Spencer's Mom

Except a kernel of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Story
    • Transformed Lives
      • Spencer MacLeod
      • Jermaine’s Story
      • Dave Murphy
      • Brandon Gomes
      • Lawrence Barros
      • Rico’s Story
      • Joshua Shapiro
      • Tyrone Gomes
      • Lindsey’s Story
      • Ashley’s Story
      • David Myland
      • Louis Ciccia
    • Ten Years Later: the Power of Forgiveness
    • Hope
      • If you’ve lost a child…
      • If you are battling cancer…
      • If someone you love has dementia or Alzheimer’s…
      • The Greatest Hope of All
  • Book
  • Speaking
    • Contact

August 24, 2012

Building Memorials

Happy Birthday spencersmom.com!

As this website and blog turn one year old this month I have been looking back and reflecting. One year isn’t a very long span of time, which suits me well since my memory is getting a little ragged. But I vividly recall sitting in front of this same laptop and asking myself, “What the heck is a blog and why did I say I’d write one? “

It seemed a little vain. Why would anyone be that interested in Robin Farnsworth’s random thoughts? This led me to regard the deeper side of all of us humans. We are inundated with banal information. We text, twitter, hop, skip and jump through each day in a world that seems ever-more complex and rushed despite promises of the good life, which we translate to an easier life which advanced technology is supposed to deliver. Yet we all long for meaning, connection and HEY, there must be more to life than this!

I loved my brother, Bob’s guest blog last month, Small Wonder, because it pulled back the curtain and revealed exactly what I’m trying to say. A stop-you-in-your-tracks moment, something compelling us off the worn path, sometimes into beauty, sometimes tragedy or both…a flash of color and wonder only God can uncover. We are breathless, filled with all that life is meant for, then it’s gone again. BUT…we are forever changed.

As I scan the titles of my blog entries I remember some of these times; my friend Terri’s death, the Power of Forgiveness event, a graduation, a wedding. Then all the characters that play a vital part of my life, including my aging dog, Rosie. There have been lesser players, grumpy old men, Korean Ajimas, and memories resurrected of ball room dancing, my dad throwing jelly beans around my room and dressing like a gorilla.

I’m still, a year later, not convinced any of this is that important, at least in a news-worthy sense. But the feedback I have gotten from family and friends tells me most people do like to slow down and pull over because we’ve noticed something we never saw before. We delight in the hidden treasure, in the things unseen and the suddenly of God’s voice.

In ancient Biblical times, God would meet with folks in the most obscure, arbitrary ways…a burning bush, a dream, the local well. And often men would build memorials in these places by piling up a bunch of rocks and naming it. Jacob did this and called the memorial “Bethel”, meaning God is in this place. God met him there, in a dream, when he was all alone and on the run. He would never forget that night. Neither would God.

Maybe life is like that; building memorials, places where we know we were transformed, in big ways and in some very subtle ways. I think that’s some of what this blog is about. And sometimes it’s just for fun. That God has pulled me up to a place in life where I can see clearly, and laugh out loud and love boldly again is my miracle. And He gets all the credit, for sure. Spencersmom is my way of applauding Him. And maybe the blog is a series of small memorials…God met me here, and here, and over here again!

This blog has blessed me immensely. I have no clue how many people read it, nor do I want to know. Some of the feedback I have received make it already a thousand times worth every little tale I tell. And it has united me with total strangers from around the world, which makes me say thanks for the World Wide Web. Happy Birthday, spencersmom, and thanks to all of you who read the random thoughts of Robin Farnsworth. I can’t hope that it will change your life, but maybe it can be a moment out of the crazy rush of the day that can help you pull over and say, God is in this place.

 

 

Filed Under: Random Tagged: birthday, blog, memorials, spencersmom
2 Comments

August 8, 2011

Check the Fridge

If you want to know what’s close to my heart, check my fridge. Not the inside, the outside. It’s covered with magnets from places I have traveled, photos of friends afar, a picture of me and my mom and some funny sayings I’ve found and captured using the magnets. What got me thinking about my fridge was thinking about this Blog. One of the magnets reads: Everyone is entitled to my opinion. Considering my mother’s nickname for me as a growing and very verbal child was “Last–Word-Lucy”, it’s an appropriate adage for my Blog. And I’m a little embarrassed to admit it.

I’ve always wanted to be demure and soft-spoken, with a meek and humble spirit. Well, not always. Let’s say since I became a Christian and read about the Proverbs 31 woman. Just like I always wanted fine straight hair, wispy and feminine. It took me about five years of hard time in the back forty after I gave my life, the whole  lovely mess, to Jesus, to learn that I was not fashioned that way; soul, spirit or hair. The Potter has patiently turned that wobbly lump of clay over the years, smoothing and refining with careful attention, then often getting out the chisel. The last ten years I believe the whole thing was smashed, brought down to an unrecognizable lump again and remade. What steadfast love the Master has!

I don’t expect you to be as patient with me as my Father. And I still strive to be…well, at least a little wiser with my words. But remember my fridge, OK? If you come back again you will always be entitled to my opinion.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: blog, fridge, God, opinion
9 Comments

Follow Us on TwitterFollow Us on RSS

Signup to receive blog emails!

Recent Posts

  • Seeking the Cross – Finding a Garden
  • If You Have a Cough, Fever or You’ve Just Had Enough
  • For Those Who Can’t Forget
  • The Prize
  • A Father’s Perfect Love

Articles

  • "The Miracle of Forgiveness"
  • Five arraigned in killing
  • His life touched so many
  • Killing may be case of wrong identity
  • Memorial Honors Young Man’s Sacrifice
  • Murder jolts three into changing lives
  • Witness says he put suspect in chokehold

Videos

  • 10 Years Later: Power of Forgiveness Event
  • Spencer MacLeod
  • Spencer MacLeod Memorial Video
  • Spencer Macleod: One Year Later
  • The Power of Forgiveness: Interview

Favorite Sites

  • Acts29Network
  • ASSIST news
  • History Makers
  • Marc Welding
  • Project Wisdom
  • Tatoo It On Your Heart
  • The Door Christian Fellowship Church
  • Vika Aaltonen
Follow Us on TwitterFollow Us on RSS

Signup to receive blog emails!

Recent Posts

  • Seeking the Cross – Finding a Garden
  • If You Have a Cough, Fever or You’ve Just Had Enough
  • For Those Who Can’t Forget
  • The Prize
  • A Father’s Perfect Love

Archives

Categories

  • Blog Post
  • Dementia
  • Dementia
  • Devotional
  • Faith
  • Hope
  • Loss
  • Love
  • Random
  • Redemption
  • Uncategorized
  • Women

Tags

adoption Armenian birthday blog cancer children Christmas Compassion crocus cross death dementia Easter escape family father forgiveness girls God grandchildren grandmother grief hope hospital jail jelly beans Jesus loss love Malaysia marriage mother murder nurse praise pride prison ransom robin sickness spring thanksgiving treasure vacation Valentine

© 2015 Robin Farnsworth. All Rights Reserved. Paraclete Multimedia Website Design | Contact: givingglory2him@gmail.com