Month: October 2016

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

I remember when the boys were little and we’d make jack-o’-lanterns on Halloween. We’d spread newspapers or a tablecloth down and cut the top of the pumpkin off so they could reach their little hands inside to pull all the goop out. They loved that squishy mess…boys! We would draw two triangles for the eyes, another for the nose, and a big smile on that pumpkin. What can I say? I hate scary stuff, but since I’m not artistic at all, it still looked a little spooky after it was carved.

Some of the pumpkins that artists do today are true works of art. It amazes me how beautiful those pumpkins can look after having a true master work on them. They have everything from presidents’ faces to superheroes and princesses on them. They have animals that are amazing in their detail, and there are even landscapes that leave you speechless.

When we tried to make those pumpkins ourselves, they didn’t turn out so pretty.  I sure am grateful there are pumpkins that true artists carve that I can admire.  And, if artists create beauty out of the pumpkins with those messy insides, the great Artist can create beautiful works out of our messy lives.

Just remember…don’t try to do the work that the true Master should be doing because it won’t turn out so pretty.  He’ll do a much better job!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Linus had his security blanket, but my security blanket was a stuffed dog. Posey was her name, and she was a ratty, yet beloved animal. She was so well loved and worn that she was a bit saggy in the body. She was the perfect shape to flop over my shoulder and go everywhere with me.

When I was in school, guess who had to go with me? That dog was happy to stay tucked in my backpack, but I knew she was there. By the time I started second grade, Posey was starting to not fit in there anymore. I couldn’t put new things in because of the room being taken up by something that would do well in being left at home.

As I got older and braver, Posey was relegated to a spot at home as my journey in life continued. A girl could show an unusual, adventurous side at amusement parks. I specifically remember one ride where we would walk into a big circle and just lean against a wall. It would spin until the centrifugal force pushed us and held us against that wall. Then, the floor would drop down and you were stuck like a gecko. The force was too strong to pull your body away from the wall!

There comes a time when we need to let go of the old comfort in order to make room for the new. If not, it’s like we’re being stuck on that ride. We’re held back and can’t move forward. As long as our lives are full of something that’s no longer in God’s plan for us, we’re tying His hands.  He can’t fill our lives with what he wants to bless us with because there’s no room. When we do that, we’re living in the past, allowing it to dictate our future.

Is there something that you’re holding onto out of comfort? Is God trying to move you forward in His will, but you’re being held back by the force of the old? Ask yourself…do the contents of my life (my backpack) match what God wants for me?

Is there an old grudge in there? Is there an old collection that’s taking up space? Are you filling it up with television or books so there isn’t time for the true goals that God has put on your heart? Is it full of negative friendships just because they’re comfortable? Just because they’re what you know, doesn’t mean they’re good for you. You may be asking God to bring certain people into your life, but there’s no room.

Take an inventory of what is filling up your life today. Do you need to let go of some of your things to make room for God’s things? Are you holding tightly to something just because it’s been your security blanket? Don’t allow any force to hold you back. Put your life in God’s hands. He has plans for you, you just need to make room for them. He won’t hold you against that wall. You’ll feel free again!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

One of the coolest places to have a little fire is on the beach. Watching the flames dance and the waves crashing on the shore is mesmerizing. This is a favorite of ours at Christmas. We start to anticipate the time away, focusing on God and celebrating the life he gave us as a family, a couple months before the holiday approaches. We have our own traditions that we look forward too. They include a beach somewhere and quality time away from the hustle and bustle of it all.

We pack quite a bit into December because we leave before Christmas is upon us. We buy presents, send out cards, participate in raising money for those less fortunate, decorate our house, watch Christmas movies, visit family, and make cookies like everyone else.

However, we’ve also made our own traditions during the Christmas season. We travel to a special place! We spend time together reflecting and being joyful over God’s gift to us as we pull away from home. Life slows down and we breathe.

Christmas Eve always brings the Christmas story and clams and oysters. The boys love to have ice-cream on that day too. I guess we are celebrating a birthday, but hot chocolate makes more sense to me! We enjoy singing Christmas hymns (although I can’t say it would sound like God’s heavenly angels) and seeing lights sparkling on the water.

On Christmas we love to get out into the world God made and go for a walk. It’s our quiet time with Him for reflecting and talking. Then, we have a fire on the beach. We save our Christmas dinner for the evening and have Christmas lunch. The boys love to cook over the fire…hot dogs…on Christmas…go figure. But, we do it!

