Thursday, February 17, 2011

Cherry Pits and You



Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cure for depression. Dodie Smith




It was Erma Bombeck who said, "If life is a bowl of cherries, what am I doing in the pits?"  We all have days that see more pits than cherries.  Sometimes it’s easier to open our hearts and encourage others than it is to encourage ourselves. Dodie Smith’s quote is my secret to discouragement. My mother must have read that quote somewhere, because whenever she knows I’m a little down, she will say, "Pam, do something special for someone else.”  It works! In focusing on another’s needs your own problems seem smaller and insignificant.


Create a Retreat

Love what you do. Believe in your instincts.
And you’d better be able to pick yourself up and brush yourself off every day.
~Mario Andretti

You will be gathering pain from others. Create a retreat to help you lay the pain at Jesus’ feet, and your quiet time in solitude will help clear the discouragement of your heart and overload in your mind.

My big blue chair is my retreat. Now it has nothing to do with the chair. In fact, I’m hoping it will turn into a brown leather wing back sometime soon. It’s not the chair, it’s the solitude I’ve found “in my spot.” A huge basket of my journal and books to my right, and a table piled high with some of my books by a favorite author who inspires beauty and encourages love. You'll also see a glass coaster (encasing Ethan's picture) underneath my ever-present goblet of tea. The safe place -- the place you can unload others' pain and refill your own joy bucket.

As you enter your place of retreat, use your journal to unload your thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself these simple questions:

Who has hijacked my joy?
Can God restore my joy even if the circumstances haven't changed?
Is there something I can do physically to restore my joy?




Discover Peace in Music

Listen to worshipful music or sing some of your favorite hymns. The psalmist tells us in Psalm 77:6, “I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart.” One favorite I find myself singing when things seem overwhelming is Hugh Stowell’s, “From Every Stormy Wind that Blows.”

From every stormy wind that blows,
From every earthly tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat,
‘Tis found beneath the mercy seat.

This song was sung by eight American missionaries who were put to death by the Nana Sahib at Cawnpore in 1857. It puts things in perspective when I remember these men and women gave their lives for their love of Christ. It encourages me to think that same calm, sure retreat is available for me.

Revel in the Love of Christ

When Emily was little, somewhere along the way, when she'd say, “I love you” we'd respond,
 “I love you more.” She'd come back with the same words, tagging on, “I said it first!" Many times I have walked away from her, speaking the words, “I love you more,” hoping to have won the argument.

God, too, responds to us in the same way. We sing praise choruses of love and He whispers, “I love you more.” We send our prayers of love heavenward and on the same cloud they float back down to us, “I love you more.”

I love how The Message paraphrases the words Paul wrote in his Ephesians epistle “…take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights!” My heart swells just to read those words. We really can’t take in the full measure of Christ’s love. But in knowing that His love is endless, let it free you to also love passionately and unconditionally.

William Barclay said, "The hand of Christ is strong enough to uphold the heavens, and gentle enough to wipe away our tears."  And when tears no longer fill our eyes, peace will begin its assent in our heart until joy has bubbled over -- and oh, the deep burgundy of the cherries will stain our tongues, juice will trickle down our chin and that sweet, yet tart, taste will remind us that sometimes our days are joyful, sometimes overwhelming. But through it all, God is ready to shelter us.


* * * * *

February 22nd is National Cherry Pie Day

Mini Cherry Pie
Pam from For the Love of Cooking had these pies on her blog.  I found them doing a search for miniature cherry pies and knew this recipe of Pam's would be perfect for my project.  (Pam actually found them on Georgia's The Comfort of Cooking.) 

All you need for three is:

1 refrigerated pie crust
1 can of cherries (I used no sugar added)

Cut the crust in 3 circles
Push the circles in oversided muffin tin
Fill with pie filling
Cut scraps into hearts for the top

I covered mine with foil until baked (350/30 min) then  sprinkled the hearts with sugar and returned to the oven for 10 more minutes.

Presentation Idea

This is a quick and easy "gift wrap."  Cut circles from red felt, leaves and stems from green felt.  I stuffed the cherries but just embroidered the leaves and stems.  Glue to a clothes pin.  All you have to do is clip it on the bag and you're ready to gift it.



