Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

  • Home
  • About
  • DISCLOSURES
    • Amazon Affiliate
    • Book Reviews
  • Published
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Commit Poetry
    • Dared

Unwrapping Psalm 19:14

September 28, 2010 By Sandra Heska King

Gracee and I have started to read Little House on the Prairie. She wraps herself in her Princess pink blanket and curls up next to me. She reads a page, and then I read a page. And we talk about what we read.

The enormous lake stretched flat and smooth and white all the way to the edge of the gray sky. Wagon tracks went away across it, so far that you could not see where they went; they ended in nothing at all.

“What does enormous mean?” I ask.

“Close your eyes and picture what we just read. What do you see? What does it mean when Laura says the wagon tracks went away and ended in nothing at all?”

“I want to camp, now! I’m so tired,” Laura said.

Then Ma said, “Laura.” That was all, but it meant that Laura must not complain. So she did not complain any more out loud, but she was still naughty inside. She sat and thought complaints to herself.

(I wonder what I’ve done wrong. Neither of my kids ever responded to nor does Gracee respond to a quiet one-word reprimand.)

After we read the first chapter, we turn to her Sunday School devotional calendar and choose to read and discuss Psalm 19:14 from her Kid’s Quest Study Bible (NIrV.) (That’s for September 1, but we’ve already done some of the “easier” ones like counting the books of the Old Testament and the New Testament.)

And we don’t know then how well it’s going to tie in with what we just read.

Lord, may the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your eyes. You are my Rock and my Redeemer.

After I recover from my “wowness,” I ask her if she knows what “redeemer” means, and she doesn’t. So I tell her how in Bible days a redeemer was someone who bought a slave and set that person free. And how she and I were once slaves to satan and sin, but Jesus bought us with His life, and now we “don’t gotta do what we gotta wanna do.” Now we’re free in Jesus, and He helps us do what pleases Him and helps us become more like Him every day.

And she says she understands, but I know she doesn’t grasp it all, because I’m not even sure I can wrap my head around the depth and breadth of it.

And we talk about how rocks are strong and sturdy. And how the stone foundation helped our old barn to stand for over 100 years through all kinds of storms before it finally crumbled so badly that the barn collapsed. But how Jesus is a foundation that will never crumble and how we can build our lives on Him and how He’ll always hold us up through any bad things that might happen.

And then we talk about Laura and about how one word, her name, from her mother’s lips caused Laura to stop complaining. And how if we listen, we can hear Jesus say our names when we are saying something we shouldn’t.

And we can stop.

At once.

But then we talk about how Laura continued to think complaints to herself. How she continued to be “naughty” inside.

And I ask Gracee what she does when she gets upset with her mom, and she says goes to her room or runs outside to “cool off” or take a time out. And I ask her if she’s thinking good thoughts then, and she says no. Except for the day the deer ran around the corner of the house and got her so excited she forgot what she was mad about.

I suggest that maybe during her time out, she could ask Jesus to help her think good thoughts, and maybe she could think of some happy things about her mom (or me when she’s upset with me), some positive things that would be more than the negative things, good things rather than bad–like how her mom makes her laugh and how she helps her bake cakes and how they like to snuggle and watch movies together. And how I’m the best grandma in the whole wide world.

And Gracee is kind of surprised that she can do this. And I’m kind of surprised that I’m thinking of these things.

So then I tell her about Philippians 4:8.

Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things.

And I tell her that another time we’ll talk about what each one of those words means, but she likes the word “noble.” She says it makes her feel like a princess, and I tell her she is. That the King of everything is her Father.

And I tell her that she can “frisk” her thoughts like a police officer searching a prisoner. For instance, she can ask herself if her thought is lovely or ugly, and if it’s ugly, she can pull it out and throw it away and think of something lovely in its place.

And she thinks that’s pretty cool.

And I think it’s pretty cool, too.

Unwrapping Tuesday with Emily and friends at Chatting at the Sky.

tuesdays unwrapped at cats

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. HisFireFly says

    September 28, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    The Holy Spirit is whispering through your words.. I need to “frisk” my thoughts as well.

    Ah.. you have me dreaming of days when our granddaughter is old enough to understand..

