This Evening

I woke up to thunder in the wee hours this morning.

It stirred me, and got me going, and lifted me from slumber early enough for this Mama to just have a moment.

And oh, Mama's need a moment in the morning...before their littles arise! Yes.

A roll of prominent booms is reeling outside - with rain threatening to pour....

.... and it makes me anticipate my evening.

I have about a dozen names sitting here to my right.

And those ladies, and my co-leader, and I - we will convene. And we will introduce. And we will eat cookies. And we will plaster on name tags, and we will get serious about seeking Him, and we will gather round tight.

Because tonight....

We begin a new Bible study.

We start a new search through the Scriptures.

We take our first few steps on a new journey toward Him and His people.

And I have wild dreams for it all.

I understand that time is precious. Select hours propped right in the middle of the week? - these women could be doing a thousand different things other than this.

But they have boldly reached out, and committed to 8 weeks of Wednesday gatherings, and I trust that the Lord - He will meet us and make us soar.

Truly.

Because when we huddle up in pursuit of Him....things do happen! 

He speaks. And He heals. And He makes broken places whole.

Yes He does.

So just as the storm whirled through these parts this morning....I pray earnestly that the Spirit would whoosh through likewise, this eve.

I'm itching for an outpouring.

They are too.

The rain is falling on all our pines outside. And I sit here...

excited.

Lord, let the thunder from your throne room rumble..... and let the rains you send in on us ring in much. 

Yes and Amen.

Goggles

Mama's mood can make it or break it for everybody.

I could wrap the post there, really. Those words pretty much sum it up.

But the seriousness of this fact...

the millions of times mamas have squashed joy or wreaked havoc....

the scary ability mothers have....to heavily effect a moment, a day, a life - this deems some diving in today.

The power we ladies posses - is terrifying.

I've been thinking about this constantly.

Because a Mama whose emotions fling and flit? She has children who suffer.
 

She has children who hear her say she is saved by Christ...but who never see the steadiness of heart that should bring.

She has children who hear of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit....but who rarely see evidence of it.

This.is.devastating.

Because we have to get...that we are not only women.....we are witnesses. 


Last week ....I came across a startling Spurgeon quote that taps into this very issue:

"I have heard of an atheist who said he could get over every argument except the example of his godly mother: he could never answer that."

This.....

It cut me to my core.

To my flinging and flitting core.

Friends, I can go from faith to faithless in seconds. I can nose dive from the mountain top to the valley in a matter of minutes. I lash and twist and snarl - with looks and glances and words and tones.... none of it justified. None of it.

Just this morning - the middle child misplaced my goggles. 

My goggles.

Not heirloom jewelry. Not cash. Not some delicate paper or some special gift....but swimming goggles. From Target. That were a mere $15.

When I discovered the loss - I lost it.

I fumed and words flew and a five year old heart suffered.

In the midst of my frenzy - she came up to me with sorrowed look and handed me an envelope. When I opened it - it had a drawing inside.

But tucked into the bottom....

was a nickel and some pennies. 

Her money. For Mama. To purchase new water eyeballs.

It left me gaping.


And that's just today. I could tell you of countless eruptions.

Countless.

Now hear me here. I'm not saying we should never feel, or grow angry, or show emotion. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be human.

But I am saying that we should harness more of the power that lives inside of us....that is Holy.



Philippians says that it is God who works in us, both to will and to work for his good pleasure....that what He works in, we should work and walk out.

It's Him who enables us to choose the righteous route.

It takes a yielding, and a discipline, and a training on our part. Yes mam. But the supernatural ability to respond and handle in a holy and godly way for the long haul.... it's all Him.

I didn't twaddle all of this out here - to make any of us feel guilty or condemned.

But to feel awakened and convicted.

To feel the reality - that our every word and gesture and glance...either rings in light or it rings in darkness....

....for the wee ones (and not so wee ones) we women witness to.

God help us.

Play

I entered right back into girlhood glee today.

The blondes and I.....we have been exploring our new neighborhood. And what we've found has been nothing short of soul satisfying.

Lots of large tall pines. Vast bayous. Playgrounds situated on every turn. Parks tucked away in knolls. A different bird species every time we turn our heads.

It's been a blessing.....a nice cushion after the trauma of a move.

And today was no different.

We hopped on bikes and loaded up a stroller - and we ventured out....

until we happened upon a play area boasting swings.

With the littles playing happily on the slides and such - I slid my mom-bottom into a swing seat.

Leaning back, I lifted my legs and began that tempo of forward and back, forward and back..... climbing higher with each pass.

A slow smile smeared across my face.

I looked over at my girl child and she was smiling with me.....all distracted by her mother's verve and delight over a simple swinging session.

But oh it had been years! Years since I felt that rush of wind and that thrilling motion - all flying high and free.

And I had forgotten just how much I loved it.

Going back and forth - I glanced up at my feet on an upswing and it looked like they were touching tree tops and tapping the very sky!

I almost felt as if I could fly.

As a kid I would imagine what would happen if the swing and I were to fling ourselves off the bars and rise high into open air!....like Jasmine on a carpet ride...oh I imagined the magic.

And today took me right back.

The shear enjoyment of play had escaped me. And living life out with these young ones...it's bringing it back! Thank God.

Because if I'm being honest - over the last decade I've become quite the stiff. A curmudgeon, if you will.

But the swings!

It may sound silly and overly dramatic - but as I flew through the air today my soul did too. It was as if a small part of me came back to life again.

And that's good.

That's good for Mamas.

If you tend to little people, or work hard all your days, or you're currently in a fun rut - find a swing.

Situate your bottom in that thing and let your heart release. I promise it will send your soul soaring.

I hope your weekend is grand, friends.

Hugs and love and joy to you all.


"It is a happy talent to know how to play." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Sunday

The Irises on our hand-me-down Amish oak are emerging this morning.

When I laid my head down last night they were closed up tight...all wrapped in stem, still.

But over the dark hours - they decided to unfold and flourish.

Their blue yellow tint is filling the room and proving that the God we serve is mightily creative. We haven't seen Him face to face at this point - but we do see Him in those flowers.

I pray the same transpires today! Yes, yes Lord!

It's Sunday - that section of time during the week that many of us congregate...where we walk out the word - that calls us to come together and fellowship, worship, exhort, encourage, love.

The husband is responsible for delivering the message at a branch of our church this morning, and so my prayers have been filled with petitions....that the Spirit would rain down His sweet presence on us today!

I've been praying that the stirring up that happens this week at church - won't be hype - but that it will be holy....

....that it won't be human prowess, or manipulation, or high tech lighting that moves us - but that it will be Him...

....that whatever is keeping us all from fully entering in - unleashing - coming to light.....that it will lift.... and people will find wholeness and freedom!

I need that. I assume others in the pew need that too.

Lord come.

The one I wed just walked out of here and is headed to the highway all seeped and concentrated on the task at hand.

And I'm here - gathering a gaggle of kids and a mountain of bags - headed that way shortly.

As I handle that van down 99 North I'll have Irises in mind - praying for a complete undoing and re-weaving of us all.

May your day be empowered, friends. Love to you.