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What's Your One Word for a New Year?

2012-01-26T18:26:00.000-08:00

What’s Your One Word?

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

I was getting one of those blinking neon sign messages. You know the kind—the same message over and over, everywhere you turn. Eventually, you realize you have to pay attention.

That’s the way it was for me with this idea: Choose just One Word for the New Year. I read through a number of emails and websites in the few days before Christmas. So many espoused the value of just picking One Word to guide us through the New Year, instead of a long list often forgotten before January 31.

So I prayed about it, thought about, reflected on this. What should my One Word be?

Here’s a little Christmastime story that led me to my word.

I was so excited about Christmas. Every one of my kids would be home. These days, that is rare indeed. My married daughter would be home for a couple of days with her hubby. My living in D.C. full-time working gal would be home for a week. My college senior would be home for a month (and even her boyfriend would be visiting!). And my youngest would be home for another year and half before she left my nest empty. This would be a full family Christmas. I was overjoyed!

But all too soon I was thinking about how short-lived this scenario could be. Maybe this was it? Maybe it would never happen again? Once my kids all live in their own homes, they won’t always travel to mine for the holidays. And once they start having kids, well, they’ll want to be in their own living rooms.

My joy quickly turned to grief, despair, fear…”Poor, poor pitiful me…Nothing lasts forever. What will I do when this happens?” I was beginning to get anxious, edgy, and angry about the upcoming reality.

But was it a reality? Or was it my imagination? My thoughts took me away from the beauty that was right in front of me and transported me to a place where my mind wandered through the pain and loneliness that might lie ahead.

If I kept thinking along these lines, I threatened to make life miserable for everyone. I might be lying on the couch crying, cranky, resentful, instead of contentedly munching on the Land of Nod coffee cake, sipping my Starbucks Mocha (yes, even on Christmas!?), and enjoying the glee as each one of my kids went to their stockings and opened up their gifts.

Which would I choose?

Snap out of it. “Be here NOW,” a not-so-quiet voice rang in my head.

NOW. That’s my word. It’s a good word. A constant reminder of living in the present.

NOW is the time you have.

NOW is the time to move forward on your passion and purpose.

NOW you have an opportunity to exercise or put it off.

I asked my family members to think about their One Word and the results have been revealing, touching, and even helpful as they guide my prayers for each person.

So what’s your one word for 2012? Think about it. Pray about it. And share it!

(If you want to read more on One Word, go to Jon Gordon’s site at http://jongordon.com/newsletter-010912-oneword.html. You can even print out a FREE poster.)

Holiday Relief in the Midst of Grief

2011-12-09T16:03:00.000-08:00

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

I'm delighted to welcome to Joy Kay, Guest Blogger!

I love the holidays. But really, I love Christmas so much that I listen to Christmas music year round and sing in two different choirs in December. My family threatens to put me out and will not let me listen to it in the car until after my daughter Justine’s birthday, which usually falls after Thanksgiving. That said, it is my favorite time of year. No matter what my life circumstances are, I find a way to celebrate and rejoice in the days leading up to December 25^th. I sing Handel’s Messiah with one local Baroque choir. Then I sing contemporary carols with my church choir. This concert is so popular that people line up hours ahead just to get a seat. I revel in this kind of anticipation from others who also want to celebrate Christ’s birth.

But this year is different. My mom passed away after a very brief illness in March. She was a vibrant, healthy, dedicated mother, grandmother, friend, and devoted servant of the Lord. I am an only child and I can honestly say that the world as I knew it has been changed forever. Losing my mother has put me in a tail pin that often causes me to sit still and hold on to the nearest chair. There are no words for how close we were, and there are no words for this grief that is so strong and so real. So Christmas is …I don’t know what it is really. However, in the midst of my grief, I am holding onto the words of scripture in The Messiah like never before. God is in my face at every turn. As I listened to the bass sing Comfort Ye My People during our performance this past Sunday, I was struck by the repetition of the word “comfort.” This word describes what I have been searching for at the oddest times of the day and night in this valley of grief:

Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to
Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her
iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness,
prepare ye the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for
our God. (Isaiah 40:1-3)

Life on this earth is warfare, especially the Christian life. But trouble won’t last always and is removed in love by God. “Comfort ye, Comfort ye,” repeated twice, gives us the double assurance that He is our comfort. Having announced the coming captivity of the Jews in Babylon, God now desires His servants, the prophets (Isa 52:7), to comfort the Jews. The scene is laid in Babylon; the time, near the close of the captivity; the ground of comfort is the speedy ending of the captivity, the Lord Himself is their leader.

It is God’s will that we are comforted, even in the worst of times. Through scripture, I have that double assurance that He is my comfort, and that the pain will subside.

And in the flurry of rehearsals from one concert to the next, I have had a chance to take comfort in what I am singing. God prepared me for this time and has gently instructed me to sing these scriptures and really get to know Him as I grieve. I am in the midst of preparing for another concert which will be filled with the contemporary praise and worship music that I adore and that allows me to adore Him. The message will be Glory to God in the Highest as we sing the song The Great Exchange:

Christmas means more than our gifts

What we receive no man can give

The gift of God revealed to us.

We sing Hallelujah Hallelujah

Glory to God in the Highest

We worship cause He so loved the world He gave His son

The Great Exchange (C. Bogan, J. Fisher)

So in this season, as I continue to sing, go to concerts, and take in the sights and sounds, I will be comforted by the message of the hope that is to come. Next week, I will go to a Messiah Sing-a-Long at a local church to get my double portion! This is a Christmas redefined for me, by the greatest story ever told.

Who Cares?

2011-12-04T14:10:00.001-08:00

God Is Thoughtful and Mindful

“…whatis mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care forthem?” Ps. 8:4

This past week my sister forwarded me an e-mail. The subjectline read: 40% off ANY 1 itemends today. And the note stated simply, “You said you needed a warm coat…”

A warmfuzzy feeling flowed over me. “Wow! How thoughtful.” It just struck me. Herewas my sister, at home and in a lot of pain due to a badly infected foot, andshe was being mindful of me. Sheactually remembered a need I had forgotten about. She recalled a desire Ibriefly mentioned in passing.

I know itdoesn’t sound like that big a deal, but it meant a lot to me…I felt remembered,cared for, known. I felt my needs mattered to my sister, even though she’s avery busy gal.

Iimmediately started thinking about God. Actually, I think it was He who wasthinking of me.
“That’show it is with you and me, Elise.”
“Really?”
“Yes…Ithink of you all the time. I know you by name. I know your needs and I rememberthem.”
“That’spretty cool. Thanks…”

Itwas my turn to be thoughtful…mindful of God. I thought about all the ways Godhas cared for me. It might be a moment of grace, like my sister sending me thate-mail. It might be His perfect timing, His knowing what I need when I need it.It might be a song or a scripture that seems as though it’s been written justfor me. Or it might be astounding provision at a time when I need it most.

Talkabout thoughtful! God has the whole world in His hands and yet His mind is oneach one of us individually, you and me, His precious children. He is athoughtful God who knows us, cares for us, and never forgets us or our needs. Histhoughts toward us are incomparable and too numerous to count! (Ps. 139)

What’sYour Story?
Haveyou ever considered God as thoughtful? How has He been thoughtful toward youlately? Has He surprised you with a little something—a song, a scripture,provision, grace, a kind word—that seemed to come directly from Him to you, ledyou to think He is thinking of you? Comment just by clicking "Comment."

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This weekin my Moms In Touch* groups, we’ll be praising God because He is Thoughtful andMindful. If you’d like to know more, check out the scriptures below. I alsofound a song from Phillips, Craig & Dean on YouTube that you might enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-STvEe-KQ8.

GodIs Thoughtful and Mindful

He isattentive, considerate, and kind; given to heedfulanticipation of the needs and happiness of others.

Psalm 8:3-5

Psalm 40:5 (NASB)

Psalm 115: 11-13

Psalm 139: 17-18

Jeremiah29:11 (AMP)

Isaiah49:1-15

Isaiah55:8-9

Luke1:46-49

*Go to www.MomsInTouch.orgfor more Attributes of God and to find out more.

Do you know the number of hairs on your head?

2011-11-28T19:06:00.000-08:00

Who Is God?

God Is Omniscient. He has infinite knowledge and knows all things.

Today we met in our Moms In Touch groups and praised God because He is Omniscient. This led me to thinking about last week. On Monday evening, I received my first official rejection letter. I had submitted my manuscript to a publisher and she turned it down. I know that most writers are rejected several times before they’re published, but still I was devastated. The reality of cold hard rejection stings. I couldn’t help but take it personally and second-guess myself. For about 24 hours, I let discouragement and disappointment take over.

On Wednesday morning, the mail came in. Our local paper, a well-read and award-winning weekly, arrived a day early because of the Thanksgiving holiday. I flipped through and soon saw my mug smiling back at me from the front page of the community section. I had submitted an article that was accepted (yay!) and there it was. I didn’t know exactly when it would run, but GOD KNEW.

If God knows when I sit and when I rise, then surely He knows when I’ve been rejected (He also knows rejection all too well, firsthand). If He perceives my thought from afar, then my sadness and disappointment did not slip by Him unnoticed. He knew what I needed before I even asked.

What’s your story?

Can you recall a time that God showed you He knows? How has He demonstrated to you that He knows you?

