THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

The Grandbaby loves art...or more specifically as she pronounces it, "Awt".  If you give her some paper and colored instruments, she will make you a picture that she expects you to display.  And honestly, I love that kind of "awt" and display it in many places in my home.  Here's the latest that made it to the refrigerator.  It's a treasured one as it's of The Poppa, The Grandbaby, and me.  I especially love that I have knees, multiple fingers, and our eyes and hair are true to our likenesses--yes, true to life awt.

As I paused to consider, I was reminded of many years ago and an older couple who sang in various churches.  I remember one of their songs saying,  "If I could see the world through the eyes of a child, what a wonderful world it would be".  I looked up those lyrics and chose a verse to share.

If I could see the world
Through the eyes of a child
Smiling faces would greet me all the while
Like a lovely work of art
It would warm my weary heart
Just to see through the eyes of a child

So I ask you-- what you see when you think of seeing the world through the eyes of a child?

Consider....

CHANGES? OR NOT?

The Husband and I got in the car Sunday morning and headed to Sunday School and church, much as we have for the past 42 years.  We left about the same time, drove the same route, and parked in the same spot in the parking lot.    Yes, all was pretty much the same as usual.

It was on the ride to church that my thoughts traveled to change.  I put on my lipstick as we pulled out of the driveway as I usually do and I noticed several wrinkles and gray hair in the mirror.  I looked over at The Husband and his hair was whiter and grayer than mine.  Whew!  At least that's good news.  :)

Our road has more houses than it did 42 years ago and it's paved all the way through.  It also has houses that have been on the road longer than ours.  Houses that house friends, sweet neighborhood widows, and those we have known for 42 years.  As we drove on, thought, I began to notice on our route houses that used to house those we know who have now passed on to heaven.  There were several--the one across the street which housed the best neighbors ever, a widow who loved us, a widower who lived to an old age, and even a house where one of my elementary school friends had lived and I had spent much time there in sleepovers and play.  Those parents, too, had passed on to heaven.  Then at the end of the road was the house that had housed my sister's best friend and her family....grown now but parents and brother passed on and the house belonged to others.  So many changes...so many.

I think of our country and the turmoil that change is bringing.  I think of the dreaded covid that is changing so many lives either directly or indirectly. Who ever knew I would wear a mask in public just to try to remain medically safe?  Who ever thought one couldn't go to the hospital with a sick loved one?  Who knew the grocery shelves might be emptier and even bare in spots not even because of the threat of a snowstorm?   Yes, there are so many changes....and not even covid related.

I carried my camera in my purse to church.  I had been told it was Grandparents' Day by The Girl so I decided maybe we would get a photo with The Grandbaby.  We had also taken one when she was just a wee thing so we sort of recreated that photo.  Take a look.

I see some changes in the two photos.  We could play "how many differences can you find"?    My hair is flatter and the glasses are different, The Poppa has hair now even though it's very white,  and The Grandbaby has certainly grown.  Then you notice things that are the same.....the church interior, the white shirt, the same flowers in the sanctuary, and a hair decor for The Grandbaby.  If I had been smart, I would have worn the same dress from five years ago as I still have it and it's a favorite as it has been for the past twenty years but alas, I wasn't smart on Sunday.  The cross in the background on the wall was built by The Husband and represents a crucifixion and a resurrection that changed life for all believers....for me, for The Husband, for The Grandbaby, and for you, too.  

Other things that stand out to me in this photograph are the things that remain the same.  Things that really aren't "things".  Smiles, joy, expressions of love and happiness....those kind of "things".  Those are the important things that never change no matter what.   

Today has been a day of faith building and an answer to a long time prayer.  That answer was exactly what my family had hoped and in a way could be classified as one of those miracle things.  No, it's not my story to tell so you will just have to wonder, but you take my word for it--THE FAITHFULNESS OF MY GOD WILL NEVER CHANGE!  That's not to say if the answer had not been miraculous that the Lord would not have been faithful, He is always faithful,  but for today, I'll take a miracle!

So changes come and then some things never change.....consider....

