I remember from my childhood days
Hearing an oft-repeated phrase
That I rejected with a sigh or a pout.
But since that time many years have passed
And I’ve come to realize at last
That Momma knew what life was all about.
One piece of advice stands apart from the others,
Spoken, I’m sure, by hundreds of mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."
So when discouragements come
And the weather is glum
And your friends are too busy to care,
When your children are cross
Or there’s a pink slip from the boss
There must be a solution, but where?
One piece of advice stands apart from the others
Spoken in love by hundreds of mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."
When the mirror’s unkind,
You fear you’re losing your mind,
You’ve broken, burned and spilled all day.
When you’ve had a fender-bender
Or your appointments you can’t remember,
You think you’ve failed in every conceivable way.
One piece of advice stands apart from the others
Spoken with patience by hundreds of mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."
When your burdens are heavy
And your helpers are few,
When you look after the family
But there’s no time for you,
When troubles multiply by the score
Dog tracks, kids’ crises and more—
One piece of advice stands apart from the others
Passed down through generations of mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."
When your husband packs his stuff and moves out,
Your nights are engulfed by fear and doubt,
Your loneliness seems more than you can bear.
Or when some dread disease befalls,
Into your home the death angel calls
And you feel yourself sink in despair—
One piece of advice stands apart from the others
Whispered in love by compassionate mothers,
"Honey, this too shall pass."
You’ll find that the answer to your own fervent prayer
Comes far more quickly when God’s comfort you share,
So reach through your pain and take someone’s hand.
Don’t ever forget that God has a plan
To lift—not just your burden—but her burden too.
The hope that she longs for just may come through you.
So, be an encouragement one to another,
Pass on the advice that you learned from your mother,
"Honey, this too shall pass."
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Thoughts on Motherhood
Erma Bombeck is quoted as saying that immediately following birth, every new mother drags out of bed and awkwardly pulls herself up on the pedestal provided for her. But motherhood is not a one-size-fits-all mold. Some mothers have so much guilt they can’t eat a breath mint without sharing it. Other mothers feel nothing when they tell their kid his entire pillowcase full of Halloween candy got ants in it…. And then sneaks off and eats it herself. Some mothers cry when their thirty-year-old daughter moves into her own apartment. Other mothers sell their twelve-year-old son’s bed while he’s gone on a week-end camp-out with the boy scouts.
We can’t be perfect parents any more than we can be perfect human beings. Being a good parent seems to get harder all the time. It involves more than keeping our children safe, clean and well-fed. We must invest time and effort to enable them to stand on their own as balanced individuals. And individuals they are! Children are infinitely complex. About the time you learn what works with your firstborn, another one arrives and all the rules of the game are changed! But in spite of how it seems, mothers can gain encouragement by realizing the powerful positive influence we can have in our children’s lives.
Although Nancy Hanks died when her son, Abe, was ten years old, years later after he became president, Abraham Lincoln said, “All I am or ever hope to be I owe to my angel mother.” Thomas Edison, who was educated at home by his mother after she learned that his teachers thought he was intellectually inferior, said, “My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me; and I felt that I had someone to live for, someone I must not disappoint.”
We can give our children more than survival skills. Parents are in a unique position to give their children soaring skills as well. Both “roots” and “wings” are important if children are to develop to their full potential.
A plant’s roots provide security, stability and nourishment. Without a good, strong root system, the plant can’t grow and develop properly. The same is true for a child. A secure loving home provides the fertile ground their tender roots need. A root system built on faith in God provides a sure foundation on which to build a strong, stable life.
While the depth of our children’s lives depends on their roots, the height to which they can soar depends on their wings. The idea of wings suggests creativity, appreciation, laughter and freedom from fear. Wings lift them above the level of the routine. From this high altitude they have a better perspective on life. They can see above their circumstances and become sensitive to the wonders of creation.