The boys will try to fly a kite. However, if the wind isn’t just right, they don’t have much luck, no matter how fast they run trying to get it into the air. First lesson…no matter the plans we make and how meticulously we put it all together, there isn’t going to be much flying for us if we don’t have God’s breath of approval.

As I sit around the fire, I always keep a bodyguard near me. It’s not that I’m all that important, but I am to him.  He does take his job seriously. He allows others to get only so close before he’s taking a step toward them. If they don’t take the hint, he’s not afraid to tell them off. He’s bigger than the rest and will keep the perimeter clear of intruders. He never tries to make contact unless I openly invite him to share our Christmas meal. Second lesson…God is quite a bit like a bodyguard…like that seagull. He is always near, yet waits for us to invite him in.

When our fire is coming to an end, and if we happen to have our shoes off, our feet start to get pretty cold. We don’t like to waste one bit of wood so we wait until the fire has almost burned itself out. This is the time the boys like me to put the warm sand from around the fire onto their feet. I’ll scoop it up and pack it around them, making them nice and toasty again. Third lesson…when the world around us seems cold, there’s always God’s warmth to help us feel toasty.

Our traditions might not seem right to others, but that’s ok. We get away from the hustle and bustle not to escape Christmas, but to run towards God. We just don’t want to be distracted from the real reason we’re celebrating. Some feel closer to God and family staying where they are during the season, and that’s great!  There isn’t only one way to worship and praise God. He doesn’t have the same plan for everyone.  He made each person unique and special. What works for one family, may not be His plan for another.

I really believe that one of the main issues we face as children of God is a lack of respect for each other. We are quick to make judgements without understanding people’s hearts. We forget to see things through love. We see the outside, which looks different than ours, and stop there.

God loves us so much!  He could have made each one of us with the same thoughts as the next person, but He didn’t. He made us different and just because someone isn’t exactly how we are or what we know, doesn’t mean they’re wrong.

Don’t let judgement keep you from seeing the good in people. For God so loved the world…not a particular type of person…the world. Put on God’s glasses today and learn something from someone you’re about to judge. God sees through love, and we should too!

Desire without knowledge is not good– how much more will hasty feet miss the way! Proverbs 19:2

My cousin lives on a dairy farm, and I’ve always enjoyed going for visits. There were many days that his wife and I would head over to the barn while the guys were busy doing who knows what. I enjoyed helping with the cows, and her family was very good about sharing with me the different medical issues that would come up. It was always fascinating to learn about the cows and the calves. My fingers were crossed that a calf would be born while I was there!

One day a cow had a twisted stomach and they had a veterinarian there for surgery. Perfect timing! I could watch the procedure. The vet was so kind to take me through step by step letting me know what he was doing. I was focused on everything he was explaining to me, so I never paid much attention when the hubby came barreling into the barn.

My hubby saw that I was concentrating on something and was curious to see what I was doing. He came at top speed to where the surgery was taking place. The look on his face was priceless! He did the fastest about-face you would ever want to see and was out of there within two seconds.

We got a good chuckle out of that. I will tell you that he was extremely cautious at approaching us in the barn from that day forward. There has been more than one time that we grossed him out, and he was determined not to be caught unaware again.

I think we’ve all barreled into a situation that we wished we would’ve used caution…probably more than once…possibly daily! It could be an opinion given, a statement made, a criticism spoken, or an answer offered without taking the time to think things through, get more information, or consult God. We’ve regretted having rushed in so quickly.

I challenge you to not let your curiosity or quick answers get you caught in a place you don’t want to be. God doesn’t want us to speak first and think later!  He doesn’t want us to barrel into a situation that we might want to avoid.  Simply slow down and gather information first.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” John 20:19-21

The youngest and I took the pup and went to a parade today. It was a cold morning, around 40 degrees with the possibility of rain. We barely left the house when it started sprinkling. We decided to park quite a ways from the parade route in order to get some of the energy out of the pup before we got around all the people there.

We made it to Main Street and had some time before the parade was to begin. We were standing on a sidewalk with nowhere to step behind and just the road in front. People were constantly walking within inches of us. I had to take a deep breath because I’ve never attempted this kind of thing with the pup. Would he act like he was on a pogo stick and bounce every time someone new walked by us? What about the sirens and the yells from the University students? Oh no, what about the bands with all the noise? Breathe, breathe, breathe…me, not the dog. He was acting like he did this every day. Yes, there were a couple times where he started to get excited, but with a couple corrections he was fine. People were coming up to him and he acted like a gentleman. He sat like a statue with those who just walked by!

