Mother's Day Musings 2014 a Little of This and That

"What you look at the longest is what will become strongest in your life. Whatever captures your attention, masters you. Choose to put your focus on the good things God has done for you, is doing for you and will do for you." Paula White

Sunday a day to praise the Lord. Many will celebrate Mother's day, many will be unable to celebrate and for those we pray that the Lord will minister to them today. He is available 24/7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hzYKovRsJ8

Psalm 31:3 "For Thou art my rock and my fortress; for Thy name's sake Thou wilt lead me and guide me. 

 I think it was Joyce Meyers who said, "When I knew better, I did better." I am grateful to the Lord that I have learned and am still learning how to parent in different ways than I did when I was a teenage mother. By God's grace and forgiveness I am a different woman than when I started out and He gets the credit for it. But if I could turn the clock back and do it over with no mistakes or pain to loved ones, you can bet I would. I would love to be able to have a do-over in the mothering department. There is a quote in the book, "Her Daughter's Dream" by Francine Rivers that sums up, I think, how many mothers feel. ‎"I love every one of my children and I did the best I knew in raising them. I just wasn't always the mother they wanted."

Yet, we claim Romans 8:28 and know that God will use the pain and irritations of life to bring about the destiny of our children. As Mothers it is hard to watch and times and even harder to endure when we want to jump in and take that pain for them. But we must leave our children, grandchildren and problems in the hands of the One who created them for His purpose and glory. He will bring to life that which was dead and barren. Only the Lord can mend the broken, take pieces of clay and make beautiful vessels of His glory. Sometimes the pain of life seems more than we can endure, but we must press on, for His glory and purpose.

"Now therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning (my paraphrase) your family: "Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. "They shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. "I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul. Jeremiah 32:17, 36-41Amp:

“All your children will be taught by the Lord. And they will have much peace”

(Isaiah 54:13, International Children’s Bible)

An interesting bit of Mother's Day trivia I read this week:

Anna Jarvis, the woman whose efforts resulted in Mother's Day becoming a national holiday in 1914, filed a lawsuit to stop a Mother's Day festival in 1923 because she was so troubled that the day had become commercialized. "I wanted it to be a day of sentiment, not profit," she protested. The commercialization so disturbed her that she said she was sorry she had worked to establish the holiday, and she spent all of her inheritance trying to return Mother's Day to the simple, loving time she had intended. 

I can understand her becoming disheartened. May the Lord bring back the simplicity of just spending time together or thinking about happy memories for those who are sad.

Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/Holidays/Mothers-Day/When-Mothers-Day-Is-Hard.aspx?p=1

Seven Secrets of Power Praying, A book to enhance your prayer life.

Jane Glenchur has written an awesome book on prayer called, Seven Secrets of Power Praying. She looks at prayer in ways that would benefit all of us and the titles of her chapters will engage you and prompt you to read on. Not only read but pray more. The thoughts at the end of the chapters to remember, will stay in your mind and heart. I loved getting to know Jane through this book and was very honored that she chose to send me a copy to review.

Seven Secrets of Power Praying is broken into three parts. First is “Partnering with God,” Part 2 is Applying the 7 secrets to Power Praying, and Part 3 is Stepping Up to the Next Level. Her five keys to prayer are Key#1 Petition, Key#2 Passion, Key#3 Presence, Key#4 Preparedness, and Key#5 Perseverance.

I learned the term cloaking from the chapter Unmasking Deception where Jane says, "The enemy looks for opportunities to insert symptoms, hoping we will attribute them to a natural event rather than to cloaking."

A powerful quote also is,"Satan is the father of lies. As mentioned earlier, he wants to kill, steal and destroy God's children, but he does not advertise that fact. His lie are not often obvious; they are mixtures of truth and deception. He uses half-truths to prod and pressure us into making foolish decisions."

 

She also reminds us about voice recognition and how to be certain it is God speaking to you.

A key Bible verse is Jeremiah 33:3

Amplified Bible (AMP) Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, fenced in and hidden, which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize, have knowledge of and understand).

The Appendix A with power Prayers and Declarations will be something that you will use time and time again.

It is a book that I will recommend to my Facebook prayer support group, Somebody's Mother Online Prayer Support Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/119408188089314/ .

I especially loved from the chapter, "Give God Your Password," this quote, "Lord, I give You permission to change my mind and emotions. I want Your best in this matter."

If prayer is part of your life, you will want to include this book in your devotional time. I give it five stars.

