Today I took my 20 month old grandson on a walk around the block, or rather I chased after him. It is so much fun to point out the glories of Gods creation, colors, textures, and fragrances. He was more interested in ants and a VERY small puddle. I let him slap his hands in it a few times and then before I realized what he was doing he was down on his tummy lapping at the moisture with his tongue. I picked him up and his face radiated joy.
It occurs to me that our faces would radiate joy if we allowed the little things of life to refresh us. God has offered to be living water in our lives to bring us abundant life. He wants to walk with us through the puddles of life. What would happen if we fell down on our faces and lapped up the joy and wonder He offers in the little things?
Love from the Dahl house: John 4:14
"But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Monday, June 2, 2014
I Woke Up This Morning With A Heavy Heart
Being a mom and a grandmother can bring the greatest joy or the heaviest heartbreak. My daughter is getting a divorce! After struggling to make her marriage work for many years, fighting breast cancer while pregnant with her 4th child, and trying to live in a way that honors God, she has made a difficult decision to divorce.
My heart is heavy not only for her and the children but for her husband. I am grief stricken that bad choices time and again have landed them in this place of brokenness . I believe with my whole heart that my son-in-law has the potential to be a most amazing man. Whether or not God placed the picture of him in my mind as a spiritually strong man, that is how I've seen him in my prayers and in my heart. I have believed he would grow into that man. I have loved him and I still do.
I am angry that the 'enemy of our souls' seems to be winning a victory here. I will choose to believe that God can redeem even this situation and turn it into good.
Meanwhile my heart is heavy for all of them......
Lesson in love: God can do immeasurably more than we can hope or imagine!
My heart is heavy not only for her and the children but for her husband. I am grief stricken that bad choices time and again have landed them in this place of brokenness . I believe with my whole heart that my son-in-law has the potential to be a most amazing man. Whether or not God placed the picture of him in my mind as a spiritually strong man, that is how I've seen him in my prayers and in my heart. I have believed he would grow into that man. I have loved him and I still do.
I am angry that the 'enemy of our souls' seems to be winning a victory here. I will choose to believe that God can redeem even this situation and turn it into good.
Meanwhile my heart is heavy for all of them......
Lesson in love: God can do immeasurably more than we can hope or imagine!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
PRAYER
Some Sundays I am so inspired by something that is spoken I want to share it with as many people as possible! Here are the priceless jewels from a sermon on prayer:
C.S. Lewis said," Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say landed in disguise and is calling us all to take part in a campaign of sabotage"
Isn't that awesome! In prayer we take up arms against the enemy of our souls to bring (in cooperation with God ) about the fulfillment of His plans!
"Prayer is not bending God's will to ours; but bending our wills to God's". What a privilege and exciting opportunity !!
If we truly understood the power of prayer in the name of Jesus , and the holy work that God intends for believers we could rock the world with God's Goodness. ( like the first believers).
Food for thought.........
C.S. Lewis said," Christianity is the story of how the rightful King has landed, you might say landed in disguise and is calling us all to take part in a campaign of sabotage"
Isn't that awesome! In prayer we take up arms against the enemy of our souls to bring (in cooperation with God ) about the fulfillment of His plans!
"Prayer is not bending God's will to ours; but bending our wills to God's". What a privilege and exciting opportunity !!
If we truly understood the power of prayer in the name of Jesus , and the holy work that God intends for believers we could rock the world with God's Goodness. ( like the first believers).
Food for thought.........
Saturday, April 5, 2014
memories contiued
I want the children to know without a doubt that I loved them and they are unique and precious! May our adventures stand as signposts that read, "You are loved and lovable".
lesson in love from the Dahl house:
1John 4: 18a-19
There is no fear in love, but full grown love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!......We love God, because He first loved us
If we fill our children with love and acceptance unconditionally they will walk through life without fear of failure. After all, trying new things can be an adventure!
lesson in love from the Dahl house:
1John 4: 18a-19
There is no fear in love, but full grown love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!......We love God, because He first loved us
If we fill our children with love and acceptance unconditionally they will walk through life without fear of failure. After all, trying new things can be an adventure!
MEMORIES
Spring Break! The grand children are home from school, an opportunity to make a memory that will last a lifetime. I wanted it to be fun, an adventure!
The weather cooperated with my plan: wind howling, sun shinning, temperature mid 60's. We crammed 10 bathing suit clad children into cars and headed for the beach. My daughters were concerned because small craft advisories and undertow warnings had been posted ......but an adventure has to include an element of the unknown and adventure.
The water was icy cold and the wind blew sand so hard it stung our skin, but we had FUN! The children frolicked in the sand dunes and splashed each other in the water. Eighteen month old Zeke chased sea gulls and got his bottom wet running away from sea foam and the smallest of waves.
