Pedal, pedal, pedal

How many times have you heard the term "keep your head down and plow"? If you haven't, sorry, you have missed out on some words of wisdom. If you have, hopefully you know what it meant. Keep your head down and plow is a clear, albeit a farmer's way, of telling you to do your work till the end. Don't worry about what is going on around you. It may not be your business so don't make it your business. Keep your eyes on your goal. Get your job done. I think you get the idea.

Well, thanks to my then (last summer) almost 3 year old grandson, Camden, I have a new one for you. He was learning to ride his bike with training wheels, yes he could barely reach the pedals, but that didn't stop him. He was with his grandpa, Johnny, at our house outside practicing riding his bike. Johnny heard him saying: pedal, pedal, pedal. Grandpa observed his determination in coaching himself on how to ride his bike. Pedal, pedal, pedal.

There is a lesson in this story for all of us. What are you pedaling for?

What do you need to remind yourself how to do? Pedal, pedal, pedal.

What are some challenges that you are facing? Pedal, pedal, pedal.

Are you putting one foot in front of the other? Pedal, pedal, pedal.

Take baby steps if you have to. Pedal, pedal, pedal.

Always know the goal you strive to reach. Pedal, pedal, pedal

Dream it. Pedal, pedal, pedal.

Just go get it! Pedal, pedal, pedal.

Out of the mouth of babes we can learn a lot about life.
Those little babies can teach us so much.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14 They are a wise, courageous, innocent bunch even Jesus knew this!

So what it is you need to pedal towards today?
Let my grandson's words of wisdom guide you on this day.

Pedal, Pedal, Pedal!

God bless,
Sabrina

No more teens for me!

One of my grandparents used to say: "when you have kids all you have are kids". I think what he was saying is when you have kids you are in a constant thought process around them.They have your time, your money and most of all your heart. Yes, at some point in their life the world did revolve around them. When you brought them home from the hospital they were dependent on you for everything. And I mean everything. They couldn't eat without you, drink, walk, talk (two of those being annoying things we later in their life wish we hadn't taught them, the walking and talking parts!) Some of them grow out of that "the world revolves around me" stage. They start showing their independance early on. Some earlier than others. Some always feel the world is theirs!

At 6 months they roll over and then start really moving around. Nothing in your household is safe after that. You try to child proof your home for their safety and your peace of mind. But there is always that child who finds his or her way around the safety latches or other precautions you set up for them. They must learn on their own at times. Like the stove is hot! How many times have you repeated the word hot...hot...hot!? Only to have a little hand reach out for, yes, something hot!

Then we move into the terrrible twos. I know what you are thinking: "terrible twos? mine started at 18 months!" Well, guess what, mine did too!! It seems they start everything a little bit earlier than they used to. The terrible twos are such a fun age. They are learning at such a rapid pace you as a parent can barely keep up. It's about then that you start thinking about a second child because your baby isn't a baby any longer. Then they stop sleeping all night, again and you don't want them to have a sibling, at times you are not sure you even want them! My middle child would tell her grandparents: "I want to stay the night with you the rest of my life." And you would have helped pack their bags. But then they crawl up in your lap, kiss you on the cheek with a wet, sticky, soft set of lips and say "I love you, mommy." And you know without a doubt you are glad you have them in your life and you want more!

Things move along at a better pace then. They are in school, starting sports, learning how to get along with the world, even if it doesn't revovle around them. They are finding out that the opposite sex is a little more interesting. You always know that point in your preteens life because for a boy they start caring if they have bed head before they leave for school. He wants cologne and deodorant. Daughters, if they aren't already interested in makeup and hair they are after they meet that special someone in 5th grade. Then your world is turned upside down, yet, again! Heaven forbid they get their first hearbreak. That is the end of their world as they know it. They will never find another like their first crush. Well, at least not till next week.

High school years are as hard on the parents as it is on their students. Between their academics, sports, sports, sports, oh, yeah and sports and maybe a boyfriend/girlfriend or two they are in another world. Not the one parents (or normal people) hang out in. If you couldn't tell we did a lot of sports in our family. Our lifes revolved around the current sport season. But the one constant in all the years of following our kids to games or meets was concession stand food! Ok, that's a whole other blog! ;)

Towards the end of their high school years it was all about college and what university to apply at. How far can I get away from my parents and my home town? That's what most of them are thinking at that point. They do learn later in life home was a pretty good place to be. It was a whole lot cheaper than being on their own. And as parents, most of us really don't want our first born or even last born to leave too soon. Before they are 30 would be nice but not at 18. I think more moms than dads feel this way!

Whether they choose college or a job right out of high school (and they must choose one!) they still have this thing with the opposite sex. A need to belong. A need for a family of their own. Not all do but I think most people do. Just a movie companion or dinner date to start with. Then that heart gets in the way and they are smitten! There is no turning back at that point. Hopefully at this point in their lives you have already been praying for their future spouses. Then you really start to pray for them. They are going to be making a life long committment! None of us want our kids heart broke over a relationship. But we also want them to marry the right person. So, be praying all their lives for that person they are supposed to marry!

