Roll Up and Stow

Recently our family returned from a trip visiting family several states away. One of our favorite activities while we are driving during this 12 hour car trip is to listen to stories on CDs. I had recently purchased the "Your Story Hour" Great Stories Volume 9, and saved it specifically for this trip. One of the feature stories in this volume is about Sir Ernest Shackleton.

If you remember your history, you will connect the name Ernest Shackleton with the south pole. In 1908, he led a British expedition trying to reach the south geographic pole, but had to turn back when they were within 97 nautical miles of their goal. The year 1914 finally brought him a second chance to again try and reach the south pole.

But his second attempt at reaching his dream was not to happen. Their ship--The Endurance--was caught fast in the ice and finally crushed. For a while the group camped together on the ice flow where they were stranded, hoping to somehow be rescued, but finally the changes in the weather were causing the flow to melt too much to be safe. Shackleton realized they had no choice but to try and reach land on their own, using the tiny life boats they had been able to rescue from The Endurance.

So off they set--Shackleton ever the optimist, always working on keeping the other men's spirits lifted as he knew full well that if they gave in to discouragement they would be doomed. Through God's miraculous watch care, all three of the life boats made it safely to land on Elephant Island--land at last! They were safe on land, but not rescued yet as Elephant Island was an island with no humans living on it. Unfortunately, it was also far away from any shipping lanes where a passing ship may see them.

With food supplies running low in spite of rationing, Shackleton knew he had to do something. Not all of the men were physically able to continue in another attempt to reach safety, so Shackleton chose four men to accompany him, and they took one of the life boats and a little bit of the food and set off across open water in an attempt to reach South Georgia Island where there was a whaling station. Through a miracle, they made it! But had only been able to land on the desserted side of the island. Inbetween them and the whaling station were glacier-covered mountains that had never been crossed before.

But Shackleton knew that without his getting help, over twenty men that had been left behind on Elephant Island would perish. He knew that they did not have enough food to last them much longer. Though they had to backtrack and start over MANY times looking for a passage through the mountains, Shackleton and his companions finally made it to the whaling station. A rescue boat attempted to go out the next day, but bad weather and ice conditions forced it to turn back. Over the next several months, Shackleton continued to obtain ships and attempt to rescue his men, but each time being forced to turn back.

Meanwhile, back on Elephant Island, Shackleton had left a man by the name of Frankie Wild in charge. Each and every morning that dawned, Frankie told the men "Roll up and stow, boys, for the boss may come today!" For the first month that passed, the men's hopes were high. They would often scan the horizon trying to catch a glimpse of a ship coming to rescue them--but always there was nothing. Month after month began to pass, and hopes began to fade, yet still Frankie would greet each morning telling them "Roll up and stow, boys, for the boss may come today!" Finally one of the men asked Frankie how he could have so much confidence in Shackleton--why he still thought that a rescue would come, as by now it had been four months since Shackleton and the other four men set off in the life boat. Frankie told the rest of the men a story, of how he had been with Shackleton on his first attempt to reach the south pole. He told them of how when supplies were running out, and very little food was left, Shackleton had given him his own portion of food. He told the men that the reason Shackleton had turned back in that first trip was because he knew that not all of the men with him would be able to make it home alive if he continued on, so being unwilling to lose a human life in order to reach his goal, he turned back just 97 miles short of his dream. Frankie said that this was why he knew Shackleton would come back for them--that if he was at all alive, he would come.

Finally, after four months, they DID see a ship on the horizon! It was Shackleton--who had never given up and had continued to try to get through to his men he had left behind. Every single man who went on that trip with Shackleton came back alive! It had been a year and a half since they started out on their ill-fated trip, and every person came back alive. A true miracle indeed.

While listening to this story, I was struck by the confidence that Frankie Wild had in Shackleton. He had faith in him. He never doubted for a minute that Shackleton wanted to rescue them, had NOT forgotten them, and would not rest until he had managed to come back for them. Frankie was correct--his faith was not misplaced.

We, too, are waiting for rescue. Only for us it is not from an island, but rather a world of sin. Jesus--our leader--has promised to come back for us. He has already given His life to save us, but is now alive and will not rest until we are home safe with Him. The battle is already won, and the rescue is not too difficult for Him. "Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear." Is. 59:1 He will never forget about us. "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." Is. 49:15,16 Have faith in Jesus--your faith will not be misplaced!

P.S.--For those who may be wondering, no, the picture of the ship with this post is not a picture or replica of Shackleton's ship. It is just a free clip art picture I found that I thought looked the most like what the real ship would have been.

