Month: February 2017

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

I stopped in to see one of my aunts shortly after Christmas where she works. She gave me a hug and said, “You smell like smoke.” I told her that I was outside sitting by a fire a few days before and she gave me a little bit of an odd look. She seemed a bit perplexed because although campfires are quite normal for me, it was the middle of winter with snow everywhere.

Have you ever had someone call or connect with you in some way when you were struggling with something? You may not have even known what the problem was yourself, but you felt out of God’s peace. This happens all the time to me! The phone will ring or an email will be sent where someone senses something isn’t quite right and wants to know what the problem is. Sometimes I don’t even have an answer!

There was one specific day that I got one of those calls. I was told to get outside with a fire and get clarity. I have to say that I fully believed I needed to take the suggestion of those giving the advice; I trusted them. There was snow everywhere, but I was heading outside to sit in front of a fire and get some quiet time with God. I was bundled up and even had hand warmers inside my gloves because it was cold out!

I sat there looking down a path believing I was going to see a deer or something else coming out of the woods. I was trying so hard to focus on the world in front of me that I wasn’t paying attention to anything else. There were all kinds of branches and trees so I couldn’t see too far ahead, yet I just knew God was going to give me a glimpse of one of His creatures.

As I was sitting there studying the woods, I felt God telling me to look up. There was an amazing hawk soaring above me!  I could’ve missed it because I wasn’t looking up! I believe God had that lesson planned for me.

I feel like God was saying that when we keep our eyes focused on the world with obstacles in our line of vision, we see chaos, negativity, and problems. However, when we look up, we realize the world is much bigger than what we can see right in front of us. The rain comes from above that can wash our problems away. The sun comes from above that will shine on our face and warm those cold, lonely parts of us. When we look up, we see peace, positivity, and answers. When we look up, we’re expecting and believing!

When we focus on what we can’t see clearly, frustration occurs because we’re searching and not finding. We’re focusing on the obstacles…the trees. We need to see what’s between the trees and beyond the trees. Once our eyes are focused on above, those same woods that were right in front of us look so much better.

I realized I needed filled up with some alone time with God to keep moving forward with focus. I needed God to put things back into perspective. It’s amazing how we would never start out on a trip with an empty tank of gas, yet I used to do that over and over again every morning. We expect to fill the tank up over and over again in order to be able to drive across the country. What makes us think we can go on empty day after day?

After that special time in front of the fire, I learned how important it was to start on full every morning. My family knows it’ll go better for them to give me that time with God. They see that I’m able to give them so much more if I’ve had that necessary time to allow God to provide me with His love so I have it to pass on.

When I saw my aunt, she smelled smoke, but I smelled clarity! Withdraw often to places where you can look up and get a new perspective.

 

Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea– the LORD on high is mighty. Psalm 93:4

When I was young, we had a swimming pool that was often filled with friends and family. There was an inner tube that would be put into the center, and we’d stand up on it trying to “surf” with everyone making “waves”. It was difficult, and we’d really have to work in order to keep our balance.

I’ve never actually been surfing, and I’m quite fine with that. Keeping cool while walking along the shoreline with the ocean water splashing up over my feet…now that’s perfect! I have watched others surf and have found their ability to ride the waves without being crushed by them fascinating.

As I was learning about surfing, I found out most beginners fall off their boards due to the way they go from a prone position to standing. I was reading where the trainer called it crawling when they put a knee on the board first instead of just popping up all at once while getting the perfect stance. The crawling and the wrong stance seem to be why most beginners fall.

I was having a challenging day today where I sort of felt like I was a beginner surfer that was trying to ride the wave instead of letting it take me under. Not all days are perfect, and they can get a little rough. We don’t always have a red flag like they put out on the beach letting us know there are hazardous conditions!

I received guidance from a very wise woman I know. She once told me to be like a surfer on a wave. I was to stay above the swell and watch not to crash.

I read where you should practice over and over on land to get muscle memory for when you’re out on the water and the real wave (test) comes along. Isn’t that exactly what we need to do too? We need to get mightier in our faith so that when a wave threatens to take us under, we’re able to stay above the swell.

