KEY #P6: ALLIGATOR IN MY SINK

Thank you, Father God, for the alligator in my sink!  
. . . We interrupt this blog to share some good news!  WE HAVE A CONTEST WINNER!  Congratulations go to Rose Finstrom from North Dakota for her answer of "Talks."  If you remember, the contest was to take the first letters of each title word from my "Library Stack" series and rearrange them to spell out a word that could be another word for "Prayers." After all, even though the process of praying involves many components, it is basically  simple communication with our Heavenly Father by "talking" to Him. 
So Rose will receive her free Joshua Story book, which tells the true story of the miraculous birth of my youngest son.  
Next week I'll blog about one of my children using the Easter theme, and the following Wednesday a new series will begin!  Thanks, again, for being my "blog friends!"  I hope that these blogs are a source of encouragement as we journey together in the Land of Abundant Life!


And now we return to our final story from the "Library Stacks"series:  
Thank You, Father God, for the alligator in my sink.  
I'm in the midst of re-arranging and re-organizing the week after my oldest son, K, left for college.  How I miss him!
We switched the boys' bedrooms around to give J the largest one now since he is the only child left at home.  J, my just-turned-twelve-year-old, is happy about his new bedroom, but sad to have his older brother gone.
I'm packing boxes, throwing junk that's been hoarded for years . . . usually by me.  Once I had to take the same item, a treasured memory, out of K's wastebasket three times.  Talk about frustrating! He finally got the idea so now I am the one sorting through treasures and non-treasures.  :)
As I hurried past the bathroom I caught a glimpse of something green in the sink.  Peering closer, I recognized the shape of J's "pet" alligator.  K brought it back for him a couple of years earlier as a gift from a trip to Florida.
The toy alligator "grows" if it is soaked in water.  J evidently discovered it beneath a pile of stuff in his former bedroom and decided to revive it . . to set it free.
Oh, Lord, in my sorrow over the absence of one son, you chose this way to remind me that there is still a child in the house . . . soon to be a teen-ager . . . but one who still relies on his mom.
Like the alligator grows as he absorbs the water, immerse J in the water of life so he will grow in wisdom and compassion as he shoots upward in stature.
Help me be the kind of mother J needs.  Show me how to provide an environment of spiritual growth for him . . . the kind of stretching, yet secure, surroundings that he needs.



Thank You, Father, for once again showing me the work You have planned for me to accomplish during my time on this earth.  Focus me on the job yet to be accomplished!

KEY: #P2 THE TRAVELING TEDDY BEAR

Here we are again at the library,  putting together the puzzle pieces of life.  Thanks for joining me . . . I need your help!
Just a reminder that since I have a very busy schedule this spring, we'll spend some time gathering a few previously written stories about my children, towards completion of the huge picture of the Prayer Puzzle.  Of course, I don't ever expect to actually finish it, but each piece we put together will be helpful since we expect to spend Eternity communicating with our heavenly Father.  So let's get started!
Oh, one more thing . . . A new contest begins today!  This one will be shorter but more challenging.  The prize will be the booklet ("hard copy," not an ebook) of "Joshua's Story."  This true life tale of God's miraculous intervention in the life of my youngest son's birth is a great gift book if you have already read the story.  We have plans to replace the FREE gift of "Joshua's Story" as an ebook for those who sign up to receive my blogs in their email box with "The First Ten Keys to the Abundant Life." So now is the time to sign up for that if you wish.


So here goes . . . "The Traveling Teddy Bear"
I was taken aback by my three-year-old daughter's question as I tucked her into bed one night.  We had just finished reading a brief devotional about Jesus' second coming.
"Will Jesus come to take us to Heaven tomorrow, Mommy?" E inquired.  Her long, silky blond hair spread over the pillow like a golden scarf and she curled on her side clutching her treasured friend, Teddy Bear, close to her heart.  Clear blue eyes flooded with anticipation as they fixed their gaze on mine.  The thought occurred to me that even Teddy seemed to have an unusually exited look about him tonight.
"Dear Jesus," I silently prayed.  "I'm glad Heaven is a reality to her, but she talks like she expects You to meet us at a bus stop.  Help me to handle this the right way."
Cautiously, I explained to E that we won't know ahead of time when Jesus will return.  But that He will meet us in the air and then take us up to be with Him forever.
Somewhat disappointed, she rolled over on her back and turned her eyes heavenward.  Then her face lit up.  "When I go to Heaven, I'm going to take my teddy bear up with me."
A slight pause, then a concerned look captured her expression as she added.  "If I don't drop him!"
The picture flashed through my mind of poor Teddy with tears in his eyes falling all the way back down to earth and I struggled to contain my smile as I reassured her with the promise that God has lots of special surprises in store for her.