BOOGERING

Here in the South, especially here in the RURAL South,  people like me just have a different language.  Now I'm thinking that many of you not in the South have become familiar with "redneck" because of a famous redneck entertainer from right here in my area.  And if we all here in the South be honest, when you saw the title of this blog post, your thoughts immediately went to nose activities.  It's okay to admit I could be right.

Now just to do the right thing in my writing, I took the time to look up the word "booger".  Uh huh, I did.  The dictionary says "slang for a piece of dried mucus from your nose.  When you pick dried mucus out of your nose, this is an example of a booger."  I kid you not, blog readers, I'm not making this up.  That's what it says and honestly, that's what I thought it was.  To the dictionary's credit, however, it also says it means a "problematic or difficult thing". 

I was remembering as a child when I would play with the next door neighbors.  The oldest child was a girl slightly younger than me and their second child was a boy slightly younger than their oldest child.  We would enjoy playing at dusky dark and a favorite game was "Ain't (see the redneck language?) no booger men out tonight".   We didn't say, "Ain' any boogeymen out tonight, we called them as they were--boogermen."  We two girls would walk around the yard singing that line over and over and over and the brother would be hiding and jump out to scare us.  We tried to be prepared for him, but somehow in that dusky dark, he would scare us every time.

I was reminded of this game earlier in the week when The Girl and I were talking about problematic and difficult things.  She remarked, "The devil is just boogering up my mind."  You know that stuck with me and I have thought of it often since then because truthfully, he does that to me, too.  And I'm betting, he does it to you, too.  Any time I have much going on and have problematic and difficult things on my mind and heart, here comes the devil to put all kinds of nasty "green mucus" thoughts in my mind.  

After giving this so much thought, I decided I would adhere to what the Scriptures say about it...."resist the devil and he will flee from you".  As many of you regular blog readers know, I think one of the scariest scriptures for a Christian in the Bible is in Luke 22:31 where Jesus tells Peter that "Satan desires to have you and sift you as wheat......but I have prayed for you...."  My mind has tossed that around and around and I have been encouraged that I'm in that number that Jesus has prayed for....and I will not tolerate the devil boogering up my mind.  

My week has been hard...and last week, too.  I will share a personal thing, though this thing was not as hard as a lot of the other "stuff" going on.  Over the holiday weekend, I self-diagnosed a kidney stone, hurt with it for two days, then rejoiced when it passed on Sunday morning at 5:49 a.m.  Uh huh, a jagged almost 3mm stone.  It was boogering with my body, I assure you.  No more time for that either!

So I encourage you via this blog yet again to not let the devil booger your mind.  Keep it clean and healthy and full of Jesus!

Consider....

ANSWERED PRAYERS

 So far in my world, it's been a week of many emotions.  I won't go into everything as it will accomplish nothing more than making words but I will say it's been a week of busyness, of unanswered questions, of medical visits, of trying to process and hold many things mentally.  Sadly, this is only the fifth day of the week.  I will share that The Husband actually tore a ligament in his knee just getting out of the car here at home after church this past Sunday.  We have determined events like these are a product of the dreaded aging process.  He's improving slowly and walking with a cane but we are thankful it was not one of those torn meniscus things.  I don't need my medical knowledge to increase in that, or at least I don't have time for that right now.  

What I did want to say is an observation I got just now this morning as I sat in my quiet den with my cup of coffee in my hands.  One can ponder well with a cup of coffee and quietness.  With all things behind, things in my life now, and unknown things ahead, I can look around and all I can see is answered prayers.  Prayers I have prayed 50 years ago, 30 years ago, 10 years ago, and even prayers I prayed yesterday.  Give it some thought.  How about you?  Surely you have those answered prayers, too.  Be encouraged in the unknown to come and see the works of the Lord in your own life if for no other reason because of the assurance that HE will never leave you and HE is in control.  

As I sit here typing, my eyes are drawn to a card sent to me a long time ago by The Sweet Pray Without Ceasing Friend.  It was so true then and still encourages me daily.  It might encourage you too so here it is:

Consider.....