Frozen to the core we piled back into cars and headed to the 80degree community swimming pool, primed for warmer water .
Our adventure left us starving; a hearty meal was next on the agenda, and a new experience in cooking. The boys started the charcoal barbecue with grandpa's supervision. Their job was to roast hotdogs and buns. The girls busily chopped veggies with adult knives while I taught the techniques of keeping fingers safe. The children all stretched their fledgling wings a bit and learned new life skills. A day of fun must be topped off with some-mores
and "boy did we"! The day couldn't have been more wonderful or satisfying!
My desire is to build memories of love and happiness for my sixteen grand children. I have no way of knowing what the future holds for them but I do know that a foundation of love will help to sustain them through whatever life throws at them!
My grandmother gave me some of the best experiences of my childhood. As a love starved child her actions meant more to me than she could have ever imagined! She is probably the reason it is so important to me to intentionally build good things into my grand children's memories.
The weather cooperated with my plan: wind howling, sun shinning, temperature mid 60's. We crammed 10 bathing suit clad children into cars and headed for the beach. My daughters were concerned because small craft advisories and undertow warnings had been posted ......but an adventure has to include an element of the unknown and adventure.
The water was icy cold and the wind blew sand so hard it stung our skin, but we had FUN! The children frolicked in the sand dunes and splashed each other in the water. Eighteen month old Zeke chased sea gulls and got his bottom wet running away from sea foam and the smallest of waves.
Frozen to the core we piled back into cars and headed to the 80degree community swimming pool, primed for warmer water .
Our adventure left us starving; a hearty meal was next on the agenda, and a new experience in cooking. The boys started the charcoal barbecue with grandpa's supervision. Their job was to roast hotdogs and buns. The girls busily chopped veggies with adult knives while I taught the techniques of keeping fingers safe. The children all stretched their fledgling wings a bit and learned new life skills. A day of fun must be topped off with some-mores
and "boy did we"! The day couldn't have been more wonderful or satisfying!
My desire is to build memories of love and happiness for my sixteen grand children. I have no way of knowing what the future holds for them but I do know that a foundation of love will help to sustain them through whatever life throws at them!
My grandmother gave me some of the best experiences of my childhood. As a love starved child her actions meant more to me than she could have ever imagined! She is probably the reason it is so important to me to intentionally build good things into my grand children's memories.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
CHILDREN ARE AN INHERITANCE FROM THE LORD
There is nothing that compares to the joy of spending time with grandchildren! I suppose the reason is that I am not as exhausted as I was with my own children. Raising 6 children often found me in a distracted frame of mind, unable to focus in on them individually as much as I would have liked. Anyway I think everyone of my 14 grandchildren is the 'cats meow ': intelligent, talented, funny, athletic, witty..........
This morning Parker , 7, ran to me and threw her arms around me in a big hug, looked up into my eyes and said, "I love you, Grandma" . Then hugging me even tighter she said, "you are so warm and I am so.......cold". Ooooolala! My heart was more than full.
The BIble teaches that our children are an inheritance from The Lord ! What an inheritance! My hearts desire is to be the kind of grandparent that mirrors the amazing, loving God that I know. I want to be a warm, sheltering harbor for them when they are cold and hurting or overflowing with joy and fun. I want to listen to their hearts beyond what their words might be. I want to be one of their first flesh and blood examples of what Jesus is like.
Lesson of love from the Dahl house: Matthew6:33.
"
" Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you as well."
God loves to pour out love upon those who seek him .
Monday, March 24, 2014
The Joy of Chocolate Strawberries
Last night 3 of my grand daughters came for an overnight stay. Our adventure for the evening was to make chocolate dipped strawberries ! The girls love to try doing something they have never done before. They greet every new experience with exuberance and excitement to learn; overflowing with the joy of being "big enough"!
For me the joy comes from being a part of teaching them an attitude of fearlessness when attempting something new. They have no need to fear failure because I am standing right beside them to guide them and lend a helping hand. When their little hands tremble, my larger hand is available to steady and support their beginning steps.
I wonder if God feels the same about us when we flap our fledgling wings and attempt to do something that challenges us? Writing a blog definitely falls into that category for me. I am more than a little computer challenged!!( My poor daughter Rebecca has been answering nonstop phone calls as I seek instruction.) And yet,I somehow know my Heavenly Father is as close to me as I am to my grand daughters, ready to step in and guide my hand if I tremble with fear of failure or ridicule.
The best part of moving forward in spite
of anxiety is the sweetness of the fruit of success,whether it is chocolate strawberries or a blog successfully published!