Why did God make giraffes with long legs and necks? Why did He put those funny little knobs on the tops of their horns? Why are butterflies such brilliant colors and why do peacocks’ feathers shimmer in the sunlight? Why such diversity and beauty? Because God created us to soar with wings of imagination and appreciation. He “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
God created all of us to have wings—wings to find delight in simple pleasures and wings to enjoy all that is good and beautiful. As we seek to give our children this priceless gift, we will experience the expansion of our own wingspan. --Janet
We can’t be perfect parents any more than we can be perfect human beings. Being a good parent seems to get harder all the time. It involves more than keeping our children safe, clean and well-fed. We must invest time and effort to enable them to stand on their own as balanced individuals. And individuals they are! Children are infinitely complex. About the time you learn what works with your firstborn, another one arrives and all the rules of the game are changed! But in spite of how it seems, mothers can gain encouragement by realizing the powerful positive influence we can have in our children’s lives.
Although Nancy Hanks died when her son, Abe, was ten years old, years later after he became president, Abraham Lincoln said, “All I am or ever hope to be I owe to my angel mother.” Thomas Edison, who was educated at home by his mother after she learned that his teachers thought he was intellectually inferior, said, “My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me; and I felt that I had someone to live for, someone I must not disappoint.”
We can give our children more than survival skills. Parents are in a unique position to give their children soaring skills as well. Both “roots” and “wings” are important if children are to develop to their full potential.
A plant’s roots provide security, stability and nourishment. Without a good, strong root system, the plant can’t grow and develop properly. The same is true for a child. A secure loving home provides the fertile ground their tender roots need. A root system built on faith in God provides a sure foundation on which to build a strong, stable life.
While the depth of our children’s lives depends on their roots, the height to which they can soar depends on their wings. The idea of wings suggests creativity, appreciation, laughter and freedom from fear. Wings lift them above the level of the routine. From this high altitude they have a better perspective on life. They can see above their circumstances and become sensitive to the wonders of creation.
Why did God make giraffes with long legs and necks? Why did He put those funny little knobs on the tops of their horns? Why are butterflies such brilliant colors and why do peacocks’ feathers shimmer in the sunlight? Why such diversity and beauty? Because God created us to soar with wings of imagination and appreciation. He “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
God created all of us to have wings—wings to find delight in simple pleasures and wings to enjoy all that is good and beautiful. As we seek to give our children this priceless gift, we will experience the expansion of our own wingspan. --Janet
A CAVERN OF TENDERNESS
A cavern of tenderness is carved out in our hearts for those we love.
A continuous slide-show of memories,
Of sacred moments, joys and sorrows shared,
Embraces given and received.
Of understanding offered, grace extended.
Of distance allowed and closeness cherished.
Of knowing that we are accepted,
That our concerns are important and our feelings matter.
She leaves behind her cherished life,
Her place, the role that is hers alone,
All that is familiar, to tread a path unknown.
In the moment we glimpse her pain, we know
That she will be one of us forever.
Friendships, forged in time remain for eternity,
In a cavern of tenderness carved out for those we love.
A good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
Years of time measured in prayers, tears and hugs,
The hope, the strength, the encouragement, the very life-force
A healing balm to the bleeding, desperate, and weary.
A divine appointment upon the shoulders of a man—
To build within us greater faith in ourselves,
In God, and in each other.
You release us now, whole and healthy,
Prepared to step into the next phase of our lives with confidence.
You leave us, with gratitude for the years we have walked together as one.
It feels like we are losing you—a part of ourselves.
But often and eloquently we have been reminded
That One cannot be lost if you know where they are.
And we know exactly where you are—
In that cavern of tenderness carved out in our hearts for those we love.
A continuous slide-show of memories,
Of sacred moments, joys and sorrows shared,
Embraces given and received.
Of understanding offered, grace extended.
Of distance allowed and closeness cherished.
Of knowing that we are accepted,
That our concerns are important and our feelings matter.
She leaves behind her cherished life,
Her place, the role that is hers alone,
All that is familiar, to tread a path unknown.
In the moment we glimpse her pain, we know
That she will be one of us forever.
Friendships, forged in time remain for eternity,
In a cavern of tenderness carved out for those we love.
A good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
Years of time measured in prayers, tears and hugs,
The hope, the strength, the encouragement, the very life-force
A healing balm to the bleeding, desperate, and weary.
A divine appointment upon the shoulders of a man—
To build within us greater faith in ourselves,
In God, and in each other.
You release us now, whole and healthy,
Prepared to step into the next phase of our lives with confidence.
