A Strawberry Heart Morning

Good morning to all, or evening ...wherever you are in the world ! I had somethings so neat happen to me this morning, I had to write and share it. I was making my husband a bowl of cereal this morning...

Wait, 

Let me tell you first about my grandmother. Because this ties in to my story. My father's mother, my grandmother we called Mudder ( German for Mother I believe ), she was a tough Texas woman , I am originally from Texas...and she ran a farm and a small ranch, she sewed, had her own small nursery also. She was not afraid of hard work, and she raised 5 children with my grandfather that was a foreman for a power company. 

Anyway, she was super smart, always reading..constantly reading, and she spoiled my grandfather by getting up at 4:30 AM to make him breakfast before he went to work.

EVERY Morning.

She told me, in a phone conversation when I was just 20 yrs. old., that is the age I got married, she told this young whipper-snapper-smarty-pants of a grand-daughter, that the best advice she could give me to be a good wife was always make my husband breakfast.

I remember telling her, No way, as my husband NEVER ate breakfast, and he could make himself breakfast if he wanted it anyway.

Wasn't I just the tough little women's libber, equal rights chick ?

That conversation happened over 25 years ago, my grandmother has passed away. But I have seen what she was trying to tell me..which is SHOW him that you care for him, take care of him.

So, for the last 3 years ( I'm a little late on the up take here ), I have made him breakfast, he doesn't always want it, yet he seems to like that I make it for him.

 Which takes me back to this sweet strawberry heart I found in the container of strawberries . I went and showed my son, he smiled. Then I showed my husband...then I acted goofy with it and pretending it was beating out of my chest...like in the cartoons.
He smiled too.

But what was so SO fun, was after I cut that one up...

LOOK,

I discovered 2 more in the container !! I was so happy, giddy over these heart strawberries.
I know you are thinking, boy is this woman easily giddy... and it is true over very small things in life.

I love hearts, they represent love to me, I like to see them all the time.

So that is my little bit of my morning here, I got to cut up some heart strawberries, and I love to smell sweet ones, and these smelled sweet.
My day is starting good.

So see Ms. Little Smarty-pants-whipper-snapper -know-it-all -granddaughter , got to slip some love into my husband's cereal this morning.

You were right Mudder , I love you and miss you very much,

Bless you today, show someone you love today with  a small gesture or act, that they matter,

Gina

 " Yet is shall not be so among you ; but whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant....just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve , and to give His life a ransom for many. " Matthew 20: 26,28

Whose EYES Go SOFT For You ?

We were driving back from church last Sunday morning, and I always take my son's little papers they give him after his Sunday School class...and I read them out in the car on the way home.

Sort of quiz him on what he learned. He usually doesn't remember anything, or acts like he doesn't ...so I like to ' feed ' him his answers off the papers.

The lesson that Sunday was about loving your friends like yourself. What love means, how to show it. 

I was reading off the papers, and I then decided to put them down and try to quiz him on the basic visible concept of love from one person to another.
Something that I always notice , and appreciate.

This was my question, by the way...I am in the passenger seat, my husband is driving...and our son is directly behind me. So all answers I received were like a little echo in a valley, back up to me from the back seat.

They were quiet, sure answers.

I first told him how nice it is to be loved, how good it feels.

He agreed.

I then explain to him, that when someone loves you, really loves you...their eyes get soft, they actually get soft-looking. Did he understand  ?

He says Yes.

My love-bug and his Mother's Day roses for me

I then ask him, " Do Mom's eyes go soft when I look at you ?'

Little voice goes, " Yes. "

Does Mavis' ( his bestest friend ) eyes go soft when they look at you ?"

"Yes."

Then I go through his sister's names , each one I ask if they go soft looking at him.

More little Yeses come up from the back seat.

I then ask if his dad's eyes go soft when he looks at him ?

" Yes, " he says.

I look over at my husband and smile, and ask our son one last person, or rather family member about do their eyes go soft , " Do Maxine's eyes go soft over you ?'

A definite ' Yes ! "

Maxine

I then told him how lucky, how blessed he was to have people's eyes go soft and show their love to him.

I felt like it was one of the few serious lessons of life, about love, that my son got at an early age.

I believe if we all have at least one persons' eyes go soft...some people may have more, but I hope you can appreciate the one or many...as it truly is a precious, priceless gift from one to the other.

Diamonds, rubies, gold and silver cannot match the glow in a loved one's eyes.

Don't let it pass you by, appreciate the softness, every time.

I hope your evening is good , or your morning !

Bless you,

Gina

" For thus says the LORD of hosts :' He sent Me after glory , to the nations which plunder you ; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. " Zechariah 2:8

DEMONSTRATING Love when the FEELING is Not PUSHING You Along

My heart in my garden, covered with snow

We had an interesting weekend here in South Carolina, with the first snowstorm/snowfall in the last 7 years descended upon us. Whenever there is a chance of snow in the Deep South...mass hysteria follows.

