Sweeper Tracks – Ode to Mother’s Day

Me and Baby Jake(Written 2/6/97 when I only had two littles)

I am a mother who has been blessed beyond belief, so why am I complaining? It has just been one of those days.  Those long, long, days. It’s 5:30 p.m. and I am still in my robe sitting with my two kids under two (and under foot and anywhere else they can fit for that matter.) Where has the time in this day gone?  Soon my husband will be home asking that dreaded (does he really want the answer?) spousal question….”Honey, What did you do today?”

Well, I’ve been barfed on, pooped and peed on, played on, hung on, and clung on. I’ve picked up, put down, washed this and that…and that again.  I’ve read, sung, swung and swaddled.  I’ve collected, rejected and disinfected. What did I do today???

Scan_Pic0008I was lamenting to an older friend about the small things I’ve missed since having children.  You know, the spare time, spare money and spare car.  Simple things like only having 3 loads of laundry per week, biweekly visits to the grocery and only have to run the dishwasher once a week.  Oh! Those were the days.

I was even petty enough to mention that I Rachelmissed “sweeper tracks”.  You know those nice, neat Hoover patterns, that before kids, could last hours, even days in seldom used rooms.  Those tracks that represent cleanliness and order.  I complained that I couldn’t remember the last time my carpet retained sweeper tracks for more than 30 seconds.  They are quickly replaced by tiny footprints, cracker crumbs, raisins and tire tracks from a myriad of toy wheels.

hannah's carrotsAfter a brief pause my wise friend reminded me that all too soon I’ll be staring at Hoover patterns that would make the greens keeper at Pebble Beach green with envy.  Sweeper tracks that will last for days and I’ll long to see those tiny foot prints and caravan of wheel marks.  I’ll have my spare time, my spare money and my spare car, but I won’t have these little people.

Sometimes it takes a different perspective toeaster kids help you savor the moment – even the unpleasant ones.  As I slather on the 30th coat of Desitin today, I realize my answer to the spousal question will be, “A lot of cool stuff. I had a great day.” For all too soon I might be answering, “Nothing Much”.  I am thankful for these little people, thankful for my Hoover and thankful for friends that help me see the whole picture.

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EPILOGUE:

That was 19 years ago.  The Hoover replaced by a Shark. I can’t remember the last time I stepped on a lego or moved a matchbox car or bought cheerios. That friend was wise and I’m glad I heeded her advice. I did enjoy those years.  Today, I do have some spare time, and a spare car….still waiting on the spare cash…perhaps AFTER they are through college.  I do have sweeper tracks, but I don’t have the little people (only a 15 year old remains).  I miss the days when a kiss and a lollipop could fix just about anything.  I’m not complaining…this season isn’t bad at all it is just different.  I am proud of all that my kids accomplished and I am glad I soaked in those times and memories.

From someone whose lived it, can I share some advice? LIVE for today.  Don’t worry about tomorrow.  Invest in the lives that are around you now…the future will unfold in a timing all its own.

POINT TO PONDER:  What is your favorite childhood memory?

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Soul Fire

I watched her collecting twigs.  She gathered them diligently and then sat down at the fire ring carefully building a pyramid of sticks.  It was the beginning of a nice fire and I told her so.  But she replied, “I don’t have time to build a big fire, I just want to feel the heat now.”  It was 37 degrees and the sun had just set so warmth was a definite need.

IMG_2944She grabbed some dryer lint from our fire supplies and torched the twigs.  They burned big and bright and put off some great flames and heat…for a about a minute.  Her disappointment grew before the last ember faded. A cool breeze tossed the papery white ashes across the campsite leaving no evidence a fire ever existed, just moments before.

IMG_2941We talked about fires and to really feed a fire it needs to be built in stages until the base is hot enough to catch the harder, bigger, solid wood. Then not only does the flame last but the heat that it gives off will continue to give off warmth long after the flames die because the embers of a hardwood continue to give off heat for hours.

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As we talked we rebuilt the fire and eventually with time and patience and the proper fuel had a fire for smores, supper and snuggling long into the night.  The next morning she was able to add some bark and pine needles with a few small sticks to the still warm embers from the night before.  In no time she had created a lovely morning fire.

