OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART

In the book of Acts we read, “Even through the doors be closed, Jesus came through the doors.” Every time this scripture is read hope leaps up into the depth of my soul. It is the hope of awaiting a promise that we know that God is going to fulfill. It is the presence of the fruit of hope that Elizabeth felt as she greeted her cousin Mary at the Visitation. The hope which was named by an angel, John leaped in the womb of Elizabeth. Life was present and Elizabeth knew it, despite the fact she had never been pregnant before, she felt it.  Gods’ promises always bring us hope and life. Our Heavenly Father always keeps His promises. He is faithful and true.

How open is our heart to believe God’s promises written in His Word of God?  Mary was open at the Annunciation to receive God’s promises. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary and she conceived of the Holy Ghost. The promise was fulfilled.  Then the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Elizabeth was opened to receive the promise, even though she was past child rearing years, her aged womb was young enough to carry her baby boy and feel a leap. Their hearts were open and God poured in life. God opened the eyes of their hearts to receive Him.

What is if the doors of your heart are closed? What if the doors of your children’s hearts are closed? What if the doors of your husband’s heart are closed? Re -read in the book of Acts the story of Pentecost, “Even though the doors be closed, Jesus came through the doors.” Jesus has a way of walking through the doors of even the most locked up heart. His love tenders. Jesus died for those who receive Him into their hearts and those who refuse to. There is always hope.

Thomas the disciple, who we affectionately call, doubting Thomas, needed proof? Did Jesus reject Him? No! Did Jesus correct Him? No! What did Jesus do? He opened the eyes of Thomas’ heart to show him just how much He loved Him. I can just picture Jesus going right up to Thomas and putting out His hands toward him. I can just picture in my mind’s eye Thomas, with a smile a upon his face,  a mile wide. The kind of smile that we sport when we greet an old friend.  

 I imagine,Thomas automatically extending His hand ready to shake with his dear friend. Then giving an affectionate hug that said, to Jesus, "Buddy I sure missed you," without Thomas saying a word. Jesus could read between the lines and He could see Thomas heart. Jesus, the all-knowing God could hear Thomas saying in the silence of his heart, " Man, I thought you were dead." He knew Thomas well. Thomas knew Jesus well. His friend, Jesus who he had walked with, who he had talked with and who he had shared life with.  Jesus, the one who had been crucified. Jesus, his friend who had died. Jesus was now standing right before Him. Seconds before this encounter not only were the doors of the upper room closed, but also the doors of Thomas heart.  In an instant, the eyes of his heart were opened miraculously.  In the time it took for the hands of two friends to join together in a manly grip, hope was restored. Thomas was changed forever.  I can just picture Thomas leaping thru the room shouting, “He lives! He lives forevermore!”  Thomas the Doubter had become Thomas the Declare of Good News. 

Thomas saw with his own eyes and proclaimed with his own mouth. Miracles happen when you put your hand in the nail scared hands of your friend Jesus. The greatest miracles happen in the heart.  The eyes of your heart become unveiled as you see clearly how much Jesus loves you. Not in just words but in actions.  No greater love has no man than to lay down His life for a friend. Jesus death on the cross brought life to this world.  Joy abounds to those who know Jesus as Savior and as friend.

 I am a friend of God. How about you? The more we open the doors of our hearts to Him the more He can fill us with His love. God loves us all best. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Remember where there is life there is hope. God says it He will surely do it. Pray that the eyes of your heart will be opened so you too can declare the Good News. Declare the Good News boldly, like the Blessed Mother, Elizabeth and Thomas. “He lives. He lives forevermore."God’s promises will have us leaping for all eternity.  

Let us pray:

"Come Holy Spirit, Fill the hearts of your faithful and in kindle them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and Thou shall renew the face of the earth.  Amen"

Happy Pentecost!!

IN MY MOM'S HIGH HEELS

 “Mirror, mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all!” The truth is that somewhere between birth and middle age, I became my mother. If someone had said, when in my teens, “You’re just like your mother,” I would have debated them and won.  Now, I just smile. Maybe you have become your mother too!

