Kelly Girl Thinks

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. Revelation 21:21

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:18

Do you know what’s been on my mind lately? Ha! Normally it would be almost impossible to follow my line of thinking I’m sure, but come on…I’ve already told you in the title…sheesh. That’s right, gates! Oh, I’ve seen the most beautiful gates. Strong gates. Gates that are wrought iron. They’re old and now considered artwork. That wrought iron gets heated up and pounded with tools. It’s malleable and can stand the heat! Does that heat make it brittle and break? Nope. It grows stronger the more it’s “under fire” you see.

Each piece of work made of wrought iron is unique just like Philip Simmons, one of the best master blacksmiths that lived. I’ve been studying this man and have even stood in his workshop. It wasn’t some fancy thing like some of those gates he’s made. Even though you can find his work all over the U.S. and certainly all over Charleston, SC, you would never know it by looking at his small home he lived in. He didn’t worry about that; he was a giver and a worker as we can tell by his favorite quote that said, “If you want your prayers answered, get off your knees and hustle.”

As I reflected on those gates, I thought about the gates we have in our lives. What are the gates there for? Are they keeping us safe on the inside or holding us prisoner there? Are they strong or weak? Are others able to see through them like those decorative wrought iron gates of Philip Simmons?

When I googled about different types of gates, I received more information than I could handle! I have one type of actual gate in my house. Baby gates, even though I don’t have babies, are set up in the doorways of my boys’ rooms. They aren’t so they can’t get out, but so the dog can’t get in! He could easily hop right over those gates (which my boys do quite often…at top speed…instead of removing them…which makes my heart skip a beat when I hear the ensuing crash…which leads to, “I’m ok!”), but he respects that boundary. Sure, he may lean his chin on top and try to get pity from the boys, but he doesn’t barge in where he isn’t wanted. He could easily break that barrier. Will everyone in your life respect that gate (umm…the devil?) or do you need a stronger gate?

A gate that we all have are doors! Today, I watched with curiosity as my hubby opened a door that led from a covered porch to a balcony. He was talking to someone and I couldn’t quite figure out why he was doing a Vanna White gesture to show off the balcony. Who was he inviting out there? I had to get a little closer to get a better view out the window. Next, I see him prop open the door and go back inside. I realized he wasn’t talking to someone at all; he was talking to a bird! I started laughing as the bird made its way outside. I asked him how well the bird understood him, and he asked me if it worked. Well, it sure did…after he got out of the way! Is there a someone or something that you’ve been struggling to get out your door (or gate)? Have you thought about zipping it up and getting out of the way?

Oh, the meaning behind all this! Are you starting to see it? Let’s take a minute to look at something important. During the same visit as the one when I saw the shop of Philip Simmons, something was brought to my attention. I found out about a type of house located all throughout Charleston. They were single houses that had a piazza (porch) along the side, but you don’t realize there’s a piazza when you look directly at the house because all that is seen are windows from a room on one side and a door on the far edge. It looks like you’d walk into that house and have a room off to the side. It’s not true! That door opens into the outside…onto the piazza! It’s what I call an imposter. The actual door to the house is in the middle of the piazza! Just because someone comes knocking, do we need to let them into our inner sanctuary? Should we keep them on our piazza until we know they’re trustworthy?

Oh, the gates! There are gates that will lead to beauty and gates that lead to misery, gates that will keep out or let in, and gates that are weak and those that are strong. I’d sure like to see us tear down the gates that divide and cause separation and segregation. How wonderful it would be to strengthen the gates that protect and welcome!

Also, I want to stop looking at being “under fire” as all negative. It’s miserable, I certainly give you that! It might not be fair, and it may seem like we’ll go up in flames with the heat, but sometimes we need to step outside of our circumstances to get a clearer picture of what’s happening in the midst of the pain. Let’s have faith that God will use it to form us into some of the strongest individuals who will stand through all circumstances and be able to be an inspiration to others…just like wrought iron.

I challenge you to ask yourself, “Who are my gates for and why are they there?” Make adjustments as needed. Don’t forget to keep the enemy from entering your gate!  Be sure he isn’t disguising himself as someone trustworthy when he’s really an imposter.  He’s pretty tricky.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galations 3:26-27

“Who?” That’s the question that was asked to me repeatedly during the hours of darkness for two consecutive nights. It became too much, and I started searching for answers to the questions that were being raised. Who are you? Who do you want to be? Who does God want you to be…who does He see? Who do you put your faith in? Who do you surround yourself with? Who supports you? Who’s helping you? Who are you helping? Who’s holding you back? Who can you trust? Who should you invest in? Who do you need to spend more time with?

All those questions were raised as I listened to the great horned owl that was grilling me from outside our house. I was in awe listening to that magnificent creature, and it gave me an opportunity to think about the close of this year and the start of the next. I focused on who I was and if that person lined up with who God wanted me to be.

An example is when I was out with the boys on a fossil hunt the other day when my oldest found a fossilized tooth that I walked right passed. My eyes were on the ground and I had to have stared right at it without even seeing it. He asked me how I could’ve missed it. I thought about it and realized that if I was given a second chance, without being told any differently from the first time, I would’ve passed over it again.

