beauty pauses and little girls

I just got back last night from my time in Portland with my daughters. And, today as I'm taking it easy, I got to smiling about some time I had with my granddaughter, Jillian. She's five, cute as can be, a deep thinker, sensitive and soaks up everything I tell her. One of the things she likes me to do is to tell her stories about me when I was a little girl.

The story I told her this visit was how my grandma loved Jesus so much and that it was at my grandma's knee as a five-year old ("just like you, Jillian) that I opened my heart and invited Jesus to come in and take over. She watched and listened as I shared the prayer I prayed with my grandma.

As a grandma, it's my desire to leave a legacy of five things with each grandchild. I want them to know that God loves them, that He answers prayer, that others need to know about His love for them, that He made them special and that He has a unique purpose for their lives and finally, that it's very important to have a thankful heart.

Because I believe having a thankful heart is a way we know God more, I decided to teach Jillian about "Beauty Pauses." I told her that God likes it when we take time, slow down and take notice of the little gifts that He's giving us all the time. I said a "gift" was something that we might see or hear and it would make us 'catch our breath'....and then cause our heart to think of God....and thank Him. We practiced experiencing some Beauty Pauses together. We noticed the vibrant purpose color in the butterfly bush in her back yard. We let the garden of flowers that her mother planted be another Beauty Pause. A blue bird flying toward us was another Beauty Pause. It was delightful to watch her little face as she caught on having fun with Beauty Pause Moments.

Today, I had a Beauty Pause. It was a mental picture. I thought of Jillian. I thought of her playing with her little PetShops. I thought of her being tender to her baby sister as she moved her away from her own play times. I also thought of her working on having self-control with her older brother who loves to tease her. I pictured her in her pig-tails and pink striped shirt. My memory became a sweet Beauty Pause.

Missing her, I picked up the phone and called her. "Jillian, guess what?"
"What Nana?"
"I had a Beauty Pause today?"
"You did, what was it that made you catch your breath and think of God?"
"I was thinking of you, Jillian."
"Nana, I miss you."
"Jillian, I miss you."

beauty pauses and little girls

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2006/07/beauty-pauses-and-little-girls.html

on being a mom.....redemption is sweet...

Today, I am spending the last day in the home of my daughter Jenni. She and her sister live in Portland. As I write, I am thinking how utterly blessed I am. I am blessed and I am rich to have two amazing daughters - who mother my five grandchildren so sweetly. What I didn't give to them (and wish I had) as a mother - I see them give to their children.

What was IT - with so many women in my generation (the cultural mindset of liberation - the lies of what IT was all about anyway)? Why did so many women (somewhat) disconnect from the value of home and the precious gift of children? Indeed, we were liberated! Sure, we were liberated right out of what was God's best for us and into a bondage of regret. I think our sense of "liberation" had eyes and a heart that were everywhere but there (home andchildren). Our sights were set in every other place but in the place where we would have had growth and gain and character and joy. We had "career" in our minds and in the pursuit of - we - I missed so much. I missed so many little moments with two precious girls. I missed the tender touches - in pursuit of gain - out there - somewhere. I missed God's heart for the gift of who my daughters were. I missed the reality that what I modeled for them (thinking it didn't really matter or wouldn't really effect them) counted - everything.

But, today...I can rejoice. I can rejoice not in what I missed, but in the redemptive work of my Creator God. I can rejoice because He takes the years the locust has eaten and He restores. He gives back. I am thankful, that as a mom, I have the opportunity to fill in the places that I left blank. See, God turned my heart back to what home and children - as gifts are all about. And, in that turning, I get to give what I didn't. I get to pour in to the cup of big hearts (my daughters) and little hearts (my grandchildren) and watch it overflow.

How do I do that? First, the release of an amazing husband, Michael,who understands what home and the gift of children are all about. And,then - choosing to give of myself: time...connection...being there...changing a diaper, wiping a nose, giving a bottle, reading a book, giving a mommy a coffee break or a time out for sushi and a book. I get the blessing of seeing them value the gift of their children. I get to see them learn how to serve and model respect for their husbands. I get to see them spend homefront time to nurture and train their children. I get this - and much more - oh, how blessed I am - how rich I am. Such sweet redemption.

on being a mom.....redemption is sweet...

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2006/07/on-being-momredemption-is-sweet.html