His Name is LOVE

Love smiles.
Love encourages.
Love strikes terror in the one who terrorizes.
Love reproves and strikes with His rod.
Love hushes the howl of fear.
Love takes our hands.
Love gives us dreams.
Love shows His face in friends.
Love covers us in His soft feathers.
Love never leaves us alone.
Love understands.
Love prays.
Love loves our souls.
Love is... relentless.

Love never fails.

Bernadette

BULL IN CHINA SHOP

Up early, feet hit the floor running.
Guzzle coffee, burning throat, and swallow meds and vitamins and the rush.
Short with the boy to get out of bed and hit it.  I've got my agenda today.
Yell down the stairs at the Kitten to get up.
No back rub wake-ups today.
Start the laundry and go to the boy's bathroom for dirty towels.
Scrub their toilet, wash the counter, sink and mirror.
See my reflection.
Scowling.
I am monster mom.
Starting without the Word.
The whole day off kilter because I didn't trust Him with my time.
And now...
Everyone's lost here, and those check marks next to my to-do items seem.
Cheap.
Cheap because I made the Boy cry with all my barking.
And scared the Kitten to hide under a blanket.
What am I doing?
I thought we had this down now.
Done.
My face crumples repentance, and the mirror breaks my heart.
I am Israel going around that mountain.
And God is still God.
The Pillar in me.
The Strength.
The Redeemer of this mad heart.

The Holder of Time,

Bernadette

Eucharisteo

Giving thanks...
For the school room contained once again.
Their heads bent over books.
Girls in french braids.
Little leaves pushing through.
Boxes and boxes ready to go to Good Will.
Working hard with my hands.
Holding her in my heart.
A daughter become friend who takes me in her arms.
And says..."I love you, Mama.  It's going to be okay."
Five "girl" push-ups.
Friends coloring in family for me.
All gathered around my table feeling...
Comfortable.
Warm.
Surprising me with Joy.
What God is teaching me about Self Control.
A fruit of His Spirit.
Not a whip.  Not a belt.
A happy fourteen year old getting to play hard with a good friend.
Spontaneity.
The Shoulders reaching for my hand at church.
A son who says, "Thank you for your honesty."
Hard things drawing my heart to HIS.
All the broken beautiful.
Words.
The Word.

Grateful,

Bernadette

Yes, Jesus Loves Me

Jesus loves you, friend.
Don't you see that He hung on a tree so you could live free?
Because He loves you, friend.
Jesus loves you,

bernadette

Really? Cyber Prayers?

In the dark hours of morning.
I find myself weeping.
Sitting in all the calm before the storm.
Grateful that I've been given time with this Jesus.
That He has spoken His Word over me today.
That He connects my heart to a whole world out there, and how it makes me cry.
Wish I could catch every hurting soul up in my arms.
And carry them straight to my Father's.
Everlasting.
Just...
Drawing every soul on the planet close in my prayers.

Won't you join me?

Bernadette

Open Prayer...Join Me?

Our Father.
Is it even possible?
To link up and link hands?
Hold a whole nation.
Fallen.
That it might repent and stand once again?
Under God?
Under YOU?
Can we fold tent hands in prayer?
For my dear new friend suffering from chronic illness?
That she would know that she is not alone tonight?
That You shine strong in her weakness.
And for the lost, Lord?
For the hurting?
For the... lonely?
Father we pray for.
A RETURN.
A REPENTANCE.
A RECONCILIATION.
A RESTORATION.
A RENEWAL.
A REVIVAL.

In my heart first, Lord.  Here first.

Thanks,

Bernadette

Wendy

Three little boys bearing bags of goodness.
One with a proud smile.
Because he's pretty big now.
All this life and zest.
Their eyes full of wonderful.
Can't stop touching their blessed heads.
Little boys in little jeans.
Filling my heart with their dimpled smiles.
Making my head swim joy memories.
Remembering a world so big.
And their sweet mama coming along nicely now.
In her sixth month of making miracles.
Patiently tutoring me in the hidden art of slide shows.
Jesus all over her face.
Us scratching our heads.
Our traditional goodbye salute.
She drives away leaving me kind of breathless.
And pregnant with hope for the future.

My Wendy,

Bernadette