Tag Archives: Family

Share Four Somethings ~ March Gifts

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Time is funny. It seems Christmas was just yesterday and yet it also seems we celebrated it long ago.  So much has happened since then. And March? Goodness what a month! But here we are on the last day and as I’ve pondered on my Four Somethings, I realized something important! March has given me many good gifts:

Something Loved~Unexpected Gifts

“Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT)

In the midst of this unstable, uncertain, un-anything time, I’ve been trying to be aware of all the good things happening which wouldn’t have, except for the fact that “normal” life has come to a standstill. And guess what? I’ve found many wonderful things occurring in my family and in families across the country! One of the most special to me so far, is our first “Girls Zoom Meeting”. My mom, sisters, nieces, daughter-in-love, daughter, and I all joined together for a coffee chat that lasted over an hour.  Stories were told, lives updated, memories shared, and we laughed…..A LOT! I loved spending time with these women and it would have never taken place if everyone was immersed in their regular day to day lives. Unexpected gifts….what a blessing!

Something Read~Gift of Words

“Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction.” Proverbs 22:17 (NLT)

I read several blogs, but I have a couple that are my favorites.  I eagerly watch for each new post  on those, so I’m sure not to miss their wisdom. This past month, I’ve been especially inspired by the encouragement written by Julie Lefebure! She recently shared that she’s felt God leading her to offer hope to others this month through her writing. And has she followed His lead faithfully! Julie’s relatable, creative, faith-filled words are a gift to her reader! They truly have touched my life in a most positive way! You can find her at http://www.julielefebure.com

Something Treasured~Gift of Hope

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV)

In the process of building our new house I lost all my spring blooming plants, that is until NOW! Last summer as I was packing up and getting ready to head home after visiting my family, my sister came along and with a swing, she plopped a big (and I mean big) bag of daffodil bulbs into the back of my car. I asked her what I was to do with all those bulbs and she simply answered, “Plant them.” I thought it a little extreme at the time, but plant them I did. Fast forward to March. Green leaves began emerging from the ground, pushing their way up between the dried, crunchy leaves of winter.  Soon, stems with buds joined the new leaves. Before I knew it, sunshine bright, yellow blooms began opening up all around my yard. Am I ever grateful I have a sister who goes to the extreme for me!  I treasure each beautiful golden gift; gifts of hope, promise, and renewal.  Something I think we all need right about now!

Something Ahead~Gift of Life

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139: 13-14 (NIV)

March has given me many gifts; but the biggest, most wonderful one of all, is learning I’m going to be a MiMi to a third grandson in August!  Talk about something to look forward to! I can’t wait to see his little face and personality! The gift of life is so very precious and honestly, I think that’s what March has been trying to teach me all along!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 (NIV)

What about you? As you look back over the month what gifts have you received? I’d love for you to share them in the comments! You can find others sharing their Four Something over at http://www.heathergerwing.com  And I always want you to know what a gift you are to me!  Thanks for joining me here today!

Looking Back~Share Four Somethings

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Labor Day weekend is upon us! How can it be that we’re already looking back on August? I don’t know about you, but for me this summer has passed in a blink of an eye! One good thing about month’s end though, is joining with others at http://www.heathergerwing.com to look back at our Four Somethings.  It also just so happens that today’s prompt at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com is “Back” thus, I’ve decided to do double duty with this post.  So sit “back” and relax as I share a bit of my month with you. And then…I’d LOVE for you to share your Four Somethings with me in the comments.  Here are mine:

Something Loved

“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” Philippians 1:3 (NLT)

My heart’s been happy this month because I’ve been able to spend time with some of my favorite people in some of my favorite places! It’s always an adventure when I’m with my grandsons. Just after this photo was taken the entire jug of bubbles spilled onto the patio. I immediately got the hose to spray it off but looking back now, I realize it wasn’t my best idea.  I’ll just leave it to your imagination to figure out what happened next!

