Surprise!

Hello friends.  Our daughter had her first child, Amelia, yesterday.  The baby was over a week early.  That was the surprise.  I will be going to Tennessee to visit her tomorrow.  Can't wait to see the little family.  I will probably pick this blog up in about two weeks.  Till then, enjoy the summer.  Nancy

Seeing The "Beatles"

I thought I'd do a fun post that connects to the Baby "Boomers" part of my blog.  Hope some of you can relate.


We were going to Lexington, Mi. for dinnner and then to see a free concert in the park of the Beatles' music.  Rain threatened and we weren't even sure that our two hour trip would be worth the trouble.  But, we were ventursome so we headed out to get our place on the lawn as the skies cleared.  I had pictured many musicians on stage playing tunes, even without words because that was what we got  last year.  Even that wold be great.  Was I surprised when John, Paul, George, and Ringo walked onstage in the form of a band called The BackBeats.

They started right in playing one of my favorites, "I Want to Hold Your Hand."  We were close enough that we could see pretty well, but far enough away so that the faces didn't show.  All of the mannerisms that Paul and George had on stage, the way they went apart and came together with their heads over the mike, the way John stood with his feel apart, knees bent, the way Ringo hit the drums with the stick sideways while slightly shaking his head - well it was amazing.

  Unless you were about the age of a  17 year old girl when the Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, you would have no idea how that moment felt to me when they broke into that song.  Of course I was a huge fan until they went into their "hippy dippy" phase.  No, these Beatles wore suits and had the famous mop-top hairdos.  Music wise, they were great.  The boys individually sounded quite a lot like their counterparts.  George was an especially good singer I thought.

The group came back after break with other outfits and they played later music.  It was all good.  I kept up with the Beatles' music for a long time after I "got over them."  This was a little fantasy trip where I got to go back and visit one of the best times when I was  young and silly.  It was fab.  I'd give it a four.

Body Of Work

Several years ago I saw a little blurb about one of the Beatles, George, I think, and it praised  his "body of work."  That phrase hit me hard.  I was so envious that he had all of these songs, this beautiful music to show for his life.  And before I could get too down, the Lord told me that I, too, had a body of work.

He gently reminded me of all of the short stories I had written and which are still in my files.  He said not to forget the novels I have written, and the early poems.  I was beginning to see what He meant.  "But Lord, those aren't even published."  "No," He said, "but you tried.  You sent them out diligently.  Look at all of those little notes at first and also the kind letters that were sent in  response.  You were only responsible for the offense.  I do the defense."

"Let's look at those letters from Me and articles that you wrote and shared, just for My sake and the Gospel's.  You will never know until you get to heaven whom they affected or how much.  When you sent out a devotional, even though it came back, it could have had many readers before it was returned.  It didn't get the wide audience you craved, but what if I just wanted some little lady in some far city to be encouraged and you did it with that piece of writing?"

I think I'm seeing a pattern here.  "Never forget, Child, that you also have your Box.  When you get discouraged, look in there.  So many little things you have done that you don't remember are captured by loving notes.  That, too, is included in your body of work."


"Most of all, look at your photo albums, each one lovingly tended.  Here is your true vocation.  Any time taken from your dreams and put into my Living Letters will be well rewarded some day.  So you see, if your time were up, you would leave many important pieces of work behind that together forms quite a body of sharing from My heart to others.  And with your extra days that I give you, carry on.  Go deeper with me and add daily to your list.  I am right behind you, leading you on."


This idea, taken from one of my "letters from God," is not to show off the things I've done because many other people have done far more.  It is to encourage some heart who may just need to know that little efforts build up to the great thing you want to do.  Indeed, the little acts become the great thing even as you move toward your goal.  

