His Banner Over Us is Love

Our theme this month is "Holding forth the Banner of Christ.
One of my favorite hymns to express this ideas is:

"Stand up, stand up for Jesus, Ye soldiers of the cross;

Lift high his royal banner, It must not suffer loss;

From victory unto victory His army shall He lead,

Till every foe is vanquished, And Christ is Lord indeed."

George Duffield and George Webb

I'm tweaking this banner idea some--I read once that "Jesus' banner over us is Love."

I also read that "Joy is the banner (flag) flown from the heart (castle) when the King(Jesus) is in residence there." We express the love and joy Jesus gives us in our daily lives and need to share them with others. We've had some things happen recently that makes it a little hard for me to be joyful--yet I know the peace of Jesus in the midst of some hard things.

Life is so short...and so unpredictable--show other Jesus' love when you can!!! Give out hugs, smiles, understanding, forgiveness, and time. Do It Now and Do It Often.

Ideas for Summer Fun--( Did I mention I love summer?)

-Stock your fridge with popsicles--homemade are best! Use plastic popsicle molds and throw leftover fruit and yogurt into the blender, or fruit juice or kool-aid. Ice cream, iced tea, even water with lemon/lime slices in the fridge are good.

-Make time for porch sitting--coffee and Bible reading in the morning, iced tea and reading to the kids later in the day. Invite neighbors over.

-Read aloud to your kids--we have favorite books we read every summer.

-Have a theme day or night. Choose stories, videos, props, food for a Western,
beach, Eskimo, Country, or other day. This is great to engage the kids' creativity and add a llittle sparkle when kids get bored. (It's also free or cheap)

-Make your backyard fun--you need a sand pile, tree swing, hammock, water sprinklers or slide mat, any combination. Don't forget croquet, badmitton, or even bubbles! Don't be a stick-in-the-mud--adults can enjoy these, too!

-Eat outside--lots! Breakfast, lunch, supper on the porch, on a blanket in the backyard, cooler in the car for a picnic, etc

-Enjoy God's creation--do some gardening, smell the roses..or petunias, sample some mint, fresh tomatoes, corn, peaches, watermelon, cantalope, berries---you get the idea! If you don't grow your own, visit a farmer's market--support local growers!

-Get ouside--go for walks, ride bikes, head to the pool or pond, go canoeing (my favorite), put out blakets and star gaze late at night. (My daughter is headed to Alaska to work at a Bible camp, and it doesn't get dark there until 10:00 or so!)

-Learn something new. On those dog days of summer when you don't want to go outside, spend time reading about something new, or go on-line and take a class or just explore a different area than usual. Challenge yourself--memorize Bible verses, or a poem. I got out my clarinet the other day, bought some new reeds and may actually try to play again--it hasn't been touched since high school band days!

-Accomplish something you've put off! Write those letters, clean out a drawer or two, go through your old magazines and tear out good ideas, recycle the rest. (My favorite hot day project)

-Hang out by some water! If you can't visit the beach, lake, or pond, at least run the sprinklers and run through them, get a kid's wading pool and have plastic boat races, or just sit on a hot day, and put water in a large shallow container for a bird bath.

-Praise God every day for all the wonderful little things--and big things He gives us to enjoy. My relatives live in and around Joplin, Missouri where the terrible tornado just hit, and it reminds us to be thankful for "normal" days and all our comforts. (and necessities--like water, a roof, etc.)

Around the House

I'm reading a book called Living Well on One Income by Cynthia Yeats. (I bought it for fifty cents at our library's used book sale) Here's a great idea/project for your summer:

You bought it- Use It Up.

Her idea is to simply use all the lotions and potions we have on hand for skincare and cleaning, consume the food we have in our pantries and freezers, and use any other products we have that are just sitting around taking up space and nearing their expiration dates!!!

I am so busted on this--check your medicine cabinet--how many sahmpoos, hair care products, lotions, etc. do you have that you don't use? I have lots and my skin could really use some of those products! None of the things we spent money on will do us any good just sitting on the shleves. If you aren't going to use them, maybe someone else can. Check expiration dates, though--on your sunscreen, too. Eat from what you have on hand in the pantry--move the things with the expiration dates coming soonest to the front for use. Pick a really hot day, and explore the depths of your freezer. Discard items that are victims of freezer burn, and try to use the rest before buying more. Use your current inventory and Don't Buy Extra Stuff for a while! You can donate the money you save to a summer missions project or plan a fun family outing.

Ha-you probably thought I was going to tell you to declutter again--so I snuck it in this way. If we use what we have, we're saving money and getting rid of items to gain more space!

God Bless Your Summer--His banner or you is Love, and He shows it every day!! Be creative and use some of these ideas to spread His love to others!!

Soldier On and Let Your Little Light Shine!

I may never march in the infantry
ride in the cavalry, shoot the artillery,
I may never fly o'er the enemy,
But I'm in the Lord's Army! (Yes,Sir)

Did you ever sing this song in Sunday School? The actions are great!

As it turns out, we really do belong in the Lord's Army. Many of us need to move up in the ranks to His "Active Reserve" list.
As "Soldiers of the Cross", we need to:
-be obedient and give up our agendas/plans for our commander's need for us to be His hands and feet
-we need to be ready to sacrifice our time,energy and resources to further God's Kingdom instead of our own!

Are you ready to show up for action?
We're all members of God's Special Forces--He wants to use what He already put in us!

1. We all need to be Prayer Warriors,women(and men if any are reading this!)who understand the priviledge and power of prayer. Prayer does change things--sometimes God moves to change a situation, sometimes He moves in us to change our hearts and minds,which changes our perspective. The prayer that never fails is "Your will be done". We need to get serious about praying God's promises for ourselves, our families, churches, communities and world. Keep a prayer list, spend time thanking God for the answers and blessings He's already provided; praise Him for the wonders of His power and creation, His unfailing love for us. Confess and ask Him to fogive those things that You've done to grieve Him (and others!) and ask Him to help those on your prayer list. He tells us to come to His throne of grace and ask--you'll be amazed at the answers He sends to His glory.

