Author: Kelly Girl

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky   Philippians 2:14-15

My boys and I decided to go on an adventure while my hubby was working last week. I was going searching for emeralds, and my boys were just going searching! I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out since we had only been to this area one other time. I figured why not give it a try since my boys are older and I have a GPS system in the vehicle. What could go wrong?

We sent my hubby off with a wave and loaded into the vehicle for our grand adventure. Did we have bug spray? Check! Did we have warm clothes? Check! Did we have money? Check! Did we have the address? Check! Did we have boots or waders? Check! Did we have food and bags for our finds? No, that would be our first stop.

Off we went to the grocery store to complete our checklist. Our lunches looked pretty promising, and since the temperature finally climbed out of the twenties, it was time to go wade in a creek. Yes, I said a creek…in the cold. Again, what could go wrong? We typed in the address, and with the help of two teenage navigators, we were ready. I have to say that we did great getting there. We only missed a couple turns!

When we arrived, we patted ourselves on the back…just for arriving. What can I say, we must celebrate the little wins too! Reason number two for celebrating was because there was hardly anyone there. Certainly not one person in the creek, giving us the whole thing to ourselves. We were brilliant going when we did! We paid and shuffled our way to the water in all our gear because we had some gems to find.

What a fun time searching the creek we had! I was thinking that I was so silly ever considering not taking the boys without my hubby. When what to my wandering eyes should appear? A son in the water sitting on his rear! Well, that wasn’t planned. Why were the extra clothes missing from our checklist? We were just starting, and I couldn’t let him be cold. It looked like we were cutting this trip a bit short.

There were several things that shocked me. My oldest didn’t outwardly roll his eyes and complain that he wasn’t near ready to go. My youngest insisted that he was fine and wanted to keep going for a bit more. I even came up with a game plan! We would make our way back to the beginning just doing a little looking here and there. We’d be hungry by then anyway. We considered going back to the hotel to get a change of clothes, but it was too far away. Everyone kept a good attitude and it wasn’t a big deal.

We started heading to the vehicle when one of the workers asked what we found. The excitement was great as we looked at our bags, but we had no idea what we were looking at. Since he wasn’t busy with other people, he was willing to go through everything we found while we labeled each thing. He was so kind and amazing! He loved us being interested and we wouldn’t have had this chance if the creek mishap hadn’t occurred.

Something that seemed like a disappointment turned out to be a blessing, even if my youngest might have disagreed at the time when he was pouring water out of his waders. We thought his rear was wet but didn’t realize water actually went inside!

My boys were amazing our whole adventure but when they were coming up with plans to get my youngest dry, I had to intervene. No, he couldn’t walk into the hotel in long underwear! No, he couldn’t ride back in his underwear! And, no, he couldn’t strip down in the parking lot! I ran into a store right down the road (should’ve done it as soon as it happened) and got him a new pair of pants. Time to head back.

As we were laughing like crazy about our adventure, our GPS stopped working. We don’t know why, but it was on strike. After all we went through, do you really think we were going to let that spoil our day? No way! I’m thankful for cell phones that will give directions. The boys did pretty well helping me navigate home. We only missed a couple turns!

What made that day special? Was it finding gems? Nope! Was it having everything perfect? No way! It was the memories I made with my boys and the amazing attitudes of everyone involved. It was one of the best days ever!

I don’t understand why we can’t be kind instead of being miserable. I don’t understand why complaining has taken over gratitude. I don’t understand why we can’t search for the good. I don’t understand why we choose to be miserable when we can laugh. I don’t understand why we can’t find something good during challenges. I might not understand why I act how I don’t want to, but I’m determined to change.

I know our adventure could’ve turned out much different with a flip in attitudes. It’s not always our actions that change the outcome. Sometimes it’s simply our reactions to situations. The shining gems were secondary that day. My boys and their attitudes are what sparkled brighter than the gems.

I challenge you to be the one to meet everything without grumbling or complaining. Even when you don’t understand why you’d be kind when everyone is being miserable, try it. Then try it again. Then again. Don’t give up and keep trying!  Start helping those around you laugh instead of being miserable. Start shining among those around you like stars in the sky. 

Remember, it’s not the plan, it’s the attitude for the adventure that determines the outcome!

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:28-30

A couple weeks ago we visited Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where the Union and Confederate soldiers saw intense battle during the Civil War. A place where the monuments stand tall in remembrance to bloody and horrific fighting of brother against brother. It wasn’t our first time visiting, but it had a different feel to it. We’ve studied and focused so much on the history of that area that there wasn’t even a doubt that we’d learn more about the past of the United States through this trip.

Have you ever had a plan that didn’t turn out quite how you thought it would? This was my trip. It started out quite normal by finding a captivating, new way to dig deeper into history through a different type of battlefield tour. We’ve walked the roads and woods, studying and learning through the eyes of a soldier, and we’ve done the auto tour. I’ve even taken a bus tour years ago, but this trip found us using iPads that followed the self-guided auto tour stops. The guys in my family found them incredibly educational and interesting.

