Catch a Wave

Well, summer is winding down.  Not temperature-wise, it's still blazin' hot here.  But school will be starting in 16 days and for us, that means summer is winding down.
We had a WONDERFUL family vacation in Destin this year.  All of my good intentions regarding writing about our vacation and various other summer activities obviously went by the wayside.  I think Father's Day was when I last took time to write.
Our trip to Destin was in honor of my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, which is actually next month.  Instead of a traditional "Golden Anniversary" party or reception, they really just wanted all of us to be together. They rented a beautiful house on the beach and those of us who could get away for the week, spent that time hanging out together, talking, laughing, playing games, and soaking up that wonderful beachy feeling of total relaxation.
I really enjoyed being able to "get away"...from work, from responsibilities, from pressures and worries for that week.  I enjoyed spending time with my parents, my siblings, my nephews and niece, and especially my two daughters.  It was a week of more healing for me....the healing that comes with being able to destress, of being able to connect with God in HIS world, to thank Him for His creation; of being able to talk and share, to laugh until my sides hurt.
I always like to read, and I packed a novel for the beach, and I also threw in a devotional book titled "Healing the Divorced Heart".  It was a book I had purchased a few weeks beforehand, but had planned on keeping it for the trip.  I didn't even notice until I was unpacking upon arrival that the cover had a woman walking on the beach.  I couldn't help but smile.  There really is something healing about being near the water...there is a serenity that comes with watching the waves and just letting God's love pour over you.
One of the afternoons when I ventured into the water, the surf was fairly rough.  Wave after wave kept knocking us down.  My sister, Terri, grabbed my hand, and helped me up after one rather ungraceful wipeout.  Coming up out of the water, laughing and sputtering, covered in sand and seaweed....she helped me walk without falling so much.  Then right as my confidence built up, a big wave would come and sweep me off my feet.  She related the waves knocking me down to the waves in life.  She said "Don't let these waves keep you down.  Get back up...keep walking.  When one knocks you down, just stand up and start again." As we walked the waves together, hand in hand, (except when we would get swept away) I thought of the symbolism my younger sis so wisely pointed out.  So many things in life DO knock us down.  The important thing is to get back up.  And what a blessing it is when there is someone beside you, reaching out their hand to help you get your footing again. With every wave that we conquered that day, I felt stronger.  By the time we got past the point where the waves were crashing, they were just pleasant waves, bouncing us up and down.  We stayed out there and talked for awhile.
I hope that as I continue on my life journey, that I always do get back up when I am knocked down.  I hope I always remember that God has His hand held out...all I need to do is take hold and allow Him to pull me back up.  And I pray that I always have my eyes open to the family and friends who also are jumping the waves with me, hands outstretched to help me along....and also that my eyes are open to those who need MY hand stretched out towards them.

I can honestly say that I am thankful for waves....the wonderful fun waves that knock you down, the calming waves that lull you to sleep, the majestic waves that make you so aware of God's awesome creation, the waves in life that knock you down but make you stronger, the waves of God's love and healing that pour out over you, the gentle and lapping waves that come after those rough ones, and for the family and friends who will take your hand and help you battle the waves and get back up each time.

My Dad

The man in this picture is a man of integrity...a man with a love for the Lord...a man of unconditional love...a man of loyalty....a man of hard work....a man of dedication....a man with a sense of humor...a man with a generous spirit....a man of patience...a man of quiet stubbornness....a man who loves to have a good time with family and friends....a man who is happy to help....a man who has a mischieveous twinkle in his eye....a man who is steadfast...a man who loves to teach and lead others...a family man....the maker of pancakes....the loose tooth puller....the bedtime story reader (he even does special voices)...the bike riding teacher and later .the teenage driving instructor (sorry for being a slow learner, Dad)...the Dad/Poppy/Popper/Pop who will rough house and wrestle with you (and sometimes get both or all of you into trouble)...the comforter of skinned knees and broken hearts....the one who reads National Geographic, watches the Discovery Channel and the History Channel and passed the love of those things onto me....the sports watcher....the man who loves "The Dirty Dozen" and "Kelly's Heroes" no matter how many times he sees those....the man who loves leading others in Bible study and teaching Sunday School....the man who loves being on the golf course or studying family history and genealogy....the man who loves a good joke and a corny one...the man you want on your Trivial Pursuit team....the man who will give you advice when asked, but never force it on you...the man whom I am blessed to call "Dad".  I love you, Dad!

Joy Comes In The Morning

The girls and I just arrived home from a wonderful week at Miramar Beach in Destin. This was a week with extended family, to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary later this year.  Instead of the traditional reception, they really wanted a week of family togetherness, with their 3 kids and families.  So those of us who could make it, hit the road to Florida.

I fully intended to blog daily while I was there, but we our cell phone reception and internet reception was spotty at best.  I can honestly say, that although I didn't like parts of being "unplugged" from the world, I found myself not missing it nearly as much as I thought I would have.