Everyone runs to the grocery store to stock up.

Milk , eggs, wine , bread, cookies, whatever that family considers essential.

I decided to run out to my favorite Publix grocery store and bring along a cookbook full of soup recipes, I had chosen one , Chicken Tortellini soup, and I had decided I was going to make a big , gigantic batch of it to last us through the ' storm. "

I then went into Publix, got my cart, and laid my cookbook right down on top of my purse, wide open to my recipe while I shopped. I considered copying the recipe down, but it was long , and I said what the heck, I'll just bring my cookbook.

So I traipsed around the crowded store, trying to get everything for my double batch of soup. I had many people stop and slyly take a glance at what I was going to cook , I would just smile at them and keep shopping.

My favorite part of the trip was when I was getting my fresh zucchini, onions, and garlic...I was directly beside the Valentine's area , where all kinds of men , from all socio-economic classes were running in to grab their sweetheart some flowers or candy, balloons were being blown up as well. Lots of romance.

I am a romantic-sappy-terribly sappy woman, and I wanted to pull up a chair, and sit and watch all these men come and do this. I actually did watch them for awhile, so sweet and funny to see them fish through bouquets, grab balloons, rifle through candy. Hunting quickly for their love...to show their love to them.

Then I remembered.

I had not gotten my husband anything from me for Valentine's because we had gotten into a big argument a few days ago, you know the BIG arguments couples can have, not the regular or medium size ones, but one of the BIG blow-out fights you can have.

So when I had gotten my kids some Valentines things, and my dad, I did BRIEFLY consider getting my husband one...but the anger and hurt was still there, and I did not get him one.

Deliberately did not get him one.

I then left the romance department of the grocery store, and on my way to the check-out...I spied the front of the store's card department, some Valentine's balloons were floating around...and I told my self," Be NICE, go pick out a card for him ! "

I prayed , asked God to help me as The FEELING was not there to get him a card. I know God wants us to demonstrate agape love, self-less love, what is in the best interests of the other love, loving when you don't FEEL like it.

HARD to do for someone who feels too much in general.

And I was making him a big batch of homemade delicious soup ( plus french bread and slice and bake chocolate chip cookies for dessert ), wasn't that enough God ?

No.
Not quite. 

So I pushed my cart loaded down with items, made my way to the Valentine's section, and started looking.

I looked through about 25-30 cards.

Love of my Life card.

You are my greatest blessing card.

You are the perfect husband card.

You make my life wonderful card.

You are the most awesome man in the world card.

You are the most romantic man in the world card. 

You complete me card.

I would marry you all over again card.

I love you more than you know card.

On and on, and no and no for me.

If I did not FEEL 100 % or let's say 90 % like that towards him , then I was not going to buy him that card.

Also words are important to me, they MEAN something , so I could not figure out how to say these sentiments through a card, if I was not all the way in my heart behind them

Then after about 50 or more cards, no lie, I was taking FOREVER , I looked around at the store, looked back at the cards, and laughed at myself.

How ridiculous is it for a woman who is fast at most things, why is she taking forever finding her husband a card ? We have been married almost 29 years, he deserves a card ( plus soup ), plus a giant Hershey almond bar, right ?

So , I looked again, decided on a I love you, simple card , still laughing at how dumb I was behaving, grabbed a giant Hershey almond bar for him too, and pushed my way to the check-out.

Later that evening, while I made my soup , I was remembering that God loves us when we are not lovable, ALL The TIME. 

He gives us gifts and blessings when we least deserve them.

We can work on emulating that with someone we know we should love, but don't feel like it.

More working on my love-walk here.

Have hope, God is not finished with me yet.

My back garden covered in snow

Happy Valentines & Bless you and the ones you love,

Gina

 

" Love is patient and kind, Love is not envious, boastful or proud.. " ! Corinthians 13:4

For MEN Only : What will be Your LEGACY ?

Sunset at Edisto Beach, SC

This may be an odd topic for a woman to write about , but it is something that has ' hit ' me when my husband came home about a year ago and said it was a topic of a Men's study series he was taking at church. One of the very few times I saw him get choked up, as it is truly a BIGGIE for men's souls. 

We have 4 children , 3 grown and out on their own and a late blessing , a little rowdy boy still at home with us. The topic in his study at church was, What will you leave behind of your life ? What will you teach your children ? What kind of example of marriage will you leave  them with ? Of your work ethic ?

What will they have , deep in their hearts and souls, part of you...to pass on to their children ?

What will be YOUR legacy ? 

