Happy New Year--Make It a Good One!

Happy New Year!  I always enjoy January and its chance for new beginnings.  We have a brand new year and blank calendar pages waiting to be filled.
As much as I enjoy Christmas and celebrating our Savior's birth, I breathe a sigh of relief in January.  I make some hot tea, listen to the Christmas music and gaze at the lights on the tree one more time and spend time alone with Jesus reflecting on the past year.  It's sort of a personal mini-retreat.  I get out a new calendar but take the time to look through my old one, recalling special events of our year.  There were days of happiness, joy, sorrow, regret, gratitude, and just plain living.  Highlights and lowlights of riding around on planet Earth for one more year.  I thank God for all His mercies and blessings to me and mine, and ask forgiveness for the times I messed up as His child and representative.
My Dad and his father before him kept a little pocket notebook in their shirt pocket and wrote a summary of each day's events.  Now that they're gone, their notebooks are a little sample of the things they found worth noting each day.  In one of my Dad's notebooks, we find  he sold so many bushels of wheat at a certain price, we got a quarter inch of rain and a certain cow had a calf.  Every now and then he mentioned me or my sister, family activities, or world events.  He would refer to his notebooks to look something up when trying to recall events.  I washed out as a notebook keeper, but do write events on my calendar.  Over the years, I have purchased many attractive journals to try to get myself to be a journaler...without much success.  My son and daughter have kept journals for years, so maybe the journaling gene skipped me and went to them.I have kept prayer journals for years, however, and it is so amazing to look back and see how God has answered.
With a New Year, I have a chance to begin again keeping track of daily events and even more prayers and Bible study.  After looking back at 2012 and it's victories and defeats in my faith and actions, I pray for the new year.  I ask God to show me those areas (numerous!) where I need to improve.
Each year I try to set at least one goal in these areas:  spiritual, intellectual, physical and social. The thing about setting goals is making them doable, which usually means taking small steps or making small changes.
For instance,  here are some I'm working on for 2013-
Spiritual-journaling!!  I need to keep track of my Bible reading and pour out my love, gratitude, and feelings to God.  Memorizing Bible verses, one a week is a good goal  Being involved in a Bible study also helps with spiritual growth. I want to get serious about a gratitude journal like Ann Voskamp and her One Thousand gifts journals.
Intellectual-learn something new!  Last year I took 4 hours of college credit to renew my teaching certificate and I enjoyed it tremendously.  Being with fellow teachers and keeping up with new methods of teaching reading and phonics and learning strategies re-energized me.  I read that learning something new is as beneficial as taking a vacation in that it refreshes you in a similar way.
Physical--get healthier!!  Drink more water.  Eat an extra serving of vegetables a day.  Move more!!  I read that if you get up during commercials in 2 hours of television viewing and walk around or in place, it can add hundreds of steps to your activity level.  ( Have you ever worn a pedometer?  For good health and weight loss, you need to get 10,000 steps each day--most of us fall woefully short!)  Get a friend and get outside and walk.  Make it a prayer walk and pray for people as you pass by their homes or schools and businesses.    
Social-establishing and improving your relationships with others. For some people, setting a social goal may seem unnecessary. "I'm plenty social", you say.  So..are you making new friends or just keeping the old ones?  Are your friendships going deeper or have you stalled out?  Do you listen more than talk?  Do you push yourself to practice hospitality or to make others feel welcome, even people different from yourself?
Do you ever speak of spiritual things to your friends?  My dear sister-in-law, Mattie, is a master at this.  When we're together, Mattie dispenses with the shallow chitchat and goes directly to "What has God been teaching you lately?"  It's good to have friends who keep us honest and accountable!!
I also try to analyze our home and family life and ask God to help me change anything that would make life easier, simpler, and free up time, energy and money to spend in other ways instead of wasting resources because I don't manage them well.  This leads me to declutter our home again and look at ways to improve the way we do things in order to save time, money or energy.
Whew..looking ahead to 2013, I definitely have some issues to tackle.  Here's the thing, though--without any goals, we drift.  If we want to end up in a different place in some area of our life, we're going to have to do something different!  With God's help, we can make small changes and in another year, we'll be a lot closer to our goal.
Have a mini-retreat, get some coffee or tea, grab your Bible and a calendar or a journal and pray for God to lead and keep you and yours in the days ahead.  Pray to be a blessing, an instrument to further His kingdom here on earth.  Take some time to say good-bye to last year and welcome the new one.  Rededicate your time, energy and money to serving God and others.  Choose a goal in the spiritual, physical, intellectual and social areas and work toward it by making small changes. Thank God for the chance for a fresh start!

December--Christmas

December is the time we prepare our homes and our hearts to celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Immerse yourself and your family in the sounds, sights, smells and tastes of Christmas--those things that make the season special to you.  This is the time of year when our spiritual dullness is shaken off and our senses quickened by the music and wonder of the Christmas story. 

At top of your Christmas gift or devotional list, I recommend going to your nearest Christian bookstore or the internet and purchasing the book, The Jesus Storybook Bible, Every story whispers His name,  by Sally Lloyd Jones. I have several copies right now...to keep, to use with the kids in AWANA and children's church, and the rest for gifts for my kids and granddaughter .  The great thing about this Bible is that every story of famous Bible characters is linked to God's great rescue plan begun in the Garden of Eden after man's fall into sin.
Here's an excerpt from The Jesus Storybook Bible:

The Bible is most of all a story.  It's an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure.  It's a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne-everything-to rescue the one He loves.  It's like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life.  You see, the best thing about this story is-it's true.....all the stories are telling one Big Story.  The story of how God loves 
his children and comes to rescue them....At the center of this Story there is a baby....

Celebrate Advent, the coming of God's special baby or Emmanuel.  You can order a wreath from a florist, or make your own.  Traditionally purple and pink candles are used to illustrate the Hope, Peace, Love and Joy lessons of each Sunday before Christmas.  Gather as a family to make your Advent wreath and read the scriptures for each Sunday.  Again, Christian bookstores or even the internet can provide you with devotions to use for this activity.  (Ann Voskamp's blog, www.aholyexperience.com has some good information to use for Advent)

Talk to your children about the real meaning of Christmas.  Gather your family several nights during the season and make your manger scene interactive..only put out the figures that go with the reading of the Biblical account .  Begin with Luke 2, the angel appearing to Mary.  Add Joseph  later and then read the portion of scripture commanding them to travel to Bethlehem.  So far you have Joseph, Mary and the donkey. On Christmas Eve, they get to a stable and then you add the Christ child.  Add the angels, shepherds and sheep.  A day or two later, read the scripture about the star appearing and the wisemen coming to bring gifts to Jesus.  Go to www.familylifetoday.com and look at their Christmas manger scene with devotions called, "What God wants for Christmas."

Simplify your decor and gifting.  Tell the kids that Jesus got 3 gifts and that's what they'll get, too.  Give some other items or money to others..gently used toys and clothing, or contribute to Christian relief organizations. (See last month's blog for ideas). 

Use items found in nature this year to decorate...pine, cedar, pine cones,and holly.  Spray paint some tree branches white, silver or gold and display in a glass container with Epsom salt "snow" at the bottom.

Produce from the store is beautiful and edible!  Use red and green apples, cranberries floated in water with a pillar candle, and lemons and limes.

Simplify your schedule by deciding early with your family what things you really want to do, and what things can be eliminated so that you have some evenings free to be a family together and enjoy your decorated home.  Serve hot coca, read the Christmas story from the Bible, watch a Christmas movie or go car caroling.   Remember whose birthday we're celebrating and give Him gifts..of loving service to others, of a glad heart and of a contented, peaceful spirit.  At the first Christmas, people missed Jesus in their midst because they were so busy...let's make time to seek Him and to worship Him.  He is after all, Emmanuel, God with us. 

