Trees Planted

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8

These verses have been very special to me through the years.  When I was in my twenties I spent a year in Costa Rica to attend a language institute for missionaries to learn the Spanish language and Latin culture.  The Costa Rican family I lived with were awesome Christians and they daily spoke into my life…or just listened to me speak in my budding Spanish accent.  One day my “Tica” mom gave me these verses to help me through the crazy journey I was on – the journey of Life. 

A decade later I would hear my mother-in-law teach these verses to her foster kids – no matter what their ages – so they would have this truth embedded in their brains for life.  And now, I get to teach it to my children. 

Just a few mornings ago, Jeremiah 17:7-8 popped up in my devotional book and so I shared it with my kids – especially to the one we’ve been having some hard moments with.  The Holy Spirit gave me a great analogy using a tree we have growing near our canal out back.  It was a tangible way to teach about how we need to be firmly planted and rely on our water source, the Bible.

(However, after I thought we were really connecting in our conversation, one of my kids said something so far off, like about the pretty colors that are on the other bushes… Well, maybe some good nuggets sunk into their sweet brains so we can revisit the conversation again another day.  As Zerby Derby says, we can just “try, try again”!)

Life Lessons Taught

Matthew and Jordan enjoy playing Legos and Barbies.  While they play I have found great opportunities to teach some life lessons on what the Bible says about certain topics.  These topics usually include marriage, living together and what clothes are appropriate to wear.

In our present day, it seems as though some or all of these topics, if left untaught at home are left vague or skewed in the minds and hearts of our children.  Teaching them what is right in the eyes of the Lord is what our kids need as they are hit with opposing views all around them.  We can help them be confident when they are face to face with decisions about how to conduct themselves in the world we live in.

Lord, thank You for giving us Your Word as the lamp to our feet (and our kids' feet) and the light to the path You want us to go in.  Please help us to prepare our children to live in the world but not be sucked into the popular views held all around them.  Prepare their hearts to receive Your Word so they can live to give You glory.  In Jesus name, Amen.

When Tutus, Lacrosse sticks and Eternity Collide

If our Kennedy had been,

She probably would have worn

Tennis shoes

Basketball shoes

And

I’ll guess…cleats too.

I think

She would have vacillated

Between

Pink and sparkles

With all out athleticism.

She would have carried a

Lacrosse stick

And worn disheveled braids,

Knee pads, sparkly tennis shoes

And a bright pink tutu.

When she played she’d be the star.

Everyone would have feared the legendary

Kennedy Drew.

I imagine KD would often lose interest,

Gather the hands of her family and friends

(Cheering for her in the stands,)

To join her in the center of the field

To twirl

Giggle

And be together.

I don’t understand why my

Tutu wearing,

Lacrosse carrying

Granddaughter didn’t take her first breath

I selfishly want her – here!

But it seems she accomplished her life’s goal.

She was equipped with gifts and talents to play this game of life.

Like a champion.

To win.

And win decisively.

God’s plan was for her to walk into

The stadium of her life

And gather her Mom and Dad,

Her future bother and sisters,

Her grandparents,

Aunts, uncles, friends

And communities

Onto her playing field.

To dance

And Laugh

And twirl about.

Kennedy Drew

our Tutu wearing, lacrosse stick carrier

was equipped

To play hard and to win.

(Kennedy Drew - January 20, 2016)

The Sacrifices You Make, Momma

I read this today and thought of all the sacrifices that surround the birth and life of a child.  Check out this Our Daily Bread Ministries devotion from December 21, 2016, written by Tim Gustafson.  https://odb.org/2016/12/21/a-personal-story/

Thanking God today for all the Mommas in the world, as you make many sacrifices each day for the life of your child.

What Are You Waiting For?

I had the opportunity to guest blog for a dear friend of mine, Shannon DeGarmo Carpino, author of "The Bounce Back Woman".  So I thought I would share my heart here as well...

http://bouncebackwoman.com

Have you ever had to wait for something that you were particularly excited for? You know the kind of thing that is so exciting your mind wonders to it when you should be thinking about something else? Perhaps it was the anticipation of an approaching birth, or butterflies the night before your wedding day, or maybe it was an exceptional Christmas present you knew you would be receiving?

For me, my most anticipated gift was the gift of finding my husband. I remember always wondering when it was going to happen with an eagerness of “would it be sometime soon?”. The years went on and I watched as some of my friends got married and I often wondered why I hadn’t yet found “the one”? Little did I know that although my search was for the right man, the Lord had a gift for me that I wasn’t expecting. You see, I didn’t have a relationship with the Lord growing up. I knew very little about the bible and who Jesus Christ was. So before God introduced me to my beloved, He introduce me to HIS beloved… The Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace.

As I reflect on the most special present of all, I am reminded of two people who waited their whole lives for one special gift, and at Christmas time God gave them just that.

Simeon, meaning obedient, was a righteous and devout man, who had eagerly waited his whole life for the Messiah. Being moved by obedience and the Spirit, he entered the temple to find the child and his parents there.

Luke 2:27-32 That day the Spirit led him to the temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the Law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

Another prophet, Anna, whose name means full of grace, lost her husband after being married only 7 years. Anna spent the duration of her life in the temple praying and worshipping God and waiting for the Messiah to come.

Luke 2:37-38 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. [She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

This Christmas, as we participate in all the fun this time of year brings, let us remember the true reason for this season. As Simeon and Anna spent their entire lives waiting for the Savior who was to come, let us remember and reflect on the One who has come. The One who came so that we may have life to the fullest and life everlasting. Will you join me as we focus on the Giver of the greatest gift, Life-in-Him-rather than on the presents that lay under our tree? Let’s be partakers with Simeon and Anna as we anticipate celebrating Jesus’s birth, praising and worshiping our God and sharing Him with everyone.

Lord Jesus, I pray as the busyness of this season tries to consume us, please help us slow our hurried pace. May we be deliberate with our days, carving out quiet time to spend with You so that we may reflect on all that your birth means to us. Lord I also pray, that you help us reflect the good and perfect gifts you have imparted to us, so that others may see and hear the good news of You and Your Beloved.

Much love and blessings to you!

Merry Christmas,

Fran Maynard

Christmas Blessings!

This is a such a great outlook on Christmas and  on life!

(It also so reminds me of the man I begged God for... and married! LOL!)  

Merry Christmas!

Click here and Enjoy!

A special thanks to Forest Hill Church, NC for video permissions.

Bond of Peace

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3

I read this verse and was determined to live out the “bond of peace” part.  All day while the normal things that would have rattled me and given me the “right” to raise my voice at our kids, I chose to remember those three words, “bond-of-peace” and act in a more peaceful manner.  The result was a more tempered momma, less stressed kids, and the unity of the Spirit.

The dictionary defines the word endeavor: try hard to do or achieve something.  Well when we invite the Lord to work in and through us to endeavor[ing] to keep the unity of the Spirit of the bond of peace we don’t have to try so hard—just let Him work through us!  He will remind you of His peace as He did me!

Bedtime is supposed to be 8pm but this night it was going on after 9:30 and I was still being asked to put cream on mosquito bites and letting them know that there is no reading in bed by the light of the little lighted Christmas tree in their room.  I felt the Lord with me like a loving coach as I handled the moment.

May we strive to keep this bond of peace in our homes as we cheer on our kids to live walking worthy of the calling with which they are called. That they would do this with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, as they endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace in their lives.