Now they are married and living happily ever after!?!?! Right!!! They are finding out that "when you have kids all you have are kids". And so it begins with the next generation! We parents are so grateful for this cycle of life because then we get beautiful grandbabies out of the deal. Then we can tell our own children: I hope they are just like you! And you know they will be but you will find that what they do that annoyed you when their mom or dad did it at their age you will find it cute coming from your granchild!

As I sit here writing today, my last child, my only son, has turned 20. He is no longer a teen. It's a step in my life that is really hard to comprehend. I have had children or teens under foot for 25 years now. This is a new stage in my life. I will embrace it and love it as I have all the others before it. And I will be forever grateful to my Lord and Savior for giving me these opportunities in my life! The babies I have raised. The grandchildren I have held already and the ones I will hold in the future. I am a blessed woman, indeed!

Thanks for reading today!
God bless you,
Sabrina

A Mother's Heart

I've heard so many mother's and children's poems, statements, sayings or whatever you want to call them, about being a mom and raising a child. They talk about life as a mother. The joys! The pitfalls! The triumphs! The failures! They make you think And some times cry!

Today I am thinking of a few as I prepare for my 19 year old baby boy to move out on his own. Granted he is only moving in an apartment about two miles down the road (I tell him that is why I am crying, he is only moving two miles away, but we both know I lie!) It's one of those steps everyone has to make some time in their life. Some leave home for college, some for marriage, and some because they are 19 and ready to spread their wings and soar!

As I sit here this morning and think about life, I think back to the days when things seemed more simple. The kids fighting over who got the front seat in the car on the way to town (SHOTGUN!, as it was so affectionately screamed at our house). Whose turn it is to clean out the dishwasher. Whose turn it is to feed and water the dog. I didn't know it but we had a fourth child named "not mine" in our household as many of you probably did! Or still do.

As they grew up you started dealing with the big issues: BOYS!!!! was a big one in our house of two daughters. Sports being a close second to the dating drama. Sometimes I wish the only thing I had to deal with was getting homework done for the day! And then I think back to days of homework and I remember the other issues, BOYS and SPORTS!! Who had time for homework?!?!?!

We survived our three amazing children's childhoods with minor wear and tear and all body parts intact (a few broke but all accounted for! mostly on Kelli!) Which leads to the question of how did we prepare them for their future as spouses and parents? Or just grown ups? Our oldest is an amazing mommy, yoga studio owner and yoga instructor. Our middle child is a NICU nurse at a large hospital in El Paso. Our baby has been working for the same heating and air conditioning company for two years. This is only a small part of what they do. They are productive citizens in our society. This is not necessarily who they are. They all three attend church with their families. Are involved with their churches in some way besides filling a pew on Sunday morning. I say all this not for my credit but for God's Glory. He gave us amazing children and allowed us to raise them as we saw fit. I pray we have done well by Him.

Back to some of those sayings! Two that really hit home today!

"A mother holds her child's hand for a little while....their hearts forever!"
“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”

So, on this day, as my beautiful baby boy packs up his belongings and moves them to another home to start his own future and his own past, I cry, I smile, I laugh and then I probably buy the pizza!!!

Love your children more than you have to!!  They truly are gifts from God!

God bless all,
Sabrina

Playing catch up!

Wow, time sure flies when your......well living! May not all be fun, but its life! I have been writing more. Not blogging much as you can tell. I am working on that. I have started two books in the last several weeks. I am really excited about both of them being completed. Of course, that is a few days (months) down the road. I am enjoying making my time what I want it to be though.

I have been following several writer's blogs and learning the trade a little bit better every day! Isn't that what we are here for? To learn. If you aren't learning then you aren't growing. Not growing? Getting stagnant! Stagnant things stink!! I don't want to be a stinker! So, I am learning all I can about being a published writer. I have attended my first writer's conference. I have to say it was overwhelming but amazing.Met a lot of nice helpful people. I am looking forward to attending many more in the near future.

I now tweet! Still not sure about that one! With thanks and gratitude to @KristenLambTX. I am learning (trying to) what tweeting is all about! Check out her blog: http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ 

If you aspire to be a writer or just have questions about social media, she's your girl! She is the author of WE ARE NOT ALONE: The Writer's Guide to Social Media

I don't feel like I have any words of wisdom in my head today. Probably too much time on my hands! Adjusting to not working is challenging. I think I will survive OK but it's taking me a bit to get the hang of it. (I know what your thinking, poor baby! I get it, I am blessed to not have to work any longer! I know this, thanks for the reminder, though!) I'm not good at scheduling my writing time and my blogging time and other aspects of the writer's life! But I am up to the challenge! 

So for now I will keep on keeping on and writing and looking forward to being a published writer some day! If you don't believe in yourself who will!!??