" there, in the stable, amongst the chickens and the donkeys and the cows, in the quiet of the night, God gave the world his wonderful gift.  The baby that would change the world was born .  His Baby son.....God was sending our Rescuer..... Because God loves us with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.  (from the Jesus Storybook Bible)
Merry Christmas!!

Howdy, Pilgrim!

This is not a blog about John Wayne! I couldn't resist using this title, however, as
each November, I'm reminded of a group of bedraggled, weary people taking a very dangerous journey and risking their lives to find a new home where they could freely  practice their religion.
  The very word pilgrim means traveler, or one making a journey .  We are all pilgrims trying to find our way back home, our eternal home, which is Heaven.  Along the way, just like the Pilgrims who landed in Massachusetts, we'll experience hardships, pain, grief, joy, contentment, fear and even some hard work and monotony.  We'll  have to weather real storms and circumstantial ones, we'll be blown off -course and end up in places or circumstances we never planned. The original  plan for the Pilgrims was to land in Virginia in a more temperate climate, after all. The harsh New England winter and no settlement near-by, plus not enough food and supplies, no shelter and a sickness that kills about half their number was not how they imagined their new lives in a new world.  They were not prepared but their stubborn faith and trust in God kept them going.  
 Just like the Pilgrims, our job is to step out in faith. Our life journey will be fraught with perils of one kind or another--our hearts will be broken at times, our feelings bruised, our wills and trust shaken.  There will be times of inexplicable joy and gratitude also.  But it will be a risky business and God will ask us to do some crazy things.
I'm privileged to know several risk takers who have decided  to put their faith to the test, and are doing some "crazy things". They include:  (Ideas inside these are given if you'd life to join in our craziness)
-My brother-in-law Mike and his wife Mattie and their family who moved to the Mid East to quietly show neighbors and friends what a life in Jesus looks like.

-Mission groups, who go into the worst poverty and health areas of the work to minister to others.  How crazy is it to give kids shoe boxes at Christmas??  Millions have received God's word and have been blessed by this craziness.  My daughter helped a mission group,  Hands At Work, who work with AIDS orphans and victims in South Africa. A lot of people think it's crazy to go to these places and attempt to help--but we know better. (Operation Christmas Child by Samaritan's Purse is in full swing--join us!  You can also donate to the mission group above or any or many who serve other in Christ's name)
-How crazy is it when you have a nice established family and decide there's room for one...or two more?Several families I know are making room for another child by foster care or adoption.  One family I know adopts special needs kids. The number of orphans worldwide is 17 times the population of New York City. You can help by financially supporting a family who is adopting, or sponsor children through Compassion International, or Samaritan's Purse.  You can even give money to help rescue children and women from exploitation.
 -My friends. the Lovely Branches Ministries ladies who went out on a limb (pun intended) when they started lovelybranchesministries.org and the Taste and See coffee shop.  This was a risk--a pretty big dream for our little town, but we have a big God!
-All the missionaries and their families who make so many sacrifices and endure hardships to tell others about Jesus and give them help .
-Youth pastors, Sunday school teachers, and other who invest their time and energy into the lives of young people and risk their sanity at times and their patience trying all manner of things to reach children and youth with the love of Jesus.  They also risk rejection!
-People who give their time, money and energy to further God's Kingdom when it feels foolish to risk what they have in short supply. (A Christian Radio Station is a great place to contribute,or Voices of the Martyrs who support persecuted Christians around the world)
In getting a jump on Christmas, giving to any of these groups would be a great idea for your family.  Even younger children can appreciate giving chickens, goats, food, shelter and even schooling to children who have none.
You can also do some other crazy things--
Speak up (gently and respectfully) when the culture around you is veering away from Godly things
Vote!!!!.
Speak up at school (we got the sex ed curriculum changed, and different books for students to read for assignments.  Friends helped students start their Bunch Of Believers (B.O.B.) club at school and meet over lunch with teachers being willing to serve as a host.)
Speak up in your community-I have friends who objected to the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine being displayed at our grocery check-out,and thanks to them, there is a covering over most of the front page.
We need to clash with our culture just as the Pilgrims did.  I have my AWANA Sparkies dress in loud, obnoxious, mismatched clothes when we talk about the Pilgrims and Thanksgiving and explain that they clashed with the people around them in how to worship God.  We need to stand out from our culture , too, by how we live, what we think, how we act, what we choose to see and hear.  We're to be salt and light!  
Risk being content in a world that tempts us to be discontent with everything...tells us we need more or better or newer.  Thanksgiving is the best time to count our blessings and be grateful for what we have.
You will be blessed by visiting Ann Voskamp's website, www.aholyexperience.com for her 1000 gifts devotionals.  Spend each day in November by counting the gifts God has given you and yours.  She
also has a new One Thousand Gifts Group Bible Study on DVD and you can watch the first session.  Her words on the difficulty of this project and the risk taking involved are wonderfully inspiring to all of us:
"We thought of you.  And we said God and His glory is worth it and you are worth it and by His grace we climbed high over our fears...and said yes."
What is God nudging you to say "yes" to?  You're a Pilgrim after all, and we're not home yet--there's work to be done.  Let's live and serve by grace in ways to take as many people with us as we can and lighten the load for others along our trip!

Now for the practical side of celebrating Thanksgiving with a heart of thanksgiving and thanks-living.
Remember Hints from Heloise?  This is Suggestions from Suzanne, or how to navigate your family ship through the waters ahead--the Holidays!!!  This can be a Perilous Journey indeed.  (My kids used to play a piano piece with that title--lots of crashing chords).
We need to plot our course, navigating through the storms of unrealistic expectations, steering clear of the rocks of too much to do, hanging on with a smile on our lips and gentle answers on our tongues in the rapids of too many people in a little space with not enough sleep!
-Plan ahead-what times are family times and put on your calendar early.  Decide what you'll be doing.
-Cook ahead--fill your freezer with cookies, easy meals, if you're hostessing Thanksgiving, cook your turkey ahead, remove the meat, boil the carcass with veggies for broth, and make gravy--and extra gravy.  The Norman Rockwell picture of the family admiring a beautiful turkey on a platter is great, but doing the bird ahead of time makes your life easier!!  (Or have roast beef instead)
-Use Crock pots--my life as a hostess improved greatly with this idea.  Put your mashed potatoes, gravy and turkey in crock pots and if your guests are late, it's no big deal.  Second servings are still warm, too.
-Set the table a day ahead of time--cover with a sheet if you want to protect it from dust.
 -Make a "Job Jar" of things that need doing at the last minute so people can help: ice in the glasses, pour beverages, set things on tables, clean up, take trash out, etc
-Make a hot cocoa bar for later in the day, after flag football or walks.  Have cocoa mix and marshmallows in mason jars with mugs.  You can make hot cocoa and hot cider in crock pots if you'd like.  (After you empty them of the potatoes and gravy, that is)  
Have fun--with the kids!
Make a relish plate of carrot sticks, celery sticks and peanut butter, cheese cubes, pickles, etc. for the kids to snack on while they wait for dinner.
Cover the kids' table with brown or white craft paper and supply crayons.  They can decorate their place settings--give prizes for most creative, most in keeping with Thanksgiving or whatever.
Go to wwwMomlifetoday.com (a sub group of Family Life Today) has some great ideas for a counting blessings wreath and other Thanksgiving traditions.
Get a big box and color it/spray paint to look like a ship in the water on the outside.  Attach a paper or cloth "sail" on a yardstick and tape to the side.  Let little ones in and rock gently to have their own Mayflower journey.
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to serve joyfully and give thanks--we're all so blessed, and as Ann Voskamp says, "All is grace".  Above all, keep reaching out to others in love --it's risky, but our Savior did it first and is still reaching out to bring all His children, we who are pilgrims, home.

Of Prayers, Pergolas and Potting Sheds

Whisper a Prayer in the morning,

Whisper a prayer at noon, Whisper a prayer in the evening, Twill keep your heart in tune.