Learn and practice today to be prepared for the waves of tomorrow!

 

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:3

It was dark, dreary, and pouring down rain when I woke up. I figured I’d put on the pup’s leash and we’d go for our walk inside today by going up and down the steps and all through the rooms of the house. Apparently, the pup thought that was a stupid idea and made that very clear to me. He’d go a few steps, and then plant his feet and refuse to move. OK, I got it. I normally would want him to follow me and not be stubborn like that, but I kind of knew he was right. I hadn’t let anything stop my walks in forever, and we shouldn’t let a little, or a lot, of rain stop us either. We needed fresh air!

I put on some rain gear, grabbed my umbrella and off we went. I’ve been working on having a positive and optimistic attitude, but it was a struggle this morning. I gave myself a good talking to and was bound and determined to get myself out of that slump. I started wondering how I could get excitement for the rain. When I started searching, I found it!

All of a sudden there were a ton of worms on the road, and I realized it was a day for the worms! I started getting filled with energy for them and announced out loud, “It’s a day for the worms!” I did a little fist pump celebrating the rain and the worms. Now, this is the point where I realized the umbrella was in my hand and just might have startled the pup. I looked over to see how he was handling my exuberance, and caught him trudging along shaking his head. I know, you’re saying we shouldn’t put human characteristics on dogs, but I’m telling you he must have picked up that look of resignation from my hubby and boys.

I was really starting to get into this celebration of the rainy day. I had my own personal band walking with me. I had some swagger going on! My umbrella was the bass drum that played with every step I took. My rain gear was the maracas adding to the percussion line. I didn’t even realize all the moves that were in me as I was doing fancy dance steps so I wouldn’t step on those worms. Remember, it’s a day for the worms! Don’t worry; nobody realized how much they were missing out by staying in today so they weren’t available to give me THE LOOK. Well, unless they were peeking out their windows. If that was the case, I feel honored to have been their morning entertainment!

So there I was encouraging those worms not to give up because little by little they were making it across the road. I gave a few more fist pumps saying, “Go worms go!” I needed to be like those worms and just keep on going when the rain starts pouring down. I found a new motto: It’s a day for the worms! You’ll never guess what else was out today…a newt. Frankly, I couldn’t help all those worms across the road so they had to settle for me cheering them on, but I could pick up that newt and give it an unexpected boost. I really didn’t want to see it get ran over if someone did decide to brave the weather.

If things are looking a little stormy for you, declare from your mouth, “It’s a day for the worms!” Turn around the gloom into a celebration. Press on and get back your music! It’s God coming to us in a different way. See the positive and know that God can give you a little boost like I gave that newt. You might feel like you’re moving along as slow as those worms, but hey, at least your moving!

It’s a day for the worms! Put a little fist pump in there…I don’t think you can do it without smiling.

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. Proverbs 13:4

Some of our pillows were starting to look a bit like flat pancakes. When we started folding them over to give us some more cushioning, it was a big hint to buy new ones. It was confirmed when the oldest specifically asked if we could go to the store to get him a new pillow. He especially wanted a firm one. What teenager pays attention to his pillow?

We stopped into a department store while running errands one day and headed to the bedding section. The choices were overwhelming! Since the oldest got the ball rolling, I let him choose his pillow. He considered his sleeping position and felt several before deciding on the winner. It looked good to me, so I got one for all of us. I’ve never had a king pillow before; it was huge! It took me a little while to get used to it because it felt like I was sitting up to sleep!

I must’ve been thanked a hundred times. What had I been doing to my family with those old pillows? Obviously, I put off buying new ones for way too long. I wasn’t paying attention to how uncomfortable we all were. I never even realized I was procrastinating, but by the response of my family, I should’ve gotten them quite a while ago! Everyone is much more comfortable and sleeping a whole lot better.

Those pillows make me think of old situations that God is ready for us to replace, and even though we may feel uncomfortable, it’s easier to procrastinate. Unfortunately, things only deteriorate because God is warning us, but we aren’t listening to His urgings.