Dates of Pain On the One-year Anniversary of the Boston Marathon Tragedy

Dates of Pain

On the One-year Anniversary of the Boston Marathon Tragedy

Dates stand out in our minds sometimes. We remember birth dates, anniversaries and events that make us happy. But some dates will forever be ingrained into our hearts of life-changing events. There may be calendar dates that started out happy and joyful and in the matter of moments turned into dates of pain.

For many who attended and those who ran the Boston marathon in 2013, April 15th will stand out as a tragic date. From the normal sounds of a happy crowd of people to something that sounded like a war zone this date will be seared in the minds of so many people in our nation.

It is said that two pressure cooker bombs exploded at 2:49 pm and killed three people and injured hundreds. It is sad to think that two brothers would contrive to bring harm to so many. It makes you wonder what was going on in their heads, what their background was, what belief systems were in place that they would want to hurt people?

Yet the Bible tells us, “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. (Jeremiah 17:9 MSG)

We can’t figure out in our own minds why bad things happen. We can’t figure out why God 

allows people to be hurt and killed and why families have to suffer as happened at the Boston Marathon last year. This is a puzzle beyond comprehension.

We know that He does promise to work all things for our good, though, and we lean on this promise. We have to realize that the Lord can always bring light out of the darkness of a heart that is deceitful and gone astray.

Americans are a resilient people; just Google “happy outcomes of the Boston Marathon tragedy 2013” and you will agree with me. From moms saying they will run again to the story of a proposal at the finish line, we can find hope. You will find poignant pictures also there.

On this sad anniversary date let us remember to pray for the families of those who have passed from this life to their reward early and also for those who are survivors. Pray, pray and pray some more that the date of running the Boston Marathon race can become a happy date again.

Donna Collins Tinsley

What Follows After by Dan Walsh, it just doesn't get any better than this

Dan Walsh is fast becoming my favorite author and has written a very poignant, challenging and intense book called "What Follows After." I find with Dan's books I usually just devour them the first time I read them. They draw me in so quickly that I make excuses to read at times that I normally would be doing something else. What Follows After made me want to read more and then as I neared the ending, I tried to slow down as suddenly I didn't want the book to end. I'll be going back to reread this book as I do with all of Dan's books to savor the story and take the lesson that he teaches well within my soul.

As a Floridian I love reading books that are based on cities that I either live in or have visited. Dan took us on a journey around the state in this book and it was more of a mystery than his other novels. I love the research and the history aspect that Dan is known for and also that it was story within a story.

What Follows After also made me think back to what I was doing in 1962; I was the older child, Colt's age back then. The suspense at times was nearly unbearable so it made me keep turning the pages and I added extra reading time at night to my schedule. What Follows After is a good history lesson for younger readers as it followed the timeline of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the reaction of people in our country.

Dan weaves as only he can a story of family dysfunction, total breakdown and then redemption in a beautiful way. It is hard to believe that the parents in the story would have their children live a lie, especially in the time frame of the story, but maybe it was because of the time frame... the "Camelot years," when families were supposed to be like the Cleavers or the Anderson's from "Father Knows Best" that they felt they had to pretend. Dan always puts an important life lesson in his books on how a strongly dysfunctional family can learn to be a healthy family.

One of my favorite chapters in the book was the church scene with Mamie Lee, who was a mother figure in the book. Reminiscent of "The Help" it was a pivotal chapter and was beautifully portrayed as the people prayed and took action to be on the alert.

I have to say that Dan's last sentence from the book summed it all up so well. What follows after just doesn't get any better than that.

Donna Collins Tinsley

Word Weavers Volusia County Group

Linda Lee Wirth Reece Lewis, You were One of a Kind

         The Lord is good, so good to us. Today I want to mention my Mama who would’ve celebrated her 78^th birthday today. She was funny, beautiful and a bit crazy all in one. She always had an old saying coming out of her mouth. She used to say "It's a great life if you don't weaken," "You have to laugh to keep from crying,” and "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." She used to tell the grandkids to go play in trafficJ

Mama also said, "Only the good die young." This must certainly be true. She died unexpectedly at age 62. Sometimes I try to imagine life with her still here. Many times I have gone over in my mind the things I wanted to do for her when she was alive. Whenever we have a family celebration or are eating at a restaurant, I am often wishing she were still alive and here enjoying herself. She loved to eat and used to say, "I'd rather die than not be able to eat what I want."

Diabetes helped that statement come true.   

