"A Mighty Fortress 'for' our God"...Ode to a Hero

 To have known beauty and greatness, is a gift,

a blessing beyond measure. 

To have shared trials and tears, 

laughter and wisdom, 

joy and prayers is indeed a rare treasure.

Thank you God, for these moments and memories

of a passion so pure and so bold;

Kindled of a sojourner who traveled far with the light,

insisting God's love be told.

 Inconceivable the loss of one held so dear,

Incomprehensible and yet, your will?

Sorrows seem to drown us, humanity cries,
but God reigns in heaven still.

Yes, God reigns in heaven still.

Comfort those I love who walk through the fire,

Cradle them ever so tenderly tonight.

May they know the love and admiration their lives inspire 

and glimpse the impact of foundations laid beyond human sight.
Yes, glimpse the impact of foundations laid beyond human sight.

"A mighty fortress 'for' our God, a bulwark never failing..."
the life-song of a hero sung strong and low,
wounded and lost souls availing.
Yes, wounded, lost souls availing.

Tired...

Not exactly...

Yup, that's it...

Where, oh where, has my little (actually fat, sassy, sage, and occasionally cranky) cat gone? Oh where, oh where, can she be..?

It's July...wow. 

The 4th was beautiful and amazing. 

All the young'uns picked out their special fireworks and put on a show. On the 5th I piddled in the yard to my hearts content, jumped on the trampoline, swam and just plain forgot about school, work and everything for a day. Niceeeee. Good times. 

Sadly, our 17 year old cat, Sassy, is missing.
Gone.
 No sign.
Vanished.
She never leaves our back deck unless it's to go into the front flower bed to sun. 

 This summer has been hard enough without my "catdog" April, now the sage old calico?
The deck and yard will seem empty for sure.

Last year our lab, Honey, died; she was fifteen. On the one hand, what a blessing to have enjoyed her company for so long, on the other hand, my youngest three kiddos have never known the back yard without these faithful friends.

E came into the bedroom last night in the middle of the night convinced he heard Sassy calling. Steve got up and they went outside and checked around one more time. We have checked our whole yard, the woods, and the neighborhood; it is a mystery indeed.

Where's Perry Mason or Matlock when you need them?

I'm ready for recess!

      

        Sorry for the lack of posts. Summer school is, well, quick! Midterms have passed and the final is June 28th! Working on my formal paper for this semester and I can not believe that I am saying this but APA format is finally getting a little easier. Ugh! 

       I am in Community Health this semester and the funniest thing is that I didn't realize I am a community health nurse now?! Working at the Center for Pediatric Medicine we see NICU grads to seventeen year olds. Amazing. I have learned so much. 

       OK, so back to the paper...I have decided to write about vaccine controversies. This has actually been a very interesting topic, perhaps I'll share some of the details later. For now, I best get back to work. 

       Last update on school...graduate school here I come!!! Yay! I am Charleston Southern bound and I am so excited! I'll be working on my MSN in Nursing Education starting in August....combining the two things I love nursing and education! 

       Finally, Happy Fathers Day to all you dads out there. You are indispensible!!!!

"God sends His Best to Those Who Leave the Choices Up to Him..." by Perry Tanksley

 I said, "God, I must know

Where you are leading me.

I ask to view Thy plans.

I have a need to see."

He said, "If you must see,

And My plans you must know,

Then you can't walk by faith

And follow where I go."

I said, "Dear God, forgive!

I ask no more to see.

Teach me to walk by faith

That I might walk with Thee."

Below are some quotes from the green pages in Richard Bolles book, What Color Is Your Parachute? 2010. Wonderful reminders that we live for a reason. Our life and breath are gifts...

"You first mission here on earth is to know God, and enjoy Him forever, and to see His hand in all His works..."

*sigh*

"Your second mission here on earth is to do what you can, moment by moment, day by day, step by step, to make this world a better place, following the leading and guidance of God's Spirit within you and around you..."

*sigh*

"Your third mission here on earth is one that is uniquely yours:

to exercise the talent that you particularly came to earth to use - your greatest gift, which you most delight to use, in the place or settings that God has caused to appeal to you the most, and for the purposes that God most needs to have done in the world."

*sigh*

Bolles goes on to state that, "God gives us each a unique talent that only we can perform, He guides us toward this talent, which He has lodged in us, through our hearts. This talent usually gives us the greatest pleasure while exercising it and it is usually the one that, when we use it, causes us to lose all sense of time!"