How like the desires of my own heart!
I cling to my family and possessions as though by doing so, I could "add on" to Heaven's glory.
Father, please forgive me.  May my only longing throughout eternity be to see my Savior face to face and wrap myself in His loving arms.
And also, Father God, please make Your truth so real to me that my prayers are filled with the same expectant attitude of anticipation as expressed by my precious daughter.  


Back to the contest:  The titles of each letter when put together with the rest of the letters will spell another word for "Prayers."  But this time they will not be in order!  So you will have to gather them . . . as you would puzzle pieces . . . and place the letters in the proper order upon completion of this series, or maybe a bit sooner if you are sure of yourself.  In other words, the letter "T" is not necessarily the first letter of the correct word.  So just "hang onto it" until you receive more letters. . .
How many letters, you may ask?  I'll let you know later.  :)

Have a wonderful week walking and talking with our Savior!

KEY: #P1 PUZZLE PIECES

"Lord, help me get it all together while I can still use it!" is my heartfelt cry today as I begin the process of putting an assortment of puzzle pieces together to assemble a "life pattern."
Please join me!  We can help each other!
This spring will be a very busy time for me, so I've decided to park my little, personally designed lavender vehicle in the parking lot of the Living Library in the Land of Abundant Living. My intention was to request from the helpful librarian writings that I had started years ago, when my children were young, to use for my next blogs.  As I headed for the stacks to pick up the requested materials, I happened upon a large oak table with a bunch of puzzles pieces scattered all over it.  Intrigued, I turned the cover of the puzzle box over to see the picture of the resulting scene. To my surprise, I found that it was blank!  Inside the cover were these instructions:  "A collection of pieces uniquely designed for your personal life pattern.  Join them together to discover wisdom that will enhance the rest of your journey in the Abundant Land."
Well, I admit I got sidetracked; so here I sit, attempting to fit the various pieces together, with no success.  However, the librarian, who evidently noticed that I failed to show up at the stacks, just brought my original writings of long ago to me at the table.
"These may be of some assistance in completing your puzzle," she suggested and then left me alone to work.   Now I am even more excited as I open the folders and inspect my previous writings.   Yes, the first ones are clues to the puzzle which is beginning to fall neatly into place!
Hmmm, let's read the first writing . . .
When I was a little girl, I thought that Wisdom was a state you arrived at.  When a woman turned the magic age of, say 23 or 24, all of a sudden she would be wise.
Now that I am past 60, I know better!  I have discovered Wisdom is not a state of being, but a process.
God has provided me with little chunks of Wisdom here and there, sort of like bits and pieces of a puzzle I need to fit together to get the whole picture.
My 85-year-old grandmother, Nonnie, whom I regarded as very wise, used to say, "You learn something new every day."  She went home to her Savior still in a state of learning.
The Bible tells us to seek Wisdom:  "Acquire wisdom!  Acquire understanding!  do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth."  Proverbs 4:5 
If I spend my whole life gathering bits and pieces of Wisdom, yet never quite seeing the whole picture, it will still be my greatest achievement.
Here in the Abundant Land, it is my pleasure to share some of the puzzle pieces God has placed into my hands, pieces gleaned from the fields of my own experience.
Your life pattern is different from mine.  My prayer is that you can add my puzzle pieces to the unique collection that God is giving you to put your puzzle together a little faster.
Then, as God directs, we can use the expanding picture to inspire and encourage others.
Someday, those of us who belong to Jesus will be permitted to view the whole picture.
When I arrive at Heaven's gate, God will unfold His final masterpiece, where He links the lives of all His children to form His perfect eternal plan.  My personal viewing will reveal the complete and final explanation in vivid detail of all I have experienced in His testing ground on earth.
All the whys will be answered . . .
     All the tears will be justified . . .
          All the hurts will be erased.
"Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face."  1 Corinthians 13:12
Next Wednesday I'll begin to share puzzle pieces on the subject of Prayer that I've gathered from observing my own children.  I'll also offer a New Contest!  Please join me on our next exciting journey in the Land of Abundant Living!