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These are the scriptures we shared today as we explored God as omniscient:

* He has searched us and He knows us. He knows when we sit and when we rise;
He perceives our thoughts from afar. (Psalm 139: 1-2)

* When we are overwhelmed, He alone knows the way we should turn. (Psalm 142:3a)

* He is great, mighty in power, and His understanding has no limit. (Psalm 147:5)

* He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness…(Daniel 2:22a)

* Before we call He answers; while we are still speaking He will hear (Isaiah 65:24)

* He is our Father and knows what we need before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8)

* Even the very hairs on our head are numbered (as we said today, even the gray, died, and hair that’s no longer there!) (Matthew 10:30)

* In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. (Colossians 2:3)

* Nothing is hidden from God’s sight. (Hebrews 4:13)

* If you want to know more, visit www.MomsInTouch.org. You will find plenty of helpful information, including whether or not there’s a group in your area praying for your child’s school. The information and scriptures about God Is Omniscient is found in the Moms In Touch International Leader’s Guide and Personal Prayer Time Notebook, Praise Helps, Page 3.1. Lots of other Attributes of God can be found at http://www.momsintouch.org/leaders-corner/prayer-sheets. And if you’d like to ask me about Moms In Touch, please do!

Who Will Provide for You?

2011-11-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

Who Is God?

Jehovah Jireh—The Lord Will Provide

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, here's one life-changing way God provided for me that I am exceedingly thankful for…

19 years ago, I moved back to my hometown. At the time, I really wanted to get to know God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I had been praying to this God on some level all my life. I knew about Him, but I didn’t know Him. I wanted that personal connection I saw others had.

My prayer was that I would meet another mom who was like me. Someone who would be willing to talk with me and walk with me on a journey of faith. I wanted to learn more about the Bible, God’s Word, as I hadn’t really grown up with the Bible stories some people seemed to know. I hadn’t gone to Sunday School or Vacation Bible School. Some scriptures were familiar to me. I had heard them all of my life in church. But now I wanted to go deeper.

Within a couple of years, I found that friend who was willing to join me on the journey. First, I met Cindy at the bus stop. She was friendly and reached out to me immediately. We chatted as I sent my firstborn, just four years old, off on that September morning on the big rumbling yellow school bus all the way across town. I felt a little spark throughout that year, wondering, “Could she be the one?” Then when I saw Cindy at my first Vacation Bible School, bible in hand, I thought again, “Maybe Cindy is the friend I’ve been praying and looking for.”

Within a month, we were stationed back at our school bus stop. We had both heard a radio show on Focus on the Family (www.FocusOnTheFamily.com). A woman named Fern Nichols was speaking about her desire to join another mom to pray for her sons as they entered middle school. With all the temptation that they would face, she wanted to protect and support her kids with the power of prayer, believing that “Wherever two or more are gathered, there am I in their midst.” (Matthew 18:20) As God so often does, He answered that prayer of Fern’s exceedingly and abundantly beyond what Fern had imagined. Now she was on national radio sharing her ministry, Moms In Touch International (www.MomsInTouch.org). Fern’s little group of moms had spread to groups gathering to pray for their kids and schools all over the country. Soon this national movement would even go global.

Cindy and I had both heard the radio broadcast and shared our excitement. We were eager to start praying for our kids and their schools as soon as possible. We started our little Moms In Touch (MITI) group. And our group eventually grew to many, with over 10 groups meeting for an hour a week in homes across our town.

Little did I know that Moms In Touch would be God’s provision for getting to know Him better. Through MITI, I’ve grown in faith, in my personal relationship with God, my understanding and knowledge of the Bible, and my fellowship with many women who have become some of my dearest friends.

For 19 years now I have met weekly during the school year to pray for my kids and schools in Moms In Touch groups. We begin our time together Praising God for who He is, not what He has done for us. We choose a name, character, or attribute of God, i.e., God is Good, God is Faithful, God is Able, etc. This has been the key to getting to know God better.

So this week, as we meet in our Moms In Touch group, we’re praising God for being Our Provider, or Jehovah Jireh—The One Who Provides. This is “from the root word, ‘to see,’ God would foresee our need of redemption. The name tells us God is willing and able to meet every need of His people.” We’ll share the scriptures that speak of God as Provider and praise Him in prayer. (Genesis 22:8, 13-14, Acts 14:17, Romans 8:32, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Philippians 4:19, and 1 Timothy 6:17) *

As I think about Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful to God for many, many blessings. I am thankful that I met Cindy at the bus stop so long ago. I am thankful for the ministry of Moms In Touch, which has taught me so much about Who God is. He is my Provider.

What’s Your Story?

What are you most thankful for in celebration of Thanksgiving on Thursday? How has God provided for you? Do you have a favorite attribute or characteristic of God? How has He shown you Who He Is?

* If you want to know more, visit www.MomsInTouch.org. You will find plenty of helpful information, including whether or not there’s a group in your area praying for your child’s school. The information and scriptures about God as The Lord Who Provides is found in the Moms In Touch International Leader’s Guide and Personal Prayer Time Notebook, Praise Helps, Page 3.3. Lots of other Attributes of God can be found at http://www.momsintouch.org/leaders-corner/prayer-sheets. And if you’d like to ask me about Moms In Touch, please do!

Light

2011-11-14T15:28:00.000-08:00

Lessons from the Recent Blackout About Darkness and Light

Light

Come…let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:5

The freak snowstorm of Saturday, October 29, left millions of homes in the dark for several days, and mine was no exception. What I soon learned, however, was that I could use my gas stove regardless, so I could still manage to whip something up for dinner that night. A nice steaming pot of chili seemed just the thing. Only one problem, I didn’t have enough daylight time left to see what I was cooking. Thankfully, I was able to use all those candlesticks I got over 25 years ago as wedding gifts and fit them with the many candles I keep on hand. Plus I love using little votives outside in the summer, so I had loads of those around too.

This wasn’t so bad. Lit by the flicker of many candles, I was able to see what I was doing pretty well. So I made “Chili for a Crowd” and invited my sister and her family for dinner, since they too were in the dark. We had a cozy evening by the fire. And though a bit chilled, we were able to snuggle up in our beds and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

As the saying goes, after darkness comes the light.

When I awoke the next morning, I donned my cozy winter robe and padded down to the kitchen in my fuzzy slippers. A cup of something warm was in order…and I could still use my stove.

“Whaaa?” I uttered in surprise as I surveyed the kitchen. Despite the dim light of the night before, I thought I had done a pretty good job of cleaning up. In fact, I made a point of it, since I dread getting up in the morning to face a big mess.

So much for that…sloppy red spills dripped down the front of my porcelain stove, bean-ey chili sat in pools drying on my counters, and crumbs from a crusty loaf of bread were sprinkled on my kitchen table. I just hadn’t seen this in the dark.

And it struck me. This is just like my heart…If I don’t open up to God, come to Him and seek, ask Him to shed His light on and in me, I can miss the little mess building up inside. Comparison and envy can drip down over my heart. Pools of contempt can harden my heart. Little crumbs of unforgiveness can pile up.

Just like my kitchen, I want to come clean!

So what can I do about this? I have to come to God with an open contrite heart, acknowledge that there are probably a few dark thoughts, feelings, actions that need His light. Then, once I confess, I have to believe what God tells me, that I am forgiven and free.

Tell Me Your Story

What do you do to keep the mess of sin from building up in your heart? How do you invite God to shed light on your darkness? What did you learn from the terrible storm of October 2011?

2011-10-11T19:17:00.000-07:00

Worried? Anxious? Cast your cares on Him!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Do you ever wake up worried? That’s what happened to me today. I didn’t realize it at first. I felt a little edgy, but quickly dressed and headed out for my morning walk with my husband and the dog. Usually, this exercise results in me feeling more calm and relaxed, but that didn’t happen today.

As we walked, we discussed a few issues; our finances, kids, work. My tone quickly went from casual to heated. Now that I think about it, no wonder I began feeling anxious. Our finances are tight. With the exception of our 16 year old, our kids are spread out, living their own lives, doing okay, but way out of our grasp (okay…way out of my control!). And both Chris and I have a lot on our plates in terms of work. We’re both being pulled in many directions, with the challenge of being independent, our own bosses. It’s a work style we choose, but it comes with its own set of challenges—time management, self-imposed deadlines that we can blur, working in our home environment that sometimes screams paint me, mow me, launder me, fix me!

We ended our walk with some prayer, as we often do. The right idea…but I kept interrupting our prayers with commentary, some exasperation and frustration, and chatter. By the time I got home I was feeling anxious and worried. I did what my husband calls emotional conversion. I think it’s also called displacement in some circles. I took my anxiety and worry, and tried to alleviate it by dumping it on someone else. In this case, it took the form of a text to my daughter that expressed my worry about her. Of course, if I had taken a deep breath and thought for a moment, maybe I would not have hit send with a message no one needs to receive first thing in the morning!

What I was really trying to do was take my own worries and get her to take them on herself, quickly; to own them, so I wouldn’t have to feel them. Pretty selfish, but probably not all that uncommon. The good news? My daughter was not engaging me. In response to my anxious words, she texted, “Don’t worry about it. Love youuuuuu.” I apologized for dumping.

I heard the words echo in my mind, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” I took the deep breath I should’ve taken sooner, uttered a prayer of release and thanksgiving, and began to feel that peace that surpasses understanding. Ahhhhhh…

How about you? Do you ever hit the ground worrying? What worries you? What do you do to alleviate your worry? Do you have a favorite scripture that reminds you He can help? I’d love to hear from you!

Pray

2011-09-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

Pray

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Catie has just begun her senior year of college. The time, predictably, has been full, yet so swift. I think about the process we went through to get her there. The discovery of a school we had never heard of, and the dream to study something she loved, but had not been trained for, music. It was a God thing. Catie was guided there, almost against her will.