 

     And Mama always said, "What goes around comes around." That is what I would like imitate. That is why I want to sow seeds of goodness, kindness and love because those are the types of things I want to come back to my family. Bless your children and they will bless you. Love your husband and see what a return you get.  It is the principal of "sowing and reaping."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Mama, if I had you back for even one day, I would treat you like a queen. I would take you anywhere you wanted to go. I would make you whatever you liked for me to cook, carrot cake or the little fancy sandwiches for a picnic. We would find a “Po Folks” restaurant even if I had to drive you from Florida to Tennessee to do it. I would take you to a movie and to the flea market. I would rub your back with alcohol and then lotion and I would wash your tired feet with warm, scented water and my tears. I would pray a blessing upon you and show you how much I love you.

 These are thoughts I have when I think about the things my Mama used to say; I wish she were still here to say them today.

Happy birthday Mama. The Lord did a good thing when He created you. A very good thing. He is good, so good to us.

This song just seemed to fit today even though she didn’t have blue eyes and it is a love gone wrong song. She did play the heck out of a piano and the tinkling keys are great in this. She loved JohnnyJ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xPQ16Asyoo

Blogging Again

Blogging has come to a standstill again as the Florida Christian Writer’s conference gave me so many things to read and learn about. Yes, they are all writing related but sometimes writers learn most by reading. I will try to be more consistent this year with this blog. My online prayer group, Somebody’s Mother Online Prayer Support Group is my main mission. You can join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/119408188089314/

Two things at the top of all my quote journals that I will share with you today: the first is from my husband and is probably the sweetest thing he ever said to me. “You are the single most important on going event in my life. All my love, Bill.”  He has been with me through thick and thin and I am not talking about my waist size but that could apply tooJ

These three scriptures join the above quote: May this always be said of me: Zechariah 2:5 "For I," says the Lord, "will be to her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her." I am adding this to my life-verses, the first being Romans 8:28. And of course my new favorite: He won't brush aside the bruised and the hurt and he won't disregard the small and insignificant, but he'll steadily and firmly set things right. Isaiah 42:3

Only One True Way to Overcome Addictions?

Thank you Beth Patch and CBN.com for running my blog today!

http://blogs.cbn.com/battlingaddictions/archive/2014/02/14/only-one-true-way-to-overcome-addictions.aspx
I'm including it here:

Only One True Way to Overcome Addictions?

The number of fractured families grows daily. You may be part of this growing number and might feel overwhelmed in your situation. This is one of my favorite verses to read when I need motivation to press on:

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.” Psalms 27:13 NKJV

I have noticed that there are those who seem to be able to work a 12-step program, those who because of mental health issues still need medications, those who can do it with Jesus only, and then there are those who need Jesus and much, much more. We just don’t hear enough about the fact that there is no ONE way to recovery.  Sometimes it seems there are people in rival camps fighting against each other, saying that their way is the only way that works.

I believe that recovery can be attained if you do it the way that works best for YOU and your family. We are all individuals; we learn differently, have unique beliefs and certainly each have our own truths. That does NOT prevent any of us from accepting the pieces of the process that work for us and traveling a path less known or accepted if that helps us and our fractured families achieve our dreams, sanity and sobriety.

There is no One Way Only road to recovery.

This statement is becoming more true to me as I think about the uniqueness of our Lord and how He created each person individually. We let go and we let God; yet sometimes He gives us ideas to help ourselves and others and bring hope for each situation. What works for one family member may turn another one completely off.

A Radical Intervention

For years I was waiting on a daughter to walk herself into rehab, and all those years she felt unloved and unworthy until I took a legal step to help her – I Marchman Acted her.

According to Okeechobee Florida Clerk of Court, “a Marchman Act is a means of providing an individual in need of substance abuse services with emergency services and temporary detention for substance abuse evaluation and treatment when required, either on a voluntary or involuntary basis.” The process is initiated by petitioning the court and a judge decides if the person meets the criteria. (Not all states have adopted the Marchman Act into their laws.)

In my daughter’s mind, taking that step to insist she get help spelled love. The Bible says in Lamentations:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:22-24(NIV)

I had to wait on the timing of the Lord before I took this legal step. The love was there all the time, but she was not able to receive it or even believe that it was there until the Marchman Act was served. My action allowed her to feel loved. That was her view; the Marchman Act spelled love to her.

Yet many have gotten treatment for their loved ones to no avail; there is a timing, and it is the Lord’s. That is when we breathe and pray, breathe and pray, breathe, cry out to the Lord and pray.

Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. Zechariah 9:12 NIV

Prayer: Lord, we come to You today, praying Thy will be done. I can’t fix this situation or family member, I never could but it took me a while to figure that out. You Lord, love my children even more than I do, so I leave them with You, asking for serenity for my own life, protection for children and hope for the future. Yes, I will be a prisoner of hope for my family and loved ones who wrestle with addiction until the day I die or the day that You bring the healing needed. We thank You that although there may be more than one way to recovery, You are the only Way, Truth and Life and the only “one way” to live. We give you all praise and glory in Jesus precious name. Amen.

---

Donna Collins Tinsley, wife, mother and grandmother, lives in Port Orange, Florida and has been included in several magazines and book compilations. She is a lover of the Lord Jesus and a sister among you. Find her at Facebook,   http://thornrose7.blogspot.com/  or join Somebody’s Mother Online Prayer Support Group athttps://www.facebook.com/groups/119408188089314/ Please email her at Thornrose7@aol.com with CBN blog article in the subject.

Second Chapters and God’s Business

Second Chapters and God’s Business

    I am so amazed at times at the second chapters or acts in some of our lives. I look around me and what seemed to surely spell only disaster for someone’s life now rings of new hope and healing. I was very happy to share this news on the first day of a New Year about my daughter, Regina. After over five long years of working a program, paying it forward to many others through sponsorship and help in other ways, studying, counseling and more my oldest daughter not only is on the Board of the Rebecca Schneider Foundation but has just been officially "BADGED" to go out to the Volusia County Correctional Facility and spread the message that in her own words, "an addict, any addict, can lose the urge to use and stay clean! Woooo hooooo!"

      She went into the jail this week for the first time and from what she has said, was very blessed to do it. We know when the Lord has a great destiny the enemy tries hard to keep a person down and he has tried his hardest but didn’t win in Jesus name. It is true as the Bibles says that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Her second chapter is looking hopeful.

     I remember some years back that I felt that the Lord said “Life as you know it is getting ready to change.” I think it was right after that Shiloh and Brian came to us and said they wanted to get married in five days! Wow! What a whirlwind romance they had and then them leaving right after that to go to Rhema Bible College, life was really changing and probably truth be told I am still in shock. But it is a good kind of shock as in when the Lord gives you a very special favor. They make me laugh amidst many tears of life as I picture Shiloh having an animal farm someday, because she just can’t seem to get enough pets to love but their first love is youth ministryJ More about Shiloh and Brian as their second chapters evolve into beautiful works for the Lord.

   Life has seemed hard for Amber this chapter as the results of a “good, upscale doctor’s advise” at times which led to make her life harder. She has battled some medical things since she was five-years-old but rededicated her life to the Lord I think it was Sept. 2012 and I fully expect to see her giving her testimony one day on stage. I saw it in my mind many years ago and look forward to what the Lord has ahead for her. Little Aryel has been one of the greatest joys of my life, as the same can be said about all my grandchildren, but when you see someone who has an autoimmune disease live, laugh and love in the way that she does…well it makes my heart sing.

     Ashley, being the private person that she is, I try to give her that space, but she is one of the most beautiful, kindest women that the Lord ever created and one day all of my prayers for her will come about, I am sure. Her second act will be great.

     My second act is probably third or fourth at my age and only the Lord knows my days. I hope to see a family healed and whole before my final chapter. I am amazed at the goodness of the Lord as He continues to free me from the chains that had me bound for so many years. I am grateful to be married to Bill and will write more about him and all of our wonderful grandchildren one day.

     How can we conclude our second, third, fourth and following chapters without a really knowing what is ahead in our lives? This is my conclusion, and I believe the Lord gave it to me. Our lives, mine, yours, and our family’s are “God’s business.”

      I have always fervently believed and clung to the verse in Romans, 8:28.  I still do. But how God will work all things for good to me, because He loved and called me, I don’t know. There are some things we will not know until we face Him in Heaven. I have always believed that Jesus is with me, from the time I accepted Him as a young child. I couldn’t have survived a chaotic childhood, my own sexual abuse, first marriage to a pedophile, and then the ensuing years of struggle, without that knowledge. 

    Sometimes the pain has been so great, that I haven’t felt His presence, but I believe. Sometimes, I have felt that I would rather die, than live, but I believe. Sometimes, I wish, I could take the pain away from my family, but I believe that God will use it to perfect them, in some way, at some time. I believe that God can conceive the plans He has for me, for them, and for you, my friend, plans for a future and a hope.

     Why do I believe that I can leave my hopes and dreams to Him as His business? Because He is a good businessman!