2. Be a part of the Special Ops, the "Helps Ministries" . If you're a "Martha" type like me, you can cook meals, collect clothing, provide transportation, help clean, provide child care, do yard work, give finances, or do whatever needs done to give someone practical help. These are tangible ways to show God's love to others and are very often the answer to their prayers!

3. Search and Rescue Missions--God commands us to go into the world and find those who are lost and bring them to Him. We all know people who do not know the personal love of Jesus as their Savior and are indeed lost. Whether we bring kids in for VBS, have neighbors over for coffee, send money and materials to missionaires, we need to find a way to tell others the Good News that Jesus loves them and wants them in His "forever family."

4. Encouragement Forces. Everyone, even God's strongest "soldiers", gets weary and thinks about giving up or giving in. Doubts and fears can sap our strength and our faith, and "fatigue makes cowards of us all."(Vince Lombardi -former coach of the Green Bay Packers--Go,Pack) We need others to "put fresh courage" (definition of encourage) in us and to remind us of the powerful God we serve who can do all things and who does all things well. We're not in these battles alone--He promises to be with us always, and to provide what we need. He is our strength in our weakness and promises that all things will work to our good if we trust in Him. Be an "Encouragement" force to others. Use words, cards, calls, e-mails to give encouragement to others who are struggling, to give them fresh hope to keep hanging on. A word of thanks to those who have given of themselves is important, too. We all like to be noticed--and knowing that others appreciate our efforts keeps us going. Start an "undercover" appreciation operation in your church and family--thank you cards to the church coffee lady, the janitor, a Sunday school teacher, the bus driver, etc. Be a cheering squad of one (instead of a "shooting others down" squad) to appreciate musicians, committees, kids in church , your own family members. I sent all my kids cards the other day thanking them for making a difference for God in their corner of the world. Encouragement can put fresh courage into the troops and help them to keep on keeping on!

On the Home Front
If you're going to be ready for active duty on God's front lines, you need to pare down
and get rid of those things that keep you from being able to mobilize quickly.
Have systems in place and (sigh, here's the biggie) the self discipline to get/keep your life in order so you have the resources to commit to be a Prayer Warrior, a Helps Ministries person, a searcher and rescuer, an Encourager.
You've heard me say it before, but here it is again:
Clear the clutter, have a household routine, and do your laundry so you can leave the house!(I wear my ratty clothes around the house when I'm gardening, or it's laundry day!) Stock up extra cookies and meals in the freezer--keep some "comfort casseroles" ready for those who might need the comfort of a home cooked meal. Save money by making better choices and send it to those who need it!
We make way too many excuses for not showing up for duty because we're too "busy", behind in our other obligations, too tired, and on and on. I am so guilty of this!! And yet, when I show up for some assignment I think God has given me, He multiplies my time and I get the blessing as well as whoever I'm "helping". Saying "yes" to God even when we don't have the time, energy, or resources grows our faith as we see how He covers for Us! He does another loaves and fishes thing where He takes what little we have to offer and makes it enough and even more!
If you lack for adventure or challenges, just start saying "yes" to God!

Sometimes, being a "Soldier for Christ" means to "soldier on". To keep trusting and trying to do right and good when it seems useless. To bear up under adversity and keep looking for God to be at work, even when it seems like He's not. To keep a flame of faith and hope alive in your heart and life. Another favorite Sunday School Song of mine is "This Little Light of Mine." Sometimes it is very hard to keep our light shining. Doubt, fear, worry, the darkness of the world we live in, all contribute to douse or dim our little lights. The good news is that it doesn't take a huge megawatt (or LED) light to dispel the darkness--even a little light can push back darkness.

Let me tell you about some people who are letting their lights shine:

-the lady buying towels at our local thrift store for a young man just released from prison. She and her husband are trying to help him get a new start with household items. I love her words, "He's not a bad person, he made a bad choice --about drugs". Her light is helping to get his going!
-another lady buying baby clothes to donate to a crisis pregnancy center--giving hope to new moms in tough situations.

-ladies in my church who collected fabric to take to Star of Hope Haiti mission project in a town near us. Instead of thinking about helping, they got us in gear and got the goods delivered!(Thanks, Melanie and Sandi!)

-to Mr. Art Thomas, a neighbor of my Mom's in southeast Kansas. My dad had just died, and the tractor we used to mow the yard wasn't working. Since my Dad had been sick,the grass hadn't been mowed for awhile and it was worrying my Mom. I had gotten most everything else done that we needed to do before I left to go back to my home, but didn't know how I could get the yard mowed. I prayed about it and the next morning as I was outside by the barn, I saw an old army jeep with a trailer behind it coming down our road. The trailer had a riding mower on it--and as I watched, thinking "no way", (even though I prayed!) the jeep turned in our drive. I had never met Mr.Thomas, but he was an older man wearing sunglasses and smoking a pipe. I remember thinking, "Wow, God--you sent General McArthur to mow my Mom's yard!" It was one of the most amazing or surprising answers to prayer I've ever gotten!!

Here's the thing--Mr. Thomas lived 5 miles away and noticed the yard and knew about my Dad. His legs had been injured some way, and I watched as he literally threw himself out of the jeep and onto the mower, and then threw himself back into the jeep without bending his legs when he was finished. He didn't think he did anything remarkable, just mowed a yard--but he was the answer to my prayer and showed me--again--that God can do far above what we ask!

In the middle of a dark time for my family, God used Mr. Thomas to give us hope and some humor--a little "God wink"from Him to us to show that He hears and He cares.

Are we the answer to prayer someone is waiting for? When we get a nudge that we should do something--are we willing to report for duty and let our light shine? It might be all it takes takes to push back someone's darkness.

