Ask The One Who Knows

 Words I heard on the way to work this morning (from a song off the Franz Family's "Who At My Door Is Standing" CD) coupled with pictures I found online:

  Jesus I am thankful for all You've given me
And I'm asking for Your help Lord to be all You'd have me be

  

With an humble voice I cry out from a world filled with pain
Please help me see the sunshine and look beyond the rain

I'm asking You 'cause You know how to heal a heart and clear the doubt
You can take away the hurt and make it all work out
I'm asking You 'cause You know how

 

May I always be aware of the blessings that You bring
And may You always be the reason I lift my voice and sing

    
Teach me faith and guide me and show me how to stand
Through trying times that face me Lord I know You can
 ("I'm Asking You" by: Shawn Lane)

 

This last picture is by artist Kelly O'Neill. This is what she shares about the story behind "Mine for a Moment." After losing a close friend, she "was struggling to balance loving fiercely with a willingness to let go." GOD showed her this picture in her mind, and she painted it. "...a little girl was playing in the field with her father. He had just let go of her hand, and she was running away, but smiling back at him. I knew that this image represented the attitude I was to have about the people I treasure most in my life."   (Information from another person's blog.)

Unfading Roses

Nanny, PopPop, Mom, and Me; 4 generations!

My great-grandmother, Katie Rice Syphard Shantz, was born September 17, 1918. Early this morning, Feburary 21, 2013, she passed away.  Being her first great-grandchild I realize how incredibly blessed I was to have known her so well and to have so many wonderful memories.

Nanny, Mom, and Great-PopPop (He passed away before I was born)

Just a few things that come to mind when I think of Nanny:

✥ She was my great-grandmother/babysitter/friend.

✥ She was the one who came closest to spoiling us. 

✥ She enjoyed taking us shopping and giving gifts.

✥ You had to be careful what you said you liked because she would buy it for you!

✥ I remember taking summer naps on the carpeted floor of her air conditioned appartment.

✥ My first sleep-over (all by myself, just for fun) was with her.

✥ As a little girl I was facinated by the fact that she had false teeth and would take them out at night.

✥ Her favorite color was red. 

✥ She used to tell me about a red coat she had when she was a girl.

✥ She loved seeing cardinals and butterflies.

✥ A box of crayons and coloring book would keep us entertained for hours.

✥ I blame my love of Peanut M&Ms and York Peppermint Patties on her. She always had them in the pantry.

✥ She liked taking long walks and pretty flowers

✥ She liked good eating:

homemade cookies & veggie soup/chicken nuggets/hot dogs/French fries 

✥ Ice cream was a staple:

butter pecan/peach/black cherry/whipped cream in a can and marachino cherries.

✥ She would find the biggest potato chips in the bag and give them to us.

✥ We watched TV at her house since we didn't have cable: 

Waltons/Flinstons/Jetsons/Scooby-Doo/Dr. Quinn/

Lawrence Welk Show

✥ She loved animals, especially baby animals, chicken, and geese.

✥ She made scrap books for her great-grandchildren. 

✥She would page through magazines looking for cute things to cut out.

✥ She loved babies; holding and playing with them.

✥ She thought a dog licking your face was just horrible.

✥ She taught us the saying: "Beans, beans the musical fruit…" and thought "tooting" was hilarious!

✥ She loved her family.

A picture from mom's photo album of a very young Katie Shantz

She struggled with Altzhiemers for more than a decade and it was hard knowing she didn't remember any of us. She was so loved and we will miss her so much, but I am glad that she no longer has to deal with physical ailments. It makes me happy to think that she is able to enjoy things again, that she is with Jesus, and there will never again be pain in her life.

I LOVE YOU, NANNY! ❤

She probably would have liked to hear the Cathedrals sing this song:

"I am going to a city,

Where the streets with gold are laid,

Where the tree of life is blooming,

And the roses never fade.

Here they bloom but for a season;

Soon their beauty is decayed.

I am going to a city,

Where the roses never fade."

Written by Elsie Osborn, Jack Osborn, Jim Miller

The Question Of LOVE

"The condition of the human heart is that we all pursue love." 

- Robert Messarge, Jr.

Based on what history has told us, I believe it is safe to assume that this statement is true.  What history has not done is to remove from our hearts the question: 

'What is love?' 

Is it an all consuming feeling that looks to passion and sensuality? 

Is it the short-lived drama of a high-school crush? 

Is it shown by a mother's tender care of her child? 

By a man's unique concern for his wife's happiness? 

A child climbing into a welcoming lap, resting its head on a capable shoulder, knowing she's safe?

What is love?

❦

"Is love a fancy or a feeling? No. It is immortal as immaculate Truth, 'Tis not a blossom shed as soon as youth drops from the stem of life -- for it will grow, in barren regions, where no water flows, Nor rays of promise cheats the pensive gloom... Nor will it change, though all be changed beside; Though fairest beauty be no longer fair, Though vows be false, and faith itself deny, Though sharp enjoyment be a suicide, And hope a specter in a ruin bare." 