My son was confused when I told him this because it was quite large, and I’d been spotting fossils much, much smaller. I had to explain how I wasn’t seeing it because I wasn’t expecting it. I was expecting smaller; therefore, my eyes were only seeing what I was expecting to see. My eyes were searching for what I had envisioned. That’s what I was focusing on. What my vision was became what I saw rather than what was actually there. My expectations changed my view of reality.

Just like those fossils, who we expect to see in the mirror is who we become. So, when the question came up of who I was, I realized that my perception was changing the answer to the question. Instead of answering the question of who I was through God’s eyes, I was answering the question with who I saw myself being from my own eyes. I was missing the big picture, because of my small vision. I was overlooking all the things that was placed directly in front of my eyes.

The answer to the question is no! I wasn’t seeing who God was seeing. I needed the owl’s questions to help my vision line up with His. I challenge you to ask yourself those same questions by looking through the lens of God. Are you passing over the big because you’re focused on the small, even though it’s right in front of you?

Who are you? A good first answer should be, “A child of the Most High God.” Try using that lens to start answering the other questions and get in alignment with Him. Don’t let your preconceived perceptions change the reality of who you are when you’ve clothed yourself with Christ!

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Romans 12:9

In the middle of a little town square there was a large Christmas tree decorated with beautiful, big ornaments just calling mothers to take a picture of their children standing in front of it. My hubby and youngest were in front of us while my oldest and I were walking a few feet behind. We were enjoying the festive feeling when my eyes were drawn to a little boy standing in front of that Christmas tree. His mother was attempting without much luck to get that coveted Christmas photo. She was standing there telling her son to smile while the child glared at the camera with a face of bored disgust.

My oldest saw what was happening and turned to me. I’m not sure if it was my imagination, but I swear he was wearing a wicked grin on his face. I kept myself under control for a short while, then I lost it. I leaned over and between laughs I said, “That’s the exact same face you make when I want to take your picture.” I got no disagreement from him, just a big smile. His response made me laugh even harder which caused him to crack-up too.

After convincing my hubby we weren’t making fun of him, my youngest cringed and had a look of commiseration on his face for the young boy after being told what we saw. What about the poor mother? She probably just wanted a picture to make Christmas cards like I do every single year…which I don’t have…for the first time…EVER! It wasn’t that we didn’t have the perfect settings because we did. It wasn’t even that it’s a miserable thing every year because we tend to have fun.

I learned early on that if laughter wasn’t involved, we weren’t getting a good picture. It may take a hundred silly ones to get that one good one, but it eventually happened. Granted, there was one year that I thought a broken arm would be a possibility too, since the boys insisted on climbing trees in their good clothes just because it would look cool for the picture.  That year my eye may have twitched just a little more than normal.

I’m not sure what it was this year that made the boys not really want pictures taken. I’m not even positive why I didn’t force the issue. Was it simply being a little lazy or could it have been something more. I’m aware that if they didn’t want to have pictures taken, they would’ve gone into it with the wrong attitudes. This would not have made it an enjoyable experience like the previous years. I didn’t want a miserable day being a part of our lasting memories even if there was a fake smile on their face for everybody else to see.

It wasn’t that the boys were totally against pictures for Christmas cards, they were against the typical posing while forcing a smile just to send to people they don’t get to see very often. They wanted to do a more unconventional card. They wanted me to take pictures of them fishing…catching the big one. You know, even Jesus liked fishermen. They wanted me to catch them doing the things they loved. They believe in showing real joy, not just a fake smile to plaster on a card. I respect that.

Since I’m missing a Christmas card, maybe I can get a picture of them fishing with their wide grins and say something like, “We hope you had a Merry Christmas and you keep reeling in love, joy, and peace all through the New Year!” Why are we sending pictures of our children on the day we celebrate Jesus’s birth anyway? It’s not about us, it’s about Him!

Now that I’ve worked out the whole picture thing in my mind, I must tell you what really stuck with me. My boys didn’t want to have fake smiles…you know the ones I’m talking about. The ones where it looks like the sun is in their eyes even though they’re inside, where it looks like they’re in pain and their faces are all scrunched up, where it looks more like a grimace than a smile on their faces.

How often do we go around with a smile on the outside, but unhappiness, pain, jealousy, or even bitterness on the inside? Are there ever times when we aren’t genuine with our smile or our love? Like a sincere smile, sincere love can be discerned by others. Those compliments given that weren’t really meant, the kindness that was shown because it would look good, or even the smile (yes, that smile) that was flashed to someone without brotherly love behind it can be seen by the receiver.

I challenge you to work on your sincerity and let a genuine love shine through your smiles today. Too many times we turn people away with hypocrisy. As Christians, we need to turn away from what Satan loves and turn toward what Jesus loves. That’s the best way to find sincere love. If not for that, we’ll keep putting on our fake smiles and even if we aren’t grimacing on the outside, we’ll certainly be doing it on the inside.