    • Sandra says

      September 28, 2010 at 8:52 pm

      Frisking and whisking. 😉

  2. Julie Musil says

    September 28, 2010 at 5:25 pm

    This is beautiful! What a special time between mother and daughter, and it sounds like you’re raising quite a thoughtful little lady.

    • Sandra says

      September 28, 2010 at 8:53 pm

      Thanks! She has her days. As we all do. 🙂

  3. Sheila Hollinghead says

    September 28, 2010 at 5:44 pm

    I love these posts about your granddaughter. My granddaughter will turn 7 next week. I hope I can sometimes impart such wisdom as you have to your granddaughter.

    • Sandra says

      September 28, 2010 at 8:54 pm

      I love when you visit, Sheila. 🙂

      She teaches me much!

      Happy birthday to your wee.

  4. Lynn Mosher says

    September 28, 2010 at 5:54 pm

    Only one word…AWESOME !!!

    • Sandra says

      September 28, 2010 at 8:54 pm

      😀

  5. pat says

    September 28, 2010 at 6:21 pm

    What a lovely discussion! I like the vivid concept of ‘frisking your thoughts’ In agreement: “pretty cool” 🙂

    • Sandra says

      September 28, 2010 at 8:55 pm

      Hi Pat! I’m sooo glad to see you. I learned that “frisking” thing from Kay. But the police thing is my own take. 😉

  6. deidra says

    September 28, 2010 at 7:20 pm

    Oh dear. I am guilty of thinking complaints and believing that doesn’t count.

    • Sandra says

      September 28, 2010 at 8:56 pm

      Both my hands are up!

  7. L.E. Fiore says

    September 28, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    Mmm! Amen! I’m happy for Gracie that she has that time with you! Little House in the Prairie is great- but sharing God with her is even better! So cool how that all tied in.

    • Sandra says

      September 28, 2010 at 8:57 pm

      Still floored about how it all tied together.

      I love Laura.

  8. Susan J. Reinhardt says

    September 28, 2010 at 8:10 pm

    Hi Sandy –

    What a gift you have with words!

    I love it that we can “frisk our thoughts.” Some days it’s a full-time job.

    Blessings,
    Susan 🙂

    • Sandra says

      September 28, 2010 at 8:58 pm

      Thanks, Susan. I think it’s most days for me. Make that a 24-hour job!

  9. S. Etole says

    September 28, 2010 at 9:34 pm

    beginnings of the renewal of the mind … a powerful principle for us all

  10. Michael says

    September 28, 2010 at 10:03 pm

    I think it’s pretty cool too. 🙂

    We prayed for you and your family tonight at our prayer meeting.

  11. Brenda says

    September 28, 2010 at 11:25 pm

    What a gift you are to her little life and her to yours. Great lessons for all of us. Beautiful.

  12. Michelle DeRusha says

    September 30, 2010 at 10:46 am

    Wow, this is amazing, Sandra. I love the lessons here — so many for you, your daughter…and the rest of us peeking in to your lives.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Meet Sandra

I’m Sandra, a camera-toting, recovering doer who’s learning to be. still. Read more…

Get updates from the stillness by email

Your personal information is safe and will never be shared.

Archives

Categories

Instagram Inspiration

sandraheskaking

A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana in the background until I downloaded the photos. That, I believe, is the one that got caught in one of the openings in the neighbor's chain link fence. We tried in several (safe) ways to dislodge it without luck and could think of no other option but to leave it. Somehow it apparently dislodged itself. We also believe this is the pair that was getting into another neighbor's garden. We haven't seen either one since the last cold snap, so we are wondering if they survived. 
🌱
Thinking some may have tumbled from their perches last night. Pretty sure it will be raining iguanas tonight since we are under a frost advisory. It's cold. And windy.
Just sing... sing a song... Singing our way into Just sing... sing a song... 

