The Blesser

Conner Dallas has a special gift in his heart. He is a "Blesser". For some reason this little guy just seems to know when to "can the swear words" and behaviors. He knows exactly who needs a smile and a touch. As he has gotten a little older it is not as easy for him to sit still long enough to give out the love that each person needs. The amazing thing is...
he does it anyway.
He very easily gets control of the situation, looks around and sees where he is needed. He will sit right down on that persons lap, look in their eyes, and give them the love that is needed.
When I watch him in these displays of love, I know that it is a gift he has been given from Jesus Christ. I can feel the colors of the rainbow as they splash over the moment and trickle down through hearts, healing the broken spots with love.

BREAKFAST & SWEAR WORDS

Many times through our grandchildren's lives - I have talked to their parents about "behaviors". I prefer they don't use the words naughty, shut-up, sassy, brat, acting up etc... I strongly believe in my heart if you tell a child he is "naughty", somewhere in his heart he will start to think that is what he is.
Or, if you tell a child she is a"brat" - somewhere it sinks into her heart and she believes that she is indeed a brat.
I believe that my kids have learned that this is the way I think. You should not speak bad words over your kids. We do understand that yes, there is often a need for discipline, especially in those young years where they are exploring, finding out just what they can get by with and what they can't. The most important thing is that they know that they are "good", but the behavior they are showing is not what you expect from them.
...for my point I will talk about Conner D. here for a little while.
We have gotten to see the little guy quite a bit this summer. One fine day when he was looking through the cupboards, (thinking he needed to have a Reese's peanut butter cup at 8:00 in the morning), I gently informed him that he would be having a good breakfast to start his day. YES, as you can imagine, he didn't agree with me. It became a little "power match" with Conner D informing me...
"JACIANNA SAID A SWEAR WORD LIKE ONLY THE PARENTS CAN DO."
I looked at Conner trying to figure out where he was coming from - but, I dropped it figuring he was just trying to tattle on his sister. I went on getting his eggs and toast ready for that wonderful breakfast that he was going to like so much!
"I WANT A REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP"
..."Well, little guy, your not having one. I am making you some eggs and toast and that is what you will be eating."
"DO YOU WANT ME TO SWEAR?" he says with this very angry look on his face...
"DO YOU WANT ME TO SWEAR LIKE ONLY THE PARENTS CAN?"
...well, I am quite proud of myself here - I continue to make the breakfast and I don't start laughing. I take the Reese's peanut butter cup and tell him if he doesn't quit I will count to three and throw it into the garbage can with all the other swear words I have heard in my life!
He goes to his chair at the kitchen table, sits down and eats his eggs and toast and asked me...
"SO, ARE ANY OF MY PARENTS SWEAR WORDS IN THE GARBAGE?"

The Parade

Today she is trying to talk on the telephone. Sometimes when you are a busy mom you just don't get to talk much and you get lonesome for some adult conversation. "Hello, how are you, I have so much to tell you"

All of a sudden you can hear many children in the back ground - they need immediate attention as if an emergency has just taken place and the only paramedic in a 50 mile radius is "MOM!!!!!"
"just a minuet she says to the phone"

"Okay, I love the recorder music, however, that can only be played outside. A recorder is not an inside instrument. It is meant to be used in a parade.
Listen up my friends, this is going to be fun!
JaciAnna you will play the recorder,
Conner, here is a coffee can and a spoon, you will play the drums.
I need the rest of the kids to line up behind them, put your hands together, clap and sing. Here is a pail for each of you, fill them up with grass. You can throw it to all those people here on the side of the driveway, they are here to watch your parade.
One on the firetruck, one on the Dora bike, get out some play clothes...
yes,
there we go - you got it!!!
Have fun every one!"

"Okay, hello, I'm back, did you want to come over and watch a parade?"