       Wow! I have done that...I have been so involved in moments at work that I lost all sense of time, while at the moment felt incredible peace and satisfaction. I am working, but there is a sense of ultimate fulfillment and sheer joy. A knowledge that for that moment in time, I was where I was supposed to be, doing what I was supposed to be doing. It reminds me of the Bible verse in Esther chapter four, verse fourteen, " And who knows but that you have come to this position for such a time as this?" For such a time as this, indeed...

May we all be so blessed...

Hanging in there...Random thoughts...

I thought about calling this 'Letters to my World.'
It's a pretty random piece that I felt compelled to write,
for some unknown reason.
So maybe somebody, somewhere needs this...

I been so busy of late it seems I scarcely have had time to tell the people in my life how much I love them and appreciate them. 

How much I love them, as much for their similarities, as I do for their differences.

Life is busy. 

But amongst the moments of turmoil, when it seems as if we hardly have time to breathe.

Please know each of you are always in my heart and prayers. 

I am blessed.

 So today, I want to throw some random thoughts into the wild, blue yonder.

First, 

life is hard. 

It just is.
We can thank Adam and Eve for this fact.

Second, 

we all make mistakes. 

We just do.
We can also thank Adam and Eve

and God's gift of a free will for this fact.

Third, 

and most importantly,
we are not alone!

We can thank God for this fact!

Each of us has been wonderfully created with a purpose, 

a purpose only we can fulfill.

Nothing happens by chance;
nothing!

Nothing is out of the Father's Hands,
nothing!

Thank goodness!

Good and bad, 

happy and sad, 

we are held so tightly that we are engraved on the palms of his hands.

*Sigh*

Not just the "good" ones of us, 

not just the "holy" ones of us,

for we are all as filthy rags...
But,

God sees us through the veil of Jesus blood,

which makes us perfect; 

and He never lets go!

So in Him I am perfect...
and so are you.
Apart from Him, there is no good thing in me.
Alas, there is not.

So for all my dear friends and family. Hang in there during these tough times. 

During moments of disappointment, 

remember,
only those who never try,
never fail...
but at what cost?

Teddy Roosevelt one said, 
"It is not the critic who counts,

Nor the man who points how the strong man stumbled

or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena;

Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;

Who strives valiantly...

Who knows the great enthusiasms,

The great devotions,

And spends himself in a worthy cause;

Who, at best, knows the triumph of high achievement;

And who, at the worst,

If he fails,

At least fails while daring greatly,

So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls,

Who know neither victory or defeat." 

So may we all have the pleasure of striving valiantly in our lives for something..
May we all have the pleasure of great enthusiasms and great devotions.
And may we all dare greatly...
for of such grand and glorious stuff is life made.
One ordinary life can make an extraordinary difference to someone, somewhere.

During moments of heartache,

remember, this is only the beginning of something much, much better,
that lasts much, much longer... One of my favorite quotes by Peter Marshall reads,

"Those we love are with the Lord,

And the Lord has promised to be with us.

If they are with Him,

And He is with us,

They can not be far away..."

So hang in there!
Whoever you are, 
doing whatever you are doing,
we all cause ripples in the pond of life.
Somewhere your ripple has touched someone, somewhere.
May it be a good one...

And remember...

You are loved,

and appreciated,

and important...

Lastly, I love this photo by Jurvetson.
Look at the mama cat.
She is calm as she looks upon her kitten hanging on for dear life.
The kitten is clearly panic-stricken!
However, Mama Kitty knows what her baby can not.
He or she will land on their feet
and they will be just fine. 
Yes, they will,
just fine...

" Tut, tut, child! Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it." The Duchess, Alice in Wonderland

"I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see...
I wonder if I've been changed in the night?
 Let me think.
Was I the same when I got up this morning?
 I almost think I can remember feeling a little different.
But if I'm not the same, the next question is 'Who in the world am I?
' Ah, that's the great puzzle!"

These quotations are from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. 

Did you know there is a modern day Alice?
Yes, indeed.
She is quite adorable;
her name is S.C. Modern Day Alice.
Shout out to this sweet, southern girl
with a well written and insightful blog called,
 For a Pessimist , I'm pretty Optimistic!


This is a great read for mom's who feel as if they don't recognize their college age daughters anymore!

Who are you and where is my daughter?

 Also, for the college age daughter, living in wonderland,
where everything is vastly different than at home.


"It was much pleasanter at home, when one wasn't always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits."

 I am hooked.

Wonderland never seemed so charming.

Also, don't you love the photo from katmere at Fickr's Creative Commons?
It's graffiti!
Amazing!