I’ve recently returned from a trip back to Michigan to visit my mom and sisters.  We aren’t able to get together as often as we’d like, so each visit is a true blessing. There’s something special about being with those who’ve known you the longest and love you anyway! Whether it’s spending time watching my grands growing up or spending time with those I grew up with, I’ve loved making memories that I’ll now look back on and treasure!

Something Said

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT) / Pixabay

There are several things about myself that I’m working on to change. One big one is the amount of time I spend worrying. Looking back, I’ve realize just how much time I’ve wasted “rehearsing disaster” that’s never happened! As I’ve already said, time slips by in an instant and I don’t want to spend what I have on worthless worry.  It’s time for a wake up call!

I love it when right at a time I need them, just the right words are shared. How appropriate that my need for a wake up was met with words said about an alarm clock! I’d never thought to compare worry to an alarm clock but it resonates with me and maybe it will with you, too. The idea is that we can let our worry work as an alarm clock, warning us that there’s something we need to pray about.  AND…..we certainly don’t let an alarm clock keep ringing once it’s done its job of getting us up, so we shouldn’t let the worry alarm keep ringing after we’ve taken our concerns to God, either. I love that visual and hope to apply it from here on out and to not go back to letting worry take up all my time!

Something Learned

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.” Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NLT)

What a great time I had this month working along side my daughter while learning to do something new! We were invited to attend a workshop at a new shop being opened by our family friends called “Board and Brush”. It’s a wonderful place where you can go to created fun and unique decor projects from scratch!  We learned how to assemble, distress, stain, and stencil. I was so thankful for the support and encouragement I received to help me complete my sign. The experience was so enjoyable that I hope we can go back and do it all again very soon!

Something Read

“Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” 1 Peter 4:9-10 (NLT)

Oh this book! Through stories of her homes, gardens, communities, friends, and family Christie Purifoy creates images of place and home which inspired me to reflect on the places that have contributed to bringing me where I am and helped create who I am. The emotions she shares and the knowledge she offers create a symphony of words and thought that made it hard for me to take my eyes from the page.  The subtitle: “Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty, and Peace” is exactly what this book does for the reader! If you desire to stay in the home you have, long for a home from your past, or dream of a new home in the future, this book is perfect for you! With her beautiful writing style (and beautiful it is….I might have a tiny or not so tiny case of writer’s envy) Christie takes us on a spiritual journey which reminded me that no matter where it is, God’s gift of home is meant to be shared. “Placemaker” is a book that I could read from front cover to back again and again and learn something new each time! I loved it!

Well there it is!  August was a good month but I must admit I am looking forward to September bringing some cooler weather and the introduction of Fall with it.  As you look back on this past month, I hope you too, can see many blessings.  Don’t forget to share a few of them with us! God willing we can share our September Four Somethings too so…….

Y’all come “back” now! Ya hear?
(sorry, just couldn’t resist)

Share Four Somethings ~ May

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Honest to goodness! Where did this month go? Granted, it was a busy month for me but it sure flew by fast! Maybe it’s my teacher friends wishing to make it to the end of the school year, the count down on my daughter’s phone telling us how many days are left until we head to the beach; whatever the reason, May was here and gone in a blink of an eye for me! How about you?

One good thing about the ending of one month and the beginning of another, is the opportunity to reflect and think about those things we loved, were said, we learned, and read during the month.  It’s so much fun to share them with each other! You can read what others have come up with over at http://www.heathergerwing.com Here are mine for May 2019:

Something Loved

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

I was able to spend Mother’s Day weekend with this lovely crew! We left Indiana, Michigan, and West Virginia behind to meet up in Ohio.  We fit a lot of celebrating in one weekend.  Unexpectedly, we celebrated my 60th birthday (again…it was in March) with decorations and a cake, but the real reason for celebrating was honoring our Mom! We found fun things to do we knew she’d enjoy: dinner in an old train car, a carrousel ride (I’ll talk more about that in a minute), a walk through beautiful gardens that had peacocks roaming freely, and thanks to my creative sister we even had a proper Mother’s Day tea party (thus the hats above) with crumpets and everything! There’s just something about being with the ones who know you best! We shared stories, laughs, and lots of love.  And the greatest of these was love!