I designated myself as the driver. This helped me take a step back from the pain and sadness that was flowing so strongly through me at the many lives lost on those hallowed grounds. I struggled with understanding what was going on during this trip that was different than the others. As I was driving and seeing my guys getting immersed into history, I felt God pulling me out of the overwhelming emotions and pointing me in a whole other direction.

Growth in knowledge, wisdom, faith, kindness, understanding, relationships, or many other areas of learning is always a goal and expectation when taking one of our trips. I was thrown a curveball on this trip. Expecting to gain knowledge on history, or even wisdom in leadership, you can imagine my surprise when I realized God had a different plan for me. My hubby and boys were learning about the past, and I was being shown the present and future.

As I was parked at auto stop 2, the Eternal Light Peace Memorial, God took my focus away from the voices on the iPad to the view in front of me…the people. There was a group from a bus standing on the terrace taking pictures. It was time for them to leave, and I watched one man after another give assistance to the women. For the frailer women, there was a man on each side of them.

My eyes were opened to see that the men offered more than an arm to those women. They were the heroes of that day. No, they weren’t giving their lives for their beliefs as the men who stood there did in 1863, yet they were representing the love and kindness of the Eternal Light at this Civil War monument that is also a peace monument.

You see, I saw how men of character should treat women. Not just that, but how humans should treat humans. While visiting the Eternal Light Peace Memorial, they showed the Eternal Life Light that lives within us. Just as the flame in Gettysburg can be seen 20 miles away, the Light within them was visible far beyond what they would expect. There was peace radiating from those kind acts.

Before anyone gets huffy about how strong women can be, I agree. It doesn’t mean that men can’t be chivalrous though. I was so surprised when I looked more into this memorial to American heroism to find it has relief sculptures of two women and an American eagle. Hmmm…

Michael Panhorst wrote, “Gettysburg’s earliest monuments are funereal; they mourn the dead. But most of Gettysburg’s monuments were placed between the twenty-fifth and fiftieth anniversaries of the battle. They commemorate the service of survivors as well as the fallen, and a few monuments celebrate the peace and reconciliation that ultimately resulted from the war.” I had the privilege to see the peace and reconciliation side.

The inscribed motto on the memorial is Peace Eternal in a United Nation. Before the 1946 Paris peace conference, President Truman said, “That is what we want, but let’s change that word (nation) to world and we’ll have something.” How true! I saw how that starts while I was in front of this memorial really seeing the people. Peace and heroism have to do with us as individuals, and it starts with how we treat the person next to us. This leads out from you and me and eventually leads across borders and oceans to all around the world.

If God has the whole world in His hands, I’m glad to know that I can’t be snatched out. I’m relieved to know that Eternal Light gives me eternal life, and Eternal Light allows me to shine onto others in peace and kindness.

One more thing! Remember how I had it in my mind what the purpose of the trip was? My lesson came in a different form. Yes, there are heroic stories found all throughout Civil War lessons, but stories of heroism are just as alive in the present. When I was ready to learn more about history, God was ready for me to learn more about life.

There was an interesting visual I was given recently. It was of a delta. I was told that there’s more than one path from a river into the ocean. There are many ways to receive treasure from God. The path the Lord takes us on isn’t always straight. Sometimes we’ll go sideways. This doesn’t mean we’re going the wrong way, it means there’s something else to learn or someone else that needs our help along the way to the ocean. To eternal life.  My path might have been a bit different on our Gettysburg trip, but it was necessary for me to take!

I challenge you to let your light shine for all to see many miles away today, tomorrow, and for all eternity.

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13

While studying Fort Ancient, we saw the amazing mounds that were built in Ohio many, many years ago. There was a path through the woods that we were exploring. One of the things that stands out in my memory were the spider-webs! My oldest son was willing to take the lead to plow through them first. What my thoughtful, brave one didn’t realize was that his height allowed him to walk under quite a few, while my false sense of security allowed me to be blasted in the face by an almost imperceptible force of strands!

Chaos ensued. There may have been a few dances done in the middle of the woods where anyone coming upon us could have thought we were somehow doing a dance of ancient times. This wouldn’t necessarily be an issue now because not only is he taller, he’s grown in the way of learning. He now knows to hold a stick up in front of him so that he doesn’t get a face full of spider-webs.

Webs of shame, guilt, condemnation, struggle (and so many more) are all chains that need to be broken in order to take you into freedom. Are you ready for them to fall off? Do you recognize that they’re living somewhere down deep in your soul where you don’t take the time to examine the links that are keeping you from your freedom? They are hidden away from the world and even from your own thought process. They are buried, and until God reveals them, you aren’t even aware they’ve been hindering your process…your greatness.

Don’t you think it’s time we examine those dark areas that aren’t allowing clear thought and freedom? When will they stop being the wall blocking us and become the driving force into breakthrough?

