Jonesbones5

Life Described in a Song

I can’t always come up with my own creativity ideas, so I have to steal the titles of songs to express myself.

Yes, it’s a little cliché, not very creative, however I am going to describe my current circumstances as “I’m Walking on Sunshine.”

It’s because of the weightlessness in the home this week. Seems like things are normalizing after our last few weeks of…

“Living on a Prayer.” (We are on a roll now)

We have had a bit o a crazy home from plays and performances, AP exams, doctor visits, all while “Mr. Jones” (ok what band sang it??) and I have kept our travel schedule. It seems like the end of the school year brings a lot of stress in the home, with every night filled with some sort of activity, performance, show, etc. Then you throw travel in there, and it makes for stress. It’s sort of like….

“Bohemian Rhapsody”

…you can listen to it for awhile, but by the end, you have a headache.

However, I am state side for three more weeks, the AP exams are over, the play is almost finished, the doctor visits are over, and the end of the school year is wrapping up and graduation is June 11. Then, “School’s out for Summer.”

It’s a “Sweet Emotion.”

Ok, I will stop, I hear you begging me.

Oh, by the way, “I’m Leaving on a Jet Plane” in three weeks for Uganda. Excited to be with my friend Ann V.

What song describes your life?

For real, I love this song by Josh Garrels, and I listen to it all the time as this song often expresses how I feel about my family, faith and life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR3_Z0zuXJQ

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Categories Uncategorized
Author Patricia

Sound Advice.

14 May

Tonight I am grateful. I am grateful that God has given Stephen and I a wealth of relationships over the last 22 years of marriage, that in a moment of decision, whether big or small, we can call and draw upon for advice.

Sometimes it’s an expert spiritually.

Sometimes it’s an expert medically.

Sometimes it’s an expert in the emotions of the heart.

Sometimes its an expert in parenting.

Sometimes it’s an expert in cooking.

Sometimes it’s an expert in teenagers.

Sometimes it’s an expert in marriage.

Sometimes it’s an expert in home improvement.

Sometimes it’s an expert in life from one who has lived much longer than us.

It takes a little humility to make these calls and ask for help. I admit, in our relationship, Steve is so much better at asking for help and directions than me. However, when we do this, whether big or small, it’s always a blessing to see how God has richly blessed us with others who can give us sound advice during the times we need to make good decisions.

You just have to ask.

Thank you to all our friends and family who have answered those calls from the Jones. We love you and I am so blessed you are in our lives.

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Categories Compassion International, Family, Life as a woman, marriage, Parenting teenagers
Author Patricia

Words Associated with Motherhood

11 May

She was trying to buy food at a little restaurant in Disneyland. At her hip was a screaming toddler; in the stroller was a crying baby. The employee at the restaurant came up to the mother and told her she couldn’t have the stroller inside the restaurant. The woman broke down, putting her hands to her face, and wept. Then, the mother shouted to the Disneyland employee, “What am I supposed to do? I am a single mother. I can’t hold both children and carry the food as well!”

Then the mother stood there with her hands in her face, shoulders shriveled over in pain, and wept bitterly.

Defeat.

In a few weeks, I will watch my 18-year-old, honor student daughter walk across a stage and receive her high school diploma.

Success.

But Julia once dropped her body in Costco, screaming her head off as a preschooler, causing me to carry her out the door of Costco, back to the car, while she screamed, “help me, help me!”

Hysterical.

My friend held her infant, born prematurely, and watched her slip away into eternity after the doctors took the baby off life support, because there was nothing more they could do.

Sorrow.

After pushing for several hours, the baby girl finally came into the world and they placed her in my arms, alive, pink, and wide eyed.

Joy.

Our friends at Compassion were told their baby would be born without legs and with only one arm. Not knowing how life would be for their baby, they received their little boy as a gift from God. He is adorable and these two parents are full of joy.

Inspiring.

His mom prayed for him as he went off to college. In high school, he was a 4.0 student, raised in a Christian home. However, during that first year of college, he started partying heavily, leaving his faith in the dust. He ended up with a D average for his first year of college. The young man took the next year off school, traveling around, and working odd jobs. Through many circumstances, including loosing a finger to a work accident, he ended up recommitting his life to Christ. The young man then went off to college again, getting a 4.0. He met a girl, and fell in love. That girl talked him into working at a Christian camp for the summer, however, that girl ended up breaking up with him. The boy still went off to work at the Christian camp and met two significant people who would impact the rest of his life.

He met me and we fell in love, and by the prayers of a mother, we did marry.

He met his boss and mentor, who after working at the camp ministry, left to go work for Compassion, and a year later, called my husband and told him about a job opening at Compassion. 19 years later, my husband still works for the ministry of Compassion with that same boss that impacted my husband years ago.

I once asked my mother in law what the key to success was in raising her son, and she said:

Prayer.

When I think of words associated with motherhood, I think of these things. Motherhood takes a different road with every child. There are those mothers that find complete joy in the process. There are those that find pain and sorrow. There are those that feel a great sense of accomplishment and pride. And there are those that live through stories to only inspire other mothers.