Is there a situation that you feel God is trying to get you to change? Maybe there’s an area that isn’t allowing you to sleep well at night. This is different than getting out of your comfort zone. I’m talking about a stirring in your soul…a warning.

Is God really saying that it’s time to move forward and onto a new level, but you’re procrastinating? If you’re refusing to move on from the old one, you’re just going to become more uneasy and you won’t be able to progress until you take action. Diligently search out the plan God has for you.

Instead of being so uncomfortable night after night, I just had to spend a few minutes and a few dollars to be richly supplied with good sleep. If you make a bit of a change like I did, you’ll see how much better you can sleep at night again. Don’t procrastinate, follow God’s leading today!

 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

I’ve been taking the pup on a different route than normal every morning due to the muddy mess along our normal path. I have to admit that I like my comfort zone and do well with routines. You could say that I get into a comfort zone coma.  However, I don’t grow nearly as much as when I get out of that comfortable area that is known so well to me. I’m not doing anything crazy; I’m just turning right instead of left when leaving me driveway. It’s the road where I live!

The other day, I’m barely starting out, yet I’m completely transfixed. There was a turkey hanging out with horses! At first I thought there was something wrong with my eyesight, so I blinked a few times. Nope, it was still there. I’ve seen so many turkeys in my lifetime, but none that looked like that one! Obviously it was domestic since it slowly came right up toward me. I got out of the trance I was in and decided we probably had a close enough encounter.

As soon as I got home, it was research time! I had to figure out what kind of turkey I came across. When I told my hubby about the Bourbon Red turkey, he told me to be careful because his grandpa had one that was so territorial that it wouldn’t let the UPS driver out of his vehicle. How ‘bout that…a guard turkey!

This morning when I was on that new route again, I encountered the neighbors down the road. I’d seen them often, but we always just exchanged a little wave. By golly, I learned all about their animals today. I’ve passed their horse (different from the turkey’s friend) for the past eleven years and never even knew that calm horse was a stallion! I also got to know a little bit about those incredibly nice neighbors.

When I did something outside of my normal routine and comfort zone, I got to experience and learn new things. They might not have been life changing, but they were different. In both of those cases, I expanded my knowledge, which means I grew! Brian Tracy said, “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”

I challenge you to do something that takes you out of your comfort zone. You’re much more likely to grow that way. When you do find something interesting, take the next step and find out about it. Remember that God will be with you wherever you go.

 

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Romans 10:9-10

I remember one of the most exciting times in elementary school was when we’d hop on a bus to go to a local church for what was called Religious Release. Wonderful ladies would have these felt figures and flannel boards that would have me engrossed in a story from the Bible. Then, they always had a treasure chest, and if your seat was called, you got to pick something out. I get excited just thinking about it today! Those ladies knew kids and how to keep their attention. That’s wisdom!

The character trait for today is Wisdom-making practical application of truth in daily decisions (definition from characterfirst.com).

We had a closing prayer every time before heading back to the school. I always went to Sunday school and church, but I never heard that prayer asking Jesus into our hearts before. I know now that it is called the sinner’s prayer or the salvation prayer. There isn’t an actual prayer for that in the Bible, but it’s based off of Romans 10:9-10.I always felt a warm feeling come over me whenever we had the chance to ask Jesus to come into our lives and hearts.

It’s awesome to have the ability to confess our sins, invite Him in, and to know that we’re never, ever alone again. It’s not something we have to ask for over and over again because one time is enough. No begging necessary…just repent, believe, and receive! It isn’t about the exact words, it’s about what is in our hearts and being genuinely repentant. Isn’t that amazing?

Here’s Billy Graham’s that could guide one that doesn’t have the words, but has the desire and faith to ask Jesus to come live in their heart: “Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name. Amen.”

I’ll never forget the joy when my own two boys wanted Jesus to come live in their hearts. I love knowing that they’ll enter the kingdom of heaven. It’s a time of celebration when we know we’ll be living our lives with our own personal guide! A guide to give us the wisdom we need in applying our character traits in daily life.

Thank you for going on this journey of character growth.  I can’t ask my children to do something I’m unwilling to do, so here’s an acrostic poem that I made for us.  I challenge you to grow in wisdom with our character traits and be:

Willing to keep your mind open to new ideas.