Here in America, most men are struggling simply with either keeping their head and house above water...or working so hard to keep up with whomever they think they need to better...to one-up, that they are confusing their net worth with their worth to their God and their families.

Children have become too big of the focal point in most marriages that they eclipse most people's relationship with their spouse . The children's accomplishments and even their myriad of problems can suck the vitality out of the first priority God wants us to focus on, after our relationship with Him, is our relationship with our spouse.
Your wife is a gift from God.

So the first component of a man's legacy is the example of love and commitment he displays through good and especially bad times with his wife. Your children , your neighbors, your extended family, your co-workers and your friends, all watch how you treat your wife. How you talk about her when she is not around. What you look at when she is not around.

People notice, your children notice...and that example will be a big part of the legacy you leave one day.

The words , the actions, the gifts you give to her will guide your children in how to treat their wife or how a woman expects to be treated by a man.

Another component is what kind of father were ( are ) you ? The biggest example you have to look to is God, as He is all loving, forgiving , teaches us what is right and what is wrong,  and let's us learn from our mistakes...without always rescuing us right away. A Father needs to teach his children how to TAKE CARE of themselves , teach them how to do a task correctly...not perfectly, but to the best of THEIR ability. Don't be too hard on them when they are young , but also teach them responsibility.

We had 4 children , as I mentioned earlier, and probably the biggest benefit they received is us insisting they get a  PART-TIME JOB by the time they were 15. They did baby-sitting before that age, but afterward, they all were employed somewhere. It makes them accountable for their time, accountable for their money, and promotes personal responsibility.

Teach them to get to work on time, to dress appropriately, to be polite and  respectful of their bosses.

Then step back and let them succeed or fail at that job..on their own.

If they lose a job, and they will....ask them what they learned and tell them to get another job.

They eventually will figure out this is how the real world is.

You as Fathers will not be around forever, but your work ethic and balance of work and family will teach them how to be successful in whatever they do.

Daddy constantly paying for everything in a child's or young adult's life is a growth-inhibitor for their success. I have not known ANY really successful man ( or woman ), that did not have a job when they were still a teenager.

Another component of your legacy is a real biggie. So big it appears to scare most men , because I can honestly say I do not see this very much...even in  church.

Ready ?

Being the Spiritual leader in your home. Talking about God with your children, your wife, and finding a house of worship for your family. Not being the one that your wife has to drag to church, not being the one that rarely if ever mentions what God says to do in a situation in life . Buy a Bible , let your wife and children see you read it . Being the moral compass in today's world for your children, is getting harder and harder...every year.

Be discerning with what you allow your children, and yourself , to watch on TV or in the movies. Be discerning with who they hang out with, their language , what they read or what internet sites they post to ( and boy will it shock you what they start posting !).

Express your approval and your disapproval with their moral and ethical decisions..with love.

God can guide and support you here . Show them that God is IMPORTANT to you, and them. Tell them to pray , tell them when God answers your prayers, when God guides you.

Know your moral convictions, know what is right and what is wrong. 

Stand firm and stand STRONG , and teach your children this.

Another component to your legacy is what they see you put ' first '. For alot of men , this is work. Men need work, God made you to desire to work, to accomplish for your family . The problem with work today , is not simply that men are working to pay bills, but many are working to pad their egos. Women also do this, I know I did when I sold Real Estate many years ago.

The problem is all that time you devote for work , means less time for God and your family.
Balance your desire for work , with your desire for God and your family.

Your children will grow up in the blink of an eye, I can attest  to that unequivocally. They need you NOW, to support, encourage, and love them...love is the paramount quality of your legacy.

Your legacy, what is left of YOU when you are gone , should be rich with respect for God, love and respect for your wife, being a good steward of the money God showed you how to earn or blessed you with the ability to make, rich with love and encouraging words for your children ,and gratitude to God for how He has blessed you.

Speak these words to your family, don't simply be a silent witness with your actions.

Speak your love , demonstrate your love ...daily.

None of us knows how long we will be on this earth. That is a fact that becomes very hard and clear as we age.

But that fact alone can cause men to consider what legacy they want to leave their children...and the clearest way to do this is through the channel of love.

Look at your life backwards, and see where you want to end up.

Know that you can be one of the biggest blessings God ever gave to your children.

They will want to walk in your footsteps.

Stand Strong.

Bless you,

Gina

" Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, having done all, to stand. " Ephesians 6:13

SEARCHING For What You ALREADY Have

My favorite coffee cup

My little boy grabbed a cup out of the overhead cabinet the other day, turned and glanced at me behind him...and his eyes got big.

He then got himself some cold water out of the fridge...and turned and looked at me again.

I smiled at him, but knew he was acting a little strange, and then I saw it !

The little stinker was drinking out of my favorite coffee cup that I haven't seen in over a year !

