Smelling the Grass

My grandmother had a favorite saying which she lovingly cross stitched on to a wall hanging for me when I was in junior high school. The picture accompanying the saying is a mouse stepping gingerly onto a mouse trap to get some cheese. Being about 13 or so when grandmom gave me the wall hanging, I thought the mouse was cute and hung it in my bedroom. As I went through high school, college, work, marriage, and had children this wall hanging has moved from place to place with me. I always hung it somewhere. The mouse wasn't so cute to me as I matured but the gift was from someone dear so at some point I took the wall hanging down and stored it for safe keeping. I had not seen it for a few years and when we built our house & moved to the farm I came across this silly mouse. Needing something to hang in the laundry room I nailed a picture hook to the wall and placed the picture on it. Through all the years I had never really paid attention to the saying that my grandmom had actually put with the mouse; who I now realized was probably just trying to get dinner. I glanced at this picture the other day and realized that my grandmother was a wise woman. Through all the trials in life her favorite saying was with me. Sometimes we get so busy with the future that we don't really stop to breathe in the essence of today. We've all done it and we will all do this again and again in life we get preoccupied with the new job, or house, a wedding, a move, a new baby or some project consumes us. When we look back at the preciousness of that actual  moment in our life, we draw a blank or realize we didn't savor the whole package. As we mature many of  us wish we had slowed down, enjoyed those college years more, not been in such a hurry to get that big mortgage or rocked that baby a little longer. It seems as humans we are always trying to achieve something or obtain something we don't have. As I mowed grass today, I mowed around a swing set that my husband and oldest child built together. That swing has been moved, reconstructed and used for many years. I looked at it today and heard a small voice "mommy push me". How many times I had heard that over the years and how many times was I too busy to get dinner started, rush my family somewhere or even take that child in and get them ready for a nap or bed that I didn't do it long enough or sometimes at all. I thought at moments like this "boy, these are trying times" when will I get caught up or be able to to tackle whatever was the issue of the day. Today my children don't need me to push them on the swing they do need other things from me still. As I have gotten older I know how fast this thing we call time really does fly. I try to take more time to spend with my family and to enjoy the moment. The grass today smelled so good and the sun on my shoulders was amazing. It was hot; really hot. Not long ago 8 hours of mowing would have made me cranky. I am trying a little harder to live in the moment. I savored watching my son help me outside and enjoyed the silly conversation that occurred as we worked. When things get hurried or ahead of me now I stop to think. I know my grandmother's cross stitched mouse, which is hung where I see it many times a day in the laundry room is spot on. It reads "Remember these trying times will be the good old days in the years to come".

Copyright © 2011-2012 Micheline Edwards
All rights reserved to by Micheline Edwards

Choices

There are many choices in life. The good...the bad. The decisions that seem like the right thing at the time and those that you have to just jump and pray for. This summer our youngest son made a choice to attend a service camp and a church retreat instead of playing football. I say instead because he conscientiously knew that attending these activities would cause him to be either dropped from the team or to sit on the bench most of the season because he was not available for camp. He had once had a coach tell him in 9th grade when he left practice early for a holy day of obligation "to get his priorities straight". Doyle and I neither one asked him to make this choice but he choose to do so on his own. He had attended weight training all summer is a good athlete and enjoys this sport a lot. His rational was to help others, become a better person, to grow up a lot and to stretch himself to reach for the pole most kids don't climb. He made it back from the service retreat a young man of stature and holiness. His compassion for others around him was greater and his vision of the world we live in was broader than a football field (as a manner of speaking). This camp was not fluff. The young people who were there worked hard everyday in 100+ degree heat. They cleaned outside, built things, served the needy, prayed for the unborn, rocked children who don't always get their needs met & got to know individuals that others pass by. At the end of a hot week after working hard he came home with a smile on his face and an appreciation for a part of our world a lot of teens don't see. The week between the two camps he (along with his brother) again gave in service to others and helped at the fairgrounds they wired buildings, hung lights, hooked up air conditioners, cleaned barns and helped with the kids games in the heat (they did enjoy the time with friends in the evenings too). On Sunday I took him to his second camp this one was not a service camp, but a retreat for young men to venture on outings and explore who they are and who they want to become. The boys discussed the things that most people don't touch, let alone teens; like, "what kind of human being are you". He discovered mentors of the highest standings and made friends that will last a lifetime. I picked him up today and found a young man at peace with himself and those around him. I asked him on the way home if he had a good time? he replied the best! After inquiring about the weeks activities which were amazing, I ventured to the question of "did he feel he made the right choice about his summer camps". His answer was a resounding "yes". Football and sports are wonderful, all of our boys have played and some will play again but the wonder of his choices is that there is life outside of sports and after sports. I am proud of him for making a difficult choice; that he presented to himself and for being so self assured in his decision. I am also proud of the child who discovered this summer that life isn't all fun and games but always truly a blessing to be a part of. He engaged in life this summer and I know will be a better man when he is older because of the choices he is making today. God designed us to be whole and complete. HE wants us to stretch ourselves where we are unsure and to test the waters by reaching for the unknown. HE wishes every part of our lives to interconnect with HIS love & plan. Thessalonians 5:23 states "May God himself, the God who makes everything holy & whole, make you holy and whole, put you together~spirit, soul and body ~and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ". Our son chose well this summer, I feel he is on his way to becoming a Godly young man who will be whole in life. AND YES! he "has his priorities straight."

