October is here!

October has arrived! When I think of October my sister comes to mind. My sister, Robyn, is three years younger than me. She lives in California and always will. The reason I think of Robyn when October rolls around is her BIRTHDAY is October 31st. She took many many jokes about being born on that day growing up. Not by me, but usually by boys.

We are very different. She is a blue eyed blond. I am a brunette with brown eyes. She is skinny, I am pleasantly round. She is almost a loner. I am a people person. She is smart. I am a dreamer. She is a career woman. I am a domestic engineer. I bake and cook and sew. That's a 'no go' for Robyn. She is like my Mom. I am like my Dad. She has a fast hot convertible. I drive a mini van. She has one son and two step sons. I have six kids. She likes pink. I like red. She exercises everyday at the gym. I go for a walk once in awhile. She has lots of people under her with her job, she's the boss. I am married to the boss.

We are different. Yet, I love her. She knew me as a kid. She came to see me when I lived in Germany. She is my sister. We are linked...even if at times we wonder. So as I set my pumpkin out by my front door during October, I smile. I dream a little and I smile. Different is good!

Fall is here...

We all have seasons in life. Yes, spring, summer, fall and winter. If you are like me, maybe you have certain seasons you like better than others. I prefer spring and summer having grown up in the southwest, we didn't have snowy winters. We didn't have the gorgeous changes of fall either. We had green and brown, that was it. I have come to love fall and all the 'changes' and yes, I am finding things about winter that I enjoy too.

Yet, there are other kinds of 'seasons' also. I am talking about seasons of life. Life is a process. We go through many changes and seasons. How easily we enjoyed 'childhood'. I loved my dolls. I loved my friends. I loved to play 'house' with anyone who would play...even my brother. Hours spent playing house and having tea parties and making mud pies and of 'pretending'.

Then came adolescence. Something inside 'woke up' and the reality that I was no longer a child. Life was no longer about dressing my babies and finding someone to play with. Junior high was not my best school years. I did not fit in. I had to wear corrective shoes when all the other girls wore flats. In fact I remember very little of those years except for a few 'bad' memories. One very bright memory though, probably the 'BRIGHTEST' of my life, was becoming a child of God. Oh how happy I am that God saw fit to shed HIS love abroad in my heart as a 12 year old.

Seasons......of growing in the Lord too. We never stand still in our relationship with our God. We are either growing.....or wilting.

I love to garden. I see so many analogies in the world of gardening. I have two pots on my walkway by the front door. They are pretty, I think so anyway. They have to be watered 'everyday' in the summer. Everyday!!! Our house faces south and the sun beats on them. If I skip a day or forget to give them water, they wilt. They revive and are pretty once again when I pour water on them. No, they do not die, even if I miss two days. But they sure wilt .......waiting for me to give them water.

Over the summer God revealed to me that I am just like those plants. If I spend time with Jesus everyday, reading His word, praying and talking with him, I am not wilted. But when I neglect or forget to spend that time, I wilt. I do not die, but I wilt. The more days I forget to 'water' my inner life, I wilt more and more. As God pours on His life giving words to me, I revive.

I woke so many days in the summer with the first thought, I am thirsty for you God. His mercies to me. I spend much time reading and rejoicing in who he is.....I loved it, cherished those moments.

Do you ever feel 'thirsty' for hearing God's words to you?? Start with five minutes and read one Proverb for the day. Today is Sept. 26th. So read Provberbs 26. Or read Psalms 26 and add 30 to that number all the way through Psalms. (26, 56, 86 etc.) I have a Bible Reading Plan I follow for the year and I love it. I have tried many different ones through the years and right now I am using The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan. If you want a copy, leave a message and I will mail you one. (more about this later)

For the summer I did not blog. It was a season of rest from writing! I love to write and write often in my journal. (How fun starting a new one too) I felt the Lord asking me to 'let it go' for a bit. What a great summer HE gave me. So much fullness of HIS love in my heart.

So here I am towards the end of September and I begin blogging again. I am excited to see all God will do in me this fall ~ for HE is faithful! 2Thessalonians 3:3

Happy Birthday Robert Davis!

Today is my oldest son's Birthday! 39 years ago today (just 13 minutes ago) I gave birth to a little bouncing baby boy in Augsburg, Germany!