      If we can trust earthly men who are great leaders and businessmen with our affairs how much more, can we, must we, trust the ultimate Father and businessman; the Lord Jesus Christ. To Him I dedicate my life and give the glory for what He will bring about and accomplish. He is the true lover of my soul; my dream come true! Donna Collins Tinsley

God will do what it takes----whatever it takes

To bring his children home

Max Lucado

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

Romans 8:28

The chorus to this song is the key to living in this world; Only Jesus!

Only Jesus can wash away the stains that come from the pain of living in this world. Only Jesus can love enough to cover our sins. Only Jesus can heal the wound that seems to be so deep that it is a gaping hole in the heart. Only Jesus can take disaster and make it healing garden of balm. Only Jesus.
The chorus to this song is the key to living in this world; Only Jesus!

 

What kind of water can wash this stain?
What kind of heart can heal this kind of pain?
What kind of love can forgive me this?
Only Jesus
On Mondays we pray for our family and extended families. Many people in our families are hurting, emotionally, physically and financially. Lord we ask that You be over all that concerns us and our loved ones. We ask for special favor, blessing, a touch from You, to be held in Your great Father arms when we weep.
Somebody's mother or child is hurting today and needs a touch of healing and kindness. Somebody's family has endured pain they never thought they would endure, gone further away than they ever thought they would go, thought thoughts of their family they never thought they would think and needs restoration. Somebody's Mother is praying for you, that you will find a way to see the light today and every day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofNtjhUE0Zs
Only Jesus by Point of Grace

A sister breaks a promise, a leader tells a lie
A wife tells her husband it only happened just one time
A man knows it wasn’t innocent how he came upon his wealth
A preacher looks in the mirror says “how can I ever face myself?”

What kind of water can wash this stain?
What kind of heart can heal this kind of pain?
What kind of love can forgive me this?

Only Jesus

A first love teenage heartbreak, a child that’s never found
A family loses everything when their house burns down
An addict hits rock bottom, the cook who calls it quits
A doctor tells his patient he’s only got three months to live

What kind of water can soothe like rain?
What kind of heart can heal this kind of pain?
What kind of love can comfort us?

Our father knew us well, long before we came to be
He knew we'd leave the garden, He knew we couldn’t come clean
So He sent to earth a Savior to walk the earth
We walk to feel what we feel and free us from it on the cross

What kind of water can wash this stain?
What kind of heart can heal this kind of pain?
What kind of love but Jesus?

Only Jesus
Only Jesus
Only Jesus
Only Jesus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofNtjhUE0Zs

Worry is about to be conquered by reading Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries!

I am finally getting around to playing catch-up. Number one on my agenda is getting ready for our first Word Weaver's Volusia County Group meeting tonight and second is a book review that I promised I would do.

"Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries, Finding Peace in all Kinds of Weather" by Kathy Collard Miller is a book that many women, especially mothers, need to read. Worry is something that we all must admit to, and it is true that it is the opposite of faith.

As Kathy says in the beginning of her book, "Sometimes when I am worried, I feel like a fog of fear and anxiety is swirling all around me, blocking out the ability to think clearly and trust God. It quickly fuels responses like complaining, grumbling, or making a quick decision that isn't led by God."

I can remember so often the fear that can come upon me when something gets in my mind and I ruminate about it and everything that could happen instead of quickly rolling that burden over to the Lord in prayer. I so relate to this book and know many other women who fight the "worrying' battle daily.

There are discussion questions in Partly Cloudy with Scattered Worries, and also this book can be used as a daily devotional.

The addition of the letter after each chapter starting with, My Precious Daughter, makes every chapter gives a personal touch to each chapter and each letter is a very beautiful. I would have to say the letters are my favorite parts of the book. The last letter begins, "My Precious Daughter, I am powerful. Nothing worries me" and it ends with "Beloved I can do anything. And everything I do in your life is meant to draw you closer to My loving heart. Draw close to Me. Rest in Me! My arms are open to you and I'm working on your behalf."

As an author, I must say that Kathy Collard Miller goes the second mile to her readers. Many years ago I read an article by Kathy that really touched me with the poignant honesty that she portrayed concerning her life. I wrote her a letter and she wrote me right back. I still have that letter and reread it when I am discouraged. May she be blessed for all that she does to get the message out that there is a better way to live and that the Lord is a God of great forgiveness.

I give this book five stars.

Donna Collins Tinsley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06sYse_hb-4&feature=youtu.be