Rest Awhile

Tea cups. They conjur up images of fine ladies in long sweeping gowns, hats on heads, and lace gloves on hands. No one thinks of a tea party as a rushed affair--quite the opposite. Tea parties are unhurried and tranquil. They are times for rest and relaxing, laughter and bonding with friends.

I had never experienced a tea party before I moved to Texas. My dear friend JoAnn invited me to a tea party she was coordinating for the ladies in her quilt guild. I had a wonderful time, and began to glimpse that tea parties ment more than tea.

Later more invitations followed for more tea parties--a Christmas tea, a Women's Ministry tea, and even a Birthday tea held in my honor. I learned that a tea party isn't really about tea at all--or lemonaide, or juice, or whatever you drink in your tea cup. No, tea parties are about time. They are a way to show someone how much they mean to you. That you care enough about them that you desire their company, and would like to spend your afternoon with them.

I have never felt that I have the gift of being a gracious hostess--but I was certainally blessed to be able to spend time around JoAnn and to watch how she attended to every tiny little detail at the tea parties she hosted. She even agreed to help me host a tea party for my sister's birthday--and then let me talk her into holding the party at her house!

After attending one of JoAnn's tea parties, you knew you were special to her. A place was prepared for each guest. Your name card was placed carefully. A small gift--perhaps a book mark--was left for you at your place so you would have something to remember the occasion by.

Jesus is planning a tea party, and you and I are both invited. The invitation has already been given. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20 This will not be a hurried event, with either the host or the guests having to rush off for the next engagement. It will be long and relaxing, and by attending we will find ourselves restored. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul." Psalm 23:2,3

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28,29

I know I do not want to miss the party Jesus has invited me to. He wants to spend time with me. In fact, his plan is for the tea party to never truely end. The time we spend with Jesus will be able to go on and on, because he wants to live with us forever. "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'" Revelation 21:2-4

We mean that much to God. He wants to spend forever with us.

Fruit Candy

Here is a picture of my latest brainstorm for healthy eating--my "fruit candy" tray! I absolutely LOVE this tray, and it has really helped both me and my kids to eat healthier. I mentioned earlier how I was going to be participating in this research project for high fiber diets. Well, in thinking about it and trying to gear up for it by having healthy foods in my house, I realized that one question my daughter ALWAYS asks me after meals is "what can I have for dessert?" You would think by her question that she always GETS dessert after a meal, but this is just not true. We do not eat sugary desserts more than once a week. But she definately has a sweet tooth, and I have to admit that she inherits that from ME!

Anyway, so I have been mulling over in my mind how I can eat healthier, and how I can make something "healthy" seem more attractive to my daughter. First, I had the idea of dried fruit. We have a good health food type store nearby, so I went there and bought every dried fruit they had that was dried without sugar added. I came home with dates, apples, mangos, and papaya. I already had raisins and apricots at home, so then I had this pile of little containers on my kitchen counter. But how could I keep them out and available, but at the same time not have them get in my way when I'm using the counter for food prep? So I went shopping at Walmart--I didn't even know what it was I was going to buy. I just knew I was looking for SOMETHING that would hold lots of separate "somethings". I wandered the store isles, and when I saw it, I knew it was IT!

This tray was originally designed for holding probably carrot sticks, celery sticks, etc. at a picnic. There is a nice round spot in the middle for a bowl of dip. But I thought it would be perfect for holding our dried fruit, which I immediately renamed "Fruit Candy" to my children! Not only does this tray hold a good variety, but what I like best about it is that it is just one item for me to move if I need to clear the counter for making bread, etc.

The lid has a nice handle, so it is easy to just pick it up and move it when needed. I keep a pair of tongers inside the container, so kids aren't touching everything with their hands when they are serving themselves. The tongers, by the way, have been part of the fun for my five year old. She LOVES serving herself from this tray! I know fresh fruit is still healthier, so I have told my kids that this "Fruit Candy" is dessert, not something to fill up entirely on. They must eat their regular meal first, and then they can help themselves to "Fruit Candy" for dessert if they wish. And I have to admit, it has really helped ME as well, to have something readily available for a little something sweet. In the photos we currently have it stocked with dried apple, dates, dried plums (sounds MUCH nicer than "prunes"!), papaya, and apricots. One of these days I'm going to go and buy a second tray just like this one, and actually use it for what it was intended for--I can put carrot and celery sticks, and whatever else I dream up and keep it in the fridge to help encourage my kids to eat more raw veggies......

Hope this has helped give people some ideas for making healthy eating easier!

Pass-Along Plants

This week I went shopping at my favorite little produce stand. It's just a hole-in-the wall, really. But the people are extremely friendly, and the produce fresh and reasonably priced as well, so it's a regular stop on my shopping trips. The owner also tries to buy his products from local farmers when possible, so I also like to support them with my shopping.

