God Couldn't Have Painted It Prettier

Within the realms of what we call earth lies some of the most breathtaking sights known to man.
A friend emailed this picture and I couldn't help but share it. Just look at the awesome watercolor God has painted.
Stare at the picture and let your imagination start to fly. Imagine walking through the pass at the foot of the mountains, lifting your eyes and following the emmense slant of the hills. The colors pop out, filling your senses with more than your mind can absorb.
You take in a deep breath, filling your lungs with a freshness found only in the hands of the creator. The scents from the flowers surround you with such an aroma that your mouth waters. And the sky -- the blue is crystal clear. Not a cloud in the sky. You drop to your knees then fall backwards into multicolored quilt which has been spread before you. Now, breathe out. The tension of the day fades into the clearness of the sky you are staring into. This is what it's all about.
You can loose yourself in this picture. It's truly a blessing to observe. (To whom ever shot this photo - congratulations and thank you for sharing it with everyone else.)
It's easy to loose ourselves in the creations God has whipped up. I am always amazed at His vastness, His continual abilties to re-create spring after spring, after spring. What a joyful renewal. It's wonderful to see the examples He sets in front us - simple to Him, complex to us. Still the meaning is the same. Within the arms of such a God, there must be peace and restfulness. Climb in!

Kids are Always Kids

I've come to the conclusion that regardless of their age...kids are always kids. Even as adults they're still kids. Of course, my own mother probably says that of me, but we all know "that's different."
My own children are all grown and still, through my eyes, I see the tiny tots they
once were. It didn't bother me to hit the middle aged 40's-- why it didn't even bother me when the kids graduated high school. What bothered me was the day my youngest, the baby, the least one, stood next to me and put his elbow on the top of my head. At 6'6 1/2, he now towers over me like a giant.
Still the inate desire to protect them is embedded deep within us. Regardless of their ages. I still can't bear the thoughts of one of the boys making a mistake similar to one I'd made as a youth. Especially knowing how it ended for me. So, I find myself trying to stay a step ahead. I pray for wisdom and open mindedness, but somehow I still mess up.
It's never an intentional thing -- messing up, that is. I have the best of intentions...but it's hard to let your adult children step into something you know holds nothing but heartache. When my first marriage ended I sat on the steps of a porch in Illinois. It was May and the snow was still up to my hips. I huddled with my 3 and 4 year old boys. Right there on the steps, I came face to face with the reality that it would be "me and the boys" from here on out. I can remember promising them I would never turn my back on them, that I'd always be there for them and I would never let them down. I trusted God would pull us through and He has. Still, over the years, I've goofed up.
I'm really not sure there is any rest in becoming a parent. We know there's not when they're babies. They're up every 3 hours, screaming for food and pooping. The they hit elementary school and you still don't rest. Primarily because they choose to share YOUR bed in the middle of the night and they can never lay still or straight in the bed. The good Lord knows I've suffered my share of bloody noses or lips where they manage to kick me in the fact as they flip yanny-wampling in the bed. They get to high school and there's really no rest. Thank goodness my boys were active in school activities that kept them safe and busy (i.e. the BAND). But there was the constant worry of would the obey us, would they come home when we told them to....would they drive safely. And of course....there's not a bit of rest in that.
College hits and if they've never been rebellious, suddenly they become late bloomers in that department. They search to define themselves, see with immature adult eyes (which is sometimes worse than the elementary school knock-outs). They start to make personal decisions and they begin to truly pay the consequence of whatever they choose to do. This is worse than the infant years. They still eat every 3 hours and they certainly never sleep.
The thing is...they're still my boys and I love them with all my heart. There in lies the problem. My heart gets smashed alot. Partically because they're boys, young adults...(sorry guys of the world...but clueless men when it comes to the sensitativty of females and their emotions. And oh....I still make mistakes.
It seems I make one after the other - -but they're out of love. You see, to my parents, I'm still a child that causes them a lack of sleep, just as my adult children do the same. The only thing is...they don't get it yet. They'll probably be in their 40's before it sinks in. Then they'll lean back in their chair and rub their forehead. The words, "Ohhhhh, now I see" will slip from their lips and maybe -- Just maybe at this point in their lives, I can get a little rest.
I'm blessed with wonderful children. And like any parent, I don't always agree with their decisions but they are adults. So, I pray...fervently, daily, relentlessly for them. My intentions are only meant to be good.
We sort of give up the rest privlege when we have babies. Was it worth it? Of course it is. So, tonight...I lay down knowing that I've raised them to the best of my ability, that I love them deeply and I really do trust them. I may sleep -- but I never really rest.

SURGERY!!!

This Blogger has been temporarily out of commission for the past few weeks. Yes - It was the dreaded surgery. (sigh) Though it was totally unexpected
it did throw me for a loop. (or loopy - which
ever you deem the fittest.
Since this blogsite is meant to edify and help you find rest, I'd like to share the good and bad things about surgery. So kick back and relax. I think you may find this interesting.
First off, THIS IS NOT THE GORY DETAILS OF SURGERY (get real - even I don't want to know what REALLY was done.) However, I do want to show you the rest I found within the surgery suite.
I was a bit nervous until the anesthesiologist brought the wonder injection into the room. After thatI was history. So, the best part of surgery was waking up three days later feeling completely rested. Ahhhhh! Silly as it seems, I needed the rest. Between the worry of the surgery, the ever possibililty of surgical mishap (ie death), working my job up until the day of surgery, making sure all the "t's" were crossed and the i's dotted...I was tired.
Anesthesia knocks me for a loop anyway, so I suppose from the moment the medication hit my blood stream I went to la-la land, not to revisit the real world for a couple of days. Oh, I roused and got up, moved about some after surgery, HOWEVER, I really don't remember it. So, for three days, I rested completely.
It's amazing how stressed we get in the day to day activities of our lives. We forget what it's like to lean back and kick our feet up. You know, put your arms behind your head and take in a nice long deep breath -- exhale slowly...let your body fall limp. It's really sad that we don't take the time we used to take. Time enough to take in the laughter of our children, a good cup of chocolate ice cream, or to smell the freshness of a misty spring morning. We miss so much these days.
Surgery, I suppose, was a breeze. The healing is never as quick as we'd like but again, it's the rest our body requires to speed things along. That ought to tell us something...don't you think?
Yeah for the antheshia!! I got three good days of rest. BOOO for the post op pain. (there always has to be a price to pay....shucks)
One way or the other the real meaning of this entry is to encourage you TOOOOO rest before you have to resort to surgery and the wonders of modern chemical aids. Rest my friends. It's good for you.