Be sure and check out Kristen's blog.

Prayers and happy writing

Sabrina 

Book Review ~ Flight of Shadows

Caitlyn Brown has a genetic secret that could change the world. But all she wants to do is live a normal life. With a bounty hunter, a scientist, and a rouge cop looking for her all she can do is run.
With the help of two men she has feelings for and the need for escape she does just that, run. The plan is to go west but who can she trust to get her there?

Take a trip into the heart of compelling moral questions about science and society with this sequel to Sigmund Brouwer's Broken Angel. Not having read book one, I wasn't lost through out this book. It does make me want to read Broken Angel.
It's a must read for Science Fiction/Futuristic buffs out there.

I received a copy of this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing group for this review. All opinions are my own.

The Doubleday Religious Publishing Groupwww.sigmundbrouwer.com

Grace Builders

Do you know what a "Grace Builder" is? That is one of those moments in time where you have a choice....to make a Christ like decision or a human decision. Your choice is totally up to you! We should all strive to make Godly choices in our lives. But easier said than done some days.

God woke me up the other night at midnight. I know it was Him, no one else in my household is awake at that hour! He wakes my momma up in the middle of the night for little talks, whether she wants to talk or not. (In the end she does!) Anyway, He reminded of a Grace Builder episode in my life. It was several months ago. But I can remember it well, I wanted to cry afterwards or maybe I did cry.

I work at the church we attend and so I was headed to the Post Office to mail some letters. It was bulk mail so not at the usual windows up front but the business entrance around back. It's usually not very busy. You get in, you get out, your done. That doesn't happen very often at the Post Office, huh?! I had done everything the same as I had done before. I walked in and set the letters on the counter and a woman, whom I hadn't worked with back there before, came in and looked at my paperwork and told me all the things that were wrong with it. She did tell me how to fix them. (The man I had dealt with up until that day had done all the weighing for me. I didn't even know I was supposed to do this.) By using a formula that was rather greek to me, I was supposed to add this, then multiply that, and then do something else and then you got your answer (or if you are me, you didn't get your answer). I do not enjoy math and all that that entails! (to say the least) So, I even wrote down what she said and still could not figure out what she wanted. I had to take all the letters back to the church (across town) and figure out the formula for weighing them and then take them back to the Post Office. Of course, it was the next day before I could go back. On another occasion, always with the Post Office, I had bulk mailings (bulk means 200 or more pieces) that were one sheet folded over and taped. I was informed that they needed to be taped in two places on the outer edges not one piece of tape in the middle, like I had already done! Yes, I had to go buy tape and sit in my car and tape over 200 letters in two places each!

Grace Builders!!

After the first episode, when I got back to the church Pastor Don said they are Grace Builders. I probably said something like, "I don't want any more grace!" Of course, Pastor Don is a very gracious man to begin with! So I had to learn something from this experience. First I learned-send Pastor Don to the Post Office-he got them mailed without any problems. Second I learned-we all have moments in our lives where we can choose to be angry, stay angry or seek revenge on others or GROW IN GRACE!

It's not always fun learning new things and it's not always easy! But, if you learn it with Grace, you might find you don't have to learn it twice!

Just a thought at midnight!

Go in Grace!
Sabrina


P.S. the lady at the PO was just doing her job! (even if I didn't agree with her!)

To blog or not to blog....

It's been harder than I thought it would be to find time to blog. I think of something to talk about and then never find a moment to write it down. When I find the time my mind goes blank!
There has been alot going on in our lifes the last few weeks. We traveled back to Portales to be with Darynda for her Launch Party of her newly released book, First Grave on the Right!!! Congrats, Darynda! So proud of you!
We brought my parents home with us for a few days. It was good for them to get out of their rut and see a change of scenery! They got to spend some time with their two great-grandsons. Of course, they are my grandsons, so, yeah, they are great! Over all we had a grand time.
It's difficult on families with aging parents. Especially aging parents that don't live close by. I know, I know, I am the one that moved away! But it doesn't make it any easier. I would like to snap my fingers and make them either not aging, not happening, or not so far away, possible. That is if they move our way.
My mom has entered the computer age of facebook. She now farms, on-line of course. She brags to my dad that she can harvest so much faster than he could, you know in the old days when he used a real tractor and had a real field with real dirt. It is keeping her occupied and I think even happy! I think it is good for an aging mind to stay active with modern technology. And she is staying in touch with family members she hasn't seen in years. Overall it has been a good experience for her. Dad isn't all that impressed with virtual farming. But at least he gets the TV remote!

I heard a new song on the way to work this morning. It was called 7 x 70. By Chris August. It is talking about forgiveness!
Matthew 18:21-22 tell us:
²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
 ²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Who do you need to forgive today? Don't put it off before it is too late!

Tell your loved ones that you love them every day!!! You never know when it will be your last time to see them.
God bless each of you and have a blessed day!