“I do not want to go to a Christian school. Too homogenous. Not diverse enough.” She stated emphatically.

Yet we visited Eastern University (I really don’t know why…I felt drawn), a school committed to faith, reason, and justice and she liked it. Tess, her best friend and cousin, joined us and liked it too. Then they had an Experience Eastern weekend, which we somehow arranged at the absolute last minute. They had a blast staying on campus and partaking in all sorts of fun, get-to-know Eastern activities. And then Catie was accepted into the Music program with a scholarship. Well, that sealed the deal.

I had asked God to guide Catie to the right place for her. He outdid Himself. Really. There were signs and wonders every step of the way, like the creepy black birds cawing in the gray stick branches of trees that lined the walk up to one of the universities we visited. This set an ominous tone and a chill down our spines neither of us could shake. That school was quickly checked off the list as a definite “NO!”

Life over the course of these three years has not been perfect, but I believe the choice for Catie has been pretty close.

There have been incredible joys: friendships I suspect will last forever; adventures that have grown and stretched Catie (some of which I don’t want to hear about); accomplishments in and exposure to music and academics; learning that has broadened her intellect and critical thinking; faith that has been tested and refined. I am so thankful.

But there has also been difficulty: the reality of balancing a rigorous and challenging workload, the trials of fragile relationships, even a fierce battle against Lyme disease. Thank God, this was a struggle Catie eventually won.

There were tearful calls home asking for prayer. When I felt helpless and out of touch, prayer was the one thing I could always offer. And there were hundreds of prayers lifted up with my Moms In Touch praying sisters, who helped carry burdens and celebrate triumphs. The way has not always been easy, but it has been laced with powerful, believing, fervent prayer.

In just a few months, which I know will whoosh by, Catie will leave the cocoon of college and fly out into the big, bad, wonderful, dangerous world. I will have to let go a little more; not my specialty, but it is my role to do all I can to prepare her for this leaving. I find peace, knowing that as long as I’m living, through prayer, I will accompany Catie wherever she goes. And of course I trust that the One who made her will never ever leave or forsake her.

How about you? As this Fall begins, are you releasing any of your kids into the next stage of life? Pre-school? Kindergarten? Middle School, etc.? Maybe college, a career, or a new home? What gives you peace in the letting go?

If you would like to join other moms to pray for your kids, check out Moms In Touch at www.MomsInTouch.org. Or contact me, I’d be happy to tell you more!

Mother

2011-05-08T08:43:00.000-07:00

Mother

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

My story blog is my response to the assignment below for our Grace Writers Group, thanks to Pam Leggett!

YOUR MOTHER OR GRANDMOTHER (AUNT OR MOTHER FIGURE) HAS BEEN GIVEN AN AWARD... DECIDE WHAT THAT AWARD IS AND THEN WRITE HER ACCEPTANCE SPEECH.

I remember sitting with my counselor and telling her about my mother. In truth, I had been telling her about my mother for some time. Recalling all the hard stuff: the high anxiety, near hysteria my mother suffered from so much of the time; the love she just couldn’t seem to muster, or express, or maybe even feel; the criticism that fell, no, was hurled from her lips; the anger that burned within and scorched without; the blame that shifted from her to us (we destroyed her, we destroyed her marriage, we were responsible); the bitterness and disappointment that had taken root in her mother, my mother, and were threatening to find their home in me.

“Tell me something good about your mother…something you appreciate about her or admire her for…something you liked about her.”

“Hah…Huh? Hmmmm, I’m going to have to really think about that.”

Thankfully, the memories came flooding back…

A bright, spring day, flowers bursting, streams running, warm breeze. As we left our beautiful town, Mom could point out every magnificent flowering tree. “Oh, look at the pink Dogwood…I’ve never seen such beautiful cherry blossoms…Oh, kids, isn’t it just breathtaking.” We went to New Hope. We had a day off…and mom had taken me and a few of my friends on a little adventure. We had the perfect day to mosey on down the streets, popping into little Indian hippie dress stores, the kitchen gadget shop: we walked along the shore of the Delaware River, even took our shoes off and waded in a bit; the perfect ending - a mule barge ride down the canal, guitar playing storyteller on board, doing his thing, we all had Gerenser’s Exotic Ice Cream cones in hand.

Terry Lou Zoo… we drove past the old farm almost daily. Then every once in a while, we got to actually go inside. We petted and fed the goats, sheep, pigs, chickens. Oh so rarely, on very special occasions, we went on pony rides. Mom was happy, almost gleeful. We all were.

Cape Cod summers were filled with familiar, yet always wondrous sights, sounds, excursions. We loved Fairy Tale forest, complete with the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk fame. Trips to different beaches all over the Cape were rife with discovery, clam digging, and dramatic tides. And a vacation wouldn’t be complete without a cruise around the Hyannis Harbor, hot, fresh-roasted peanuts in hand, the sun setting in a blaze of red, orange, and gold glory. “Oh look, kids, have you ever seen such magnificent colors…don’t miss this!”

A simpler, spontaneous excursion would be, “Let’s go for a ride.” With Dad at the wheel, Mom and all five kids would pile into the car and away we’d go. No real plan, no gps, just sort of head in one direction and see what we’d find. Carefree, fun, exploration, and almost certainly, ice cream…

“Well actually, my mother had a great sense of adventure, a deep appreciation for beauty. She’s actually passed on to me some of her joie de vivre, despite being racked by anxiety and depression. I think I get my love of life from Mom.”

Today, I am delighted to accept, on behalf of my mother, the Joie de Vivre award. I can see why you would choose Mom. She has such a sense of adventure, wonder, appreciation for the good things in life. A simple walk on a glorious day, a drive through the country in the fall, even just cruising the colorful aisles at TJMaxx with Mom can really heighten your awareness of the color, depth, look, and feel of beauty all around us.

As mom says, “I never met a man I didn’t like.” Mom always loved chatting with the fellows. I think it was a throw back to her days as a striking young woman who was always in the thick of all things social. Mom loved a good party.

Mom also says, “I never met a food I didn’t like.” Well, I think mom is one of the original foodies. She took us on many an adventure…and no matter where we were, we managed to find the best ice cream, melt-in-your-mouth fudge, the most adorable little lunch spot with the most delicious food.

So today I am honored to say, thank you. I think you have chosen wisely. Mom has used her gift of Joie de Vivre well. She’s lived life to the fullest; traveled the world over; and, at times, made a very ordinary day oh so extraordinary. And Mom has shared that gift generously, especially with her closest friends and family. Mom, here’s to you…Thank you!

So dear friend…What award would you give to your mother/grandmother/aunt or person who has been like a mother to you? What would you or she say in an acceptance speech? If she is still alive, consider sharing your thoughts with your honoree. And, if not, consider sending up a prayer of thanksgiving!

2011-04-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

Farm

"A man reaps what he sows." Galatians 6:7

I am sitting on the farm my niece and her new husband now tend. And I can see there are so many lessons this farm can teach them and me, for that matter.

The idea of a farm can be very romantic. There are rolling hills, rich brown fields of dirt, wildlife abounding, trees that bear fruit, even a life-giving stream runs through this one.

Already, the ground has been tilled and fertilized. The bulbs planted months ago are delivering gorgeous blooms of yellow, pink, red, and purple. Seeds have been planted and, with proper care, will one day soon bear fruit, or vegetables as the case may be. A whole system of rain catchers and barrels and hoses have been set up to water the plants readily so they make it through any dry patches. Every day brings new and unwanted growth; weeds to be plucked so they don’t choke out the plants. And there are workers ready to lend a hand to make the work a little lighter, and to step in and step up when the work gets to be too much.

It strikes me that this work on the farm is much like the work that will go into this marriage. Now married just barely four months, this young couple is laying the groundwork for a lifetime together. They will need to do some planning and planting to make sure their future blooms. They will need to care for and nurture this relationship to make sure there is enough love showered and even stored up to weather the dry seasons. They will need to nourish each other so they will bear the fruit of loving well. They will have to carefully pluck out the things that may crowd out their time together. And they will have to be sure and accept help from others when they need it most.

Today I have watched this young couple, and my daughter too, do a lot of work to prepare for the growing season that has already begun. And I know that the work that lies ahead will be heavy, hard, and almost back breaking some days. But the harvest of a lifetime of love and dedication they reap will be worth every moment of work and effort they’ve sown.

A well-tended marriage doesn’t just happen. Like a verdant flourishing farm, it takes work and intention…and doing the hard things, the digging and tending even on the days you don’t feel like it.

How do you tend your most important relationships? What have you done to make sure your relationships can weather the inevitable storms of life? What can you do today to add a little nourishment, a little life-giving water to your marriage?

2011-04-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

Trust

2011-04-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

Trust

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Ps 40:2)

When I was in college, I received a call about once a week from my dad, on the dorm hall phone. Dad reminded me that during one such call, I’d be stressing out about my low Statistics grade.

“I just don’t know what I’m doing, Dad!” I’d report in exasperation. The next week, Dad would call to see how I was faring in Statistics and I barely remembered I had been upset. Instead, this phone call would be a thrilling account of my invitation to the Middle March Ball. “I’m so excited, Dad! Of course, I’ll need a formal dress,” I gushed.