BROCCOLI

He has seen many women today already, asking if they were Dr.'s or nurses, each woman has told him that they were a nurse. Then finally after some waiting, and a whole lot of nurses, in walks the Dr. and he is a man. You can tell by his face that he is thinking. How does this place work anyway? All these women, taking my blood pressure, listening to my heart, asking if I need shots... he can't hold his voice any longer... he must talk...
"Are you the Dr. in this place?"
"Why yes, I am the Dr."
"Well, can I ask your opinion on something?"
"You most certainly can"
"Well, do you think that women should be Dr.'s?"
The Dr.laughs to himself, "yes, my opinion is that women make very good Dr.'s"
With the little guys mind spinning now he really needs to know...
"My poop is really hard... in your opinion, if I were an alligator would my poop be softer"
The Dr. answers "no, alligators are not known to have soft poop either. The best thing to do is drink lots of water, and eat a lot of fruit and vegetables... like carrots and broccoli."

Well that must be exactly what Conner needed to hear. He turns to his mother and very matter a factually states...

"MOM, WE WILL NEED TO GET SOME BROCCOLI".

RIVER OF LIFE

As she walks him down the halls of the apartment building, I can't help but feel how much love there is between them. He holds her hand, somehow in his mind she is familiar. As his brain cells get hardened by time, there isn't a lot that can be done. He holds her hand and when she needs to go "out" she gets someone to stay with him.
I watch this for a couple of years, talking to them each time I see them. "How's the weather, did you have a good day, how is your family, man it is cold out there, don't go out today - it is just to warm". As the seasons pass us by one day I am able to really see her, really see him. I take this moment to tell her "you take such wonderful care of your husband" she smiles, "well, he took such wonderful care of me for so many years, and he is not problem, he is such a good man"
he smiles... he really has no idea what she just said but he knows from her voice that she is kind and that she loves him. She has loved him through many miles, many turns and probably even a few mountains! He knows he is safe, he has come full circle with his wife of 50 some years.
The diagnosis comes and she has cancer, actually, they have never seen anything like it and can't believe that she has no pain. She is not afraid. The love of her life is happy somewhere else now... finding comfort in the caregivers that they now pay to take care of him. And the greatest love of her life has her future planned for her... He has gone ahead and prepared a place for her, a place with many rooms and streets of gold.
She settles in to her new home also, him down the hall from her. She is weak and can not talk, he walks to her room and peaks in... you see, he can't talk either. And there is no need for words as their eyes show the fluid color of blue, connecting the rivers of time. She takes his hand and holds it in hers... she tells him she loves him without saying a word - he embraces her with his arms never moving. To see a more beautiful display of love her on earth...
I don't think I ever will.
The Lord Blessed me to know this couple. I have learned a new unconditional love, I have seen a deep faith, and a river of life is flowing as she begins her walk on the streets of gold.

55 alive

As I am driving down the road going 55 miles per hour, I am being eatin' alive.
I am being passed by every vehicle in site.
So, I speed up to 60.
They continue to eat me alive, passing on hills, swerving in front of me to miss the car that will soon meet them head on. I slow down so they can pull safely in front of me.
And I wonder as I wander...
Why is the speed limit 55 miles per hour?
No one drives that, the cops won't even pick you up until 62 miles per hour.
So again I ask...
Why is the speed limit 55 miles per hour?
My vote is slow these people down!
You have much better control of your car at 35 miles per hour. The bumps in the road don't seem as bad, you are safer...
and as he speeds past me going at least 70,
swerves in front of me to miss the on coming car,
there he sits one inch in front of me at the stop sign??

First steps

Tonight I watch her, smiling at me, pretending to be shy at first. Then she does it - she takes a step, and then two, and then
to the floor
She will try again in a little while...
to take some more steps and then
to the floor.
And my memory goes back to so many years ago - seeing those first steps, realizing that they are growing and learning so much in those first years. Now it seems those first years have turned into their own first years. They watch as their babies take their steps... I watch with the same amazement I did then. Wondering to myself how this can be? How can this little life have been entrusted to us down here on earth? This precious little soul, so innocent, so uninhibited by the world. Jesus will guide the steps of those who ask...
Lord,
I pray that you will guide the steps of my grandchildren. That you will lead them along the path of righteousness, teach them Your ways, and that they will be safe in this world with Your love. Be with their parents as they learn what their purpose in life is. As they learn to follow your steps...
I ask that you would leave big prints so they can not miss where they are headed!
Thank-you
Amen!