“You cannot have too many shoes or too many friends.”  Even though I love both shoes and friends, I do not put equal value on both. Shoes come and go, but true friends are a treasure that you can enjoy for a lifetime. So what do shoes and friends have to do with Mother’s Day?

Do you remember when you were a little girl, playing dress-up in your mommy’s closet?  You found her favorite pair of high heels, and you just had to try them on. In your mind you thought they fit just fine. You felt so grown up, as you wobbled around your mom’s room. You felt like a lady.  As you glanced down at the heel, you realized you had a ways to grow to fit into your mommy’s shoes. You feared that maybe they would never fit. Years have passed and maybe your mom passed that pair of high heels down to you. As you put them on, they fit just fine. You feel like a lady every time you put them on. As you walk around your room, you smile remembering being that little girl in her mommy’s high heels. You are so glad when your toddler daughter picks the same pair of heels to wear, when she goes in your closet and wants to play dress up.  She too thinks they fit just fine!  As she wobbles around your room, she feels all grown up, just like a lady.  As she looks down at the heel she also realizes they are a might too big. She gazes into your eyes and asks, “Mommy will these pretty shoes ever fit me?” You smile and answer, “You have a ways to go darling, but one day those shoes are going to fit just fine.”  You know these words are true because that is what your mom told you. Moms have a way of instilling high hopes in their daughter’s hearts. You add with a smile, “One day those high heel shoes are going to be yours.” She smiles.

 As you walk down the road of motherhood and maturity, you pass on to your daughter more than a pretty pair of shoes. You pass down your beliefs, fashion tips, recipes, character traits, wisdom and most importantly, your love. It is a motherhood rite of passage that is proudly handed down to daughters, generation after generation. Moms know that some things will be accepted and some rejected, but moms pass it down anyways. Part of being an adult is carving out your own way of doing things.  Part of being a mother is teaching your child to fly, then let go and watch them soar like an eagle. Another part is becoming your grown-up daughter’s friend, yet never forgetting you are a mom forever.

Your first home on this earth was in the body of your mother, right under her heart. While hidden inside her, you began to get to get to know each other. You were dependent on her for your life. Then D-Day comes:  “Delivery Day.”  The adventure of a lifetime begins. You are birthed and mom is full of joy. Her mother’s heart began to grow when you were placed in her arms and she never wanted to let go.  Daily you grew and learned. You smiled, mommy rejoiced!  You cooed, mommy applauded!  The miracle of life was unfolding before her eyes.

Then one day you become a toddler.  You now have your own ideas; lots of ideas!  You figure it is time to take over.  The journey toward independence has begun. You say in your best toddler voice, “I’m the Mom!”  You secretly find ways to be in charge and give mom the pink slip. You practice the words, “You’re fired!”

You grow from toddler-hood to elementary school, and then to middle school. You have learned to listen, respect and obey your mom. Time flies and you enter high school. Finally as an “adult,” you are convinced you know more than your mom. Your teen vision begins to reveal your mom’s faults, all of them.  Once you thought she was perfect, now she is on top of the list of irritating people. You scrutinize everything she does, the words she uses, the decisions she makes, and even the clothes she wears. Sometimes you are even embarrassed to be seen with her.  Time goes by and your ledger is overflowing. You have observed, analyzed, and come to the conclusion that you will never do things like your mother did. You will definitely do a much better job. You tell yourself, “I will be the perfect mother, with the perfect children, the perfect husband, and be a perfect housekeeper!”

One day, you fall in love with the man of your dreams. You get married and out of your love for each other you conceive a baby girl, the perfect child.  After a few months on the mommy job, pride fills your heart. You say to yourself, “I know I will be the mother of the year!”  You secretly believed it was true, but as time passes you get a reality check. You see life happens, like colic, sleepless nights, spit-up on your new silk blouse, and you say thru a yawn, “How did mom do it?” You have grown in wisdom and character. You call your mom, thanking her profusely.  On Mother’s Day you buy the card that puts into words the appreciation that now lives in your heart. You have come to see all the sacrifices your mom made for you. You throw away the ledger and your judgmental attitude, and replace it with a journal of your favorite memories of growing up.  You take pictures of mom often and develop an attitude of acceptance and love, realizing you have “Very big shoes to fill!”  You decide you want to be just like your mother one day.  The high heels fit just fine!

