This Girl Needs RED!!!!

Gazing around my small, treeless backyard I just needed some color!  My house isn't my canvas at this time. All the walls are beige, (with furniture which had been picked for rooms with colored walls) now blending into the surroundings.  I started to realize that things were colorless.

As I stood there watching my few dots of color, (my goldfish in our pond), I decided that everything that was metal was going to have a face lift.  This face lift wouldn't be costly... a can of spray paint is only $3.00. Now what will the color be?

What color will make me smile and bring cheerfulness to our small yard?  Well it just had to be RED!!!!

With my finger on the trigger, I was entering the land of no return....the boring, non-exciting, worn pieces were being overcome with fusions of RED.

What fun!  Even with the 90-degree heat beating down on my back, I was enjoying the transformation.  Something so small just brought great joy.

How easily we can get stuck in a rut, when just a small creative outlet can bring life back into something lifeless.  A backyard picnic on a blanket can break the routine of the same old, same old day.  Eating dessert BEFORE dinner, while the children giggle, can bring such sweet memories.  Putting the mattresses into the family room to sleep, instead of the beds they were intended for.  A candlelight bath can relax and refresh a tired mother. They also provide the glowing ambiance for a romantic time with your husband - so many easy ways to break us out of our ruts.

Now to find some new pieces in my house to transform and lighten up!!!!  Maybe a garage sale item will work great against the beige walls....more paint......which color will I use next?

May you have a creative summer and enjoy all the color that surrounds us during this time.  What creative thing have you done to bring life into your dwelling or your family time...please share, I could use more ideas!!!

I Am Known

O LORD, you  have examined my heart and know everything about me.

You know when I sit down or stand up.

You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.

You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.

You know everything I do.

You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.

You go before me and follow me.

You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

...You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.

They cannot be numbered!

Psalms 139;1-6, 13-17 NLT

I needed this today....I hope it blesses someone else also.

Sandcastles and Margins

After my husband's margin-less, 14 consecutive working days, I kept hearing my four-year-old's repeated request that he wanted to go build sandcastles.  Margin in our home had been replaced with constant need for household income, which is never a good combination for a marriage, let alone the children residing in the house.

Margin - is having breath left at the top of the staircase, money left at the end of the month, and sanity left at the end of adolescences - by Richard Swenson

Years ago, I read the book Margin - Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives by  Richard Swenson.  He does a wonderful job explaining how we need to restore margin in our  lives.  I was reminded again about the importance of choosing our pace of life, instead of letting it choose you in Eldredge's book, Love and War.

So, hearing my son's words ring in my ears that he wanted to make sandcastles along with my husband's much needed day off from work, I suggested we head to the lake...to.make sandcastles.

As we allowed the wind to blow through our hair, the chilly water splash upon our bodies and quiet time to listen to nature's sounds, recovery to our souls was felt by all.  Our fourteen-year-old had time to conquer trees...climbing to the top brought a feeling of victory.  The four-year-old just relished the family time, while building his sandcastles.  My husband became light-hearted....I received passionate kisses.

As life starts to crowd out margin, we need to step back and see what we can change.  Can we say "No" to that extra activity?  Can we choose NOT to watch television and instead go out to throw the football with our son?  Can we stop and go for a walk with our husband, instead of filling every waking hour with running someone somewhere?  Can we wait a little longer before we make that purchase and instead put the money into savings?

As a mother who has walked through years with four teenagers at once, it is a constant battle to keep margin in our lives.  During different seasons of struggles, it may feel impossible to slow down our pace...even though it would allow us strength through the battle.  To be honest, we weren't very successful because it didn't come easy to most of the members in our family.  But this season of life, God has given us another chance to step back and make sure our priorities are in the right place... and enjoy life and each other more.  Learning margin will give us a better quality of life...and time for sandcastles.

Summer is here (or at least in Texas)....ENJOY and make sure you put margin in your life and not let your life set the pace for you!!!