I know there is another line to that old Sunday school song.."you'll have your answer soon", but I've been thinking more about keeping my heart in tune lately.  I read once that prayer always, always changes things--if it doesn't change your situation, it changes you! 
There are a lot of things to pray for in this life--protection, guidance, forgiveness,and wisdom for ourselves and others.    

 In our Bible Study, "Stuck", by Jennie Allen, we just finished a chapter called Mad.  Most of us Christian ladies thought that we didn't really get mad until we started discussing how we feel when our "rights" are trampled upon.  Hmmm...maybe we do get a little testy and resentful, even mad. (We think we have the "right" to be  happy, healthy, prosperous, comfortable, to be understood, to have an ideal family, etc.)  We may get bent out of shape when our schedule is interrupted or we're asked to do something beyond what we had planned.
So our study reminded us that we can pray to change our attitudes about our "rights" and put other people first as scripture commands us.  We can pray to have God's perspective on a situation, instead or our own.  We can pray that God will give us the strength to do what He is asking us to do with a heart of love instead of resentment!!!  After all, Jesus gave up all of His rights when He came to earth to rescue us from our sin. How can we whine and cling to having our own way in view of all He gave up and how He was we treated?
So....it was a great lesson.  We had a great discussion.  We went home.  And in 2 days, I had a pop quiz from God to see if I'd really learned anything!

I was cleaning out our garage, which had seen a long summer's accumulation of items. Our garage is large and doubles as my husband's woodworking workshop. He and my sons had built a pergola for our backyard in June, and there were a lot of wood scraps left that needed to be put away.  As I was cleaning, I realized that with the wood shop equipment, 3 bikes that had come home with college kids and 2 lawn mowers, there just wasn't room for everything.
The only option I could think of was to relocate a lot of the things to the potting shed, which I had just reclaimed for myself last fall.  (This picture is much cuter than our shed, but both are gray!)  It had been Don's workshop, and after he moved some of his equipment out, it became a dumping ground for all kinds of things. Armed with paint, cleaning equipment and sheer determination, I set out to turn it into a potting shed.  I got my husband to help take some loads of junk to the dump, and then began painting the never- before painted walls and ceiling shades of a nice green that reminded me of my Grandma Carnes' porch.  I loved that porch!  After 2 weeks of cleaning and painting ( in over 90 degree heat), I hung some thrift store curtains, moved my pots and garden magazines in, draped some  thrift store green sheets over the racks of wood that were still there and added an extra wicker chair.  I could open both doors and sit in my chair and survey the garden from a whole new angle. It was my new favorite place.
Now that the shop was cleaned out, my husband decided it would be the ideal spot in which to store our big riding lawn mower .  I began to sense a problem, but that was fine for the winter. Then my son had a huge trunk he needed to store somewhere, so guess where it went?  Yep, my potting shed.  It has once again become a storage area with little floor area to even walk now.  As I moved another lawn mower and leftover wood to the shed so we could regain ground in the garage, I got a little mad.  After all, no one would go near the shed until I cleaned it out and fixed it up, and now I was losing my potting shed to store other people's stuff.  Did I mention my daughter is moving back next spring to finish Physical Therapy school and will be storing the furniture from her apartment in.the potting shed? Sigh.  A smart woman knows when to surrender, for a time at least.  An even smarter woman prays to do it with grace.
Last Saturday, after making the sacrifice to give up my space to store garage stuff, I sat in my wicker chair (I could get to it because my husband was mowing the lawn on the big mower) and I pouted.  My husband drove by on the mower and stopped and asked what I was doing.  I replied that I was saying good bye to my cute shed.  He gave me one of those looks and mowed on.
I pouted because I had to give up my cute, hard won space and nobody seemed to care what it was costing me. I pondered what to do.  Then, I remembered our lesson on mad---oh, shoot, I guess God was testing me to see if I could really hold what He gives me loosely and give it back when I need to.  So, my options were to keep pouting and feel sorry for myself (as I have many, many times over the years) or pray to have a better attitude and accept this gracefully.  As I pouted and pondered, I looked out at the new pergola my sweet husband had built.  I thought about how nice it was and what fun the boys had helping him build it.    (This time, our pergola is actually better looking than the one pictured!)  I was also glad  to have the shop/shed that I could store the kids' stuff in while they're in transition so that we didn't have to move it into the house and have double rows of furniture everywhere.
After pouting, pondering and praying, I could pull myself together and let it go!         
It's hard to give up our "rights" and bad attitudes, but when we pray to see things God's way, and we are thankful, it does "keep our heart in tune" like the song says. When we give up our "rights", we gain something instead...like peace and the knowledge that we're trying to please God.   And in my case, a pleasant evening and weekend with my husband instead of continuing to pout.

On the Home Front:  I have been getting rid of things; still, yet and again.  I'm reclaiming some cabinet space and getting clothes closets in shape for fall.  I've taken several loads to our thrift store.  The big news is that I've actually gotten rid of about 40 books which is very hard for me.  I'm donating them to our library and church library, so that helps.  The fewer things we have, the freer we are!  I feel very tied down by all my stuff. Here's the kicker--as I'm cleaning out cabinets and closets, I realized that I am the one that hauls most of this stuff home!! Books, magazines, extra dishes, clothes, decor items--I am the one mostly to blame!!!  Clearly, I need to stop bringing stuff in because then I have to spend time taking care of it and moving it around until I finally go through it again and get rid of it!!This is crazy!   I need to hunger and thrist after God and His righteousness and not stuff!  This looks like another matter for prayer to me!
Enjoy the beautiful days of fall...plant some bulbs for next spring, clear out some clutter, go through some closets and share what you don't need, sip some apple cider, carve a pumpkin, and pray for God's grace to give up your "rights" when He asks you to.  Pray to be a blessing, and whisper a prayer morning, noon and night--in fact, pray without ceasing.          

Foundations

How Firm is Your Foundation?

No, I’m not really talking about building although I could.  This summer, with the continuing drought, our house is sporting a few new cracks in the walls due to the foundation settling.  I remember when our house was built—22 years ago.  The basement was dug and then solid concrete walls were poured with steel I beams installed to carry the weight of the top floor across the foundation.  A sturdy, solid start to our home.

The beginning “groundwork” of any project is that of laying a foundation, a base upon which to build.  As the old proverb says, “Well begun is half done.”

Our lives are also built upon a “foundation” of beliefs and experiences that form our characters, decisions and actions.

One of my favorite Sunday school songs is about the wise man who built his house upon the rock, and the foolish man who was in a hurry and built his house upon the sand.  You know what happened when it rained…the house on the sand collapsed because its foundation on the sand was swept away.  Splat!!  I love to demonstrate this with a birdhouse and sand for my AWANA kids.  Then we talk about how foolish we are to build our houses, or lives on things that will go “Splat”…like money, fame, health, things, and even people.  All can be taken away and we can be swept away with them if they were our foundation!

I’ve certainly had times when my “foundation” has been shaken—in an earthquake of tragedies occurring that leave me unbelieving and doubting God’s plan.  These times of questioning make me spiritually dry and cracks develop in my faith foundation.  These cracks in my foundation become wide enough to let doubts of God’s goodness and love creep in.

 That’s when my faith needs “shoring up”, to be made true and strong again, just like repairs to a foundation.  To fix a foundation, jacks are brought in to lift weight of the structure off so repairs can be made. Aren’t there times when we desperately need Jesus to lift the weight of our cares off us so we can be repaired or made strong again?

He knows this, after all.  In the Bible, He tells us to cast all our cares on Him, and to come to Him when we’re weak and heavy laden and He will give us rest.

We need to fill the cracks in our foundation and strengthen it by remembering who God is and His promises to us.  He has a plan that is good for us and He promises never to leave us, even when our world is shaken. 

