Mosaic Momma

This morning, I was thinking about the Yiddish proverb, "Man plans, God laughs." You see, it's my youngest son, Camden's second birthday today -- the son that I didn't plan on having. The son that caused the little blue positive line on the pregnancy test that rocked my world two years and nine (really more like eight) months ago. I'm a planner. I freely admit it. I spend a good amount of time creating and reviewing our family calendar to keep all our appointments and activities running smoothly. And, although I'm not a huge fan of accounting, I find a lot of satisfaction in planning our monthly budget and allocating money to here and there. Although it's only May, I enjoy thinking about what we're going to be doing this summer, booking vacations or hotel rooms and even thinking about the Fall when school starts up again. My motto is that things run smoother with a plan in place. However, don't get me wrong. I really like the idea of c...

I don't know what came over me, but I planted a real live garden yesterday. Maybe the mild success I've had with sewing went to my head. Or maybe it was seeing posts of some of my good friends who were literally enjoying the fruits of their gardening labor. But, I really do think that there is a part of me that does long for that simple grounded connection of the pioneer woman spirit. And plus, it appears that now it's even my patriotic duty according to Uncle Sam. It is a bit unsettling to realize that we're actually not too many decades away from most everyone in rural cities having some sort of garden. And, even city dwellers had community gardens or were closer to where their local produce came from. I really do think that gardening and growing is in our genetic make-up in some manner. I also have to admit to really liking the idea of saving some money by supplying our own produce rather than paying for it at the store. So, with all that on my mind, I took th...

It's Tuesday, so that means that I was once again thrust in a cauldron of emotion watching our current Beth Moore study on Esther ( Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman ). Today was about bravery . It's pretty much to the point where my spirit is so raw and tender that when she starts to speak on the DVD, tears start welling. I'm utterly amazed that this study would cut through the marrow of my being and pierce straight into my very heart. (Although I really shouldn't be...) Coupled with a new worship CD that I've had on 24/7, I'm pretty much a blubbering mess these days (in a good way.) And it was no exception that today's study was so significantly deep for me. I find myself alternating between thinking, "this is so good. It's exactly what I needed to hear!" to "Oh....how I wish ________ could watch this it...it's so good!"  How wonderful it is when God uses written words, spoken thoughts, music and his own Word and voice ...

As I was working on my Bible study homework this morning, I came across this drawing that Mercy Doyle made for me when I was visiting them a few weeks ago. At the time, it struck me that of all the things she could have drawn for me, she would draw this on the page. A rectangle. It reminded me of a door or an opening of some kind, but I didn't have much time to reflect on it...I was actually working on getting ready to catch my flight home. So I stashed it in my workbook so it wouldn't get wrinkled. But just now, I pulled it out, and I saw something profound. As I looked at it once again, I felt like God was showing me that it was indeed a Doorway. A doorway to Him. And I recalled a scripture in Hosea 2 that has meant everything to me. The LORD’s Mercy on Israel 14 "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. 15 And there I will give her back her vineyards and make the Valley of Trouble a door of hope ....