Listen to Addison Roads' new version of "This Little Light of Mine". May it bless you and remind all of us to let our lights shine!!

Take Hold of Hope--and Spread It Around!

Happy Spring and Easter--the season of Hope! Read on, to take hold of HOPE. Spread it around, celebrate Easter, and engage in more acitivites for radical living and giving--with homework--spring break is over! Jesus came to rescue us from our old dead-in-sin lives to give us new hope-filled eternal lives. Consider these Hope verses: "Praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His boundless mercy we have been born again to an ever-living HOPE (emphasis mine) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. -1 Peter 1:3 "I have come that they may have new life, and that they may have it more abundantly. -John 10:10 "We have this HOPE as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure."-Hebrews 6:19 The Reason for our Hope--the Cross and Empty Tomb In the book, The Power of a Positive Woman, by Karol Ladd, one of her chapters is called Becoming a Woman of Hope. She tells two compelling stories about the hope of the cross. The first happened at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Before the soldiers surrounding his casket closed the lid, his wife stepped forward and made the sign of the cross over her husband's chest. In this atheistic country, her action was one of hope--"she hoped for life beyond the grave. She hoped for mercy. She hoped for salvation. And she based this hope on a man who died on a cross two thousand years ago."(p. 223) The next hope of the cross story Ladd relates also occurs in the former Soviet Union. Alexander Solzhenitsyn was a Soviet political prisoner who was starving and gravely ill. He was forced to work 12 hour days shoveling sand in the hot sun. Being so very ill and mal-nourished, one day he just stopped shoveling. He knew the punishment by the guards would be a severe beating, but he just couldn't keep on. He saw a Christian prisoner moving toward him who drew a cross in the sand with his cane, before quickly erasing it. "In that brave gesture of love and encouragement, all the hope of the Gospel flooded Solzhenitsyn's soul. That hope helped him endure that difficult day as well as the months and years of prison life that followed." (p. 225) As Ladd says, "The hope of the cross is powerful. It is the hope that Christ paid the price for our salvation. It is the hope that Christ rose from the dead and that the same power that raised him from the dead is at work in our lives. We can rejoice in this hope, and we can rest in it." (p.225) We have a living hope through Jesus that can never be taken away from us. Ladd points out that we have several reasons for hope, or looking forward to the best. We hope for eternal life with Jesus in our forever home, Heaven, no matter what difficulties and trials we go through here on earth. We have the hope that God works even those things out for the good in our lives, that He will never leave us or forsake us, that He loves us and forgives us, giving us a new start when we need one. "Put your HOPE in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption."-Psalm 130:7 Our hope is in the Lord. This is the only hope that will not fail us. Our society puts hope in a lot of things other than God's promises. We think that a full and happy life will be ours if we only make this amount of money, buy this car, have this kind of house, go to this place, use this beauty product. (anti-aging products, anyone?)(Ask me sometime about putting mayonaise in my hair in the hope that it would be the conditioner that would finally smooth my frizz!) We all have been duped by putting our hope for happiness in the wrong things. Madison Avenue convinces us that all will be well if only we try one more product. Nothing will last or fulfill our yearnings other than God. "May the God of your HOPE so fill you with all joy and peace in believing that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing with HOPE." -Romans 15:13 Since we have been given the gift of hope by Jesus' death for our sins and his glorious resurrection, Ladd points out that Christians should be the most optimistic people around! "Be joyful in Hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."-Romans 12:12 In this season of Lent and Easter, maybe it's time for another Radical living experiment. A little "homework", No more Grumbling, Whining, or Complaining--after all, our Hope is in the Lord! I heard of a pastor who gave his congregation wrist bands that said "No Grumbling" to wear on their right hands. Whenever they complained, they had to switch it to their left hand. The pastor found that it took 2 weeks before he could make it a day without having to switch it from one wrist to the other! (The original goal was to keep the wrist band on their right hand for 21 days--time needed to break a habit) How long would it take before we could stop complaining and "be patient in affliction, faithful in prayer"? Instead of the wristband, I have a "blessings box" for Lent. Along with adding change for blessings, I'm going to fine myself every time I whine and grumble. The money goes to a mission project our church is doing in Philadelphia--I'm going to be sending some major bucks their way, I think! "May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good HOPE , encourage you in every good deed and word." -2Thess 2:16-17 We need to share our Hope--giving others hope and encouragement (to put courage in)when theirs is gone is one of the best things we will ever do. As in the story of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, it can give others the strength to go on. We have all been in circumstances where our hope was about gone, and others have spoken hope to us, put courage into us by reminding us of God's promises and the cause for our Hope. This Easter, along with ham or hard boiled dyed Easter eggs, serve some words of Hope and encouragement to those around you. Radical Giving--serving words of hope and encouragement doesn't cost anything but your time and sensitivity to others. Here are some other ways to spread Hope this Easter: *Celebrate our Hope during Holy Week. Invite friends and family to a Seder or Passover Feast on the Thursday evening preceeding Easter. Read the account of the Last Supper in Mark 14:13. On Good Friday, attend services or create a sober, solemn atmosphere in your own home by reading the account of Jesus' resurrection in Mark 15. You could even not turn on your electric lights or any "entertainment" to symbolize the darkness and hopelessness people felt that day! A day of fasting and prayer, reflecting on the suffering and cost of the cross on our behalf makes Easter even more joyful. On Easter Sunday, serving cinnamon rolls with a frosting cross reminds us of the power of the cross and be sure to have an empty plastic Easter egg at everyone's place. When kids open the egg, they find it empty--just as the tomb was empty on Easter morning--you could include a piece of paper that says, "He is Risen! He is not here."-Mark 16:6 (For more ideas to use with kids, including the Resurrection cookie recipe, see blog archives in "Caring for Kids and Others", March 2010.) *For a great object lesson on new life, give kids beans and have them dampen them in water and wrap in a damp paper towel. Place in a plastic bag and watch them sprout in a few days--what looked dead has come to life! So it was with Jesus (who appeared to over 500 people after His crucifixion) and so it is with us when we put our faith, trust and HOPE in what Jesus did for us on the cross--we get new life in God's forever family! Other Radical Giving Ideas: *Relief to Japan-Pray! Send money gifts to Samaritan's Purse, a Christian organziation specializing in aid to areas needing relief (they also do Operation Christmas Child) at www. samaritan'spurse.tv, or 1-800-789-1776. *Compassion International (sponsorship of children around the world) has a new line of greeting cards where DaySpring cards are sold. I purchased several as part of the price will go toward Compassion projects for food and medicine to the needy. (This is part of my "Charitable Spending" philosophy--not charitable giving, but spending!! Both are important--give to those Christian organizations who are loving the world for Jesus, but support Christian businesses by spending your money there,too! (My husband the banker thinks this "spending philosophy" of mine is a little suspicious) I'll leave you with this Hope-ful thought: "Behind the cloud the starlight lurks, Through showers the sunbeams fall: For God who loveth all His works, Has left His HOPE with all! -John Greenleaf Whittier This Easter, Rejoice in our Hope! Be sure to read "The Message" at the Vine Press home page! (click link in column to the upper right.) And to know how you can have eternal HOPE go to http://lovelybranchesministries.org/HOPE.html