For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers. Proverbs 11:14

When I was feeling incredibly off the other day, I sent an email to a trusted friend that simply said, “I’m overwhelmed. Can you help me put things into perspective?” I recognized that I wasn’t seeing things right. I was very thankful for the blessings in my life, but I was aware that my feelings were messing with my mind. I needed some wise counsel.

After I opened her return email, I realized she didn’t give me a figurative pat on the head and tell me to take a deep breath. Sometimes we need that, but more often we need to allow our eyes to be open to things we forget about as we live in our own little world. I can count on her to see deeper and help me recognize I’m having a pity-party for one.

It’s so easy to get trapped into all the stuff that isn’t going right or how our bodies are feeling, but if we just put a hold on all that for a second, a new perspective can totally change our attitude. She took quite some time and put a whole lot of thought into her response for me that made a huge impact. I opened her email to find a list.

The list I received contained many items that I don’t have to suffer through that so many do. It also listed what I can do that many can’t. It even focused on what I have, but take for granted. She told me that I just needed to be smart and not let the devil make me feel down. What she did was give me a view of my life through her eyes. She didn’t just write a bunch of stuff to make me feel bad; she did it to make me know how loved by God I am.

My friend and advisor has lived through some rough times, loss, and things that I probably will never understand without experiencing. Through her eyes, I was able to see my life in a new way. It was hard to hear some of what was on that list because of the harshness that is out there that others have to face. The cruelty that I haven’t faced, along with the blessings that my family has, gave me a new appreciation of my life. I just need to refer to that list when I feel that negativity coming over me. I start thanking God for the blessings that I wouldn’t have even thought about, if not for her.

Hal Donaldson told us in his book Your Next 24 Hours: One Day of Kindness Can Change Everything to provide perspective. He said, “You may have physical or emotional scars of your own, which serve as a reminder of what you’ve been through. No life experience should be wasted, because crises teach patience, empathy, and perseverance. Don’t hesitate to pass along the lessons you’ve learned to a friend or family member who is searching for understanding.”

We’re all on a path to good things and a journey from God. If there’s a problem we can fix, it’s not really a problem. If it’s a problem we can’t fix, we know Someone who can. Either way, what do we have to get overwhelmed and down about? We always have the Source to get the resources. During that difficult time for me, God provided the resource that I needed. If she wasn’t willing to take the time and thought to put together a list that combined what she’s experienced, I wouldn’t have had that new understanding of what I’ve been given in my life.

Don’t let your life experiences be wasted. Don’t brush off someone who’s asking for your help. Take the time to invest in someone’s life today. I’m so thankful for the many people who really care and who are willing to invest in me. It’s important that I pass on the kindness. I challenge you to do it too.

Also, know that you never have to shoulder burdens on your own. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help like I did because you never know how a response could change your life. If you don’t get what you need from the first person you go to, it probably means that person just doesn’t know how to respond to your request.  Try someone else until relief is found. It’s hard to be vulnerable like that, but even harder to feel alone.

It’s much easier to go to someone who is trustworthy and who strives to give Godly advice. It’s important to cultivate those relationships that will build you up and hold you accountable. Part of my prayer every single day for years was that I’d be a good friend, and that God would put people into my life who would build me up and hold me accountable. I recognized one day that he answered my prayer in abundance…thank you God! If you don’t have that network of friends and advisors, start praying. He’ll provide!

You might even want to ask someone today to make you the kind of list I received.  If they want, you can do the same for them.  It’s important to realize our own blessings, but it sometimes takes the perspective of another person to see our life in a greater way.

 

 

And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. Isaiah 58:11

I got a fantastic Christmas present the other day! I was so excited for my Ihre Weihnachtspyramide from Germany…a Christmas Pyramid. My oldest decided he was going to read the instructions for me, and I was so proud. Those years of studying German were paying off because he was reading them with a fluency that absolutely amazed me! No wonder I was amazed at how well he was doing, he found the English translation.

Anyway, I had seen one of these traditional German decorations years ago, but they aren’t something I encounter often. The history talks about how these were substitutes for Christmas trees. You see, only the wealthy had real trees. Today, we see elaborate Pyramid designs that usually show the birth of Christ, winter scenes, or Christmas themes. They have candles on them that when lit, they create warmth that makes a propeller at the top spin and the pyramid turn.

As I was watching the pyramid (which I thought was just a circle) for several days, I kept thinking how our life is a lot like that. I was feeling like there are times when I just circle around the same issues over and over again…round and round I go, but I was challenged to look at circles in a deeper way. That’s when I started seeing circles everywhere! Keep your eyes open today to see if you can understand what I mean. It’s amazing how they pop out when you’re looking for them.

Here are some of the circles that I was challenged to look a little deeper into, and what I came up with:

Archery Target: Like an archery target, the bullseye is God. It’s what we aim for and keep our eyes on. It isn’t always easy though. We can think of a baby’s bottle. The nipple for the bottle is necessary for a baby to get what is needed to survive and thrive. However, most of the nipple won’t get them what they need. They need to find that tiny opening within that nipple, just like we need to find the one way for us to get nourished.