From one call to the next…well you can imagine, up and down my emotions went, like a seesaw, depending on what good or bad, or funny or sad moment I was having at the time. Dad says he learned quickly not to take my emotional state too seriously. He could not trust my emotions as a gauge of how I was really doing, but rather only a temporary barometer. Emotionally, I was immature and could easily be “tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind…” (Eph. 4:14)

When I began to have a similar experience with my away-at-college daughters, Dad offered me reassurance. “Don’t get too carried away by their emotions.” He explained, “Next time you call, they won’t even remember what they were so upset about the last time. You’ll see…” And, of course, Dad was right.

Even though I’m supposedly a “mature” Christian woman now, I’m still tossed back and forth by the waves of my own emotions. A great night out with my husband makes me happy, only to return home to an anxious call from my daughter that has me worried. One moment, I’m thrilled about my friend’s answered prayer, a little later I’m devastated by the news of another friend’s serious illness. So one moment I’m chirping, “Oh God, I am so blessed, thank you…” And the next, I am crying out from a pit, “God please help me. I am afraid, sad, lonely, anxious…”

The truth is my feelings cannot be trusted. In fact, they can be downright unreliable. In just one day, they’ll have me traveling all over the emotional map, up and down hills and dales of reactions to everything I encounter. My feelings are not firm, they are not steadfast, they are not solid. And so, if I put my trust in my emotions, I’m sunk.

In the words of Edward Mote, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand…”

How about you? Is the emotional ground you’re standing on a bit shaky? What will you stand on today to make you strong, firm, and steadfast?

Check out two very different versions of the same thought:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYz0JkKSiMw&feature=related (Natalie Grant)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuSC3qOER58 (4Him)

Love

2011-04-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

Love

“All this is from God, who…gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:18)

Today I was reading one of my daily devotionals, Word for You Today. There are four days of thoughts on “You must get along,” from 1 Corinthians 1:10 in The Message. This led me to think about a question I’m often asked, “How do you and your sisters (there are four of us) get along so well?”
It’s a good question. We’re four strong women with plenty of our own thoughts, opinions, and sometimes, judgments. We’ve got the usual baggage from our upbringing, which was played out amongst the backdrop of a marriage fraught with tension and anger, eventually ending in divorce. And in the course of our 54 to 47 years together, we’ve hurt each other a lot, sometimes deeply.

So what is it that helps us to keep loving?

1. We agree to love - Through church, the bible, songs, all our lives we’ve all heard “Love one another,” “Love your enemies,” (sometimes we’ve acted like enemies), even “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” we take these principles seriously. We agree that we are to love one another, so when we act in anger, resentment, bitterness, jealousy, and we definitely do, we know and agree that it’s not really acceptable. So we have to find a solution.

2. We share our faith – Knowing that God’s two greatest commandments are “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22: 37-39) keeps us accountable. Whether or not we always act lovingly – patient, kind, not envious, boastful, or proud, not self-seeking – we’re aiming for it.

3. We speak the truth in love – This can be a real tough one. We have definitely loved each other enough over the years to speak the truth. Sometimes that means confronting one another. And that can lead to defensiveness, angry words, a battle. For example, in the wake of a very difficult time, I said to a couple of sisters, “Well…I think I’ve come through this pretty well.” I definitely detected a look that passed between them. “What? Don’t you guys think I’m doing well, considering?” I stammered. “Well…Actually, you’ve been pretty angry…” they nodded in agreement. I was not happy and reacted with defensiveness and surprise (being a little dramatic, it was probably expressed as shock). I’m sure I walked away from that encounter pretty upset. But I did think about it. And their comment led me to regroup, watch for that anger, and work on changing it (this included counseling and prayer).

4. We forgive – This is such a key. Surely, I have hurt each one of my sisters with a harsh word, a selfish act, a sarcastic comment, and worse. I have neglected to include a sister, or been unavailable at a critical time of need, I have wrongly (or rightly) accused. And definitely I’ve been at the receiving end of all the above. If you have sisters, you know the drill. BUT, eventually I have had to come to my sister(s) humbly, swallowing my pride, even if I didn’t think I was wrong. I’ve had to ask for forgiveness for my part and expect nothing in return. Believe me, this has started with loud fights, and the occasional day or two of ignoring one another, but we just can’t get away with this for too long. And so we forgive, and we move on, and we do our best to try to forget. (To be honest, I believe forgiveness can require supernatural involvement, so God and prayer are essential components here!)

5. We agree to disagree – This seems to have come with “maturity.” Sure, I want to prove myself right. We all do to some degree. But some of this stuff is just not worth the wrestling. So we don’t agree…I still love you!

Regardless of the relationship, whether marriage, friendship, or family, these five steps can probably help us all get along a little better.

How about you? What do you do to keep the love in your relationships? What have you done to keep peace, especially in the long term? Is there someone you love you just need to forgive?

Posting a Comment
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P.S. I truly appreciate your comments...and regret when I hear that some of you have difficulty posting. If you can't post, please send me your comments and I will post them for you. Your voice matters!

* If you aren’t familiar with The Word for You Today, a little daily devotional by Bob Gass, check it out at www.bobgass.com. You can order the first one free and see if you like it. I’ve been getting this for many years. It’s great for slipping into your purse or tote…or even keeping in your car. The scripture is included, so no need for a bible. The stories are just about a paragraph, so you don’t need a lot of time.

Beyond

2011-02-05T13:05:00.000-08:00

Beyond

“…Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:54

The death knell has tolled again. This time it is for a way too young senior high school young man in our community. He was in my daughter’s Spanish class one day…and dead the next. The news has spread in a wave of shock throughout our community. “…too full of life, far too young to die.” “How can this happen?” “How will his family and friends make it through?”

A few months ago, a beloved classmate from Boston College met his earthly end in a car accident while out with the family looking for a Christmas tree. Another untimely death, those who knew him were reeling from the news. “No…it couldn’t be. I was just talking to him.” “Dick? I can just picture his smiling face.” We were reminded, as one friend put it, to “hug our spouses and children a little tighter.” You just never know when tragedy will strike.

Many of my friends and I have also entered a time in life when the generation before us is passing away. We have lost one or both of our parents. Not untimely, but difficult, sad, painful just the same. In fact, with my own dad’s passing a year and a half ago, there was still an element of shock. I’d have a question, a concern, a challenge, and the first person I thought of reaching out to was Dad. I couldn’t get his twinkling eyes, his welcoming smile, his ready wit out of my mind. He’s one of the people who knows me best of all. And then the question, “Where is he? “What’s it like, eternity?”

Last week it was my beloved Godmother Liz’s husband of over 50 years. Pat’s death was not unexpected in some ways. He had fought the good fight and won, living a full life for 17 years after his kidney transplant. Yet the grief and loss still leaves us asking, “How can we live without him?” “Can you imagine life without your soul mate of over 50 years?”

I can’t help but wonder, perhaps a bit selfishly, what does heaven hold for me, for all of us? I spoke to my Godmother, a woman who has inspired my faith from the moment she held me at my baptism, and she said, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Minutes later, I spoke with my Godmother’s sister Helene, she too a woman of deep and abiding faith. She had called to make sure I knew of Pat’s passing. We caught up for a few minutes, speaking of Pat’s new home in heaven, both of us wondering…And Helene said, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.”

I thought about the most glorious blue-sky day, warm sun streaming on my face…I thought about the first time I saw the Grand Canyon and gasped at the majesty…I thought about the happiest smile-filled, laugh-laced moments of my life, the ordinary and the extraordinary. These are things I have seen and heard and experienced. Heaven is beyond my imagination and because of this, for this moment “it is well with my soul.” (Hymn by Horatio Spafford)

How about you? What’s your story? Do you have a scripture that helps you process death or eternity? Have you had an experience regarding life and death, heaven and earth that has given you blessed assurance? Peace? I’d love to hear from you.

P.S. I truly appreciate your comments...and regret when I hear that some of you have difficulty posting. If you can't post, please send me your comments and I will post them for you. Your voice matters!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T11:59:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I woke up on Thanksgiving morning, enjoying those few extra moments in my warm bed, putting off the inevitable entry into the cold air filling my room, just thinking. As I lay there, this verse entered my thoughts.

…give thanks in all circumstances…

The verse doesn’t say, “for” all circumstances, but “in” all circumstances. And I was thankful for that because there have been circumstances that I just haven’t been able to be thankful for…I am not thankful that when I was five months pregnant with twins and full of the wonder and breathless anticipation of what was to come, I lost those little girls, born too early to survive beyond their safe and nurturing homes inside my womb. I am not thankful for the fact that as my husband stood innocently reading a book at the corner of our block waiting for his commuter bus to New York City, a young man tired from a night of partying fell asleep at the wheel and hit my husband resulting in a traumatic brain injury that would change his life, all of our lives, forever.

These are the biggies that have challenged my ability to be thankful for everything. There are lots of little things that I have a hard time being thankful for as well, like the endless laundry, financial struggles, the pain I watch my children suffer as they grow up.

But in all these circumstances, large and small, there is much to be learned and much to be gained. I can see now that the loss of those little babies led me to a faith and trust in God that I would not otherwise have. As my husband heads towards the completion of his doctoral degree, I can be thankful that he is on a path that would most likely not have been followed without his accident. And I can see that it is in the difficult circumstances, large and small, that we can be changed for good.

How about you? Is there something you can think of today, that you may not be able to be thankful for, but you can be thankful in? Is there a circumstance, bad, difficult, challenging, that has changed you for good? I'd love to hear about it.

Strength

2010-09-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

Strength
“But when you are tempted He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13c

12 pounds in two weeks…I feel like an advertisement for a miracle weight loss solution. But it’s not an ad, though it is a bit of a miracle. I have lost 12 pounds in two weeks.