Get Growing--Plow, Plant , Prune and Pluck!

Spring Is On the way--I think! I've been perusing my garden catalogs and magazines, making plans for my garden. On these nice days, I've been searching my flower beds for signs of Spring--the first bulbs to come up. I love to see the first crocus, daffodil, and snowdrops.

Since our theme is "Garden" this month, I'm giving you some real gardening ideas, some garden to real life analogies, and ideas of things to do with children to illustrate how God wants us to grow, just like seeds in our garden!


First,my new favorite spring flowers--dandelions!

Actually, I've waged war on these "flowers", but have made my share of bouquets from these perky little yellow guys given to me by many children over the years. In reading my Bible the other day I came across this devotional written by Janice Kemper called...Dandelions. She makes some valid points--you can't get rid of dandelions because their roots go deep. They pop up in the most unexpected places--between cracks in the sidewalks, in fields, lawns, and even in country club golf courses.
They sneak through any barriers and just keep multiplying.

Kempe says, "Christians should be more like dandelions. Our sunny yellow faces should be a reminder that simple faith has deep roots that are impossible to dislodge. Our vast number would show the world that even though we are not fancy or pampered we are evident everywhere, even in the best neighborhoods. We need to get out of our gardens and jump across the boundaries that keep us where people expect to find us. We need to show our sunny yellow faces in all the spots that need a little brightening up."
(Women's Devtional Bible, NIV, p.1067, JaniceKempe)

Next time I see dandelions, they'll be a good reminder of what I should be!

When I get ready to garden, I always think of the parable of the sower that Jesus told. The sower scattered seeds on hard packed ground--and the seeds were eaten by birds because they could not grow or even find a spot to become rooted in the hard ground. When we plant any kind of "seeds", we need to prepare our ground first, to make a soft, welcoming home. Jesus told the people that the hard ground represents hard hearts of men who would not hear or believe His words and let them root in their hearts.

Jesus says the sower next scatters seeds on a rocky spot--and the seeds started growing at first, but when problems came, the seeds died because they weren't deeply rooted. A rocky heart seems to believe Jesus until the troubles come, and then it gives up.

The sower next scatters seeds on a spot where there are weeds and thistles--the seeds come up, but are choked out by the weeds. This stands for our hearts where Jesus' words have been planted, but are crowded out by everyday concerns and worries.



The last spot the sower plants the seeds is deeply worked, fertile soil where the seeds grow and mulityply their harvest. This is true of our hearts, if we let Jesus' words grow deep in our hearts--we will bring for the harvest of words and actions pleasing to Jesus!

*This is such a great lesson for kids--bring a tray and make four areas just like in the story,--sprinkle seeds over a brick or flat rocks for the hard path, have some rocks for the rocky ground, lay a bunch of weeds on the tray for the weedy ground, and use potting soil for the fertile ground. Give them each a seed packet (I buy the cheap ones for thirty cents)to use for a bookmark in their Bible. Tell them that each time they read their Bible, they need to ask God to make His words take root in their hearts and to help their faith keep growing!


Just as preparing the soil and planting is important in a garden, so is pruning! I'm headed out to prune my fruit trees and my grapevine. The more you prune, (if done correctly!) the more fruitful your harvest will be. You need to cut out any dead wood, and weak or small branches. This helps the plant/tree focus its energy on producing fruit.

As painful as it sounds--and is(gasp)--God tells us we need to be pruned also to get rid of the dead, unproductive things in our lives and spirits so we can be more fruitful. We have a red oak tree in our yard which has a strange quirk--it keeps its dead leaves on its branches all winter, only losing them in the spring when the new leaf buds force them off. Spring and new life all around us remind us that we, too, need to get rid of some of the old things/habits/thought patterns in our lives to make room for the new! Sometimes God allows things in our lives to "prune" us a bit, to help us grow to trust Him more or to help us get rid of things that are keeping us from Him.
And, unless we're part of Jesus' vine, we can do nothing!




What needs pruned in your life??

Have you given any more thought to the Radical Living experiment I talked about in last month's blog? Are you praying for a nation daily?( Right now we need to be praying for the Middle East people) Are you reading/memorizing your Bible every day? Are you giving and going radically? Are you in a group of believers who will stand with you?

I've been trying to do more of these-- and talking about pruning, getting rid of old habits and ways of life are hard!

