Carolyn McBreen Gibbs Blog: Inner Child Longing To Be Free!

Carolyn McBreen Gibbs Blog: Inner Child Longing To Be Free!: Do you have an inner child that resides inside your soul? The inner child is easy to spot, and can make life so much more fun! As adults we ...

Inner Child Longing To Be Free!

Do you have an inner child that resides inside your soul? The inner child is easy to spot, and can make life so much more fun! As adults we are taught to be responsible, cautious, and do the grown up thing. What is the grown up thing? My mother was one of those, who took life so seriously that she had trouble having fun. Now I don't think one needs to play all the time, but I love being spontaneous enough, that there is joy in childlike wonder. We can learn as much from watching a child as they learn from us. 

When I taught pre-school, my days also were spent in watching children in their world. They do silly stuff, and laugh joyously. They use their imagination, and never run out of scenarios in their minds. They put every ounce of energy into whatever they do, and they are always intrigued by new things. They are curious, they play with abandon, and they don't care if they get dirty. They act without thinking about anything but the act itself. 

On a rainy day, an adult will wear a raincoat, carry an umbrella, an get inside as quickly as possible. But a child will run out into the rain and splash in the puddles. A child will dance in the rain, and lift their faces, open their mouth, and let the raindrops hit their tongue. When did you last dance in the rain?

An adult will rake up fallen leaves into neat piles to put into leaf bags for disposal. A child will see a mound of leaves and jump into the middle of them. A child will run through leaves, kicking and scattering them everywhere. When did you play in crunchy fall leaves last?

Adults clean snow off sidewalks and cars. Adults will ski in snow, and adults will grumble about snow. A child will build a fort, a snowman, or throw snowballs. A child will make snow angels, get wet, get cold, and will eat the clean snow. When did you enjoy snow last? Of course summer is the best time for children. No school, family vacations, and weeks of fun. Summer for children is riding bikes, swimming, fireworks, Popsicles, and The Ice Cream Man. Adults still have work, yard work, and all the things adults have to do. How about letting those things go once in awhile, and just play. 

My inner child loves Popsicles, letting work go for awhile so I can sit under a tree and read. My inner child still enjoys reading Nancy Drew Mysteries. I love to swing higher and higher, and I can wander happily in the toy department of any store. I resist the urge to buy them, but I still love dolls, coloring books, crayons, markers, and doll houses. The adult in me knows when I have to be mature and responsible, but the child knows when to have fun.  Do you ever wonder why some of the most fun childlike things are enjoyed just as much by adults. Disney Land is a great example. 

Nothing is more fun than just doing without worrying about what people think. We have a group of friends who enjoy eating together every Sunday evening. In the warmer weather, the conversation and fellowship has moved outside the restaurant when we were done eating. There was a time several years ago when several of them spontaneously skipped across the parking lot, arm in arm. There is nothing wrong with the sheer joy of unrestrained fun. I do not care what anyone thinks, I love my inner child. I am grateful that God let me keep her even after I grew up. I am grateful that God sees all of us as little children. He is our Father, and that pure innocence and joy we enjoy, blesses Him, just as we are blessed watching our own children and grandchildren. So let your inner child out once in awhile. The two of you can have fun together no matter how old you are!

Carolyn McBreen Gibbs Blog: Molly's Manor

Carolyn McBreen Gibbs Blog: Molly's Manor: It's me, Molly. I am having so much fun at my new house! I told you the moving part was a little scary, but once Mom and Dad got everyth...

Molly's Manor

It's me, Molly. I am having so much fun at my new house! I told you the moving part was a little scary, but once Mom and Dad got everything here and put away, it was O.K. We have lots more room for a girl to run around. Sometimes I like to sit in the sun, sometimes I lay on the bed, and sometimes I go downstairs, and sit on a step  just to keep watch.  When Mom and Dad are home I still like Daddy's lap best. I love going for walks here. We can go up the hill and all the way around before we come home. Sometimes we just go up the other hill, around the pool, and back home. Mom says it is Spring. That means it isn't as cold, and there are birds and squirrels to chase. Mom said not to chase the robins, but it is so fun, I do it anyway. 

