Sun Shine and Sun Dipped Lace

Hunter, my eight-year old grandson, and I sat under the tree in the front yard. He started saying rhymes and we were having fun just making up silly rhymes. The sun was streaming through the tree into my eyes, and the following poem came to me. I dedicated this poem to my precious little guy, which totally delighted him and brought a smile to my face.

Ode to Hunter

When the sun shines

upon my face,

It makes the shadows

appear as lace.

Sitting here looking

into your beautiful eyes,

I realize that you

are my wonderful surprise.

I thank the Lord

for giving you to me.

Who would have thought

that this could really be.

Fun and energy,

Play and free.

Love divine

How wonderful that you are mine.

When the sun shines

upon my face,

I delight that you ARE the pattern

of the sun-dipped lace.

Copyright Donna Louise Ham

After church, after lunch

sitting in the front yard

on the bench, on the porch.

September 27, 2009

The Praying Girl

POP, pop, pop...Are Your Smoke Detectors Working?

Thursday night I awoke around 1:30 a.m. I couldn't go back to sleep. I began to pray because usually when I can't sleep, it's because God wants me to pray. I started to pray, but just couldn't go back to sleep. I tossed and turned. Afraid that I would awaken my husband, I finally got up and moved to the den at the other end of the house.

I curled up on the sofa, wrapped up with a blanket, said a few prayers and eventually fell sound asleep. Sometime around 3:30 a.m., I was startled awake by a very loud pop. It sounded like a car had hit something outside. I started to get up and investigate, but just didn't want to get up from my cozy nest. As I settled back to return to my slumber, I heard two more loud pops.

Now I was wide awake. I ventured into the kitchen and headed to the laundryroom where I thought the sound had come from. I thought that maybe the cat had gotten caught behind one of the appliances in the laundryroom and was kicking up a fuss. However, as I entered the laundryroom, I heard some smaller pops and sizzles.

I yelled for my husband that we had a fire. By now there was electrical smoke pouring out of the back of the chest-style freezer. Vic quickly started unplugging everything in the laundryroom and finally the sizzling and popping stopped.

He went back to bed and I stayed up with the fans all blowing with the front and back doors wide open. There was no going back to sleep for me. We, fortunately, had been saved from certain disaster.

I've been giving thanks to God the last two days. People may argue with me, but I feel certain God was watching over us. I very seldom sleep on the sofa. If I hadn't moved to the den, I feel certain that I would not have heard the pop. The smoke alarms did not go off. I don't know if they would have eventually sounded, but it wouldn't have been time to unplug anything. Our lungs were filled with the toxic fumes in just a few minutes. There's no telling how much toxic smoke would have filled the house until a fire actually broke out.

Today, I bought new smoke detectors for our house and both of our children's homes. I also purchased carbon monoxide detectors. I thank God that we were spared. Let this be a reminder to check or replace your smoke detectors. And, do it TODAY!

The Praying Girl

Look Forward To Change

I sat by the Chiminea fire last night. It was so very peaceful. The air was cool. The backyard was lovelier than I ever remember it. The Marigolds and Petunias are still blooming as they have all Summer long. The bird feeders, the small Madonna and St. Francis statues are sweet reminders of my departed loved one. It was a pleasant evening in the crisp night air.


Dear Lord,
Thank you, Father, for that time communing with you. Watching the fire, singing Your Name. I loved the gentleness of the evening, the coolness of the Fall night. Everything is about to change as Fall approaches. For once, I look forward to change. I think I am ready for change.

Help me to keep my eyes fixed on You. I desire to be close to You. Live in my heart, in my mind, deep in my spirit. Speak to me from Your Word. Whisper Your love for me in my ear. Guide me in everything I do today. Shower me with the beauty of Your Presence all around me.

I humbly come before You robed in Your gift of salvation, repenting of my sinfulness, my weakness, my brokeness. Build me up, encourage me, fill me to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit. You are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I worship You with my whole being--physically, emotionally and spiritually. I am nothing without You.

You breathed life into me the moment I was born and You breathed life into me when I was baptized and You breathe life into me every day. Thank You for breathing Your Life into me this day. Thank You for this day which You have designed for me. Annoint my life. It is all a gift from You. I am so thankful for Your generous gifts.

Fill me with your creativity. Show me. Let Your beauty flow from me, through me this day, today. I pray that my endeavors bring You Glory. Bring others to You, closer to You. Use my life to bring You delight and make You happy that You created me.

I love You, Father. I love you, I love You, I love You.

Amen,
Your Praying Girl

The devil's got his party hat on

"What was meant for evil, God will use for good." Those words keep coming to my mind this morning. I thought I'd better write them down and ruminate on their meaning. God seems to be trying to get my attention and I'm trying to listen. Other words that keep coming to my mind are "Abide in Me."

I have to admit, I am discouraged this morning. There seems to be quite a bit of evil swirling around my family right now. It is as if we are trapped in a web of someone's lies, deceit and slander. My friend used to tell me, "Girl, you must be doing something right or the devil wouldn't be trying so hard." She also used to say, "The devil's got his party hat on." That devil must have invited his cast of demons to his party. I wish he'd take his party, his friends and his hat somewhere else.

Dear God, I trust that You see everything. You know every lie or slander that is formed against me and my family. You know our hearts. I trust You, Father, that whatever evil is being hurled at us that YOU will turn it and use it for good. I will abide in You. For me and my house serve YOU. We are but Your instruments, Your vessels to use to bring You Glory. Give me a heart of forgiveness and restore joy and peace in my heart and my dear one's heart. We are Yours. Turn the wicked away from us. Keep us strong during this trial. We love You, Lord with every breath that You decide to give us. As long as we breathe, we will honor You. Our arms are outstretched toward You. We praise You with all that is within us.

In Jesus's Precious Holy Name,

Amen from the Praying Girl

Blah, Blah, Blah...BITE

Ever been hurt by someone you thought you could trust? OK, how about by a person in authority, like a minister or a priest? That kind of betrayal has really knocked me to the ground, shaken me to the core. It's hard to forgive but necessary to move past the hurt. I tend to hold these men to a higher standard, but sometimes let's face it, they are still wolves in sheep's clothing. Blah, blah, blah...bite! That's what they do.

Today, I choose to do as Paul directed me from God's Holy Word. I'm just going to put on my armor, let the hurt go and try to move on...far, far away from the gnashing teeth! But, because satan is like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour, I'm going to keep putting on the armor until God calls me home.

Ephesians 6:10-20
Finally be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with TRUTH , and having put on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the SHIELD OF FAITH with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one. And take the helmet of SALVATION, and the sword of the SPIRIT, which is the WORD OF GOD. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opeing of my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly as I ought to speak.

Dear God, please help me tonight to rest my head at Your Holy Feet knowing that You are ever present. I cannot see the answers, the way, the path. But, You, Almighty God, can. You will guide my steps. I choose to follow You. You, alone do I trust. Thank you, Father, that when everyone else fails me, You are truly honorable, good and trustworthy. You alone are worthy of praise.

Only You, God, can create the sunset.

Only You, God can make the raindrops.

So, why do I doubt that You will make a way for me in this wilderness?
I will trust You even when I cannot see the path.

Amen from the Praying Girl