Pre-Man Walks through My Halls

A "pre-man" walks through the halls of my house.  I have been through this journey three other times, I hope I am ready!  All the signs are there....he towers over me, masculine hair grows on his face, his feet enter the room before his body, odors once unfamiliar are a daily occurrence, our food budget has increased and  he has noticed girls and they have noticed him.  The voice has dropped and sounds like his brothers, leaving me guessing who it is when they call.  His hair has become a very big deal....oops, I cut the bangs too short. He will survive, even though he wants to know how to make his hair grow faster.

Such a precious time of growth for both him and I. This is the time I must step back and remember not to treat him like his four-year-old brother.  I have to give him some room.  I have to learn to respect his manhood.

I also must now relinquish some of the time I have had with him to his father.  Late night adventures or sports watching has become a regular event in our house with his Dad.  The four-year-old and I go to bed, they stay up for bonding time.

Past experience has taught me well...I hope...that this is also the time where he will assert his masculine headship.  He will have to learn to continue to obey and love his mom, while I remember that one day he will run a household.  I have to discern if his actions are rebellion or just stretching his wings.  My comment to my oldest was that every time he stretched his wings, I was the one who got knocked over...but we both survived.  I never want my sons to be so hen-pecked that that becomes their choice for a bride.  I want them to marry someone who is a helpmate and will walk with them.  Sometimes at this stage in parenting, the balance is hard to achieve.

I watch his passions, as I did the other boys.  For this one, it is computers and electronics instead of car engines and musical instruments.  He enjoys quiet time and too much stimulation wears him out.  He quietly bounces the basketball up and down the street.

I have read that they need time to think, so I am setting different priorities to make that time available.

This is also the season of the ROOM!!!  The first-born was good at keeping his clean until he returned from a month in Africa....the others...well, you could never see the floor.  Past brothers were known for placing caution signs across the door of their rooms.

Yes I have standards...but I have also learned to pick my battles.  His older brothers (who no longer live with us) keep their places clean and know how to clean...so I accomplished something, even if at times I doubted they would ever learn.

Again, I watch and enjoy my son turning into the Man God has called him to be...not just my idea, but what God wants.  Again, I grow teary-eyed that I can't pick him up and kiss away the wounds of the world.  Again...this mother has to step back and enjoy the process, by not holding on too tight.  I am slowly releasing my apron strings.

Proverbs 4 - "Hear, O sons, the instructions of a father......When I was a son in to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, Then he taught me and said to me, Let your heart hold fast my words, Keep my commandments and live...."

Sons...what a precious gift...what an awesome responsibility..............how much FUN!!!!

God Hears!!!

Without going into unnecessary details, our family recently went through a forced move.  Not the excited anticipation and dreaming of the future while boxing all your items, but a move where tears were shed, items were sold, my stomach wanted to throw up... move.  We were blessed to find a house that would accommodate six people very comfortably, while allowing us to keep most of our 28 years of possessions.  What was left behind was a lot with trees and nature sounds along with plane noises, as well as the death of a dream.

Our lot is very small and planes still fly over head, but they are bi-planes, a delightful sound.  Gone are the days of planes landing at DFW Airport...this I have not missed.

As I settled in, still healing from our loss, I would cry at night over dumb things.  One of my dumb things was the silence of our new dwelling.  There weren't any nature sounds.  There couldn't be the birds, bobcats, screech owls, turkeys, rabbits of our other dwellings, because there wasn't a place for them to habitant.  I so longed to hear even the sound of a locust.

Then the other night, when all hope of ever hearing nature had vanished from our barren dwelling, I heard the strangest noise.

I got up and examined the electronic items in the house to see if we had something shorting out.  I checked to see what the kids were fooling with (give me a break... it was after my bedtime!!).  I couldn't find the source...ugh!!!!

My husband looked at me funny and asked what was the problem.  I said, "stop....what is THAT? I can't SLEEP".

He laughed....now I have to go back in time to fill in the story.

Just weeks ago my son and I had decided to put our 16-year-old pond into the temporary ground we call home.  We filled it up with plants, goldfish and a fountain to bring wonderful water trickling sounds into our yard.  This new ecosystem had invited frogs.  My four-year-old has so enjoyed fishing them out in the morning.