When I started hearing the parade come closer, I had to remind myself to relax and breathe again. All these new sounds had to be overwhelming to the pup, but he was a champ! It never fazed him. People were throwing candy and he never even moved! He got up when the drums went by with the first band, but was still under control. As the next bands went by, he ignored those drums! He worked through it. It was a complete success.

The pup was great, but the time with the youngest was even better! We laughed, talked, and got a bit wet together. We made memories this morning and again when we got home and tried to warm up! We met lots of nice people too.

Do you ever hide due to fear? I was listening to a sermon this morning and it was part of a series, but I only got through 20 minutes of the first part. It was glaringly obvious that God was speaking to me through the words of that pastor. He talked about when we are anxious and worried we need to remember Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” He didn’t say it once, but He said it twice.

Jesus has the ability to replace anxiety and worry with assurance, confidence, and joy. I know this, but there are times that I need reminded of that in order to apply it to specific circumstances. The pastor explained that the reason Jesus could do that was because He rose from the dead. He has power over life, sin, darkness, and death, so whatever we are dealing with, no matter how inconsequential or huge, it is small in the realm of His power. That pastor really made me remember what I already knew…Jesus can handle it! We just need to trust in His power and realize that He can work all circumstances in our life for our very best.

Sometimes it doesn’t have to be a big fear you’re dealing with. It could be as simple as running the silly “what ifs” through your mind. The youngest really didn’t want to go anywhere at first…what if I make him and he’s miserable? What if it rains? What if the pup is bad? It would be easier to stay at home. I felt like God was saying to me, “Wrong answer! Stop hiding due to fear. Stop the “what ifs” and give them to me. Peace be with you!”

I’m so glad I listened today because it was a blessing. It was handled, but not by me. It rained, but not terribly hard, and we had umbrellas! I replaced my anxiety and worry with Jesus’s assurance, confidence, and joy. I learned a very valuable lesson from God speaking through that pastor’s message.

Today, don’t hide due to fear. When God is nudging you to do something…just do it! Keep searching out what He wants from you. Pray, read what He wrote to us in the Bible, and listen to those whom He speaks through…thank you Pastor Chris!

“Peace be with you!” Keep those four important words close to your heart today.

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5

My boys were being timed on how fast they could run a mile with a group of their friends. Most of the boys took off at a sprint, but my guys have run before and knew how they can become burned-out before making it to the end.

The good-natured smack talk began. “Can’t you keep up?” and “Is that the best you can do?” was heard.

The oldest responded, “I’m setting my pace.”

The group of boys laughed.

While the other boys were too exhausted to keep up their original speed, the oldest was able to finish first. The youngest was running against older boys and did great too!

If only I would learn this lesson. I’ll go full speed ahead like a tornado and eventually die down. I need to be more like the boys in their Energizer Bunny wisdom so that I can just keep going and going. Unfortunately, I can be like my eyes…nearsighted.

Today, think about the whole race so burn-out doesn’t happen. This goes for your job, activities, school, and even family. When you try to fit everything in at once, your energy is going to wane. You’re not going to be able to keep up the pace and each area will suffer. Be realistic in what you can accomplish. Choose a few things to give your best to instead of several where you can only be mediocre.

But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. Jeremiah 7:24

There was a rocket launch the other night on television that brought back memories of getting a front row seat to one a few years ago. We were out on a boat with the radio tuned in listening to preparations for launch. It was such an exciting feeling to hear the countdown to liftoff! I’m sure it took an incredible amount of planning and coordination in order to make it a success. So many things had to line up for it to happen while we were on the water. The weather, mechanics, and logistics could interrupt the takeoff of the rocket by NASA.

Although so many hours were put into making the launch a success, what we saw only lasted minutes. I asked the boys what they remembered of the short time, and they took a few minutes to think about that sunny day. They remembered those men and women patrolling the waters, making sure those present were at a safe distance from the launch area. They remembered the noise and how loud it was. They remembered the big cloud of vapor and a certain smell from the rocket launch.

I learned the basics from the NASA website. It said that rockets burn fuel. Most rocket engines turn the fuel into hot gas. The engine pushes the gas out of the back. The gas makes the rocket move forward. In space, the engine has nothing to push against. This is when the rocket works by Newton’s third law of motion which says that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

I learned all about Newton’s laws a few days ago. I decided to move a few rocks to make a sign that is at the end of my driveway look better. I was doing what you could loosely term “landscaping”; however I decided to do it without my hubby’s help. Oh, no big deal, I could move those rocks without any problems. The first day I moved several of the medium sized ones without any issues. I just put a few in the wheel barrow and used my incredibly strong muscles to take them up the driveway. Success!

