Where's the dictionary?

Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai
Je te plumerai la tete
Je te plumerai la tete
Et la tte, et la tete
Alouette, Alouette
O-o-o-o-oh
Alouette, gentille Alouette
Alouette je te plumerai

I once gave Mother Goose 

a hard time for writing such bleak, depressing rhymes.  

 Karma decided to pay a visit today.

 Yes, we did just raise adorable baby chicks from eggs in our classroom.  

Yes, we do love birds.

Yes, I did teach a favorite childhood french song to my kids this week. 

No, I didn't bother finding out exactly what it meant 

until after 

they fell in love with it's fun french words and catchy tune.

Translation:

  Lark, nice Lark (or Lark, lovely Lark)

Lark, I am going to pluck you
I am going to pluck your head,
I am going to pluck your head,
And the head, and the head,
O-o-o-o-oh

Uh oh.

 

 

If You Could See What I See

If we could see the world 

through the eyes of a five-year old,

what would it look like?

A friend, a magical glove, a way

to express feelings ...to me,

it just looks like a puppet.

A world full of new places, ideas, words,

delights, and dreams...to me,

it just looks like a picture book.

A masterpiece, a marvelous invention,

miraculous beauty...to me,

it just looks like a crayon.

A castle, a barnyard, 

a cathedral, a clang and crash...to me,

it just looks like a bucket of blocks.

A hard to resist squish, a 

a bird's nest full of eggs,

 a slithery snake...to me,

it just looks like a ball of play dough.

A mystery about to unfold, a 

fragile treasure, 

a wonderment...to me,

it just looks like an egg.

A soothing pleasure, a

familiar friend, 

a suitcase full of fun words and syllables...to me,

it just sounds like a song.

An amazement to the taste buds,

a satisfaction like none other,

a prize worth working for...to me,

it just looks like a piece of candy.

A giant beanstalk, a

skyscraper, a plunge into a tunnel...to me,

it just looks like a slide.

 To see the world again from the eyes

of a child,

to imagine the impossible,

to believe the unbelievable...to me,

that sounds like heaven.

 ©2012tbowenblog

Nostalgia

I have something in my pocket,

 that belongs across my face.

I keep it very close to me

in a most convenient place.

I'll bet you'll never guess it

if you guessed a long, long while.

So, I'll take it out and put it on;

It's a great big Brownie smile.

 

 

Strength Will Rise

I blog many times to be able to speak what's on my heart...

I have an easier time writing the words

than speaking them.

So,

today,

that's what I'll do.

 Who knows,

maybe my words will touch you too.

Or,

maybe you'll read a line or two and 

be on your merry way.
That's OK, too.

I've spoken before of how I believe our trials in life make us stronger.

If you believe in what the Bible says, 

you know God speaks to it often.

He also offers many promises along the way to

hold onto. He will never forsake you.

FORSAKE (verb) - leave someone who needs or counts on you;

leave someone in a lurch.

Sometimes it's hard to remember those promises

because of the pain you're feeling or the discouragement.

Sometimes, it's even anger that gets in the way.

You feel like no one else understands.

Well, except for those you know who have been through

what you perceive to be the worst of trials,

even harder than yours.

But, I was reminded today that we all have trials of some sort.

Be kind and compassionate, for everyone is fighting a battle of one kind or another.

It might not be a big battle or a long battle.

It might be a battle that they never even declared.

But it's a battle.
A battle they may feel no one else understands but them.

God is at work in us, even in the midst of our dark times.

He has a purpose for it.

He will not waste your suffering.

It is not without purpose.

If I'm not careful, I find myself leaning in to a darker side...

bitterness, jealousy, doubt. 

I believe God wants me to be better through it, not bitter.

Sometimes, many times... you have to wait on the Lord.

Mike and I have talked often of how we are able to find the simple 
joys in life right in the midst of a storm.
When we least expect it,
we are reminded of our blessings. 

I believe my fulfillment will not come from this life on earth,
but of a future one.
My treasures as I know them here,
will not compare.
That's hard for me to fathom when I think of the deep love I have
for my
husband and sons, and family and friends.
It seems a pretty fulfilled life already.
But that's what God promises.