Copyright © 2011-2012 Micheline Edwards
All rights reserved to by Micheline Edwards

Why we live where we do....

My husband and I affectionately dubbed our town "the place that eats it young" sometimes it is the everyday grind that brings us to our knees to think this way. Sometimes it is the everyday grind; the trials we face that brings us to our knees in a different manner all together. It is no secret that life throws you curve balls. Ultimately it is your state of mind that allows you to deal effectively with these blows. Sometimes it is the people in your presence that hold your hand and help you to see the sun. My son and I went to pick up his car today the wait was killing him. After saving, doing without and driving "the bomb" the taste of finally being a car owner had him at the bank 30 min early today. The transaction went well and the young lady we bought the car from escorted us to her home to even get an extra set of tires and parts. Things change fast in life. These quick changes sometimes exceed our minds ability to swallow the moment. As my boy drove back into town (30min drive) feeling good about his new wheels, his battery light went on. As he pulled into the bank to finish paperwork his new "steed" died. Frustrated, embarrassed and overwhelmed I could see the makings of what later became his statement for the day; "That's it, I am just going to rely on public transportation forever". This was to be the mantra for the public outpouring of compassion that came from our banker, our insurance agent and our mechanic. Our banker assured him it was okay and not to worry, although he did. Our insurance agent dropped what he was doing and drove over to this young man, now at the garage. Our mechanic stopped and took the car right in; he knew my son was crushed. We found him sitting on the curb with his head against his knees. Our agent took all the info and the pictures he needed and assured him things would be fine. As the agent left the news came that the repair would be fixed in the morning as soon as the part arrived. Our mechanic assured him as well that the repair just happened and that his car was fine. In the middle of this the young lady we bought the car from even called and wanted to send money for the repair she was so sorry (he declined her offer, saying she felt so bad). When all was said and done the car won't go home with our son tonight; a major disappointment for sure. He has pride in knowing he is an automobile owner. More importantly this young adult is the owner of a piece of mind that the people around him care. He knows for sure that he is forever to be at times, reliant on "public transportation" but knot the kind he had referred to earlier but the kind that comes when God reaches the hearts of those around you and allows you to ride on HIS shoulder and theirs through crisis. We should have his car tomorrow and he will also have the love of those who were there for him when he needed it. Special thanks to Hope at Newburg Bank, Tom & Noah at Tom's Garage and Tony at American insurance you all went beyond what was expected.
Copyright © 2011-2012 Micheline Edwards
All rights reserved to by Micheline Edwards

A tuesday ...

After surviving the county fair it occured to me that we needed a blog of our life here in rural Missouri. I wish I had done this sooner but better late than never. So here goes entry # 1 :). Well most of our clan is out and about this week. Our 20 year old is home for two days selecting a car. He had an accident about a year ago and has been without wheels since that time. I am impressed with his smile and his positive attitude durring this time. His patience has paid off as we are going today to pick up his new car. Well not new, but new to him. he has driven "the bomb" the last few weeks. The bomb is a a nearly 20 year old Bonneville with NO air. Having received his first internship he had to have some sort of transportation to and from school and work. My husband Doyle was nice enough to give up his "bomb" to the cause Lol. Doyle has since been, for several weeks at the mercy of whoever could take him to work etc. It is amazing to me how much a family that loves each other can accomplish. I once asked my mother in law "when do things get easy?" her reply was "never, you just learn to roll with the issues better". She was right; not that I don't have days that the punches aren't there. Sometimes they are old wounds that resurface and other days it is a new blow but we always seem to find the courage to put our trust in God and let HIM put us where we need to be. Today he and I will need to be at the bank this afternoon, so my son who has bummed rides and driven what was loaned to him can purchase his first car (he is buying this on his own!!!) I am so proud of his patience, hard work and trust that things would work out for him, I can't tell what he is getting right now he is SO excited and wants to share that news himself and I can't blame him; he's earned it! To my son; you are amazing! On a side note he just came in from getting ready and brought me a cup of coffee :)

Copyright © 2011-2012 Micheline Edwards
All rights reserved to by Micheline Edwards