Here's another radical book for you: The 100 Thing Challenge, How I Got Rid of Almost Everything, Remade My Life and Regained My Soul by Dave Bruno. Bruno holds degrees from the Moody Bible Institute and Wheaton. He decided his life was cluttered with too much stuff and it was robbing him of contentment and time with his family. He decided to get rid of all but 100 of his personal possessions(he didn't count things that belonged to all the family like furniture, dishes,etc.) He did count his items of clothing, however(except for socks and underwear--counted as 1)and kept culling his possessions(except books)to get below 100. His family began to declutter also and he reminds us all that the "American Dream" is not about acquiring things but of freedom and hope--our gift from Christ, as well. He stresses Reducing what we have(pass it on to those who need it), Refusing to get more, and Rejigging your priorities. People left comments on his blog about their own experiences. A youth pastor wrote in about hisfamily's cell phone bill being too high, so he decided to sell his i-phone. He listed it on e-bay,where it sold for $150. He spent that money to buy a llama for a poor family through the Heifer Project International, and the rest to sponsor a child in Haitii. (Since he reduced monthly service fees, he also saved his family $45/month) What a great example of refiguring priorities and the use of our money--radical giving!

Speaking of decluttering and passing things on--it's Spring Cleaning Time!!

I've been going through closets and drawers yet again, getting rid of what we don't use. I volunteer at our town's thrift store which is a great place for families to save money to get things --the sales all go into the town's Ministerial Association where the funds are used for the needy. Here's another great idea. A lady came in and bought a lot of baby blankkets, clothing, socks, etc. She was collecting them to give as a church to a local crisis pregnancy center. How much fun would that be? Choosing baby things for people who need them!

As you Spring Clean and declutter, here are some options:

1. Go to http://www.flylady.com/, where they have all kinds of ideas for decluttering--and even Lee Anne' s Scavenger hunt--this is fun. It sends you to throw out junk mail,old magazines, hose with runs, margarine tubs and lids,etc. Another flylady tactic is to throw away 27 things--then find 27 things to give away, then 27 more things to throw away--repeat!

2. Declutter by category--clothes, books, magazines, catalogs, dishes, games, knickknacks, etc.

3. Declutter by location--start in 1 room and work left to right on each wall. Edit as you go--less is more!

4. My good friend at school where I work tells me she is going to get rid of 1 thing each day!
We can all manage that! (Junk mail does not count!)




Make room for new growth in your life--in your spirit
As you "prune"your home of old, useless items,remember we need to prune our hearts and spirits as well--if unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, or discontent have taken root in your heart, yank them out! Get rid of old habits/thought patterns that are keeping you from growing.
Remember, what you sow(plant) is what you reap(harvest).
One of my favorite authors, Gladys Taber, says in her book, StillmeadowCalendar-A Countrywoman's Journal:
"We are all gardeners, whether we plant our rows with love and friendship, courage and honesty, and faith in God-or with intolerance, suspicion, and hate."
May God Bless us as we plow, plant, prune and pluck to grow in Him!

When you're not in the garden, put some Spring in your step!
It's time to register for the annual WalkKansas program at your county KSU Research and Extension office. The deadlline to register is March 11 this year. Get some friends and do your miles or minutes of activity--420 miles worth, or the perimeter 1230 miles! For our readers in other locations, get a map, choose a spot, figure the miles and see how long it takes you to get there by walking or exercising for minutes each day.

Grab Your Tray, It's A Buffet!

Our theme this month is the verse "Taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."-Psalm34:8.

You may be wondering what a Buffet has to do with this verse.

It's the food images I get with the "taste and see" part of the verse. The other reason I associate the taste and see part with food is that this is the name of the coffee house Lovely Branches Ministries is starting in Stafford--stay tuned for the opening! Our God is so good, we could all make a "buffet" of all He has done for us and given us to enjoy and use.

The buffet theme also suits the blog this month because I want to "serve" you a smattering, a smorgasbord of ideas. You don't have to read the whole thing at once--but if I don't write it at once, I forget to go back and add more during the month! Just like a buffet, you can pick and choose, and even come back for more.

So, grab your plate and dig in--I've divided my posts into "types" just like a buffet. Help yourself to the main course, side dishes and dessert!

Main Course--the Great Commission, Part II
WARNING--read the following at your own risk --risking your peace of mind and even your lifestyle! While this information is nourishing and should "stick to your ribs", it's hard to swallow!!

Last month we talked about the command Jesus gave all of us who follow Him to go and make disciples of all peoples. I talked about some practical and probably fairly painless ways to do that.

THEN I read the book, Radical by David Platt,who pastors a church in Birmingham, Alabama. I was way too easy on us in my last blog! (The subtitle of the book is "Taking back your faith from the American Dream".)

Here are some of the ideas that have seriouly messed up my mind and reconfirm what I already know--I'm a slacker and a shirker!

The American dream of success-nice house, cars, clothes, good job, etc. is not necesarily scriptural or even what God wants for us (Chip Ingram reminds parents that this "dream" is not necessarily what God has for our children, either--or even His definition of success!)

(The following are quotes taken from Radical)

What God's purpose for us is this:"God created humans to enjoy his grace and to extend his glory to the ends of the earth".

• "Jesus commands us to go. He has created each of us to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, and I (DavidPlatt) propose that anything less than radical devotion to this purpose is unbiblical Christianity."(ouch)
  
• "Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell. We owe Christ to the world."
  
• We need to quit thinking of our own comfort and think globally. There are 4.5 billion people in the world who do not know Christ. Also according to David Platt, 26,000 children die daily of starvation. (This is appalling)
  
• For these reasons, if we are followers of Jesus Christ, we cannot keep "doing business as usual". Therefore, we are to give radically and go radically.
  

Platt gives examples in each chapter and from members of his church who took his challenge to live radically seriously. He also challeges each of us to a 1 year radical living experiment.

1. Pray for the entire world, each country specifically--ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to these nations. (This may include being willing to help send workers, or go ourselves!)

