THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS: REMEMBERING AND ENCOURAGING

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

This bottle reminds me alot of Steve and me,

two very different individuals who almost 35 years ago

made a committment to live as one.

We still remain very different

but those who know us know -

"you can't have one without the other!"
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KETCHUP - (Catch Up)

1. As I wrote the above, I began to laugh...not exactly because of what I wrote, but because I've been trying to think of a song all week that I heard my Mom sing when I was with her a few weeks ago. When I talked to her on the phone the other day, I told her that I was trying to remember the song that she had been singing. I knew that it was probably not going to happen because of her Alzheimer's but she said, "Oh, I know..." and began to sing, "On top of Old Smokey..." That was not the song that she had sung earlier but that song did just come to me. It was, "Love and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage....you can't have one without the other..." (Isn't that what I said above about Steve and me?)

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2. This week, I have loved our theme and theme song: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS! I know many of you have emailed me, talked to me in person, or called to say that the whole idea of looking at love as a love that keeps on loving in spite of our circumstances is so helpful. I know that quite a few of you have not been on line in the last couple days, so if you haven't, I hope you can take some time to "catch up" on the posts from the last few days.

• SUNDAY: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS
  
• MONDAY: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS: Love Doesn't Leave!
  
• TUESDAY: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS: Gratitude in Spite of the Circumstances!
  
• TUESDAY - PART TWO: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS: It's a Girl!
  
• WEDNESDAY: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS: I AM!
  
• THURSDAY: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS: GOD!
  
• FRIDAY: THAT'S WHAT LOVE IS: I Don't Wanna' but I'm a Gonna!

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3. If you REMEMBER, I featured a new song almost everyday in the month of August. We talked about them and were ENCOURAGED by them in our Master Full Moms class discussions on Tuesdays. Then, from September until now, I chose to use one a week as a theme song. I plan to continue to do that over the next few months. I will also use some of those that were briefly introduced in August for weekly themes in the future. I have placed all the songs that were our theme songs from September on on the playlist except for two that I could not find. Also, on the playlist are the songs that I plan to use throughout the rest of 2008. Enjoy! You can keep all 21 songs playing non-stop as you work around the house.
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4. One of the things that I emphasized in class last Sunday morning was the importance of giving COURAGE to one another. How does one give the type of COURAGE to a friend or family member to face a new day, to keep one foot in front of the other, or to just hang on by the fingernails??????..........It's called ENCOURAGEMENT....helping to put COURAGE IN another human being. The Bible has plenty to say about it! The only way that I know to "Catch Up" on this is to talk about it more. So, for the next few weeks as we enter the Christmas season (which is a very difficult time for so many), we will keep talking about the kind of LOVE THAT GIVES COURAGE. It is a love that I am still learning! Please come back and join in!
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5. Also, in class on Sunday, I had Mary Lea hold up a quilt that my maternal grandmother and her mother-in-law (my great grandmother) made together out of their house dresses. The backing of the quilt was facing the class and we talked about what the quilt might actually look like. That our perspective was different than those looking from the other side. It reminds us that people see things from different perspectives. Also, GOD'S perspective is often much different from ours. This quilt now hangs in our dining room. Here it is hanging behind our family in our Texas living room - December of 1990.In our Sunday class, I then read the poem THE WEAVER that has encouraged me immensely over the years. I promised Andrea that I would post it here today:

THE WEAVER

My life is but a weaving

Between the LORD and me.
I cannot choose the colors

He worketh steadily.

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Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow,

And I in foolish pride,

Forget He sees the upper

And I, the underside.

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Not til the loom is silent

And the shuttles cease to fly

Shall God unroll the canvas

And explain the reason why.

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The dark threads are as needful

In the Weaver's skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned.

Author Unknown

6. Today, join me in praying for COURAGE for:

• Leann and her job situation


• Sherry and her new hands and leg


• Katherine and her continued recovery from surgery


• Carla and Sherwin with their move and his parents coming over from the Philippines


• Tanya and her multiple health challenges


• Sandy and her grief through the holidays


• Sandy, Tim, Kristi, and Danny in their new christian walk


• You who have children with special needs


• My daughter, Jessica and her chronic pain and her future


• My mom, Kathleen and her Alzheimers


• Our teenage and young adult sons and daughters for their futures


• Our many friends and relatives who are physically and/or spiritually sick and overcome with fears.


• Brenda's brothers, Brian and Brandon (Iraq/Japan) and Brenda and Matt's future


• Dave's job situation


• You who are pregnant and have new life growing within you


• Each transformed Mom who reads this for the COURAGE to come to Jesus just as we are and pour it all out at His feet...

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MUSTARD (Must Do!)

It's important to remember special days and family traditions. Today is one! Today is Steve's HALF BIRTHDAY! Yes, we celebrate half birthdays! We try to respect the wishes of the person on his/her half birthday. So, recognizing that Steve's introverted self is in the limelight alot and full of people ministry...hopefully, today will be a quiet day to help him recharge his batteries. His half birthday celebration started last night with a few of Steve's favorite things: two westerns for his reading enjoyment...one for last night and one for today...one of his favorite meals last night and another one today. And, of course, down time....quiet time...time for reflection... meditation... In the past, I've even sent him away to a cabin for the day, but there's plenty quiet right here at home with only the three of us. Oh, BTW, if you try to call him, I've turned off his cell phone! HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY, STEPHEN CHARLES!

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If you'd like to leave a comment full of words of ENCOURAGEMENT for Steve here, that would be awesome. I'll give them to him at the end of the day!

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