A Mother’s Heart is Always on Shift

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Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 36:5-7

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A Mother’s Heart is Always on Shift

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She relieves weary limbs

that have carried them both

Resting

Awaiting the arrival of her new gift

She keeps a watchful eye

A mother’s heart is always on shift

Soon untried limbs emerge

Wobbly

But carrying their own weight

Yet the burden of care does not lift

from her life

A mother’s heart is always on shift

Grown into a yearling and shooed away

Naturally

The cycle of life continues

The doe’s belly swollen enough to split

She raises two – this time

A mother’s heart is always on shift

I wonder if she remembers

offspring

each speckled fawn now grown

raising a family of their own – adrift?

Does she carry them in her thoughts?

A mother’s heart is always on shift.

Wendy/2013

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I’ve watched several doe and their fawns during the years we lived in the woods. Special moments like a newborn barely able to stand and almost tumbling as mother cleaned the signs of birth from its fur are etched in my mind. My toddler son and I watched this special event from our old front porch.

Animals have been given instincts that often surpass those of some human parents; however, I don’t believe deer carry their offspring in their hearts for life – like we do. I suspect that only those made in the image of God have that capacity.

A parent’s heart is never off shift! I know that my Heavenly Father never sleeps.

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Thank you, Father, that you do not forsake me. Help me to have forgiveness and compassion upon those who did abandon me either physically or emotionally. You are all that I have ever needed. You are more than enough… xo

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Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.

Psalm 27:10

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Flickering Candles

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Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live… That they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of  God. 

Titus 2:3-5 

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Flickering Candles

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Mother – I am frightened

as the candles on my cake

steadily increase in number

with each one that you bake

Each flame flickers brightly

illuminating the finish line

waving me past childhood

as womanhood draws nigh

I sense the ushering in

and feel like Peter Pan

wanting to flee growing up

and dwell in Neverland

Where cakes are but treats

and candles simply lights

not milestones of aging years

that fill my heart with fright

Yet, Mother, I look at you

and see that you’ve made peace

graciously with aging life

in the way that you speak

Candlelight reflects prettily

on your silver strands of hair

midst youthful lingering browns

brought by gifts and earthly cares

The shadows in your wrinkles

can’t hide the love lines on your face

nor the joys ahead unspeakable

in my own coming of age.

Wendy/2013

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Many things have changed in our culture even from when I was just coming of age. Unlike Neverland, our children will grow older along with us.  They will reach adulthood and become our friends and not just our children.

However, some things remain constant.  God never changes.  He desires mothers to instruct their daughters to live godly lives.  Fathers tend to teach more through example to both sons and daughters.

Remembering that children learn more from what we do than from what we say is a sobering reminder of the awesome privilege and responsibility we have as parents.  But if we are loving God with all of our heart, soul,  strength, and mind – we will be leading them aright!

PS – I wrote this the morning after our daughter’s recent birthday. She had come upstairs the night before to express concern about getting closer to adulthood. We both comforted and reassured her that it was a good thing to be growing up. She is honored that I wrote a poem about her. We are honored to be her parents.

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Dear Unchanging One,

Help us in this ever-changing world to keep our focus on You.  May our children yield to and trust in You also.

Putting my hope in Christ,

an aging parent

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Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Titus 2: 6-8

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Ageless Blessings ~ Wendy

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The Sting

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My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

James 1:19-20

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The Sting

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Oh, the sting of it!

Do remind me

to turn the other cheek

while crimson

rushes to my temples

that I’d be slow to speak

Slow down this hurried heart

that pounds war drums

urging me into battle

against another one

May I feel the slap

as a pinch

to remind me I’m alive

and that I need to react

with gentleness and respect

and love within my eyes

How often have I been

in need of such grace?

And so –

remind me that soon

the tables may turn

and put me

in their place.

Wendy/2013

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Several weeks ago I wrote this after having had my feelings hurt by the words of another.  It calmed me down and joy returned. Then I went on to write one of my best romantic poems: The Charmed Garden.

When I was face to face with my dear one again, I was greeted immediately with an apology and a kind smile.  Thanks to my submission to James 1:19-20…  I was ready to smile back.

Our home is laced with hormones these days.  Three teens and a mama (about to enter the change) reside here; however, so does the Holy Spirit!

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Dear Father,

I love how You transform me and help me through all the stages of life. You have blessed me abundantly. You are so good!

Love your daughter

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Righteous Life Blessings ~ Wendy

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A Fool’s Folly

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

  “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’

“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ‘

Luke 12:15-19

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A Fool’s Folly

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Life is agreeable

he mused to himself

I’ll build colossal coffers

in which to store my wealth

And once they are built

I’ll enjoy secure repose

as my stash remains safe

and its value grows and grows

A bankrupt vagabond – his plans

he soon shall see

for his treasures are but trinkets

compared to what they ought to be

His death came soon and sudden

just as his stockpile was concealed

And he stood before the Judge

with his empty heart revealed!

Wendy/2013

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It is tempting, for those of us who do not think we are wealthy, to any degree, to dismiss this parable as having any pertinence to our lives; after all, we don’t have the luxury of taking it easy and being merry for long stretches of time.

But wait a minute – are we really as poor as we think we are?  I guess if we don’t compare our income and lifestyle to much of the rest of the planet, we might have an excuse to dismiss this text.

But I dare say that our generosity can be displayed through other means besides just monetary… time comes to mind.  Is my time his or do I hoard it for my closet full of hobbies?

I don’t need to earn my way to heaven; however, if I really believe I’m heading there, am I living like I believe it?

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“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12: 20-21

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Dear Lord,

You know about my heart and my income.  All that I have and am is an open book that I ask, humbly, for You to edit according to your will. May my treasures be in heaven and may I learn more and more to be generous towards You. For your generosity poured over me can never be out given.  Amen.

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Heavenly Blessings ~ Wendy

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