 

My world recently has been shaken in a good way as I have a new granddaughter!!! Her name is Harper, born August 3,  and she is adorable.  I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the “foundation” I would wish for her life to be built upon.

I want her to have a rock solid faith that will help her to be steadfast and to trust in Jesus no matter what happens to “shake” her foundation.  I want her to know that Jesus loves her and delights in her, just as He does all his “girls” and boys!  (That’s all of us!)

I pray her mommy and daddy will help her learn to want to please Him more than to please other people. And even though we’ll tell her how special she is, I want her to know that everyone else is special to God, too…that we need to see to the needs of others.

 I want her to have a solid physical foundation that goes beyond having her needs for food and shelter met.  I’m hoping she learns what it is to be sweaty and dirty and to work hard.  That she’ll experience the joy of serving others.  I pray she will be strong of body and of spirit.

As a teacher, I want her to have a love of learning.  This would be her foundation for a life time of exploring God’s word and His world!

It’s hard work, building a house or a life on a firm foundation.   You can’t take short cuts or build in haste, like the foolish man who built on the sand.  Spending time in God’s word is the only way to build a life that will “stand firm”, that won’t be swept away by the tides of troubles in this world.  I pray we will all tend to our “foundations” so that we can be steadfast and stand fast ( be unshaken)!   

P.S.  If you miss the Olympics, go to www.flylady.com, and scroll down to the square that says Olympic Challenges.  There are decluttering and cleaning “events” for each day that will start you on fall house cleaning and “lay a solid foundation” for extending hospitality and the holidays coming soon!    

 

Welcome to the Community!

Welcome to the Community!

One of the most beloved communities of our time is Mayberry, the fictional town of Sheriff Andy Taylor, Aunt Bea, Opie and Deputy Barney Fife. Some of the worst problems gripping the citizenry were how to dodge Aunt Bea’s terrible tasting pickles without hurting her feelings and what to do when someone sang off key in the church choir. (I mourn the passing of Andy Griffith and Mayberry!) I live in a community somewhat like Mayberry. We are a part of the small town of St. John, Kansas. People here know most of the people in town and there is a lot of caring and sharing, but we our have problems, too.
I've lived in several geographical communities over time, and have been a part of short or long-lived groups that feel like a community.  Some have come very close to being a "Mayberry".
A community can  be made up of people who  have something in common—such as the similar experiences veterans or cancer survivors would have. A community can be made of those who share a common cause or purpose, like a professional group. I’ve been a part of several “communities” this spring,  meeting with teachers attending the same classes/workshops. We have common concerns and experiences, so bond with one another easily. One of my favorite “communities” at present is my water aerobics group—we share our summer experiences, get exercise, laugh a lot, and exchange recipes and prayer requests. (Picture shown is not my group, but we may consider the bathing caps!)

My life- long and life-line “community” is the community of believers. Being like- minded sisters and brothers in faith forges bonds with people all over the world. We share the common bond of being adopted into God’s forever family:
“God sent His son…so we could become His children.-Galatians 4:4-5
Soon my family will be heading to Horn Creek family camp in Colorado where we have spent a week for the last 30 years with other families. We’ve watched our children grow up together and have prayed each other through some traumatic times—just as with my home church family. We need each other to help “hold us up” and to urge us on—that’s the beauty of a “community”.
We all need a place where we belong, as well. Loneliness is a real problem for so many people in our world today. People don’t feel connected to each other, even with Facebook. The author, Jan Karon, identified this problem when writing her Mitford books. She said she wanted the town of Mitford to be a hometown for everyone who didn’t have one. If you haven’t read these books, you’re missing a treat. The mayor of Mitford’s campaign pledge is “We take care of our own”.   Doesn’t Jesus ask that of us as well? Actually, He wants us to take care of His own!
If you are lonely, pray and look for a “community” to belong to, or start your own! I have a group of friends who pray for our schools, children, church family and community every week. We’ve been doing this for 15 years! Our Lovely Branches group is another praying and caring “community”. I’ve found “community” with knitters, walkers, co-workers, clubs, and especially my church and faith filled friends.
God never meant for us to go it alone. We aren’t meant to be “Lone Rangers”. We need Him and each other.
I’ve been reading a devotional book by Max Lucado called Blessings for Everyday, based on excerpts from his writings. This one caught my eye:
“Unfriendly people are selfish”.-Proverbs 18:1
Lucado goes on to say, “We’re in a fast-moving, fast paced society. We need to build bridges between our hearts and those of people we see who need a friend-and allow Jesus to cross that bridge of friendship and walk into their lives…whether or not you are friendly could determine whether or not someone hears about Jesus.”

Be friendly. Be interested in the lives of those around you. Start a “community” of people who need a friend.
Even though I believe in face-to-face, and not so much cyber space, I want to share a couple of on-line “communities” that have been a source of inspiration and blessing for me. Aholyexperience.com is a wonderful source of faith filled reflections by Ann VosKamp, the author of One Thousand Gifts. She invites everyone to join her in the thousand gift community, thanking God for the great and small gifts He sends us everyday.
In these last dog days of summer, when it’s too hot to be outside, clean out some closets or drawers. A great site for ideas and inspiration is Organizingmadefun.com.
School will be starting soon, so get those spots cleared out so you can see what the kids can still wear! My almost 23 year old son just brought all his clothes and boxes of stuff home from college so we’re cleaning and sorting to repack and send him off on his next adventure.
I pray for you to have several “communities” where you feel you belong, where you can share your heart, and where you can be loved –but the only “community” that can really deliver all of that all the time is Heaven!! Until then, thank God for the people He put around us here to share “community”. Don’t miss the chance to be friendly and build some bridges to share Jesus and His love and compassion.
I leave you with this further challenge from Max Lucado and a final salute to Mayberry.
“Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it-because it does.- I Corinthians 14:1
(The Message translation) Max continues:
“Loosen up. Don’t you have some people to hug, rocks to skip, or lips to kiss?”


Let’s get after it. Grab a friend, or your Bible, some lemonade, and enjoy some time on the porch. Whistle the theme to the Andy Griffith show and think about all the communities you are a part of and how you can “go after a life of love”.  Build some bridges!!

No Parking!

“The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.”

                                      -author unknown

Did you ever think about some of the parking lots you’ve used over the years?  I began pondering this. I rate lots…most picturesque would be in front of the Valley Hardware in West Cliffe Colorado, facing the ranch valley and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  Gorgeous.  The most historic would be at Gettysburg or Mt. Vernon.  One of the hardest to exit was a parking garage at the University of Wisconsin in Madison—low clearance.  We were scraping the top coming back out with our old suburban, Big Red.  Another nerve wracking (for me) parking lot was located 3 miles up a one lane, narrow dirt road that was only 4 wheel drive accessible.  We were heading up to a forest service parking lot to hike Music Pass in the Sangre de Cristos.  Big Red may have 4 wheel drive, but her fiberglass running boards were not made to go over rocks and boulders.  I envisioned us getting high centered or stuck, blocking the road. I was pretty sure Triple A would not come tow us out!!!  Oh, the potential shame and embarrassment of being flatlanders who got ourselves in such a fix!!  (We made it with Big Red unscathed but knew it wasn’t the smartest thing we’ve ever done!)

Who knew parking could even be an adventure?

God calls each of us to a life of adventure, following Him.

He has a plan for each of our lives that may include a “parking spot” at times, a period of rest and waiting.  But generally, He made us to get up and get going…and keep going.  This is where Perserverance, this month’s Lovely Branches theme comes in.

You and I both know people who are “parked.” (and sometimes it is us!)  They decide to stay where they are, either physically, mentally or spiritually.  Sometimes what is required of us to keep going just seems too hard…or even impossible.  Quitting looks like the smart and easy thing to do.  The first time I drove a stick shift, I wanted to park it and walk away.  It was just too hard to coordinate everything to get the truck to go!  (And after I shifted too clumsily and lost a load of square hay bales my Dad had just loaded in 98 degree, 98 per cent humidity in southeast Kansas, I did walk away!!  Poor Dad) 

I finally got the hang of shifting and using the clutch on the tractor, and my first car was a stick shift!  I still enjoy driving a stick shift today.