I'm so glad I worshiped in the house of the Lord today,
and got the message my heart needed to hear.
 I don't believe it was a coincidence.
Thank you, God.

"Everlasting Love"
 Strength will rise
As we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our strong deliverer
You are the everlasting God

The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary.

Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.

Hospital Elevators Are Evil

Mike and I were talking...

there are just certain things you learn 

after being in the hospital

so many times

(seven in less than one year, to be exact).

You will have to answer the same half-hour segment

of questions each time you check-in,

regardless if you were just there two weeks ago or

9 months ago.

 If you bring your own comfy quilt and feather pillows from home

so you can sleep better,

it won't negate the Grand Central Station

party theme going on in your room all night.

If you spill your purse contents all over the floor

in the elevator 

on the tenth floor,

there are strong odds that you will

retrieve everything except the most 

important thing that fell out of your purse.

And if they ever do find it at the bottom

of the elevator shaft,

it probably won't be recognizable.

When you ask your husband not to be mad at you

when you tell him what just went down the elevator shaft

from the tenth floor,

cry first.

It helps.

 If you visit the late night grill often enough,

you can learn to like new things,

like low-sodium V8 juice.

If you're normally a nice, calm guy,

who just is ready to leave the hospital and

go back home,

 and yet another new doctor whom you've never met

comes in and asks "What's the plan?",

when you've been trying to get an answer to that question

for days,

your response to that question

just might warrant a visit from

the staff counselor,

who might not believe that you're normally

a really calm, laid-back man.

The best way to get a nurse to show up is

to wait until your favorite TV show,

that you've been waiting to watch all day,

begins.

 If you watch it, they will come.

When you are ready to check out,

just go ahead and get your street clothes on

and pretend that you will be leaving soon.

It won't help, really.

But you can pretend it will.

(In all seriousness, thank you to the wonderful 10th floor nurses

and their care this week.

You are appreciated!)

You Say Obnoxious, I Say Tomato!

How does one go about being an obnoxious baseball mom

when family comes over to watch her son

pitch on TV (via mainstream computer)?

Numero uno....tell them to shush when they try

and talk while the announcer is saying something about the pitcher...

her son, the pitcher.

Stand up (during commercial break)

 and chant the old cheer (back from his game days in 3rd grade,)

A-W-E

SOME,

Awesome, Awesome,

Awesome are We...

"We" being the key word here,

because she includes herself in the

accolades of his success on the mound.

Realize that she is  no doubt being 

obnoxious but obviously not 

 enough to try and stop being obnoxious.

Waiting idly for the phone call sometime after the game - 

there's always a phone call sometime that day or night 

after the game,

where he says he did alright or could have done better and she

doesn't know who in the heck put that hare-brained idea in his head,

but rest assured, she will find out,

and it will not be a pretty conversation.

This is just what I've heard about obnoxious mom's of 

awesome baseball pitchers....

personally I think a person ought to have a little respect and 

show some humility and grace and

just enjoy watching her son play baseball -

because he loves it so and 

has worked his whole life for these moments,

and would be embarrassed if he knew his mom

was back home making a stinking fool of herself 

in front of the television.

That's what I think.

But don't mention it to him, OK?

He wouldn't enjoy that story.

Seriously.

He'd be embarrassed.

Really.

Promise?

Resting in Promises

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus

Just to take him at His word;

Just to rest upon His promise,

And to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,

How I've proved him o'er and o'er;

Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus!

Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

 

I've had this song in my heart and mind today.

It's just what I needed.

 A reminder that putting my trust in my Creator,

my Savior, my Sustainer

will bring me back to a place where all is well with my soul.

Life can get crazy...

bleak, even, sometimes.

All the planning,

catching up, preparing ahead, 

remembering,

healing, 

strengthening,

and 

hurting...

is often more than

I want to take on.

That's why I HAVE to let Him have it

and just carry me...

trusting in Him

and 

once again believing in His promises...

 

...just to take Him

at His word.