Increasing in knowledge on a daily basis.

Strategically focused on the course we’ve set.

Determined to lift others up while not being pulled down.

Opened in your heart to hear God’s word.

Motivating ourselves with an optimistic outlook.

 

so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, Colossians 1:10

I was trying to get into a safe the other day when the code wasn’t working. Ok, so maybe the code wasn’t the problem, and the programmer was the issue. Well, that isn’t exactly right either. Do you really need me to admit it? Fine, I was the problem. I couldn’t remember all the numbers. I could only remember some of them, and it kept beeping at me! Then, I was afraid it would blow up or something because I got it wrong so many times. Apparently, I just wasn’t allowed to try again.

All of those shenanigans threw me back into time when I had to deal with a combination lock on my locker. I’m telling you that lockers and locks still give me anxiety just thinking about them. I know you’re on the edge of your seat, while impatiently waiting to hear my horror story from high school, but I don’t have one. At least I don’t remember any traumatic experiences happening back then.

Why the lock issues? Dreams…nightmares! I’m thrown back into high school, and I can never remember where my locker is located. When I finally find it, I can’t get into it because of that crazy combination lock. I remember part of it, but no matter how hard I try to think, it’s impossible to remember the whole thing. It stays locked. Crazy, right? I’m sure someone could have all kinds of fun interpreting that dream, but I haven’t actually had it in a long time. Maybe I’m under control.

The character trait for today is Virtue-the moral excellence evident in my life as I consistently do what is right (definition from characterfirst.com).

Having virtue is simply having our positive character traits! The amazing thing is that all our character traits are intertwined. We need sensitivity to have discernment. We need faith to have security. We need justice to have dependability. We need generosity to show benevolence…the list goes on and on. All our character traits work together, and in order for them to grow, we have to practice them. They need to become our habits.

Think back to the locks I was talking about. They didn’t work when I only had part of the combination. We must combine our character traits, like numbers on a lock, in order to open the door to a life that’s worthy of the Lord and pleases Him in every way. This is how we grow and bear fruit!

Let’s be determined to live up to our potential and never give up on doing the right thing. We’ve been given a gift of THE perfect example that we can model our lives from. I don’t know about you, but it seems like such a waste to not unwrap a gift given just for me. Rise higher and unwrap that gift already!

 

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25

My hubby always says, “Thank God you can’t lie. It’s something I don’t have to worry about.” He really does mean it, although he gets a kick out of watching me try to get one over on him. It’s pretty much impossible. I can’t look him in the eye, keep a straight face, or not giggle as I try to tell him a story. Even if he starts to fall for it, I have to confess in less than a minute…I can’t help it!

The character trait for today is Truthfulness-earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts (definition from characterfirst.com).

This is one of my all time favorite character traits. I think relationships can thrive on truthfulness and fail for a lack of it. As a family, I think it’s important to be open and honest at all times. When we do this, we never have to question what we’re being told by one another. It allows us to have each other’s back without question. When there’s a solid foundation of trust, nobody will even be able to make a dent in it. It’s the best way to keep a family in tact and healthy.

Our number one family rule is to tell us the truth. Stephen Covey said, “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” This is what our first family rule looks like:

1. Tell the truth.

-This is the glue that holds family relationships together.

-When you tell us something, we can believe it if you stay honest. We can also count on you not to leave out important information that you know we’d like to know. We expect you to tell us the truth even if it may get you into a bit of trouble. Admit when you are wrong.

I don’t know where I found the second part, but I thought it was brilliant for our family rules years ago and still do!

Each and every person deserves to be told the truth. It can take quite a bit to earn someone’s trust, but it can be taken away in a snap by being dishonest. Show your character today by speaking truthfully. There’s no such thing as “a little white lie” in my opinion. There isn’t a difference between a fib and a lie either; deception is used in both, and they crumble those walls that you want glued tight.

Remember that the first time a lie is told, it feels really uncomfortable and the guilt is strong. The second time, it isn’t quite so bad. It slowly seems to be ok to do, and you’ll actually start to believe your own lies! Also, be very careful in the presence of those who lie. It can seem not so bad when you get used to hearing untruthfulness happening around you.