So...my husband turns to me with a smile and announces that the noise is the weird, rumbling, mating moan of a male FROG!!!

Isn't God good? I had cried about not hearing nature sounds and he had brought me a FROG!!!!  I had to just laugh.  I wouldn't have asked for a frog, but that is what God sent me.  The Prince of Peace sent me joy in my journey through a frog.

He sees our tears, he hears our hurts and frustrations....and HE ANSWERS PRAYERS.  He didn't answer the way I wanted....large trees and birds, but He answered.  I felt His touch and  was reminded  He was still there.  He talks to us, but do we hear Him?  Do we realize that He is expressing His love and encouragement?  How many times have I missed something He wanted to bless me with?

Last night I called my son into my room to hear the noise....I told him what it was and we both laughed.  It is a wonderful sound to me now, but I sure hope that male frog finds his mate soon!!!

May you hear God today!!

Modern Day Conveniences or Distractions

This week I went back in time, leaving behind modern day convenience to revisit the days of "doing it by hand".

I am a total city girl.  I was raised in Austin, the capital city of Texas, and later-in-life moved to the huge Metroplex of Dallas/Fort Worth.  I enjoyed my visits to my grandparents' farms, but I have never had to grow my own food or sew my own clothes in order to survive.  Anything I have done has been because I chose to do it.
Isaiah 60:21
Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever. They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor.

So that is why I say that this week I went back in time to do things by hand.  I chose to make strawberry jam.  Yes, I have canned in the past, but put it away for modern conveniences years ago because of my busy family's schedule.  I was so delighted at the end of the process, not only with the product, but also the enjoyment I felt from accomplishing this task.  No, I probably didn't save any money, genetic brands are very cheap. But I know my product was healthier as I limited the sugar.

While I was on a roll in my Lucy apron, June Cleaver mode, I decided it was time for some homemade strawberry ice cream.  In Texas, we are already having 80 degree weather and I haven't made homemade ice cream in years.  So I pulled down my electric ice cream maker...still a little out of date since it requires ice and rock salt.  We assembled it in our backyard and plugged it in, to the dismay of our neighbors, who would hear the noise and yet not enjoy the final product....life on a postage size lot!

As I was watching the ice cream maker do it's job, I realized my children have never seen a hand-cranked ice cream maker, nor participated in my canning.  Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

1 Thessalonians 4:11
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you,


I realized that, although I would never give up my modern conveniences, I'm afraid we have lost some things along the way...

,,,mainly PATIENCE and the products from the work of our HANDS!

As a child, anticipating the ice cream, I helped turn the crank...it became a whole family event.  When I canned with my mother and grandmother, we all gathered around the backyard in metal, bouncing, yard chairs, to snap beans and peel peaches. Later enjoyment of the food brought a sense of pride, as well as the  patience learned.  Relationships were enhanced during the task.

There were lessons that were learned in the "doing it by hand" times.  Everyone washed the dishes, everyone picked the garden, everyone turned the ice cream freezer.  We sat in the den and hand-sewed with ongoing conversations.  Abilities and stories were passed down to the next generation.

I went to bed the other night with a grin on my face and a contentment in my heart because I had used my hands in a different way that day.  I still clean my own house, cook our meals, homeschool my children....the list goes on and on.  I love my modern day conveniences but... I think I will look for ways to bring some of the old lessons back into my family. Maybe I will find a hand-cranked ice cream freezer to start out with....don't you know my high tech adult children are going to pitch a fit (that's a Texas word for not happy)!

Love and War

The air is full of love as wedding invitations fill our mailbox. Invitations from our children's friends' weddings, along with celebrating major anniversaries with our friends fill the coming months.  In June, we will celebrate our 30th year of marriage.

As our Anniversary approaches,  I watched John and Stasi Eldredge on Life Today  talk about their 25 years of marriage and their new book  Love and War - Finding the Marriage You've Dreamed Of.  Although their conversation knocked on my heart, I wasn't sure that their book would be any different than the countless marriage conferences and books I had read throughout the years.