Well, this week when I walked in, I passed trays of garden plants that they are selling. I have already purchased my tomatoes from this store, but they had a new thing sitting out in front that was two boxes of these big leafy things. No sign indicating what exactly they were, and no price, but they were sitting right next to the plants that were for sale, so I assumed these were for sale as well. I went inside and picked out my apples and bananas which I had stopped specifically to get, and then saw the owner so I asked him what those leafy plants were that were out in front. He said they were some kind of flower that a gentleman had divided out of his yard nearby and had brought there and given to the owner's sister, and that his sister would know what they were. At that moment, the sister poked her head out of the back part of the store, and told me they were some kind of a lily, and that if I wanted one or two of them I could just help myself! Free flowers! Those are ALWAYS the right price for me!!! I was thrilled, of course. I really hadn't been trying to take her flowers from her, but from where they were sitting I honestly thought they were for sale with the other plants. I guess the gentleman who brought them in and gave them to the lady just set them down with the other plants. Anyway, I thought it was very kind of her to be willing to share some of them with me, and it really made my day.

So I know they are a type of lily, and the lady told me they would grow big mounds of white flowers, but I cannot find out exactly what type of lily they are. Does anyone know???? If you can help me identify these flowers, I would greatly appreciate it!

This started me thinking about pass-along plants. Every house we have owned, I have planted fruit trees and blackberries--then often ended up moving before the trees grew old enough to produce fruit! I hope the next owners enjoyed the fruit that I planted. I have also always planted roses in my yards--I hope the people who live in my former houses now are blessed each summer when the roses bloom.

I admit that the following is one of my favorite Bible verses:

"They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. No longer will they build houses and other live in them, or plant and others eat. For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands." Isaiah 65:21,22

But even though I love to claim this verse when we are moving and I am leaving yet another garden for someone else to enjoy, at the same time I do like to think that maybe I am leaving behind a blessing, because I was there. When we walk out of a room filled with people, are others glad we left, or are we missed? When we talk to a friend, are we encouraging and building them up, or tearing them down? Will the world be a better place because we were here?

Over two thousand years ago a poor peasant was born to non-descript parents, with no wealth or special education or anything to set the family apart from any other poor family. There is no lovely house that He built, or garden left that He planted for us to look at. Yet because He was here, we have everything instead of nothing. We have hope, and a future. What a sweet scent of love there is in this world, because Jesus was here. May we each reflect His love, and leave a sweet scent behind us as we travel through life.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!--especially to my own mother, but also to all mothers and those who stand in for a mother figure and nurture others. I read one time that the defination of a mother was having your heart removed from your body, and forever walking around separate from you. I have often thought that this is the most accurate defination of a mother I have ever heard. It does not matter how old your child may be, or where life may take them--they will always be your child, and you as a mother will always love and pray for them. It does not matter if the trouble they are in is their own fault, or you told them not to do something a million times. They are your child, and that is enough of a reason for you to love them.

I don't think becoming a mother is ever easy. I know it wasn't for me. My first child was born premature, and we wondered if he would even live to make it out of the hospital. At one point, a nurse from the NICU called us and told us to come to the hospital as soon as we could, because she doubted our son would survive the day. Later, after three weeks in intensive care, he finally did come home--on a heart monitor, because his heart would stop beating. By the time he was eight months old, we were past the hospital stay but he wasn't meeting milestones. An MRI was ordered, and showed that he had experienced a stroke in utero, and therefore had cerebral palsy. His childhood consisted of appointments with doctors, and therapy appointments for P.T., O.T., and Speech. Was he worth it? Absolutely!

Mothering is both the best thing in your life, and the hardest thing in your life--all at the same time. It is not always made up of the things the pretty Mother's Day cards describe. Do you ever see a card that says "Thank you, Mom, for cleaning up after me when I was throwing up in the middle of the night."?

Jesus knows. He knows when you are too worried about your child to sleep. He knows when you are caring for them in the middle of the night, when you yourself are so tired you aren't sure you even remember your own name anymore. Let Him support you in this, the most important job in the world.


"Jesus knows the burden of every mother's heart. He who had a mother that struggled with poverty and privation sympathizes with every mother in her labors. He who made a long journey in order to relive the anxious heart of a Canaanite woman will do as much for the mothers of today. He who gave back to the widow of Nain her only son, and who in His agony upon the cross remembered His own mother, is touched today by the mother's sorrow. In every grief and every need He will give comfort and help." Desire of Ages p. 512

Good Gifts

I have been thinking a lot about gifts lately. My daughter was invited to her first birthday party, and we shopped together looking for a good gift that the birthday child would enjoy.

