Vote for LOV

Thank you for all of you faithfuls who are voting for me on the Circle of Moms site!  I almost have 100 votes which is amazing to me!  Remember you can vote once a DAY until June 8th.  If you go to the site you have to scroll w----a------y    down to find me!

I have really enjoyed visiting new-to-me blog sites from there. 

The site contest is for Mom bloggers of any faith....to all of you kindred sisters I would like to say-

"(I) give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

praying always for you,

Since we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus,

and of the love which you have for all o the saints..."

-Colossians 1:3-4 KJV

 LOV, nicol

Journal Thoughts

I am kind of in a dark funk right now...I HAD wanted to begin a series about "Ladies Of Virtue".  What is a Lady?  Who are (we)?  What is virtue and how does it effect our lives?  How do we become virtuous?

All of these scrumptious nuggets waiting to be rolled into one delectable pastry that would last weeks.

However- LIFE happens.

"The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." -Proverbs 16:9

I had recently said that I am taking a writing hiatus.  I still am of sorts.  I presently am not writing where I really need to study scripture to deliver to you an inspiring article of Truth.  Just now though, I had to look up "steps" in the concordance....It means "pace"- which unequivocally, exactly fits what I am trying to say!  I have so many ideas to share with you, subjects to study.  The "LOV Journal" was meant to inspire women to LOVE being women, being godly women, and to see the Beauty that surrounds us.  That is my gift of exhortation in a nut shell.  Look for the pretty, look or the positive, look for the silver lining in the cloud.  Those phrases are what I diligently communicate to myself and try to share with others.  I do not like ugly things; I do not like to share ugly thoughts, feelings, the stuff that makes me feel more like beast than human.

But presently, the Lord has slowed my pace to almost a standstill. My strength is gone. The brightly burning embers are dim.

I understand that as I am comforted through hard times I am enabled to comfort others.  But most of the content of my HARD stuff deals with those closest to me.  Out of respect for them I cannot, do not write about the struggles we endure.  However, the other night I was writing in my journal- you remember, the old faithful friend with soft pages and ink swirls that remains faithful with your secrets?  Your BFF that is always as close as a reach-to-the-draw away?  I was writing when the thought occurred to me that I should post this particular entry.

So what you see below- is ME... raw, unedited (well, with name removals and se- adjustments for privacy)- written by the woman who yearns to be a Lady of Virtue.

"writing- feel compelled to- _ just blew up at me.  Hard to believe that it took h-- this long; I was waiting for it.  -e's all upset- how can -e go to work away to make a living when I am falling apart?  Really, __ is half of it.  I would have screamed at __ right now and shut the door. __e is crying because I am making __ sleep in __ own room.  If I do not, I think that I will go clinically nuts.  Such is the state my __ can get me in.  Still I can hear __ annoying, pitiful attempts of whining/crying to get my attention.  It is annoying me because __ is trying to sleep on the other side of the wall.  I'm putting ear plugs in soon.  Why do I let my ____ stress me out this much?  I haven't even mentioned  what happened with ______.  My heart feels like it exploded and all that is left are shards of glass lying on the floor.

I feel that if I let myself I could
a) scream and scream loudly till my throat is hoarse

b) physically b--- one specific ____

c)get in a car and drive to (who cares?) and not even look back

All but for God's grace.

....but I feel that it (His grace) is a tiny trickle, one small drop to quench the thirsty parched throat of one who has just traversed the Sahara.  Or I feel like I am hanging over a precipice with only a thread to hold on to. -not a sailor's well-trained knot of thick cord- just one thin thread- the kind that you would darn a hankie with.

Why does it feel like that when His grace is sufficient?"

enough.

abundant.

Perhaps tomorrow I will post some more.

The Sky is Bright and my Heart is dark Blue

I just  wrote a few days ago that I was taking a break from writing as I am taking a much needed R&R.  But I read this post today and it completely spoke to my heart and wanted to share it with you.

Especially this, "There will be people who disappoint you so badly that all you’re left with are the shattered pieces of your heart. There will be pain, there will be loss, and there will be tears. But God in His wisdom is good."

I hope that you, too, are blessed.

