Love Is In The Air
Love is in the air. Do you feel it?
Floating past you seemingly unnoticed at first, then knocking you off your feet.
The tall, dark, and handsome man across the room glances at you and continues to sneak a peek hoping you won’t catch him, and yet you do. Frozen in time for a moment, his face flushes red as he turns away only to look back at you as you’re now watching him.
And so it begins.
A soft smile forms on your lips as you look down and to the side.
Fast forward and these once shy teenagers are now older doing this thing called “Life” together.
Hand in hand. Heart to heart.
Love has brought fourth two beautiful children. When you didn’t think it possible to have any greater love, you became a mother! Now, without a doubt, you know the meaning of unconditional love.
Soft cries in the night, those of your newborn baby girl. Rushing to her side, cradling her in your arms, you look down at the face of an angel. God’s angel. He sent her to this earth for you to nurture, love, shelter and protect. And she gave your life new meaning and purpose.
Years later, after trouble, adversity, tragedy, and heartache struck, God blessed you with your miracle from above. Your heart’s desire now wrapped securely in a blanket, placed in your arms as you cry tears of pure joy at another angel God has trusted you with.
Your life feels complete. Your family unit now whole. And all is right in the world.
Years pass by, and your babies grow up. One now 19, the other knocking on the door of her 12th birthday. The pregnancy you lost never forgotten.
You reflect back, and it all seems like yesterday. You can recall every precious moment with your baby girls, all the beautiful firsts. And you look around and wonder where the time has gone? Why did your babies have to grow up so incredibly fast? It’s like you blinked, and they transformed into a grown up version of the little ones you once held hands with crossing the street. Yet you treasure every memory you’re blessed to have, and you take way too many pictures of moments to make them last a lifetime. Savoring every single moment in time, loving with all your might, pouring out all of yourself into your family. Grasping every fraction of a second you can with them before they’re grown enough to extend their wings to fly.
And you dread when that day comes knowing your heart will break. As you wave your hand high in the air at them going down the driveway while blinking back tears, the love you share with your children will remain forever.
Whether near or far, love is where you are … right there tucked inside your heart.
Forever.
And no one can take that from you.
Protect What Matters Most
The fourth of July has come and gone, and every year we hear horror stories of people injured by fireworks.
This morning I opened a news article where a 15 year old boy made a bomb out of 200 sparklers. In the interview, his mom and aunt talked of how he did this every year.
I have to stop right there and ask the question: WHY would you allow your child to play with fireworks and make bombs? Why?
The mother and aunt were in tears, and rightfully so. Their precious loved one is in critical condition, having part of his leg amputated. As he is still in a coma, they are unsure if the boy will lose his vision as a result of the explosion. His friend was also injured in the explosion, and he has to return to the hospital to have metal removed from his eyes.
Protect what matters most!
Do NOT allow your children to play with things of this nature.
About three years ago, my family and I decided to stay in for the 4th of July. We purchased our own fireworks and decided to have a fun time at home celebrating. My husband was to be the one to set the fireworks up and light them. My daughters and I had our beach chairs reclined in anticipation of a fabulous show. The first few fireworks were just fine, but something went terribly wrong when the roman candle fell on its side and started shooting right at us! My daughters and I jumped up from our chairs and started running toward the house for cover. As I tried to run, I tripped over my chair, and instantly I felt a hard metal ball hit my leg. It stung, which only made me run faster with greater determination to get away from it. After the roman candle was finally empty and I made sure my children were safe, I vowed that we would never, ever attempt to do fireworks at home again! And, we haven’t. Thankfully, I was the only one hit, and it did not penetrate my skin.
The whole ordeal was frightening, to say the least. This incident happened with fireworks we bought at the store. I cannot imagine trying to make one yourself and having tragedy strike.
I know the mom and aunt are living with regret today having allowed the boy to participate in such an act. It is extremely sad that this has ultimately altered his entire life now.
Parents, please protect what is nearest and dearest to your heart – your children! Protect what matters most!
If you want to enjoy fireworks, go to a show where the experts handle all of it – every single bit of it! That way you and your family can kick back, relax, and enjoy the show. There are places all over our small community offering places for the family to enjoy the 4th of July fireworks. I’m sure they are in your area as well. It just is not worth it to risk doing it yourself at home OR making firework bombs.
Pray for the 15 year old and his family, as well as his friend that was also injured yesterday.
Freedom From Shame
Maybe you’re still carrying around “baggage” from something that happened in the past, or perhaps it’s a situation that you’ve just found yourself in that has you plagued with guilt and shame. The reality is that it does not matter when it occurred. The point is no one is immune to it. It reaches in and attacks the very core of who we are, often times dragging our sense of self worth down with it. I’m speaking of guilt, but more importantly, I am referring to shame. Trust me, there is a difference in the two.
Heather Davis Nelson speaks to the heart and soul in her book “Un-Ashamed – Healing Our Brokenness and Finding Freedom From Shame.”
Shame can come from any where; often times from how you feel about your body, difficult situations you may have encountered with a boss or coworker, or even something that happened in a relationship you were involved in. Other times, it can be something that was forced upon you, and now you are having to live with the aftermath. Extreme shame is also someone’s constant companion if they have a secret sin they are trying to keep hidden.
Ms. Nelson utilizes Brene Brown’s books in order to put her work in a biblical framework, and she explains that she does so since we live in a fallen world. Ms. Nelson strives to address the topic of shame with hope!
Allow me to quote directly from the pages of the book as the words speak volumes:
“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging,” writes Brene Brown.
“Brown writes: ‘The majority of shame researchers and clinicians agree that the difference between shame and guilt is best understood as the difference between ‘I am bad’ and ‘I did something bad.’ Guilt = I did something bad. Shame = I am bad.’ Guilt is associated with actions while shame taints your entire identity.”
“Ed Welch, a professor and counselor at the Christian Counseling an Education Foundation (CCEF), fills this out in the following ways: “Guilt can be hidden; shame feels like it is always exposed.”
Let me just stop right there and say THIS is SO true! I know this section at the very beginning of her book spoke to my heart! This was just in the first few pages, too! Imagine what the rest of the book has in store – oh, you’re going to want to soak and bask in it!
Not convinced yet?
Allow me to share a little more, would you:
“To expunge guilt, confession and forgiveness are needed. Eradicating shame calls for a deep and pervasive antidote, one that will strike shame at its roots and transform the way you think about who you are and the relationships in your life.”
“We wear shame like a shield, hiding who we know ourselves to be and protecting ourselves from whom we fear others could be.”
Wow!
Now let me share something that brought hope forth out of these passages:
“Through union with Christ you are clothed with honor rather than shame, made part of a community to which you will always belong, and given a kingdom that cannot be taken away.”
I have been engrossed in this book so much that my daughter came in the other day when I was reading it inquiring as to the content. I shared some of it with her, and she would like to read this book after I’m finished with it. I’m telling you – everyone, regardless of age, can benefit from the wisdom that is imparted in this book.
Please enter our giveaway to have your very own copy of this book sent directly to your door. Even if you’re not struggling with any form of shame currently but know of someone that may be going through something like this, you could win this book in our giveaway to pass on to them. That’s food for thought. Some one out there NEEDS to hear the message this book brings forth! Won’t you enter?
Freedom from shame!
“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per