It made me think about our faith journeys and what it takes to ignite our passion and walk with the Lord.  We need fuel.  If we slack off and cool down the embers of our faith, they are much harder to rekindle.  The fuel we use to build and grow our knowledge and faith in Christ needs to be constant.  A diet of light twigs such as feel good teachings with a big flourish but little substance will not keep us stoked and on fire for the Lord.

The fire th101_9424at fuels our souls has to be more than just kindling. To be strong in our faith we need to look to the Pillars of Faith.  Those teachers that stood the test of time who lived and died sold out to God.  We need to dig deeply into the word of God and feed on its truth’s.  We need to go regularly to the foot of the cross.

Tossing in some spiritual feel good fluff now and then to fan the flames isn’t a problem as long as the balance of our diet is the solid teaching and truths that will sustain us long after the kindling turns to ash.

Soul Fire Starter Recipe:

15 Minute Tune Up

  • Be still for 2 Minutes
  • Be Thankful for 2 minutes
  • Be Quiet for 2 minutes
  • Be in the word for 5 minutes
  • Be prayerful 4 minutes

Camp Fire starter Recipe:

  • Cardboard Egg Carton or paper Dixie cups
  • Dryer Lint
  • Wax (old candles)

Fill the the containers with dryer lint then pour melted wax over top of the dryer lint.  Sprinkle a little more lint on top to float on the surface.  Cool.  Place in fire build over top and light the fire starter.  It will burn for approximately 15 minutes.

Point to Ponder: What have been good fire starters for you when you’ve hit a cool spot in your faith? How have you gotten your faith journey back on track? Share it with us

ACTION!  Congratulations Lisa from Grove City on winning our April contest.  Our May contest will feature some campfire fun for the family.  Winner will be drawn June 1st.  So leave a comment and sign up to enter!

Who Hijacked my Jesus? Or Nature vs. Nurture

The other day I watched an amazing video of one of God’s best creations. It was a lovely black lab who “adopted” a litter of abandoned kittens and literally nursed them back to health. Remarkable feline and canine connected. I’ve pondered that change in species; the DNA differences, it’s a paradigm shift to see a dog nursing kittens and plucking them lovingly from danger.

That same day I watched a group of people in the name of my Jesus; taunt, mock and judge a grieving family at a military funeral in Washington D.C.

That is not what Jesus taught. If Jesus was still in human form would he link arms with that bashing, insulting “preacher” most definitely not. Did Jesus ever go to a funeral and taunt the grieving? Where is this example in scripture? It basically isn’t so how can they claim this action in the name of Jesus.

Last week I listened to someone extolling the virtues of an extra marital affair. She claimed the Lord brought this person into her life to make her happy; despite being married to her husband. Basically saying this “home wrecker” was an answer to prayer. Really? I looked for justification in the scriptures for extramarital relations and I couldn’t find it there either. Why was she giving Jesus the credit for this introduction? Can you picture it? Jesus saying to the Woman at the Well, “Oh yeah and here’s a number for another guy for you to check out despite your being married?

That is not what Jesus taught. Basically Jesus is being hijacked.

” For I am the Lord, I do not change’ Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” In like manner Hebrews 13:8 says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

It would seem in order to lend credibility to our beliefs, passions and desires we hijack the Jesus from the scriptures and morph him into something that justifies behavior, attitudes or actions. We use Jesus as an endorsement for our thinking no matter how unscriptural it is.

While a dog can change its nurturing habits it can’t change its nature it is still a dog.

God often changes his nurturing habits. Sometimes he loves us with tough love, sometimes he blesses us beyond belief. His nature doesn’t ever change “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He is a changeless God.

I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6)

The Bible speaks to his character and his nature. The Bible is also called the Living Word of God. God is changeless. So is his Word.

We run a huge risk at morphing Jesus to justify us. When we change the nature of God, we change his character which in turn pulls us from the TRUTH of the scriptures that govern our lives. We then are governing our lives by a truth that is only our own truth, not the Truth of the Bible. This path leads us to sin. Because not obeying God is basically disobedience which can only be described as sin.

Point to Ponder: Are you morphing Jesus to justify something in your life? Would that be something Jesus would join you in doing or thinking?