Father's Day Thoughts

I was looking over one of my "Letters from God" that I used to write. One particular note touched my heart so much.  It said "Your Father is the core of safety."  And then I immediately said to myself, "the Yearling."  The next line confirmed that in the letter I had referenced that particular quote.  In the wonderful children's book The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, a father, mother and boy live in the Florida swamps, a very dangerous life.  The boy, Jody, and his dad had just come home from a trip where they had encountered a bear and the dogs were howling and it was all chaos.  At home safely that night, Jody was going over the boisterous events of the day and that's when the narrator spoke Jody's mind that even if all  outside was unruly, here, close to his father, all was at peace.  It wasn't the home, it wasn't the light, it wasn't even the warm covers, it was Father.  I love that book for its earthiness, its simplicity, and its heart.  The dad, a little man, could always use his skills to protect those he loved.

My dad was like that.  He was safe and rock solid and a good man.  Even if your dad wasn't like that, if you are a child of God, you have a wonderful Father who wants to protect and shelter you.  He isn't even small.  He is huge and omnipotent.  He can do everything.  He is in charge of all of nature.  He carries your burdens and your heart so tenderly.

This Father's Day, I salute my dad, my husband and his dad, my son (who is a dad), my son in law who will be a dad very soon, and all of the great fathers out there.  And I thank my heavenly father for being my "core of safety" from all the wild world.  It is such a comfort to know He is there.


Happy Father's Day Dads!

Mice

I love mice.  As Rose Fyleman said in her famous poem, they are "very nice."  How can you not love something so soft and tiny with such cute whiskers?  I know, they eat corn and seeds and grain and farmers hate them.  That's why they have cats.  Once when I was little, I was sitting on the step outside the farmhouse back door and my sisters and I had a cardboard container or straw and baby mice that my grandfather had caught in a nearby shed.  We let them go.  I didn't know what their fate would be, but I could guess and out they went.  Well, Grandpa was not happy with our compassionate critter routine.  We never did that again. 

I also know that at times I have had to set a mousetrap to catch a mouse in the house.  I am not afraid of them, but they don't belong running along my kitchen floor.  I just made sure that I didn't have to empty the trap.

My childhood storybooks always had such cute mice illustrations.  The best is Beatrix Potter who is amazing with any furry creatures.  There was the story, Ben and Me, of a mouse who lived in Benjamin Franklin's hat.  There is a newer one which won the Newberry prize for best children's book, Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo. This brave mouse goes on a quest.  I'm sure you can think of other cute and similar stories.

I also love Mickey and Minnie Mouse.  Besides making the Magic Kingdom so friendly, they have a new clubhouse on early for the little ones.  It teaches letters, numbers, shapes, and kindness.

My favorite mouse is a little 4" porcelain Revolutionary figure wearing a tricorn hat.  He is carrying a lantern with one at his feet and he is reading a blue book, Longfellow's The Midnight Ride Of Paul Revere.  I got him at the Old North Church gift shop when I went to Boston.  He is probably my favorite little figurine ever.

Well, there you have it, my funny fondness for mice - of every type.  Hope you cat lovers don't get upset.  I like cats, too. 

Thoughts on Jobs and Other Things

I finished cleaning my house the fourth week in May.  I was a week early because I forced myself to do my files, dining room, entrance, and linen closet all on one day.  All I did was use my attachments to clean behind couches, under furniture and around cushions.  I love attachments.  I only had a long skinny slot type tubing thing that fit on my hose when I unhooked the hose.  Next year, I hope to have a new vacuum with the brush, flat 4 incher, and several "arms" so I can reach farther.  Now those little tools make me so happy.  I also did the blinds and cleaned around wherever my weekly cleaning missed.  It feels fresh and new.  I love the empty spaces on shelves after I donated many items.  It's that clean look where you can highlight a great photo or knicknack and let it shine.

This month, I plan to do some creating in my little bit of extra time.  I'm not sure what it will be but creating gives me endorphins like exercise does to others.  I feel totally pumped up when I am done and at peace while so composed.

My schedule is looking quite busy, even with some working days off.  That's fine.  Whatever my hands find to do, I hope I can do it with joy as unto the Lord.  It seems like "playtime" isn't as much fun as it used to be and work is getting to be so much more interesting.  What's happening here?  Time to take all of the labels off things and just rejoice in the days the Lord has made.