Once Upon A Graceful Time {A Very Short Story}

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 15 Comments

Once upon a time a girl lived in a world which was filled with the Beautiful and the Lovely. Every day she looked all around her in wonder and amazement at the gifts of tender beauty, given in love, given from a generous heart. And she looked for a way to end her days with gratitude and thankfulness for the Giver. One night, she looked up toward heaven and saw the delicate winsome white of the full moon against its velvet black background. And it looked like the heart of God. And it looked as if she was looking into the eyes of God. She was amazed at the graceful suspension of this ball, so round, so perfect looking down in watchful love at her and on her. She knew that every night without fail, she could gaze up and somehow find this beautiful moon the way she could always find her Amazing God.So every night as she crawled under the crisp white sheets and her marshmellow puff of a down comforter, she lifted her eyes to the Heavens and thanked and prayed. And this is how she prayed. “Lord I see the moon, an ever watchful eye on your child. Thank you that my day was filled with Grace. It was a Graceful day, a day filled with Grace, because of your Love. I lift my heart and lips to you with thanks. See you tomorrow night, my God. I love you to your moon and back. Amen.”

{Today’s post is part of a writing excercise for 5-Minute Fridays. Where a “flashmob” of sorts of writers in community write for only 5 minutues, with no editing, backtracking, or over thinking. Today’s word prompt is Graceful.}
Linking with Lisa-Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday

{Photograph of the Blue Moon, a gift from my friend, H.M. Miller, whom I love and cherish.Isn’t she talented?}

What Happens When A Monkey Mind Writes A Blog Post?

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 28 Comments

I wish you were here.

Well not really because you’d see the laundry basket and quite frankly it would scare you. Well maybe not scare, but it might freak you out. Well not that either, but you might not want to stay long because you’d want to free me up to “Just Do It.”

And if you were here I might ask you to run a soccer shirt to one school and a phone and a volleyball jersey to another school. And I might ask you to feed the cat and dogs.

And then I’d ask you to be a good listener. So I could tell you what it felt like to sit beside a man with Parkinson’s Disease and a single mother, with another single mother two down, last night at a volleyball match. I was in the middle.

Did you read the title of this post? Ok. Do you think I should change it? I don’t either.

And I might take you with me to the window to see the HUGE, I mean two HUGE spider webs that are like goal posts outside the window. And we could talk about the God Art and how lovely the sun is on them. And whether you think they are as spectacular as I do.

Now tell me are you still here? Did I run you off yet. Sheesh, I hope not. Because I know you have a choice and you may unsubscribe or not come back or unfollow which are all your choice. And BELIEVE ME, I would understand.

Did you think I was going to tell you more about my friend with Parkinson’s Disease? I was. I am. (Do you think I am rushing today a little too much? I am.) He asked me last night if I was still working. Then I asked him the same thing. He said he’s not because of his “mind” and he then told me of his recent diagnosis. I saw his right hand quivering. He said he misses work because he misses having something to do. I gave him a lollypop. No really I did.

Did I tell you dementia runs in my family. It does. Did I tell you two people in my family have ADD. I have written about that. Did I tell you I don’t. Wait, don’t look so surprised.

Did you think there was a point to that.

Well I want to ask you to help me with the running around and the washing of clothes so I can sit and write, and do art, and make art. And write my hybrid proety, proems and such.

And write my friend in Peru, the little girl I sponsor Erlita. Because did I tell you it can take three months for her to receive my letter? For the Compassion children to receive letters. So I want to write one now.

For some reason, and I believe God put it on my heart, while I can I want to help Compassion International.

And I want to pray for my family member with Dementia and my friend with Parkinson’s Disease and my really good friend who is a single mother. And I want to figure out the best way to love my children while discipling them and encouraging them as they grown into responsible people.

It is really important  that I raise responsible children who don’t leave their phones and sports stuff at home. Because I get one chance to get it right with them. I don’t really know what that means because there is nothing left to chance to raising children. God’s got this with me. Oh yeah that other chance, like opportunity.

Did you read the title of this blog post? Do you think I should change it. Good, I don’t either.

I want to tell you more but its gotten quiet and I think some of you have left. Before you leave will you visit the Compassion Sponsorship page and pray for the kids who need sponsors. And will you join me in praying for my new friend Erlita?

