I tried - the news

Dear Heavenly Father, 

My heart is tearing like the veil. 

The news. Cops making MY friends, GODS children walk into on coming traffic - yelling at her and her 1 year old son.  I am outraged. Protect them. ALL of them. Black lives matter - they are white but were peacefully loving their black family, neighbors, friends - their home. 

The news. A local teenager took their life. A home is missing their son.  

The news. Earthquakes destroying, fires burning, droughts in Africa - Mother nature is raging war globally. Homes no longer standing in existence. 

The news. Our country might be bombed; by a person, another human - that others have degraded by calling him rocket man.  (Because that's professional).  Home of the brave we claim? 

The news.  Our president.  Sigh.  He needs prayer. Break him. Humble him. Use his loud mouth. I pray the loudness will be truth one day.  So our home will continue to pray for leaders. 

The news. Unwanted relations. Be with the children. Heal their hearts, bodies and mind.   Make home safe again. 

The news. People are fleeing. They have no home. 

The news. Explaining accidents to my kindergartener, again, as we drive home. 

The news. Another job loss. Another home facing foreclosure. 

The news. Another child hungry. Another homeless friend. 

The news. Another marriage ending. Another home torn. 

The news. Another miscarriage occurred. Home is in deep sorrow. 

The news. Another sick loved one; surgery, cancer, illness. Hospitals unfortunately more frequented than home. 

The news. 

I. Am. Overwhelmed. 

The news is, I look forward to Heaven.  The news will be different there. This world is not my home. 

God - as you and only you search my heart, may you find the words to my prayer, for this world is falling apart one stitch at a time. Being ripped. 

Thank you for the GOOD news. We fervently await your return to take us home.  

God, I ask that when given the opportunity I can love people better. Feed the hungry. Welcome the stranger. Hug the hurting. Stand with the black, refugee, homeless, gay, orphaned person.  God,I cry from the pits of my soul to do more.  

But. I am at home. So I pray. 

The news. 

I tried - reading Mississippi Bridge [September book and updates]

September!  Hooray!  

This month I started an online book club/study to read Ann Voskamp's book "One Thousand Gifts"

So far, the book is going really well - in fact it is a quick read.  I am doing my best to slow down, really dig deep and get into this book; not just to be a good facilitator for these women, but to find peace for myself.

Fall is my favorite, and as I am sure I have blogged before, although fall is my favorite, it is also a somewhat sad time.  I just feel like I need more time to enjoy it - that it this is my time to find my pace and speed for the next season of life.

One Thousand Gifts couldn't have come at a more perfect time!  Because we are reading the book over a period of 6 weeks, I wanted to keep reading other books, being engaged.

Labor Day my dad gave me a book and said it would take only 20 minutes.  Well, I'm a slow reader, but it was done in less than an hour.

Mississippi Bridge is a short book by Mildred D. Taylor (she wrote Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry).   I was doing research for what age the book would be good for (5th grade) but honestly, I would love for some adults to read this amazing piece of fiction.

It is so incredibly relevant to today.  How, even today, there are people who are teaching their children hatred (and some do it without even knowing they are!).  But for some children, they will "rebel" and fight for what they want to understand better - loving people.

The ending is great!  No spoilers here, just read the book yourself!

Believe me, it reminds me of the story of the Old Man his White Horse - Perspective.

Perspective is everything.
This book hurt me to read, how people are so ignorant and unkind. Perspective.
I am torn between wishing I lived in a previous time period or not.  That I would be an activist, if I didn't get myself killed. Perspective.
The ending. Perspective.

So, Here's to a great month.  A great season. A season of peace and gifts.  A season to love and be present.  A season to be outside, reading, educating and helping others.