Make My Life an Alleluia....

"Youse" know I love Mother Teresa....  "Peace begins with a smile".

And no one had a better smile than Mother Teresa.

Mother Teresa made her life an "Alleluia" by her day-to-day existence.

I need to strive harder for this.

I need to focus on God more and things less.

I need to feed friendships with gentility and grace, not empty promises.

In mid-winter our choir director Susan Judkins (whom I love) presented us with sheet music for Ruth Elaine Schram's "Make My Life an Alleluia". To me this is a life-changing piece of music. In its simplicity it is a true prayer of open love, quiet and good.

 Here is a link to the song "Make My Life an Alleluia" This version was found by my fellow alto Kay Tomer and it's done by the Enfuego Christian Academy... and no doubt they'll end up in a book.  :)

When I think of those words.... Hear those words.... contemplate those sweet words I recognize how much more I could and should do. How with a little more focus and presence I can work to truly make my life an alleluia...


Make my life an alleluia.... 

Showing love for God and fellow man every day... every night.... every moment.

When I'm lax, kicking myself back into gear to share... to smile... to greet.

Make my life an alleluia....

To take each small child that comes into my life and show them the love and tenderness of God's saving grace through a loving touch and a firm reminder.

To puff cool air on their boo-boos and use Band-aids when needed.  But not too many because some ouchies are better left to God's clean air.

Make my life an alleluia...

To pray earnestly and ardently in the manner of saints.... and to forgive in the manner of sinners. To take my lack and turn it into something sweet and strong.

God has blessed me by putting me in an amazing country... In a sweet town... in a house that doesn't leak with children who do.  :) I have beloved family and friends, clothes and food.... Born in a land of plenty, let me use my self-discipline to not seek more...

Always more....

Make my life an alleluia....

Teach me to be satisfied with what I have... and to share from that banquet of mercy.

Let me praise his name, his glory, his grace, his patience with me because it is wretchedly undeserved.

And in so doing, let me make my life an Alleluia...

A song of praise to you, my king.

(Words and music of "Make My Life an Alleluia" by Ruth Elaine Schram)

A Day in the Life (minus bad plumbing!!!)

Erma Bombeck always made me laugh at life. Her regular newspaper posts cracked me up and her wise words...

"When I stand before God at the end of my days I want to be able to say I used everything you gave me."

Help guide my life, my choices because how sad is it to waste God's greatest gift? Life?

These came from Great-Grandma Blodgett's garden via Grandma Blodgett... I think that makes them sweeter each spring, knowing the women who passed out bulbs to friends and family. Such a small thing to do to bring such joy each spring...

New Roof in Progress!!!  This long awaited home improvement came after too many back-and-forths with my husband and son-in-law about re-doing this roof.... I stood my ground and we hired it done because it's high.... It's tricky.... and these guys weren't afraid to use harnesses to stay alive! Whereas my very competitive show-off family men... Well.  You get the drift of what I'm saying.  :)  The roof is done, and everyone is alive, which was my goal all along!

Grandchildren snuggling baby dolls..... With cozy blankies, of course.

These pretty hyacinths came in an arrangement sent in remembrance of our grandson Joseph... Joseph was lost in the sixth month of pregnancy, a bitter time for all of us. But these little blossoms remind us of him... and of life renewed. When my day in heaven comes I will be seated right there, next to other grandmas and mamas, rockin' babies we never got a chance to hold here on Earth.

And we'll tell them stories.... and laugh and sing.

And rock them to sleep.... This is Xavier, Joseph's younger brother... He got a little naughty and we just cuddled for a while...

And then.... :)   Sleepy baby.

Isn't that like the best picture ever???

Oh, wait.... Yes, the sleeping baby is best ever.... but here is the below-grade completed (and inspected!) work for the new family room/foyer addition:

This is the crawl space that will be beneath the room and it will have a No Snakes or Mice Allowed sign permanently affixed to wall....

And here is the freshly poured concrete floor of the crawl space:

NOW....

NEXT WEEK!!!!!

THE LUMBER COMES!!!  AND WALLS WILL BEGIN!