Apple Picking

  

 Faith. I thank God for this little girl He gave to me.  I love her of course as a daughter but she is so much more than that.  She is my buddy, my playmate and my prayer partner even.  One day recently, as I was putting on my sneakers to go running, first she asked me if I had my phone in my pocket and then she told me to "BE SAFE!"  Hows that for a caring little girl?   While my teenage children are busy and out and about I still have my little 8 year old to hang out with. 

      Faith and I went apple picking at my friend Sharon's home in Enosburg.  A little piece of paradise we found there.  So quiet and full of fall colors and warm sunshine. 

 I'll always remember this day of gathering apples, climbing trees, exploring, talking, running laughing together. 

Of course Grover was there too and he just adds to the fun. 

 Around every corner, Faith would find something new.  A park bench, a flag, a fountain, a path, another tree to climb, a treehouse, a brook, even a little cabin in the woods. One of my favorite days this fall.

Even the Sunflowers Bow in His Presence

The sunflowers I planted by our mailbox are magnificent.  I planted them but God created them and grew them tall and strong.  They are mature and full grown.    Doing as they are supposed to do.  Reaching their roots deep into the soil to receive all the nutrients the earth has to offer.  And then lifting their faces towards the Sun to absorb it and get the full benefit of its powerful rays! 

And then:

They bow their heads in the presence of the sun.  So mature.  As if in awe.  I can't help but think that it will be the same way with us.  God is growing us too.  We need to reach down deep into the roots of God's word and be fed.   Psalm 1:3 says:   "He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers."  We need to mature and grow by staying in the word.   And then some day, we too can stand before the SON, and bow our heads, fully mature.  The work in us complete.  We will be a reflection of the SON.   Just like him.  1 Corinthians 13:12  says, Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.   Yes, I will be able to see him clearly but just as the sunflower does, it will be my joy to bow in his presence.!

What's in a Word?

     Words that bring a smile to my lips and hope to my heart.  Some words have so much power and evoke so much feeling with in me.  Words like:
   Beautiful        MIGHTY         
 VICTORIOUS!  Morning   Forever           
        ROCK
Author   SALVATION  redeemed
Star                  Wings                          Faith        Word   
 Just standing alone.   Or within verses - they are enough for me.  More than enough to fill me up, to comfort me, to help me remember what is important.  It has always been that way for me.  The gift of a word, a handwritten note, a card, a book.  They are the gift that blesses me the most.
     It's no wonder, considering that in the beginning was God and the word and they are one and the same.  (John 1: 1&2)  So powerful is the word that it can cut you down or build you up.  Depending on how you use the words in your mind.  So remember, the words that cut, and hurt and destroy are just as powerful! 
I choose the ones that will build and heal and keep me strong.  Words like the ones above that fill and heal.  What words do you choose to focus on?
     "For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight."  Hebrews 4:12

Two People who have blessed many!

     What can I say about my parents? They are amazing. Fred and Audrey FitzSimmons.  Here they are. Then July 7 1950.

Daddy is strong, smart, all American and more.   Mama is faithful, loving, thoughtful.  Both of them are ALWAYS  there for eachother and each one of us 9 children, 40 plus grandchildren and more!  We had the privilege of celebrating their 60 anniversary in July!  I remember when it was 25 years.  I was only 10.  It seemed an enormous milestone.  But 60!  And going strong. 

And now: July 7, 2010:

     We had a great time at Joe and Jens annual family reunion and barbecue.  A big cake and gifts.
But best of all were two moments. Cutting their cake:

                            and dancing with each other surrounded by this extra large, crazy family!

It brought tears to my eyes and such a feeling of pride to be a part of something so strong and lasting.  I can only hope and pray that my family will be so blessed after so many years.  Psalm 112 1&2 says:  Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His commands.  His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed."  I can not think of 2 people more loving and giving than my parents.  God has truly blessed them with a tremendous family and lots of love.
I love you Mumma and Daddy!  Thank you!