I had bigger plans though. We had some larger rocks (that my hubby later informed me probably weighed three times my body weight per rock) that would look great around the sign. The hubby may or may not have said that I wasn’t to try to move them without his help. I may or may not be a little “strong willed” and decided that I wanted to get it done. The “me want now” mentality may or may not have happened. I enlisted the help of the oldest and off to work we went. It was hard work, but laughing and fun certainly played into our work time. We got them all moved with only a few scratches and scrapes. It was time to put the final one into place. This is where good old Newton knew what he was talking about.

The laws of motion were demonstrated quite painfully in an experiment with two rocks and my finger. Remember, I homeschool and experiments are good. We like to actually see things rather than just read about them. It sticks in minds better. Always wanting to expand the knowledge of my children, it was time to give a physics lesson. I believe I focused on the first law of motion in this particular educational experience. It says that an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion, at a constant velocity unless or until outside forces act upon it. My finger was on that moving rock in motion until it ran into the rock that was already in place, being smashed in the process. How about that boys…did you see what I was trying to teach you?

After x-rays of my finger showed it wasn’t broken or fractured, I realized a couple important lessons. Yes, the bible says to obey your husbands. As hard as it is to say, lesson learned. Hopefully it sticks with me for a bit! Just like the rest of the Bible, this is true even when we fight against it. When our hubbies do love us and try to protect us, even when we don’t make it very easy on them, we need to listen as we want them to listen to us.

Lesson two had to do with my impatience (a whole other topic), which showed my stubbornness. I didn’t listen, I didn’t pay attention, and I paid the price. It set me back on all my jobs I wanted to complete because I had to take the time to get my finger checked plus run around with a bum finger for a few days.  Definitely not going forward…

What advice from God have you been ignoring? Are you going to wait until you are shown a negative reaction to your action? Be smarter than that and learn from what God tells you the first time. Don’t be so stubborn that you have to get a firsthand illustration!

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

Do you ever feel all churned-up on the inside? Sometimes you get out of bed and it’s like a storm has been spinning on the inside. You feel off and sometimes don’t even know why. Other times you could’ve had a completely irrational dream through the night, you could be dreading something that needs to get done during the day, or an uncomfortable situation that needs to be faced. It could simply be a Monday and it’s back to work or school.

Let’s take a look at storms around a beach. It’s always a great adventure to get up early the day after a storm has gone through and the water has been churned up to see what kind of treasures has been left behind. This is when you find some of the coolest seashells!

Another place to find treasures after something gets all churned-up is in the washing machine. There are times when pockets aren’t fully emptied and I miss something. I get treasures of coins, rocks, and amazing surprises! It’s what’s left behind after the cycle is over and things are calm again.

Not only can you get treasures from the washing machine, it also pulls out the dirt in clothes and leaves it behind.  A dishwasher is the same in getting rid of the gross stuff. We are left with nice, sparkling dishes! There could be stuck on food and germs, but not after all the agitation inside while being ran. They are left much cleaner than when they were first put in.

Having thought about this, being churned-up isn’t always a bad thing. No, it doesn’t feel good at the time, but sometimes it’s necessary in getting the treasures that have been locked away. Also, it’s sometimes necessary in pushing out the gunk to get sparkling clean again. It’s actually exciting to know that we could be on the edge of something new and great when that feeling comes upon us!

This is helpful to recognize, but how do we handle it as we are going through it? We face a decision during these times…a fork in the road. We could let it take over our attitudes, words, and thoughts or get through it with grace and dignity. Sounds good and we’re getting somewhere, but I still have the question of how we can do that.

Nope, drinking won’t help or ignoring the situation won’t help. That will just suppress it and nothing will come out of all that churning. It would be wasted. Worse yet, it will have to happen all over again another day.

Since I don’t have the answers and I know someone who does, I would start there. Say a prayer. God knows for sure what we’re going through even if we don’t. We may not even know how to pray about it. That’s ok…keep it simple. “God, I’m feeling all churned-up and it doesn’t seem logical, but there it is. I can’t wish it away, but I know you can walk me through it and you can help give me peace while it’s happening. I’m not asking you take it away, but give me courage and strength to hold me up during the storm so that I can find the treasure you have waiting for me when it’s all over.”