Perseverance means you hang in there when you want to quit.  You keep trying.  You keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Doing one hard thing after another.  Making it through one set back after another. Patching up one misunderstanding after another…you get the idea.  God never gives up on us and He wants us to keep doing what He gives us to do without giving up as well.

My kids were cross country runners.  One of their favorite posters said,

 “The race is not always to the fastest, but to those who keep running.” 

In keeping with this theme, consider these words of inspiration:

Life is not a sprint, but a marathon.

“Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second.”-William James

”One may go a long way after one is tired.”-French proverb

“Saints are sinners who kept on going” -Robert Louis Stevenson

“Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it.  I never heard of anyone stumbling on something sitting down.”  -Charles T. Kettering 

I especially like the last one.  You can’t stumble if you’re sitting down, or if you’re “parked”. But you’re not going to go very far, either!

Perseverance is like climbing a mountain.  It seems to hard or even impossible that you could get to the top, but if you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you’ll get there..you’ll make it to the top!

Only with prayer and relying on God to “carry us” can we make it, though.  I climbed a mountain that was almost 14,000 feet once and believe me, it was only the belief that God would give me strength that kept me going!

Even though summer is a good time to take it a little easy and “smell the roses”, I challenge us to put ourselves in gear, so to speak, and shift into a preservering mode.

You may have some projects around your home that need doing---once you get started, you’ll be surprised what you can get done.  It’s a game I play with myself.  I’ve been doing a lot of yard work, clearing out gardens.  I look at each and think, “Wow, what a mess.  I’ll never get this done”, and find myself headed to the porch to “park” in a chair for awhile.  But if I just get started, I can usually keep going and then I’m done!

It maybe a relationship that needs some work.  You’ve tried reaching out to this person, but they keep rejecting you.  Keep reaching out anyway.  Jesus did.

You may have some personal habits that need changing—take the steps to get yourself back on the “right road”.

Sometimes we’re in a situation that taxes all our strength and even our faith.  God calls us to persevere in what looks to be impossible.   Keep the faith.  Keep holding on.  He promises to always be with us whatever we’re going through.

I’ve been faced with each of these and still am.  I have projects that need to be done, relationships that need some mending and tending, habits that need breaking and making,   Often I can’t see how God is going to bring good or even just bring me through a hard time.  But I think of other believers around me who have faced far greater and longer trials than I have, and it gives me encouragement to see that God has helped them to stand and keep the faith.    

Whatever “potholes” or challenges you have, whatever “mountains” you have to climb, know that God is with you and with Him, all things are possible.

I’ll leave you with these encouraging words telling us there is no need to “park”, but to keep going:s

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we well reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  -Galatians 6:9

(This was the verse I muttered to myself over and over my first year of teaching!!  I made sure my son also had it for his first year!)

And

“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  -I Corinthians 15:58

   

Just Traveling Through

I was fortunate to grow up in a family that liked to travel—trips to my grandparents’ homes, Sunday afternoon drives, and family vacations.  Here are my sister Carol and I (on the left) on vacation in Colorado in the 1960’s.  Remember when people used to dress up to travel?  Dresses and new sunglasses-- a stylin' look for traveling.  I love to travel and have kept that tradition alive in my own family.  To me, travel is about learning about new places and people (don't travel with a teacher. I grew up going to museums and loving it and so does my own family!) Having time together and making memories, and seeing what God has in store for us on each travel adventure! 

Most of my travel experiences and advice can be summed up in the titles of two books by author Max Lucado.  Traveling Light and In the Grip of Grace aren’t really about travel, but I think they apply anyway.

Traveling Light urges us to only take what is necessary.  We all need to lighten our loads and get rid of the excess baggage that just weighs us down.  The book tells us to not just get rid of physical baggage, but to put down those things like guilt, fear, anxiety, an unforgiving spirit and any burdens God never meant for us to carry.  We need to turn those over and let God do the “heavy lifting”.  It applies to travel also.  My sons have “done” Europe for two weeks with a backpack and Brazil for five months with a carry on, book bag and one large duffel bag.  Having a lot of extra stuff just wears me out…I prefer not to have to carry and keep track of too much.  I heard a great story to illustrate this point.  It seems a man was traveling to find the “wise man” of the ages and finally found him in a hut on a mountain.  When looking at the wise man’s sparse surroundings, the man seeking wisdom asked, “Where are all your things?”  The wise man replied by asking, “Well, where are all yours?”  The traveler answered saying, “I don’t need it all because I’m just passing through.”  The wise man smiled and said, ” Well, so am I”.

We are only “passing through” whether traveling or while living on this planet.  (In between trips, I’m still cleaning closets…trying to get rid of extra stuff that I don’t need so someone else can use it.)

The other book, In the Grip of Grace, reminds me that we can never travel out of the protection and care of God, no matter how far we are from home.  Our family has had amazing experiences where God has supplied what we needed and kept us safe while traveling.  God will never take you where His grace can not keep you.  We tell story after story of God’s travel mercies.

Those are my spiritual and philosophical travel tips, here are some more practical hints:

 (I’ve always wanted to be a travel agent)

Make an intinerary using information from the internet or Triple A.  I research activities and places to stay on our route.  If you plan ahead, you can often take advantage of opportunities that aren’t available on the spur of the moment.  No matter what you plan, be sure to stop at each State's Welcome Center.  You can find information about even more activities and attractions.  (See hint number two, below)  Each Welcome Center is different, and in Florida they even serve fresh orange juice!

Be spontaneous and flexible.  Wait a minute…Didn’t I just say to plan your travels and activities?  Yes, but sometimes “winging it” works, too.  Some of the best things we’ve done and places we’ve stayed have been “happenstances”.  We just “happened” to be in this quaint little town, or see this activity or that.  One day, traveling in Northeast Missouri along the Mississippi River, my husband and I saw a sign for a ferry.  We turned and went to the river where a car ferry was loading not only cars but farm grain trucks full of soy beans to take them to a processing plant across the river!  We still talk about that…as farm kids from Kansas, it’s hard to imagine a trip to the elevator that involves crossing the Mississippi River by ferry!! 

Pack light (we covered that) When traveling with children, I put each of their outfits plus the socks, underwear and hair stuff that goes with each outfit in one large ziplock bag.  Just pull one out and everything you need is there—no chasing through the luggage to find the missing sock!  You can use the bags for dirty laundry, too.

Take some entertainment and nourishment with you.  We keep a small cooler packed with cheese and carrot sticks, fruits and bottles of water.  Having some nutritious snacks helps kids avoid some meltdowns.  Packing some games, a book on CD or reading aloud also helps.  We always have paper plates, some paring knives, plastic eating utensils and a blanket or folding chairs in the trunk so we can have a picnic. Eating in parks lets kids run off some energy before getting back in the car.

Become a Creative (Cheap) Traveler.  Besides packing snacks, we often pack foods for breakfast and picnic lunches and shop in local grocery stores, which is also a learning experience and saves money.

Visiting State Parks is one of the best things we've done on our trips.  Many state parks offer lodges, cabins and dining at reasonable prices with great scenery and free activities--Jr. Ranger programs for kids, hikes, swimming pools, and programs. Bringing back something to remind you of your travels is important, and you can save money here, also.  I collect rocks from different places we’ve traveled.  Last summer we spent time at the Egg Harbor beach in Door County, Wisconsin.  I brought back a rock shaped like an egg.  Each time I look at it, I remember our times at the beach.  We’ve also brought back jars of beach sand and labeled them, and some people bring back a little soil from different travels and put in a test tube container and label.  You may have to be check customs rules when taking some souvenirs like this.  Don’t pick wildflowers, either as you can get a large fine!   Taking pictures is always a great reminder, so take pictures of your family by each state’s welcome sign.  You can also find souvenir items at local thrift stores. My daughter-in-law and I did our shopping at some thrift stores in Door County that fund an Alzheimer’s unit, so we felt even better about buying our t-shirts and local décor items.  Also as a part of our “charitable spending”, we attend local “ for a good cause” events.  Last year for lunch, we went to a Moravian church’s Cherry Festival celebration.  We were served brats and cherry desserts and bought some items to aid their mission projects.

