A Pretty Little Daisy

This pretty little daisy reminds me of one of my favorite movies…You’ve Got Mail. The one with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Couldn’t tell you how many times I have watched that movie. I am sure Mitchell would tell you a BUNCH. 🤣

I think Meg’s physical comedy is wonderful. Love her physical expressions…not just the facial expressions in that movie but the way she moves her body as well.

This picture makes me think of when Tom brings her daisies…she thinks they are friendly flowers. Just love that part. They ARE friendly flowers! I think flowers are meant to bring us all joy. Maybe a smile from Father…Idk…but I love them all.

I think one of the things I love about that movie is how Meg can’t stand Tom because of his business as the big bad store owner…just call me Joe. But through emails…they begin to get to see the true nature of one another. Hear the heart behind all the gruff exteriors.

Makes me think of an old friend…she once told me she didn’t understand my exterior. Can’t remember how she said it…but meaning…my exterior didn’t match my interior. She said…inside you are just a little love bug. Made me laugh…but also ponder…what does my exterior look like???? 🤔

My Heart

Over the years, I have been vilified by many. The crazy thing is this…those that vilify me…don’t know my heart. Never knew me at all. I have had people who have “known” me for almost forty years and never copped a clue about who I was. They missed out on KNOWING the greatest part of me. I found that sad for them.

I AM love. That is who I am. I care…sometimes too much, I think. Maybe too deeply. 🤔

To Preface

When I discuss my children and/or an issue regarding them…it is done with permission already granted by them. Years ago, I shared with the kids…Father’s plans for my future…which included them. They are in the KNOW. I have asked each of them if they would be ok with me discussing their lives publicly. If I am sharing about them…it is because they have given me permission to post pictures and share their lives as I share mine.

Once upon a time ago, I would say when Mitchell was in his early high school years, I had a woman I was counseling. One particular story regarding Mitchell and one of his issues was pertinent to her life. I felt like Father may have me share with her how Mitchell and I solved the problem. However, it was a personal story for Mitchell.

I sat him down and shared with him the situation and asked if he would mind if I shared his story with her…IF Father led me to do that in the future. When asking him…I said…I don’t need the answer right now. Feel free to take some time and think through that before you answer. He said he didn’t need time…his response was this…Mom…if you think it would help her…then I am fine with you sharing. I know you will know whether that is right for us all or not.

I love that kid. He has turned into quite a man. Super proud of him. He once told me…Mom…I want you to write a parenting/homeschooling book for me because I want to raise my kids just like you raised us. The highest compliment I have ever received in my entire 51 years. Hands down. That boy knows how to shoot an arrow straight to my heart. ❤️

A Rule I Lived By

One thing I said to my kids as they were growing up…I am not going to trash-talk you kids out there in public.

I see parents doing that daily. Horrendous to see…especially when they are doing it where the kids can hear. So damaging to the heart of the child. I look at the face of the child when the parent is talking negatively about the child and it is like a punch in the gut. The child looks so hurt, embarrassed, ashamed, etc. So painful to see. The parent…clueless or doesn’t even care.

I hear all the time during the summer parents saying…CAN’T wait until school starts back up. Put those kids back in school.

I always wonder why they had kids if they can’t stand being around them. If you don’t like them…maybe, you should look in the mirror and see if you might be the problem. Did you ever think they might not like being around you either???? Maybe you should check your attitude at the door. 🤔

If there is a problem in the relationship between you and your child…you only have two places to look. Look in the mirror at the reflection of your heart…then look at the heart of your child. If that child’s heart is an ugly mess, you better look back in the mirror again. It is a place to start. May not be your issue at all…but I ALWAYS start by looking in the mirror first. No matter what the situation or who the person is I am dealing with…I check myself first. Sometimes…that fixes the issue. I figure I am easy to fix. I love growth and change. If I am not the issue… a whole different ballgame. That is for other posts on other days.

Someday I will share some of our stories of raising children but for today, I have a recent one.