You leave us, with gratitude for the years we have walked together as one.
It feels like we are losing you—a part of ourselves.
But often and eloquently we have been reminded
That One cannot be lost if you know where they are.
And we know exactly where you are—
In that cavern of tenderness carved out in our hearts for those we love.
Parentheses
Parentheses are small brackets in written materiel that have an important function, although we don’t really think of them as “important”. They signal an interruption of the flow of the text. Something is being inserted into the material that the author believes will explain, add clarity to or qualify the main theme being presented. Sometimes the reader is tempted to skip the parenthetical material, but it is never a good idea to do so, because the meaning of the entire text will be altered.
There are parentheses in life that interrupt our work and our ministry, push the accomplishment of our goals farther out into the future, set us back financially and seem to complicate everything. We would rather just skip them and get on with the “real” business of living. However, in life as in writing, skipping them would alter the meaning of the entire work. They have been put into place by the Author to clarify, illustrate or explain what He is saying to us or through us. It is our story, but we don’t get to write it. –Janet
There are parentheses in life that interrupt our work and our ministry, push the accomplishment of our goals farther out into the future, set us back financially and seem to complicate everything. We would rather just skip them and get on with the “real” business of living. However, in life as in writing, skipping them would alter the meaning of the entire work. They have been put into place by the Author to clarify, illustrate or explain what He is saying to us or through us. It is our story, but we don’t get to write it. –Janet
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Beautiful Custom Janz Art Blog Header
The absolutely gorgeous new blog header above was created by my e-friend and fellow blogger -Revka at RS Designs. She did an incredible job using Janet's own original "Magnolia" painting as the art work for the header. Revka just launched her custom blog header business at RSDesigns She is even running a Grand Opening special from April 23 through May 7.Thanks Revka for a great job for Janz Thoughts blog header.
Original "Magnolia" Painting by Janet Isenhour
Friday, March 30, 2007
About Janet
NC Artist, Poet & Author - Janet Isenhour
It's a privilege to bring you an assortment of stories, art, poetry and thoughts from my aunt, friend and spiritual sister in the Lord - Janet Isenhour aka Janz.
Our prayer is that you will be encouraged, inspired and spiritually charged to walk a closer walk with our Saviour - Jesus Christ. Janet plans to soon have a new website with her art and other works, we will keep you informed.
It's a privilege to bring you an assortment of stories, art, poetry and thoughts from my aunt, friend and spiritual sister in the Lord - Janet Isenhour aka Janz.
Our prayer is that you will be encouraged, inspired and spiritually charged to walk a closer walk with our Saviour - Jesus Christ. Janet plans to soon have a new website with her art and other works, we will keep you informed.
Open the Floodgates
I remember often thinking how can any one person be so blessed with such a multitude of talents, gifts and abilities ! Did the Lord somehow miss someone on blessing day and the extra spilled over on my aunt Janet? Well, of course not!!! God never makes mistakes and He never runs out...
We never have to worry that if He blesses our neighbor that He won't have enough for us!! He is a God of abundant love, mercy, grace and blessings.. Just as the Lord often does - He blew me away when I finally came to realize that all this talent in one person most likely was not all poured out at once...
As the Bible says in Matthew 25, Well done, thou good and FAITHFUL servant: thou hast been FAITHFUL over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:" Wow! so when a follower of Christ is faithful in the little things, the small gifts, the seemingly insignificant opportunities -- He will enlarge our abilities, He will open up new funnels of talent.. Soooo, that's Janet's secret .........
Let us be challenged to open up the floodgates of His wonderful love - Cheryl
We never have to worry that if He blesses our neighbor that He won't have enough for us!! He is a God of abundant love, mercy, grace and blessings.. Just as the Lord often does - He blew me away when I finally came to realize that all this talent in one person most likely was not all poured out at once...
As the Bible says in Matthew 25, Well done, thou good and FAITHFUL servant: thou hast been FAITHFUL over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things:" Wow! so when a follower of Christ is faithful in the little things, the small gifts, the seemingly insignificant opportunities -- He will enlarge our abilities, He will open up new funnels of talent.. Soooo, that's Janet's secret .........
Let us be challenged to open up the floodgates of His wonderful love - Cheryl
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