Something Said

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ ” Matthew 19:14 (NIV)

Be still my heart! These are my precious grandsons playing train while watching a show about trains.  We’d already built a tent and played in it, raced cars on a track, read books, and so much more when “MiMi” (that’s me) had to come up with some new adventure; so we boarded the Dining Room Chair Railroad for a fun trip.  From my “reserved seat” in the recliner, I blew the whistle, shouted, “All aboard!”, and started chugging us down the track.  It was a smooth ride with lots of fun things being discussed when my oldest grand looked at me seriously and said, “MiMi? Are you on the old people’s train?” “Why yes, yes I am!”, I replied. “I thought so.”, he so confidently answered. There’s nothing said like the wisdom that is shared by children!

Something Learned

“They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” Psalm 92:14 (NIV)

While on our Mother’s Day Girls’ Weekend, I learned that the Richland Carrousel Park is home to the first new, hand-carved carrousel to be built and operated in the United States since the 1930’s. Now I don’t know about you, but it’s been a long time since I’ve actually ridden on the back of a carrousel animal.  Oh, I’ve stood alongside holding on to a little one as they traveled up and down but I can’t remember the last time I raced round and round, rising and falling with the beat of the calliope music! Until this month, that is!  There were bears, ostriches, cats, rabbits, a giraffe, lion, tiger, and of course horses. So, for one dollar I ventured atop a trusty steed and while we traveled together I learned an important lesson: it’s possible to feel like a little kid again even though I’m 60! And a fun lesson it was!

Something Read

“Then God said, ‘ Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:11-12 (NIV)

There’s lots going on in this little mind of mine, including ideas for stories to tell children.  I have a goal right now to learn all I can about writing Picture Books. A large part of what I’m discovering is coming from Picture Books themselves. There are so many great ones available and I learn something new from each one.  I was looking for stories about dirt to share with my grandsons since they love to dig and these two fit the bill! “Carl and the Meaning of Life” is the story of an earthworm searching for his purpose in life and it teaches us how living things work together in nature.  “Badger’s Perfect Garden” is written to remind us that life isn’t always perfect but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good!  I’ve enjoyed interacting with both these cute and beautifully illustrated books and can’t wait to pull them out for bedtime story time with my grandsons!

Well, that’s it for me, as always I’d love for you to share YOUR four somethings with me! Just leave them in the comments. I can’t wait to see what May has offered you and I pray that June brings you many blessings, Cindy

Close ~ Day 31 ~ 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes

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This post is part of the October 2018 Edition of 31 Days of Five Minute Free Writes. I hope you”ll join me in seeing where each prompt takes us.
 P.S. Just so you know, I’m finding it difficult to stick to five minutes (**) and it may take me longer than the 31 days to finish all the prompts. Not easy for this rule follower!
You can read more 31 Days entries at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

Time to Close

Well, here we are: October’s gone and it’s time to end this year’s 31 Days of Free Writes.  I’m disappointed that I didn’t reach my goal of writing for all 31 prompts. Life got busy but there’s always next year! Anyway, decided to close with my “Four Somethings” for October:

Something Loved

October was full of family and I LOVE when we can spend time together!  Traveled to Washington D.C. for a girl’s weekend. My niece was the perfect tour guide and I didn’t have to worry about a thing (except crossing the streets…those D.C. drivers are something!) My mom then came for a visit.  She left the north but experienced her first snow of the year here in the south! We had a wonderful time! Living apart is hard so spending time together is something I cherish and as a bonus I was able to have extra time with my sisters as we met to “hand mom off” to one another.  Ended the month with a little time out and about with my husband as we explored the beauty close to home.  Overall, it was a fun-filled, love-filled, busy month!

