And The Blogger Reflection Award Goes To...

...me?

It's really hard to accept an award for reflecting Christ as I consider that Christ probably wouldn't have accepted such a public accolade. But, anyhoo...

I will humbly try to receive the kind and encouraging things that Barb over at A Chelsea Morning had to say about me (even if I do feel compelled to set her straight here, here, here and here on the difference between my reality and her gracious perception):

My respect for her is endless. I think I did a pretty good job raising my two daughters but believe me, if I were just now starting that journey, she'd be my inspiration and my measuring stick. She's raising three of the loveliest girls you'll ever meet. She's so intelligent it almost scares me sometimes but she never makes me feel "dumb," even when it's blatantly obvious I don't have a clue what she's talking about. LOL She's so genuine that she didn't laugh at me at all when I told her how much I respect her knowledge of classical music and asked her how I could become more informed. Actually, she recommended the discount bins at music stores as a good place to start. I totally love that. And she's a gifted poet. She's a woman most of us can only aspire to be. She knows who she is and so do her daughters. And that's a good thing, my friends.

Is Barb a blessing or what? Now, it's that kind of lavish encouragement that is truly reflective of Christ if you ask me. I'd boomerang this award right back at her if it wasn't contrary to the purpose. So instead, I'll pay it forward to the following five cyber friends in whom I see Christ reflected, and are also currently active in their blogging:

Erna at Sweet Serenity has that intangible quality of childlike trust that Jesus loves so much. And it's not because everything is easy and everybody is healthy all the time--quite the opposite. To visit her blog is to delight in watching a mother of young children rejoice in her salvation, her Lord, her calling to nurture her sweet young ones, and to the "cup" He has assigned her. She makes it a habit to count her blessings out loud, and she's crafty. *sigh* So, so crafty. She's privatized her blog, so I don't know how accessible she is, but you can ask! She's pretty accommodating.

Tammy at Family Doin's sidebar is conspicuously void of awards and I don't "get that" because I know her traffic is steady and respectable. And I know that because on the occasions when she has linked me for whatever reason, I see a fair increase in my traffic. Which is to say it doubles. She's always got a good attitude about things, she relishes her family, respects her husband, honors her mother, loves her adorable daughters (who would be playing with mine if she didn't almost live in Canada, and I almost in Mexico) and is just. a genuinely. kind. blogger. An accolade is long overdue this sweet woman. So, Tammy, thanks for being one of the nicest bloggers on the block! And in being so affable, reflecting Jesus' concern and availability to everybody.

Lady Laura at Let Me Be a Woman is a model of Godliness to me in so many fascinating ways. In this world of excess and waste, there is something beautiful about the way she practices the virtue of being frugal. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, I say she reflects God by frequently creating something wonderful out of...well...nothing. (Of course, she just has a visionary gift to see something out of what the rest of us would be tempted to deem as nothing.) But it's not just that. She is raising and homeschooling a young man of God all by herself, and he's turning out "right." But the best reason you should visit her today is because her writings are just so lovely. She expresses herself with the mind of Christ--the real Christ--because she obviously saturates herself in His Word.

Elise at A Path Made Straight is going to be given this award by multiple friends, I'm sure of it. But I won't let that stop me from trying to be the first! She is one who crafts her words so beautifully as to draw the reader in, and once in, she shares the love of Jesus with such tenderness and grace as to make Him irresistible. That's quite a find in this day of wolves and shrill voices. Elise is a homeschooling mom of three young children and surely faces the same frazzled focus that any of us do, but she has a gifted way of painting the reality of the picture in the light of His grace so that I'm spurred on to the good work of becoming the Proverbs 31 woman--knowing all the while that it's beyond me but that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The last one--I can't help it--I award posthumously to Oswald Chambers, whose devotions at My Utmost For His Hightest are on line now and have been a remarkable help and encouragement to me in the past months. His remarks are nearly 100 years old, but more relevant today than most any of the me-centered gobbledeegook being preached, taught or encouraged in the Church. Was that abrupt? Well, he's long since gone to be with the Lord, so I don't feel compelled to make a bunch of flowery phrases to bless him. And I'm pretty sure that's exactly how he would want it, anyway.

Recipients, don't forget to pass it on.