A Parent's Prayer

Heavenly Father, make me a better parent.
Teach me to understand my children.

To listen patiently to what they have to say,
and to answer all their questions kindly.

Keep me from interruping or contradicting them.

Make me as courteous to them
as I would have them be to me.

May I never laugh at their mistakes,
or resort to ridicule when they displease me.

Bless me with the confidence to grant them
all their reasonable requests and the courage
to deny them privileges I know will do them harm.

May I not rob them of the opportunity to think,
to choose and to make decisions for themselves.

Make me fair and just and kind.

And fit me, O Lord, to be loved and respected
and imitated by my children. Amen.

Cary C. Myers

Making Madonnas

In my profile I declare "I'm just me." Do you wonder what that means? If I went to your blog and I read that you were "Just You"...I wouldn't have a clue as to what that even means; unless I knew you already.

In my case it means that I'm kind of shy. I'm reluctant to tell you what a weirdo I really am so I just try to keep it short and to the point thus hoping you will think that by stating "I'm just me." I mean that I'm just like you too. I wish it were so. .... sigh ....

Anyway... there's no use trying to explain who I am because it doesn't matter. Like I said -- I'm just me. All that really matters is that you are welcome here and I'm very happy to share.

Now about this post....it was supposed to be about my art work and not about me. I like to needle felt. I'm so passionate about my art that I get a little insecure when it comes time to show it. I know I'm not alone when I tell you my feelings here, that it never seems done or ready or good enough or in the case of making Madonnas -worthy of it's subject matter.

These ornaments are inspired by the whole concept of unconditional love. This is my impression of our Blessed Mother Mary and Lord Jesus. I like creating this theme because it's soothes my soul. I'm more aware of my own creation. Much of my time creating anything is spent with hymns, prayer and supplication. Needle felting takes a lot of time and the mind does wander. So creating a theme like this helps me to focus on something of substance and to forget for awhile all worldly cares. I'm always amazed to witness clean, carded, raw wool be transformed from pure fluff into an object of art. In this case the object is also a soft reminder of tender love.

Madonna of the Kitchen

There's a little shelf in my kitchen that I keep a candle on ...just in case we lose electricity.

Or

Just in case I need to illuminate my blog space.

The Lord's Prayer
Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Because this is MY blog space and I can be me here.

But YOU are always welcome.

Prayer vs Physics

There are 2 lawn mowers out back behind the shed. Neither one of them work for one reason or another. The lawn needs mowing and has gone to winter's nap without a final cutting. But today the weather is warm for a January day. Short sleeves are enough and comfortable to work around the yard. But I can't do what really needs to be done. The leaves are difficult to rake because they're entangled in the long grass. I wish I could take care of the lawn.

I look at those 2 rusty broken lawn mowers and wish for 1 that works not 2 that don't. Wishes are fine but actions speak louder than words. So.....I attempt to start the one that doesn't have a broken cable. It sputters and poops out. The sputtering was like a promise to me. I wouldn't give up. This goes on for several minutes. I pray out loud ...God please help me. I pray the Our Father in my heart. I summon on St. Jude out loud to intercede my prayer for me... because he's the St. to pray for in hopeless situations.......Please! I pull that rope , I pull that rope I pull that damn rope all in vain. My arms start hurting and I'm all out of breath. It sputters --starts and then stops. .. Damn it ....! Over and over. Well it has oil it has gas maybe it's the spark plug. My son says if it were the spark plug then you wouldn't get a spark. But I was getting a spark. It's primed and it's on the right setting...what the heck? I remember I gave up on this thing long before the cable broke on the other one. I needed a lawn mower so bad and saw a man at the dump hover over to the one I was junking at the time and he said he would sell me one real cheap. I bought this stupid ol' rusty thing from him. I paid him 50 bucks...why then won't it ever work right? I got ripped off. I was doing the Christian thing by helping him out, jeesh now i got nothing to mow this lawn with.

My son tries with his strong arms... nothing. I kept at it saying to him I'll just keep praying it will start. I assured him....."You should never under estimate the power of prayer."

Then Tom gets an idea and he tinkers around with the one I've given up on because after all It has a broken cable and not a chance of a sputter from that one. He bypasses the cable and rigs it to work with an old shoe lace cut down tied with a simple bunny bow to the throttle, as if he had tied his shoe and the lawn mower started. He said "Mom....never underestimate the power of physics."

I was so happy I wanted to dance.
And THEN...he mowed the whole entire lawn. How sweet is that?
Now I ask you...... was my prayer answered?

Amen =)