A 4 letter word starting with "H"

Got your attention, didn't I? This word is often called out in times of distress. Sometimes it is whispered in a prayer when we finally give up. Sometimes we give it. Sometimes we ask for it. 
The word is..... HELP.

Per Webster:

1: to give assistance or support to

2: to make more pleasant or bearable

3: to be of use to 

4: to change for the better

Frankly, I suck at asking for help. I can write about it. I can give help all day long. I will do things for other people that I won't/don't even do for myself. AND it's my fault! At some point, I will need to stop long enough to figure out what my real issue is. But in the meantime.....I know that when I don't ask for help I am depriving the other person and myself from the benefit of sharing life's journey. We don't have to go it alone. However, we can't expect others to just know what we need. We need to be willing to speak it, call it, pray it.

I was already thinking about writing this. I had just finished helping someone else. I went to the store. I came home. Why take the time to run in the house and ask one of the kids to help? I didn't want to make two trips. I could carry it all, right?  ummm,not! My $2.38 lesson on asking for help?!?!? 

I dropped the milk. The plastic container did not just softly land. It split open in two spots as you can see in the milk jug photo below. I ended up with spilled milk.

Can you see the splits? Big on bottom, also on side by handle.

I did not cry.  ;) I ended up with about a quarter of the gallon still in the jug. It was a visual reminder of what can happen when I won't ask for help. Sometimes I feel as broken as the milk jug. I can't keep it all in without spilling out so why do I even try to do that? Maybe you do too?

My new/latest motto:  Less hell when we ask for help, repeat. (Amazing what the change of one letter can do.)

Psalm 118:13-14 (NIV) I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my defense, he has become my salvation. 

Psalm 121:1-3 (NIV) I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;

The Flags - A 9/11 Memorial....10 years later

“A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

I have a tendency to remove myself from things that make me uncomfortable. On September 11, 2001, I was at work. I heard some of the AM news. I called my husband and he watched on TV and later told me more. Co-workers went to watch the TV to see what was going on. I stayed at my desk. The events sounded bad, I couldn't make myself watch....and I worked. Even later on in the night, I only halfheartedly paid attention to what was going on. Even the little bit I saw overwhelmed me with sadness. I saw church attendance and blood donations go up. I saw people being more kind and considerate to each other. It did feel like the world was ending and where would we go from here?

Then....days, weeks, months and years passed. Every September 11, more flags would appear. Patriotism would surge and then, it seemed, back to normal.

Now...it's been 10 years. When all the attention came up for the 10th Anniversary, I was not sure what I would feel. I'm proud to be an American, I know that for sure. September 10, 2011: I heard about The Flags that would be at Canonsburg Ski Area over the 9/11/11 weekend. I was going to be out that way anyway so kind of as a last minute thing I stopped by there with my 3 nephews. I found out it was called "The Healing Field". There was a large flag on a crane at the entrance. Then we saw the hill and I heard gasps and "That's a lot of flags!" from the back seat.

We went to the hill and they took off racing up. I wanted to tell them to calm down because it was a memorial. However, they're young and they were excited. I admired the precision of the rows. There is a tag attached to each flag portraying the age, location where attacked and a brief story of each person that died that day on September 11, 2001. My nephews weren't even born then.

We walked up the hill, past the flags and looked back down. I took their picture in front of some of the flags. One nephew grabbed my hand as we walked back down. I showed him some of the tags. He started telling me some of the ages. I choked back a tear and said a prayer for the people and families represented by each flag. As we neared the bottom, he told me thank you for bringing him there and for spending the day with him....and "I love you".

It took a field of flags and a 7 year old to remind me that avoiding what is uncomfortable allows evil to win. Enjoying each moment we're given and saying I Love You is HOPE for a better tomorrow.

God bless America!

¤*¨¨*¤.¸¸ ...¸.¤\
\ 9/11 AMERICA \
.\¸.¤*¨¨*¤ .¸¸.¸.¤*
..\
☻/
/▌
/ \ UNITED WE STAND . . . NEVER FORGET !  (Not sure who made this, but quite awesome)

The flags come down Tuesday AM. There is no cost. Donations are accepted. If you have time, it is definitely worth going. Some more info from GR Press and MLive (their pics are better!)  The Healing Field

Molehills and Mountains

Soon and very soon....Spring will be here.  Spring brings bright skies, leaves on the trees, green grass....and molehills.  Little (or bigger) mounds of dirt that show the little buggers are underground digging their tunnels.  The hills are the visual signs of the work beneath the surface.  Per Wikipedia: They (molehills) are often the only sign to indicate the presence of the animal.

I find that interesting.  We know moles are there.  However we don't always think about them....until they get busy and we see the results of their work.  Sounds like someone else I know!  As SNL's Dana Carvey's church lady used to say, "Oh I don't know boys and girls....S A T A N? 

Moles like the dark.  The devil does his best work in the dark.  Moles dig and dig and love the dirt.  The devil digs up whatever he can use against us to try and get us to focus on the mess he's making.  If we focus on the mess, we don't continue to move toward the mountain.  We can stomp on molehills.  We were given the authority to stomp on the devil. (Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”) 

In our lives though?  Molehills know no season.  They will pop up at the most inopportune moments.  Sometimes we can get so busy taking care of the molehills, we forget we were on our way to the mountain.  Pray and stomp (think Whack-A-Mole!), but DON'T STOP!

Psalm 121:1-3 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. ³ He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber

God /Jesus do a lot of work on mountains.  God met with Moses on a mountain. (Exodus 19)  He passed by Elijah on a mountain. (1st Kings 19)  Jesus taught the people.  He went up the mountain to rest and pray.

When you start heading to the mountain, you can be sure that the molehills will start to pop up.  The molehills will attempt to keep you occupied and busy so you don't continue the journey.  You might get weary trying to stomp the molehills and give up the journey. 

However, PRESS ON and climb!!!  God promises that when we seek....we find.  (Matthew 7)

Micah 4:1 In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills,and peoples will stream to it.