Memory Nest

To ease the sorrows of an empty nest a mother often needs to settle down in to a nest of treasured  memories The treasured memories in this mother's nest are the precious memories of the children who long ago hatched into the emptiness of my world . Perusing  through the boxed up moments accumulated over the years fills my heart with joy and peace when emptiness echoes through my heart.  Once I crawl up in that empty nest each funny scene, each precious moment dances into the bleakness of present: each first step, each first tooth, each first word, each first car, first job, first home, first child of their own, and on and on the memories go that settle all around me smoothing the ruffled feathers of my soul. Oh, how grateful I am for a nest full of memories one by one packed away as each child in my world flapped their wings of freedom and flew out into the  world  to build and fill a nest of their own.  So when my journey becomes lonely; and the house echos emptiness into my soul,  you might just find me roosting in an old dusty nest that seems empty to most.  Old, and dusty maybe, but empty it is not.  No, not empty, it is in fact over flowing.  It is overflowing with all the joy I need to chase away the sorrow that sometimes fills my day
Copyright by Dianna Renee Jackson

Count the Flowers not the Thorns

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. All day, I have tried to think of deep words of wisdom to share with each of my children. However, nothing profound came out of all my thinking. I guess the wisest words I can share are simple words and are most likely just a reminder of what they already know. So, I will choose to share the following bit of wisdom

If we try just a little, we can always find many reasons to offer up words thanksgiving. Throughout my life, countless situations occurred that seemed beyond my ability to overcome, and rarely did I find it easy to be thankful in any of those situations. There were many times when there was no money to buy groceries let alone pay the rent. There were times that waiting by the windows of my soul for circumstances to change seemed like endless days, weeks, months, and years. Sometimes endless wasn't a strong enough word to describe the disillusionment that the surrounding circumstances created within me. There were times when I feared for my children's safety and times when I would rock one of them all night long signing "I am the God that Healeth Thee".  There was once a time when I spent days, weeks and months on the phone trying to find a way to save our home, because without a miracle the bank was going to take it away. I finally lost that battle, and we moved into a rat and cockroach infested house in Waxahachie, Texas. Three long years, I lived in that house battling oversized rats, millions of Texas size roaches, a dripping drunk and often abusive husband, and the high price poverty incurs. Then there were the years of waiting for my children's dad to finally come home each night and wondering if he was sober, just drinking or so drunk he would have to crawl through the door. On and on I could go. And what's my point?

My point is this: Without a heart of thanksgiving, I would have given up, quit the whole thing and said forget it. But, I chose to look at things differently. I chose to look for the flowers in my life. Yes, I know there were thorns and believe me, those thorns never let me forget their pricks. Howerver, for every thorn, I could find a flower if I would only looked for it. So, I chose to count my blessings. And they were many. I had four beautiful children that loved me unconditionally. I was able to feed them and cloth them everyday. We had a roof over our heads. We had a good church home. Each of them were mostly healthy. On and on I could go. What's my point?

When we look for the flowers amongst the thorns, our surroundings are more beautiful, more fragrant, softer, and easier handle. Yes, there are still the pricks. Yes, they still hurt! But, the flowers, oh, how they light up the world around us. And, all those thorns somehow lose much of their sting.


So, when things are tough and all seems lost.  Look for the flowers in life. When all seems as though it will never get better.  Count your blessings. Name them one by one. I don't know why or how, but somehow it makes the darkest hours better. Somehow it causes our worst fears to flee from us. Somehow it turns our mourning into dancing. Therefore, my great words of wisdom to you this Thanksgiving is learn to: Count your flowers not your thorns.

I did, and I believe it has been and still is one of the greatest tools in my life for finding happiness in the midst of sadness, finding peace in the darkest storms, finding healing in sickness, finding love to replace fear, finding hope in despair, finding courage to keep on walking day after day in a world that knows not Christ.
Copyright by Dianna Renee Jackson

Orderly Peace

I find when my life is organized, I am more at peace. I have not always understood this about myself. When I was married the first time at fourteen, I could have cared less about organization. I was young and had just been set free from a home in prisoned by organization and cleanliness. Having a home of my home made me feel like a Cinderella set free. So, I did not clean regularly, do laundry often, etc.... It took years of struggling with heaps of laundry, piles of dirty dishes, and long hours of trying to catch up until I realized staying on top of all the household chores was a much better deal.


Now, years later, I never leave dinner dishes, keep up with the laundry, and try to keep a tidy home. In fact, I do dishes as I cook, so there are not so many to do after the meal. I do laundry at least once a week. The house is cleaned on regular basis. I pick up after myself and my husband daily. Junk mail goes right to the trash and I file bills and receipts quickly. I clean up the bathroom daily and dust, mop and vacuum often. I also take the trash out of my car each time I arrive home.

At work, I follow the same rules of organization. I file papers and keep my classroom organized through out the year. I clean off my desk at the end of each day, so I start the day with a clean desk top. I also seek to keep my electronic files organized. I have learned over the years to throw away or resale what I don't want or use. This keeps clutter at bay. Although, I do well in most areas of organization and cleanliness, there are still areas I need to work on. One of those areas is pictures. It is my goal to go through and organize all the photographs I have accumulated over the years within a year.

Clutter and disarray causes stress and unhappiness. Once your surroundings are in order, you will find peace within your home. You will also be happier with yourself. There is a a satisfying since of accomplishment when your exterior world is in order,and it helps create an interior world that is also in order.

Copyright by Dianna Renee Jackson