Lesson in love from the Dahl House:
Hebrews 13:5-6
For God has said, "I will never, never fail you nor forsake you". That is why we can say without any doubt or fear, "The Lord is my Helper and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me."
For me the joy comes from being a part of teaching them an attitude of fearlessness when attempting something new. They have no need to fear failure because I am standing right beside them to guide them and lend a helping hand. When their little hands tremble, my larger hand is available to steady and support their beginning steps.
I wonder if God feels the same about us when we flap our fledgling wings and attempt to do something that challenges us? Writing a blog definitely falls into that category for me. I am more than a little computer challenged!!( My poor daughter Rebecca has been answering nonstop phone calls as I seek instruction.) And yet,I somehow know my Heavenly Father is as close to me as I am to my grand daughters, ready to step in and guide my hand if I tremble with fear of failure or ridicule.
The best part of moving forward in spite
of anxiety is the sweetness of the fruit of success,whether it is chocolate strawberries or a blog successfully published!
Lesson in love from the Dahl House:
Hebrews 13:5-6
For God has said, "I will never, never fail you nor forsake you". That is why we can say without any doubt or fear, "The Lord is my Helper and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me."
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Continued open hands
I have walked with God sometimes with the palms of my hands clenched tight and other times with them held wide open .
Lesson in love from the Dahlhouse:
Try opening up your hands and lifting up your troubles to The Lord, Jesus. Your posture will improve! It might even put a smile on your face:)
Open Hands
Attitude, attitude, attitude! My attitude toward events taking place around me plays a monumental part in determining whether or not I finish my day in peace or anxiety, joy or anger. Recently while reading Love Does by Bob Goff I was impressed by an interesting theory. Bob who is a lawyer said that he requires his clients to hold their hands open, palms up on their laps when they are being deposed for an upcoming court case. The open hand stance helps his clients to relax and remain focused. As soon as their hands clench up they are more apt to become agitated and confuse their statements.
While meditating upon that idea I remembered years ago being told that when walking or standing I tended to exhibit poor posture because my shoulders would roll forward along with my head. My instructor advised that I turn my hands palms up and open. My shoulders automatically rolled back and my back straighten and my head was raised up. This simple action put my body in a healthy posture.
Like a lightbulb going on in my head ( so often that is how it feels when God speaks to me in His soft, gentile voice) I realized that posture has everything to do with a good attitude in life.
When I open my hands to God and lift my troubles up to him,the negitive emotions fall away. I begin to relax and become clear minded and focused. Peace takes the place of anxiety. In actuality the difficult situation may not have changed one bit, but my attitude has changed and I am in a more healthy place to face the challenge before me.
It has been almost two years since I last blogged. My good intentions to journal my walk with my daughter through pregnancy with breast cancer evaporated when her entire family of five moved in so my husband and I could help. That enabled her husband to continue to work. At 63 I became a full time mom again. Oh, the joy and fatigue!
I have so much to share about the last 2 years but.......later! My goal is to share with you the story of my life as I have walked with God, sometimes with the palms of my hands clenched tight and
Attitude, attitude, attitude! My attitude toward events taking place around me plays a monumental part in determining whether or not I finish my day in peace or anxiety, joy or anger. Recently while reading Love Does by Bob Goff I was impressed by an interesting theory. Bob who is a lawyer said that he requires his clients to hold their hands open, palms up on their laps when they are being deposed for an upcoming court case. The open hand stance helps his clients to relax and remain focused. As soon as their hands clench up they are more apt to become agitated and confuse their statements.
While meditating upon that idea I remembered years ago being told that when walking or standing I tended to exhibit poor posture because my shoulders would roll forward along with my head. My instructor advised that I turn my hands palms up and open. My shoulders automatically rolled back and my back straighten and my head was raised up. This simple action put my body in a healthy posture.
Like a lightbulb going on in my head ( so often that is how it feels when God speaks to me in His soft, gentile voice) I realized that posture has everything to do with a good attitude in life.
When I open my hands to God and lift my troubles up to him,the negitive emotions fall away. I begin to relax and become clear minded and focused. Peace takes the place of anxiety. In actuality the difficult situation may not have changed one bit, but my attitude has changed and I am in a more healthy place to face the challenge before me.
It has been almost two years since I last blogged. My good intentions to journal my walk with my daughter through pregnancy with breast cancer evaporated when her entire family of five moved in so my husband and I could help. That enabled her husband to continue to work. At 63 I became a full time mom again. Oh, the joy and fatigue!
I have so much to share about the last 2 years but.......later! My goal is to share with you the story of my life as I have walked with God, sometimes with the palms of my hands clenched tight and
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