Orbits of Planets: God is like the sun shining so brightly in the center. Whenever things are going right, we’re like Mercury orbiting the sun. The people in our life are like the other planets. We have our inner circles and outer circles, but when everything is orbiting correctly, no other planet gets between Mercury and the sun. We may keep going in circles like on a track, seemingly getting nowhere. What isn’t seen on the outside is that with every lap, we’re getting stronger inside. As long as we are going in circles with our eyes on God and our ears hearing Him and learning from Him, we’re getting stronger too. This has a lot to do with priorities.

Bohr Model: God is positive like the nucleus in the Bohr model. Like the sun and planets, we want to stay closest to that nucleus. Satan is negative like the negative electrons. We have to be careful that the people around us aren’t being used by Satan to send out his negativity. The negativity will keep them from getting too close to the nucleus. That’s why we have to stay close to the nucleus, so that we can’t get too much negativity that will exhaust us.

We need to be careful who’s closest to us in our inner circles. I’m not saying that we don’t have contact with those who could affect us negatively. I’m saying that we need to move those people into our outer circle where we’ll be able to positively help them, but they won’t pull us away from where we’re heading.

When the negative people in our lives have free contact with us and grasp us during a vulnerable time, it would be easy for us to be turned away from God and to their issues or our “feelings”. It’s like glow in the dark clothing. It needs to be charged from the light first before they’ll glow. Leave it too long away from the light, then it loses its glow. We need to be able to stay charged so we don’t lose our glow when dealing with the challenges.

Electron Cloud: The electron cloud picture made me think of that ride that I stepped into at an amusement park. I was able to walk all around the inside until it started to spin. The centripetal force pulled me further from the center and the “eye of the hurricane” and into an area where I had no control of my body. God is the eye. This is a lot like being around people who are poison to our thoughts because of their thoughts and choices. Too much of that makes their grip on us so strong that moving forward again is almost impossible.

Tunnel: When we first enter a tunnel, it’s scary and dark. We’re uncomfortable. However, our eyes become acclimated quickly to our new surroundings. If we continue on the journey, the dark gives way to a beautiful light. We’re walking into new areas that have been made just for us. It’s worth facing our nerves and unease in order to get to the other side. That other side has unimaginable paths for us. Paths that God has put in place.

The tunnel helps us realize that even though we made it through and gives us more confidence to walk through the next tunnel, it’s not worth facing the dark places again to go back to what we’ve already experienced. You see, the Lord is guiding us in those dark, scary places. He’s making us stronger! We’ll be glowing in His glory as we come out the other side. If we turn back…He’s not there. He’s left our past path and is excited for us to step with Him into our bright future.

Wheels: Wheels go round and round, repeating the same motions over and over again. The important thing is that they aren’t standing still. They are being propelled forward. Also, as wheels turn in circles, they allow the mud to be flung off and become cleaner just like our baggage and negativity can be flung off. This is a lot like water being thrown off during the spin cycle of a washing machine.

Caterpillar: I was told that if you look at a caterpillar from an end, it’s a circle before it turns into a butterfly. Circles transform, transport, and cause you to transcend.

We could find circles and meanings all day long, but what I really believe is that we need to remember that every end has a new beginning. Like a target, let our bullseye be God at the center of our lives. Like the planets, continue to orbit The Son. Like the Bohr Model, don’t let the negativity pull us away from the positivity. Like the Electron Cloud, stay in the eye of the hurricane when the storm is raging all around. Like a tunnel, go through, but don’t go back. When we feel like we’re just going around in circles, let’s remember the wheels that might be turning in circles, but are being propelled forward. Finally, like a caterpillar, transform, transport, and transcend.

I believe that there is a rearrangement going on. People and activities are being put in the best possible place within the circles of our lives. We may start out with our Creator and end with our Creator, but the journey in-between can be an exhausting trip or an exhilarating adventure. We just need to follow God’s guidance in where the proper places for those people, activities, and even our thoughts are put within our circle. Some just may need to be sent to outer space!

During those hard times when you feel like you aren’t getting anywhere and are going around in circles, realize that’s ok! When we’re going in circles, it doesn’t mean we aren’t going forward. Let’s keep our eye on the Lord who will guide us and take care of us. The One who doesn’t fail. The One who has the answers and who will make us strong. The One is He who will transform, transport, and allow us to transcend!

 

But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Acts 28:5

When I was away getting refreshed and refueled, one day my hubby informed me that it would be a brilliant idea to go for a “little” hike. Remember, I take my strolls in the morning with the dog, so I probably had already walked five miles that day. As the supportive wife that I am, I enthusiastically supported his idea. Ok, fine. I supported his idea.

We drove to our starting point and thoroughly covered ourselves with bug spray before heading out. I was trying to make sure we had everything we needed while the guys became like bobble-heads letting me know they were ready. We had good food, drinks, more bug spray, and a first aid kit. Nope, had to search for the first aid kit. I’m telling you that moms trump boy scouts in preparedness. Oooh, I had to remind them not to forget biodegradable toilet paper too. They’re going with a girl, ok? Did they forget the second thing on the list? Drinks!