I have struggled with my weight, gaining and losing 50 pounds at a clip, since I was about 12 years old. When I saw a recent photo of me with my beautiful, young, healthy girls, I was aghast at the size of my belly, which looked like the centerpiece of the photo. (Posted, not by me, on Facebook, no less!) As we all know, this belly fat is a literal killer; an indicator of potential heart disease in my future. And it doesn’t look good either. This was the final straw…I knew I really needed to do something. The Good Book says our bodies are temples…I was in need of some renovation.

But where to begin? Like so many of us, I have tried many ways, many times to lose weight, and had temporary success.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” said Albert Einstein. And so I guess you could say I was acting insane. I kept showing up for a meeting, weighing in, leaving the meeting momentarily inspired, only to enjoy some Haagie Daagie after dinner that same night. I’ve done this countless times over the past couple of years. But that’s all I’ve done. I’ve just been so unmotivated, so lacking in self-discipline!
In the meantime, lots of people have shared their success with the low carb approach to eating. My sister lost 30 pounds last year, her husband lost more than that. My dear friend lent me her Sugar Busters book and told me that she really felt getting rid of sugar and white flour was the answer for me. And many friends who seem to have this weight-thing under control have explained that when they start to see weight adding up, they cut out sugar and carbs.
“Ohhh, I see,” I said with disappointment. Then turned to myself and fed myself a pack of lies in addition to a lot of carbs.

“Oh, good for her, I could never do that.”

“I love to eat!”

“No pasta, no bread, no dessert, NO BAGELS? No way…”

“The only way I can ever lose weight is to _____ (fill in the blank, “go on such and such a diet,” “eat the same things, but less of them,” “go to a weekly meeting where I weigh in.”

Here’s a big fat lie…”Maybe this is the way I’m supposed to be. Genetics and all that. I’d probably have to be sick to really lose weight.”

The lies I’ve told myself have been powerful and given me very little room to change. So I’ve been talking to God about all this for a few weeks and these are the words that have come to mind:
“You LOVE food? Maybe a little too much. Love is a pretty powerful emotion…”

“Bring this struggle to me, daily, moment by moment if you have to. I can handle it.”

“If you really want to do something about this, I can help.”

And so when I saw that picture, I did bring my burden to God.
“God help me. You know I can’t do this without you. Help me to be willing, to give up…and to try something new, because the old way isn’t working. Help me to just begin.”

And it was like a miracle…My desire to do something new, to give up my beloved carbs, grew beyond my desire to consume them. I was surrounded with support by my sister and her hubby (now back on the low carb diet), along with my family and friends. “Good for you.” “I’ll be praying for you.” “I can see a difference already.” (High Five) “I’m proud of you mom.” “You can do it.”

Well the truth is, I can’t do it! I have to participate…but really, I don’t have what it takes to stay the course. The good news is “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He has given me everything I need—the willingness, the discipline, the encouragement—to have this victory. And He will give me what I need to run this race with perseverance.

I’m praying that instead of filling up on food, I’ll take this opportunity to fill up on God. More of Him, less of me…literally!
How about you? What are you struggling with? Have you given up? Or have you given something over and seen what God can do when we surrender?

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Faith

2010-07-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

Faith

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1

The other day, I passed by a little stack of photos that appeared on my dining room table. Really…I have no idea where they came from. I took a look and almost gasped as I saw the picture of my dad just one year before his death. It was shocking to see how wonderful he looked. He was smiling, his eyes bright, his face tanned. He looked healthy. I was taken back by how well he had looked so close to his passing. I had forgotten.

At the same time, I had another realization. A few days had gone by and I hadn’t given dad much thought. This saddened me a little. I don’t want his life to fade from my memory. I want to sense his presence even if it’s in the familiar heaviness of grief. It was a sign…time was marching on.

Now my first Father’s Day without dad has passed. We celebrated my husband, of course. But I couldn’t help recall how my sisters and I had each brought a dish to dad’s last year. We gathered around the dining room table to enjoy a lovely meal, warm conversation, a few laughs. (Always with dad!!) His fairly new caregiver joined us for the laughs, the chats, the prayers. We really liked Bea. We didn’t know she would be there for the remainder of his days. We didn’t know how few days remained. Oh how thankful I am for making sure we celebrated dad that day…one of our last meals , one of our last celebrations together.

This past week marked the one-year anniversary of dad’s death. He died just about a month after Father’s Day. It had been a difficult year for dad. He lost his beloved wife of 30 years, Jane. And though he tried to move on, keep a stiff upper lip, carry on (“Carry on, men.” Dad used to say to his four daughters and one son if we were dawdling ), there was a sadness that nothing could take away. He missed his friend, his bride, as he so often referred to Jane. And sickness, what we eventually learned was peripheral vascular disease, came on with a vengeance. For seven months, dad would spend time in and out of the hospital, rehab, and home, where he most wanted to be, with full time care, which he most definitely did not want, but needed. He was in excruciating pain most of the time.

We all thought dad would get better. He was determined. More determined than I would have thought in light of Jane’s absence and Dad’s strong faith that held the promise of heaven. At times, he did get better. But there were setbacks and far too often when there were a range of health possibilities, dad would find out he had the worst case scenario. It was hard to keep going, hard to hope for the best, when Dad kept hearing bad news. In the face of all this, Dad was pretty positive. Though from time to time, he would grow weary. One of the last of many conversations went like this, “ You know, Lee, I just don’t know if this is worth it. This is a heck of a way to live.” I responded, actually sounding a little like dad myself, “Well, Dad, here’s the good news…and the bad news, you don’t get to choose.” “I suppose you’re right,” laughed Dad.

So here I am today. I’m thinking of Dad. I’m relieved that the grief is a little lighter. For a while there, it felt like there was an ominous black presence around me. I felt a little like I was wearing grief like a heavy cloak. Tears, memories, musings would come easily. Sometimes I would just lie on the floor wailing in the great emptiness, the great loss of dad. I miss being able to call him, to visit, to have dinner together. I miss his wisdom, his humor, his knowledge, his insight. Oh how I miss his love. I miss picking up his 12-pack of coke, his Werther’s Original caramels, his everything bagel from his favorite bagel shop (I know…not exactly health food). I miss sharing a news item that I could count on him knowing about, I miss our prayer sessions together. I miss his funny voices and his silly faces.

And yet, I know, I believe that I will see him again. Somehow, some way, some day, in some mysterious form, we will share in eternity.

“I believe. Help me in my unbelief.”

I realize I’m a little mad at God for allowing death. It really is one of the most painful things in life. Deep down in my soul, I do believe there is eternity, where there is no more sorrow, no more pain. But I can’t say I’m looking forward to it. How about you?

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2010-04-13T18:48:00.000-07:00

FOOD

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30

Every year I agonize a bit over what I will do or give up for Lent. I earnestly want to take the opportunity during this set-aside time to draw a little closer to God, to “fix my eyes on Him.”

So this year, I decided to go back to my childhood roots of abstinence and fasting. This simplified the “big decision” for me. I would abstain from meat on Fridays and take it one step further by fasting from Thursday evening till Friday evening.

I figured this wouldn’t be so hard. I fasted on Ash Wednesday and then again that first Friday of Lent. When I felt those gnawing hunger pangs, I did talk to God. And I got through those days fairly easily, with a little more focus on God than usual.

But by the second Friday, I woke up feeling a little blue. I felt bored, restless, even a little despairing! Hmmm…what was this? I spent a little quiet time with God, not paying too much attention to my mood, or funk, or whatever it was. But the feelings didn’t go away.

Suddenly, like an epiphany of sorts, I realized, “Oh…I’m mourning.” Now in light of my beloved father’s recent death, you might think I was mourning the loss of my dad. And I am, all the time on a certain level. But this was different. And it hit me like a ton of ugly reality bricks.

I was mourning the loss of my friend, my companion (I really hate to admit this), my borderline obsession, FOOD. Ugh! It’s true.

It dawned on me by about 10:00 in the morning that I was missing the constant flow of thoughts that run through my mind. “Hmmm…what do I feel like for breakfast? A multigrain bagel? No, too many carbs. How about a Greek yogurt with some granola and fruit? No. Not in the mood. Oh, I know, I feel like a flatbread breakfast sandwich—one piece of Taylor Ham, an egg, and just a sprinkling of sharp cheddar.”

Then the thoughts lead to a sense of anticipation. “Okay…I’ll go down to the kitchen. Maybe I should get my coffee first. Or maybe I should have a grapefruit or an orange to start things off on a healthy note…”

I take satisfaction even just thinking about the preparation and the enjoyment of consumption. And on this goes. From meal to meal. From day to day. From week to week.

I must admit, I was shocked at my realization. Food had truly taken over a much too large portion of my brain. It was “eating” away at my thoughts, occupying my energy. I was getting a sense of promise, excitement and, perhaps, hope from this single-minded focus.

During the period of about 18 hours that I couldn’t fixate on food, I was glum, disenchanted, sad, lost.

Oh yes, now I see it was a very good thing to give up food for a few hours a week. It made me realize my thoughts were captive to food instead of Christ. And I am thankful that God, in His mercy, used this opportunity to point this out.

Now it’s just a little over a week after Easter. I wish I could say I am forever healed of my food obsession. I’m not…but I am aware and I see there is a problem here. And isn’t that the first step? With hope in God’s power to heal and to help, I press on.

How about you? What is your mind captivated by? Worry…food…fun…shopping…the next cigarette…or anger over being mistreated? Bottom line, is your mind focused on what you want it to be focused on?

