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Hello again Dear BlogNogs,

“Give the winds a mighty voice!”  That line from the old hymn “Jesus Saves!” is manifesting itself on our hill-top right now.  Those mighty winds, with thunder and lightning, have sent our Oklahoma weather monitor into a shrill alarm – warning Kevin (son number three) and me to take cover immediately.

Our current “weather shelter” is my small sewing nook that is tucked away in the center of our house.  Back in World War II, during the first air-raids in Liverpool, we were advised to crouch under the staircase because, remarkably, the staircase often was the only thing left of a house after a bombing.  My little sewing nook shelter is just about the same size as the household air raid shelter that was eventually built in our back garden for the duration of the war.

Right now, piled by my sewing machine, there are ten small parachutes I’m sewing for the Voice of the Martyrs ministry.  These little airborne messengers will float bearing Bible care-packages into one of many countries closed to Christianity.

So, with parachutes to my left and a big thermal teapot and Coleman Lantern to my right, I’m beginning this blog – handwritten of course.  Weather permitting, I’ll send it via computer to you tomorrow.  First, before this new blog is posted, a thousand miles away in Western Colorado, Keith (son number four), will receive my manuscript for graphic enhancement.  It’s always fun to see the great pictures he adds to bring alive the colorful content that follows the Blog’s storyline.  Thank you, Keith, from all of the CMG Blog-Nogs.

All of us experience the see-saw of life.  The ups-and-downs of a world filled with highs and lows in this earthly journey.  The highs and lows of our young years and the events of each day which seemed so crucial back then, in retrospect, now bring chuckles.  And sitting here by my sewing machine, I recall such a memory.

I remember the time I stayed up most of the night to make new basketball trunks for Glen’s (son number one) Junior High team.  My mission seemed to be a great priority once I had pegged the sagging crotches of the team’s old uniforms as the demoralizing villain which was dragging each player’s spirit down into repeated losses. Their shorts were old, oversized cast-offs from the High School team, and the faded red crotches of those ancient trunks swung back and forth like the droopy wattles of old turkey gobblers.

The coach appeared startled at the end of yet another home loss when I told him,

“Your team is better than these low scores indicate and, as a mother, I’ve cracked the case of this year’s poor record.  It’s those sagging crotches, and a case of “Swing low, sweet chariot, I’m comin’ for to carry them home” (to refurbish them).

He was quite unconvinced, but agreed to let me “sew” some fashion seeds of self-esteem.  The team was jubilant to discard the old saggy baggy rags.

A few hours later at home, with many yards of new red twill, I quickly learned the meaning of the Scripture: “No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment…(Mark 2:21).  My new cloth was in defiant disagreement with those tattered trunks.  I would have to make ten brand new pairs of trunks overnight!

(Well, at least I was matching the Proverbs 31 woman in this respect:…“her  candle goeth not out by night.” )

The next morning Glen frantically called from the county tournament, imploring, “Mom, if you don’t hurry up, we’ll have to play in our underwear!”

Five minutes before the game started, I raced into the gymnasium with snappily pressed new, red and white uniforms.  Ten pleased-as-punch boys grabbed them, disappeared in the locker room for two minutes, then came racing out with new high spirits and a sense of self-confidence that miraculously out-dribbled and out-scored the number one team in the tournament!  They really were on the “UPSWING” of the basketball see-saw!

The coach was dumbfounded.  However, any mother knows what a boy can do when he knows he looks his best.

Yet, I learned an even deeper life-lesson with “See-Saw Margery Daw” when Bradley (son number two) was five years old.  He was having a rollicking time on a see-saw with his little friend, Bernie, in the backyard of our jewelry shop when, suddenly, I heard Bernie wailing just as Bradley walked casually through our back door.  I ran outside to help Bernie but all I found was his ball cap.  He had already run to his father’s store next door.

“What happened to Bernie, did you do something?” I asked Bradley.  “No, I didn’t do anything.  I just got off the see-saw while he was up in the air,” he answered in all sincerity.  What a statement!  Doing “nothing” is all it takes to really “let someone down.”

In this see-saw of life all of us have opportunities to hold someone in the “up” position.  Just being there, with a word of encouragement, a prayer, a smile, a big hug or a helping hand.  Hold steady.  Don’t get off the see-saw, or they may come crashing down with deeper wounds than Bernie.

But, in all of this see-saw of humanity, there is the immovable Rock Who is always constant, and His Name is JESUS (“…thou shalt call His name JESUS.” Matthew 1:21); SHEPHERD – (I am the Good Shepherd, and know my sheep…” John 10:14) and FRIEND – (“…there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24).  Be assured, our Savior Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you..  He will never let you down.

Well, it’s a new day!  Last night’s storm has passed.  The sun is shining, the butterflies are out, and our yellow summer squash will soon be on the table!  Hurray!

Here’s a great promise for the see-saw situations of each day: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will UPHOLD thee with the right hand of My righteousness. (Isaiah 41:10)

Trust Him, and Cheerio for now!

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Christian Mother Goose®

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