Keep a trip journal.  We record each day’s travel’s events:  what we do, places we stop, what we ate, miles traveled, etc.  We also have a “best of the best” contest.  We each nominate the “best” motel, meal, French fries, park, activity, etc. and this leads to some lively discussion.  A “quote of the day” is another thing we enjoy. This can be something one of us said or something overheard from another person.  We traveled to Wisconsin when Josh was 4, and he was clearly tired of travel and his car seat. When told he had to get back in the car,  he stomped his foot and said, “That’s it.  I’m packing my boodle bag and I’m leaving!”.  I’m looking at him thinking, “You’re 4 years old and you’re 900 miles from home.  Just what options do you think you have here?”  It has become the stuff of family legend.  Now when any of us is ticked off or feels mistreated, we borrow Josh’s line:  I’m packing my boodle bag, and I’m leaving!! (We still don’t know what a boodle bag is!)  Remember to include the most amazing thing you learned or what God has shown or done for you each day!

My daughter Laurie and I just made a road trip to my Mom’s in Webb City, Missouri, near Joplin.  Laurie had an optometrist appointment in Pratt, so we left from there.  We went on south to Medicine Lodge and took Highway 160 all the way to Missouri, traveling through some interesting territory.  Part of our trip was actually “time travel” for me.  The road took us to Wellington where I lived until the 8^th grade.  Next we passed through Winfield where my family spent many Saturdays.  We entered Elk county and a remote section of the Flint Hills.  Noticing the gas gauge near empty and the only major town, Independence 5 miles over our tank’s cruising range, we began to be concerned and as we passed through Burden, Longton, and other small towns we got even more concerned.  At Moline, we found a gas station and the oldest swinging bridge in Kansas.  Of course, we had to check that out, which just got us ready for Elk Falls and their outhouse tour.  (We only saw 4 on main street but we’re sure there are more)  Continuing to head east, we saw Elk City Lake and the park, and went on to Oswego where we stopped at the River park.  Our route took us to Columbus, where I attended High School and finally on into Missouri. As we neared my Mom’s house by the Joplin Airport, we noticed crowds of people lining the road.  Police were stationed at road intersections and driving by the airport we saw a huge cargo plane.  Pulling into McDonald’s, we called my Mom and asked what was going on.  She explained that the Joplin High School Commencement was that night and President Obama was flying in to speak and mark the one year anniversary of the Joplin tornado.  Traffic was stopped, so we stayed.  I met a wonderful lady in the car next to ours, and we got acquainted while waiting for the Presidential motorcade to pass by.  She is a nurse who lives in Webb City and as my mom is having some health issues, my big concern was finding someone who could advise us about medical matters in the area.  I’m continually amazed at how God provides for us!!

So, just as on our recent trip, in your travels you will find:

Delays—we spent at least an hour and a half waiting in road construction zones coming and going.  Be patient and enjoy the journey.

Detours- Often we don’t end up where we  planned to be!  Even with a GPS, you can still be led astray by a lack of good direction.  Accept detours as part of God’s direction for you—if we hadn’t detoured to McDonald’s because we couldn’t get across the streets in Joplin, I wouldn’t have met my new nurse friend.

Danger:  Don’t be afraid to take a risk.  Travel can be dangerous.  There are all kinds of accidents that can happen when you’re traveling.  However, the most real danger is that you will have to change the way you see or think about things.  Getting to know people from other areas shows us we’re more alike than different and that God loves us all.  I’ve made some great friends and met many “kindred spirits” (as Anne Shirley in Anne of Great Gables would say)  Actually being in a place forces us to see things and people as they are, not as how we had our mind made up that they were!  Be open to what God is showing and teaching you about the world around you. 

Delight and Discovery--seeing the natural wonders of God’s creation and meeting His people can add so much to your world.  Just like our trip, you’ll be amazed at what God has for you!

If you are taking a “staycation” this year, you can still travel—back in time, or to other lands through books, movies and even the internet.  I highly recommend the Max Lucado books above, and if you’re an armchair traveler, some great Christian fiction books about travel are written by Robin Jones Gunn.   Called the “Sisterchicks” series, you can travel with the women to many different locations.  While light hearted, they also teach scriptural truths. Reading stories of the adventures of missionaries in foreign lands is another way to “travel” without leaving home.

However you choose to travel, I leave you with the verses Robin Jones Gunn uses in one of her Sisterchick books: (spoken by the Israelites at the end of their travels "passing through" the wilderness)

   “We were like those who dream,

     Then our mouth was filled with laughter

      And our tongue with joyful shouting;

Then they said among the nations,

“The Lord has done great things for them.”   -Psalm 126:18

              

Color Your World With Creativity

Color Your World with Creativity

Nothing gets whatever creative juices I have going like a new box of crayons!!  If it was up to me, we’d all color something every day for 15 minutes or so.  I think we’d all feel a lot better.

God created the world.  He saw what He made and declared, “It was good”.  Our Father pulled out all the stops, so to speak, when it came to His creation.  Look around at His world in the spring—all the beautiful colors of nature.  Robin egg blue, lilac purple, dandelion yellow (they’re such cheerful looking flowers!) and all the variations of green—grass, wheat, bushes, tree leaves.  Think of all the variations of creation—in plants, trees, animals, fruits, and people.  God approves of variety and creativity!

Because we’re created in God’s image, He put a spark of creativity in each of us as well.  Being ‘creative’ can take many forms—in writing, art, music, design, inventions and even in everyday pursuits and activities.  People tell me I’m creative.  I don’t think much about this because God gives us all “gifts” and to take credit or praise for those would be foolish as we’re given the gift God chooses for us.  It is up to us to be willing to use our “gifts”, however.  I sometimes write skits for the wedding showers and events at church.  I don’t know that being “creative” is a good thing. What makes it easy for me to write skits is that I see people who aren’t there and hear voices in my head!!!  It just happens!  Other people can design beautiful rooms from thrift store finds, play wonderful music and even write it, create amazing meals, teach thoughtful Bible story lessons and other subjects, create lovely clothes or quilts, entertain children with a few props, make Bible School crafts out of toilet paper tubes and rocks,and make a warm welcome for others wherever they are.

One of my favorite definitions of creativity comes from George Washington Carver, a pretty creative man himself.  He was the black scientist who revolutionized farming in the South by inventing about 300 uses for peanuts.  Here’s what he said:

“When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.”

           

I’ve been thinking about that phrase a lot…”doing common things in an uncommon way.”  Isn’t that what creativity is?  It’s setting the table with different types of plates, instead of the usual.  Tucking a note written on a napkin in your child’s lunch.  Having an ice-cream-only supper some summer night.

Putting together an outfit that is daring in color or texture.  Planting gardens or pots in wild or quiet combinations of colors. 

God made us co-creators with Him.  We can create and design what we wear, what we eat, things we see and do, and even how our environment looks and functions.

“But I’m just not creative, you say.”  Au contraire, ma chere. (That’s French for “on the contrary, my dear!”) (I was trying to be creative in how I said that)  Everyone can be creative in some way.

Take writing, for example.  You may not be able to write a book, an article, a research paper, or a poem, but you could write a great letter or Thank You note.