Words are so inadequate to describe all the Lord is doing in my heart through this very open view of realistic Christian marriage.  John and Stasi just open their hearts to reveal the side of marriage so many of us keep quiet or don't want to admit.

What encouragement and healing is coming through this book.  I am sure it isn't an appropriate book for newlyweds...they would run with horror. But for seasoned marriage couples, it is a drink of cold water.  What newlyweds would hear..."this is going to be the hardest work you will ever do."

John Eldredge reminds us of our enemy who roams around, seeing whom he can devour, and therefore, never stops the fight to destroy our union. (I Peter 5:8)  Eldridge also reminds us that we are not each others enemy, but we are to focus on the source of marital strife.

The book is co-written with his wife, so they go back and forth from the man's to the woman's point of view.  They also draw examples from books and movies, which will impact the reader with visuals or past reading experiences.

Here are just a few of the sentences I highlighted in this multi-endorsed marriage book...

If you cannot admit the disappointment of your marriage, you have made an idol of it.

God knows who you are going to marry.  When you do marry the person, your spouse becomes the one person you were suppose to marry.  

The best husband/wife for you is the husband/wife you have.

Marriage is the rushing stream God uses to shape us into more loving people.

Christian couples feel added pressure....We feel the pressure to be "Christlike" in our marriage - and since none of us are even close to that level of sainthood, we feel a lot of guilt and shame.

I look forward to seeing the new unions this summer and  the refreshing of vows for those of us on this continued journey of marriage.  I am also glad I didn't just step back and say, "hey, I know what we are doing, we are a seasoned married couple", but took the time to allow more work to be done in the most important union I have on this earth. What a precious gift to give my husband this year on our anniversary, a wife that is allowing God to renew her in many areas, and looking only to the Lord for her security.

Closets Are for a Batman Cave

This morning, my four-year-old kept disappearing into my closet.  I couldn't figure out what could be in the closet that was so interesting to him.  When he came out, I questioned his choice of playing in the closet.   He proudly responded, "it's my Batman Cave!"  His sister and I burst into laughter. Then an idea popped into my head....he needed his own Batman Cave.


So I turned to him with my eyes sparkling excitedly and a higher pitch in my voice, "you know what?  I am going to fix you a Batman Cave in the closet under the stairs!"  Before his sister could finish styling my hair, he had run from the room and made sure this would be accomplished...TODAY!  He dragged all the blankets, basketballs, baseball gloves, swords, pillows....(you get the picture), out of the future home for Batman!

His sister came around the corner laughing, "Mom, everything is all over the entry way floor."  The adventure had began.


As one of those interior decorating-minded persons, I couldn't just have a Batman Cave that was just an empty closet....Oh, NO!  It had to be the real thing.  We attached nails on the wall for Batman's Mask.  We found old keys for the Batman Cave door, which would also hang on the wall.  We attached the Batcape to a hanger.  Dollar Store provided the plastic table cloth which would become the draped black entry into the cave. Leftover Batman birthday party decorations would attach to the walls.


We grabbed the camera to document Batman in his cave.  I texted the older brothers to let them know that they, too, could come to venture into the Batman Cave.  His 24 year-old-brother texted back how he loved the closet under the stairs in our old home.

Memories were made, Momma enjoyed playing and a four-year-old's eyes were lit up as Mom stopped her day to make a REAL Batman Cave.


I was shortly jolted back to reality, leaving behind the imaginary, when the mother of my daughter's friend drove into our driveway.  She is now very small, a scarf hides her bald head, and her arms are bruised from her cancer treatments.  As I tried to encourage her in her fight, she turned to me and started telling me what the Lord has shown her.  The unanswerable question of our final day on this earth only makes it even more special to stop and make a Batman Cave to fill with memories.


 Dad arrived home after a long day at work to hear his four-year-old yell, "look Dad!"  Our son then announced that he was Batman and Dad was Robin.  The adventure would continue with persuading "Robin" to sleep with "Batman" in the Bat Cave.  A cheerful Dad (Robin) laid down in the imaginary world of his youngest son (Batman), with his legs sticking out of the "Cave" across the entry way and a small protest from Mom to have Robin sleep with her.

