Walks, Singing, Sweaty Feet and Sundays…Bless the Lord Oh My Messy Soul!
Yesterday, I woke up and took Sunshine (the dog) for a walk…for some reason the song “Bless the Lord, Oh my soul….” was ringing in my head, so I sang it. The whole walk I just sang and sang. It was a beautiful morning, breezy and cool, rare for July in Florida. “Bless the Lord, Oh my messy soul, and ALL that is within me, bless His Holy name….” you see I felt a bit messy this morning, but there is something wonderful about the fact that even though we are such beautiful, complicated messes, He loves...
read moreCat’s got your tongue?
Meow, has it been a long time since I blogged. It’s not a cat, no it’s more like a good old summer storm! Summer hit….Kid’s home, Mission Trips, Break-ups, Wedding Prep, Work….Mixed in with showers of re-entry effect due to the mission trip (travel-jet lag, lessons learned and brought back, God stirring the ole pot of my heart…..) and possibly the start of the climb up the “menopausal mountain” (Dear God, do I have to make this climb?) Yes, the perfect summer storm. A few of the thoughts that...
read moreOne Body (Written while in Kenya, June 2011)
Since landing on Naivasha soil I have felt God’s powerful presence. He was here before us, He will be with us on our visit and He will be here after we are long gone. We didn’t bring Him with us, He was always here, we just came to do what He called us to do, and he prepared the way. What an amazing, loving, BIG God we have. Why do we make Him so small in our daily lives? All the faces I see, the hands I hold, shake, high five…. all the hugs, smiles, songs, conversations and laughs we share remind me that in Christ we are one...
read moreBack roads, short cuts, wrong turns… I always think I know the way.
As I wrote yesterday about endings and beginnings, I started to ponder where we put God’s will in the midst of all the swirling changes that occur within our lives. This morning I read something about how we too often “baptize” our will and call it God’s. I have had my PhD in that at times. Doing what I want and praying for God to bless it! The funny thing about that is, he is not fooled. He knows our thoughts, motivations and the intentions of our hearts. Why is it then, when we are seeking God’s will, we really...
read moreTo Begin there must be an End….
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end.” Seneca Oh how we can fight the beginnings and ends within our lives. The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are. Easier said than done, that first step. We have to let go of the old, to embrace the new. Allow something to die, in order to create space for new life to grow. Walk away from what is familiar and comfortable, into the unfamiliar and uncomfortable, you know what I mean. This week I had friends move from a...
read moreOur Stories
We all have stories to tell, the events and happenings of our lives that over the years bind us up like a book and create our storyline. These stories are written from the the time we are born until we take our last breath. Sometimes the stories are exciting ones, full of adventure, success, love and fun. These are the ones we love to re-read over and over and share. Others were so challenging and painful that we wish they had been edited out of the very first draft. Those are the stories we don’t want read. The ones that show our...
read moreRepost….thoughts from last Easter
I wanted to repost this, I love what Dr. Bob taught us last year about standing close to Jesus and the cost. Happy Easter Week! How Close is Too Close? Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 Sunday at church our Pastor, Dr. Bob gave a wonderful message on Hail to the King. He spoke of the triumphal entry Jesus and his disciples made into Jerusalem. “Hosanna’s!” were shouted as Jesus came into town riding upon donkey. Jesus knew that the rest of his ministry would be confined to this city, this place called Jerusalem. With him on this journey were 12...
read more4/13
Today I had a client email me and tell me about how her daughter has been struggling with the death a teenage friend of hers. She has been using a pen to ink Philippians 4:13 on her wrist to remind her that she can do all things through Christ who gives her the strength. She also pointed out that today is 4/13. What a great reminder today’s date can be for all of us who feel weary, tired, worn out or overwhelmed. We need to remember where our strength comes from. Certainly not from our own energy or making, real strength and comfort...
read moreTo Curl or Not to Curl…To be like Grace!
Last night Grace decided she wanted curly hair for FCAT’s. I know it might seem odd but she loves to put foam curlers in her hair when wet and make her straight hair curly! So we did it while watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. “High Chitty, Low Chitty…everywhere you go Chitty…” Rolling away! The real treat is first thing in the morning, when we wake up and take the curlers out. She loves this and is very confident in the way it looks, even though Jackson says, “You look like Einstein!” She feels...
read moreExit stage left……Again!
As a mother of 5 you would think that I am getting use to the coming and goings of my children. With the older ones they all have left for college, then moved home for a few brief months only to get their “grown up” legs under them, before moving out on their own. My little ones come and go on a regular basis between their father and myself, a pattern that is familiar and known. This weekly letting go, as difficult as it is as a mother, has become a little break with the understanding that they will be back under my roof soon. With...
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Merrill Is a mother of 5 who has found her calling in sharing her experiences from life with others. She can help you break out of your routine to live life to its fullest potential.