How thrilled his Dad and I were to be through with labor and see his sweet face. My hubby was in the Army Security Agency with the Army and had taken two weeks leave to be there for the delivery. The day leave was over, I went into labor. Dave reported back and said "I have to leave as Sherry is in labor!!"

It was worth all the pain to receive the blessing of our new baby boy. Robert Davis McCurley. My father's first name, Dave's and his Dad's middle and last name. He was named after his daddy, and both Grandfathers. Back then one did not go home right away. He was delivered in a Field Hospital with no luxuries. I was in a ward with 11 other new Moms who thought nursing was not the way to go. I alone chose to nurse my new baby!

I was to go to a 'meal room' and get my own food, take the baby back and forth to the nursery and care for my own needs. As I look back I am so reminded of God's presence and grace to this very naive new Mommy. I thank God for the very large nurse who took pity on me and helped me sooo very much. She came to my bed, whipped the curtain closed (trying to figure it out with 11 non nursing women giving me the evil eye was intimidating) undid my gown and showed me the art of nursing a new baby in 5 minutes. He caught on and the rest is history.

Our new baby had jaundice and was to stay in the hospital with me being sent home after 3 days. I began to cry......really cry. My Doctor came to discharge me as I continued to cry. "What is wrong??" I don't want to leave my new son!!!!! They won't let me nurse him! (Back then, they gave water to jaundice babies and formula. No nursing.) He quickly said, "You do NOT have to go home, I say you can stay until the baby is ready--and that is that." Wow, was I thrilled! So Rob and I stayed a full week in the Field Hospital and went home together!

How marvelous are God's ways. Higher, much higher than our ways. I thank HIM so much for being with me those many years ago. He provided just what I needed, what my new baby needed and more blessings than we could of ever imagined! As I think back, I see the hand of God moving through the years and always, always giving grace to this very undeserving Mother.

Thank you Lord for Robert Davis and all the tremendous ways you have worked. I am one very blessed Mom and I know it......so grateful you bestow such love and grace on this undeserved girl!

Delighting in Jesus today, Sherry Lynette

Silence

I have been silent on this blog for awhile. Good for the soul.

We are going through the book of Job on Sunday mornings at our Church. Rather, our Pastor is preaching through Job. What an amazing man Job was and we can learn soooo much through his life and relationship with God.

Silence! Job was silent for 7 days along with his friends. I don't know about you but I have a hard time being silent. I am learning lots about myself in this new adventure in learning to be silent. We were given the assignment last week to read Zephaniah 3:17 and then sit and listen for 30 minutes. No problem.....I thought!

Saturday was my day, no rush and time to do this assignment. I was very surprised to find out it was hard work for me. I at first tried to sit quietly. Thoughts came rushing in, all over the map. So I tried reading my Bible and doing my devos. Having spent the time praying and doing devotions, I tried again. Now my thoughts were racing....like on a bike race. I went inside (I was on the cool deck in our back yard) and mentioned to Dave that my mind was a whirlwind and I could not stop it. He suggested I get up and walk around the gardens and just pray and talk with the Lord about it. So I did.....for 30 minutes.

Then I came back and sat on the deck and thanked HIM for being with me, loving me, helping me, caring for me. And I sat in silence. What did I hear? I made a long list of what I heard. At first birds chirping, wind in the trees, chipmunk stirring around, squirrel in the tree. Then near the end, I heard the Lord speak. He tells me in the Bible, "My sheep know my voice." What did I hear? I heard him say " you know and see how I have made all the birds, all the flowers, all the butterflies and how I care for them. Sherry, you constantly thank me for my faithfulness and goodness as you work in your gardens. I want you to know I care and love you so much. You are my daughter and I love you." Precious and real!

I am so grateful I went through the 'hard work' of fighting to be silent!!!! What about you? Do you find it easy to sit in quietness and silence? I am definitely on to something special!

Song for a Rainy Day~

Our family was discussing 'songs' last week as we sat around. I love children's songs and have so many rattling around in my head. I started singing this one.....Dave was the only one who remembered it. I couldn't believe it! I sang this song with everyone of my kids! Go figure!

~Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam~

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for Him each day;
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him.

Jesus wants me to be loving,
And kind to all I see;
Showing how pleasant and happy
His little one can be.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him.

I will ask Jesus to help me,
To keep my heart from sin;
Ever reflecting His goodness,
And always shine for Him.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him.

I'll be a sunbeam for Jesus;
I can if I but try;
Serving Him moment by moment,
Then live with Him on high.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,

I'll be a sunbeam for Him.

A very nice song for a rainy day, don't you agree?

So my kids think I'm nuts, I don't care....

Singing here ~

Lynette

DayBook~

Outside my window~ rain, rain, rain. Very green grass, wet deck and deck chairs and 2 tables that very much need washing down. That is one job I hate.

I am thinking ~ today I am off and so wanted to get outside and weed and trim my flower beds. I go around the beds with a shovel type tool that is straight and cut in every spring to keep the bed lines sharp and grass free. Not today. Flex. I have 2 closets left in my de-clutter goal. After today I will have one left, Lord willing.

I am wearing~ jean capris, I am barefoot. Wearing my green "Cape May Lima Bean" shirt my hubby bought me from the Lima Bean Festival last year during our Cape May Adventure with Chip and Kim and Doug! I think it's cute!

I am thankful for~ rain God sends because it means May flowers.

From the learning rooms ~ Books, books and more books!

From the kitchen ~ Coffee made by my honey. He does make the best coffee ~ even better than Starbucks. That is a fact.

I am creating ~ margin in my house. De-clutter continues. I want to be able to open a closet and find room. So far the closets I've done are efficient and have room! I have decided I only keep what I really like. I'm not a knick knack type girl. But I do like dishes....ha.

I am going ~ nowhere in the van today. Bible Study tonight! I like Bible Study!

I am reading ~ a new book. I did something unusual for me this week. I picked up a book, read 2 chapters which were not very good. I actually closed the book and returned it to the Library. I have always finished books I start. Not anymore. There are way too many good books to waste time on the not so good ones!

I am hoping ~ the Lord uses me today for his glory!

I am hearing ~ the pitter patter of rain against the wood deck just outside the sliding door. There are 3 birds chirping also...so wonderful to hear.

Around our home ~ we are all moving slow. Me included. I should not have stayed up into the wee hours reading last night. Not good.

A few of my favorite things ~

• Spring
• Root Beer Floats
• Flowers....all kinds
• Digging in the dirt.
• Holding babies
• Grass between my toes.

Thanking God for this time of year,

Lynette

Marriage Monday

Today is Marriage Monday ~

How often do you really really 'look' at your husband? Not the causal glance but really look at him, deeply into his eyes?

I had a friend in Kingston who was very frustrated. She was a little older than me but married for just a few years. She said he hubby never looked at her. He did talk to her but never looked at her. She was pretty, stylish and slim. I talked with her about men, marriage and relationships. I asked her if she 'smiled' at him? Did she speak softly, drawing him in? We spoke at length about what femininity is. One day she called me up and asked me out to lunch, (a major planning for a Mom with 5 kids at home, homeschooling) which I accepted.

She told me a story. She had spoken to her hubby of her frustration. He didn't agree. He thought he looked at her all the time. She wanted eye contact. She wanted smiles AT her. So she got up one morning, washed her face and drew a big black 'dot' on the end of her nose. She used an eyebrow pencil to do it. She also put on some make-up, did her hair and dressed as usual.

She made his breakfast and sat down to eat with him, the newspaper spread out before him as he ate. No reaction. They had a wood working design studio and he went to work on that in the garage. Still no reaction. She made him lunch. She worked around the house, running into him many times during the day. Dinner over she settled in for the evening with her hubby. At bedtime she took the bull by the horns.

She took him by the face and looked straight into his eyes. He said "you have dirt on your face"! She said " all day I have had this dot on the end of my nose and you never noticed!" He didn't notice and he knew it.

I remember this story often. We look, but we don't see. At our kids, at our friends, and yes, even at our spouses. Take time today to really see ~ with the eyes of love!

Lord, teach me to SEE! Lynette

PS. Yes, they are still married. He's learned to 'see' better and she learned to give her expectations to the LORD ~ HE always 'sees'!