Have you stopped your day to play?  Time is just too precious not to stop and make a Batman Cave.

Remembering the Things of Old

Fathers, open your mouths and utter things of  old...things you have heard and know, things your forefathers have told us.  Do not hide them from your children.  Tell them to the next generation.  Tell them of the praiseworthy deeds God has done.  Tell of His great power and the great wonders He has done. Teach these things to your children and your grandchildren, so that the next generation will turn and tell their children and their children's children of the love of God.  Then they will put their trust in God and never forget His deeds and commands.  And why should you do this?  So your children will not be like their forefathers who turned from God.
Ps. 78:1-8 paraphrased


This scripture has been very heavy on my heart.  This year, my mother-in-law will celebrate her 95th birthday.  As she approaches this milestone I think about what she has left us in memories and also how many stories have not been shared.

Years ago, I put together a scrapbook for my mother-in-law and saw the impact of time in one person's life.  Her life stretches from the beginning of automobiles to the cyber world we all have embraced.  Her relatives served in WWII, and her family survived the Great Depression.  She is now has the title of great-grandmother to three great-granddaughters. God's faithful hand on her life could fill a book, as it should all of us.

The scripture commands us to re-tell God's faithfulness to us and past generations, but it takes people telling the stories for them to be handed down.

My children probably get tired of hearing me re-tell our stories.  I will text them memories as they come to mind, even words that were spoken over them through the years.  I will recall how they felt about things in the past...mostly to remind them who they are and God's hand on their lives.

Pictures allow us to document our memories, but we also need to document the stories through some form of written or recorded means.

When a child is doubting a decision, I can remind them what their dreams were as a child and they can recall their passions.  Confidence is built as they move forward.

Recalling the past also gives us courage for the future.  God's faithfulness to us should be mentioned often.  How easy it is to look only at the present circumstances.  God knew the importance of re-telling of his faithfulness to all generations, or he wouldn't have written it as a command.

This year, I started this blog to leave a paper trail for my children and future generations.  I have also been scanning pictures from my years of collection...so I can re-tell the stories.

My children may not be very interested in these stories at this time...they all live in the present mindset, but time will bring about a desire to know their past.  When they have children, they will want to say...."hey, this is what happened to me, here is where I met God."

Eaten by Bears

I just had to plug my friend's blog and her post today.  This issue has been a growing concern for me, and as usual Marcy stated it so well.

She is also the author of Catching Fireflyies a wonderful children's devotional book.  Her second book comes out this month.

Stop by and see her work.  She is a precious jewel in the Kingdom of God.

Biological Clock!

While venturing into a neglected dresser drawer, I was swept back 28 years ago as I removed this from a bundle of papers tucked away from my memory.  I  have no idea which pregnancy I obtained this pregnancy wheel, but somehow I had saved it for future use or keepsake.

At the excited young age of twenty-one, I stepped into the OB/GYN's office for my first pre-natal visit.  I would return to this office for four more pregnancies and bring back three newborns. This Christian doctor and his associates would walk me through two miscarriages, two normal and one long, multiple hospital-stay pregnancies.  God would use them to keep a young wife of 21 from giving up on having a family.

I am sure the nurse turned this dial (as it would be turned eight more times in my life) to predict the due date of our firstborn.  I left the office with the excitement of most newly expectant mothers, while preparing to celebrate my second anniversary as Mrs. Wright.  This pregnancy would not result in a infant here on earth and the baby went home to be with the Lord on our anniversary weekend.  The wise doctor would comfort us at the hospital and then send us home to wait for recovery... before trying again.

For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb, I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works...Ps. 139:13-14

We would be pregnant again in three months and excitement filled the air, as we prepared for our new family by building a house.  The pregnancy went well, but the heartbeat wasn't detected as early as they can today. So, we cautiously walked forward in anticipation of a baby.  We walked through 12 weeks... then I  went into labor. The ambulance was called and if there ever was an angelic appearance here on earth, I saw it that night.  The paramedic walked through our newly-built home's front door, across the den with his equipment in hand, to my side at the couch.  As he approached, he remembered we were members of his church.  This man, in his forties, dropped to his knees and started to pray.  God so lovingly sent a Christian believer to scoop me up into my Lord's healing hands.  Our trip to the hospital again left us empty-handed.  Again, the doctor encouraged, while others suggested we adopt.

