Sparrow's Voice & 22 Mistakes

I woke up at 4:30 this morning with a long list. Just like your long list in the month of December!

So why with a full day ahead would I make my way this morning to my laptop to write? Simply, the Lord placed it on my heart.

Danae, my daughter, asked me Thursday, "So Mom, when's the next chirping coming out?" I told her when the Lord puts something in my heart to share. That is not said with any kind of spiritual superiority - just the opposite is true. In fact, if the Lord does not impress my heart with words, I've got nothin'.

And so, on this 14th post, sparrow does a blog check.

     widgetize
     monetize
     adsense
     SEOs
     auto responder
     plug-ins
     boosting traffic
     brand management
     RSS Feeds
     WordPress

Oy. Er, make that a weak and pathetic chirp. Another five minutes and I could take you beyond 22 mistakes I'm making (or not doing) with my blog. One of my readings in the land of blogdom and how to do it better suggested that daily postings were a must to be successful. (Oy, oy - whatever happened to saying more with fewer words?)

Back on track. Or voice. The Lord has given all of us one. Maybe your voice is carried onto the gym floor coaching and mentoring; or perhaps your voice carries a basket of food to a shut-in. Some voices are preparing a hot breakfast for little ones around their kitchen table this morning. Or your voice is shared with your friends in a public high school or perhaps you are a mom who is using her voice in the public school system to bring about change. Perhaps your voice teaches, or sings, or nurses, or cleans, or grandparents. There are more than a million voices. In fact, there are as many different voices as there are people.

Voices. Chirping. Words. Blog.

For years I have journaled. Here is a page of my written word from Psalm 16:5-6.

Today, my voice has found its way onto the web log (blog). I have learned so much about the technical aspect of blogging (there is a whole new world out there!). I have been pushed out of my comfort zone. My confidence as a blogger wobbles. I couldn't tell you if my last post had 4 readers, 40, 400 or 4,000. (Perhaps #23 mistake is not tracking stats?)

I write for One. Is the Lord pleased with my words?

And, more important than the words on my blog is my life behind the blog.

It is my prayer that sparrow's voice encourages your voice. In this month of December I can only imagine all the places our voices will carry us.

     to a lonely soul looking for kindness
     to a hospital floor with challenges beyond comprehension
     to our guys/girls in uniform holding onto prayers from home
     to the needy searching for Truth in the person of Jesus Christ

It's a tall order for such short sparrows. A big job to be good stewards of the voice God has given to us. But it is in the using of our voices that brings the greatest joys and delights!

Even if we make a few or 22 mistakes along the way!

Chirp on, in your own language!

margi

Gathering of Goodness: A Choice

There is a little "thinking game" the kids say that I'm famous for. If you could only...

Here we are two days shy of Thanksgiving. If you could only choose one food to line your Thanksgiving table, which would you choose?

     Turkey?

     Stuffing?

     Mashed Potatoes?

     Cranberry Relish?

     Pumpkin Pie?

Although it is a tough decision, right now at this very minute I'd have to admit the pumpkin pie is calling my name. And not just any ole' pumpkin pie. The pie we were raised on where Mom added the perfect blend of spices. (And please, please don't hold back on the Reddi-whip topping!)

As we gather with families this week we begin to rehearse our blessings throughout the year. It has been a "good" year at our house. But even tucked away in our year of goodness there have been challenges. Challenges that come to all of us as part of living.

As we pause and gather the goodness, we have a choice. For in even...

     the hard things
     the unfair things
     the sad things
     and the bad things

we drop them carefully one by one into the basket. And somehow, in God's unfathomable way, our gathering basket begins to overflow with great richness. Out of its bounty comes unbelievable peace and new perspectives.

And toting our gathering baskets we can tweet along with the Shepherd Boy David, "While I live I will praise the Lord."
 
A choice. Not always easy. And sometimes plain old hard to do. But oh- the pile of blessings await!
>>>

Sparrow will be enjoying her pumpkin pie with the Mayo side of the family at brother Mark's on Thursday and then host the Deeks' family on Saturday.

Sweet & flaky Thanksgiving blessings,
margi



on sherpas and shelters

50" x 60" of plaid, ultraplush Sherpa lining. Micromink and macrosoftness.

A beautiful luxurious throw to cozy up to the fireplace with in the coming snowy days of winter.

One of my finds on a Saturday sparrow shopping spree using my much anticipated US postal service mailing.

Later in the day I curled up with my new Sherpa throw to take a well-deserved break. Sigh--- the coziness, warmth, and softness were not over-exaggerated.

The sparrow's mind hopped over to another covering. One the songster penned from his own experience in Psalm 91.

About dwelling in the secret place and abiding under the shadow of the Almighty.

And I really love this next part, being the scaredy-cat sparrow that I am.

He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will take shelter.

Trading in our fears - night terrors and daytime arrows - for a divinely feathered covering.

A shelter you can't buy.

A shelter from any storm you face, or I face.

Winter is coming. I'm covered. Are you?

If you want to know more about God's wonderful love and provision for you, email me at monkjo@live.com. My nest is always open!

A macrosoft Merry Christmas to me, early. (For the record, I got all my Christmas gift shopping done on the sparrow Saturday spree. Chirp, chirp!)

margi

$1.90 bargain or blessing or both?

Lunchtime. Usually a green salad. And piece of fruit. Or soup.

Today, this hungry sparrow found her way to the Golden Arches. The same arches disdained by mr. sparrow and most all family and friends.

"One hamburger and one small fry," says sparrow. 

"That will be $1.90," muffles the invisible order taker.

So what do you get for $1.90?

A warmed up flattened out hamburger. And wimpy fries.

Opening the bag, suddenly I'm 8 again, where opening up the Golden Arches bag is a highlight of our month. The rules come flooding back: pick 2. You can't have a pop, fries, and a hamburger. Pick 2. Dad's rule. A good rule. A rule I still follow.

So what did I get for $1.90?

Wrapped inside that not-so-tasty-nor-nutritional meal is a link to a treasured memory.

A link to other "rules" - more principles to guide us when we might start losing our way. Remembering Dad's voice. A voice who knew the best advice wasn't his, it was advice found in the living words, the Bible. The Rule Book turned Grace Book.

Grace. Dad's words. My Bible.

I got my money's worth today. And I like to think that if Dad were here today he too would say about the long ago Golden Arch lunches, "so did I, Monkey, so did I."

Just for the record, so you don't think I'm part of the McDonald's clean-plate club, I did leave 2 fries.

Better than a Happy Meal!
Margi

Comment or email - monkjo@live.com