Revelation from a frazzled day

I have just spent another couple of hours finishing up packing for our long awaited vacation.  I keep having the feeling that I am forgetting something.  I can't figure out if traveling by car or airplane is harder,.  If you could see my kitchen table right now, you would vote for car being harder.  I have a variety of bags, totes, coolers, and other "must take with us" things accumulating there.  On the other hand, if we were flying, we would have just our two bags.  But then again, trying to figure out what we HAD to pack would be much harder.  So I am thankful that we have room in the car for those extra things. 

I am feeling a bit frazzled tonight. It was a rather tough day at work.  It is a mystery to me why three year old boys think it is great fun to spit at each other and to lick anything that is close to them!  Anyone have any ideas here?  I am also growing very tired of "tattle tales".  While we are very aware that there is plenty of foolishness happening that is fodder for the tattlers, I'm saying "enough is enough!"  If we don't witness the act, we will not respond (within reason....if there is blood, a big mark on someone's body, or crazy crying, we step in)! Our response is always "Go and talk to your friend.  Use your words."  Even though this has always been our response, we will no longer listen to the tale being told.  I simply hate this stage of growing up.   We have a couple of kids who seem to just keep their eyes on everyone else and report everything they see.

So on the way home from work I was thinking about my day.  I guess our world does need people who watch and report what they see.  We rely on exactly this type of people for our news reporting.  It is a useful skill and I think I will remember this when dealing with our little "tattlers".  I was thinking about some of the other character qualities that are already so apparent in these little 3's.  There are a couple of children who are so quick to help out their friends.  They clearly have compassion and caring in their makeup.  We have more than one child that can already build and create with Duplos in ways that amaze me.  They could be future inventors or engineers.  There is one little girl who could sit at the table and color all day if we would let her.  I have never seen a three year old color so well with so much detail.  Yes, she is quite the artist. 

I love that Jesus' plan and purpose for us begins at birth.  Each of us has very specific and very clear personality traits and interests that help us fulfill our destiny.   I love that I can have a very different perspective of these children I work with each day.  And it has given me insight in how to pray for each of them.  I am still wondering exactly what the destiny is for the kids who think it is wonderful to spit at each other.  I am praying that I will begin to see exactly what is behind that crazy behavior and get to their heart of these kids!  Yes, I will have lots of time on vacation to ponder this!

Jesus, thank you for rest and relaxing.  Thank you for the opportunity to get a new perspective on my work and the reminder to see beyond the behavior.  Holy Spirit, help us all to apply this lesson to everyone that we deal with.  Especially those that might bother or annoy us.  Jesus, thank you for revelation and inspiration.  Thank you for planning our destiny!  Amen

Yes, it is "O-fish-ally" Summer!

Well, this is the bulletin board that I put up at work today!  The little three year olds each created their own fish.  This was quite a project that included, glue, scissors, paint, glitter and sparkles.  The kids had a great time.  They got to choose their fish and then also decide how to decorate it.  Yes, it is "O-FISH-ALLY SUMMER!".  And finally our weather agrees with this statement!  We had a couple of actually HOT days this week (in the high 80's). So thankful winter is finally over. 

Last night I could NOT SLEEP!  This is really unusual for me.  I tossed and turned for a couple of hours.  Ken came to bed and HE couldn't sleep.  He finally realized that it was very warm in the bedroom.  So he checked on the air conditioner.  Alas, it was not functioning.  Yes, on the first week of really warm weather, we find ourselves without air conditioning.  Now, to be fair, it is NOT 100 degrees.  But it is my prime allergy season.  By the time morning rolled around (and I had about 4 hours of sleep), my head was totally plugged.  Thankfully, Ken made all the calls and got somebody out here to fix our problem, by 4:00pm today.  Since our furnace and air conditioner are about 10ish years old, we feel blessed that it just needed some Freon and a good cleaning.  So, tonight I am breathing easier and feeling grateful for knowledgeable repair people who do their work quickly and well. 

As the repairman was working downstairs, I was thinking about the current seemingly constant message that every child has to go to college to be successful.   I can understand somewhat this statement.  However today I was considering where we would be without people to repair our furnace or air conditioner.  Or plumbers.  I mean who hasn't had one of those awful plumbing problems that needed professional help.  Or auto mechanics.  Or appliance repairman (thanks dad!).  Or how about garbage men!  Really, the list goes on and on.  I guess this is sort of a perspective issue.  If we only looked at "college" careers, our world would be sorely lacking.  I am sure that everyday, each of us interacts with at least 1 or 2 people that we would miss if they were not there to do that job.  Think about this (Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds, etc)!  I am thankful for all the people who do these "non college education necessary" jobs.  Of course, then there is the fact that I never went to college.  And Ken never went to college.  And Doug never went to college.  There was a time when Doug was around three or four when he would say that he wanted to be a garbage truck man, or and ice cream truck driver, or an astrophysicists. And I would say, "As long as you are happy, I don't care what job you do!"  And I really meant it.   When Doug graduated from High School, I had many, many people give me the "speech" about how important college was.  How he would never make anything of himself if he didn't have a "career".  I am so thankful that Doug followed his heart and made the right choice for himself. 

