Be Different

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It's time for another analogy.  :)  I like these. I need the reminder just as much as anyone else.

Earlier this morning - I was hanging laundry on the line, and noticed the majority of my flower bed had succumbed to some hard times.  The recent frost got to them.  But, not the snapdragons.
They're still beautiful!!  Amazingly.

I wondered about it, for a moment.  And, quickly thought...
You know? I am like this flower...SURROUNDED by the dead and dying.
Hard times have hit and devastation is everywhere... Yet, I CAN still make a difference.  I WILL continue to bloom...offering HOPE; bringing life and light, when and wherever I can.  I WILL bloom where I'm planted and continue to make a difference (of influence) with whomever I come in contact with.  Whatever my sphere of influence is.  On the job, at home, out and about...

This is my prayer.  At least.

Look at that!  All around - is "darkness" and decay.  Yet, through the dismal, and in what looks like a war-zone, are those that stand firm.  Strong.  Alive.  Radient.  Ready to keep going..

So, WHO is my greatest example of this?  Jesus.  Like the lyric of the old hymn says; When all around my soul gives way... He then, is ALL my hope and stay.

What a blessed thought.  Amen?

Makes me wonder.  Do I have what it takes to stand out and be different?  Let alone, make a difference for the cause of Christ?  I SURE hope so.

The Black Dot

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There is something to be said about grabbing the camera, early in the morning, and really taking note of the bigger picture.  I hope you enjoy the photos, as you read along today!!  I found this piece, this story, which I am sharing with you, to be rather fitting and appropriate for my heart... in the season, in which I find myself, today.  I hope it encourages you, just the same.

I read the story of a professor who entered his classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test.  They all waited nervously at their desks for the exam to begin.  The professor handed out the exams with the text facing down, as usual.  Once he handed them all out, he asked the students to turn over their papers.  To everyone's surprise, there were no questions - just a black dot in the center of the paper.

The professor, seeing the expression on everyone's faces, told them the following: "I want you to write about what you see."  The students were confused momentarily, but eventually they got started by writing a few things down.  At the end of the test, the professor took all of the exams and started reading each one of them out loud in front of the students.  All of them, without exception, defined the black dot, trying to explain its position in the center of the sheet.

After all had been read, the classroom grew silent and the professor started to explain: "I'm not going to grade you on this," he replied, "I just wanted to give you something to think about.  Nobody wrote about the white part of the paper.  Everyone focused on the black dot -- and the same thing happens in our lives...

We insist on focusing only on certain things -- the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationship with a family member, the disappointment with a friend.  The dark spots are very small when compared to everything else we have in our lives, but those few issues are the ones that permeate our lives."

That story raises the question: What are you focusing on?  Are you allowing yourself to see the whole picture, or are one or two things robbing you of peace and contentment?

The more we narrow our focus to that one thing, the bigger it becomes, crowding out the pleasant and desirable.  

When a child hurts themselves, we often try to get their focus away from the pain and onto something pleasant.  That doesn't mean the pain goes away but at least it doesn't get all of their attention.

Somehow, as adults, we forget to use this same formula we have used with our children, an instead of trying to keep the pain in the background we insist on bringing it to the forefront and sharing it with all who will listen.

You can probably repeat almost verbatim the aches and pains of the that coworker or family member who insists upon telling you how much everything hurts.  It seems they have the mindset that if they can repeat it over and over often enough it will lighten the load.  And, it should... that is what friends are for; but when you hear the same pity party enough of times it eventually becomes a black dot for even the best of listeners.

 I believe the professor saw something that we all need to grasp.  Life consists of many different experiences and circumstances.  We can't ignore the difficulties and just sweep them under the rug, but when we give them undue regard and allow them to control us, we lose some of the joy other situations could bring

Perhaps we could liken the black dot to things and the blank sheet of paper to quietness and  and stillness.  When we focus on the quiet stillness that God brings in our lives, the other things become less noticeable and lose their importance.  Allow your eyes to rest on the white space, the beauty, the joys and the blessings.

This doesn't mean that the black dots will completely disappear, but your focus and attitude about life will be greatly enhanced.  ~ M. Gingerich (the fishwrapper, October 2016)

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Life is like a camera.  Focus on what is important and you will capture it perfectly every time. ~ unknown

Celebrate

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Before another "normal" day slips by... I want to say....

We have had quite a few things to celebrate over the past several months.  Things that I've been just too busy (?) to share... and that is not my heart.  So here, we are...

Birthday's -  for all three of my kiddo's

One is now nine.  One is eight. and One turned five!!

And, then of course there is the entry to Kindergarten - for my youngest - that just makes my heart go pitter patter!!  I'm excited and yet, I can't believe it.

STOP GROWING UP! I want to say...

My husband earned his Wood Badge - with Scouts!

And, Caleb has advanced to Weblo's... we're looking forward to another great Scout Year!!

Most recently, something to celebrate is the Baptism - for both my son and my husband.

I know I'm a little like, way behind the times here - but wanted to at least get these special moments documented... so, forgive me for these being so "late in the game".  If you follow me on Facebook - you may have seen a lot of these photos, already... 

For the record!

Enjoy the photos!!

Caleb wanted to play "happy birthday" while we sang..

The eight year birthday - around here is a big deal!  There are so many photos I could share for Aubrey's birthday - as she had a special time celebrating with a sleepover, outdoor movie and lots of other fun!!  It was hard just picking only a few..

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Kindergarten has been such a blast for Jayne, this year!!
This photo was from her first day of school!

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Again, there are (I'm sure) many other moments of things I could have documented here... where I've neglected to get them up on the blog here... but, such is life.

These are blessings just the same and I don't want to forget them - just the same!!  I love my family!!  I love what each one means to me in their own unique and special way...  I love seeing the way our family is growing, changing and coming into it's own.

:: I wonder what the next few weeks and months will bring!?!?!?    God sure has been so good, to us!!

Good-bye September. Hello October!!

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I meant to do my work today ~ but a brown bird sang in the apple tree, 

And a butterfly flitted across the field,

And all the leaves were calling me,

And the wind went sighing over the land,
Tossing the grass to and fro and a rainbow held out its shining hand

So, what could I do but laugh and go. 

 ~ Richard Le Gallienne

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These photos were taken in September and here we are in October almost halfway through- my favorite month and time of year!!  I guess it's time to set down and enjoy what's left.  Right?

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How are you enjoying this season??