                                                   Enjoying a new photo album together.

The Lord is my rock! (2 Sam 22:2)

  

 For the last year I have found myself drawn to rocks, ledges, stone walls, pictures of castles, stained glass.  Actually anything that had to do with castles.  I love them.  They represent strength, fortitude, things that last, protection, royalty.    I kept questioning it and wondering why I was suddenly so attracted to them.  I went to a conference on prophesy and learned that when God starts showing you things like this;  Pay attention!  He is talking to you!  Not in a burning bush but in a quiet way as only the holy spirit can do. 

      So I paid attention.  I put lots of rocks in my garden to remind me of Gods strength.  My sister found me a lego castle at a yard sale which my step son Adam put together for me.  Another reminder.  I keep on my desk.  Even hot glued it together so the kids can't take it apart.  Stronger that way. 

     And of course I began to write down verses that spoke of rocks.  Here is one of my favorites.  2 Samuel 22:2  "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.  He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior."

     I've had dreams of being in castle like structures.  He says in Numbers 12:6 "I reveal myself to him in visions. I speak to him in dreams."  So I write the dreams down.  I pay attention.  I don't want to miss a thing that he reveals to me.

      Well, kings live in castles and I am the daughter of a King.  So maybe God just wants me to keep that in my mind.  All things that have to do with a King. He gave me the poem to write.  He encouraged me to name my blog that.  Maybe He wants me to let others know that they are royalty too.  They just need to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and they will be saved.  You too are sons and daughters of a king.  Claim your inheritance!

    " Look to the ROCK from which your were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn."  Isaiah51:1 

The dog I ended up with...

This is my idea of a real dog!! The kids have been asking for Paul and I to get a dog for them for years.  Especially, Audrey and Faith.  Begging, asking, coercing, guilting, even.  Audrey even wrote a persuasive essay for English class last year to try to talk us into it.  We weren't interested.  Holly told me that pets are used in hospitals and other places to comfort people and that it would just feel good to hold a dog.  Faith always asked for a puppy too.  A little tiny chihuaha or other such lap dog or one she could carry in her purse.  She also only wanted stuffed dogs and toys for Christmas.  That was easy cuz I would buy those for her.  They don't shed and they don't eat and most importantly they don't do their business on the carpet!

 So needless to say; they kept asking and I continued to say no.  one day Faith told me to list the reasons why we couldn't have a dog.  So I carefully explained #1 dogs are a big responsiblity!  She said said I'll take care of it.  #2 dogs cost money.  She said I'll give you the money in my piggy bank!  #3  Dogs poop and pee on the floor.  She said I'll clean it up!  #4  Dogs have to be trained, they cry at night to go out!  She said I'll sleep with him and I'll bring him out.  #5 Dogs shed all over the place.  She said "I'll vacuum.  And after each one she woud say "check"   and Next excuse!  Boy talk about persuasive! 