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2010-03-13T12:44:00.000-08:00

Serve

“…rather, serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13

Many days (I would like to say every day, but that wouldn’t be true!), when I get down to some dedicated prayer time, I end my time with the Lord with Charles Stanley’s Six Ss (www.intouch.org) . The prayer goes something like this:

Lord, I Surrender all that I am, do, think, to you today.

Please make me SENSITIVE to your Holy Spirit.

Allow me Lord to remember I can pray without ceasing today, turning toward SUPPLICATION in the moment.

To read and recall your Words through SCRIPTURE.

To be willing to say no to myself, be more concerned about someone else and engage in a little SELF-DENIAL.

And to remember that I can SERVE this day in some way.

In Jesus name, Amen!

I really appreciate those six Ss. They are actually simple but powerful. However, many times, they just sort of roll off my tongue without too much thought. They are like the final period after my sentences of prayer. And that thought strikes me sometimes…help me to pay more attention to my very own prayers, Lord. When I do give this prayer a little more attention, I often camp on one thought. Yesterday, the thought was, “Am I serving you, Lord? Am I doing enough intentionally to serve others? In fact, what am I doing to serve?”

I tucked that thought away as I went about my day…

I had to get my computer fixed, so that was one of the first things on my list of the day’s activities. I went in for my scheduled appointment and met with Doug, a really nice young guy…very pleasant and helpful. We connected right away over his upcoming trip to Disney World—one of my favorite places and topics!

As he was working with me, a whirlwind of a woman came in. Our appointments overlapped, so Doug began doing double-duty with both of us. I was patient and calm; intentionally so, because I can be the opposite…and I really needed my computer…and I was there first. And as I observed “the other woman,” I thought, “Well, this can be an area of service…To remain patient and appreciative of the work Doug is doing so pleasantly and continues to do even in the face of a demanding customer. In some small way I can ‘serve’ Doug a little by acting a little more like Jesus and a little less like me.”

The woman came in with a lot of energy…sort of slapped down the computer, whisked out her service contract, and angrily demanded what she clearly felt she deserved and was sure she wasn’t going to get. I found myself barely looking at her, as I didn’t really want to get embroiled in her attitude. I could feel her glancing at me for a little support. But I was having none of it. Then the thought crept into my mind, “This is an opportunity for you to be kind and engaging, even though you are a little put off by this woman. To serve and reach out with a little compassion. You won’t ‘catch’ her anger…” I chatted a little with her, Doug walked her through the problem and solution, and she left a little calmer herself. We exchanged “Good luck.” And the air was a little lighter.

Next stop, well, while I was waiting for my computer, I might as well do a little shopping. I mean how else could I spend this hour or so (plenty of ways, but that’s beside the point!)? I entered the shop filled with a new spring collection bursting with bright colors. It really was a picker-upper to see these flashes of pinks, turquoise, yellow, after a long winter. The clerk graciously offered to take my growing bundle and bring my selections to the dressing room. I was intentionally thankful and made sure to make eye contact, as the thought occurred to me, “How many times does this lovely gal offer her help only to have women barely look at her?” When I went to pay, there she was again. We had a nice chat about my extremely reasonable purchases, went on to a discussion of our weight, dieting, exercise…actually encouraged one another. I left the store feeling happy with a bit of a spring in my step. We had served each other in a way. Going beyond the pleasantries to engage a little.

Finally, before heading to pick up my computer, I decided to grab a little something to eat. The guy behind the counter was nice enough, but here again, when I chatted with him a little beyond placing my order, I noticed there was a little spark between us…He gave me a bright smile as we parted. “Have a nice day.” “You too!”

God had answered my prayer. The one to SERVE, but also the one about being SENSITIVE to the Holy Spirit. I had heard that still small voice saying to me throughout the day, “This is the way, walk in it. Serve my people by being a little kinder, a little gentler, a little more engaging today.” I had seen how easy it could be to serve in this subtle little way that makes existing in this sometimes harsh, angry world a bit more pleasant…for me and those I came in contact with.

What’s your story? Do you ever wonder how you can serve the Lord in this world? Ever been frustrated that you aren’t serving at all or serving enough? Have you found simple ways to serve? Tell me your story!

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Friend

2009-10-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Friend

Proverbs 18-24b

…but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

One day, not unlike a lot of days in the wake of my father’s death, I found myself sobbing in the midst of my prayers. There was an ache in the deepest part of me. Dad was gone for good. No longer could I gain a little wisdom through a chat on the phone with him; we wouldn’t be laughing over a great meal together; the celebrations of birthdays, holidays, weddings, graduations would be lacking one essential character…DAD!

When dad was on the scene he brought some precious gifts with him—humor, stories, enthusiasm, appreciation for the moment, and love for those who were in the moment with him. These qualities, along with loyalty, faithfulness, intentionality, gratitude, and compassion are what made dad a true friend. For many who knew him, well or even casually, it seems like dad’s most precious gift of all was his friendship. In words that dad would use to describe another friend, dad was a “real pick me up.” When you were blue, or scared, or uncertain, dad was there with words that would cheer, soothe, guide.

As I sat there crying, this realization hit me hard: I would greatly miss Dad’s friendship. And I think that’s what we will all miss most of all. The essence of Dad as friend. But in my sadness, I felt a gentle tug on my heart, and I recalled words of scripture and a wonderful worship song, “I am a friend of God; He calls me friend.”

God was speaking…

“You know the way you felt about your dad? How you felt so welcomed whenever you came to visit?”

“Yes…”

“You always knew your Dad was genuinely delighted to see you.”

“Yes…you’re right. Dad’s face lit up when I came to visit.”

“Well, that’s how I feel when you come to me.”

“You do? I mean I know the scriptures say, ‘Come to me.’ But I guess I never pictured your face lighting up when I start chatting, or ranting, or praying…”

“That’s what I want you to know. My face lights up when you come to visit! I am genuinely thrilled and delight in you. You are my beloved.”

This encounter didn’t quite take away the pain of missing dad as my friend, but, you know, it helped. I am deeply grateful for that encounter that day. It helps to know I have a friend who will not ever go away.

We never have to grieve over the loss of our relationship with God. He’s right there, all the time. And He delights to be with us!

What’s your story? I think each of us “hears” from God in different ways. And I’m not saying I heard an audible voice. But I did “hear” God with my heart. What’s He saying to you today?

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2009-07-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

Seeking
Be still, and know that I AM GOD.
Psalm 46:10

A lot of us are seeking right now. We may be seeking healing for physical and emotional pain…or answers to tough questions, like “What’s next for me?” “Where am I supposed to be living?” “What is my purpose in life?” “What have I uniquely been designed to do?” We’re seeking relationship with God, who we’re just not feeling that close to right now. And we’re seeking peace as we seek.

I was praying about this and heard that inner voice say, “Be still, and know that I am God.” And it dawned on me. When I’m seeking, I tend to want an answer right away. If I don’t get one, I want to DO something, and that something is often thinking, worrying, ruminating constantly. That leads me straight to anxiety, restlessness, even sleepless nights of tossing and turning. I know full well that God tells me, “Do not be anxious about anything…” but off I go!

So when I heard that still small voice, I decided, “Okay, I’m really going to try to quiet my mind, to be still before you Lord and to go about my day with a mind that is more sensitive to You.” Peace started to settle in. I headed out to church and not surprisingly the scriptures were a perfect fit for my mindset. I was reminded in Jeremiah that the Lord is my Shepherd and He tends to me as one of His flock…He leads me beside still waters and restores my soul, He comforts me, and protects me so I need not be afraid (Psalm 23)…and in the Gospel reading, we were told that the apostles were so busy preaching and ministering, they didn’t even have a chance to eat. So Jesus said, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Sounds like a very good idea…

The priest shared some thoughts on the scriptures. He stressed the need for sanctuary, a sacred place of refuge, in our lives; not a place, but a space that lies within the core of our being, where God dwells. As little as 5-10 minutes of quiet communion with God allows Him to speak to us, give us His will, share His wisdom, and renew our spirit. Surely I can fit that into my busy day.

You Are Mine, one of my favorite worship songs, was also part of the service:
“I will come to you in the silence.
I will lift you from all your fear.
You will hear my voice.
I claim you as my choice.
Be still and know I am here.”

My story doesn’t quite end there…I “happened” to clean off my bulletin board. Buried under the multi-layers of papers thumbtacked to my board was a prayer someone had e-mailed me some time ago. It was just perfect! So for all you seekers out there:

Father, I pray for all of us who are seeking, as we are desiring to know your will for our lives. I pray that you would place within us those eyes to see and ears to hear as we are wanting you to speak and show us your perfect plan. Affirm your voice to us through other people, through books we’re reading, through sermons at church, etc., so that we would know with confidence where it is you are leading us. I pray Luke 5:11 for us, that we would be willing to leave everything (our own desires, other people’s expectations) to follow you and you alone. Grant us your peace and joy and rest in the journey of waiting on you. Shower us with your love. I pray John 14:28 that our hearts would not be troubled and we would not be afraid. Establish the work of our hands as we go about your business.
AMEN!

How about you? How's your sanctuary? Are you spending any time there?

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Separation

2009-05-31T11:26:00.000-07:00

Separation

“…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20

I am in the throes of raising my last of four girls. She is fourteen; smack, dab in the middle of figuring out who she is, who she wants to be, who her friends are, and who she is in relation to me, her mother. One thing is for sure, my daughter is rejecting me. It’s often not what I say or what I do…it’s just that I exist. In and of myself, to my daughter, I am one of life’s annoyances. I am cause for a roll of the eyes…a grimace…a glare. Sometimes.