Do you feel my excitement? Are you ready for the journey? Where will it take us? Will we still face the unpleasant experience of a spider-web in our face? It isn’t about the easy sometimes. There may be struggle. Sometimes the pain isn’t when we’re oblivious to the chains that are holding us in place because we don’t understand during that point. All we feel is a discomfort leading to frustration knowing there’s something more but finding it often out of reach. It’s normal…we’re used to them.

Why look for trouble, right? Yet, we can feel SOMETHING that isn’t quite right. We struggle to understand what the problem is, so we can fix it. We seek guidance without direction. We are seeking guidance either without taking account where we started from or without a clear vision of where we’re going.

Life is a journey. What kind of journey we experience is partially up to us. In God’s time, He reveals the areas that are holding us in bondage. Have you asked for that revelation? We think we’re doing well when suddenly we feel like we’re running into a cartoonish spider-web. We can see through, but something is holding us back. We can, with some difficulty, take steps forward, although it clings to us causing a haze over our eyes. We can keep moving; however, it’s hindering our clear direction and we’re fighting those strands that no one else can see.

Then, the revealing takes place maybe even with one word. Sometimes, if you’re like me, you finally catch on that there’s one word being brought up over and over again. I think didn’t I just hear that? Didn’t I just feel that? Didn’t I just get the nudge to buy a book that teaches on that? The revelation begins! I realize that there’s something specific that I need to focus on, work through, and break the strands of the web or links of the chain that slows me down, creating chaos in my life.

My word…shame. What am I feeling shame about? Again, I’m not positive. I’m just starting the journey. I will say that last weekend while sitting around a fire, I shared with my family about my revelation and what’s been bothering me. Did you know that they all admitted to feelings of shame? Is this something that’s more common than I realized?

I believe my shame is the failure of not meeting another’s expectations and internalizing that as a lack on our part. Maybe even more so, it’s a feeling of not meeting our own expectations.

If you’re feeling at all like I was feeling (that sense of uneasiness, lack, uncomfortable frustration, running into cobwebs), I challenge you to seek revelation of the cause. Then, the journey to freedom can begin because knowing can be growing!

The builders of the mounds wanted to be higher and able to see. They wanted to get closer to God and be seen by Him. I asked how it was different than the Tower of Babel. Simple. They just wanted to be seen by God, not get to God. Let me tell you about our God. He is El Roi. The God who sees us. The issue isn’t with getting God to see us, it’s with breaking the chains and removing the webs of shame or whatever is keeping us from seeing God. Our stick to hold in front of us…Jesus. He will break through every barrier and bring to light everything holding us back.

I was taught that too many of us see a web as being a bad thing. If that’s the case, I ask you why are you being the fly instead of the spider? I’ll ask you what was brought to light to me. Why aren’t you seeing a web as a source of protection instead of a trap? Today, be a spider and start trapping instead of a fly getting trapped. Trap love, trap joy, trap peace, trap patience, trap kindness, trap goodness, trap faithfulness, trap gentleness, and trap self-control! Today, trap the devil!

Are you willing to go on this journey with me? I’m not sure what it will entail, but I know it will lead to freedom we’ve never experienced before! El Roi will be with us.

But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. 2 Corinthians 7:6 (NLT)

As I was driving down the road yesterday, I saw the most peculiar sight and had to do a double take. There were several shirtless men…pushing a car…down the road. It wasn’t odd the guys had their shirts off because it was blistering hot here. Also, cars break down, so occasionally we’ll see a car being pushed off the road. What amazed me was how they were walking that car like they were taking a dog for a walk. They apparently had a destination in mind, and it wasn’t the side of the road. Did they realize they just past a towing service?

I was thinking back to this rare scene last night and received a very strong message of encouragement. It didn’t come from being thankful for not having a vehicle break down on me, it came from seeing a vehicle that was broken down. It came during a time someone was in a valley, and if you’re in a valley, this is specifically for you! It’s easy to be encouraged when things are going right, but what about when things are going so wrong you’re not sure what to do next?

What you do is you keep going when you’re struggling. As those guys were “walking” the car down the road, they would keep watch and let the vehicles behind them know when it was safe to pass them, but they didn’t stop. They kept going! Just like them, we can’t stop when things get rough, even if people are passing us. Let them pass but keep going!

I was curled up last night thinking about those guys working together with the car. My guess was the owner felt pretty frustrated and discouraged when it broke down. The guys that helped could’ve simply waited for him to deal with the problem. Even though it was around 90 degrees with high humidity, they showed their support. How encouraging for the guy to know that he wasn’t alone. I imagine it will be something they’ll look back on and say, “Remember when…”

Thinking back to how this could’ve played out gave me goose bumps! I feel the driver’s heart sinking as one more thing goes wrong. The car’s dead in the middle of a busy road. He’s low on money…or gas…could’ve ran out of gas…which could’ve been because lack of money. (See how I start coming up with all these scenarios?) He’s feeling like everything he does goes wrong. Cars are starting to back up behind him, and he’s wondering why he’s even trying.

He jumps out of the car just to stop the blaring horns behind him. He figures he’ll just get out of the way and give up. He starts pushing the car while trying to steer. Then, completely out of the blue, there’s a guy that jogs up to him and lends a hand while encouraging him by saying, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.”