2. Read through the entire Bible. "If we are going to penetrate our culture and the cultures of the world with the gospel, we desperately need minds saturated with God's word.

3. Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose close to your heart (and God's heart). Set a cap on your spending/level of living, minimize luxuries in your life to give more to spread the gospel and save the dying. Platt suggests we give to those organizations whose purpose is to spread the gospel as well as give aid to those who need it. (Samaritan'sPurse, WorldVision, Compassion, etc. plus other missionaires in your church or other groups) Read the book or website given below to see examples of people who took this to heart--people who put off "wants" to give money away, who cleaned out some savings to help support/adopt children and more.

4. Spend your time in another context. (Above was radical giving, this is radical going)
Sacrifice some time to help those in places you've never served before--inner city, soup kitchen, pregnancy counseling, childrens programs, or in a foreign country. Platt suggests spending at least 1 week away from your life!

5. Commit your life to a multiplying community.
This means as a member of a church or small group whose focus is to go make disciples also.
Platt says," We need community to follow Christ radically-we need to show one another how to give liberally, go urgently and live dangerously. We need our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us to stand."

Had enough? This is pretty tough stuff to "digest". For stories of how people are living radically, go to: http://www.radicalthebook.com/.


Move on down the buffet line to these side dishes.



Have a "helping" of "casting hindrances aside."

Last blog we talked about the running verses in the Bible and how we need to get rid of those things that slow us down or keep us from running the race God has planned for us.


Lighten up (what a terrible choice of words when we're talking buffets!) You've heard it before in my blogs, but get rid of your extra stuff. It takes time and energy to take care of, makes you cranky when you can't find things, and takes up floor/storage space PLUS you could donate/sell it for those who need the things or money! (See # 3 above)


Is your plate too full? Re-evaluate the use of your resources-money,time and energy.

Sometimes we fill our "plates", (lives) with too much of some things and not enough of others.

Do your out-of-the-home committments follow your heart and the talents God has given you?

Do you have time to spend with God and in his word, and with your family?

Are you involved in things that just sap your energy?

Pray for wisdom to make what changes you need to better use what God has given you.

We all have areas of our lives that are a little out of control. It may be physical (health, exercise, diet and sleep). It could be the use of our time-we're over-scheduled, or maybe we waste too much time. Our finances maybe a source of worry and frustration--spend less, save more and pay off debts! (Nothing is worth the cost of loss of peace of mind or being unable to help others)

O.K.,these have been the "meat and potatoes", the substance of our buffet. Now it's time for some fun--desserts!





When I think of the verse "O, taste and see that the Lord is good", I think of sweets! The Bible tells us that the word of God is "sweet like honey". In fact, boys in Jesus' day learned God's words by licking honey off a wax-coated tablet--licking off the honey revealed the words! This is fun way to teach verses to children!

February means Valentine's Day, and this is a great time to teach some of the"love" Bible verses. You can cut hearts out of paper,write verses on them, and put them into a jar. Draw one out to read/memorize.

More Love in a Jar --cut out red construction paper hearts and write something you love about a person. Fold in half, put in a glass jar with some candy kisses and give to someone for a loving, encouraging gift.

Cupcake "Care" packages--make cupcakes, frost. Insert toothpicks or short straws into each with a paper"flag" saying "I love you", or "Jesus loves you". Give to someone who needs to know they're loved, mail with other items in a college student care package, or leave at a neighbor's front door.


The last part of our verse is "...how blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."(Psalm34:8) I have several friends right now who are hurting and have needs, and only by taking refuge in God are they able to keep going. Our God sets before us so many good things, and then promises our eternal security because He loves us. This is the last tidbit for our buffet--take a heaping helping of refuge in God and in his goodness. It's the only thing that will really "feed"us.

Ready, Set, Go....

Happy New Year!! I love new beginnings, fresh starts, blank pages to be filled in. Our theme is the "Great Commission", the command from Jesus to all of us to GO into the world and TELL others about Him and the new chances, forgiveness, and eternal life He offers all who believe in Him.

Ready, set , go reminds me of this verse:
"...Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1b-2 (NIV)

In another translation, it says:
"...we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running-and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed-that exhilarating finish in and with God-he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever, And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourself flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long list of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!" (The Message)

I live in a household of runners. Two of my children made it to State in Cross Country, and both completed half and full marathons this year!! I have seen the effort it takes to focus on the finish and to keep running--no matter what! (I have tough kids--one ran Regional finals with the flu and couldn't even walk upstairs 4 hours before the race, another ran with a stress fracture in her pelvis) (They would tell you that was with God's help, of course!) They get up early to run. They run hills, run in cold and rainy, even snowy weather--they run when they don't feel like it, when people have made fun of them, when they would have preferred to do something else.
They kept the "finish line" in their sights and would not be led off course by distractions or discomfort. Runners know you have to endure many things to "win" the prize, just as Paul told us in the Bible.

Here's the thing: we all are in a race--to tell as many people as possible about Jesus and his saving grace. Just like runners who are trying to get to the finish line, we can not let the discomfort, pain, difficulty of the course, people's opinions, and our "busyness" keep us from running the race God puts before us. I love the parts in the verses above where we are told: "throw off every hindrance and sin that so easily entangles" (wanting our own comfort and way) and "strip down, start running-never quit! Keep your eyes on Jesus who began and finished this race we're in."

What things are "hindering" us? What keeps us from going and telling all about Jesus? For me, one would be "busyness" with things that aren't nearly as important, but that are comfortable. Others would be fear of rejection, people's opinions, and worry that I would mess up and drive people farther away than closer to Jesus! I am told to cast all these things aside, however, and trust that God, working through the Holy Spirit, will use my feeble attempts for His purposes.

My running kids, and my basketball player son had a reminder that they could persevere through whatever difficulties they encountered in their sports--a reminder to keep going. They all wrote this verse on their shoes, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me."-Philippians 4:13
(We called this their shoe ministry!)