We had a destination, and we don’t mess around like turtles getting there. We don’t want to waste our time staring at the road as we trudge along…well maybe I should do that just a tad more. When we get to awesome wildlife, that’s where we want to spend the majority of our time. The ice cream that’s always promised at the end may have had something to do with the pace too.

My youngest loves the Would You Rather game, but my oldest started groaning as soon as it was mentioned because we’ve played it so often. I figured we’d better put a spin on the old favorite before I had a mutiny on my hands. I started asking questions that would require more than one-word answers. We really had to think and get creative with our responses. It was interesting to hear the thoughtful answers and new ideas that were given.

It was my turn to come up with something I’d build for people to visit, and I was really getting into it. I could see it in my mind and was trying to describe the park I came up with in words. I was focused! All of a sudden, my youngest goes into some sort of tribal war dance on me. He’s chanting and dancing with quite a lot of enthusiasm. What was with him? Finally, I made out the word “snake.” Seeing everyone’s reaction, my heart started pounding, my breathing became shallow, and I was searching frantically for the danger that was being posed to my family.

Focusing in on my son, I tried to decipher the snake dance in order figure out where it was located. With his arm out and finger pointed, I used my decoding abilities to find the skinny green snake that was sticking straight out like a stick on the side of the path. As I took gulping breaths from the adrenaline of being so startled by the commotion, I made out the words, “You stepped on it!” I did what? Huh, didn’t realize it and it didn’t even bite me (unlike the mosquitoes), yet I was thinking about what could’ve happened after the fact!

Within a couple of minutes, my thoughts went onto Paul being bit by a snake. I just felt the need to let God know that I appreciated him keeping me safe and reminded him that we’re all believers so there wasn’t any reason for a snake to actually fasten itself to me. We’ll take the lesson and learn from it without him having to go to such extremes. You know what? The next snake that we came across, which was much bigger than the first, slithered out of our path without any excitement. We were able to get a visual instead of being so emotional. Thank you Jesus!

As I was looking back on our exciting, “little”, fifteen-mile hike, I realized a few things. First, I was covered in mosquito bites, which were swelling to the size of baseballs. Lesson one, those nasty things bite through clothing and ignore bug spray when they want to. The after-effects can be worse than going through the attack.

The snake took me a couple weeks to fully understand how significant of a lesson it was. I came to understand that I was so focused on things that were pleasant (God thoughts), that I wasn’t focused on things that could harm me. Hey, I didn’t even know that I’d stepped on a snake until the danger had passed. Plus, it had to be pointed out to me.

The crazy thing was that my heart started racing and I was pretty much gasping for air! Why? The danger was no longer a threat, so I should’ve been past the point of worry. I figured out that it was because my eyes were turned away from the good thoughts (God) and became stuck on what already took place. It wasn’t even in my path any more!

I recognize now that I went right through the dangerous part safely not because of what I did, but in spite of what I did. God had me. It wasn’t that I didn’t get bit because of my right actions, I didn’t get bit because I had a supernatural protection surrounding me. What a waste to use up all my emotions on something that was over with!

There are a variety of dangers that lurk everywhere that can cause us to turn in circles, have our heart race, and make us double over in fear. We can be calm and in control while we’re going through the situation, but we can go into shock after the danger has passed, not because of the incident, but because of our thoughts after the incident.

Conversations can be like my snake to many of us. God can give us the words to say during the chat, while we stand confidently, letting his words flow. It’s later that we get upset. What’s different? Timing. We need to be focused on getting through with dignity and tact (let’s just face it that God is the only source of provision in “those types” of conversations), that there’s no time for worry.  It’s when we stop moving forward that we think on what already left our path. When our thoughts go to what could’ve happened (the danger) and what was said, that’s when we get worked up! WHY? It’s over. It is finished.

The second lesson is to always have something that is right to focus on, so we don’t stop moving forward. Those things that have passed, allow to be in the past. We can’t move forward when we’ve stopped to visit the danger we’ve already gone through.

I also see that this will happen in a variety of ways…the outside situations could be different, but the result is always the same. Smooth sailing when keeping our head up and confidence out, panic attack when the danger is over. It’s in our thinking and allowing a situation, a person, or a thought to stop us from moving forward…from keeping to the path and walking straight ahead. It’s not the situation, it’s the focus. It’s like Elijah running away from Jezebel after the miracle took place. He turned fearful and hid after seeing God was with him.

We need to recognize that the devil is out there trying to get us to mess up.  If you think of the snake as the devil, I want you to notice something.  I wasn’t physically harmed.  It didn’t bite me.  I even had to be told that I stepped on it, so pay attention to what you’re allowing people to tell you. It could be a matter of moving forward or getting stuck. It was my thoughts on it afterward that created the stress on my body and got my eyes on something other than God and the future.  It was visiting the situation and not continuing my hike.

I challenge you to be like Paul today. No, don’t get bit by an actual snake, but when your “snake” fastens itself onto you, shake it off! Keep moving without dwelling on the danger. Learning is one thing, but visiting (taking your shoes off, settling in, and staying a while) is another. Stop wasting time in the areas that are already over and move forward. Paul didn’t just shake off that snake onto the ground, he shook it off into the fire where it became no more. Shake it off!