Before he knows it, a second guy is behind the first telling him, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.”

From behind him comes a third guy saying, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.”

All he could hear was the encouraging chant, “Don’t worry. You got this. We’re with you.” The insurmountable issues he was facing suddenly seemed manageable with the encouragement he found.

You see, my family struggled through the day yesterday. It was ROUGH, and both my boys, and me too, were feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, and in a valley. Each of us struggled to understand the other. We might as well have been speaking different languages! I certainly want my boys, in their discouragement, to hear me saying, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.” Their dad telling them, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.” And their brother saying, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.” However, I know they aren’t always going to hear us chanting, “Don’t worry. You got this. We’re with you.”

We’re only human, and there’s going to be times when we disappoint them or aren’t around. While I hope we spend their lives going alongside them and cheering them on, I also know they need more. We all need more in those lonely days of discouragement. This was shown in a message I just heard from Pastor Groeschel as he was talking about 2 Corinthians 7:6 and how our God is the God of encouragement.

This is what I want my boys to remember, this is what I want to remember, and this is what I want you to remember. When you feel like you are in the lowest valley and you’re all alone, not hearing another voice of encouragement, drown out that beeping behind you to hear the most encouraging, strongest voices there are. Listen! Do you hear? The Holy Spirit starts speaking inside you, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.”

Jesus is walking beside you saying, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.”

God’s booming voice from above is telling you, “Don’t worry. You got this. I’m with you.”

Three in one will drown out all other voices, along with His angels surrounding you, saying, “Don’t worry. You got this. We’re with you.” How loud and beautiful this chant will be! Although, God will often send you a word or a person to encourage you, you’ll never have to wait on them when you have a God that is an encourager.

Please know how true these short phrases are:

Don’t worry. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

You got this. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

I’m with you. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

Remember too…For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12 With the crowd you have around you, stay encouraged!

Notice how our phrases begin. They aren’t DIY-do it yourself, they’re DYI-depend on your Immanuel. Immanuel literally means God with us. God is ALWAYS with you, so Don’t worry. You got this. Immanuel’s with you!

From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. Jonah 2: 1-2

I love the opportunity to be outside. We have a picnic table out the back that allows us to eat meals there, do schoolwork, or even nap. Yes, I’ve been found napping on the table. We’ve run into a few problems with this setup though. Unless we’re armed with towels, it’s very wet in the morning and doesn’t dry off until the sun is shining brightly around 11:00 in that area. By that time, it can get extremely hot because the table is sitting on rocks that radiate the heat, making it feel even hotter. Plus, the umbrella tends to house more wasps than keeps us cool.

I was thinking how we could fix the problem without putting money into building a gazebo or pergola. The idea of putting up a sun shade sail came to mind, but I’d have to order that. It dawned on me that we had a type of screen house that was to keep the bugs away or provide shelter from rain when camping. We hadn’t opened it up in years, but why not?

It wasn’t quite as I remembered. It was huge! It provided plenty of shade, and our picnic table fit under it with lots of room to spare. That was great! I sort of felt like I was sitting in a tent though, making it a little stuffy. I had a way to fix that. I included a box fan in our outdoor oasis. Problem solved!

How wonderful to be able to go out there and not get soaked when we sat down with our breakfast. We could even enjoy a fire while getting some relief from the sun. I know…fires are to keep you warm or cook over. I need them a little more often! We even spent many evenings using the picnic table for playing games, yet something wasn’t quite right.

Even though I was able to listen to the birds and be outside, it was pretty dark at the table, and I wasn’t able to see very clearly. When we set up our shelter, we figured the openings were best on the sides by the fire pit and the door. We keep those sides opened, but it’s all screen in the front looking into the woods with big, solid panels blocking part of the view. That screen starts messing with my eyes!

The clarity of the view when peaking out the side without the screen was so much better than trying to look through a maze of black lines. It seemed brighter, crisper, and a whole lot more beautiful. I was missing that from the front. I solved one problem while taking away one of the reasons for wanting to be outside to begin with.

We tend to want everything perfect. My screen house wasn’t. Does that mean it was a failure? No! It simply means that I needed to change my view. I needed to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative whether I turn the opening to the front or focused on getting to be outside when otherwise I wouldn’t be.

Did you recognize the line about accentuating the positive and eliminating the negative? I was told that Aretha Franklin had some powerful messages in the songs she sang, and I needed to go back and listen to what she was saying. I certainly have belted out a few of them myself around the house, but I didn’t remember this song that was so popular by many different artists. The lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer. Ms. Franklin recorded “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” on her 1962 album. If only we’d follow this advice, it would create a whole lot more R-E-S-P-E-C-T for one another!

I challenge you to look up the lyrics to that awesome song and do what it tells us Jonah and Noah did when everything looked so dark. Accentuate…wait that just doesn’t seem right…ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive, e-lim-i-nate the negative! Seriously, latch on to the affirmative, don’t mess with mister in-between, spread joy up to the maximum, bring gloom down to the minimum, and have faith or pandemonium is liable to walk upon the scene!