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22 comments:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Hi Pamela, thank you for this special and encouraging post. I am a firm believer in long, hot baths. I enjoy singing praise songs and praying in the tub, and I do lots of thinking in there too. Back when I was a busy Mom, that was one place where I had a bit of time to myself!

Thanks for the cherry pie recipe too ... I'm going to have to give that a try.

God bless,
Kathy

Mindy said...

Cute little cherry pie!

Aliene said...

Pam, I glad we can find peace in the midst of life with so many heartaches and sorrows around us. I, too, have a special chair and my Bible. So many times i have just dump my load on the Lord and get re-fueled and ready to go again. I also have books I read, sometimes. I love to read but since I started home-schooling my grandson I don't have as much time as I use to.
Thanks for an up lifting post today. Visit me when you have time. Blessings!

Admin said...

Thanks Pam, I needed to read this today!

Anonymous said...

(Have I told you recently that I check my reader for any blog posts as soon as I get on the computer??)

The Erma Bombeck quote reminded me immediately of Beth Moore's book titled "Get Out of the Pit." I haven't read it, but it's somewhere on that never-ending "to read" list.

Many hugs....

Melodie said...

Wonderful post, Pam! You make me proud to be your sister!

I have a few quotes from "Deeper than Tears" you would probably like. From Corrie Ten Boom, "No pit is so deep that the Lord is not deeper still." and from Robert A. Williams, "I know of only one starting place in the war against sorrow, and that is ... in the arms of Almighty God."

Sometimes the pits seem to be never ending but I find when I am able to set aside a chunk of time to be alone once a week without any demands, I am able to be everyone else's cheerleader the rest of the week!

CALISTA said...

This is something we women need so often, just a little encouragement. It always boosts my spirits to have a phone call from a special friend. My retreat is my barn full of 5 wonderful horses! :)

Golden Daily Scoop said...

What a beautiful post!! Thanks for visiting my blog, following back and looking forward to it! :)

Making Memories 1999 said...

I really enjoyed this encouraging post! Thank you!!

Virginia said...

What a beautiful and encouraging post, I enjoyed very much.
Sweet Blessings,
Virginia

Esther Asbury said...

Pam, you never cease to amaze me with your creative posts and do-able gifts! This blog ranks at the very top of my favorite list - so inspirational and yet down to earth (where I live!).

Rebecca said...

From Bombeck to Barclay.... Great reminders. I DO tend to "gather the pain of others" and needed this prodding to lay it down at the feet of Jesus!

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

I just recently read a book of Erma Bombeck and was encouraged from cover to cover...her wisdom is timeless..as is the truth that giving to others can bring us out of the pits
Cherry pie looks wonderful...I was wanting to make a pie
Good post and great reminder

Handy Man, Crafty Woman said...

What a pretty blog! Great post, too. Thanks for visiting our blog.

Clairity said...

You got me craving cherry pie now :)

Thanks for following, following you back.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post! And what a yummy looking pie! Following back from Mommy's Peanut Gallery, thanks for stopping by!

Amy said...

Pamela I am passing the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award on to you! Hop on over and pick it up when you have a chance :D Hugs!

http://socialstudiesmomma.blogspot.com/2011/02/four-guilty-pleasures.html

Melissa said...

I definitely find peace in music! It's amazing how just listening to my favorite worship song can turn my entire mood positive when I am down. And those mini cherry pies wouldn't hurt either! :-)

Thank you for stopping by my blog! I am now following you back. I just love this blog of yours!

Melissa

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

This is my first visit to your blog and I want to tell you that this post is wonderful! I love the whole concept of having a retreat! I write in my journal every day of my life and it's so comforting to sit down in the evenings and write! Our homes need to be a refuge for us...you've written a beautiful post! ♥

CHERI said...

I loved this post...such good advice and such lusciousness too:) I have been trying hard lately to take more time to relax and find comfort in my life plus do more for others. So your post was very timely for me.

Gina Alfani said...

Hi Pamela . . . I love your blog and so happy that you visited mine and followed . . . otherwise I may not have found your beautiful blog.

Music soothes the soul! Your cherry gift wrap idea is precious . . . looking forward to exploring more of your blog.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend . . . Gina

http://peacelovehappinesshappens.blogspot.com
http://ginasitaliankitchen.blogspot.com
. . . and many more!

Unknown said...

Thanks for following!
I am your newest follower.
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