My Oldest Son

I am currently living with Donovan and Vanessa. Since I got to Michigan, the three of us have been cleaning up some heart issues in Donovan and Vanessa. They are in their twenties and have matured much but growth…if you are growing…is a long-time process. Maturation doesn’t happen overnight.

We all operate according to our lie-based belief system. Donovan grew up with me doing inner healing on him. It was important to me. Vanessa came later and she has grown to see the value of the technique I use with people. We have set aside one day a week to spend the day powering through her list of triggerings each week. She is enjoying having a live-in counselor in the house. I am on duty 24/7. Pretty convenient for her.

Along with this…Donovan and I spent a weekend working through a list Vanessa had made for him to go through regarding triggerings. Donovan is my mini-me in every way. It doesn’t take him long to get through his list. In addition, we have spent some time together doing marriage counseling for them regarding a few of the major issues in their marriage.

The Growth

They are growing exponentially. Crazy the growth I am seeing in them both and in their marriage. They are building a beautiful marriage/home Father’s way. Simply beautiful to watch.

So the other morning, Vanessa came into the kitchen and I could see her feathers had been ruffled so to speak. I waited quietly. Had a stranger been present…they would never have noticed…BUT I noticed. Later, I asked…you ok? She said Donovan had made her mad. Her take…he called her lazy.

Ruh-roh. I KNEW that wasn’t her heart. She has been working her little rear-end off in many areas of life getting organized… a long story. Fast forward some time…she goes out to the garden. I said to Donovan…you hurt your wife’s feelings. He shared his side of the story.

I told him…you are being prideful, arrogant, and selfish. You have judged her heart…and judged it wrongly. You have assumed something false…based on your lie-based belief system. I told him he needed to do inner healing on the issue because the issue was his, not hers. He reacted wrongly due to his false belief system and then in turn hurt his wife’s heart because of his issue. I asked him…do you want to do inner healing with me…or do it on your own…cuz the man KNOWS how to have the conversation with Father. I trained him that way.

His response…I will do it on my own Mom…just drop it.

Ok…hands off buddy.

To the Garden

He goes out to the garden to talk to Vanessa. Before long the whole family comes back in and everybody is smiling. Not even a hint of tension.

Donovan walks over to me and says…Mom…I figured out what MY problem was. I was scared. I was afraid I was not a good provider…but when I asked Father about it…He said it isn’t my job to provide for my family. That is His job. He is our provider. I feel better Mom and I apologized to Vanessa. Then he thanked me for my help.

WOOHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Score!!!! Victory man…so so sweet. 😍 🔥

I said…proud of you son. That is the way it is done.

I then asked him…do you see how soft Vanessa is now? Do you feel the tension is gone? Do you see how humbling yourself and going to Father changes the whole dimension of the relationship??

I reminded him…I am just trying to help YOU to be a healthy man…Vanessa to be a healthy woman…and for the two of you to have a healthy marriage so you can have a healthy family. I do that because I love you son. That is the reason…I am doing it out of love. A pure heart.

He knew that. He KNOWS that.

Love Bug

I think some people think I am harsh because the truths I speak are harsh…but inside…I am just a little love bug. I speak the truth…because I love the people I am speaking to.

It makes me think of a quote I read on the internet years ago…I will never forget it…ever. It is by Penn Jillette in an interview. He is an atheist who was talking about proselytizing. You should google it. I won’t quote him here but instead, summarize what he said. He was saying…if you believe that someone is going to Hell if they don’t accept Christ…yet you don’t tell that person about Christ…then you must hate that person. Powerful to me…powerful.

Those who proclaim to love Christ and love people…but fail to encourage those they proclaim to love…towards Christ…don’t have love. If you say you love someone…wouldn’t you want to see them inherit the Kingdom of Heaven instead of spending eternity in Hell in torment???

Something to think about.

Anyway…the truth can be harsh…but my heart…is ALL LOVE MAN…nothing but love. ❤️