Other times, like an anchor, I am a safe and trusted presence in this adolescent season, steady in the waves of questions, uncertainty, and insecurity. “I love you, Mommy,” she says, as she unexpectedly snuggles up to me on the couch.
Separation anxiety, it's so familiar. I remember the first time it appeared in my daughter, in those tender first months, at about five months of age, the “stranger anxiety” began. I remember it well. For a season then, too, I didn’t know if the little darling would be content and full of smiles or feisty and full of tears. It was a confusing time for us both, much less the innocent stranger, who would engage the little cutie pie, only to witness my daughter going from laughter to screaming her head off in a matter of seconds!

Recently, I was chatting with my sister about this and, as she pointed out, it’s like our kids are saying, “No matter how rotten I am to you, no matter how mean, rude, rejecting I can be, will you still love me? Will you still be there when I need you?”

Our kids go through lots of seasons like this, when they are five months old…two years old…five years…eleven or twelve…sixteen…twenty. Oh the joy!

It occurs to me, as I live in the middle of yet another teen letting go, hanging on, push me-pull you, going away, coming closer. Isn’t this just like me and my relationship with my heavenly Father? Sometimes, I just can’t get enough. I’m spending lots of precious time with God. I’m hanging on to every Word, I want to please Him. I want to draw closer. I’m enjoying the relationship. Then, other times, I seem to pull away. I neglect our relationship, buried deep in my own day-to-day life. I may even reject God’s desire for me to draw near.

Maybe I’m asking Him, “No matter how fickle I am, how distracted I get, no matter how I neglect our relationship, no matter how I ignore your call…Will you still love me? Will you still be there for me?”

My answer to my kids is always, “Yes!” God’s answer to us, His kids? “Yes! Always and forever.”

What’s Your Story?
Time and time again, God calls us to come, draw near, and yet I don’t always heed that call. He desires an intimacy with us that is personal and real. And even when we keep our distance, God’s promise is true. “I will never leave you or forsake you.” (Joshua 1: 5a) Very reassuring. How about you? Have you sensed God calling you lately? How have you responded?

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Happy Easter!

2009-04-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Forsaken
…Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27: 46

Recently, I was awakened early, about 5:00 a.m. I couldn’t get back to sleep. I had been working on some writing, reflections of how God had shown up many times in my life. I was thinking along those lines, when my thoughts took a turn in another direction. I started thinking about where God hadn’t been. The conversation went something like this:

“You know, God, there are times I can think of when it really seems like you weren’t there. Or, if you were there, you were allowing stuff that you shouldn’t have allowed. You must’ve turned way. Otherwise, you couldn’t have been there.”

I continued, “Like, where were you during my early, tender years, when my home was so stressful and when the strife of growing up made me feel so isolated?”

In my heart, I heard the Lord reply, “I was in your Grandmother, who I sent to live with you for those years between seven and fourteen.”

And I saw what He meant. There she sat in her big oak chair in the sun parlor. Gnarled fingers laced with rosary beads, prayers whispered endlessly from her lips, transistor radio linking her to the outside world of news, talk, and faith. Her very presence brought peace. She was calm in the midst of the storm. And, though she was poor, blind, hard of hearing, and crippled with arthritis, she was rich with love offered as an endless cup of refreshment.

“Oh, so that was your Spirit, huh, God? Okay, well I see that now. It would have been very different without you…”

The conversation continued. It turns out there were many times I felt all alone, as if God wasn’t there. But as I brought these dark times to God, He was showing me that, in fact, He had been there. Then, I ventured out into a territory of pain that I don’t think I’ll ever understand from my earthly perspective.

“Where were you God when I lost my twins? We were so excited, so captivated by the miracle of expecting not one, but two babies! How could you let that happen?”

“I was there. And I was weeping too. I shared in your grief.”

“I didn’t feel you God!”

“Well, I was there in the grief that you and Dr. Kramer shared. He had lost his brother to suicide just a year before. I brought you each other that day, filled with compassion for one another.”

“Yes, in some way, I suppose, sharing our pain helped both of us, ” I responded. “And the sadness and care of so many, the love for Chris and I that was poured out through that time…that was you?”

“Yes. I was there in your dad, too. Remember? He had to make it through a lot of red tape, walk through forbidden doors to be with you that day. Your dad was there to hold you as you desperately tried to hold on to your babies. I wanted you to know that your dad would walk through fire for you, that he would do anything to be with you in your hour of need.”

“Thank you God. That was a moment of deep love and devotion. Thank you Lord, for your presence. Now I can see things that I never saw before. Thank you for this time together. Thank you for your love.”

What’s Your Story?

God says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”
Think about the times when you have felt God was not with you. Times you have felt God was not watching over you. (Not much fun, but you’ve probably felt this, if not thought about it.)
Ask God to show you how He showed up. Ask Him to give you a new, true sense of how, in fact, He was very present in your pain.

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About Face 2 and The Six Ss

2009-03-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be give you as well." Matthew 6:33

Thanks to all of you who have inquired about my About Face blog post, below.
A few questions have been asked that I’d like to answer. (And thanks to my beloved friends who gather for fellowship weekly…your questions and thoughts are reflected here!)

1. Do you really lie face down on the floor?
Yes, I do. I lie on my stomach, face to the floor, arms above my head. I have found that this is the best way for me to “get to God” first thing in the morning, and remain undistracted for a few moments of prayer, without being interrupted by my wandering thoughts. (And if I can’t breathe, I just turn my head to one side or the other!)
Really, for many years, I tried to start my day with God, “seek Him first” (Matthew 6:33). My attempts failed. This worked. I’m not prescribing this to anyone. However, if you want to start your day with God, if you’d like a few intentional moments with God before your day is in full swing, this might work for you.
And if it doesn’t, you can always experiment with different postures and even mix it up a bit: pray, sitting in your favorite chair (I have a comfy chair in the corner of my living room with good natural light, a reading lamp, and my devotionals in a nearby basket); try kneeling by your bedside; pray as you walk the dog; the shower can be a great place to “pour out your heart” to the Lord; and you can use Post-It notes with scriptures and prayer concerns to remind yourself to pray in the car.

2. What do you do once you’re on the floor?
a. I use the 4 Steps of Prayer that I’ve learned through my many years of praying in Moms In Touch groups (http://www.momsintouch.org/).

1. I Praise God for who He is, not what He’s done. God is worthy of our praise. Often I am awakened by a great worship song on my favorite radio station (www.Star991fm.com) that inspires me. (Chris Tomlin’s Here I Am to Worship is a beautiful song that celebrates God’s character.) Or I just pray something like, “I praise you God because you are love.”

2. I Confess. I ask God to remind me of the things I’ve said or done that have been hurtful, or smacked of jealousy, or for my short temper…the list goes on. And I ask for forgiveness. (And I know I receive His forgiveness, because He says so (1John 1:9)!)

3. I Thank God. You know, even on my worst of days, I can always think of things I am thankful for. In fact, these reflections on why I’m grateful help when I’m in a blue mood.

4. I Pray For Others, Myself, World Concerns. I just unload my heart during this time. Depending on my time, I pray for family, friends, those who are sick, those who have asked for prayers, marriages, aging parents, the nation…the world! Whatever God brings to mind, I pray about it.

b. I wind up my floor time with a prayer that incorporates the Six Ss I learned from Charles Stanley (http://www.intouch.org/).

1. Surrender: Lord help me today to surrender all I am, all I do, all I say.
2. Sensitivity: Lord, I want to be sensitive to your Holy Spirit today. Please help me to be still and attentive to You…to hear your voice despite the noise of life!
3. Scriptures: Help me Lord to know and understand your word a little more today than yesterday.
4. Supplication: Help me to remember that I can always pray—no matter where I am, no matter what I’m doing, when you bring a prayer concern to mind, help me to pray!
5. Self-Denial: Oh Lord, I am so about ME! Help me to put others first.
6. Service: Help me to remember today wherever I go, whatever I do, I am your servant. There is always an opportunity to serve the hungry, the poor, the widow…even just a smile can serve someone today.

3. How long does all this take?
Sometimes, all I have is few moments. So I do what I can…always using those Six Ss as my personal send off. Other times, I stay down on the floor for a ½ hour or so. And try to remember to pray throughout the day!

What’s Your Story?

How about you? Have you found a way to meet with God despite all the demands on our lives? Share what works for you!

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2009-03-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

Commitment
“What are you looking for?” John 1:38, Amplified Bible

This spring my 14-year-old daughter will receive Confirmation, which is a sacrament of mature Christian commitment. In addition to reflecting on her faith, studying church doctrine, and doing 30 hours of service, she must attend a Roman Catholic Sunday mass on a weekly basis as part of her preparation. This is a commitment I’ve never had a problem with; we’ve always attended church as a family regularly, anyway. So no big deal…

…Until this year. Turns out, it’s been a bit of a chore getting our daughter to church every week. Between us all, we’ve spent many weekends away. So this mass every week rule has been downright inconvenient!!

We’ve had to search out churches on our weekends away…or find masses on a Sunday night. We’ve grudgingly headed out to a 6:00 p.m. mass in the next town…only to find out we actually enjoyed a refreshing visit to a new place with new faces, new music, new priests.

One weekend, we had figured out a way to slip in a mass between a basketball game and a family birthday celebration. As we trudged up the hill of a nearby college campus, the snow swirled around us and the cold nipped at our faces and hands. My daughter proclaimed, “This is ridiculous! I don’t want to make Confirmation.”