You may not compose or even sing or play music, but you can hum along or clap with the best of them.  As far as art goes, while I can’t paint or draw, I’m a decent doodler and enjoy “primitive” sketching—and I do mean primitive!  I’ve tried pottery (my bowls are lopsided), building and playing a dulcimer, and even making jewelry.  While I struggle to be even mediocre at some of these things, I’ve found some things that I really enjoy doing and using to bless others.  Be a creative cook—try new things, or bake a plate of chocolate cookies to deliver to a neighbor and tell them that Jesus loves them and so do you!  (This was the “cookie” ministry that Ann Kimmel Anderson used)

 Reserve the right to try to things, even if your results are not quite what you had in mind.  Your results don’t have to be perfect!  Being creative means being willing to challenge yourself to use the gifts you’re given to do “common things in uncommon ways”.

One of my favorite examples of creativity comes from Ann Voskamp, the writer of the book, One Thousand Gifts, and also author of the blog, www.aholyexperience.com.  She found creative ways to praise God for the many blessings and gifts He sends to us each day.  If you’d like to start counting His gifts, too, visit her website for a free downloadable booklet to get started.

Ann homeschools her children and did a column on Creativity.  Some tips she gives are:

-“When we stop fearing failure, we start being artists.”

-“Quit trying to fit.  Why try to squeeze your extraordinary into ordinary?”

-“Creativity is good theology, it’s what God did in the beginning.

-“Don’t let the sun set till you’ve done one thing that sort of scares you”.   

-"The only trees that grow tall keep relentlessly stretching into unknown territory.”

-“Art, it’s the second person present indicative of the verb “to be”.  Art is a way of “being” and when you make your life art, then thou art”.

She says, When did I forget too “be”?  Make time to do something creative each day.  (see ideas already mentioned)

When you’re using your creative talents, you truly lose yourself in what you’re doing.  It is a true form of “re-creation, the best form of recreation.  It refreshes you because that’s what you were made to do!  If we bury our gifts or talents out of fear, we bury part of ourselves and can not use that talent for God or others.    

Go ahead.  Get out the crayons.  Eat in a different language one meal this week or start a cookie ministry. Wear a different combination of clothes/jewelry than usual.  Buy a jewelry kit and make a necklace.  (I enjoy this, but haven’t mastered the knack of attaching the back hook.  My necklaces tend to fall apart as I’m wearing them!)  Write a great thank you note or note of encouragement.  Learn the words to a new song and hum/sing to practice.  Learn how to knit—I love all the different kinds of yarn and while I can still only knit squares and rectangles, I’ve enjoyed using yarn creatively. Grab your scraps and make a quilt.  Some ladies I know are having a wonderful time sewing their fabric scraps into dresses for little girls in Africa. Find some great jokes or a story to tell.  Memorize some scripture or a poem.  Rearrange a room.  Write a love note to your honey and kids.  Write a love note to your Creator who gives you so many gifts everyday.  Do the common things in your world in an uncommon way and praise the way our Father made us!!

Spring Cleaning

Ahhhh…Spring. God’s creation is being renewed all around us. Grass and wheat fields are greening, flowers and trees blooming, birds singing and nesting. Here in my “nest”, I’ve gotten spring cleaning under way.

In a quirky turn of events, I began cleaning out closets and drawers just as our LBM Bible study focused on the book of Colossians. It turns out that the Apostle Paul had a lot to say about what the well dressed Christian man or woman should wear, and what should go to the rag bag.

Remember how we used to wear new dresses for Easter? They symbolized new creation and new life. Read what Paul says in Colossians 3:1
“Since you became alive again, so to speak, when Christ arose from the dead, now set your sights on the rich treasures and joys of heaven where he sits beside God in the place of honor and power.”

Here is another great verse to remind us of our new life in Christ:
“If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come.” 2 Cor 3:17

Paul goes on to say that since we are new creations in Christ, we need to look the part. My husband has a favorite shirt that he likes to wear around the house, a definite rag bag candidate. This shirt is old, with ground in dirt and grease stains, threadbare cuffs and collar, and now both elbows are ripped completely across. Sigh. He’s like a dog with a bone with that shirt. I’ve tried to get him to let it go and wear any of the nicer work type shirts he has, but no. He tells me this particular shirt, and this shirt only, is the most comfortable and easy wearing. It is the very essence of what Paul says “not to wear”.

“Away then with sinful, earthly things; deaden the evil desires lurking within you; have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust and shameful desires; don’t worship the good things of life, for that is idolatry. God’s terrible anger is upon those who do such things. You used to do them when your life was still part of this world; but now is the time to cast off and throw away all these rotten garments of anger, hatred, cursing, and dirty language. Col 3:5-8

This is the part that reminds me of my husband’s shirt. Paul says now is the time to throw away the rotten garments of our sinful nature. God is ready to clothe us as daughters of the King, so why do we cling to our old “apparel”--our old habits, thoughts and self? We’re just like my husband—we hang on to the old because it’s been comfortable and easy. However, if we’re going to make room for our “extreme make-over” wardrobe, as a new creature in Christ, we have to get rid of the old rags.

It’s like a spring cleaning our soul, hearts and minds. Let in the light of God’s love and sweep out all the filthy thoughts and cobwebs of old hurts and bitterness, and discard the piles of destructive habits and thought patterns.

“Since you have been chosen by God who has given you this new kind of life, and because of his deep love and concern for you, you should practice tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others…Be gentle and ready to forgive; never hold grudges. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Most of all, let love guide your life…and always be thankful".

Col 3:12-14

I love to think about being clothed in gentleness, tenderheartedness, mercy and kindness. One Bible version I read said, that over all those we need to put on love. These virtues are our new garments befitting new creatures in Christ. Wearing them, we’ll always look our best and never be out of style! Best of all, we’ll be marked as Christ’s own.

If we want more of God, we need to make space by getting rid of lesser things. Actually, if we want more of God, we have to empty ourselves so there is “less of me”. My will, selfish plans, and desires and more of God’s—but it’s like a glass of water. You can’t pour any more into a glass already full. It has to be emptied first.
For example, my daughter was showing me how to get on Pinterest the other day and we were having fun looking at all the ideas. My son walked by and said, “We all have our idols, don’t we?” Ouch! What a killjoy. But, oh how true. We settle too often for “filthy rags” instead of the higher things of God. (I haven't been on Pinterest lately as I gave it up for Lent!)

Having more of God means paying less attention to my interests, and paying more attention to His. The words He speaks to me in the Bible, the love He shows me in hundreds of blessings every day, the people He puts around me to love and serve, and the things He has for me to do for Him. These are the things He longs to pour into me until "my cup runneth over".
One More Wardrobe Note

My best present this Christmas was a little pair of purple KSU socks that will never fit me. This was the clever way my son and daughter-in-law chose to tell us that we’re going to be Grandparents!! Me, a Grandma. It takes a little getting used to. Many of my fellow blog writers love their Grandma status and I see new challenges ahead for me, which brings me to:

Never Underestimate the Power of a Grandma
This is a sign my friend Mary Hildebrand has and she is one awesome Grandma. We were discussing people who had brought “more of God” to us at Bible study the other day and all of us mentioned something a Grandmother had done to strengthen our faith walk. What a joy!! What a responsibility!! I want to put “more of God” into a new generation!

