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Monthly Archives: September 2013

Motherhood Is A Gift

30 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in #sagewisdom, family, Inspiration, Proclaim Christ

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Children, Christian, faith, Family, Goals, Marriage, Parenting, Personal Growth, Prayer, Purpose, Trusting God, Women

One day I came across Lisa-Jo Baker’s blog and I’ve been following ever since. I even link up with a community of bloggers who write from a word prompt she randomly chooses in what she calls Five Minute Friday. I love her writing. She does it so fluently with inspiration and sheer God-giftedness.

“I think you’re braver than you think.
And that motherhood should come with a superhero cape.
I blog about it over at http://www.lisajobaker.com”

Lisa-Jo, in her blogs, celebrates and encourages Mothers[hood] dubbing them “Super Heroes”. Her young children are adorable and the photos she posts of them tell stories that need no words, that is what I know to be ‘good photojournalism’. I read as Lisa-Jo writes about the joys and challenges of mothering and molding the lives of her young gifts, having a career, being a wife, and managing life in general. Her plate is full and spilling off the edges a lot of days.

Being a mother of three adult children and now a grandmother of two granddaughters (bka LoveJoys), I read the Gypsy Momma’s writings and I reflect. When I read her blog this morning, http://lisajobaker.com/2013/09/the-one-where-im-a-working-mom, I was inspired to write my own reflection.

“Children are the anchors that hold a Mother to life.” ~ Sophocles

So rewind over thirty years. It is not that easy any more to recapture all those moments. Thank God for photos that etch memories in our minds and hearts. My oldest son will be 34 in a couple weeks, my second son is 31, and my baby girl is 29.

“Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward.”
~ Psalm 127:3

I love how Lisa-Jo says, “Each family has to find its own way through …” That is so true, marriage and parenting is unique to the family that God designs. So many elements play into each journey. As what I believe to be most significant to everything we do and experience in life, Christ, at the center is the defining factor. Christ as the nucleus of a family guides each individual and the collective along the adventure of parenting.

What I remember to be critical to my experience as a young mother was my faith-grounded marriage and my husband who was and continues to be a superb father. (He had the best example in his own father and Godly mentors.) Also, a support system of family, both naturally and spiritually. I too worked outside the home since my oldest son was a year old and aside from the time granted for maternity leave, I have always worked at a job where I still work. In retrospect, it was God Who enabled me to have a blessed (not perfect) marriage, raise my children, maintain my home, work, and serve in my church.

Motherhood is really a beautiful gift from God.
It is not easy, but it is so rewarding.
Even through the challenges and hard lessons, the midnights and nightmares, the right decisions and the not-so-right decisions. Through every phase, the “Am I doing it right” of infancy, terrible twos, discovery schooling years, moodiness of adolescence, and the right-of-passage of young adulthood, somehow you keep gaining and winning, but never quite finishing because parenting and motherhood never ends. It just evolves.

To young mothers, I encourage you and celebrate you. I’m cheering you on because you can do it. Put your Super Hero cape on each day, PRAY and TRUST GOD to give you the wisdom, strength, direction, resources, and support you need to be the best Mother you can be.
He will do it.

“Her children arise up, and call her blessed; …” ~ Proverbs 31:28

Whatsoever Things Are TRUE

27 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in #sagewisdom, Five Minute Friday, Inspiration, Proclaim Christ

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Christian, Self-Expression, Social Media, Trusting God, Truth, Women

Five Minute Friday: TRUE
Linking to http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

Whatsoever Things Are TRUE

Authentic.
Transparent.
True.
We live in a time of disconnected relationships, false pretense, distance, guardedness and so much opposite of True.
That is the truth.
I know it because I feel it. I live it.
I’m willing to share only so much on the social platforms and megaphones of worldwide-ness. Even in my blogging, I endeavor to express my thoughts in a way that share my heart without bleeding my life to the world. It isn’t safe.
Privacy, security, they’re all blown to the wind, nothing is sacred. Judgments are made, misguidance is staged, integrity is questioned, mean verbiage is pitched … all through the grey areas of tweets, posts, social media lurkers and stalkers. The irresponsibility of it all has distorted the view of True.
It’s too bad, but True.
True … I’m not perfect, no one is … Only Jesus.
True … I need Him more than life itself.
True … Nothing else really matters.