We entered the church. The warmth inside embraced us as we made our way to the pew, a little self consciously amid all the college kids. Once again, we were treated to a new experience--the lilting, clear voice of a young female cantor, a beautiful, recently restored interior, a priest we had never heard preach before. Just as Jesus asked of the first disciples in the gospel reading (John 1:35-42), the priest asked us, “What are you looking for?” In a way that was kind and inviting, the priest went on to talk about what he believes we are all looking for--a relationship with God; that we are spiritual realities meant for the absolute reality of God.

As we left the church, my daughter said, “I like this church. I like this priest. I want to come back here.” I asked her why? What was it that she liked about what this priest at this church shared with us on this day? She said his message gave her hope and encouragement. And though she was upset that she had to go to church, she was now glad she went. She was reminded that, “There’s always more to aim for with God; always more chances to get closer to God…the chase for God never ends.”

What’s Your Story?

God is so good that He breaks through obstacles and finds a way to commune with us despite ourselves and our bad attitudes! You’d think that as we reject Him, He’d reject us back. But that’s not what happens. Through God’s great mercy, love, and grace, we are always welcomed back, over and over again. Has God’s pursuit of you taken you by surprise lately? How has God broken through to you, despite your lack of commitment?

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Lavish Love

2009-02-14T19:42:00.000-08:00

Love comes from God… 1 John 4:7
Valentine’s Day is here…a day to celebrate love. We exchange red hearts filled with chocolates, the beauty and aroma of roses fill many a home, and cards express our heartfelt sentiments on this special day.
It was fitting then, that at this week’s Moms In Touch group, our focus was L-O-V-E. Not just any love, but God’s love. His love “endures forever” (Psalm 136); His love nourishes us like branches on a life-giving vine and prunes us so we’re fruitful (John 15: 2, 5); His love allows us to ask whatever we wish and it will be given, as long as we remain in Him (John 15: 7). God tells us greater love has no man than this, that He lay down His life for His friend. And that’s what God did for us through Jesus (John 15: 13). Because of God we are rooted and established in love and He wants us to know how wide and long, high and deep is His love, even though it surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:18, 19). Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:39).
God lavishes His great love on us. (1 John 3:1)
My father has some very serious health issues and has been suffering with a great deal of pain for a very long time. No longer could he walk his beloved dog, enjoy an evening out, or even sleep through the night. Despite Dad’s positive disposition and his uncanny ability to make the most of life’s hard knocks, he was in agony and had gotten past the point of hiding it. And so, he made the decision, against his cardiologist’s recommendation, to have risky vascular surgery that gave him the hope of once again walking, pain-free. There was also the chance the surgery would kill him. Dad didn’t hesitate, “I can’t live with the pain anymore.”
Naturally, we, Dad’s children, were deeply concerned. We knew Dad, who is completely of sound mind, had made his decision. And we also knew, after watching dad’s suffering increase almost daily, that he was losing his quality of life. So we accepted dad’s decision, with great sadness at the possibility of losing him.
I was amazed at the love that surrounded us through this very trying week. It began in the waiting room as we sat watching the clock for six hours, while dad underwent the surgery. Calls, e-mails, text messages filled with prayer and good wishes flowed. Then, we got the good news. The surgery was a success! Again, another flurry of communications came in from all over the globe, thanking God for this good report.
The next few days, however, Dad’s health was unstable. He suffered a mild heart attack and became terribly confused. He was hallucinating, having extensive conversations with people who were not there. It was very scary!
Praise God, today, Dad is in the process of recovery. His thoughts are clear and his heart has stabilized. His vital organs are healing.
Through this ordeal, God has lavished His love on us through the deep and abiding love of family and friends. He has reached out and touched us through words of encouragement and prayers for healing. We were covered in His love through the care and concern of others. We were lifted up out of the depths of our circumstances through the prayers of so many. God has poured out His sustaining love through the love of friends and family through these trying times. Yet, I marvel that this is a glimpse, just a glimmer of God’s love for us!!! The fullness of God’s love is indeed beyond all knowing…

I am so thankful for the family and friends God has brought me to demonstrate His love. Through the most difficult of times, I have felt God’s presence through words, flowers, meals, prayers, calls, and cards, truly expressions of love that were more than I could have asked for or imagined.

How about you? When have you felt God’s love powerfully demonstrated through family and friends? I’d love to hear about it!

2009-02-04T14:09:00.000-08:00

About Face!

“In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. " Psalm 5:3

Have you ever struggled with getting in some good one-on-one time with God?
I sure have…In my early mom years, my day began before my feet hit the floor—nursing, then diapering, feeding, cooking, washing. I may have whispered a little prayer of thanks or uttered a cry for help before I collapsed back into bed at night.
Then, with pre-school kids, we added the task of getting somewhere ON TIME! While I might have a moment of prayer among friends…or a goodnight prayer with my husband, I started to long for a little quiet time between just God and me.
When the kids required a little less hands-on time, I began to add daily devotions, intermittently. I was drawn to this time and knew when I made God first and top priority, I experienced a happier, more peaceful day. Without it, I often felt harried, hurried…and guilty. By now, I was praying in Moms In Touch groups. Yet, as I added work and ministry responsibilities, my quiet time became more necessary and less likely!
The seemingly impossible task of putting God first in my day sometimes made me feel like a spiritual loser. I was missing precious nuggets of wisdom, love, comfort, guidance, every day. Would this ever change??? “Please help me, God!”
About a year ago, I was attending Beth Moore’s bible study, Stepping Up. Beth proposed that we follow a daily practice of “taking our places on our faces,” literally lying face down on the floor before the Lord. I was a little uncomfortable. I mean how would I breathe? What would I look like? And how would I get up?
I dabbled. Each time I did get down on the floor, I felt a sense of surrender and even a confidence that the Lord had my back. I would lay there and simply ask the Lord to be with me this day.
My next study was Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer. For six weeks, I was reminded in myriad ways how hearing God required quiet, listening time with Him. Again, I frequented the floor and found the time was focused and empowering.
In the middle of what I now consider clear instruction from the Lord, I used a gift certificate I had received for a facial. Believe it or not, as we got to know one another (it was a long facial!), the lovely facialist suggested, “I think you should start every day on the floor. Just to sort of clear your head before your day begins. I think it would be life changing!” What??? Wow…
Next, I heard Lysa Turkuerst of Proverbs 31 Ministries speak, and you’ll never guess what she shared. Okay, maybe you will guess by now. She told us she started first thing, every day, praying “to see, know, experience God.” Clearly, God was speaking to me, again. “Okay God!”
I’ve been pretty consistent with God time ever since. The consequences have been funny at times. Like the mornings my husband trips over me in our bedroom. Or the time I got on the living room floor and heard my daughter nearby on a phone call, “I don’t know…My mom’s lying here on the floor doing Yoga or something!” I later explained and suggested she try it. She thinks this is a little weird, but so do I. Yet this is God’s instruction to me now for filling my desire to meet with Him regularly, to hear from Him, to trust in Him, and to sense His presence till I lay my head down on the pillow at night.
The facialist was right! This has been life-changing!

God desires to spend time with us. Time and again, in His word God calls us to “Come to me…”
Getting on my face before the Lord has proven to be an excellent way for me to do this.

What’s Your Story?
How about you? What do you do to draw nearer to God?
Why not try “taking your place on your face”? Let me know what happens!

Welcome

2009-01-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the first moment of a new blog, Our Stories God's Glory.We have lots to talk about and lots to share...So I'll be back soon with a new posting that will allow us an opportunity to think about and chat about what God is doing in our lives...Stay tuned!Blessings,Elise

Forward

2009-01-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

“Be strong and courageous and do the work...”
From 1 Chronicles 28:20

I have wanted to start my blog for so long. In fact, it seems like years. I really was getting sick of thinking and not doing. But you know the drill. So many other things to do—finish packing away Christmas, clean up my messy office, prepare for an upcoming trip, catch up on wash. Then, while wading through my many e-mails, I came across a Blog workshop that was scheduled right in my town for the weekend ahead. It just so happened, this very same weekend, my last remaining at-home daughter was away and my husband and I had no plans!! This was extremely unusual. Could this be the opportunity I had been waiting for? Could it be that this class would push me past thinking to doing?? Could I actually have a blog by the end of this weekend workshop??? I thought I’d wait until Saturday morning to decide.

When I awoke, I went straight to my prayer chair and settled in for some warm, cozy time with God, using a few devotionals (aka, devos) I regularly enjoy. It had been a while since I had grabbed more than a few minutes for my quiet time. I picked up In Touch magazine (available FREE through the ministry of the same name featuring Charles Stanley, http://www.intouch.org/). It was the January issue and I had not read it yet. Well the words on the cover nearly screamed (in a nice way) at me, “What’s Holding You Back?”

The cover story by Dr. Stanley spoke right to me. Every word on the page encouraged me. The article was so practical, too, outlining “5 Essential Steps to Reaching Your Goals.” The bottom line for me: Trust God to fulfill your God-given desires and move forward in faith with a plan of action.

Well, I did move forward. I prayed first, then spent a good part of the weekend getting together my blog without ever taking that class. And this right here, right now, is the result. God used this little magazine to speak to me at the perfect time to propel me forward and help me to fulfill one of the God-given desires of my heart, to share Our Stories, His Glory!

That’s my story for today. So welcome to my blog!

What’s Your Story?
God can use anything to speak to us and move us forward in our lives. Have you had an experience lately where God has used something very ordinary—an article, a book, a CD, a song on the radio, a conversation with a friend—to move you forward?