A mother's affection

"There shall never be another quite so tender, 
quite so kind as the patient little mother, 
nowhere on this earth you'll find her affection duplicated..."

--Paul C. Brownlow

Repairing the chips of life

I have spoken here before of my precious mother, now with the LORD these twenty-one years.

Today was the day I finally set aside to repair the chips on her Cabbage Rose dishes. 20 years of chips which I made on them! As it turns out there were not as many chips as I had thought.  Those certain plates now sit out drying on the counter.

How special those dishes are to me - not because of a certain monetary value - but because I remember my mother saving up for them.  I was a young teen and one day she said that she was planning our trip to go to the city to the big department store and purchase her dishes.  This was when she told me what they looked like and how long she had loved that pattern and saved for them.  What a wonderful shopping trip that was! 

These special plates are my treasure which I share with whomever comes to eat with us.

My year has been full of sadnesses which have brought up other sad memories.  This life is full of loss. The LORD holds onto me tightly for which I humbly praise Him.  Each day I can continue to "do next things" all because of His love and strength, His comfort and His joy. 

Throughout this year each sadness brought me to my knees and then all through the days leaning on Him, knowing He upholds me even when I feel like I can't do it.  I have been upfront and personal with these agonies, some of which are completely unfair and unrighteous towards me.  These have brought out feelings of anger and bitterness which has been hiding deeply inside of me.

I have known this anger and bitterness is there, but I rarely think of it until it springs out like a spider for its prey. YUCK!

So I have been being busy dealing with "repairing the chips of my life" in me.  It has been difficult and tough, but I know what bitterness literally looks like in a person and I do not want it even in my inner person.  This will be an ongoing thing, of coarse, this working on not being angry and bitter because I am only human.  The LORD is the One who gives me the strength and energy to conquer these issues for which I am so very thankful.

1 Peter 1:3-9
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who according to His great mercy has caused us 
to be born again to a living hope 
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 
to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled 
and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 
who are protected by the power of God through faith 
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, 
if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 
so that the proof of your faith, 
being more precious than gold which is perishable, 
even though tested by fire, 
may be found to result in praise and glory and honor 
at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 
and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, 
and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him,
you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 
obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."

Praising the LORD with you!