I have a climbing rose in my yard that is just covered with beautiful, delicate pink flowers at this time of year.


This was a gift from my mother-in-law. We dug up a start from her own rosebush the last time we drove to her house in California. Soon after we arrived back at our home in Texas, I learned we would be moving to another state. So I kept the little rose start in its pot, and moved it with us to our new home.

It likes its new location and is growing by leaps and bounds. Everytime I see it in my yard, I think of my sweet mother-in-law.

My sister was just here from overseas, and the morning she left she gave me some money and told me to get something for myself for my birthday. I went shopping that very day, and picked out a cross stitch kit that has pictures of butterflies on it.

As I spend time making the pictures come alive with the colored threads, I will think of my sister.

The hoop that my cross stitch is being held with is another gift. I had seen these types of hoops at my quilt store in Texas, and had really wanted one, but a look at the expensive price tag told me this was one item that I just did not have the money for. I told no one that I wanted this kind of hoop-----

but a year or two later, when I had moved to Tennessee, I walked into a thrift store and saw one immediately. My heart raced as I picked it up to look at the price--only $1.00! I knew Jesus had placed that hoop there just for me, and was smiling at my joy and surprise. He who knows our thoughts even cares about silly things like quilting hoops!

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! " Matthew 7:11

I have another gift, one that is the very best gift of all. It is a gift so valuable that a price tag cannot be made. The richest man on earth cannot buy it, but it is within reach of the most poor. It is something so wonderful that my mind cannot even understand how I came to posess this gift. It is the gift of a Savior--who saves ME from my sin. It does not matter where I go, or what I do. He is there. Waiting for me. Calling to me. The very best and most perfect gift of all. Jesus.

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands." Isaiah 49:15,16

Spiritual Vitamins

I have been working on a simple Bible Memory program for a couple of weeks now--ever since I posted about my sister being here, and the women's devotional book we found when shopping. I already posted the memory helps that were mentioned in the book, but I thought I would share a picture of what my scripture cards are looking like at this point.

The devotional book itself had these neat cards already printed on cardstock, that I could pull out of the back of the book. I decided the only way I was going to be able to keep track of them would be to put them on a metal ring. Then I decided I really needed some "Memory Partners" to help me keep on track with DOING it, so my husband volunteered and I decided to also make it a part of my daughter's homeschool. So we made up a set of memory cards for each of them--hense I decided I needed to put a cover on each set, so if we saw them laying around the house we would know who's set of memory cards they were! I pulled out my stickers for my daughter to decorate her cover, and decided that moms need stickers too. So I have my "happy" stickers on the front--because memorizing scripture will make me "happy", and inside I put some other stickers I found in my stash that I really liked--one says "What matters to YOU matters to GOD"--that one is a quote from Max Lucado. Then my other two stickers read "I love Jesus" and "Jesus loves me". They may seem kind of trite--phrases that we say all the time--but that does not make them any less true.

I like the size of these cards--I put a pencil next to them to help give an idea of the small size. I would say they are around the size of a 3 x 5 card cut in half vertically. We have made all of our sets on cardstock, and the size fits perfect in your pocket or purse to take with you.

As busy as my days are, the only consistant time I have found that I can study these verses is in the morning when my hubby and I walk together. We will each take our cards, and spend some time just walking and reading them over. Then we will repeat them to each other out loud. My husband is better at it than I am--he has the whole list of them memorized so far, and spits them out verse as well as text in one whole list without any prompting from me. I need to have the text given to me, and then I can repeat the verse--occasionally blanking out and asking for the first word of the verse. We have been adding two new verses each week, and I honestly do not always feel like I'm ready to add more, as I do not feel like I have the previous two learned very well. But we have chosen to add two new cards anyway, telling ourselves that we can always stay at that point for an extra week or two if we need to, but by the end of that week I usually have ended up learning the verses so we go ahead and put on two more! We are up to eight verses so far. It may not be very many, but the author of my devotional book refers to each verse as a "Spiritual Vitamin", and that even just ONE can be very powerful. I like that term--Spiritual Vitamins. And just like we need to eat food every day to stay healthy, we also need God's Spiritual Vitamins each day to stay healthy and connected with Him.

Are you getting YOUR vitamins each day? If not, I would encourage you to make up some on small cards, and try taking them with you during the day. I know God blesses us when we are trying to learn His Word to us. If you are interested, these are the verses I have on my ring so far:

1) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

2) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

3) Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

4) Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Ephesians 5:8-10

5) Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the (woman) who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

6) The LORD will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11

7) Then Jesus said...."do not worry about your life...Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dessed like one of these." Luke 12:22,27

8) Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Happy Vitamin taking!