pressed but not crushed

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Five minutes until 12pm, I file in behind other parents at the high school gym waiting for basketball camp to let out. I glance over at 9-year-old son leaning against bleachers as another group of boys play five on five. Our eyes meet and he instantly casts his down to the shiny wood floor where tennis shoes squeaked all morning. Dejected is the best word to describe his countenance. My mind races.

Boys are called to line up on the court to receive ribbons. The same three boys spin their blue, red, and white treasures on fingers while mine walks to me as he did yesterday, shoulders slumped, head down.

We make our way to car where he instructs me to not ask questions. I don't. Silence.

Upon coming home, excitement builds at the prospect of seeing Dad's truck home. This time it doesn't matter that Dad is a scholarship athlete or NAIA National Champion in basketball. What's important is that he is a champion encourager and lifter of a little boy's chin...Dad, who has a way of bringing all things into perspective.

I stand on the sidelines with pom-pons, make lunch, do cheers and toe-touches of sorts. We pull back from our family huddle, ready for another day, another opportunity to build character...the same kind of character that comes when same said boy had to ride sister's purple bike for a period of time...the same kind of character that comes from being the new kid in school...the same kind of character that comes from going into the girl's bathroom on the first day of school...character.

This boy's got character.

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We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4

summer gifts

take me out to the ball game

~a great minor league discovery &

a little boy's persistence to remain in this position the entire game~ .

milk moustaches at lunchtime

our nightly dose of Andy Griffith

~we never grow tired of this classic~

newly discovered nearby pond

we enjoyed a sunset into the water

and mother duck with ducklings in tow

~thank you Lord for this precious moment with my son~ .

traintrack adventure

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remnants of another visitor ~thank you Lord, for Christian neighbors~ ..

remembering the nails in His hands ~praise You Jesus~ .. .

making a new friend ~God's perfect timing~

good news

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

I had surgery this morning to remove a skin cancer. There ended up being more to it than I thought...IV, five-inches worth of sutures, and a lovely bald spot at the crown of my head. The surgeon went all the way to the skull to make sure there was no infiltration. The underlying muscle was also removed so pathology could check for sarcoma.

Upon coming home, I pulled out the mirror to assess the damage. Boy did I have a flashback. You see, one evening when I was about 10 years old, I was shining my daddy's dress shoes with his electric shoe shining kit. My long locks draped over shoulders got caught in the spinning mechanism and boy did I hear the most awful sound coming from the motor on that electrical unit. It all happened so quickly. Dad looked at me. I looked at hair wrapped around the shoe shiner. Dad looked at Mom. Mom looked at me. Mom looked at Dad. Their expressions are seared in my memory.

I immediately wanted to run to the mirror. The song "You're So Vain" was written for me during those pre-adolescent years. They wouldn't let me see myself in the bathroom mirror, which only created more anxiety, but it was inevitable. That night I caught my reflection in the sliding glass door of our dining room. About a three-inch bald patch sat on top of my head in plain view. It wasn't anything a side combover couldn't handle. That was the 70's style anyway. Let's just say that Donald Trump would have been proud.

Today, I could care less about my hair (or lack thereof). I'm just praising God for the good report.

Anyway, I hope you all are having a great summer, but for goodness sake, wear your sunscreen and hats!

jump in

I haven't been swimming much this summer in an effort to stay out of the sun after discovering I have a basal cell carcinoma on my scalp, but on my latest trip to the pool with the kiddos, while slathered with sunscreen, I heard these words, "Come on, Mom. Just jump in!"

I've always been one to ease into the swimming pool in an effort to bypass the shock of the cold water to my body. After this latest remark from my daughter, I began to consider how often I take this same approach in life, cautiously easing into new endeavors, sometimes so meticulously that it leaves little room for faith.

No, there's nothing wrong with being prudent in decision making, using common sense the good Lord has given, but what about, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path (Prov 3:5-6)."

I can't help but think of the Steven Curtis Chapman song:

I'm diving in, I'm going deep in over my head, I want to be.

Caught in the rush, lost in the flow,

in over my head, I want to go.

The river's deep, the river's wide,

the river's water is alive.

So sink or swim, I'm diving in.

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I'm tired of standing on the banks of Jordan with fear-based hesitancy. No more testing the waters. It is trust and obey time.

update

Whoa, I looked back and realized I had only one post in May. Where have I been you may ask...well let me tell you.

helping with science fair projects

going on a field trip to San Antonio with Lady Olivia


feeding dolphins


sleeping in the penguin exhibit

golfing with old friends

track and field day

late afternoon bike rides with the family

So you see, I have been quite busy with...well...life. I hope you all are doing well. I will be getting back on track visiting all of you, my friends.

an illusion

Things aren't always as they appear.

When we look at problems with our physical eyes, we are prone to feel discouraged, hopeless, and helpless. However, when we view these same matters with our spiritual eyes, faith rises up.

The Comforter shines light and hope in the midst of our troubles. God's promises come into view and we are suddenly on a different plane, seated in heavenly places with a new perspective. Creative power is ignited and we can scale obstacles never thought possible when looking from an earthly vantage. Only with Him is this possible. Thank You Jesus!

the flower song

It seemed that the flowers were singing a color language which could only be understood by the heart and not by the mind. They seemed to have a little chorus all their own which thousands upon thousands of them were singing in different color notes.

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This is the law by which we live--

It is so sweet to give and give.

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by Hannah Hurnard

Hinds Feet on High Places

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Meditating on this idea as I enjoy these flowers from my garden. O Lord, may this be the song I sing, a chorus of service and love unto You and my fellow man.

His gifts

He is faithful to give. I am happy to receive.

~daughter in a white eyelet dress

~son patting the seat beside himself for me to join

~interlocking fingers

~fruit trees in full bloom

~grapefruit, the color, the taste, the smell when I walk by a big bowl full of them

~fishing on the dock of a pond


~working with the wind instead of against it


~the way daughter's hair smells

~pillow talk--notebooks filled with secret thoughts from family members, hidden under one another's pillows

~first ladybug of the spring

~a good report

~adding to my collection

~a very, very happy family

Consider~~joining the gratitude community.

a sweetie called wanda

I'm thinking and praying for a dear friend today. Wanda is such an amazing soul. She's the kind of woman who makes cookies for her grandkids because she knows they will be visiting her in the hospital after her surgery today.

She is a gifted artist, homemaker, wife, grandmother, and friend to many. Her cheery outlook on life is positively contagious. Won't you join me in praying for her as she has surgery for breast cancer and is in recovery? I am so thankful she is in God's good care.

where has she been?

No, I haven't dropped off the blogging radar. I've simply taken up residence at a new locale on the world wide web. You see, Fly Daddy's work has slowed down a bit with the changes in the economy.

Well, tough times call for a change in plans, so I have set up shop at a little place called Good and Faithful Servant. I have long desired to be a good steward of all that God has entrusted me with, so this place was born from that idea (Matthew 25:14-30). You'll have to come give me a visit!

I don't plan on leaving Sonflower. It will remain an ad-free site, but you will see that Good and Faithful Servant has been monetized, as I have become an "affiliate" at various stores. All the while, I will be able to get the word out on how to watch over one's soul, possessions, health, time, and talents. I am taking baby steps for now, but hopefully over time, God will bless my efforts in this new endeavor.

In the meantime, please be patient with me as this has taken a lot of energy for the initial setup. (Wanda, please know that I'm still praying for you and Pastor Don.)