If you want it; go for it...............

There was a time in my life when I was so into Mary Englebreight.  At that time I had a friend, Mary Grace,
who liked it also.  Maybe I was so into it because Mary was or maybe I was into it because I loved Mary Grace so.   Mary Grace was in the last years of her battle with breast cancer.  So I bought everything Mary Englebreight I could.  I asked for it for birthdays, Christmas, Mother's Day; any occasion that called for a gift. One day I saw a greeting card by my favorite decor maker.  On the front it said, "There is no  more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship,  communion, or company than a good marriage. Anon"  Around the verse was a sweet robin, a key and a red heart shaped lock, pretty  flowers and vines.  I loved the card and I bought it.  It was the verse that spoke so softly to my heart.  This is what I wanted more than anything.  My marriage was good; having it's share of ups and downs, twists and turns, joys and sorrows.  All of them held together by the vows we shared before God.  But I wanted more.  I wanted something; something that I really couldn't put my mind around.  And I knew that I would know it when I had it.  I held on to the card; not using it at times that called for a wedding card.  It stayed silently in the drawer.  Then one day Mary finished her battle with cancer and I was left alone.  I placed the card in a frame and put it in my kitchen.  Praying consistently for the marriage this little card spoke of.  I would move the frame from place to place; putting it on different counters and shelves.  Sometimes I would grow weary of not having what the card said and I would put it back in the drawer.  "That will show you I told the card"; but never giving up that I would have that one day. Tommy and I  moved into a small garden home thinking that was what we wanted since we were empty nesters. We cleaned out; down sized, gave away and thought we were settled. We were both looking for something.  The framed card moved with us.  On our last, and hopefully final move before heaven, the frame came to rest in the kitchen.  Always in plain sight , the verse beckoned me to pray earnestly toward the words it spoke.  Then one day life sent us a huge curve ball, breast cancer.  In the middle of the chaos the answer came.  All the pieces fell into place.  Don't ask me how since I certainly can't tell you.  I knew it when it happened though.  All the "other" was gone and left was this lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company called a good marriage!  It's been almost three years now and it remains.  Unwavering and solid.  Nothing seems to desire to shake it.  In these past three years, while loving the place my marriage is,  I came to realize how this verse can apply to my relationship with God. The words ring true to what I want in this union with Christ.  Shouldn't I  desire the same lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company with Him?  I love Him, I made a covenant with Him much like a marriage vow.  And over the course of the years while desiring the verse's call;  I have developed a deeper, stronger, purer relationship with Him because I desired it.    Psalm 38:9  "Lord, my desire if before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You."     Blessings.....

We are so different......

I make frequent trips on Loop 289 and Interstate 27 in the mornings.  Most of these trips are spent noticing other drivers.  I'm also visiting with my husband, Tommy; trying to wake up; commenting on the weather and what's a head for the day and waiting for the birthday's on the radio - Tommy's favorite part of the morning show! Even with the different seasons which bring degrees of lightness and darkness and alternating good and bad driving conditions; it is the drivers that always catch my attention. I am an observant person .  I am into details making my observations much deeper than most.  There are the drivers who go the exact speed limit; those that go about five miles over (like me..) hoping the police think that is still within the limit; those that probably speed always, sailing around the interstate going at least eighty-five; those that always put their blinkers on and those that never put their blinkers on; the drivers putting on their make up (making me ponder just exactly when and why I decided to reduce my make up to minimal); the drivers on the cell phones, taking care of things they are convinced cannot wait until a safer time; the drivers hurrying to work; the mom's taking their children to school; hungry drivers trying to find the fast food entrance; the drivers who are leisurely moving along savoring the moment and happy drivers, unhappy drivers, glad drivers, angry drivers and drivers so sad.  We all fit in here so where.  At different times in our lives we become one of these drivers. There are times in our lives when we have the luxury of contently driving. Other times we are consumed with major upheavals in our lives.  There's the time when we drive with our children and we are keenly aware of  protecting them by obeying all the speed laws and mentally dressing down those that don't. The mornings that the alarm did not go off or we forgot to set it.  The mornings that Murphy's Law took over and zero went right adding a worry of what next?  The morning after that phone call came and you realize that you will never see that person again.  The morning that the news tells us of yet another disaster or tragedy.  Like drivers, we are all different. Different in the way we driver, the way we handle life's frustrations and tragedies.  Different in the way we manage our time and responsibilities.  Different in what we consider so vital in our lives and also the things we trivialize.  All these differences and yet we are all so much alike.  As we speed or don't speed, blink or don't blink; we are all looking for something similiar.  We are looking to be a peace, looking for a relief from the real or imagined stress, looking to be accepted and above all looking to be loved.  To love and  be loved is a desire shared by all of us.  It is this love that awakens us, comforts us, brings us joy, guides us into moments of thanfulness, fulfills us, lifts us up to He who brings love. The one who lets us know how much He loves us and how much He calls us to love ourselves and love one another. So differences aside, let us strive to feel His love and show this love always.  Blessings........  Jeremiah 31: 3  "...saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness I have drawn you and  continued My faithfulness to you."

We are so different......

I make frequent trips on Loop 289 and Interstate 27 in the mornings.  Most of these trips are spent noticing other

A trip to the dog groomer...

Every so often, in the crap shoot called dog grooming; my dog, Lucy, comes out looking wonderful! These trips to the groomer have gone on every four weeks since we have had Lucy.  She came to us as a rescue and I loved her at first sight.  She did turn out to be bigger and shaggier than I we thought she would be.  Since she is an inside dog; not exactly a lap dog even though she thinks so and has a beautiful, fluffy coat of wavy black hair; she requires these frequent trips to the groomer.  Each time I take her she goes in much in need of a beauty treatment and comes out better.  As any mother knows; when I scope her out upon pickup, she is better; however, I usually detect some minor flaws in the grooming.  Maybe an uneven beard, a missed place on her belly, a little too short cut on her brow, a little too long cut on the brow making her look like the visor on an 1949 Chevy or just something not exactly right on her face.  After several of these trips I resigned myself to the fact that, "Yep, it's a crap shoot!"  Don't get me wrong;  I am a grateful person and know that I could not do a better job; not even close to what her groomer, Mary does.  I finally realized that these trips to the groomer contributed significantly to the building of hope in my life.  This caused me to think of our lives and how important hope is.  Each time she and I left with a few little things not kosher on the grooming; I began to hope that maybe one time I would pick her up and she would looked super duper! Trips would continue and I would think, "Not so great this time but maybe next time!" And then today was the  DAY !! I took her in looking be-draggled and picked up her looking like a million dollars in my eyes.  Top of her head - great; beard - great, belly - great, her brow absolutely spectacular! No 1949 Chevy visor look there.  It wasn't the hope that accomplished this. Probably Lucy's cooperation coupled with Mary's expertise was the answer.  But it was hope that kept me going back each time anticipation the blessing of a great groom.  Our lives are so much like this.  We hope in Christ and he never lets up down.  He knows exactly when that perfect groom job will come;  when the perfect job will come;  when the perfect life mate will appear; when the good news  from a doctor will come and all the other hopes we have.  Guess Lucy's groomer trips helped me to learn to keep on hoping, keep on believing and keep on trusting!!  Blessings, Martha       Psalm 39: 7  "And now, Lord, what do I wait for and expect? My hope and expectation are in You."