How to Be Happy on the Bluest of Days

Are there days when things get under your skin and you say, “Why me?” Does it seem like the minute everything is going great, it all comes apart?"

Maybe it’s difficulty with your family or friends, perhaps it’s your husband’s attitude, or maybe it’s something as small as a traffic jam. Irritations whether big or small have a way of spoiling an otherwise beautiful day. Don’t they?

So how do we fix it? How can we make our world a better place so that we’ll be happy within it?

The answer is--we can’t and we shouldn't expect to.

There will be days where you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and wish you could crawl back in. There will be people who disappoint you so badly that all you’re left with are the shattered pieces of your heart. There will be pain, there will be loss, and there will be tears. But God in His wisdom is good.

Have you ever wondered why God cursed Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter three?

I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception… cursed is the ground for thy sake;

in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.

Thorns also and thistles shall it bringforth to thee; and thou shalt eat theherb of the field.

~ Genesis 3:16-19 (paraphrased)

We know that the curse is the result of man's sin. And why then are we, who are forgiven of sin, still living the curse?

Because the curse is a constant reminder that we are in desperate need of salvation. It was designed with a purpose--put there for our good—so that we might understand our need for a saviour.

We can’t change the world around us completely, but we can change the way we relate to it so that while we’re riding the waves, we keep an even keel.

All too often we have that reversed. We spend all of our energy focussed on changing our surroundings so that we’ll feel better, happier, content, and relaxed--when the reality is that this peace comes from within. No one can take that away, unless you give them that power. We develop that sense of inner peace when we trust in our saviour, the same way that the disciples learned to trust Him in the storm.

And there arose a great storm of wind,

and the waves beat into the ship,

so that it was now full. And he was

in the hinder part of the ship, asleep

on a pillow: and they awake him, and

say unto him, Master, carest thou not

that we perish? And he arose, and

rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,

Peace, be still. And the wind ceased,

and there was a great calm.

~ Mark 4:37-39

You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene

Time-warp-wife.blogspot.com

Thank you Darlene for being His vessel and reminding me of this.

Circle of Moms

I saw the badge for "Circle Of Moms" first on "Time-Warp-Wife"...I did not even know what the site was (Circle of Moms that is).  But Darlene was asking for votes so I was anxious to give her my support.

The site is great for connecting Moms and great blogs!!!  I decided to sign up for what I was thinking to be represented on the site's web links.  Well, in order to complete that process I had to post the voting badge for the Top 25 Mom  blogs-  so if you would be so sweet (as I would love to meet more of you readers and writers) would you consider voting for me?

And yes, Darlene you still get my vote! (;

~Nicol

Please be so kind as to vote or me- HERE- Thank you!

R&R

I will not be in cyber space for a little while. I am taking some much needed rest and relaxation to restore and rejuvenate my energy supply and creative tanks.  Come back though I will not be away for too long!

I leave you with this pondering thought-



"Serene women do not become sidetracked. Sidetracked women, who scatter their energies to the four wonds, never achieve serenity." -Sarah Ban Breathnach

For All of the Mothers

Have you ever read something and thought, "I could not have put that into words any better?"

I wanted to send you thoughts this weekend about Mother's Day.

I read those below; they are a perfect message. The post is from Teri Lynne.

I hope you enjoy-

I hope that you have a beautiful, blessed weekend.

For the Mothers … All of Them

by Teri Lynne Underwood

As Mother’s Day draws near, may I share from my heart a piece of encouragement?

For the Mothers

For those who have longed for a child of their own and will stay home from church today because it’s too hard – may your heart be cradled by the God who LOVES you.

For those who mourn the child they have lost – may your tears be captured the God who SEES you.

For those who are bleary-eyed and exhausted from late-night feedings and too-early cries – may your strength be renewed by the God who SUSTAINS you.

For those whose breakfast was made by chubby hands and brought to them in bed with crayon-drawn cards – may your joy be doubled by the God who GIVES every good and perfect gift.

For those whose children now text, drive, and date – may your fears and concerns be carried by the God who HOLDS the future.

For those who have watched their children grow up and move out – may your heart hold close the promise of the God who GIVES WISDOM (to you and to them!).

