Aurora's "Talking" Rocks

         As summer draws to a close and autumn leaves blanket the landscape, I’d like to share about a girl who gave happiness to our town and a lady who sparked this adventure.

          The girl’s name? Jozie! Her idea? To start a caterpillar downtown but not an ordinary crawly! This one made from painted rocks. “I thought it would be a fun way to bring our city together after seeing how everyone really liked finding Lisa’s painted rocks.”

          Jozie and her folks thought of the perfect place to call “home” for this caterpillar—outside the Chamber of Commerce caboose (who granted permission). It didn’t take long for this to blossom as Jozie came up with ideas for signs, and her dad (a welder by trade) made those to place by the Aurora caterpillar.

          So, who’s this Lisa that Jozie mentioned? One of our resident painted rock-hiders! How ’bout I let her introduce herself!

          “My name is Lisa, but around Aurora lately I’m referred to as ‘the Rock Lady.’ It all began last summer when I learned about painting and hiding rocks. I love artsy things, so I gave it a try.

          A year later, and here we are! Over the past several months I have hidden or given away hundreds of rocks.

          People messaged me to paint them special rocks for various reason—businesses. Also, several individuals contacted me to paint for someone who was in an accident, another for someone … sick, a child and a soldier’s headstones, a memorial rock for an animal that passed away, a special needs child, for autistic children, and more.

          One lady said that I was an angel.

          I said, ‘No, not at all. But the Bible says to be good to people because you might entertain angels unaware.’

          Someone also said I have a unique ministry. I cannot say that I ever considered it a ministry, but you never know what kind of seeds are planted by the smallest acts of kindness.

          If taking 30 minutes or an hour of my time to paint a simple rock brings joy and happiness to all these various people, it was worth it.”

 

          Lisa paints all types of images on her rocks, but I really love seeing the ones that “talk.” No, not out loud, but they do convey a message of hope.

          I confess. I checked our town’s Community Connect online page often to see updates on both Lisa’s “talking” rocks and also how Jozie’s caterpillar was growing. It’s added smiles to long, hot days and given joy, seeing kids in our town so excited to find these special rocks.

          I thought, What a nice activity for the kids! And there isn’t anyone who can’t take part because it’s all free. These kids must feel like they’ve discovered treasure!

          Parents posted photos of their children smiling ear-to-ear, holding the rocks they found.

          One child was so excited to find her rock at a local bank, but she didn’t keep it! Instead, she wished to add it to Jozie’s caterpillar. Other children delighted in finding hidden rocks but re-hid them so others could share in the adventure as well.

Show A Little Bit of Love and Kindness by John W. Peterson (1974)

Show A Little Bit Of Love and Kindness | The Collingsworth Family | Official Performance Video (youtube.com)

 

 

         I love that the painted rocks in our town bringing excitement and happiness to so many through their “talking” message, but what about the possibility of “shouting” rocks!

   

       When Jesus rode through Jerusalem, the crowd praised Him shouting with joy, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”

          The pharisees rebuked Jesus! (Imagine the gall to do that!) To put it bluntly, these pompous leaders wanted the people to shut up.

          But Jesus had an answer for them. “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” Luke 19:40

          Now, have you ever heard rocks speak up? No? Well, Jesus said they would praise Him if all the people were silenced.

         Do I believe this is possible? If God says it, I believe it because with God all things are possible. But I don’t believe God wishes this to happen. Why? Because if rocks are needed to proclaim He is Lord, that means all the people are silent.

          I hope we never reach the day when there are no people praising the Lord. That would be a sad, sad day indeed.

          We are living in difficult times. Thankfully we have those among us who want to show kindness—even through the giving and sharing of rocks—helping to brighten the hearts of those who discovered the hidden ones and to those who added to Jozie’s caterpillar.

          And in these hard days we face, we can ultimately be thankful for the Rock of Ages—Jesus—Who can be found by those who seek Him and can be shared by those who love Him.

          Praise the Lord!

Evangelist Sammy Tippit

The Stones Will Cry Out (youtube.com)

 

#paintedrocks #Auroracaterpillar #childrensactivity #hidingrocks #therocklady #community

 #kindness #angelsunaware #praisingJesus #rockscryout

 

Photo credit: J. Hargus, L. Murphy, J. Garoutte, R. Maravilla, & B. Graham

P.S.--NOT ALL ROCKS PICTURED IN THIS BLOG POST WERE PAINTED BY LISA. OTHERS IN OUR TOWN CONTRIBUTED TO THE HIDDEN ROCK ADVENTURE TOO! HOORAY, ROCK PAINTERS AND HIDERS ALL! YOU INDEED ROCK!