I can’t wait to hear from her. I will tell you about it when the letter arrives, if any of you are still reading by then. (This is Ella and she has nothing to do with the post but I am trying not to forget to go feed three dogs).

While I can write I want to write. While I can pray I want to pray. If you all could help with the laundry, I could go write the prayer I am trying to write to pray for Compassion. Well big C compassion and little c compassion, but mostly big C.

You know if you have never left a comment, today would be a really good day to. Because my monkey mind and I are feeling like we lost all our friends with our laundry and our craziness. So saying hello would be particularly well-timed. And you can go to my facebook page (wynnegraceappears on Facebook) if you are handing out affirmation and cyber-hugs today. And if you are feeling exceptionally generous you can share this on your facebook page.

Oh, I saw you click over to Compassion and pray. That was awesome. Thank you. I know it means a lot to the children.

Linking with Jennifer today.
And with Duane at Unwrapping His Promises at Scribing The Journey dot com.

And with Mary Beth at New Life Steward dot com.

And with Ann at A Holy Experience dot com for Walk With Him Wednesdays

And also with Emily
The purple zinnia and butterfly photograph used above is a gift from my friend H.M. Miller (isn’t she talented). I love her to pieces. She sent me the picture I used for the Mother Teresa quote. Thanks Harriett.

Shhhhh, Can I Whisper Something in Your Ear?

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 13 Comments

I will whisper because it is so tender and fragile, so the whisper of my heart is a quiet dignity for this and for them.

I will whisper about compassion and Compassion International for now. And the children.

But the cry of my heart is really to shout. And when you see and hear and bend the heart to know more, you may want to shout too. Will you walk over here with me, it means just click and we can go there.

To just pray.

This is what Mark Batterson says in his book “The Circle Maker” about prayer

The hard thing about praying hard is letting God do the heavy lifting. You have to trust the favor of God to do for you what you cannot do for yourself. You have to trust God to change hearts…

Thank you for going there to pray for these children. I will try not to shout. I like it when people speak softly to me too. I like to listen to the gentle.

I like the tender and the soft and the whispers from gentle places.

But the cry of my heart, well its all rumbly and loud. So I may need to ask forgiveness ahead of time for when I scream and yell and get quite loud with the cries of my heart.

Because when I went to choose my child, the one that I sponsor, I wanted to choose the one waiting the longest, and then I wanted to choose two and then I wanted to choose a boy and a girl but I chose a girl. And I wanted to choose the ones with especially special needs. And, well it was hard. But my friend Kris who played a role in bending and breaking my heart for Compassion, she said to me words that were full of grace. She told me to think of it this way, they all need a sponsor, so any one you choose will be right…..well you get the beautiful grace-filled words she spoke to me, in love.

But in the end I chose one little girl in Peru. And I pray that God in His holy math and in His holy name will multiply my smallness.

I am writing a prayer for myself for Compassion International. I will share it with you soon.

But your words and your prayers are much much better. They are your words and your prayers.

Counting my gifts in the quiet of my heart and linking with Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience dot com. You can read about her Compassion trips there.

Linking with Finding Heaven Today dot com

And with Denise in Bloom

Summer Gives Her Window Seat to Fall

~ Elizabeth W. Marshall ~ 9 Comments


{Photograph courtesy of H.M. Miller, my friend, her art, a gift. I receive with humility and gratitude.}

Sitting at the edge of change. And a racing heart competes with a flood of salty wet.

Soaking in on the edge of change. And the Beautiful now wrestles with the pregnant possibilities of tomorrow’s new.

Teetering on the edge of change. And the Uncertain and the Unknowing play rock, paper, scissors with the potential outcome.

Dreaming on the edge of change. And Hope and Trust dance together… a beautiful pas de deux of love.

Anchoring the soul on the edge of change. And Faith rests knowing that the days are numbered and the battles are won.

Abiding on the edge of change. And relationship with Him secures the fretting heart and fixes the soul eyes squarely on the One who knows.

Embracing change on the edge. Surrendering to change on the edge. Loving change while tip-toeing around and on the edge.

Sleeping soundly on the edge with Change. While Summer gives her window seat to Autumn. And the window is rolled all the way down.

Linking today with Joy here and here.