Happy Thanksgiving!

by Roseanna White | Nov 23, 2017 | Holidays

I know I’ve been terribly silent on the blog the last couple of weeks, but I wanted to jump on to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving, full of wonder at how good is our God. To all who joined me on Monday for my chat on the holiday, thank you! I had such a fun time hearing about what you’re all thankful for this year, and sharing the stories I had on my heart.

Today, just a quick prayer.

This prayer comes from a volume of Puritan prayers entitled The Valley of Vision,
compiled by Arthur Bennett. He doesn’t say who wrote each one, but I am
always struck by the sincere, heart-wrenching faith of those who penned
these words. I pray this one speaks to you today.

Praise and Thanksgiving

O my God,
Thou fairest, greatest, first of all objects,
my heart admired, adores, loves thee,
for my little vessel is as full as it can be,
and I would pour out all that fullness before thee
in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with thee
ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,
ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,
ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,
crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless thee for the soul thou hast created,
for adorning it, sanctifying it,
though it is fixed in barren soil;
for the body thou hast given me,
for preserving its strength and vigour,
for providing senses to enjoy delights,
for the ease and freedom of my limbs,
for hands, eyes, ears that do thy bidding,
for thy royal bounty providing my daily support,
for a full table and overflowing cup,
for appetite, taste, sweetness,
for social joys of relatives and friends,
for ability to serve others,
for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,
for a mind to care for my fellow-men,
for opportunities of spreading happiness around,
for loved ones in the joys of heaven,
for my own expectation of seeing thee clearly.

I love thee above the powers of language
to express,
for what thou art to thy creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time
and eternity.

Amen

May you all have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Just for fun . . . Punkin Chunkin

by Roseanna White | Oct 2, 2017 | Holidays

Usually I prepare my week’s blog posts on Sunday. But I didn’t yesterday. Why, you ask? Because we were out of the house by 7 to head down to my family’s farm. The first Sunday of October every year, they run a Fall Festival full of pumpkins, apples, crafts, and hayrides.

Naturally, this event is just begging for some good old fashioned Punkin Chunkin. 😉

A few years ago, we built a massive slingshot and ran some Chunkin to support some missionary friends of ours who were planning a trip to Bulgaria. This year, the same group from my church decided to finish the trebuchet they’ve had in the works for years, in order to support a mission trip to Houston in a couple weeks. My uncle and his wife suffered from the flooding so many residents did–they’re kinda of long-distance members of our church, watching the broadcast every week, so we’re sending some men down to help them repair their home. And once they have boots on the ground, they’ll see what else they can do to help out in the neighborhood too!

So it started with some very fun flinging of pumpkins and watermelons. Though we were a bit nervous at the start when we couldn’t get the sling to release the things–it had worked fine on Friday!–it was soon goinging like clockwork. My husband (the one in the red shirt in the video), calculates that we ended up sending over 300 pumpkins to their deaths in that poor field over the course of 6ish hours, averaging 2-3 flings a minute in our busy hours.

And he’s already planning for next year. 😉

Just so you know why there was no Word of the Week today, LOL. But I’ll get some other posts ready for later in the week, I promise!

A Special Mother’s Day Post

by Roseanna White | May 14, 2017 | Holidays

I remember throwing a tantrum when I was about 3, and my mother coming and scooping up my kicking, screaming form from the hallway floor. I remember thinking, “Yes! I got her attention!” And then being depositing on the bed in my room and told not to come out again until I could behave myself. *Fail*

I just wanted my mommy . . . and I got a lesson in life and love.

I remember being sick in school one day and holding it together pretty darn well while I told the teacher I didn’t feel well, while I told the nurse. But when she called my mom and handed me the phone, and I heard that most precious voice in the world on the other end saying, “What’s wrong, sweetie?” I just burst into tears.

I just wanted my mommy . . . and I knew she’d come the minute I called and make it all better.

I remember in middle school, I had some friends who tended to make irresponsible decisions, let’s say, and I took to reminding them of consequences. Of checking on them. I tried not to be nagging, but I also didn’t compromise.

I just wanted to be like my mommy . . . full of love, full of teaching, full of Christ. And one of them starting calling me Mommy–not mockingly, but with affection. I was so proud to answer to that.

I remember in high school, there were quite a lot of kids who didn’t want their parents going on field/band trips. Me? I loved having one or both of my parents along. Because I knew no one cheered, no one commiserated, no one took better care than my mom and dad.

I just wanted my mommy to be around . . . and she always, always was.

I remember in college, there was a day when a few students in my class got into a comical argument about whose mother was the BEST mother. And I won. Because my mom taught me not only how to care (I’d brought brownies in that day for the class, and they couldn’t argue with such an overt proof of taught generosity, LOL), but how to fight for what I believe in. 😉

I just wanted to live the lessons my mommy taught me.

I remember when my daughter was only a few weeks old and we were still living in Annapolis. It was Thanksgiving, and the roads were icy, so we had to delay coming home by a day. I cried–and I don’t cry. Because I was a new mommy myself . . . and I just wanted to be home with my family on that day.

I just wanted my mommy . . . even while I knew I had to protect the life of my new baby and not take undue risks on icy roads.

I remember one day when my son was throwing a temper tantrum on the floor. And I scooped up his kicking-and-screaming form and deposited him in his bed and said, “You can come out when you can behave.”

And I thought, I must be doing something right. I’m acting just like my mom.

In many ways, we’re so very different. But in the ways that count, I hope I’m just like you, Mom. That I’ve learned the lessons you’ve taught by example all my life–to love, to care, to be generous, to always put my family first, below only God. To live my faith and love those put in my life. You taught me how to be a mommy, and a wife, and a friend.

Happy Mother’s Day to my amazing mother, and to all the mothers in my life.
Happy Mother’s Day to all my friends and readers and editors and agents and acquaintances.

And a big thank you to our Lord, who somehow created us so that we can each say, in perfect honesty and certainty, “I have the best mother in the world.” But don’t get into an argument with me about whose really is–I’ll win. 😉