KEY #A17: ULTIMATE RELATIONSHIP

The Ultimate Relationship . . . between an individual and God.  Last week we talked about Relating in Relationships.  This week we are focusing on the Ultimate Relationship, between God and me . . . or God and you . . . expressed primarily through God's completed Word, the Bible, on His part and through prayer on our part.
Since prayer is so crucial in developing this relationship, how do we go about doing it?  Again, this is a huge topic and unsure of how to even make a dent in the topical surface (especially since I am no expert and fall far short of my desires to excel in this area!), I am going to visit the Ultimate Relationship Room for thoughts to consider and to pass on to you.  The door is nothing fancy . . . obviously not intended to intimidate . . . God wants all of His children to approach Him on a continual basis.  He tells  those of us who have accepted Jesus' sacrificial death and ressurrection in our behalf to "pray without ceasing." We read in Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need."
Once inside the door, I find myself surrounded by the most glorious stained glass windows.  Overhead, I catch just the glimpse of the four enormous legs protruding from underneath a mass of heavy clouds.  Somehow, I know in my spirit that they are the foundation of a Great Throne.   Splendid wisps of fabulous colors wave and dance around the legs, constantly moving, leaving hazy trails that last for seconds, then disappear and are immediately replaced by more tremulous, glowing forms.
Turning my attention to the beautiful stained glass work,  I ponder their significance, and am immediately confronted with the similarities to those windows and to the concept of prayer.  Prayer is composed of words . . . my heart, mind and soul pouring out fears and feelings and gratitude to my heavenly Father.  But prayer is so much more than words.  I visualize prayers as a stained glass window . . . each separate piece a work of art in itself, yet connected to make up the whole image.
Images . . . that's it!
Here are some images I have experienced in my life, expressing what it means to pray:
Every evening, especially in winter when the darkness arrives early, I have a ritual of going to different rooms in my house, drawing the drapes in the living room (unless my husband beats me to it!), and pulling down the shades in all the bedrooms, closing the blinds in our bathroom.  Having practiced this ritual for many years, to me it symbolizes the closing out of the world's business and influence on the life of my family, as we wind down our day, settling in, enjoying the security of just being a family together . . . or these days of the empty nest, just a couple.  That is how I want to come to prayer, closing out all other influences . . . just resting alone with God, relishing the security of His presence.
Of course, at other times, I pray "on the run," as I do my housework and errands.  So many practical prayers through the years: "God, please don't let K throw up when he gives his first speech today in school."  "Put the kids to bed earlier than usual tonight at the slumber party since J needs his rest."   "Please make this dessert turn out good, because I don't have the time and energy to make another one."  In all our daily problems, God hears and cares and answers.
In the face of hardship and suffering . . . kneeling down at the bedside with my husband, holding hands while he leads us in prayer for a loved one, or direction we desperately need.
Saying the same words over and over to God for 25 years before I even see the beginning of an  answer.
Lying in my bed, too sick to think clearly, closing my hand and imagining that Jesus is sitting by my bedside and clutching my weak hand in His strong one.
Forming portraits in my mind of specific people I want to lift up in prayer when I am too weak to form words.
Inadequately groping to form the right words for my request and then remembering the the Holy Spirit prays for me with "groanings too deep for words. . ."  Romans 8:26
Trusting God when I can not only not see the end of the tunnel, but not even its entrance!
Letting the dust settle and the dishes wait until I have spent time with my Lord.
Shedding tears of confession when once again I have failed God or taken it upon myself to worry . . . again.


From God's point of view . . . sometimes when I am worshipping God with others who love Him, I wonder if maybe when God looks down on this world He created . . . now overcast with sin . . .  maybe He sees our prayers and praises rise up as tiny lights penetrating the dark shroud that envelopes our world . . . to give Him joy in return for all that He has given us.
Even little children can appreciate prayer, long before they understand what it is all about.  I was playing piano and singing with little c (my youngest grandson) one day last week, and in between every "Jesus song," he wanted to stop and pray.  He closed his eyes, bowed his little head and folded his hands until I finished saying a short prayer.  Many times, he wanted more than one prayer before we could resume singing!  Yes, there is much about prayer he doesn't understand, but he realizes how special it is . . . thanks to the way his mommy and daddy are raising him!
Have you ever considered that when you are praying for another person and if that person is praying for you at exactly the same time, it is as if your spirits are joined "in hand" around the throne of God?  What an awesome thought! Will you join me at God's throne soon?  I need your prayers and ask God to help me be faithful to pray for you!
As we close today, I'm sure you can recall many images of your own stained glass prayer window to add to my list.  We are told in Rev. 8:3-4 of "the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.  And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand."  Our prayers are continually rising before God's throne.  He values our prayers that much!  How much do I value the invitation He extends for me to pray?