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.  Psalm 56:3

I was asked a question in August that I didn’t have an answer immediately ready for.  I hate when that happens!  Sometimes I ask God, “How could I have lost that opportunity to help someone?”  Maybe it wasn’t the right time or maybe there was a bigger plan ahead.  Maybe I didn’t lose the opportunity at all, and I was just to comfort her with the knowledge she wasn’t alone.  More could be said later.

It was a simple question, but if I would’ve tried to give the answer that I really wanted to give, it would’ve turned into a missed opportunity because fear was clouding a sweet, little girl’s mind.  It wouldn’t have had as much of a lasting answer than the letter I felt God nudging me to prepare.

You see, God had this question come back to me several times over the last few months.  He opened my eyes to something that he wanted me to give away to go along with the real answer that I hope helps this young lady in years to come.

The letter and gift I’m giving has allowed me to really look at how I handle the issue of fear.  I learned that there are steps that I take to overcome fear in my life, but I don’t always do them intentionally.  This has allowed me to recognize that and do better going forward.

I really debated about posting this because it’s personal…between me and a young person.  I do believe however, that it can help many kids and adults that are dealing with fear in a simple way.  I just left out the personal information that won’t really matter to you anyhow.

I was also concerned that people would think that I don’t take the damage weather can do seriously.  I’m heartbroken at the devastation I’ve seen from tornadoes, hurricanes, and fires.  This can be a cause of even more fear.  At the same time, I believe some of this advice (along with many other things) can help those whose eyes have seen what certain weather can do.  I encourage generosity in helping rebuild, giving support, and lots of prayers!

So, after changing a few things, let me share:

Recently you asked me a question that I wasn’t sure how to answer. You asked me if I’ve ever been afraid of storms. I told you that I used to be, but I had to think about what made me learn to be brave during them. I told you what other people had told me, but I never really answered your question on how not to be afraid. Actually, what other people told me never really helped me, so I’m guessing it probably didn’t help you either! I want to give you an answer that might get you passed that fear. I want you to be able to laugh and be calm when the storm is still going on!

As I got older, I realized that people call the weather that makes us hear loud booms and see bright lightning: storms, but people also call hard times that we have in life storms too. There isn’t actually thunder and lightning, but these times can be just as scary. As I grew up and experienced many of the weather type storms, my fear lessened because I was still ok after each one. I got more confident that I’d get through them.

I noticed that I was spending a lot of time afraid when the thunder started, but nothing ever happened.  I was getting mad because I was ruining time that I had to feel good! I can’t even remember what I was actually afraid of…the lightning hitting me?  I started realizing that kind of thinking was silly for me because I didn’t want to waste my time and I don’t want you to waste your time either.

Try to count how many storms you’ve gone through already in your life. You’re still ok! I’ve gone through a whole bunch too…I’m still ok! Now think about how much time you’ve spent afraid. All those times probably didn’t help you (like they didn’t help me), but only made you more fearful…ugg. My first piece of advice for you is to be confident. It’s happened before and we’re still safe. We can’t control it, so let’s not make ourselves sick worrying about it!

My cousin was so afraid of storms, that when she was young she would watch the meteorologists on television giving reports about the weather. She decided that learning about what was making her afraid would help her conquer her fears. That was many years ago, and now she’s on television after going to college and becoming a meteorologist! She learned how to take action to be the safest she could be and pass that information on to others.

Learn about how storms are good for the earth. Learn the best ways to be safe when you see lightning outside. My second piece of advice for you is to learn about what you’re afraid of and use that information to stay as safe as possible. You just might find your life’s calling (what you’re meant to do when you get older) like my cousin did!

The most important thing that I’ve learned to do was trust God. That’s easy to say, but not easy to do when you hear the thunder rumbling isn’t it? That’s because we have “crazy” thinking when the storms come! We need to change what we’re focusing on. I’ve learned that the more we’re focused on something, the bigger it becomes. When we start thinking about good things, it shrinks the bad things.

I challenge you to think about things that make you happy. Knowing that God is surrounding me makes me happy and comfortable, so I thank Him that He’s protecting me. I know that if something bad does happen, God is there to get me through it. I start thinking about the family and friends who make my days better. Those go on my list! I say that I’m thankful for things like my vacations I’ve gone on and warm blankets right out of the dryer. I get thankful for areas where I’ve seen success (have you gotten a good score on a hard test?) I’m thankful for hugs…those are yours!

You’re changing your mind to think on good and right thoughts when you start naming things you’re thankful for! My third piece of advice for you is to start naming all the things you can think of that you’re thankful for when you start getting “crazy” thinking. I want to give you a rock that has been sitting in front of me for nearly a year. It’s called a crazy lace agate. I kept the “crazy” rock on my desk so that when I’d see it, it would remind me to focus on gratitude (thankfulness) and not “crazy” thinking. We found it in North Carolina, and it even has the one side polished. Feel how smooth it is! When we’re thankful, we smooth out our feelings and emotions. They aren’t so rough any more!