Mark Twain said, “Always tell the truth. That way you don’t have to remember what you said.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t need to waste brain space!

Keep this quote in the front of your thoughts today: “The truth doesn’t cost anything, but a lie could cost you EVERYTHING.” -Unknown

 

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

I love it when a doe brings her fawns out for their playtime on our property. It all starts with a glimpse of a doe moving slowly along the path. She keeps stopping and looking back. When I see her doing that, I start getting really excited and pay close attention. There’s a good chance that the year has brought another generation of fawns into our world. I have to focus to get a peak of those little ears poking out above the ferns. When they emerge from the woods, it’s playtime for those little fawns! They romp and play without all the worries that mama has.

Those new parents all seem to have the same look on their beautiful faces. It’s a look of patience, tolerance, and acceptance with a bit of weariness thrown in. The little ones have a joy of life with an untamed energy pouring out of their tiny bodies. They run around kicking up their heels as Mama goes about her business of finding a tasty snack consisting of my plants and flowers. She isn’t trying to get them to match her maturity, yet there’s no doubt who the leader is. When she leaves, they follow.

The character trait for today is Tolerance-Accepting others at different levels of maturity (definition from characterfirst.com).

That mama deer is very natural in her treatment of her babies. She accepts the stage they’re in and quietly guides them to the next level by her actions. She leads by example. We could learn so much by watching God’s amazing creatures in action!

As Christians, we want everybody to be exactly where we are in our walk of faith. Most of the time, the heart’s in the right place.  We think we know what will help people because it worked for us.  We want to help, but we need to help like that mama doe, instead of being like a yippy, high-strung dog.  We need to show humbleness and gentleness.  This is more likely to encourage forward momentum.  Forcing our ideas that repel people from God working in their lives is the last thing we want.

I challenge you to take a lesson out of a mama doe’s playbook. Wisdom needs to prevail, and in this area, we should lead by example. Remember, there are people out there wishing we’d finally get what they’ve been trying to tell us.  We want them to be accepting of us without getting too frustrated themselves.  Lead by actions, talk when asked!

 

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6

My great-aunt would always have gifts and money for us each year on birthdays and Christmas. This past Christmas was a little different; she was cutting back to what was necessary. That didn’t bother us in the least and we’d been hoping she’d do that for years now. We received a card that had a wonderful note that was personal and encouraging. It was a card that I’ll treasure and one of the nicest gifts we received at Christmas.

I received a surprise letter on Valentine’s Day from my oldest son. It was wonderfully written in his beautiful handwriting and brought me to tears. He expressed his appreciation for me and really spoke from his heart. He told me that I could always keep it and pull it out to read even when he’s not living at home any more. It will always be one of the most important letters I’ve ever received.

There was a day when I received quotes and wonderful recipes in the mail from halfway across the globe. I made copies of the recipes, and put everything in a binder that I keep right beside my bed. They’re so, so special to me. The same couple made sure that we had an amazing letter when they knew they wouldn’t be around much longer because they were so sick. They spoke to each one of us in that letter so that we were getting their encouragement and advice even after they were gone. I was humbled that they were thinking of our family even when they were so sick. What a gift!

The character trait for today is Thriftiness-allowing myself and others to spend only what is necessary (definition from characterfirst.com).

We could’ve gone all different ways with our character trait for today, but I felt like gift giving was on my heart. I’ve received amazing gifts that I’m so appreciative of, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to give things that are more expensive. I know that when we set a price limit on gifts though, that’s when the creative, imaginative, and heartfelt gifts are exchanged.

It isn’t always about what’s spent, but about the love that is given. We can sow generously through gifts even when we’re thrifty. By the way, I’m not saying to stop or decrease the amounts of your donating gifts!

I recognize this doesn’t work for everybody and that’s ok, but I want to challenge you to talk with those closest to you about their feelings on coming up with a plan to be thrifty on gifts. I think you’ll be astonished to know how well your loved ones really know you. Coupons for services are also usually appreciated! Get creative!