Chapter 14: Serenity Now!

I have to admit...I say the serenity prayer a lot. This small meditation is so simple and, yet, so very powerful. "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change". There are so many things in my life I can not control. The only thing I can truly change is myself and how I respond to any given situation or person. "The courage to change the things I can". Change can be scary...unnerving...Sometimes, it can be paralyzing. But through God's grace, I can summon up the strength I need to make a change, a healthy change. "And the wisdom to know the difference". Personally, I feel this is something that only God can provide me. Let me see any given situation with an open mind and an open heart. Let my eyes see a situation for what it is and be with me I handle it with grace and with a fervent trust in you, Lord.
Life can be so chaotic, layered with stress, emotion...there is a great relief I find in the simple words in this prayer. God is with me. But, my spirit has to be present, honest...and ready to do the work too. Amen

Chapter 13: God's Greatest Gift To Me

There will never be anything I will ever be given that measures up to the 3 little beings God has placed in my earthly care. Everyday they amaze me (OK, sometimes it's not always in a good way...)They are smart, kind, funny,creative, fierce. It is a joy to watch them grow, to experience life, to do the things they love. Motherhood is a mixed bag of emotions. Joy, fear, exhaustion, pride, frustration, sadness. I pray daily, let me be able to guide them today. Fill me with patience and peace. Sometimes they will say or do things that blow me away, I can't believe that I am their mom. God has surely blessed me with these amazing people. It is so much more than I deserve. But I am grateful for everyday with them...they a proof of God's love and grace and goodness.
For Nicholas, Nathaniel and Emma Grace

Chapter 12: How a Haircut Makes Me Feel

It's weird how a few inches of hair coming off can change a mood...or at least, my mood. I have to admit, I see where women get makeovers and I salivate! Please, Fairy Godmother (Oprah. Because when you get a makeover, defiantly go with the best!) make me over! New haircut, makeup, clothes, life! Me, me, me! But what I've come to really understand or what I've STARTED to understand is that, if I really, truly want to be made over, the person I really need to talk to about making that happen is me. God has given me a great gift. He has made me, me. I am the one who has sabotaged the best me I can be. When I listen in my quiet conversations with Him, He assures me, encourages me...I am starting to hear Him more clearly.
Like the words of Glinda The Good Witch to Dorothy at the end of The Wizard of Oz, "You've always had r it, my dear." So I continue to drink water, which has never been my beverage of choice...and use my feet to walk, more and more each day, even though exercise has not been a regular vocab word for me...watch what food I'm putting into my body...Because, before, I was treating myself like a garbage dump. But one day at time, I am slowly but surely, making myself over...my body, my mind, my spirit...because I deserve it! Man, what a difference a haircut makes!