- Hartley Coleridge

❦

This past Fall I had the priviledge of meeting the Jost family at one of their concerts (those of you who have seen their movie clips might know them by the youtube title "Jostie Flicks"). Their oldest daughter, Emily, sang a song her mother, Lisa, composed about the words we say and what they mean. The chorus was what stuck with me the most:

"When you say LOVE, you say a million things

More than flowers or diamond rings 

More than candy and valentines 

More than feelings and starry eyes 

When you say LOVE, you're saying SACRIFICE

You are WILLING TO LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE

WALK AWAY from your selfish pride 

TURN AWAY from the tempting side

When you say LOVE"  

❦

Recently one of my friends jokingly said: "love is over-rated." I told her it was romance that was "over-rated." Love (in the true sense of the word) could never be over-rated because it is boundless! Romance is a feeling. Feelings come and go. Love remains.

1 John 4:10 (New Living Translation)

"This is real love—not that we loved God, 

but that he loved us and sent his Son 

as a sacrifice to take away our sins."

There you have it!  Fini. Period. Take that to the bank and cash it! That's love.

(Note: These pictures were taken off the internet. I cannot claim them as my own)

My Heart Is Filled...

My heart is FILLED with thankfulness
To Him who bore MY PAIN;
Who plumbed the depths of MY DISGRACE
And gave me LIFE again;
Who CRUSHED my CURSE of sinfulness
And CLOTHED me in His LIGHT
And wrote His law of RIGHTEOUSNESS
With POW'R upon my heart.

My heart is filled with THANKFULNESS
To Him who WALKS beside;
Who floods my WEAKNESSES with STRENGTH
And causes FEARS to FLY;
Whose ev'ry promise is ENOUGH
For EV'RY step I take,
Sustaining me with ARMS OF LOVE
And crowning me with GRACE.

My HEART is filled with thankfulness
To HIM WHO REIGNS above,
Whose wisdom is my PERFECT PEACE,
Whose ev'ry thought is LOVE.
For EV'RY DAY I have on earth
Is GIVEN by the King;
So I will GIVE my life, my ALL,
To LOVE AND FOLLOW Him.

"My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2003 Thankyou Music


"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the PEACE of God, which SURPASSES ALL understanding, will GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

An Unusual Art Medium and A Freeing Reality

(Subtitle: Stacking fire wood, making God your life coach, and sticking with your first love.)

So based on the title of this post you're probably thinking "what???" and your worried I'm going to lose you before we even begin. Don't worry that's as close to being philosophical as I'm going to get.

Due to several of my siblings being sick, I got to help with the OUTSIDE chores yesterday! This is always exciting as I am usually IN the house. On a farm, K.P. duty and keeping house are just as important as working in the garden, fields, and/or barn but it is nice to not be exclusively inside. I have decided to assign myself to at least one barn chore so I don't have to wait till everyone is sick to enjoy working outside!! 

This is where the "art" comes in. As I was neatly stacking firewood by the back door, I noticed the beauty of the wood grain and how the circles of wood contrasted with the lines from the brick wall behind it. Some of you may think that's silly but hey what else do you think about when you're stacking wood? Plus it's art; I mean sometimes I think if you give it an artistic name (i.e. A Study In Circles and Right Angles) that's the only thing creative about it!  So, enjoy the picture and then go take a walk or do something outside (even if it's cold). You might be surprised how much you enjoy it.

Now for the "freeing reality" part. Recently, through Bible study and teaching, the Lord has shown me that I am most free when I relinquish control of my life and place it in His hands. Talking with several friends, I was intrigued by the term "life coach." So I did a little google studying and came up with this definition from thefreedictionary.com: 

"a person whose job is to improve the quality of 

his or her client's life, by offering advice on 

professional and personal matters, such as 

career, health, personal relationships, etc."

I have always heard how important it is to carefully chose those whom you allow to influence you and whose advice you seek.  So I asked myself, "Who is my 'life coach'?" I have been blessed to have many godly advisors in my life but I came to the conclusion that the only one I want in the position of head advisor "who helps people with problems, decisions, and goal attainment in daily life" is God. He is my heavenly Father, whose Son died for my sins in pursuit of a relationship with me and who sends His Holy Spirit to guide my steps. 

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet

And a light unto my path.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet

And a light unto my path.

When I feel afraid,

And think I've lost my way.

Still, You're there right beside me.

Nothing will I fear

As long as You are near;

Please be near me to the end.

I will not forget

Your love for me and yet,

My heart forever is wandering.

Jesus be my guide,

And hold me to Your side,

And I will love you to the end.

(song written by Amy Grant based on the truth found in Psalm 119:105)

 Christ is and always will be my first love. He is teaching me to trust Him wholly. 

With my:

Time = past, present, future, time management

 Needs = job/income, where to live, health 

 Relationships = honoring parents, loving siblings, extending forgiveness, serving in humility

Talents =  He gives abilities and the opportunities/wisdom to use them

Desires = He gives passions and goals coupled with patience and endurance

Wisdom = knowing when, how, what, where… 

To tie it all together: with the Holy Spirit as my "life coach" and Jesus as my unfailing Love, I will serve my Creator God bringing attention to His beautiful world all around us.