Have you thanked your mom lately, daughters?  Not only for giving your life, but also for the life lessons she taught?  It takes a lot of growing up to fit into your mom’s high heels. Once they fit you can wear them with a smile that says, “I love you mom!” One day you will have the same joy of watching your baby girl walk in your high heels. Once her shoes fit she will wear them with pride and a smile on her face that says, “I love you mom!” One day she will pass those same high heels on down to a daughter of her own. She, like all mothers before her, will wait patiently until those shoes fit her just fine!

MY UNSTOPPABLE MOM--ELEANOR

Do you remember playing dress up as a little girl, and trying on your mommy’s high heel.  Asking, “Will these pretty shoes ever fit me mamma?” Without hesitation your mom replied, “One day those high heels will fit just find.” Moms have a way of instilling high hopes into their daughter’s hearts.  They pass down to their daughters more than just a pair of pretty high heels. They pass their beliefs, fashion tips, recipes, character traits, wisdom and most importantly their love.  Part of being a mom is teaching your child to fly then to let go, watch them soar like an eagle.  Another part is becoming their best friend, while still being a mom. Mom did just that.

Her name is Eleanor. “Unstoppable,” is her middle name. She is my mother. Let me tell you a little about this fine lady. At almost eighty nine years old, she lives her life fully alive; nothing stops her.  Last year alone she has faced bladder cancer, carotid artery blockage, high blood pressure and a broken shoulder.  When a physician error caused her to have major surgery on her bladder surgery facing weeks in the hospital, she was forgiving. When her weekend get away with the girlfriends ended in a freak accident resulting in shattering her shoulder, she persevered.  She reluctantly agreed not to walk up stairs in her high heel again or at least around her friends.  She embraced PT miraculously regained use of her arm even thought she had never done a work out in her life. After all, that arm was needed to hold her bridge cards. My mom is no stranger to suffering.  She willing moved every year to appease my dad’s career decisions, single handedly packing up the home, the children and her life and moving on with excitement in new beginnings. She courageously accepted a pregnancy at age forty four just when she was seeing the light at the end of the carpool lane. When retirement took her out of her comfort zone from the Midwest to the Deep South she re-invented self, becoming an entrepreneur.  She went from changing diapers and washing dishes to changing lives. She became a statement of how you can do and be whatever you want to be, if you put your mind to it. With a mother’s heart she chooses a second career where she would still be available to her youngest child.  As my dad slowed down with frequent health problem mom found a new skip in step. She bought Wisteria Manor in Aiken South Carolina and became both a caterer and a legion. She tells everyone with a personal pride in her voice, “I worked until I was eight years old. “  Now as a widow she is more alive than ever; nick named the Merry Widow.

Mom is an old fashion gal with a modern voice and not afraid to speak her mind.  She is a voice of wisdom to those who will listen, my daily laugh on our morning phone calls, and an example to follow for those who suffer.  I applaud mom an unstoppable woman of valor who looks obstacles straight in the eye and never runs away. Those who know her want her to be their mom too. Some want her to write a book on how to grow old gracefully, while others just admire her spunk.  Perhaps it is because she is witty and wise, or because she is still quite the style setter, high heels and all, or because she is willing to sacrifice at her own expense even if it is with a tear in her eye. Maybe it is because at almost eighty eight years old she still has what it takes to be not only Unstoppable mom but an Unstoppable woman.  She with strong drive and big heart has touched lives she will never be aware of.   She can still run to your aid in those high heels if you need her, because nothing is stopping her for being there for someone she loves. My mom, Eleanor deserves the title of the Unstoppable Mom. Don’t you agree!!