Three months later, with a grin on his face, my doctor used the pregnancy wheel to predict the due date of our first earthly birth. The paramedic that had prayed at my side would also be at our side for this child's dedication.  The rest is history.  We would have three more children under the care of this Christian doctor and four more pregnancies and three births under the care of Christian midwives.

Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward, Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth.  Ps. 127:3-4

I have used this pregnancy wheel and my biological clock to the fullest...age 21 to age 44!! God's hand of miracles followed us through many ups and downs of having children. The biological clock has now begun to tick to her end.

I wake up at night, not from a newborn or teenagers, but from my body changing.  My regular season-of-life system now has a mind of it's own.  Body parts that never hurt can scream in pain over nothing.  Hormones...well, they can be bigger monsters than a crying pregnant woman, or post-natal mother.

The season is changing...one door is permanently closing, while another waits to be opened.  I hear this is one of the most productive seasons of a woman's life.  Mary Kay of Mary Kay Cosmetics started her company in this stage of life.  They say our mind becomes more alert...well, that would be good because some days I can't remember my pin numbers.  I hear the best is yet to come!

I look forward to this new season of life and all it has to offer... while I put the pregnancy wheel down and look back over God's faithfulness to a young girl of 21 who just wanted to have a family.  I am amazed at the journey God has taken us on....especially the journey of having our little one at age 44... what a precious gift.  I think I will put the wheel in my scrapbook with the words, "God is Faithful" inscribed below.

Happy Mother's Day!
Thanks for stopping by! - Janette

Hands-on-learning At It's Best

There are so many ways to learn, but the best is hands-on learning.  Don't we all enjoy learning about what interests us?  Well, yesterday we took off for a full day of hands-on learning, provided by the fascinating Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas.

My teenager loves this time in history and the Festival provided a great, "non-offensive" day of learning to all educational venues.  We were drawn back in time from the moment we stepped out of the car.  Colorful, period-clothed characters greeted us in front of the massive drawbridge entry.

Our first educational moment was hearing a Knight explain his armor.  Each piece was discussed, passed around to experience the feel and weight, then put on the Knight.  The role of a page was explained in detail of their importance to the Knight.  We learned where the word "guns" came from for your biceps.

The jousting event brought the use of this armor into reality.  The horses were so big, the Knights had to use stools to mount them....all the children were silent and attentive as the Knights showed off their skills.  My four-year-old was captivated and my teenager became even more interested in the swords that were used and how they were made.

My four-year-old had to try capturing the ring from the dragon...he has the heart of a "Modern Day Knight".  As one entertainer explained, "I will only perform in Texas on Student Days because the youth in Texas still have manners."  What a compliment, but also a reminder to stop and teach our youth good manners.

A great learning day was had by all.  Our only mishap was my middle-aged, foggy brain, misplacing the keys to our car.  After an hour of panic, my husband was coming to rescue the damsel in distress when we located the keys...still attached to the truck of my car, left there by my distracted 14-year-old.  Between teenage forgetfulness and middle-age fog...oh my, the keys had been left with the car.  God faithfully watched our day...no one stole my car or any of our possessions, and we were able return home without many scars.

The best way to learn anything is......"hands-on".........what a wonderful "hands-on" day.  What is your best "hands-on learning"?

Words to Live By!

Here is my half-price purchase from Hobby Lobby...words of conviction for me.   Prominently hung in full view for me to mediate on everyday.  These are words I should have learned to live by years ago...I am so glad I have a long-suffering God, whose mercies are new everyday.  I hope just viewing this daily will remind me to stop and consider my attitude and the words of my mouth.

This sign was displayed in a booth at First Monday in Canton, Texas.   We live in the Bible Belt, which means, there were scriptures written all over products at this large trade show.  The plaque was worth a laugh, but a reminder again of truths.

Share some of your words to live by!