I think of all the ways my own mom impacted my life, and the way she loved her children.

Faithfulness.

As my kids continue to grow up and mature, I can now look back and see how this journey of motherhood started long before my kids were born. It started with grandmothers and mothers, through their faithful prayers and patience, and time and energy. They walked the road first, so that my journey might be easier.

Legacy.

Being a mother has been a great…

Journey.

Tags: faith, motherhood, mothers

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Categories Family, Life as a woman, Parenting teenagers
Author Patricia

A Simple Reminder of Grace

1 May

When I was little, on sunny days, I would de-stress by lying down on the grass under the trees. Then, I would watch the trees above me move to the wind. Their dance would captivate me. I loved the way the sun peaked through behind the lacy leaves.

Today, I took the afternoon off to give myself some much-needed down time after traveling to Bolivia. Up to this point, I have been working hard to catch up with the things that I couldn’t get done while on the road. I never really stopped since coming home from Bolivia, and I also had minor surgery this week to remove the bad tissue in my arm. I have a nice Frankenstein incision about two inches long. Steve traveled to Nashville on Monday. Our timing for this trip wasn’t ideal, but this is the life of a traveler.

I finally hit the wall today; tired, feeling weak in myself. So, I took a nap, and then I grabbed my camera, went outside and sat underneath the trees. The sun peaked through behind the lacy leaves. It felt warm, nice and simple. Breath.

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Sometimes I have to remind myself of this to move past the discomfort of stress.

Never mind the teenage girl drama that came home from school today. Never mind the busyness that tries to steal the joy of doing something good. Never mind the endless dishes, housework and laundry that every family has to contend with. Never mind the inbox of emails. Never mind the incision on my arm. Never mind the barking dog, or the grouchy neighbor.

In comparison to the suffering of those I met last week in Bolivia, my life is simple.

Isaiah 25:4,5 (NIV)

You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in their distress,

a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat.

For the breath of the ruthless is like the storm driving against a wall.

and like the heat of the desert.
You silence the uproar of foreigners;
as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud,
so the song of the ruthless is stilled.

Yes, my life is as simple as a leaf on a tree. There are days the sun warms me up and there are days it storms, but I keep hanging on to the branch, because it brings me nourishment. I keep hanging on because it brings me strength and life. I have learned from the poor, that His love is unshakable. He brings shade to the parched and comfort to the weary. Oh how loves.

It’s good to stop and enjoy the simple. I am grateful for a sunny spring day to remind me of the grace of God, and the strength of His love.

Tags: faith, Grace, stress

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Categories Compassion International, Family, Life as a woman, Parenting teenagers, Travel
Author Patricia

The View from the Mountaintop

19 Apr

I finally made it to Bolivia after being delayed in Peru for a night…and I got to see my sponsored child Jeremy today! But first, let me tell you what has been going on in life.

I have had a few surprises, changes, and challenges to deal with lately above and beyond flight delays.

This last week, before I left to travel, I called my dear friend Karen in tears. I was broken. I poured out my womanly woes to her because I knew she would understand. I knew she would understand the sadness of loosing a family pet recently; she recently lost a pet too. I knew she would understand the wrestling with age related issues and how I am feeling the anticipation of saying goodbye to Julia as she goes off to college soon. I knew she would get it when I told her how I was feeling vulnerable. My skin biopsy on my arm had come back positive for skin cancer. I knew she understood this scary word, and though they tell me it’s an easy fix, it’s unsettling.

I compiled my woes for Karen… sniffled, and snotted, as I brokenly expressed my feelings to her. “I have realized I am no longer physically invincible as I once thought, and I feel so vulnerable.”

After listening, Karen spoke words that covered me like a warm blanket on a cold day.

“Your life is changing. Everything is new. You have climbed a mountain and now you are at the top. It’s time to stop and look at the view from the peak of the mountain. Look and see where God has led you, and now look ahead and see where God is going to take you in this next season.”

She continued, “On the way up the mountain, you thought you were physically invincible, but on the on the way down, you will now have a chance to learn you are spiritually invincible.”

I flew over the Andes today. It was a perfectly clear day giving me a glimpse of what the top of the mountain looks like. Mountain after mountain, the peaks stretched toward Heaven, as if to give God endless praise.

After landing in Bolivia, I arrived at my hotel to be greeted by a young man-child. At 13, my sponsored child, Jeremy, gave me an enormous hug and literally rocked my body back and forth with his embrace. The boy, still much shorter than me, had the hug of a giant bear, and I felt myself melt into his arms as if Jesus were holding me saying, “Here is the top of the mountain, enjoy the view.”

The climb can be hard, and so can the decent, but the lessons learned along the way eventually will bring us to reach our hands to Heaven in endless praise. We go through seasons and changes, and it can feel unsettling, so can flight delays. However, God does give us these amazing moments, like when we can look down at a boy who’s eyes look back to say, “I love you.”

I am looking forward to my week in Bolivia to see the view from the top of the mountain but I also am trusting God to take me through these next few months as I face new changes in life with a daughter going off to college and a new season approaching.