Let’s stop looking at what’s wrong and start looking at what’s right in our situations, in ourselves, in other people, and in the world.  I guarantee a whole lot more brightness will be seen!

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” Luke 11:24-26

My washer and dryer are in the cool, dark basement of my house. I visit it several times a day. You know…just to check on it, make sure it’s getting its exercise, and keeping clean. As I was heading past a pile of boxes that my hubby had to burn, I saw something black. After the surprise I got last year, I always take a careful look at anything that seems out of place. Sure enough, this wasn’t another false alarm. I had a snake. In my house. Noooo!

The boys were upstairs working hard on schoolwork, and even though I know they would’ve jumped at the chance to be manly men, I decided I wasn’t going to be a wimp about this situation. I admit that I came to this conclusion after I thoroughly checked it out and realized it was dead. It had even gotten stuck on some packing tape that was hanging from one of the boxes.

After ripping the tape off the box right behind the snake’s tail, I laid it into a smaller box to carry it upstairs. It was definitely giving me some goose bumps. I told the boys what I’d found, proceeded to get it out the door, sat it on the rocks, and went back to the table where my youngest was working.

It wouldn’t leave my mind, so I spun around on my chair to take a look at it again only to find it moving. IT WAS ALIVE!!! I just carried it from the basement and it was faking it the whole time. I thought it was dead! It could’ve bitten me. Now I was truly flipping out. Of course, this was a great adventure, especially for my oldest who then went running out to see what kind it was.

Do you ever feel like a situation happened, then God used that to show you something? Well, I might have received that message a while ago with some yellow jackets. I kept it and didn’t share it due to some insecurities that I thought were dealt with a while ago but popped back up just like the snake did. I realized tonight that if I don’t exactly listen the first time, maybe I’ll get a second chance to receive that message.

Please let me tell you about the yellow jackets. We had several that were constantly to the right of that same sliding door I took the snake out. I needed to get something from over there one day, and my hubby sounded a little panicky when he enlightened me that there were yellow jackets that could sting me. Thank you, Mr. Obvious. I informed him that I wasn’t bothering them, and they weren’t bothering me. It was true!

He decided to go on one of his missions to protect his family from harm that was facing us. The yellow jackets. He waited until a certain time at night, put on protective gear, and started spraying. He made it back alive. I went out the next day expecting not to see them, but that wasn’t the case. Hmmm. He tried it again with the same results. Next, I see a water jug filled with who knows what and a banana peel. Didn’t work. He decided the opening needed to be bigger. Nope.

The mission was heating up because there was a hole that he found. Spraying them was only temporarily solving the problem for a night, so he realized he needed to plug it up. He knew that would work, and it did. Every time I went outside, I was safe from the swarm of yellow jackets. A few days went by before I received my surprise. They were coming into the basement to die, but they weren’t completely dead yet! Where did they decide was their resting place? Around my washer and dryer.

This is what I learned. Those yellow jackets were like bad habits, insecurities, and all the things we know don’t belong around us but are there anyway. Do they actually attack when we’re not trying to get rid of them? Not really. The devil is quite happy the way things are when we aren’t trying to do anything about them. He likes those thoughts and other bad things that are swarming around dangerously, yet we don’t see the harm they could potentially cause.

When my hubby started spraying the yellow jackets, they flew away but just kept coming back when the hole was still available to them. They probably brought some friends too. He had to fill the hole so that there wasn’t a space left to welcome them. That was great, so what went wrong? The hole wasn’t cleared out before sealing it shut. They created more havoc before they were completely gone. They were actually more dangerous when they penetrated into our home. They stung!

The yellow jackets and the snake showed how dangerous it can be when we’re too lax about what gets into our home…into our thoughts, into our heart. We need to be careful that the holes are swept out and filled with something positive so we don’t end up worse than we started. Also, when we think those thoughts, habits, insecurities, and sins are dead, we need to be aware that we may not have truly snuffed it out all the way. That yellow jacket on the basement floor still stung my oldest. That limp snake I dismissed as harmless, could’ve easily bitten me.

I challenge you to replace the bad with something good. Certain things aren’t very good for me to eat. The list of what I should eat leaves me no room for the bad stuff. I’m too full of the healthy. What I eat is now a true choice because I’m not just hungry. When we say we aren’t going to have certain thoughts any more, I’m guessing that doesn’t necessarily work. It doesn’t usually work for me! I need positive thoughts to fill my mind, even if they’re written down and repeated so there isn’t any room for the negative to creep in.

It might not be easy, but it’s worth the extra work to finish the job. We don’t want our final condition to be worse than the first! Trust me…listen the first time.  Don’t be stubborn and wait to have a lesson repeated.

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” John 6:26-27

There are many ways to get stronger, gain muscle, and workout. I discovered a new way to get amazingly sculpted arms! It didn’t require me to buy any equipment, and I was able to use what was laying around the house. You could try it too. Stop! Don’t go running to grab some paper to take notes on my brilliance because it’s only two words. Sticky faucet.