And here is the most amazing thing about this.  Jesus has plans and purposes to use people in EVERY sphere of society.  Whether it is at Starbucks or as a doctor or teacher.  Jesus needs each person to do exactly what He has planned and purposed for them.  That is such a freeing thought.  It certainly helps me to relax and look at my job a little differently.  I am thankful that Jesus knows what is best for us, and he will use us wherever we end up. 

Jesus, thank you for the repairman who fixed my air conditioning.  And thank you for the reminder to be more appreciative towards all those we interact with each day.  Thank you for those wonderful little three year olds that I get to work with each day.  And Jesus, thank you for the change of season and the warm weather!  Amen

Where did the time go???

This evening I was finishing up wrapping Christmas presents and I don't know why, but I was suddenly hit with the passage of time.  I was sitting on the floor in the room that actually was both Gwen and Doug's at one time or another.  My scrapbooking room was the nursery - and also was both Gwen and Doug's room.  I looked around the room and flashed to what the room looked like at various points through out the years.  I was remembering when we moved Gwen into that room as a young toddler - about 2 1/2 years old - when Doug was expected.  I could see the little wooden kitchen that sat in the corner, as well as the kids picnic table.  Then I was flashing to the later years when Gwen had the walls covered with photos.  And then the last years when Doug had a full drum set and a futon as well as other various musical instruments.  I guess it was one of those "mom" moments when I got a little teary thinking about the kids. 

The Christmas Ornaments above are some of my very favorite.  Gwen's has a picture from her Baptism in October of 1979.  Doug's has his 7 month picture from November of 1982  I am glad that I have these ornaments on my tree.  I get to look at their sweet faces every Christmas.  I am very thankful that I get to be with my children and grandchildren on Christmas.  But, still, where did the time go??

There are times when it feels like just yesterday that Ken and I moved into this house...but gee it was 36 years ago.  And is it possible that Lia is 7 years old?  I have heard it said that the passage of time seems to accelerates as you age. And I guess I am suffering with that adage today.  Time flies when you are having fun.  Yep, I guess my life has been lots of fun since the time has been flying! 

Remember my post of a couple of days ago?  Expect the unexpected!  Yes!  So I am going to look ahead to what is in store in the next years.  Yes, it is good to celebrate and remember and reflect on the past, but it is important to keep on looking forward.  And not only looking forward, but walking forward.  This has been an unusual season in my life.  Things are changing and shifting in many areas.   But tonight I am feeling excited and expectant for the new and different and amazing things that are in store for me. In the 15 days left in 2013, I will be taking a deep breath (or two or three) and just being expectant!  I encourage you to join me in taking a breather in the next couple of weeks.  And during that breather, look ahead and expect the unexpected with me!

Jesus, tonight I celebrate that you are the God of yesterday, today and tomorrow!  Thank you for all of the amazing ways you have blessed me and my family.  Holy Spirit, speak clearly to me in these next weeks and quiet my spirit so that I can grab hold of the new things you are showing me. Bless all of those who join me in this breather time and give them wisdom and discernment for their own lives.  Jesus, thank you for your plans for me and my family.  Amen

What's in a name.....

Last night I had a dream about a very high waterfall.  It wasn't big - like Niagra Fall, It was really narrow, but flowing very fast.

 

 

This is a picture of a small waterfall in Rockford.  But I did think of this picture when I woke up this morning.  I know that Yahweh is speaking to me whenever there is water included in the picture.  Okay -  here is more truth telling!   One of the first times that I heard Jesus speak clearly to me, I heard John 7:38 -  "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him".  The Holy Spirit wrote that verse into me, and I knew that verse was significant for me.   Imagine my surprise, when months later, I discovered that my name -Lynnette-actually means "streams of living water" and the verse associated with my name is John 7:38!  To me this was confirmation that Yahweh named me.  He cares for me and he has a unique plan and purpose for my life. 

Back to the dream from last night...  I was standing at the top of the waterfall and the water looked so inviting.  I remember thinking about jumping in!  And just as I thought about jumping, I was sailing down the waterfall.  It was amazing!  I wasn't afraid and it was a wonderful ride.  Along the way, I was noticing that there were people all along the sides of the waterfall.  Some were standing and some were sitting on the grass.  It was such a pleasent scene.  And it felt like exactly where I was supposed to be. 

So today, I am much more confident that writing this blog, is exactly what I am supposed to be doing.  It is through this blog that I am able to let those streams of living water flow out from me.  I can write about the things that Yahweh is speaking to me.  And I can share with all of you, how great the plans and purposes of Jesus are for you.  He has a destiny for you and He wants to speak to you. So tonight I am celebrating "Taking the plunge" down that waterfall.  Because I know that Yahweh is in charge of this ride. 

Yahweh, thank you for speaking to me in dreams.  Thank you for your plans and purposes and destiny.  Jesus, you are speaking from heaven and we just need to be still and listen.  Thank you for my name.  You work in some of the most amazing ways.  Yahweh, work in the lives of the people reading this blog.  Help them to hear your voice and come into a better understanding of all that you have for them.  Amen