So there you have it--we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. I have claimed this promise many times when called to do things I would have never dared otherwise! No more excuses! (Rats) My problem with the "Great Commission" verse has been a fear that God would tell me to put down my laundry basket and head to Africa. Maybe He will do that someday but actually there are a lot of things I can do right where I am to point others to Him.
(By the way, my daughter went on a mission trip to South Africa and absolutely loved it--she wants to go back)

I read an article once when my kids were young and I felt very housebound and encumbered. The title was "Ten Ways You Can Reach the World Without Leaving Home". (Talk about no more excuses!) It got me thinking about ways we all can tell of God's love and goodness, His redeeming grace and His Son right where we are. Even our work, done well, can be a testimony to our Creator. Here are some examples.

Go(or send) Locally-start in your church. Volunteer to help with VBS, Sunday School, or AWANA. Be a part of a bus ministry, host a Bible study and invite neighbors, attend a Christian concert or ladies' event and invite friends. (like a Lovely Branches event!) Send food to a hurting family. Send cards of encouragement to those who need a lift. Come along side those who are hurting. Help with community ministry opportunities-our town ministerial alliance has a food bank and a thrift store that needs workers .
For the world:
Support missionaries from your church who are called to serve in Africa! (or elsewhere)
Help send youth from your church on short term missions, go on a short-term mission trip yourself! Our family went together on a trip to an orphanage in Mexico--it was a great opportunity to work together and see what God is doing in other people's lives.
Sponsor a child or children through Christian relief organizations like Compassion, World Vision, Samaritan's purse. Children and their families receive aid and also the good news!! You can even write to your sponsored child and encourage your share faith in that way.
Sponsor a native minister. Gospellink is an orgaization that raises money to train and support people living in a country who already know the language and want to become ministers. Send support to those who translate the good news into other languages so that all may know--Wycliffe Bible Translators and other groups spend years studying languages so that the Bible can be given to more and more peoples.

(Show) andTell-If you shy away from going up to people and proclaiming the Good News, take heart--there are some other options. (However-we are still called to do this, so try baby steps first!)
You can share what God has done for you, your hope in God and His provision for your eternal life in these ways:
Facebook-many people have scripture quotes on their pages as a testimony. Sending e-mails of links that are meaningful(BUT-make sure they would be welcome, don't be sending random stuff to lots of people or become a nuisance!) Be winsome in conversations, get to know people and share how God has brought you through difficulties and provided your needs. Send verses of encouragement to people.
Be creative--I will always remember a sweet elderly lady who lived out in the country along a major highway. We passed her house on the way to Great Bend quite often. She tended a sign on her property out by the highway, changing the scriptures on it like a church way side pulpit, even adding seasonal touches with silk flowers. She's gone now, but I still remember her and how she did what she could, where she was, to spread the good news.
Music-playing Christian music gives others a chance to hear something new! Support your Christian Radio station and pray for their ministry.
Use whatever gift/talent you have to share God's love--cooking meals, giving financially, organizing donations or events, cleaning, landscaping, building and repairing, driving a car, shopping, designing church or event bulletins or artistic displays.
All these things, done with prayer and love in God's name can point people to Him and give you the chance to share more.

I gave my daughter (one of the runners) a book for Christmas called "Run Like a Girl" by Kathy Vick.(www.runlikeagirl.org)
Some of the page headings are : run with fierce conviction and resolute courage, run toward those who are hurting; run toward those who comfort you, run with forgiveness on your tongue, run with integrity, run for those who need a champion, run with kindness and compassion, and the heart of a true friend, run with your soul-full, run with a grateful spirit, run like you are brave, even if your knees are shaking, and run like the world depends on it, run toward the arms of God.
My prayer is that we all will "run like a girl" and spread the good news ...the world does depend on it!! So--grab your running shoes, cast off all hindrances and, as Nike says, Just Do It!

Joy to the World--the Lord Has Come!

Joy to the World, the Lord has come,
Let earth receive her king!
Let every heart prepare Him room...

At this Advent, the season of Jesus'coming, let's be sure to prepare not only our homes but our hearts to celebrate our Savior's birth.

God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (and women)

In the effort to make Christmas "special" for our families, we often go overboard. There are presents to buy/make and wrap, goodies to bake, a house to decorate, cards to mail, special events to attend--some of which require new clothes, we think. Throw in school and church activities, a case or two of the flu, and at our house, two birthdays and parties--and you have a frazzled, overwhelmed Mom. We have no time or room for the baby in the manger.
Carrie Hildebrand (a writer of Young Hearts blog) shared some great words of wisdom at our Bible study--write these on an index card like we did, and post it over your sink, on your bathroom mirror, on your dashboard or wherever to keep from feeling too overwhelmed and rushed this season.
Renew yourself in God's goodness (read His word, remember what He has done for you)
Enjoy the life God has given you (spend time with loved ones just enjoying them)
Simplify your life to magnify God (do mostly those Christmas things that point others to God)
Trust God with your everyday life!

REST--NOT STRESS!

Find something you can streamline or forget. The best gift you can give your family is you--a you who is in the moment, who is enjoying time with her family instead of rushing to get through a to-do list. (Too often I was so busy thinking of everything I had to do, I missed the joy of just being together) You set the tone for your home--concentrate less on"doing" and more on "being"--especially"being" in the presence of Jesus.

Call me Scrooge...but it's time for a Reality Check
Did you know the average American family spends over $1500 for Christmas? (if you used credit cards and pay finance charges, it will go even higher)
Do yourself and your family a favor and opt out of the mall, television ads and catalog scene--let's have a quieter, simpler Christmas--we concentrate on "being" instead of buying.

