Stretch and Bend!

Conflicts are inevitable in this life, especially between mothers and daughters.
Here's an exercise to follow when someone hurts your feelings!  Ready?

Quickly, before you get entrenched in a 'tude, imagine your heart - and then visualize it bending as you think to yourself: "I forgive you."

That's one way to repel thoughts of anger and unforgiveness.
It may sound simple, but in the heat of the moment, this takes intentional focus!

Stretch your will, by choosing to forgive.
At first it might be a struggle.  You know, our humanity is pretty self-centered...
but Jesus can help you.  He modeled true forgiveness for us and His Spirit helps us do the same.
By thinking to yourself, "I forgive you," you are freeing your heart from the pain of unforgiveness.
Yeah!  Keep your heart open and free.

So stretch towards love and bend your heart, do this as many times as needed each day!

((HUGS!))

Calling All Daughters!

Have you ever struggled in your relationship with your Mom?

Is it too easy to take her "suggestions" as criticisms, and too hard to forgive her for having "loving" opinions?

If so, I need you to spread the word about this blog!

My heart is to encourage daughters to have better relationships with their mothers.  I yearn for mothers and daughters to love each other, and stop comparing each other to an impossible standard. Amen?

Actually, my desire is to share how forgiveness and unconditional love, set me free to love my mother despite all the pain between us.  It's a heart-warming story about how a Great God, enabled me to love and serve my Mom the last four years of her life.

Here's where you come in...
I'm just about finished with my book, and I need a platform (you know, that buzz word that means "people's attention") in order to catch the eye of a publisher. 

So, I will get busy writing on this blog if you will get busy inviting gals to check it out and follow!  Deal?

See you here tomorrow, and thanks from the bottom of my HEART!  Really!!!

Blessings~
Jess

Writing and Reading

It's been over seven months since I posted on this blog.  Life has been full and busy.  Beginning at the end of March, my main goal was to recover from major surgery.  With God's healing touch and physical therapy, I'm back to functioning and writing.

My "down" time afforded much opportunity to read.  I highly recommend the five book series by Lynn Austin: Gods & Kings.  These Biblical fiction tales deal with three of the kings of Judah: King Ahaz, King Hezekiah and King Manassah.  Intriguing and well worth your time!

I also just finished a memoir by an author who contributes to the New York Times.  "Mother Daughter Me" is a powerful story about loss and forgiveness.  Author Katie Hafner shares about her relationships with her mother and her daughter with transparent grace.  When divorce, alcoholism and abandonment impact a family, no one escapes unscathed.  And yet, when hearts seek to understand and extend love, the impossible is possible.

Well, I've reached the half way mark on my memoir.  It is a far more difficult task than I ever imagined!
Hopefully, by year's end, I'll be able to release it.

Wishing a very Happy Summer to you all!  

This Is THE Year!

Have you ever procrastinated so long before getting to a task, that it was far easier to forget about it entirely than even beginning?
I mean... other than wall papering the guest room or re-painting the bathroom, or cleaning out the garage!

Well, I hate to confess that my desire to write a book about my relationship with my mother has been pushed aside, covered over and buried by busyness for nearly THREE years!

I've run out of excuses, and with a looming surgery, out of avenues of distraction. 

No more stalling, no more deflecting...this is THE year to write IT!

Please pray for me.

An Heirloom Corsage

Answering my call on the Friday before Mother's Day, the florist informed me that they had no "product" in the store to make a corsage with.  Oh, the joys of living in a small coastal town!
Apparently, after all the orders for the high school prom the previous weekend, she had not ordered enough flowers to make even one more simple wrist corsage.

But my disappointment soon turned delight when I remembered I had saved the wrist band of my mother's last corsage!  Taking a rose bud from the bargain bouquet that my husband gave me, and using double stick tape, I fashioned a one-day corsage that had more meaning than anything we could have purchased!

Just nine weeks before Mom stepped out of her earth suit and into Heaven, I had hosted her 75th Birthday Gala.  She wore this wrist corsage"bracelet" with joy.  Now I have a new tradition...wearing her wrist corsage on a day that honors mothers.  A precious way to bring her memory into sharper focus!  What a blessing!

Essential!

Mothering is essential!
If we don't get it from our biological mother, we certainly need is from someone else.
Who mothered you?

                                                                       (circa 1986)

Today I'm...
Celebrating all those precious people who took care of our physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
Feeling the loss of my own mother and in tune with others whose moms have passed on.
Missing my kids and trying to down play their geographical distance.
Grateful to my husband for always esteeming my efforts at mothering.
Praising GOD for His goodness in my life!

(from a book of Haiku poetry I wrote back then)

~ HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ~

Maternal Instincts

Don't you just want to scoop up this little chick?
Don't you want to make sure he has adequate food and water?
Don't you want to cuddle him?

I DO!

In full disclosure, I've raised several pairs of ducklings with the help of my kids.
My daughter was especially "maternal" with them, and we so enjoyed watching them grow.
Everyone needs a mother I think.
It seems to be the way GOD designed us.
We are created for nurture.
We receive it and extend it.
Motherhood is such a precious GIFT.

Blessings to you and yours this spring...((HUGS))