica got her very first trophy most of the coaches had their eye on her.  They knew how hard she had worked and how determined she was to make it.

I've seen my girl go from very few friends to sisters...little girls she laughs with, celebrates with, texts with, has sleepovers with and celebrates her birthday with.  My heart is full when I think about this chosen family.  Here's to another season of learning, growing, supporting, laughing and loving each other!



A special thanks to those who crazy bless our family-in no particular order...hoping I didn't miss anyone!  Sarah, Mr. Baker, Cheryl's (each one of you), Tod, Liz, Chad, Mellissa, Benny, Andria, Rob, Robin, Jill, Reed, Tamara, Trafton, Chris, Brian, Will,  Markeeta, Dusty, Doug, James, Bob,  Mr. Joyner, Richard, Kym, Angie, Doc,, Marla, & Andra.  Each one of you has been an influence in our lives, we wouldn't be the family we are today without you!!!!  I love you oodles and gobs!!!

Don't mend fences!

When you turn something over to God,  you have to remember to let it go.

Once upon a time I had a friend we laughed together, worshiped together,    prayed for one another and our daughters who are the same age were good friends who enjoyed playing together and having sleepovers.  I'm not sure exactly how or when things started going wrong but they did. Some how I morphed into her enemy.   I honestly felt no ill but I felt the pain of rejection as she started avoiding me and looked very uncomfortable when we had to be in the same place; eventually it led to her sharing an obscene gesture directed at me when I waved.  A few weeks later she was spewing vile things in a private email to me.  Other than my husband,  I only shared it with two people as I sought counsel from earthly advice.  I was devastated.   I cried,  I didn't respond to her message because I felt nothing could be solved by an email.
So I gave it to God and I moved on.

I let God have it and I healed.  I let God have it and I healed. 

I'm a believer in the power of prayer.   I have a list that I pray for almost every day (I'm crazy blessed and human sometimes I do miss a day).  Some have been on my list for years,  others are there when they have a specific need.  This friend has been there since before things went awry because I'm that friend who prays for you.   Today I saw her.   My heart leapt because I thought perhaps she had the same healing and we could begin again.   The minister shared an incredible message on how "Jesus reaches across lines to shatter boundaries; Jesus moves fences."  As I listened I thanked God that she had returned,  I thanked Him for working on my heart that I could smile and rejoice.  Today unfortunately was not the day for reconciliation but maybe her fence has come down a little bit,  Today perhaps her heart is beginning to heal.  A wise friend reminded me that fences take time to build and time to come down.

Here I am at the end of the day,  filled with hope that God in the way only He can do will give her healing.   Whatever I have done to hurt her (real or imagined) God knows.  I have submitted to Him and He has given me peace, healing and forgiveness.   My prayer is that soon she too can be crazy blessed by letting go.   Life is too short to have strong  fences, let Jesus help you get rid of them, don't keep mending them!

A Good Pruning

So many thoughts are swirling through my head this morning...perhaps it's the coffee, perhaps it's the aquarium in the kitchen that is needing water.  With all the talk on the news about the gorilla, the mother, the little boy, Donald Trump, Veterans, Hillary Clinton, Thunder basketball, bad teachers, good teachers....the truth is really hard to discern.  Who is right?  Who is wrong?  Why do bad things happen to good people?  Why do good things happen to bad people?  Maybe if someone had "raised their kids right" we wouldn't have kids falling into enclosures, scary politicians, bad teachers, etc. but my mind keeps returning to the pink ink pen I was using yesterday taking some notes.  Let me explain...

I've been reading a book along with some good friends.  We are looking forward to meeting the author (Heath Bradley) for he will be our minister come July.  It's handy that he's written a book so we can get a bit of a feel for some of his thoughts and views.  The book is on hell and universal salvation.  Not a subject I'd normally select however I'm finding much more in this book than the title suggests.

Yesterday I was reading chapter 3, "A Hell of a Problem for Biblical Interpretation" and was really impressed by his well thought out arguments for the belief in universal salvation.  But what really struck me was the discussion of Matthew 25:31-46 (simply click and read if you're not familiar or to refresh your memory) he included the following paragraph from Polkinghorne God of Hope:

We are neither wholly sheep nor wholly goat.  Perhaps then, judgement is not simply a retrospective assessment of what we have been but it includes the perspective offer of what we might become.  Perhaps judgement is a process rather than a verdict.  Perhaps its fire in the cleansing fire that burns away the dross of our lives; its sufferings the consequence of the knife wielded by the diving Surgeon who wounds to heal.  Perhaps judgement builds up the sheep and diminishes the goat in each one of us.

I don't know about you but this, this really got me.  I know sometimes the goat in me is strong...fire, punishment such negative imagery.  Last week I even said to my friends "not punishment, discipline...punishment has such negative connotations."  Then yesterday I backed it up and re-read about punishment in Heath's book where he explains punishment as taken from the Greek word kolasis and I felt a sudden "whoosh" of relief.  My Mom has always been very fond of the imagery in the Bible relating vine, branches, etc. she was one of the first teachers of Grow Your Faith and Give It Away in the late 80's/early 90's!  I love gardening so I was over the moon excited to read that kolasis is an agricultural term which meant "the pruning of trees to make them grow better." (Barclay)  Wow! Can you say epiphany?  Because that gave me a HUGE one!

Those of you who have been reading my blog know that I am a firm believer in garden analogies and comparisons.  Here is an excerpt from Mama's Treasures August 2011

Angel Girl #1...my Anna
.....................................whew!
Those of you who know her can see she is 100% Anna and true to herself every moment of life.  She is strong, confident, well spoken and willing to go that extra mile for those in need.  She has that something and as a Mom, I'm not sure how she got it.  Since she was small, I have sprinkled her...no not with water but with little morsels of wisdom.  Little things that seem so simple and not important when viewed alone but add up to something significant when you stack them all together.  Funny thing is, it is difficult to pinpoint which of those sprinklings could have made the difference in her having something to stand for; I think each and everyone was vital in her becoming the confident Anna who stands for something.  I love the young woman she has become; when I pick her up from class, a 4-H meeting or simply hanging out with friends, she extends her hand anticipating that I will place mine in hers then begins the babble...sharing with me the important things that have happened.  I treasure her in turn sprinkling me :)  I hope one day when I am old, she will visit and continue to hold my hand as she shares her life with me.

So in essence I guess it's the sprinkles that = something!  In the world, God holds the watering can--through Jesus' life, Bible stories and prayer/meditation, He sprinkles us with the bits and pieces that allow us to have something worth standing for.  I hope and pray that as I sprinkle Melissa and Jessica they will develop that something as they grow.  What are you sprinkling on your kids?  Are they growing strong 'spines' to stand for the something you believe in?

So according to Barclay and the Bible  "punishment" or "kolasis" which is meant to make one more productive or bear more fruit is kind of like my sprinkles theory.   I've been blessed to have incredible parents who generously applied sprinkles and I've been crazy blessed to have three awesome kids who understand and respect the importance sprinkles.  Now I have a better understanding the something of sprinkles is we are like a beautiful tree that has a strong trunk and root system that has been grafted with lots of love and tended with kolasis so that we can be more productive and produce wonderful fruit!

SPRINKLES

KOLASIS