An Unexpected Journey

  The day before.   Today is October 7th.   The day before.   Eleven years ago it was the day before my life would be flipped on it’s head.   But I didn’t know it.   It felt like any other day to me.   I didn’t know it was a day to cling to.   To hold onto every word and cherish every moment.   This morning when I dusted off my computer and opened the app where I was working on putting my blogs into a book several months ago, the screen opened to chapter three and  this blog excerpt was looking me in the face.  I didn’t notice the date until I read to the end.  October 7th. I woke up asking the Lord what to blog about.  I have been struggling to write after I finished my surgery leave last spring and regular life kicked back into high gear.  But God is faithful.  He always speaks to us out of His Word.  He is always waiting for us.  Even when we have been busy, He has not.  He is calling our hearts and whispering for us to come close.  To lay down the urgent and sit in His presence

“Mom, does God change?”   “Nope, the Bible says He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He does not change.” “Oh, ok.  I saw that somewhere, and I wondered if it was true.” They still ask me what is true.  The weight and the joy of that sit on me heavy.  They read it but did not believe.  Until the words came from my lips.  The confirmation of what is true.   Little hearts looking to mine to decipher truth.  Truth.  Their searching gaze and seeking minds are tethered to mine.   My heart.  Often bent towards the wrong things.  At times wishy washy and out of focus.  My heart that has been broken and remade- that should know the power of God as much as anyone.  But still I forget.  The daily grind leaving a film of dust that blocks my view.   But the tethering.  The tying of my heart to Jesus.  The invisible line that connects my very soul to the Word of God- the Truth. I turn it over in my thoughts all week- this word.  Tether.  To connect someone with a line as for safety says M

“ Mommy, something is missing.” The words she utters as I am trying to slide out the bedroom door. “What’s missing, baby?”  I say, slightly annoyed at the delay in my escape. “Is it a stuffed animal or you need another kiss?” “I don’t know.  I just feel like something is missing.” It’s dark outside, and I am ready to move past bedtime… but the words are unusual.  She is only 6.  Several nights in a week or two we repeat this scenario.  I finally think to tell her, maybe her heart wants God’s presence.  I pray with her and tell her to talk to Him when I leave- to tell Jesus she loves Him and ask Him to fill up what’s missing. Another week or two goes by, and I forget.  It’s so easy in the midst of the busy and the “urgent” to forget the significant.  Sometimes we barely even notice it.  Social media calls and the tv blares, and often the real is overlooked.  Buried up under all that soul noise. Or blanketed by the to do list. “Mommy, something is missing.” Those words agai