Poem

Read this poem today, and I really liked it.

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.



from And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
copyright © 1978 by Maya Angelou.

Funny kids

Today at lunch, I was teasing Sammy because he was coming to the table very carefully with a steak knife. Shelden wanted him to pass it to her so she could set it by his plate before he walked behind her for fear of him stabbing her accidentally. I told him, "After all, your Indian name is Runs With Knives." Shelden looked at me in shocked surprise and said, "Is it really?" I cracked up! Of course, I had to tell her that if she looks up "gullible" in the dictionary there is a picture of her next to it.

Later this afternoon Dennis and the kids were playing the Wii, and Molly (being in her own world most of the time) was looking at Easter eggs and candy and said, "Twix doesn't fit in Eater eggs." We burst out laughing again. Thanks for the warning, Molly.

Facebook | Michelle Jamison

Facebook | Michelle Jamison

bouncing

I just finished bouncing with the family on our trampoline. I always forget how much fun it is until I go flying through the air again, screaming, laughing, and enjoying the time with my children. Thank goodness we purchased the surrounding net, or this mom would have been dead long ago. (Or at least VERY injured.) Every time Dennis bounces very close to me, I involuntarily scream because I know I could very easily loose my balance and take a plunge, which I do quite often, but it still scares me. I remember bouncing on trampolines as a kid and going much higher, but I guess my age has made me more cautious. Of course, I was not that risky of a child anyway, so cautious is probably more of a description of my whole life, but I know I would do tricks while jumping back then, but for now...just to jump is good enough "fun" for me.

I shall leave you with a poem of the joys of a trampoline:

"The Magic Trampoline"

A kid on a trampoline,
All day long to jump and scream
Oh what fun to run and jump ,
Flying higher with each bump .
Inhibitions in a bin ,
Pumping with adrenalin,
I'll break the news to you all ,
Up you go and then free fall .
I went up and I came down .
I touched the sky ,off the ground ,
I saw things not many see
Like a cat up in a tree ,
I had this agility
To land oh so purr-fectly
The soar again with a scream ,
On a magic trampoline .
Its sad but I must announce,
Time to go
So ends the bounce .


By Paul McCann

My whole life

OK, it's been several months since I've blogged. I put aside blogging and entered the world of Facebook, which has been so much fun. I have connected to many people: old friends and new. So, hooray, I am writing the first blog of the year. :)

I was "Googling" and ran across a statement: "My parents have known me my whole life." ....Um, DUH! I mean, of course your parents have known you your whole life. ...But then I thought, "Wait. I guess not everyone has had parents that have known them their whole lives." I mean, some people are adopted and never know their biological families. Some people are raised by only one parent. Some people lose their parents when they are children or newborn. Some have parents that exit the scene in different ways part of the way through their lives. It really made me thankful for the life I have lived. Thankful that I have always had two parents that love me and are concerned about me every day of my life. Sad for those unfortunate people who cannot say that. "My parents have known me my whole life." That's quite a bit statement. Not so stupid after all.

The best experience

I had the best experience as a teacher last week. Two of my six boys submitted their lives to Christ. It was very emotional and something that I will always hold dear to my heart. I have been crying out to God for years that I could be effective for the Kingdom of God. I don't just want to waste time here on earth. I want to be useful for His purposes. I just began talking with them about Kingdom issues, and asking them some questions about where they are with Jesus. During that time, two of them told me that they had not made Jesus Lord and Savior, and one told me, "You know I have, because you were there praying for me when I did!" Honestly, I had to stop and think about what he was saying, and I realized he had gone forward a few weeks before at an altar call at church. I didn't know he was up there to be SAVED, but I did pray for him. That blew me away, too! Here I was praying for him during the most important event of his life, and I didn't even know it! So, I have been able to be involved in three (not just two) of these boys' lives during the most important decision they have ever made. It's very humbling. I cried much that day.

The down side: the battle is ON now. One boy in particular is having a very hard time living righteously. He is in trouble all of the time. Please pray for him. These boys have a major leadership quality that God wants to use in the future, but these are the training ground days for them to figure out how to please God in the little things.

And I am honored to be a part of it, even though sometimes it can be frustrating. I just have to remind myself that I have read the end of the book, and Jesus WILL be victorious.

Testimony: Part 3

We knew that this was to be our church home and that we wanted to really plug in and find our place in the body of Christ. We were meeting all the families and getting to know everyone along with their children. I’ll never forget an incredible sermon we heard about the body of Christ. Each member of the church is like a brick. And we are built together into a wall as living bricks (“stones” the Bible calls us) to build the “church”, because the church is not an actual physical structure--it’s US. If we were not built together, but if we, as bricks, just came together every Sunday in a pile, said hello, sang some songs, and then left to be discarded bricks again, would that serve any purpose? NO! We must be joined together for a purpose. My brick is joined closely to other bricks in the house to build the church and the kingdom. I cannot just be a “lone-ranger” brick and build anything. I need others. And I am naturally going to be more closely connected to other bricks/stones because of our connection or our place in the body, but that brick/stone will be surrounded by other bricks that I am not as closely connected to, etc. This revelation freed me from feeling like I had to be BEST friends with everyone in the body. I can love all, but it is not possible for me to make a “best friend” connection with every brick in the body. But for a perfectionist, this is a hard revelation to grasp. You feel like you are somehow failing some people. In this picture, I realized that those bricks that I touch are reaching out to those that I can’t. But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired 1 Corinthians 12:18.
Relationships are the key. Jesus walked in relationship and so must we. We need each other.
When most people hear the word “accountability” they start getting defensive. With a stiff neck and chin lifted, they chide, “Nobody better tell me how to live my life. That’s between me and God.” Or, “If someone tried to keep me accountable I’d make sure they remembered what they’ve done wrong.”
Biblical accountability is not coming up to a brother or sister in Christ and blasting them with a list of their sins like you are some Holy Ghost hitman. Rather, it is coming alongside them in love, talking with them, relating with them, asking questions, or praying. But it must be with a person that you have already built a strong bridge of relationship with in the past. Otherwise, if you try to hold someone accountable for their actions that you have no relationship with, chances are they will think, “Who do you think you are telling me this? I don’t even know you that well?” It is just too odd and will not produce the benefits desired. Biblical accountability is speaking the truth in love to one another, and sometimes it is not easy, but it is necessary for growth. Sometimes the truth really does hurt, but my true friends have been honest enough with me to say what I have needed to hear out of love for me, and I have benefited from their honesty and have grown in my walk and faith in God. We need each other. Sometimes we go along with life and are blind to things that are hindering our walk with God that other people can help bring to the surface, whether they mean to or not, just by talking with us. Or maybe as they start asking us how we are really doing (not just the casual, “Hi, how are you?”, but really digging in to find out what’s going on in our life) they begin to ask about an area that maybe we don’t want to share with them. It’s at that time that we have to ask ourselves, “Why don’t I want to share about this and be transparent? Is there something I’m trying to hide or avoid about this? Could it be that I need to work on overcoming some sin in this area, and I’m just offended that they’re trying to bring this up?” Your friend is just trying to be a friend. They are trying to help you walk out things in a Godly manner and are there to help you, not condemn you. That is what an accountability partner/friendship is for. It is not always easy. The Bible says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” Proverbs 27:6. Thank God that there are friends that are willing to be true friends and are not afraid to ask the hard questions in order to help us grow up in God!


I know this has been long, and some of it not directly my "testimony", but it is what God has placed on my heart, and I wanted to share it with my readers. May we be faithful to the local church bodies that He has placed us in as we provide our "body" part.