     However, underneath I was kind of wondering about myself and why I had such a lack of interest in dogs.  Everyone else loves their dogs.  They talk about them, bring pictures of them to work and tell endless pet stories which, frankly bored me to tears!  I grew up with dogs as pets all my life but they weren't mine.  They were my moms dogs.  Often times our german sheperd Lady would get loose and run all over the neighborhood.  I would have to chase her down and bring her home.  I swear she would look back at me as I was chasing her down Packard Street; laugh at me and then keep running.  It was maddening.  I did not like her.  I guess they were just a nuisance to me. 
     However, since moving to Enosburg, I have been surrounded by neighbors with pets.  The beagle Freckles from across the street who would come begging at our door for food and then follow me all the way into town when I would take Faith for a walk in her carriage.  The grey hound Ollie out back who is completely timid.  He doesn't even come close enough to pet him.   Then along came Leia;  the bulldog.  One of the first times she came over, she leaned over the pool edge and fell in.  She proceeded to sink quickly and I had to jump in and save her!  She is fat and clumsy and really quite funny to watch.  Then Ezra came along.   I was drinking my morning coffee one day and into my living room walked the cutest little boxer puppy you ever saw.  Jakes new dog that he snuck in! 
     So needless to say; I have been slowly exposed to dogs and they have been growing on me.   Enough so that I was finally considering letting Faith and Audrey have one.   But I was going to think about it long and hard.  Get a dog book and research just the right one for us.  Maybe a basset hound I thought.  One that lays by the fireplace all day and looks at you with sad eyes.  Or a real dog!  Key word _REAL!   A german sheperd or mastiff.  One that will protect Us.  Definitely can't have one of those yapping, tiny lap dogs.  No sirree bob! 
     Well; as usual God has everything all planned out.   I think he had our dog handpicked for us even before he was born.  He kind of knows what we need before we know.  So Audrey went with her Dad to Massachusettes to visit her uncle and found out that they were having puppies in a few months.  She called me to tell me that she was getting one.  He was going to live at her Dads house and she already had a name for this unborn puppy!  "Grover Sanchez".  I figured, oh good.  That solves that problem.  The dog can live at her Dads and we can see it once in a while.  That way the girls will be happy and I don't have to deal with a dog. 
     In June, Audrey went back to Mass to get her dog>  On the way home, she called to let me know that her fathers landlord won't allow him to keep him.  So guess what?  Dog in hand;  Audrey walks into my work with the cutest of all puppies!  A tiny, one pound chihuaha, schnauzer mix.  So adorable.  He looks just like Benji!  I must say we all fell in love with him immediately!   He became a part of our household so quickly and got into a routine.  He listens, he doesn't bark alot.  He's playful and gentle and doesn't sniff at me too much.  "REAL"  dog.  I guess he's a REAL dog.  He is not giant and vicious.  He probably couldn't hurt a flea.  He's kind of a lap dog.  He won't be much more than 15 pounds.  Ya, he's REAL!   He runs with me.  He's devoted.  He sits at my feet while I drink my coffee.  He lays at my feet when I relax on the couch at night.  He follows me wherever I go but not in an annoying way.  He's real and he's ours and I love him!   

First Day of School 8/23/10

     I can't believe that summer vacation has come to an end.  I hope that doesn't mean that summer weather has come to an end quite yet.  Cuz, boy this has been the warmest, sunniest summer that I can remember!  But yes, my little girls were up bright and early;  Audrey at 5:30 and Faith at 6:30 and eager to get back to their friends at Enosburg!  I too really enjoy seeing that big yellow bus!!   Now I can get organized, get some housework done, have some much needed quiet time and maybe make them a special snack (like whoopie pies) for when they get home! 
     So glad I got a new camera for the first day!  Ritual is to take a picture of each kid at the door and then some more pics outside.  Of course I must get all my shots in before the bus gets there.  Mom is forbidden to be outside when the bus gets there:  I might embarrass somebody wearing my pajamas!  horrors!

Audrey Rose

 

Faifer

So after so many years of getting 5 kids out on that bus; Jake, Nolan, Holly, Audrey and Faith; now we are down to two!  It is still so busy around here and I continue to wonder how I ever got all of them out there on time!??  I guess God gives you the strength and energy to do what you need to do!

    So now, I have only two children to get off to school.  It seems so lonely.  But the others are grown and moving on.  That must be why he brought us Grover!  A new puppy to fill in the empty spaces left by Holly, Nolan and Jake.  God must have known I'd need a buddy now that my nest is emptying out.  He always knows just what we need even though I thought I didn't want or need a dog. He gives and takes away, my heart will choose to say Blessed be His Name!  Thanks to God for giving me a beautiful family, a wonderful loving husband and even a new puppy that I didn't know I needed!
    