Singing our way into the weekend.
"We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramse "We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramsey in Rembrandt is in the Wind
Now you see me... now you don't. Now you see me... now you don't.
"I started looking and listening. I realized that "I started looking and listening. I realized that work, like life, is shot through with poetry. It was everywhere. I was so taken with what I discovered that I wrote a book about it." @gyoung9751 
🌱
Whether you work in an office, a retail store, a restaurant, or at home... Whether you work on roads or on power lines, or on high buildings...Whether you collect trash or preach sermons, or care for your kiddos. Whether you do art, or weave words, or take photos of a common gallinule AKA moorhen AKA swamp chicken--it's all shot through with poetry.
🌱
So pay attention. Find a poem.
🌱
Read more at https://www.tweetspeakpoetry.com/2023/01/10/its-poetry-at-work-day-2023/
Rising… Rising…
Everyone needs a little balance in life. And maybe Everyone needs a little balance in life. And maybe a beauty routine. And breakfast. Especially breakfast. I wonder if it consists of a few fire ants. I hope so. (Well, not mine. I'm having oatmeal with chia seeds. What are you having this morning?)
🌱
P.S. Happy Friday!
"Though your destination is not yet clear You can "Though your destination is not yet clear You can trust the promise of this opening; Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning That is at one with your life's desire." ~John O'Donohue 
🌿
A blessing for a new beginning in a new year. I'm sure he wrote it especially for me. At least I'm claiming it. Maybe it will speak to you, too.
🌿
Also, I'd really like this skirt --> 
🌿
Read the whole poem--> -->
🌿
Well, bummer... The whole page didn't print. Read it in the comments below.
"What precocity, a bird half the size Of an Anjou "What precocity, a bird half the size
Of an Anjou pear." ~ Stephen Kuusisto in "The Mockingbird on Central" (Find it in The Poets Guide to the Birds edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser)
🌱
"The morning pages are the primary tool of creative recovery." ~ Julia Cameron in The Artist's Way. 
🌱
I've been in a long creative drought, so I started morning pages--again. This time I've got a bit of an accountability group through @refineretreat's Refinery--which I finally also joined this year. I'll turn 74 this month. I'm not ready to grow old while I age--though everything does seem to take longer while time goes by faster.
🌱
#aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Tonight’s walk in the neighborhood. I’m still Tonight’s walk in the neighborhood. I’m still kinda amazed that out of all the places we could have ended up after moving from a place I said I’d never move from), here we are—planted right next to the northern Everglades. Six-plus years, and I still shake my head in wonder.
"So fancy is the world..." ~ Mary Oliver in "This "So fancy is the world..." ~ Mary Oliver in "This World." #aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Look, Mom! I can walk on water! #aweandwonder #tsa Look, Mom! I can walk on water! #aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Gazing into 2023 like… Let’s take it step by Gazing into 2023 like… 
Let’s take it step by step with hope and courage. Also I hope to be posting again more often.
🎉
Happy New Year!
The morning before the last morning of 2022. 🌴 The morning before the last morning of 2022. 
🌴
71 degrees. Heading to 83. I can live with that.
From the top of Brasstown Bald—the highest point From the top of Brasstown Bald—the highest point in Georgia at 4784 feet.
Winding roads… Winding roads…
Tonight's moon. It's kinda okay. Tonight's moon. It's kinda okay.
Don’t mind me. Just storking by. Don’t mind me. Just storking by.
I’ve gotten several messages asking if things we I’ve gotten several messages asking if things were okay. Yes. I’ve recovered after 3 weeks in Covid jail. Also, I’ve been a bit scarce on social cuz we’ve been finishing up house renovations, and there is SO much that now needs to be cleaned and stuff put away. Also, we’ve had the second oldest grand with us for two weeks. I “should have” at least shared some stories about our adventures, but we’ve relished the time and kept busy. One can’t leave South Florida without a gator encounter, though, right? Tomorrow the two of us fly back to Michigan, and then I will spend a week with my sister where I expect I will be put to work in the chicken house and the gardens and become a glad(iola) roadside proprietor for a day at the Four Star in while she and my BIL attend a family reunion. I’ll also get to see my dad in the nursing home and spend a couple nights with my daughter. D will hold down the fort here. Then maybe by the first of next month, I’ll be able to finish putting things in order, breathe, find some writing space and get back to normal. Whatever that is.
I tossed and turned all night. And then the storm I tossed and turned all night. And then the storm started. I finally got up about 5ish and sat outside to watch. Until a couple mosquitoes found me. Also, the jasmine hadn’t gone to bed yet and smelled heavenly.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Get the Mug

Embrace the life you have t s poetry mug

Privacy Policy

Full privacy policy is available HERE.

I Read Light

TSP-Red button

bibledude-net



Sponsor a Child

Join the Compassion Blogger Network

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 Sandra Heska King · Site by The Willingham Enterprise, LLC on the Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Log in