After using the facilities, it was workout time. To wash my hands, I’d start flexing, pulling, and grunting to achieve the tone I was looking for. I’d follow that with pushing, allowing me to work on that definition, while getting my core involved. Look at that! I’m taking you into a full body workout. A few of these reps several times a day and I knew I was going to be in the best shape of my life!

I didn’t get to see the results of my labor because my hubby heard the routine and the grumbling…I mean the grunting from the hard work at the sink. He didn’t even need to ask me what was going on. He just said, “I’ll take care of that tomorrow.”

Tomorrow came and he remembered! I was quite impressed that he fixed it when he said he would. I was standing in front of the sink getting ready to brush my teeth when sure enough, it turned right on. “Ok, we’re rolling now,” I thought. I turned it onto cold, put the toothpaste on, and wet my toothbrush. When I put it into my mouth, something wasn’t quite right. It wasn’t very cold; it was actually pretty warm. I tried wetting it again, and it was hotter. What was I doing wrong? It said cold but was running hot! Oh huuubbbyyy…

After receiving a new promise of fixing it tomorrow, I realized that something I’ve been thinking on applied to this situation. Opportunity is a process. It doesn’t just happen in one step; it has phases. Are you wondering how my sticky faucet could be an opportunity? I’m just curious…did my hubby pray for his wife to respect him as he wished she would? I think I read somewhere that’s one of those things that are high up the importance chart for a man. Frankly, I think it is for everyone!

My hubby did something that gave me much respect for him. He saw a problem (though wasn’t perfectly clear on how to solve it) and was leery of the challenge ahead, but he stepped out and tried when he said he would. God knows that for me, seeing him following up on his promises creates great respect in me for him. To me he already succeeded when he got in there with the help of YouTube and got it done…even if it wasn’t perfect. It was a bonus when he followed through the next day and made the cold cold and the hot hot!

We often get hung up on opportunity being something handed to us without any responsibility on our part. We could be waiting on our opportunity for quite some time if we keep thinking that way. It comes to us more often disguised as a challenge with several steps.

Opportunity’s first phase starts with dreaming and asking God. It moves to a challenge that we don’t always connect with what we asked for. Then, it’s having courage enough to face the challenge. That isn’t it though! We also need to go through the unexpected problems that crop up within the challenge. Finally, it’s the follow-up to see if any readjustments need to be made.

The thing is, when we see the challenge, God sees the opportunity. We’ll see the opportunity for what it is after we’ve stepped out and accepted the challenge.

Sometimes with the blog, I see a challenge more than I realize it’s an opportunity. I’ll get to a spot where I need clarity on what to write. I start praying for my mind to get the fog away and to not say anything that would hurt someone’s walk with God.

I learned something today. It was about needing faith more than clarity. Clarity is kind of like logic, right? Faith over logic! Logic and faith don’t always work together. They are opposing sides, and it takes courage and faith to step into the challenge to keep writing even when I would prefer God to just zap the words onto the page. Can’t I trust Him to do that through me? If I mess it up, don’t I have faith that God can take care of that too because my heart is in the right place?

There are times when we must step out in faith to meet the challenges even if we aren’t sure what to do. I mean…pray first for sure! Sometimes I think that God wants more action and less waiting from me though.  If I wait for everything to be absolutely clear and perfect, I might never write another thing!

I just need to put pencil to paper or fingers to the keyboard more often and not worry about the words that will be written because I’m trusting in God’s guidance. I must write the words that come to mind instead of waiting for absolute clarity. There are times to halt, but I think that the lesson for me is to relax and trust…knowing that when more problems show themselves, more guidance will be given.

Today, don’t ask for more clarity, ask for more faith. Ask for the courage to step out and face the challenges that are put in your path. Remember that those challenges just might be the opportunities you’ve been praying for. Very truly I tell you, don’t seek opportunities for only selfish gain. It’s about Whose you are, not about who you are.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

Sometimes when we hear the word puppy, we imagine a tongue hanging out and lips curved upward. Many people would think of joy. I might groan and think of the little imps and hard work that goes along with them; although, I’ll be oohing and aahing along with everyone else if I can cuddle and hand them back! Now, if I say the word porcupine, what image comes to mind?

How many times have we heard people who take offense easily being referred to as a porcupine? I know I’ve even used that term before, but that’s being a bit unfair to the rodent if you ask me.

I was in the back of the house when my youngest came rushing with the news that there was a porcupine crossing our driveway. I had to see this! I was worried it would be gone by the time I made it to the window, but there it was in all its quilled glory. It was magnificent!

The porcupine gets a bad rap, and I’m going to stick up for them today. When I saw that porcupine, it gave me inspiration and motivation to become a little more like it. It seemed content and worry-free. Even though we’re not supposed to put human emotions on animals, it was what it projected!