Resolve, Remorse, Remember

Now that we are several weeks into the new year I am finally starting on one of my resolutions: posting more blogs and not just writing them in my head!  I actually wrote this on Jan. 11th but didn't post till now... we'll see how this resolution thing works out..... 

Today (Jan. 11th) marks a week that my sister, Serena, has been faithful to her

promise of not using the salt and pepper shakers. A friend visited our

family for a week over the holidays and was in the habit of asking for

the salt and pepper at meal times. Serena was so devastated when it

came time for our friend to leave that she declared she was "never

going to use the salt and pepper again!" So far the vow has been kept;

she has not been seasoning her food; well not with that particular set

anyway. :) Such a goof!

My youngest sisters: Abigail and Serena

I've been realizing how hard it is to think of them in any other way

than as the "little girls." Abby will be 13 (!) on Jan. 25th and

Serena will be 12 Aug. 29th. I remember very well being 12 and 13.  I

was mother's big helper, taking care of the baby sisters, moving to VA

with my family and making new friends, and beginning to make the transition from

playing "Boxcar Children" in the storage trailer - with Meredith,

Bethany, and Tommy - to being a young lady. I wish I had done a better

job of making that transition... I started worrying too much about

"grooming" myself to be the best wife and mother that I neglected my

role of devoted, oldest sister/friend. They became my "practice

children." I told them what they should be doing and instructed them

on how to do it. They resented me for that; big surprise, right? My

parents told me I would regret it, and I do. It haunts me as my

biggest failure in life. I know that may sound overly dramatic but it

has repeatedly been the thing Satan brings up to make me feel

unworthy, unqualified, etc. And it is a constant struggle to overcome

the habits I allowed to form for so many years.

Perhaps this is the reason I have a heart for young ladies to know the

truth and freedom that comes from knowing the unconditional love of

God and to understand that it isn't the "hard" questions that are so

important (i.e. going to college? have a career? be a missionary? get

married? children? etc.); it's knowing Christ and who you are in Him.

Seeing others through His eyes and serving with His love. Knowing His

voice and following His call. Trusting.

"Simply trusting every day, Trusting through a stormy way;

Even when my faith is small, Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting as the moments fly,

Trusting as the days go by;

Trusting Him whate’er befall,

Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Brightly does His Spirit shine Into this poor heart of mine;

While He leads I cannot fall; Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Singing if my way is clear, Praying if the path be drear;

If in danger for Him call; Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting Him while life shall last, Trusting Him till earth be past;

Till within the jasper wall, Trusting Jesus, that is all."

If I could only keep that in my head! Child-like faith....  He will love and take care of me. 

My job? Keep His love flowing to those around me.

"Beyond Acceptance" Movie

Greetings!   This is Stacey Bradshaw here.   My good friend Michelle has graciously agreed to let me do a guest post on her blog so I can tell all of you about a wonderful film called "Beyond Acceptance."

I am a filmmaker and have worked on a number of feature films in the past few years since I graduated from college.   As you can imagine, I have met a lot of really interesting people from all over the country.   While working on an historical feature film in 2010, I met two brothers named Andrew and Philip Bolzman.   They had just finished making their own feature film up in Michigan.   A few months ago, I joined a campaign to help promote their film, and that is why I am posting here today!

"Beyond Acceptance" is a faith-based film with a powerful story about adoption and the importance of unconditional love.   Here is the synopsis and the trailer from their website:

When Evans, a ten-year-old unwanted child, enters his home, Aaron's life is permanently transformed.  Believing they have much to offer, Aaron and his wife, Stacy, chose to use their family and stable home as a platform to reach out to children in need through foster care.  However, this undertaking was not as simple as they had anticipated.  Evans is their first placement.  Abandoned as an infant and tossed from home to home, he is a boy with no hope of ever being wanted.  Aaron and Stacy often find themselves wondering about the outcome of their ambitious undertaking.  The coping behaviors Evans has developed as a result of his past make him extremely challenging.  Tantrums, mysterious disappearances, food fights, and impenetrable silence become a new part of their everyday life.  Aaron is shaken by his lack of control.  Stacy is crushed by the rejection of her affection.  Their daughter, Jennie, is resentful of the chaos now ruling her life.  As each new obstacle surrounds their family, they are dragged continually closer to the breaking point.  Their future is fraught with questions.  Can they continue?  Will Evans ever understand?  Will they be able to entrust themselves wholeheartedly to the hands of God?  Is it possible to love the unlovable. . . is he really beyond acceptance?

I encourage you to visit the website to learn more about the film, the creative team who made it, and to find out how you can purchase a copy of the DVD.   Follow this link: http://www.beyondacceptance.com.

 

Thank you for reading, and I hope everyone is having a fun and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

 

~ Stacey Bradshaw

 

My blog: http://anoldfashionedheart.blogspot.com

My website: http://staceybradshaw.wordpress.com