When I was young and read one Nancy Drew book a day, The Secret Garden made me believe something whole and beautiful can come from loss and brokenness, and a Candle in Her Room broke my heart: words and the world they created became close friends
. . . . and so I write
When I was bursting independence, I wrote newspaper print on the how prenatal care reduced infant mortality from 25% to 2%, interviewed Mitch McConnell on his run for the Kentucky state senate, visited haunted houses and old men sitting on town square benches – I collected stories
. . . . And so I write
Living hours away from grandmother’s front porch swing, I wrote about little boys growing to someone I loved who only remembered the first son and the little boy with the great big frown. Dementia had stolen her stories, so I sent her mine because even 5 minute stories are worth 5 minutes of joy.
. . . . and so I write
“Why are you shouting at me, Mom,” this fresh teen said as I came into the kitchen. I wiped the shout from my face, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t shouting. Was my face still shouting at your brother?” Communication is a large part body language and small part word choice and tone. My son couldn’t hear tone. We needed to learn more about body language and context. CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder) taught me much about communication – and how graceless with it I can be. Because body language isn’t there to detract from the message – and tone can be better controlled than in real-time, verbal communication, lectures started coming via letters.
. . . . and so I write
27 years of living with these 5 boys to men, raising them in a world dominated by male communication: humor, frustrating, dreams, challenges, late night
Stop (I couldn’t stop there)
heart spills when everyone’s asleep and I’ve been up grading papers – coaching independence with training wheels – and then they cross a threshold into the men’s club – and this woman’s history, the story-keeper of family faith, challenges overcome, and miracles has no one to pass it down to, a one-woman club because there’s no one to join.
“God created a “Pass it Down” mechanism within each of us, the need for our life, experience and learning to be given away. It is something as necessary to us as water is to life” ~ My Life is Not My Own
Here, at blue cotton memory is a mother’s inheritance for a daughter available for any daughter needing a mother’s inheritance.
. . . . and so I write
I think God knew I would need a place to tell the stories of God in our family – his miracles, his comfort, his provision, his love, comfort and saving:
I’ll let you in on the sweet old truths,
Stories we heard from our fathers,
counsel we learned at our mother’s knee.
We’re not keeping this to ourselves,
we’re passing it along to the next generation—
God’s fame and fortune,
the marvelous things he has done. ~ Psalm 78: 2-4
. . . . and so I write
I’ve been in a hot chocolate mood this week – with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. The boys call it Mama’s Special Hot Chocolate that I only make on snow days. Grab a cup, let it warm you as it goes down – and include 5 minutes of your heart on the word. . . Write – and join Lisa-Jo’s gracious hospitality for Five-Minute Friday.
Hot Chocolate with cayenne pepper and a message too important to STOP! I loved each word
http://smidgensbitsandsnippets.blogspot.com/
Yes, yes, my friend. All that intersects our lives pulls us toward picking up pen and ink … we have something worthy to share.
And the cayenne pepper? I’ll certainly give that a whirl …
I hope your weekend is truly a delight!
;-}
You, your writing, your heart… touches mine. I’m so glad to have stumbled upon your writing today (thanks for LisaJo)… and have quickly become your newest follower. Thank you for WRITING!
Thank you for sharing about that words that we speak with our bodies as well as our words. We don’t always realize how much can be said just by the tone of our voice as well. It is hard when illness starts to steal ones thoughts.
Blessings XX
Mia
We are neighbors over at Lisa-Jo’s today and I am so glad I stopped by! This is beautiful, and I am so glad that you write!
This is simply wonderful. I have so enjoyed your blog. Such great wisdom & grace to be found here.
– Blessings.
I’m just stopping by from my front porch to yours…My name is Sara from poetsandsaints.com. Good to meet you!
I loved your line, “even 5 minute stories are worth 5 minutes of joy.” Such loveliness. Good stories, good imagery. Thank you for your words.
You’ll get your daughters by marriage ;), that’s how we got our first son. Now I’m praying for our next son–he’s out there somewhere–we..um, I mean, SHE hasn’t found him yet ;).
Had to check out the “meandering thoughts”. You write beautifully!
It strikes me how you use writing to connect – to family far away and near, as well as to yourself. By the end, I also felt “connected”. Great job!
Lovely post. Loved the part about your grandmother especially!
This is so beautiful. I’m so glad you commented on my five minute post so I could find yours! And so indeed, we write.
Peace and God’s love to you!
I love this. I understand this. Thanks for sharing!
I read those Nancy Drew books, too.
Loved all of this, but my favorite line… “Stop (I couldn’t stop there.)” 😉
P.S. I titled my FMF post the same–totally different direction. Funny.
Great reasons to write. I’m a book fanatic as well, and can totally relate to that. I’d love for you to share this with my Cozy Reading Spot, a link up where book lovers share their books, and what they are writing… if you are at all interested that is.
http://forfunreadinglist.blogspot.com – I hope to see you there!
Marissa
would love to sit and sip awhile with you
sharing the stillness
washed in His presence
We all have stories to share. So thankful that you write!
Thank you for sharing this!
And these cozy words make me wish I could pull up a chair and share with you in some of your special hot chocolate. But I guess I will settle for a cyber visit and be grateful for that. I’m grateful for the stories you share when you write.
I too devoured Nancy Drew books and am a hot chocolate fan. Try it with a touch of cinnamon!
Wow, this is great post reminding us of the joys and problems of raising children (boys) ! Thank you for sharing with us here at “Tell Me a Story.”
I shall have to try the cayenne pepper in my coco.
– – – and why we write. I too write so that the stories are here for my children and family. That is why I put them into three books as I had too many stories.
I’m so glad you didn’t STOP. Your words are so lyrical I want to drink them in more than once.
(visiting from SDG)
“Here, at blue cotton memory is a mother’s inheritance for a daughter available for any daughter needing a mother’s inheritance.”
I just love this quote. I’m going to write it on a sticky note and post it up because it’s encourages me in the deep places of my heart. I have 5 daughters and this just spoke to me. I have an almost 20 year old and I was thinking of sharing my blog with her, but unsure because it’s all just so vulnerable and this whole idea of a daughter needing a mother’s inheritance is just yelling at me to do it. So thank you for not stopping. So glad to have found you!