Hearts of Christian HomeKeepers™

“Mom, hold my hand when we walk.” I looked down at my little guy a bit confused. We’d been walking along hand in hand for at least 2 blocks. “Alex we are holding hands.” “No,” he said, “I’m holding your hand, but I need you to hold onto me more. Sometimes I get distracted and don’t hold onto you so good.” So I squeezed his little hand a bit tighter. “That’s better, Mom. Now I know you are really holding on. If I trip you’ve got me and I won’t fall.”
As we continued on our stroll I thought about my son’s perspective on things. I started to realize that I seek to live a life that is “holding onto” my Father God’s hand but I often get distracted. I need to feel God holding onto me so if I trip I know I won’t fall. The great thing about God is I don’t have to remind Him to hold me tighter. He never forgets His children. He knows I am easily distracted and stumble often in my life’s journey. God is always really holding on.

Rain…… I know that in many parts of the country you all get so much rain. But for me here in California, the middle of drought land, we seem to never get enough of it. March usually marks the end of our rainy days and we are lucky if we see a storm in November.

I love rain. It just cleans the air and makes my herb garden go wild with fragrance near my front door. Today, right in the middle of June, we had a rain storm. I opened my doors and windows and let the fresh air in. Everywhere we went people seemed to be smiling, grateful for the cool, soft rain. Nobody seemed to mind. We all know how much we need it and it’s one less day that we need to deal with the stifling heat of summer.

I could not help but thank the Lord for the refreshing gift of rain this morning. And this afternoon as a walked by my rosemary bush and noticed how happy my plants seemed to be, I thanked Him again. Late spring rain is so rare here that I could not help but celebrate. So we put away the pencils and books and went for a walk with the umbrellas that we had not seen in months. The kids are now quietly watching movie while snuggling on the couch. My next chore is to make hot chocolate. Next week promises to heat up and I’ll be wondering how hot chocolate ever sounded good. But the memories of a rare, rainy day will keep us though these hot months.

The rain reminds me to slow down and reflect on God’s gifts to us. It forces me to reevaluate the busy schedule and take time to notice the beauty that He has created, whether it be the laughter of my children dancing outside with their umbrellas, the smell after the rain, or the place just to rest and delight in His company with hot chocolate and an open Bible.

For those of you “in the know” FB usually stands for “Face Book.”  But lately I’ve been thinking that it should stand for “Friend Bank.”  I joined FB a few months ago at the request of a local acquaintance in her attempt to set up communication amongst our local PTA moms.  (She has since left the PTA and I am the newly-elected President.  But that is another long post for another day.)  So anyway, I became a FB member and quickly started finding old friends from high school and college.  I really didn’t go looking for them but they started popping up as soon as I entered where I went to school.

In the past 3 months I have really re-connected with three good friends from high school.  We were friends back, uh-hum, in the 80’s, but weren’t inseparable, if you know what I mean.  But now that we are all, shall I say, older, we have even  more in common and are really enjoying each others virtual company.  This was all fine and casual until one of my friends, Becky, told us that she has recently had a stroke.  We were all in shock!  But the amazing thing is that her FB/high school buddies, are helping her each and every day.  We are her support group and her exercise pals.  You see, she has trouble with verbal and motor skills now and knowing we are just a few clicks away, motivates her to get up each morning, sit at her computer and exercise her brain to think, formulate thoughts, tell her fingers where to type and what to say.  I guess you could say we are her therapists and cheerleaders.

The best part is that I am planning a trip back home to Louisiana in a couple of weeks and we are all planning a reunion at Becky’s house.  It will be so great to see them all again after 25 years.  FB has allowed us to pick up where we left off in the summer of 1985 and not miss a beat.  It totally amazes me how God prepares us for rough times and rocky waters.  He has placed friends, old friends, in Becky’s path at just the right time in her life when she needs some sisterly support.   FB.  Not just for teenagers anymore.