Easter reminds us of new life and new possibilities because God made us “new” in Christ. Make time for more of God and Jesus as we enter Holy Week.
I grew up celebrating the “seasons” of the church and I still like the lessons and reminders found in some of our traditions. A great project to do is an "Easter Garden" in a basket. Go to www.aholyexperience.com for directions(part of her blog on about March 23) and great devotions. This is the web site of Ann Voskamp, the author of the book , one thousand gifts . If you haven't read it, or you aren't counting the gifts God sends us every day, join us....you will be blessed! Other ideas to celebrate Holy Week are:

Palm Sunday—Order Palm branches for the kids in Sunday School. It makes a great visual reminder of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
The Last Supper-or the first communion.(Thursday) Explain the events and how Jesus was actually celebrating the Feast of the Passover also. We continue to take the wine and bread at communion in remembrance of Jesus giving his life for us, His body and blood given for us.
Passover—this is a great reminder of what God did for the Jewish people and for all of us. Discuss the symbolism of the different foods: unleavened bread as they had to leave Egypt in a hurry, bitter herbs and salt water for the bitterness and tears of their slavery, lamb for the slain sacrifice and the blood over the doors (use catsup, it washes right off) so the angel of death would “pass over” the Jewish homes without harm.
Good Friday- Read to your family of the events of Jesus’ crucifixion and the reactions of those around him. Remind yourself and others that it was a day of sorrow and fear. I’ve read of families who unplug all the entertainment and even lights, symbolizing that the “light of the world”, Jesus, seemed to have left us in darkness.
Saturday- a day of waiting and preparation. Clean house, get your Easter clothes ready, dye eggs to enjoy tomorrow morning.
Easter Sunday—“He Is Risen!” Greet your family with this greeting, and they respond, “He Is Risen, Indeed”!. Rejoice, the tomb was empty!! Jesus is very much alive and we celebrate that. (Look back at some of my old blogs and the Kids and Others section for other ideas)
This week, and this month, let’s make space in our lives for more of God. Do some spring cleaning --in your house and your heart--to get rid of the earthly clutter that takes our time, energy and focus away from God. We need to empty ourselves of ourselves to let God pour more of Himself into us. Remember to “put on” tenderhearted mercy and kindness to others, gentleness and forgiveness, and above all, put on love. Then we will truly be new creatures in Christ.

Let it go- It's the right thing to do

Let It Go---It’s the Right Thing to Do
In thinking about this month’s theme, Right and Wrong, I could talk about the importance of teaching your children right from wrong, and believe me, as a teacher I have plenty to say. (The Ten Commandments is a good place to start, and teaching consideration and respect for others is another) I also thought about God’s principles of right and wrong, but I happened to read something in a book that “knocked my socks off”, it was such a radical idea for me.
It’s the whole idea of yielding your “right” ideas, or “right to be right”.
Remember the show Happy Days and the character Fonzie? Fonzie was one cool guy, a biker in a leather jacket, but he also had strong ideas about doing what’s right. He had a real problem, though, ever admitting he was wr..wrrrr…wrrrrooo…wrong. (This is the way he said it, he could barely get the word “wrong” out)
Like a lot of us, he liked being right. The problem is being right sometimes causes a lot of wrong.
As Mr. Wood, our high school math teacher tells his students,
“You can be right, but you’re going to get pretty hungry by supper time.”
My sons found this highly entertaining, but like a lot of the wisdom Mr. Wood dispenses, if they remember the principle involved, it will serve them well in their marriages. (They’ll remember this much longer than how to solve quadratic equations)
Mr. Wood points out being “right” comes at a cost. When we insist on being right, or people doing things our “right” way, we can cause damage to relationships, and loss of personal integrity and witness. We can get pretty ugly and nasty sometimes defending our “right” position or way of doing things—think about some of the meetings you’re attended when things get heated…often, what is being decided doesn’t really make a big difference, so why does it have to be our way? Even if the sakes are high, we need to remember to be gentle and kind when expressing our opinion! We often behave in ways that do not honor Christ! We lose the chance to honor others’ preferences above our own (which Jesus commands us to do, by the way) and we miss a chance to trust God to work things out even if our way is not chosen. We give up times of living in peace with our families and extending grace just to be “right”….which we find is a hollow victory.

Priscilla Shirer in her book, The Resolution for Women, (The companion book of The Resolution for Men, from the movie Courageous) gives us several ideas of how Letting Go can make things “Right”. In the chapter, Living with Grace-A resolution to make my home a welcome place to be, she urges us to give up being “right” and take hold of chances to extend grace and peace instead.
What got my attention the most was the power of OK. A woman is quoted, saying: “Sometimes when I just say, “OK”, the walls come tumbling down. Those two little letters put an end to so many arguments. It’s amazing. Outside of calling on the name of Jesus Himself, I think this is the next most powerful word in our language.”
(My mouth dropped open upon reading this..what, you mean just agree?) Shirer goes on to say: “We feel like our sentiments deserve the right to be heard, then understood, then agreed with and acted upon. And so we talk, and discuss, and quit listening, and run the other person down. Into the ground. Into submission….All because everyone wants to be right. But it won’t be right. Not until someone is bold enough, confident enough, courageous enough, gracious enough, to kindly, lovingly carefully acquiesce and say…’OK’. To finish it. Once and for all. Not because their demands were met or their preferences catered to but because they prefer peace to madness. They desire restoration above discord….One little OK makes the difference. “A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.”-Proverbs 15:1
…With two simple letters, and one great big trust in God, she completely recalibrates this whole experience, not only for herself but for everyone involved-those she loves and is resolved to nurture. ‘OK’, she whispers. And in the end, she wins the greatest victory of all.” (Shirer, p.135,6)
So, Let It Go… It’s the right thing to do! (Unless your husband wants to invest your savings in the lottery—I don’t think OK is the right response in this case!!)
I’ve noticed these principles in our own family. My husband is a very studious, methodical person and when faced with a task, he has a definite idea about how it should be done. I am an organized person, but like to get things started. I get impatient when he wants to keep planning and I want to start doing!!! We each think our own way is “right”, of course. I’ve gotten a kick over the years as my husband will watch one of our kids doing a job and he muses to me, “Why are they doing it that way? They should…” As long as the job gets done fairly satisfactorily, I figure that’s good enough. The people my husband lives with (me included) may be a little more random in how we go about things, but we get there in the end. I, on the other hand, have believed it my duty as a Mom over the years to comment and give advice on the kids’ plans, ideas, etc. When they were younger, this was ok and maybe helpful, but now that they’re grown, I’m trying to Let Go and Let Them Be! Bless their hearts, they still ask my ideas sometimes, but I’ve learned they can carry on without my input.(Sigh—it’s so hard) My son Josh called yesterday to tell me he was headed from Manhattan to Lexington, Ky. He and some friends were leaving Friday and coming home Saturday night/early Sun. morning) It’s about an 11 hour drive each way! In the old days, I would have felt obliged to wonder if that was really a very good idea, ask if he didn’t have any homework in his college classes, etc. But, I simply told him to stay safe and have a good time! What a breakthrough!! I let go, (praying for his safety of course) and let him be!
People around us can relax because we offer peace and grace instead of telling them they’re “wrong” in some way.

Hold On-As for myself, I need to focus on acting right and doing what is right rather than being right. Former President Harry Truman had a plaque on his desk that read:

Always do what is right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
How do I know what is right? By spending more time in God’s word where He instructs us in righteous living, and holding on to His promises to help me become more like Jesus. And, if letting some things go will give me more peace and help me give others more grace, that’s OK with me! It may take duct tape over my mouth, but I’m willing to work on it. I’ve thought of a little reminder, set to the tune of the old Beatles song, Let It Be. You’ll find me roaming around the house, biting my tongue and humming: “Let It, Go, Let It Go, Let It Go, Let It Go…Trust God in sweet surrender, Let It Go--ooh”.

Hold On To Your Hats, it’s Spring
Wheww..it’s been really windy here already, and here comes March. It’s time for some fun. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your family by having a baked potato bar and telling the kids about how he came to Ireland to bring the news of Jesus. Legend has it that he used a 3 leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity; God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. You can make a rainbow by buying red, orange, yellow, green blue and purple lengths of tulle (fairly cheap, or use fabric scrapes or crepe paper) knot the ends together and hang. If you really want to go all out, put a pot of “gold” at the end. You could use chocolate gold coins, or something you think is a treasure...like a Bible.
This month, Let Go and trust God, enjoy Spring, and Hold on to God’s grace and peace, OK? It’s the Right Way.