He knows that I don't let him drink out of it, as he may accidentally chip it, and I am very particular what makes me happy in a coffee cup.
I got it out of his little hands, and switched it with another.

This one was perfection to me.

No other cup made my coffee taste as good as that cup did.

I have to have the inside of my cup be white, I like to SEE my coffee, the color has to be just perfect. The level of the coffee in the cup has to be just right. Plus this one has the Bible verse, " This is the day the LORD has made, let us REJOICE and BE GLAD in it. " Psalm 118:24
I had thought I either mis-placed it, or something...as it seemed to just disappear.
The funny thing about it, is that is WAS ALWAYS there.
I just couldn't see it.

Lost in plain sight.
So many choices of mugs and cups in my cabinets, I actually have two shelves of coffee mugs and cups. Always thinking I can find one that is better than the last one. Most I never use. I believe when we have too many options in life, we lose sight of what is right in front of us.


If it was a snake it would have bitten me, a term I remember my grandparents in Texas used when something was in plain sight that they had been searching for.
What came to mind to me when I realized it had always been there, and I was over-looking it, or never noticing it, was how we humans search for recognition, or meaning in life, but especially love...and many times, it is already there.
Close to you.
Waiting on you. 
Sitting in the back of a shelf.

God has usually put someone in your life, your spouse if you're married, or if you are not...someone else that you do  not even consider...is there to love you and be loved by you.
By loving what God has blessed you with ( that person that is right there) , we in turn bless ourselves.
Love is God's greatest conduit.

In the palm of my hand.

I felt like God was telling me that day, that He had already given me JOY ( like my cup says ), that it was always there waiting for me.
I just needed to open my eyes and SEE it.

Look around your home today, look at the person that God blessed you with, do not take them for granted. Be thankful , express that to them and God.  If He has not placed someone there for you yet...you are either single , divorced, widowed...have assurance that He has Joy waiting for you.
But keep your eyes open , because it may be hiding in plain sight.
Bless you today !
Gina


" I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. " John 10:10

To Touch A Woman's HEART...It's Always the SMALL Things that WORK the BIGGEST

The gift

I decided to write a small entry about how to touch a woman's heart , and leave an imprint of your love there. This may apply to men as well, but I know it works for most women. I will admit it may not work for a woman that values clothes, jewelry, and new shoes above ALL else ( and I know women like this ), but for most women, this is a biggie.

But it always comes in small packages or gestures.

Take for instance my gift from my son a few days ago, pictured above. I was busy working on my computer, he had been playing outside...then he comes running in to where I am ( dirt on his shirt, pants, and shoes and face )...and stands there and looks at me. I stop what I'm doing, turn towards my little love-bug, and he thrusts this sad little past-it's -prime pink azalea blossom at me.

I look down at it , and of course it fills my heart, because it did not matter that it was perfect...but he took the time when he was chasing balls in the yard, to stop,  and picked it off the bush for me.

o

Hi tee-tiny bug in  jar

After I took it from him, thanked him profusely...he then walks away to go back out to play. I look down at the flower..smiling , look back up...and see he is watching me from the dining room doorway . I gave him a big smile , and thought , " How wonderful to have a gift from my  little boy , and appreciate it...and then he sees how much I do. "
My young son is not a momma's boy, he is probably more of a daddy's boy ( or maybe an even split) , as they play so much together...so when he does something like this , it really touches me. 
Out of all our children, he is the one that does not verbalize his love.
So instead, he gave it to me through a small blossom.

One of my mom's favorite things to say about men was that they weren't any good until they were over 50. I sometimes think they are not any good once they are over 11 ( JUST kidding-sorta).  But truthfully , men and women just get lazy about the small things that warm each other's hearts.We usually KNOW what small things ' thrill ' our spouses , but we are all so busy with all the important and then equally trivial moments of our lives that we become neglectful of each other.

Plus so many people these days are too busy twittering strangers, face-booking a new acquaintance , blackberrying their time away , to stop and remember who that time really needs to be allotted for. Hours and hours of triteness.

Wasted minutes and hours become wasted days and years.

Life is so very short.

 Small things are the flower blossom, or flowers in general...not expensive bouquets...simple. Maybe your wife likes to cook...get her a new cookbook. Maybe she is a runner...buy her some super cushiony socks. Maybe she has been wanting the newest best seller...buy it and put it on her pillow, surprise her. Write her a love note , most men are incapable of long sonnets...just something simple from your heart to hers. Make her cup of coffee for her one morning.

I think we all need to just stop , like my little boy that day did...with all his running around...he saw the blossom, thought of who would like it, and took the time to bring it to me.
I am going to try to do this much more myself for the people I love.

Love makes life really, really good.

I hope you have a day full of love,

Gina

" ..And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. " 1 Corinthians 4:13

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