Happy Book Birthday!

          Min, can you believe your memoir is 1 year old this week? Wow! And God has already used it in the lives of so many of your readers.

          Oh, the heartaches and tears, frustrations and anger, laughs and funnies that went into the 2 years I worked with you at our kitchen table!

          I remember Day 1—July 12^th, 2021. We had no clue how or where to begin, so we prayed.

          Then we pulled out letters and mementos of your life. It wrecked me when I shared with you about your abandonment paper from South Korea. That broke your heart too, but it also ignited the spark that began your story.

          First sentence: “I am number 93-89” … and it took off from there.

          But from the moment you first expressed wanting to write your story (January 2021) you desired to use your given name in honor of your birth mother (who likely chose it for you).

          Do you remember the day we laid out Cheerios and colored a very small percentage to help you understand how many South Korean orphans ever find a birth parent?

          Do you recall telling me you thought you’d write much better if we had a handy supply of chocolate candy?

          And how ’bout the Rubik’s cube* to help fidgety you cope with stress? That didn’t even survive Day 1!

          I also remember your agent asking how we planned to tell backstory. I had no clue until one night when I suddenly awoke with my lips actually saying out loud, “Letters!” I thanked God, climbed out of bed, headed into the living room, and jotted down thoughts pouring from my mind and heart.

          In the morning, I shared the letters idea with your dad, and he came onboard.

          No, it wasn’t always a smooth ride, but there were treasured, revealing moments. And you, son, were a brave soul to bear it all for the sake of this book’s birth. Remarkable! Your story and you!

          Being your scribe and chief editor was a privilege. No, not easy—either task, and sometimes I had to be the “tough guy,” making you take time-out walks to regroup, acting out parts of your story you couldn’t piece together, drawing diagrams and time lines. Oh, those pesky timelines!

          And your dad? Key! Our computer genius—the one who got us through the tears and frustration of laying out the book with Ingram Spark, filing for all the needed numbers and permissions, and umpteen other things that went into your story becoming an actual book.

          And it was your dad who was so sure God wanted the audiobook version out there and that Jim Hodges** must be your reader. Jim wasn’t sure until he read your story, then he expressed he had to do it. (Here's an audiobook sample: https://youtu.be/PYQL5T7UQuE)

          You raised the money to hire Jim, just like you raised the funds for a professional editor and cover designer. More than $2,000 worth! In and of itself an amazing feat!

          Min, you’re indeed a masterpiece! So is your story—all known by God before you were born. You had a story worth telling because God shared His. And because of the completed work of Christ, you accepted His gift of salvation, obeyed His command to write your pain and joys, and now offer Hope to all who read A Home for Min Soo~Putting Together the Pieces of My Life.

          Happy book birthday, precious son!          

A Home for Min Soo~Putting Together the Pieces of My Life—

Benjamin Hampshire (a.k.a. Kim, Min Soo) shares about his book

(with Brian & Sarah Hampshire playing I Need Thee Every Hour).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjCNhRRI93E

I need Thee ev’ry hour, most gracious Lord;

No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

 

Refrain: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee. Ev’ry hour I need Thee;

Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.

 

I need Thee ev’ry hour. Stay Thou nearby;

Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh. (Refrain)

 

I need Thee ev’ry hour, in joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. (Refrain)

 

I need Thee ev’ry hour. Teach me Thy will;

And Thy rich promises in me fulfill. (Refrain)

 

(from the hymn I Need Thee Every Hour by Robert Lowry, 1872, public domain)

 

 

Min’s memoir is available through major booksellers online

in paperback, audiobook, and e-book formats.

You can also purchase it at a reduced rate through Ingram Spark—

by using this link:

https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084...

 

#writingabook #bookbirthday #memoir #orphan #SouthKorea #birthparents

#fostercare #adoption #UnitedStates #neurofibromatosis #Aspergers

#specialneeds #cancer #Godsplan&purpose #Heaven

 

Photo credits:

book cover design owned by author

*needpix.com image

**used with permission

other photos personally owned