Sensitvity

   So the word God has given me in the last few days is Sensitive.  I looked it up in the dictionary.  and basically it is "responsive to and readily affected by eternal conditions or emotion stimulation."   Like a sensitive part of the body or a sensitive child.   The definition that defines me though is "susceptible to the attitudes, feelings or circumstances of others; acutely or sympathetically aware">thaaaaaaat's me!
  Sensitivity can be a blessing and a curse. Take it from one who knows.  Sure it's great when you can be sensitive to someone's feelings.  Being able to look at someone and know that they are hurting or worrying or in pain.  This certainly helps me in the health care field.  I can look at my patients and know what they need, if their blood pressure is going to drop; if they are tired, they are nervous, they are experiencing cramps or other pains.  This is good because I can meet their needs quickly.  I can reassure them and comfort them and provide the necessary intervention.  Its also great when I can use my sensitivity to know when to speak and when to shut up; to put it plainly.
      I often think about what it would be like to be tough, thick skinned, able to let things roll off my back like water off of a duck!  But God didn't make me that way.  He made me uniquely sensitive to the needs and feelings of those around me.  He made me sensitive to the rights and wrongs in this world.  He made me sensitive to violence on t.v, in the news and even in books.  He made me sensitive to those I've offended and wronged.  He made me sensitive to children and babies and given me the desire to make things right when I see someone crying. Oh, this is good because it is part conscience, and it is part loving and it is wanting what is good and right in this world. 
      So sensitive at times that it becomes difficult to trust because I don't want to make a mistake.  I don't want to get too close to someone and then fail them myself or on the flip side -be disappointed by them. So sensitive that I worry about many things.  So sensitive that I let my imagination go wild and become anxious about what could happen.  So sensitive that I worry what others think.   This is when it becomes a curse.!
  So for me to have come this far in life with such a sensitive spirit I have had to lean on God for as far back as I can remember.  To trust Him with my fears, my anxieties and my worries about the bad stuff of this world.  One of the first verses I ever remember memorizing is Phillipians 4:5-7  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  (And this is the part that I have repeated in my heart and mind since I was about 12 years old)  And the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."  I can remember praying "keep my heart and mind at rest Lord"  over and over again at different points in my life.  But most especially, when I went through a severe bout of post partum depression 14 years ago.  That is a whole other story but it was the darkest time of my life.  This verse and others were the one thing that I could cling to and get through that time.  God truly did stand guard over my heart and mind.  God the King, used his word, which is sharp and alive and all powerful and defended my heart and kept it at rest.  He gave me sensitivity, which can be a curse and a blessing and used it for His glory alone.
Sure, I'd love to be tough as nails but I guess I'll stay sensitive and rely on God for his strenth!

Look to the Lord Psalm 105:4

     Most mornings begin with coffee and quiet time doing devotions at the kitchen table.  The summer is much more hectic and I find that if I don't set my alarm clock and make myself get up, I miss out on some really important conversation with my God.  Yes, he is always there even if I don't have devotions.  I am aware of that, but setting aside quiet time with HIM is something that cannot be described.  And it is essential for peace, growth and direction for every day in my life.  So when I do miss it, I miss out on time with my friend!  And what kind of friend am I if I don't spend time with my Lord?  So in my walk, I do my best to put this time first and when I can't I know that He forgives me.  And when I stay close to HIM, he stays close to me!   On this day, the verse He gives me is this:  Psalm 105:4  Look to the Lord and His strenth; seek His face always."  This verse reminds me of how weak I am.  And this what I continually do- look to Him for He is the strong one.  Wait on Him and seek his face.  And though I get restless and want a clear picture of where to go and what to do, it is a daily thing; a moment by moment decision to let Him lead me.  So my prayer is that I will be satisfied with wherever you choose to lead me.
verses 1-4 give me clear directions
1.  Give thanks
2.  Call on His name
3.  Make known to the nations( or all my friends on facebook) what He has done
4.  Glory in Him
5.  Rejoice in Him
6.  Look to His strength
7.  Seek His face
Thanks Lord for such clear directions in your word!