Quintessential Motherhood  Quintessential Motherhood

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

Throughout the week I wonder what the LORD would have me to write. In an attempt to convey a message from my heart, I have the usual distactions.  Distractions, buzzers, timers, calls, the dryer’s beep-beep-beep, the knocking at the back door… distractions.  And then I thought: distractions? No: life.  Life is what’s happening when we’re waiting and planning for something else to happen.  And then I think on this further and wonder: is this the story of my motherhood experience?  Has it all happened while I was waiting for something else to happen?  Have the days passed by while I was looking for a brighter tomorrow or a better way of doing things?  While hurry-scurrying around, gathering, sorting, washing, folding, packing… suddenly the time comes. Suddenly the time-clock runs out and this game is over or the hour comes for the leaving…  This is quintessential motherhood. Years ago, I came continue reading

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Why didn’t I do this sooner? Why didn’t I do this sooner?

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

I have in a folder a heap of “draft” blog entries — some dating back several years.  I was going to just ‘blindly’ delete the whole folder since I generally write inspired by studies, current events, or experiences for single entries, message series, or Bible studies. Today I reread the following entry, written two years ago in the midst of an activity that lasted a couple of months. What’s interesting to me is that while this happened two years ago, hindsight demonstrates it was just a precursor to what began to happen just before this new year, this 2021 year.   Written February 2019  As I go through our home in this process of eliminating clutter, I keep wondering, why didn’t I do this sooner? And, you know what? I have no good answer except that it wasn’t time yet for this overly-sentimental girl. I don’t know if I wasn’t ready continue reading

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Motherhood’s early years: Why It’s Hard Motherhood’s early years: Why It’s Hard

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

The other day I was browsing the aisles of a local thrift shop — not that I need another thing, but since many of our things are in a storage unit, on more than one occasion recently, I’ve needed to pick up an item or two.  This time, of all things, I needed a cake pan.   I didn’t find what I needed, but the trip was more than edifying. An eager, loving young boy was pointing out to his mother all the things he would like to buy for her and telling how nice they would be in her kitchen… how nice a picture would be on their wall… do you love this, mama? As he continued to find perfect treasures and had a comment or question for each, she replied appropriately to his statements or questions… she was attentively listening but occasionally reminding him they had a few continue reading

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Songs in the Night Songs in the Night

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

There is a River… The truth of this beautiful song comforted me back to sleep a few times throughout the night and into this morning. I’m evermore thankful for God’s prompting, His presence, His provision in and through music. Similar to memorized Scripture, being the only thing one can read on the ceiling in the dark, music can play in the theater of our mind and be used of God to bring comfort, clarity — calm to a stressed, anxious, worried mind. The concerns of the day were heavy on my heart last night so it seemed best to just get ready for bed, read for a little bit and turn off the light. In prayer I drifted off to sleep.  There is a river… the background music to my sleep through the night, waking long enough to mentally hear it, then sleeping once again.  A few times this occurred continue reading

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The Eternal God is thy Refuge The Eternal God is thy Refuge

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

The days seem long but the years are quickly passing. As I typed that, I recalled saying something similar in the early years of motherhood: the days are long and the weeks fly by.  I never thought about the swift passage of time in terms my own mortality but in terms of our children growing taller, learning new things—getting older. Now I think of them as young —in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s— so much life ahead while our years are swiftly slipping away. Early on, older women would tell me to enjoy the children while they’re young, it’ll go so fast; or, these are the good old days.  I remember nodding and smiling in agreement (I had no idea!).  Some fifteen or twenty years ago I began to tell weary mothers they’d one day cry for those days. I meant it then.  And I really mean it now. The years continue reading

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ReBlogging ReBlogging

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

Lots of women do this. Every day they do this. For years I wrote every day. But then a reality check came. And the reality was this: I was so consumed with doing all I was doing that I forgot/neglected what I was supposed to be doing. I think lots of early sites, early website designers/builders and then bloggers fell into this same thing: out of control distraction! I’ve had the honor and privilege of talking with some of them over the years. One such blogger, Keri Lamar, who faced a similar ‘day of reckoning, is the author of Present:  How one woman pulled the plug on distraction to connect with real life. It’s worthwhile reading (along with the Present Journal). In the 90’s, internet was new and thrilling —a time of information explosion— bulletin boards, seemingly unlimited content, email, internet chatrooms/groups/platforms were big. Really big. And SO easy! The allure was amazing, continue reading

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The Next Right Thing The Next Right Thing

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

Over the years I’ve used a phrase numerous times in all sorts of seasons, mental spaces, homemaking, motherhood, even on this blog — the phrase: do the next right thing.  This concept wasn’t learned overnight and it wasn’t learned easily.  It wasn’t something that came naturally to me — as disciplines of motherhood didn’t come naturally to me. But, from the beginning, God was working in me to will and to work for His good pleasure. –Philippians 2.13. Day by day He has been working disciplines into my life and I share these things with you that you might experience the same: God working in you for His good pleasure. Or God affirming in you what you’re already doing, learning, accomplishing for His glory. Journaling, daily chore lists, daily prayer and devotions, checklists, etc., etc., all came into practice for me after I’d been married a little while. Early on, c. 1978, continue reading

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In This Strange Season In This Strange Season

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

In this strange season I attempted to ‘rethink’ this blog, realign it, redirect it.  And, for the life of me, I haven’t been able to “get it” or come to a resolution. But, here’s my attempt… In this past year—this strange season, many changes have occurred in my life and our home. In this strange season (as in your strange season, no doubt) the changes and restrictions have forced me to think about or, rethink what I’m doing, what’s important, what’s got to change or, really, what ought to be eliminated. And it’s not just things, it’s not just eliminating clutter or getting rid of things we no longer use or need. It’s more than that. It’s coming to the strange realization that a season is passing away and a new one is dawning.  And with this new dawn, eliminating things, activities, routines, expectations and planning of events that were continue reading

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The Gathering The Gathering

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

The gathering happened and afterward I returned home again  to my warm, comfortable, familiar, safe haven.  Now, nearly two weeks later, I look back with heartfelt gratefulness.  It was such a stretch for me, but I’m so glad I met the people I did and am thankful for the messages that were shared. Over the years I’ve headed women’s ministries, Bible studies, retreats, and other church events. So I totally get the gatherings deal and the sincerest efforts to create a space where women will gather, feel the love, be ministered to, and not feel like they’re on the outside. I know the planning that goes into making each woman feel as though the evening was planned specially for her.  I’ve worked at fine tuning programs to include levity, food, chocolate, and messages that touch the heart, to stir responses and affirmations of faith, joy and hope. That gathering had continue reading

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Your Sphere of Influence Your Sphere of Influence

Author Gravatar is shown here. Clickable link to Author page. pamela ♥   Article by: pamela ♥ Authors link to author website or other works. admin

Your sphere of influence is broader than your sphere of acquaintance… have you ever stopped to think about that? Maybe you have never given much personal thought to the influence of your own life; maybe you think your mundane life, your seemingly menial work, doesn’t have much impact around you. But your daily walk, the investments you make in your home, family, prayer, work, church, etc., etc., are likely having a much greater impact than you can possibly imagine. We never know who is watching us—who will be affected by our actions—who will be influenced by our decisions, our faith, our experiences. You may think your life is insignificant by comparison to the lives and lifestyles of others you know. But, God. But God who is rich in mercy toward us sees a different view, for you do not know the depth of the impact you are making on those continue reading

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