For those who are raising children without the support of husband or family – may you be given strength by the God who HELPS us all.

For those who raise children who are not their own, be it fosters or steps or grands – may your sacrifice of love and compassion be blessed by the God who GAVE His Only for each of us.

For those who will spend this day alone – may you rest in the presence of the God who DRAWS NEAR to the lonely and brokenhearted.

Mothers are not just those who give birth physically, mothers give us life in so many ways … through encouragement and support, through love and shared tears, through sacrifice and struggle … and to those who are mothers in all different forms …

Today, I pray that you know this …

You are LOVED and BLESSED!

Thank you for all you have done and continue to do!



One Small Drop in the Sea

The latest statistics report that an American woman now has the expected life span of 79.4 years.  That being the case then I am slightly OVER middle age!!!  This year of the new decade is hitting me hard.  I believe that a lot of you readers are younger than I; stick with me through this post, maybe this old lady can teach you something!

I have been meditating quite a lot lately about my life.  Deep thoughts that I would consider to be what one thinks about when having a mid-life crisis.  That description that seems closest to any familiarity of this strange phenomenon that I am experiencing.  At first glance the phrase conjures up trivial and worldly connotations. Let me see- let me google "mid-life crisis" and see what I find.

OK- here is the defintion set by wikipedia which is the most authoritative source on the subject, right?  I placed in bold that which I feel I am experiencing.

"Midlife crisis is a term coined in 1965 by Elliott Jaques and used in Western societies to describe a period of dramatic self-doubt that is felt by some individuals in the "middle years" or middle age of life, as a result of sensing the passing of their own youth and the imminence of their old age. Sometimes, a crisis can be triggered by transitions experienced in these years, such as extramarital affairs, andropause or menopause, the death of parents or other causes of grief, unemployment or underemployment, realizing that a job or career is hated but not knowing how else to earn an equivalent living, or children leaving home. The result may be a desire to make significant changes in core aspects of day-to-day life or situation, such as in career, work-life balance, marriage, romantic relationships, big-ticket expenditures, or physical appearance."

Well, maybe I am not having a mid-life crisis...I DO want to take better care of myself physically but I do not have a craving to make a big-ticket purchase like a convertible (my husband already bought one a few years ago).  I do not have self-doubt and am confident in my vocation of womanhood.  However, I DO have a very real sense of the passing of my youth and the imminence of old age.  I want my life to count.  I want to make a difference.

This scripture says it well, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."   -Psalm 90:12 KJV

So maybe I am experiencing a real profound understanding of this scripture through the Holy Spirit.  Because my life right now (my life on this earth) seems really short!

Last Wednesday I mentioned about the desire for self preservation.  There is no such thing for the redeemed Christian.  And yet, that is the paradox.

I-am.  I am here sitting in this chair.  And you are there reading these letters.  You are.

Yet I only will remain I-am eternally when I die (today) and find my life hidden in Christ.  There is that theme again. -my life hidden in Christ.

He proclaims Himself to Moses and His people, "I AM."

Jesus poignantly responds, "I AM".

 I, Nicol, am not.  Yet my humanness wants to remain I am.

The Great and only True I AM created me separate yet to be connected with something greater than my self. Think of a grain of sand.  Think of the entire sea shore of the beach.

One drop of water.  The mighty waves of water of the ocean.

Think about one molecule- consider ALL of the innumerable molecules that make up the universe.

The grain of sand has no meaning without the context of the beach.

The drop of water quenches not without the other drops with it.

The molecule forms not with out the bonding of other molecules.

I am.  I am small.  I was made to be grafted into His vine, a part of His body, a building block of His Kingdom that will not end.  To be I am is to be hidden in His things greater than myself.

So those thoughts are mine today...I of myself am nothing.  But with Him- He has made me be a part of all His things.

I am thinking some other deep- or you may be thinking weird thoughts- I will share those next Wednesday as we walk with Him.

 

For today my thoughts cause me to give thanks from my inner most soul that His grace would allow me to be a part of His expanse.  His beauty. 

Yes, I may only have a blick of an eye left of this world but He has made His legacy to resound in me.  Thank you.