Philippians 4
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Five Minute Friday: She

21 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in family, Five Minute Friday

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Daughters, Family, love

She
… makes my pride overflow into roaring waves and fills my heart with Joy.
She filled a longing in my life when God gave her to me and ever since she has been a cherished treasure.

When she was just three (1987) I wrote this little poem about her …

Little Night Wonderer
Camie Joy, you’re so funny
When night falls and
Bedtime rolls around
You resound, “I can’t sleep”
Never settling yourself to the idea of bedtime
You wonder from room to room
Playing with your LEGO blocks or puzzle cards
Just waiting for your Daddy to come in
Then with the turn of his key in the door
Your little feet thump the floor
A second resound, “Daddy, I can’t sleep”
‘Til you’re tucked in bed
Comforted by your Daddy being near
Finally you give in to sleep
Good night, my little wonderer,
I love you!

It’s interesting that one of her favorite quotes is …
“… not all those who wander are lost …” by J.R.R. Tolkien

Camie, your life has taken you across several paths to becoming who you are today.
A woman of intellect, strength and courage. An accomplished educator, administrator and mentor.
A beautiful wife, mother, aunt, cousin, sister and friend.
I’ve always admired your loyalty as a friend to your dearest friends.
You’re my friend too, one I can trust with my heart.
You’re my champion too.
Best of all though, you’re my daughter … my Joy!
I love you!

Five Minute Friday: She
Linking up with http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

Jesus Still Is The Answer

19 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Inspiration, Motivation, Proclaim Christ

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Christian, faith, inner strength, Jesus Christ, Trusting God, Women

” … Sir, we would see Jesus.” ~ John 21:12

Pondering …

I still believe in my heart and with every fiber of conviction in my being that Jesus unequivocally is the answer for everything we face in this earthly life.
For every screaming siren, blazing crisis, devastating trauma, hopelessness and despair … Christ is our hope. When our tears become our meat and our questions are met with deafening silence, Christ is our hope.
Whatever we give to the world, we must give them the hope that is in Christ. We must never take Him out of the equation. He is our infinity. Without Him, there is no way of coping with the devices and attacks of satan or the social ills that plague our human existence.
I still believe in my heart, an exalted Christ, the Christos of God, the Anointed One, the Savior, Jesus our God is the hope of Glory, the hope of the world, the hope of my life and yours.
I proclaim Christ to the world. New birth in Him, a right relationship with Him, void of rhetoric and vain philosophy, rebellion and self-will, just genuine, trusting, confident child-like faith in Him, His Word and His Truth. In such an abiding relationship we are set on the right course for victorious living, with overcoming power and conquering faith that strengthens our stamina to withstand the winds that assail our lives . Even when our aspirations, dreams, and expectations are dashed to the ground and shattered into a trillion granulated crystals, Jesus still is the answer.
So listen … Don’t cast away your confidence, don’t be dismayed, don’t surrender, don’t give up. Hold fast to God (Lord, to whom shall we go?), He is our hope. Proclaim Him and give Him to the world that they too may find this everlasting hope … I declare Jesus still is and forever will be the answer.

I know you’ve got mountains,
That you think you cannot climb,
I know your skies are dark,
You think the sun won’t shine,
But in case you don’t know,
That the word of God is true,
Everything He’s promised,
He will do it for you.
“Jesus Is The Answer” ~ Andre Crouch

Mercy

15 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by Phyllis Lipford in Five Minute Friday, Inspiration, Proclaim Christ

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

faith, Jesus Christ, love, Mercy, Redemption, worship

I’ve learned there is no need to reframe something unless you can do it better than an original source.

Five Minute Friday: MERCY
Linking to http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/

The prompt for this week’s Five Minute Friday is MERCY. I immediately thought of this beautiful song by my most favorite Gospel singer, not just because of her voice, but because of her spirit and consistent Godly representation of Christ. She wears the ornament of holiness like a well-tailored garment. I love CeCe Winans, one of a short list of stellar ladies I would love to meet and talk to about her faith and love for God.

The song is, ‘Mercy Said No’ … I pray it ministers to you and you realize or are reminded of the unrelenting fortitude of God’s MERCY in your life.

Mercy said no
I’m not gonna let you go
I’m not gonna let you slip away
You don’t have to be afraid
Mercy said no
Sin will never take control
Life and death stood face to face
Darkness tried to steal my heart away
Thank You Jesus, Mercy said no

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