I have new friends here too. Tommy lives up the long hill. He is a Dachshund. Then there is Missy across the street. She's gray and white, and fluffy. Her Mom says she's old and grumpy. Today she barked and barked at me, but I just ran up to her and tried to get her to play. She almost did, and we touched noses. Then there is a black Lab up the street. Her name is Little, but she really isn't. She likes me, but she isn't outside very much. My very bestest friend is Max. He lives right next door. When I hear his Mom open her garage door, I know in a minute or two he will come outside. I beg Mom to take me out so I can see him. We run around his yard. The other night Max and his Mom came over to visit. We got to run all over the house and play. It was so fun!  Then Max found my rawhide stick, and he was going to keep it.  Daddy got it and put it up high so neither of us could get it. Daddy got one of my extra tennis balls and gave that to Max. He got to take it home with him.

Now that it is warmer, we get to sit outside a lot too. One day Mom took me for a long, long walk. We went a different way than we normally do, and it was pretty fun.....until.....all of a sudden I was not seeing or smelling familiar things. Mom stopped several times, but we kept walking. I kept looking back at Mom, trying to figure all this out. It seems we took a wrong turn, and we weren't in our hood any more. Mom had to call Dad, and he came and found us, and took us home. Boy a lot of people had fun teasing Mom about getting lost. I was very glad to be back home.  One thing I don't like is the rake. It has teeth like things that I try to bite. Then Mom gets the broom, and I try to bite it too. It seems when it is windy, all the old leaves, and pine needles blow onto our front porch. Well being outside more, we get lots of fresh air, and then I get sleepy. When we sit in bed later and watch the news, I hold my wolf, and chew on his nose. That's when my eyes start to close, and I fall asleep. Yup, I love my new home, and my Mom and Dad make it even better!

Carolyn McBreen Gibbs Blog: Swinging Into Spring!

Carolyn McBreen Gibbs Blog: Swinging Into Spring!: Weather in Nebraska is never boring. Springtime false starts at least ten times before true spring settles in.Spring is a time of new life, ...

Swinging Into Spring!

Weather in Nebraska is never boring. Springtime false starts at least ten times before true spring settles in.Spring is a time of new life, new hope, and new dreams! Spring has always been special for me because I love the sights, sounds, and smells that are so inviting after a long, cold winter. It was also in the spring, 14 years ago, that God took me on the journey that found my birth family for me! That was the new life for me. Early Spring 30 years ago, God gave me the ultimate new life, when He got my attention so I would turn my life over to Him! That gave me the new hope of eternal life with Him when I die. Before that I did not have that hope, now I have God's assurance because I am His.

I love the smell of the wet earth after the first rain of Spring. I love the smell of rain. Now the early morning is different from Winter. Yes, it is warmer, but the light is different, the air is fresher, and birds are calling to each other. New tulips and irises are just beginning to poke their heads above ground. The grass is slowly losing it's brown winter coat, and exchanging it for Spring green. It brings to mind a favorite silly rhyme by Nigel Rees. " Spring iz Sprung, the grass iz riz. I wonder where the flowers iz."

March is notorious for wind in the spring. I personally don't like wind, but I think God sends the spring winds to blow the cobwebs of winter away! 

The warmer rays of the sun are so welcome after a long winter. It is a joy to lift my face up to those rays, and feel their warmth. From there I can see the incredible blue sky that says Spring. The first rains wash the dirt of winter away. Yesterday our association that our neighborhood is part of sent men to clean our streets and curbs. All

the sand and debris of winter was swept away, and today the rain finished the cleaning process. Stores start stocking mulch, potting soil, flowers, pots, and garden supplies. I so want to get my hands in the dirt, and get things planted. I have seeds and dirt and small pots to start the growing indoors. That will have to satisfy until it is a little warmer. 

It is fun to see squirrels again, baby bunnies, and of course all the birds. Crows are cawing, robins are mating, cardinals are calling from the trees, and a woodpecker is busy doing what woodpeckers do! That's why it is so fun to walk our Molly in the Spring. There is a never ending display of God's world, and God's rebirth of springtime in plants, animals, and weather. God's handy work is so amazing. Everything has a time, and a purpose, and it all fits within His time frame. God sent His son to give us a new birth, if we accept it. Yes, it was Spring, at the time of Passover, that Jesus gave His life on a cross for our sins, past, present, and future.  Jesus triumphed over death, and arose to full life. Talk about New Life, New Hope, New creation!  Spring is my time of year. It was my new birth twice, and the hope I have for eternity made me a new creation in Christ! Yes....Spring has Sprung!

Carolyn McBreen Gibbs Blog: The Three J's

Carolyn McBreen Gibbs Blog: The Three J's: Children are a blessing from God. Those three J's are indeed blessings. Each is their own person, each is unique, and each are very clos...