In the spirit of simplifying, think about what you could cut out or how some of that money could be better spent.
Samaritan's Purse, Compasion International, and other Christian Relief organizations send out catalogs that give ideas for "alternative gifts". One year I gave chickens to an African family, a goat to another in the names of my kids. We also just finished selecting gifts for Operation Christmas Child, also a project of Samiatan's Purse. When you give your kids the option of spending money on things that improve and even save people's lives, they can understand that this is a better use of money than just buying more "stuff" for all of us who already have too much!!
This teaches good stewardship of what God has given us, and hopefully teaches our kids to be content with what they have and not to expect more "stuff" to be happy!)

It truly is more blessed to give than to receive--let your kids have this joy by doing some of the above, or by taking baked goods to neighbors, helping someone who needs it, and by donating toys and food to community drives. One family had the tradition of doing a good deed each day, writing it on a piece of decorated paper and tying it to the Christmas tree--their love offerings, a sacrifice of love for Jesus.

Some other ideas are to cut down the gift list, or at least revamp.
My Aunt Sue tells all of us,"Don't give me anything that I can't eat, read or plant--I don't need more stuff to store!"
I agree --one way to cut clutter is to not let it in the door in the first place!! Keep this in mind when gift shopping--how many pieces do you want to pick up for your kids? (Yes, they should pick up, but we all know that sometimes Mom has to do it!)
I'm all for "re-gifting", too --if you get something that someone else could enjoy more, pass it on!
(Be careful of the giver's feelings in this, though)
I also like the idea of families choosing to spend their gift money on a shared trip or experience instead.
Simplify by working on"being" instead of buying--do things to build relationships and make memories.

Making things Merry and Bright (Deck the halls...)
Bring the love, wonder, and warmth of Christmas home. I love to use imagination and other people's ideas to create a special, welcoming atmosphere and make memories--instead of spending lots of money. These are some of our favorites:

* I love to decorate the house for Christmas, but have decided to scale back. One day I met a friend who was in her 80''s , going into our local store. l was tired and cranky from dragging out boxes of decorations, and cleaning up the mess. She cheerfully informed me,"Well, I'm all done with my Christmas decorating--it took 5 minutes for me to put out my manger scene."
I smiled weakly and thought, "duh"--that really is all the Christmas decorating we need! A tree is great, too--and you can explain all the significance of the decorations--stars, angels, and personal ornaments. Decide how much or little you really need--donate the rest to your local thrift store or to someone who can use them.

*Check thrift stores for decorations or gift ideas. We bought Christmas mugs for a quarter each and gave them with microwave cupcake mixes for college students. My kids wanted one of those game tables one year--pool, pingpong and table hockey. We found a slightly used one for $25--instead of $100.

*Have a tree trimming party with Christmas music and simple snack mix and warm apple cider.

*Spread a tablecloth or blanket beside the tree and have a picnic--sing Christmas carols and do Christmas devotions.

*Let kids grab their sleeping bags and "camp out" under the tree (on a weekend!)

*Choose a night to put the kids in their jammies and coats, wrap them in blankets and go "car caroling". Roll down the car windows and sing carols as you drive through town! (After dark, of course--you can see the beautiful lights and people can't tell who you are!!)(In case you're wondering--of course we've done this--too much fun not too!)

*The more boring but still a great time alternative is to simply drive around with Christmas music playing and look at the Christmas lights (without singing out the open windows)

*Serve hot cocoa with peppermint sticks or candy canes and hot cider or apple juice with cinnamon stick stirrers.

*Stock a "Hospitality shelf", full of instant party foods. I have chips, salsa (for nachos), crackers(for the cream cheese/pepper jelly snacks), brownie mixes and chocolate frosting that you can make and then sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy canes, hot cocoa mix, popcorn, and pizza crust mix and sauce. Stash some chili and some cookies in the freezer, too.

*Watch Christmas movies that tell the true message of the season. Our family favorite is "It's A Wonderful Life". We love the message that God has a plan for all of us and the world would be very different if we weren't here to do our part--and no life is insignificant! There is a new VeggieTales out , "It's A Meaningful Life". I can't wait to see this!!

*Burn candles at meal and story times, play Christmas music in the mornings and evenings, simmer homemade potpourri on the stove (in a small pan, put about 2" of water, some apple or orange peels, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Put on burner turned to low--it smells great!)

Silent Night,Holy Night
Share the wonder and awe of Jesus' birth with others in your life.

*Use an Advent wreath for a special devotion time with your family. The wreaths and devotions books are available at Christian bookstores, or you can make your own.

*Have a Nativity set or two for display. I made one of fabric that the kids could use to tell the story of Jesus' birth, and we had a "nicer"one in the living room . Some families only put baby Jesus in the scene on Dec. 24--and the wisemen travel from the east later! As you read part of Luke Chapter 2 each evening, you could add only those characters ..Mary and the angel, Joseph and the angel, Mary, Joseph and the donkey traveling to the stable, the baby Jesus being born, the shepherds coming and then the wisemen later.

*Give children props to act out the story of Jesus'birth. Dress them in Dad's flannel shirts(shepherds),his white shirts with tinsel halos and flashlights(angels), and bathrobes--wisemen. Read the story while the kids walk through it--special for everyone.

*Read Christmas stories by the tree/manger scene each night before bedtime. I had a collection from magazines or books, and we read them every night--even still do when the kids are here. (they're in their 20's now) All of the stories center on the theme of love and giving. One of our favorites was about a little boy who thought the baby Jesus looked cold lying in the manger, so he covered him (Jesus) with a "kleenex" blanket. For several years, someone would secretly put a kleenex blanket on the Jesus in our manger--I loved that!
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson are other favorites.

*On Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, be sure to read the Christmas story, Luke Chapter 2
before opening presents. Attend a Christmas Eve service together as a family. Go out and look up at the stars before bedtime. It is a very special night--the night our Savior was born!

Love Came Down At Christmas

May the wonder Christmas surround you and yours. Don't be misled by all the noise, glitter, and commotion of our world--rest in God's love and enjoy "being" in His presence this Christmas.