I heard a lady named Terri Savelle Foy express F.E.A.R. like this:  False Evidence Appearing Real

When we have those thoughts about what’s going to happen, but they don’t, it’s kind of like false evidence appearing real (F.E.A.R) right?

I’m giving you ways that help me get out of fear, and I hope you’ll try some of them and they work for you. The first thing I do is pray though, because I know God is bigger than my fear. I like to repeat something it says in the Bible under Isaiah 41:10. It says, “Fear not! There is nothing to fear, for I am with you.” We’re never alone!  The boys like that one too. My final and most important piece of advice is to say a prayer and repeat verses like in Isaiah. It helps!

You aren’t alone in experiencing fear. Every person does. I still do too…especially with those life storms! Many of the ways that I found to deal with the weather storms helps us deal with the life storms too.

Well, that was it.  I sure hope it helps her as much as it helped me writing it.  I’m posting it believing there’s someone else who needed this too.

 

For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed–a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Romans 1:17

My hubby, Mr. Hunter himself, sent me an email a few weeks back that made my jaw drop. It simply asked what I thought about going away on his week off. Was he talking about the week that it’s just him and the deer? That week when he transforms into a highly focused hunter out to provide food for his family? If I was right, we’re talking about the week that reduces him to grunts from full sentences. That’s the week that he looks forward to all year! Was that the week he was talking about?

When I got the email, I thought someone might be forcing him to write it. There was something wrong with my hubby! I’m telling you that I started to wonder if he was ok. Of course I love to have time away because I always seem to learn and grow when we look at life through different adventures, but I didn’t see how it was possible even if he was serious. First, it was his hunting week! Second, we had stuff scheduled on the calendar. Third, it wasn’t in the budget. I brushed off the moment of insanity from my hubby and told him it wasn’t possible.

Wouldn’t you know that I got a check in my spirit? Was I shutting doors that we were meant to go through? I gently brought it up later on when I could actually see his face. He wasn’t joking at all and told me it was like a tidal wave came over him and we needed to go. Wow! If he felt that strongly, I needed to think about this. Soon after, I received a message that told me to start using faith and not logic. I like logic! Logic is easy for me. I love faith, but I admit that logic will sometimes get in my way of that faith.

I still wasn’t completely on board and even thought he was a bit crazy, so I prayed that God would close doors if we weren’t supposed to go through them. Wouldn’t you know that not only did the doors not close, He might as well have paved the path with gold bricks and lined them with arrows leading to the great big, opened door! First, my hubby was actually excited to get some fishing in and wasn’t worried about the hunting. Second, it was the only week on the calendar surrounded by weeks of completely filled squares that only had one appointment scheduled. Third, my hubby insisted we not worry about the budget for this.

Everything was looking like we actually could do it on our end, but the test would be finding a place to stay. Again, God might as well have taken those arrows and put blinking lights on them. You wouldn’t even believe the favor that was being shown to us. It wasn’t just finding a place that I’m talking about either. I’m talking about having a beautiful place dropped in our lap that by all accounts should’ve been impossible. When we start using faith and not logic, it’s amazing what God will do!

Since the logistics of it all were settled, the packing was next. Books are important to us when we travel. We pretty much always have one that we can learn and grow from. I had that one, but I wanted one that was funny and entertaining this time too. I was hoping it would have us laughing as much as one of Patrick McManus’s articles would. I had high hopes for the book that I found, and after a couple hours in the vehicle, I started talking up this book that I thought would be so much fun for us.

We were all excited to start reading the first story in it. I mean I really had everyone’s attention. It began a little differently than I expected, but I was sure we’d be getting to the really funny part soon. Then, not long into the story I stopped reading and we all sat in stunned silence. Umm, it was about death. My family wanted to know what kind of book I brought for entertainment.

I strongly considered giving up on the book right then and there, and I think my family would’ve preferred that. My logic said that it couldn’t get better because the mother was dead. I was determined there had to be more to it!  I couldn’t just stop and cut my losses, I had to read on because I got it for us to bond over. There had to be something redeemable about it. Let me tell you…that’s faith over logic! It was one of those times when I think my family would’ve preferred I used my logic and cut our losses, but I was digging my heals in.

As I continued to read, I kept thinking about how if this was supposed to be fun, I’d hate to see what miserable looked like. Anyhow, we made it to the end. It was bizarre and had us scratching our heads, but that’s not the point. The mother didn’t actually die. Ok, it still seems as odd now as it did after reading it, but we all laughed about how I kept on reading it and kind of glad we didn’t stop. My point is that if we had quit in the middle of the story, we’d have never known there was a happy ending. The death would’ve been all we knew.

I have to tell you one more thing.  On this trip we were walking through an area that used to be like a forest, but bugs had completely ruined the trees. What used to be a lush canopy is now what looks like dead sticks coming out of the ground. Logic told us those woods were ruined, but faith tells us there’ll be rebirth. You see…the story isn’t over. Just like our story in the vehicle, it wasn’t over. Faith over logic.

So many times I’ll catch myself saying, “No, that won’t work. No, that can’t be done.” If my story ended with that email from my hubby, what blessings would we have missed out on? Trust me when I say there were many before, during, and after that trip. Faith over logic.