Tomorrow my group comes in to meet me, so stay tuned for stories from the week. I will share when I can.

Love you all,

Patricia

(forgive my typos, I am on the road) My excuse this week.

Tags: Aging, faith, spiritual encouragement

Comments 1 Comment
Categories Compassion International, Life as a woman, Travel
Author Patricia

Why getting older is Awesome… (emphasis on the word awesome)

12 Apr

Maybe the word “awesome” is a bit of a stretch, however I am going to try to think on the bright side today.

The title I really wanted to use was, “Why getting older Sucks,” however, I thought that was too negative or maybe offensive. Then I thought about using, “Why Wrinkles and Varicose Veins are a Woman’s Delight,” but that seemed too happy and positive.

Before we go to the happy, bright side of aging, lets take a look at some of the fun challenges.

Today I went to the doctor. I had three pre-cancerous skin thingy’s frozen off, and another “plugged” or “plunged” (whatever word they use to extract a growth off your body for a biopsy). It’s funny, 25 years ago, when I was lifeguarding every summer and using tanning beds in the winter, I didn’t care what the future might hold for my pale white, freckled skin. Now, if I could just go back in time, and have a good talk with “me”, I might tell “me” to use sunscreen more and loose the tanning beds. I am paying the price for my youthful vanity and stupidity.

Then, this last December, I saw Dr. Sunshine (yes, this is his real name) who happens to be a surgeon. He sent me in for an ultra sound for my legs to check on my veins and see if there were any issues, such as clots.

Lets just say this two-hour ultrasound was so boring compared to when you get one during pregnancy.

After the ultrasound, Dr. Sunshine suggested to me that I should have my varicose veins removed. “Excuse me? Why would I do such a thing? After all, these varicose veins are the battle scars of motherhood.” Ok…I really didn’t really say that. Instead, I just listened to him explain the procedure while I marveled in the fact I was having this conversation.

I have yet to schedule the surgery by the way.

Let me go through some other fun things that happen with age.

Let’s talk about hair. Grey hair that is… not facial hair.

People often ask me where my children get their dark hair. “Their mother.” I reply.

I was once a brown-haired woman, but then it turned grey and then mysteriously it turned blonde. Imagine that! And by the way, I am grateful I don’t have facial hair. Just sayin.

Oh yes, and the weight gain. Apparently as you age, your metabolism slows down. This really ticks me off sometimes, because in my 20’s and 30’s I could seriously eat all I wanted. I use to teach fitness classes, which kept me in great shape. However, in my 40’s, I started getting injured more and more, so I had to give up teaching cardio kickboxing and cycling classes. I still exercise, but not quite as intensely. It’s much harder to keep weight off now and I can’t eat nearly as much as I use to.

And finally, lets talk of the chemical changes. Why did God create women to constantly change in the area of hormones and emotions? In the teen years, girls are simply crazy. They are emotional, mood swinging, bundles of joy. Trust me, I have three teenage girls. In our 20’s and 30’s we go through more changes with getting pregnant, having babies, postpartum, breast feeding, body changes, and sleep deprivation. In our 40’s and 50’s women get to go through this thing called menopause, which can also lead to mood swings, night sweats, and hot flashes. Wow. I can’t wait!!

So basically, women spend a majority of their lives going through cycles of mood swings, body changes and emotions. Sorry, I don’t mean to generalize all women like this; I will just speak for myself, and my daughters…and my friends…and my friends’ daughters. Tell me it gets better in the 60’s and 70’s.

Ok, lets move to the positive.

I love life. Y.O.L.O. – I got that from my teenagers. For those that are not up on acronyms or text language, it stands for You Only Live Once. I know life can be hard, and cruel, but at this point in my life, I am incredibly content and happier than I was 10 years ago. I have learned to appreciate all that life has to offer and be thankful for the little things. So much of age is in the mind. I believe in,eating right, exercise, traveling, laughing a lot, being positive, living well, living out my faith, giving, being adventurous, and doing the best with this shell of a body that God has given me. I still like style, I still like styling my hair, using makeup and feeling pretty. I refuse to let the world make me believe I have to look like I am 28 again but I like dressing up and presenting myself the best I can. Physical changes are going to happen, but I wouldn’t want to go backwards. I can’t explain that. It’s supposed to be this way.

Age has healed me of fear. I have spoken of this before, but I struggled in my past with anxiety and fear. I don’t know why exactly in my 20’s and 30’s I had so much anxiety, but again, with a little more life behind me, and a stronger faith before me, I have much more peace in life. I don’t have the fear I use to and this is a freeing feeling.

Age has wised me up. I think I am a bit smarter than I use to be. Ok…not in math and science, but in life. There are certain things I don’t do anymore because I realize those things are dumb, and I react to stress, conflict and trials differently, hopefully better as I get older.

I guess it’s not so bad to age, plus I seem to always look forward to the future. I just have to accept the physical properties of aging and be ok with it.

So who is the most beautiful, mature person you know and why?

Tags: Aging, the positive part of aging, Turning 40, Turning 50