Did I need to worry that I’d miss it? Nope! It was in no hurry, and it might’ve even been top speed for that porcupine. It was lumbering along as cool as can be with even a little attitude of happiness. I could just imagine it humming a little ditty while giving a little bop to its head as it’s quills swish, swish, swished across the driveway. That face and cute nose made me happy inside!

Several years ago, I took the boys to see mostly birds and other amazing animals to raise their awareness of the world around them. There was a porcupine there, and when we chose our favorite for the day…that was kind of mine. It wasn’t my imagination, they really are that cool!

As a matter of fact, a porcupine is rarely aggressive. Those quills sure can be dangerous, but they don’t shoot them like so many believe. They’re just trying to protect themselves. They’re even kind enough to warn away the predator or just plain nosy thing that gets too close. They stomp their feet, hiss, and shake their quills.

They are slow and become a target, especially for some nosy dogs. Probably the same ones we were oohing and aahing over! Yes, it isn’t all about the poor, misunderstood porcupine. I know they can be hard on trees and considered a pest, but so can we.

What did this teach me besides wanting to walk around like a happy, content porcupine? It taught me that the world isn’t always as I think. When I trust to see things differently, a whole new world opens up.

The Disney song by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga popped into my head last night, so I read through the lyrics online. I challenge you to take a few minutes and do that too!

A Whole New World

I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride

A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we’re only dreaming

A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I’m way up here
It’s crystal clear
That now I’m in a whole new world with you

Now I’m in a whole new world with you

Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky

A whole new world (Don’t you dare close your eyes)
A hundred thousand things to see (Hold your breath, it gets better)
I’m like a shooting star
I’ve come so far
I can’t go back to where I used to be

A whole new world (Every turn a surprise)
With new horizons to pursue (Every moment, red-letter)
I’ll chase them anywhere
There’s time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you

A whole new world (A whole new world)
That’s where we’ll be (That’s where we’ll be)
A thrilling chase
A wondrous place
For you and me

Wow! Put yourself in that song. We’re the princes and princesses…royalty because Who we belong to when we choose the King of Kings as our Father.

When I played the song, it started out with Aladdin asking Princess Jasmine if she trusts him. She had to make a decision. An answer was needed before they could proceed. That’s a decision we all get to make. We get to decide if we trust God, if we believe in Jesus. If we do, we get to see a whole new world. A place of peace; a new fantastic point of view.

Don’t just go along with something you’ve heard. Is the world really as you thought? Don’t take my opinions and others’ words as truth. Search it out for yourself and make an opinion that’s yours after you gather all the information. You might be surprised that something more than information will happen. That’s faith, and the question will be…Do you trust Him?

He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. Psalm 146:7-8

Ahh…contentment.  I’m sitting here drinking a hot tea in the stillness of my home while listening to the birds serenading me with their wonderful voices. Too much time without the noises of our madhouse makes me miss my family like crazy, but a couple hours makes me want to shout with joy!

My happiness doesn’t have anything to do with my guys not being here; it has to do with the opportunity to actually hear myself think. It’s rejoicing in knowing that my boys are being active and everything is all right in my little world.

The stillness that I crave seems to be getting harder to come by every day. That’s why as much as I want to crawl under a warm blanket right now and indulge in a bit of a nap, it is vital for me to soak this in before I need to be out the door again.

The busyness and craziness of appointments can make me miss the small details in life that have the biggest impact on refueling me. When I’m constantly on the go, I need to remind myself to slow down because it’s in those quiet moments that God opens my eyes to see his gifts to keep me going.

Yesterday, I was feeling overwhelmed and sat down on our back steps to breathe in the fresh air for just a minute when a black butterfly rested on the stones right in front of me. I always think of strength when I see those black butterflies. That was one of those little moments that God was reminding me that the strength was still right there!

Another time in the silence of the outside, my eyes were opened to a small stone that was beside me. It didn’t have any special color or shape, but it did have a tiny crack that ran along the edge. When I picked it up, it easily came apart. I had two halves that were amazing! They looked just like angel wings. That small stone has given me so much hope. It’s in the quiet that we are charged up for the busy times.

Do you know the wonderful chorus from the song “Open My Eyes, That I May See” by Clara Scott?

Silently now I wait for Thee,

Ready, my God, Thy will to see;

Open my eyes, illumine me,

Spirit Divine!

That hymn is a favorite of mine. Even in the constant movements that we face from day to day, it is essential that we get silent and allow God to open our eyes to His provision and His will.

It wasn’t too long ago that we had a pretty bad scare with my oldest. We went to the hospital again this past week to see what his insides looked like after he had some time to heal. We arrived praying and believing for total healing, yet the devil will always try to let doubt get in our heads.

After my son was in the recovery room, the doctor came to show us the pictures and let us know what he saw. He told us everything was pristine inside him…there was not one thing wrong! After he left, it was in the silence that the tears started flowing. I stayed strong throughout the whole hospital stay! Again, it was in the silence that my eyes were opened to the gift of healing he received from God.  Gratitude was the only way to describe it.