By doing this, we have already been given power.  Now we need to do our part and not dwell on those agitated feelings, even while we still acknowledge them. Remember…no pretending allowed.  We are working through things in a healthy way while trusting God to take care of the problems.

The storm has to blow over and the washing machine and dishwasher have to complete their cycles before the finished work can be shown. By sitting, watching, and waiting for them to be complete, we are dragging out the process. We need to get our mind on good, positive things to pass the time even if we don’t “feel” like it. We need to do it in spite of our feelings.

Today, focus your mind on the treasures waiting for you, not dwelling on the churned-up feeling that you might not even understand in the first place.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12

Our oldest was blessed with having fantastic teachers while he was in school from kindergarten to third grade. When he was assigned his teacher for second grade, we didn’t know anything about her because she was new to the school. As the time of open house approached, he became more and more excited to see his classroom and to find out how many classmates he already knew.

We entered the classroom to see a very young teacher fresh from college. She greeted us with an innocent type of enthusiasm and encouraged our son to look at the pictures of his schoolbooks. He glanced at us with a funny look on his face. He couldn’t understand why he’d just look at the pictures since he was in second grade, and had been reading for some time.

That night, my hubby and I talked to our son about how fun the school year was going to be and what a nice teacher he had. Unfortunately, we weren’t positive how productive the year would be if his new teacher was going to be focusing on things that had already been taught. We knew there wasn’t the experience that previous teachers had due to it being her first year in the school and a first year teacher.

His second grade ended up being a wonderful year! Our son’s teacher that year ended up being someone very special. She was a cheerleader, an advocate, and a committed teacher to her students. She showed more discernment than some teachers show in all of their years of teaching. She wanted the parents to be involved and to know what was going on in their children’s education. She was a fantastic communicator. She handled problems not by using a standard way of dealing with things, but with compassion and wisdom that doesn’t come from a college class or even experience. There was something more to her…a light that shined from her. It was as if a higher power was guiding her. One day I knew for sure; she was wearing a cross necklace.

I learned a few things from that teacher. First, age has nothing to do with wisdom. It comes from God. Second, actions are so much more powerful than words. The light that shined from her spoke so much more than if she would’ve preached about Jesus. She was a perfect example of living out her faith. I could see she had a calling. She was in God’s will and He had blessed her with wisdom beyond her years.

There are times when talking about God is important, even necessary, but more often than not our actions speak much louder than our words.

If you feel self-doubt today, as we all do, be confident in your calling from God. Open yourself up to be a vessel of God’s love and wisdom. This is the way that His light will shine out of you for all to see.

There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. Luke 12:2

WARNING: Cologne does not eliminate stink! This should be on every cologne bottle sold to teenage boys.  Just because one puts the cologne on after sweating, it doesn’t mean the stink disappeared.  The bad bacteria has to be scrubbed away in order to eliminate the odor.

Just like a teenage boy, covering a skunk in cologne does not change the fact that if the skunk sprays, it’s still going to stink. That special skunk smell will now just be mixed with the cologne smell; however I highly doubt we would even smell the cologne after such an incident.

When my great-aunt was in the army overseas she had a skunk with her for a short time. We’ve always loved to hear her stories of military life, but this is one I really got a kick out of. She decided to take the skunk with her onto base one day. She walked through the office with that skunk and saw calm, controlled military personnel go into a bit of a panic. She grinned, knowing the pet was “disarmed” and there wasn’t any danger of anyone getting sprayed, however she sure did love seeing the reactions.

It’s harder to tell what the inside of a person is like than that of a skunk. We go into defense mode as soon as we see that black and white little body. We have a healthy fear of being sprayed with just that image. There is no pretending for that skunk.  It can’t pretend it’s anything besides what it is. No, it doesn’t actually have the green waves coming off it as it’s walking around, but we know what it’s capable of.

People are a whole different ballgame. It’s harder to recognize if there’s a stink on the inside of people because it can be masked with a good looking outside. The outside can be sugar and spice and everything nice, but the inside can be quite “skunky”.

People can be more deceiving than skunks.  They can get pretty good at masking their true feelings. However, with skunks, just like with people, there isn’t anything we can hide on the inside while acting a different way on the outside that isn’t going to eventually be made known. Just like a teenage boy or a skunk, the stink isn’t going to be masked for long.

When you get mad, just like a skunk, it’s going to come out! Work today on letting your inside and outside match. Scrub away that bad bacteria and be genuine because eventually the stink is going to come out if you don’t.