I would usually find myself downstairs by 7:30 or so each morning, and would take my cup of coffee to the deck and just sit....mesmerized by the sights and sounds of God's creation.  There is something so soothing about being on the beach, especially in the early hours or evening hours, when the crowds are sparse.


I found myself unplugging not just from the laptop and cellphone, but from my fears, wounds, worries and problems.  I found myself plugging into the simplicity of sitting on the deck, or down on the beach, and allowing myself to just "be still".

In addition to the fun and craziness of being with my family, I needed the respite from the worries and stresses that often keep me awake at night.  I needed a week where I could feel the embrace of familial love and healing.  God has brought me so far on the healing journey after my divorce.  There have been so many days when I just didn't know how to put one foot in front of the other.  But God's healing and grace, along with the support of love of my family and friends, and the counsel of some very wise and godly people have helped me along.

As I would sit and drink my coffee while watching the waves, I can honestly say that I can testify to God's promise in Psalms that "weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." There are still wounds, therefore still healing to be done.  But God has brought me to the place where I can feel the morning....the return of joy.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day, for so many of us, marks the beginning of our summer season.  However, it is so much more than a 3 day weekend...so much more than our first trip to the lake or pool...so much more than our first sunburn....so much more than a day at the ballpark or waterpark....so much more than the picnics, fireworks and food we will grill today.
We are able to enjoy all of these things because of the wonderful freedom we have to do so.  Our men and women in the military make so many sacrifices for us, and while I consider myself patriotic, I know that I, too, can be guilty of taking my freedom for granted, and not always being cognizant of those who have fought and sacrificed so that I am able to enjoy the small things in life....
So while I enjoy firing up the grill today, while I savor the fresh peaches over ice cream and the first watermelon of the season, while I enjoy my time with my girls and their friends...I am going to be more mindful and aware of the deep gratitude I have for our military.
Let's enjoy our day with friends and family....enjoy the burgers and hot dogs....enjoy the lake or pool...enjoy the ballgames or the war movies on tv today....and let's remember to say a prayer of thanks for those who have given so we may enjoy.

Forever and Always

In May 1988 I was celebrating my first Mother's Day as a mom. I remember my mother handing me a copy of this book "I'll Love You Forever" while we were standing in my Momo's living room in Atkins.  We had all gathered there on a Saturday in May. My parents had driven from Texas to Arkansas to celebrate Mother's Day with both of their own mothers.  We were living in Little Rock at that time, and made the drive to Atkins to spend a day with the family.  I remember being filled with pride and joy as we arrived in Atkins with my firstborn in my arms.  I also remember her being whisked away by all the women....my mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunts and my sister.  I probably didn't have her in my arms again until the first dirty diaper of the day. 

I don't remember what gift I had for my mom on that particular Mothers Day, but I do remember her giving me this book.  And I remember reading the book over and over to my daughter, Casie, and then years later, to my daughter, Lindsey.  It's a wonderful story about the unconditional love a mother has for her child.  But it's so much more than a story written for children.  It's really a story written ABOUT mothers, how they love their children, and how that love, so unconditional and strong, is returned to them.

The verse that is repeated throughout the story is:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be. 

I always felt that from my mom.  I've never doubted that her love is a "forever and always" kind of love for me.  But I truly had no idea of the depth of that love until I became a mother myself.  And on that Mothers Day weekend in May, when my mom handed me that book, and I read it, I remember tears welling up in my eyes, and I got it.  Even though I had only been a mother for a few short months, I already knew that I would love this child (and her sister years later) unconditionally.  I had already experienced the feeling of "I can't possibly love this much" to realizing my love, already so big, was continuing to grow each and every day.  When I was pregnant with my second child, the wellspring of motherly love simply continued to grow deeper still.

One of the sweetest parts about this book, is that no matter whether the child is a sweet baby, terrible toddler, mischievous child, rebellious teenager, or self absorbed adult...the mother still wants to rock the child and hold him in her arms.  And the funny part of the book is her climbing into his window when he's asleep, and doing just that.  There are fewer things more precious than being held in  your mother's arms, or holding  your own children in your arms.  Once you've experienced that deep nurturing feeling of a mother's arms, you don't even have to be geographically close to feel those arms around you.  I can feel my mother's embrace being several hundred miles away.  I have friends who have lost their mothers who can still feel that embrace.

The book ends with the grown man climbing into his aging mother's window one night, holding her in his arms and singing that song to her that she sang to him.  The love and the embrace come full circle.

Casie and Lindsey...I hope you know my love for each of you  is forever and always.

Thank you Mom, for all the love and embracing.  I hope you feel it coming back to you full circle and even more.

I hope that everyone feels that embrace...whether you are with your mother or not.  She loves you forever.