It’s in the little reminders that God sends when He opens our eyes that brings us joy and reminds us of His love!  Take a few moments in silence asking for illumination today.  Don’t allow your gift to go unnoticed.

The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot.  Proverbs 10:7

Are you one of those people who tend to make all kinds of resolutions at the beginning of the year?  Is that your time to recalculate and search for answers as to why things happened previously, but even more importantly, how you’re going to make a positive difference in the future? 

I might be a little different.  Ok, so my family might think that’s the understatement of the year but hear me out.  Is it really the best time to evaluate your life right after what many would consider one of the most hectic and emotionally charged times of the year?  Times like those can bring about good change or they can simply push you to make bad decisions.

When I take a deep a breath of salt air and get onto island time, then I’m able to take a good look at what I’m here for and where I’m to be going.  I ask myself, “Is what I’m doing lined up with where I’m going?”  That’s not always a fun thing to consider.

I was told that I needed to visit a lighthouse on this current quest.  The answers I was searching for might be located there.  Was it because there is some kind of magic that takes place in a lighthouse?  Of course not!  A lighthouse does help us see our surroundings from a new perspective though.

Did I find what I was looking for?  I suppose in a way I did, thank you for asking.  I prayed for my eyes to be open to see what I needed to see.  When I first got there, I was able to extend kindness to a couple people who were there ready to climb to the top.  My first lesson was that I could make a difference even while I was still at the bottom…at the beginning of a journey.

With my heart beating a little faster from climbing so many steps I realized lesson number two.  Even though I was walking in circles, I was climbing tremendously high!  The key to this lesson was to keep climbing while circling.  See, we can still get somewhere even when we’re going in circles.

I reached the top and stepped out onto the landing to be startled by a volunteer stepping out from behind the door.  He laughed and tried to assure me that he didn’t do that on purpose.  His enjoyment of my surprise left me questioning the legitimacy of that statement.  Lesson number three was to expect the unexpected.  In life, God knows what’s behind every door. Instead of worrying about what’s next, I can be assured that’s His grace is big enough to cover the unexpected.

That volunteer and I discussed the beautiful view.  What I thought I would see wasn’t the same as the reality of what was there.  There’s been destruction of trees in the area, and I thought I’d see that devastation.  What I saw was plenty of healthy forest that survived.  There it was.  That big lesson of climbing the lighthouse.  It was all about rising higher and getting a new perspective.  Lesson number four taught me that I don’t see the big picture when I see only the small area around myself.

After some insights about all the dead trees, I realized just how important diversification is to have a healthy ecosystem.  That was lesson number five for me.  This is the same with life.  If I only surround myself with people just like me, everything may seem easy and great to start out, but give it some time and instead of a healthy and lush life, I could be surrounded with an area that doesn’t produce an environment for growth.  I just might find myself amidst a big ol’ mess!

I thought I learned my lessons.  Good trip to the lighthouse.  Which one or ones were to help me understand what I’m here for and where I’m going though?  If I looked at it from my new perspective, they all were pieces to the big picture.  However, something was at the back of my mind that I was missing the main lesson.

I remember reading about there being holes in the lighthouse.  They never really stuck out to me before.  It wasn’t until they were highlighted that I paid any attention to them.  They were there for ventilation to prevent condensation from building up inside.  I had to think on this for a while.

Holes…holes…what did it all mean?  Slowly a light came on.  I’ve been feeling like I have holes in my life.  When people see me, they don’t notice the holes at all, but they’re still there.  It was just like the lighthouse! 

I’ve had this feeling that something has been missing.  Have I been trying to fill the holes because I thought they were a bad thing?  The holes in the lighthouse were put there on purpose.  Could my holes have a purpose?  Maybe it wasn’t because I was defective and something was wrong with me!  Maybe God put them there for a purpose.

If all the holes were sealed, what would happen?  Would I find myself with dampness and mold inside?  That wouldn’t be very healthy.  I think I found my big lesson for the trip!  I need to stop fearing the holes and start embracing that God knew what He was doing when He made me.

Those holes that I thought I should be ashamed just might end up being a blessing!  Sometimes life isn’t all about the next thing to change.  Sometimes it’s about accepting the holes in our lives.  I was trying to fill something that would’ve started to create rot inside me. 

Maybe some of the holes get filled eventually, and possibly new ones are even created.  As long as there is a dedicated spot that remains for the Creator who knows how to keep me at my healthiest, I don’t need to worry about any holes in my life.  God will work all the holes in my life for the good.

How about you?  Have you been fretting about the holes in your life that nobody else sees?  If so, isn’t it freeing to know that as long as God has filled the center of you, you can lighten up?  Trust that He’ll take care of everything in His time.  Oh, and if you’re trying to fill somebody else’s holes, you might want to stop that…pretty immediately.  Just saying; it will only frustrate you and them.

I challenge you to be careful with how you’re trying to fill your holes.  If it’s not through the righteousness of Jesus, you might start to see some rot starting to happen! He doesn’t need you to take over His job.  Remember…ventilation to prevent condensation!