"Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” --- Matthew 19:26
*****
My sweet friend, Tracy, lost her mother.
Days later at Facebook she shared with us her beautiful tribute and here's a portion:
Honestly, I felt like Mama was invincible. She was always so strong because she had to be. If Mama was ever afraid, she never showed it to us kids.
When my parents divorced, Mama moved us an hour away to a small Alabama town. I'm sure she had her moments of despair, but Mama had three daughters depending on her on top of caring for her mother who lived with us.
She made a way even when there didn't appear to be one.
I always think to myself, "What would Mama do in this situation?" One thing I know: she'd figure it out with grit and determination.
Wow. Such a beautiful piece and my mind kept swirling it around till landing upon this: the way I'd given up easily on hanging suet outside in honor of Neighbor Sally, just because rats raced up the crab apple tree to eat it.
For decades, discovering answers to problems would challenge me (in a good way) and like Tracy's mom, I could find answers where none appeared to be. Enjoyed it, even.
Yet these past couple years? I'd lost much of that. Instead, I'd complain, roll my eyes and think, "Great. Yet one more head-tiring, disappointing, impossible thing around here. Gah." (How many such things creep inside us unnoticed?)
So. With Tracy's mom in mind, I stepped around our yard in search of another place to hang the suet--and found one:
The top center of that trellis thing.
And so far, perfect. The birds love the suet's new place and I'm pretty certain rats can't climb that, at least, not without exhausting effort. (Besides, we've not seen rats around in months.) Perhaps squirrels can reach it, (haven't seen one yet), but Sally loved feeding the squirrels and I'm fine with that.
Whew. I felt so encouraged to find that answer and I do thank-you, Tracy, for sharing your mom and reminding me to stay open to solutions even while sinking in the center of impossibilities.
I so wish to receive creative ideas from the Holy Spirit, but that's only going to happen after I stop repeating, believing, "Now this thing, this just isn't gonna happen."
It can happen, but only if I listen to the Holy Spirit, keeping an open mind and heart to whatever He shares.
If I believe something is impossible, then for me, it most likely will be.
"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." --- Galations 6:9
******
Two Alaska Towns. One Survived. One Disappeared. (I found this fascinating.)
More grandmacore decorating (minimalists --this may damage your mental health!) シ Yet a handful of these rooms took my breath away.
******
Books I finished reading in April:
By The Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Pioneer Girl: Growing Up On the Prairis by Andrea Warren
The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Little Town on the Prairis by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Berry the Dead by Nancy McGovern
Encyclopedia Brown Keeps the Peace by Donald J. Sobol
Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Disgusting Sneakers by Donald J. Sobol
Retiring With the Dead by Nancy McGovern
Becoming Madeleine by Charlotte Jones Voiklis
******
And as I shared at Facebook:
Yes and she didn't listen in her 50's so maybe now in her 60's? 😏
--Joyce Meyer
***
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15
3 comments:
"She made a way even when there didn't appear to be one." What a statement, and what an amazing mom Tracy had. Glad to read about her with Mother's Day fast approaching. Even though my kids are grown, I pray that the Lord will enable me to the mom he created me to be.
And you had me hooked when you reminded us of the rats that climbed a tree for suet. I am so proud of you for persevering and finding a new and better location for the suet. Brilliant! We can never give up. Thank you for this powerful message!
That was an amazing tribute from Tracy about her Mom. I confess, these days I dwell more on what I can't physically do anymore, although I am trying to be better about it.
We have a group of friends from church who go bike riding once a week during the spring, summer and fall, once the snow is gone. This week, Dennis joined them for the first time. My back won't allow me to do that and neither will the heat. We've thought about an E-trike. (Electric) But they're so expensive. I do realize that sometimes we have to accept our limitations but I'm still thinking of options! :-)
Love your new place for the suet. I can just imagine all of the birds flocking there for a treat.
Blessings and love,
Betsy
Pam--yes! We really do have to adapt as we age so we can still be who God created us to be. Takes lots of imagination sometimes, tight? Glad you liked where I placed the suet!
Betsy--so true about accepting our limitations. I've had to work do that much lately and work through it in my mind. I'm glad they say where there's a will there's a way--again and again it's helped me find a version of what I still want to do. Often not the full size version, but a tinier one. heh. Hang in there!
Thanks so much, Ladies! Blessings, Debra
Post a Comment