Something Said

Trick or Treaters are a joy to me!  I enjoy seeing the costumes but I especially like to watch the process in which the children decide which treats they want.  Some are very specific and some just grab and go. This year a small group of ghosts and goblins approached my porch and I heard, “I told you Miss Cindy lived here!” The next thing I know I was being hugged by a cute monster who said, “Miss Cindy, I’ve missed you!” Talk about a melted heart!  This ole retired teacher couldn’t have gotten a better treat!

Something Learned

Being  in Washington D.C. was eye opening for this country gal!  Fast paced city life is out of my comfort zone but I really enjoyed experiencing it through the eyes of one who lives and loves it! The sights, sounds, and tastes were new and exciting (for a few days)! While there, I learned the art of using an Uber! Yes, had my first Uber ride and I must say the whole process is quite amazing! Some drivers chit chat.  Some yell at other drivers. Some offer you bottled water. Some vehicles smell lovely and others not so much.  My favorite ride was with a gentleman who had a beautiful, large vehicle. Upon arrival, he got out, opened the doors, and helped us in! It felt quite special traveling like that!  Not sure I could handle Uber on my own yet,  but I’m glad to say it’s something I’ve done!

Something Read

“Freedom is not Free.” I read these powerful words at the Korean War Memorial. They literally stopped me in my tracks.  Yes, I’ve read them before but never while standing in the midst of those who’ve paid the price for my freedom.  While touring the memorials, many Veterans of the wars were standing alongside me.  I could hear some of them telling their family members stories the statues evoked.  Some shared memories with others who’d served with them. Some stood in silence.  And there were tears.  Including mine.  It’s way too easy to take our freedoms in this country for granted.  We even sometimes abuse them!  It was a wake up call for me and I hope this will be for you! We owe a great debt to those men and women who are sacrificing and have sacrificed so much, sometimes everything, to protect our right to freely do, believe, and say whatever we want because Freedom. Is. Not. Free.

 

I love this idea of “Four Somethings”! If you enjoy it too, you can read more at  http://www.heathergerwing.com I encourage you to think about what YOU have loved, heard, learned, and read this month that has touched you in a meaningful way.  Feel free to share here in the comments.  I’d love to hear them!

Many Shades of Happy

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So, here we are…Poem #10!  Not bad in 15 days if I may say so myself!  This is a special poem at that!  In a little less than two months, my baby sister is going to be the “Mother of the Groom” as she watches her middle son get married.  From experience, I know there are many emotions that go along with having your child become someone’s spouse; thus the title:  Many Shades of Happy.  This one is for Barbie.

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 (NASV)

Many Shades of Happy

You carried him snuggled near your heart
and your heart is where he’ll stay.
Hockey falls and football scares
from the stands you’ve had to pray.

Middle child through and through
with an irresistible grin.
All grown up; teaching school
and coaching for the win!

Now here you are:  Mother of the groom
wondering where time has gone.
He’s planning life with someone new
while you watch him move on.

You’ve done your job so very well;
look on with cherished pride.
Your family’s growing larger,
making room for his sweet bride.

It’s a time for many shades of happy
and maybe a few momma’s tears.
Yes, in your heart he’s staying,
just adding more love to last through the years.

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Sisters ~ Wise Wednesday 9/21/16

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It’s been there from the beginning.  That bond. The connection. Stronger at times than others, but always there…..sisterhood. I’ve recently returned from seeing my sisters. It was a quick trip, but being in their presence, even for a short time, fills an empty place in my heart. I’m lucky, no, blessed to have the two beautiful (inside and out) sisters that I do. They get me. They challenge me. They support me. They cheer me on.  We may be separated by miles but we share a relationship so close that when one of us is suffering, we all three experience the pain. Celebrating? Joy abounds! Sad….tears are shed in unison. My sisters are part of me as I am of them. We walk through life together sharing experiences, observations, frustrations, and victories. And laugh?  Oh my! Do we ever laugh! (mostly at each other and ourselves)  As the big sister of the family, I couldn’t be prouder of the women my sisters have become!  They truly are my “Gifts from God”!

“Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” Proverbs 31:25 (KJV)