Does something seem dead to you right now? Let me remind you that you’re in the middle of the story. Don’t get stuck in the dead trees and quit. That’s just depressing that you’d never know how the next chapter might turn out. Move forward and see the ending that God has planned for you. There’s still more to the story. After that story we read in the vehicle, most of the others in the book had us cracking up. It can get better.

What area in your life is God showing you an open door that doesn’t make sense to your thinking?  What’s God telling you not to shut the book on because the story isn’t over?  I challenge you to have faith over logic in that area today.

 

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Have you ever heard of someone who hires a housekeeper, but goes through their house cleaning before they arrive? I do the equivalent with my pup before I take him to the dog groomer. Since he has an appointment tomorrow, I started getting him ready yesterday. I clipped and sanded down his nails, cut the extra hair between his paws, and even pulled out hair from his ears.

I know what you’re thinking, but I do have my reasons. First, it won’t take them as long. Second, he doesn’t like them being done, so I’d rather do all of that here at home to make it a more pleasant experience for both him and the groomer. He knows that he can’t get away with trying to hide his paws when I’m doing it. Third, I learned that I even save some money by doing those things myself!

Yesterday, when I pulled out the box with all my supplies that I needed, the pup gave me his doggie equivalent eye roll. He looked at me skeptically and approached me with caution when I told him to park it in front of me. He dramatically sighed to let the whole house know how hard his life was, but obediently lay down in front of me.

I may be the only person who rolls their dog on his back in order to clip nails, but it’s so much easier to see! I put my legs out so he’s nice and stable on both sides and we’re good to go. He has to pretend to be annoyed and pull his paw away a few times and even try to roll over, but he gives up pretty quickly when he realizes it’s just something he has to go through as part of the process.

By the time I got to the second paw, I heard a funny noise. I listened carefully only to realize that my pooch was snoring! He was fully relaxed and sound asleep with all four paws waiting to be dealt with. He may not have liked what had to be done, but he realized that it had to happen in order to move on in his life. There was no reason to fight against it, so I guess he figured he might as well relax and even get refreshed while it happened.

Wow! I think God was trying to teach me a lesson through my pup. I often act like him when it’s time to do something uncomfortable. I get a bit anxious and pull back because of fear. Call me Peter Jr. when he wanted to get to Jesus by walking on water.

I ask to step out, feel like I have the ok, and I’m even aware that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I get excited and start on my journey where everything is going along just fine. Then, my eyes start to drift to the wrong things. I see the problems around me and start to sink. I took my eyes off Jesus!

If I would’ve only kept my eyes on the right thing, I could’ve relaxed like the pup did. He didn’t like going through what wasn’t fun, but he also knew that he just needed to trust me and obey.

So many days I get up saying, “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!” I start out great, but then I change focus to what’s happening around me. I’m going to let you in on something that my closest friends know about me. I’m a “what if” and a “yabbit” person.

That’s pathetic, I know! When the storm starts rocking the boat, I don’t get all excited and think that things are getting shaken up in order to grow and move forward. I don’t automatically think of all the lessons I’ll be learning and how I’ll be further ahead. Nope, I start focusing on the storm.

Why can’t I just realize that I’ve got to go through it, so I might as well relax and not be sick at the end? I’m not talking about sea sickness from the boat rocking, I’m talking about stress sickness from worrying and getting caught up in the swirling craziness around me instead of seeing the face of the unmoving Jesus that’s right in front of me.

Do any of these sound familiar to you or is it just me? In case you don’t know, yabbit means yeah but.

• “What if I fail?”
• “What if I’m on the wrong path?”
• “What if I mess it up?”
• “What if I didn’t really hear that?”
• “Yabbit it’s uncomfortable.”
• “Yabbit they’ll get mad.”
• “Yabbit I’m scared!”
• “Yabbit I don’t see how that’s possible.”

I realize these are the words said when I’m not letting the One who’s capable of handling all my situations be in control. If I would just not be anxious and allow fear to take over, I’d start saying…

• “What if I succeed?”
• “What if I’m going in the right direction?”
• “What if I help others?”
• “What if I’m in God’s will? How far can I go?”
• “It may be uncomfortable now, but I want to move forward.”
• “I have confidence that God will give me the words to say.”
• “I have nothing to fear.”
• “God is bigger than my mountains and sees what I can’t.”

Are you going to join me and start focusing on what’s ahead instead of the distractions around you? Are you going to relax and just keep moving forward toward the finish line or get caught up in the worries that take place with your “what ifs” and “yabbits” today?

I care for my pup and he knows that I’ll take care of him. It’s simple; God cares for us. If my pup can rest during something that’s uncomfortable for him when he’s dealing with a human, how much safer are we when we rely on God who’s much more capable than that?

No more negative “what ifs” and “yabbits” today.  Be prepared to walk on water!

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. –1 Corinthians 13:7

I was at my hubby’s parents’ house last weekend when I was sitting at the table with his mom and her friend having some tea. I felt so grown-up! Anyway, she had a view of a catalpa tree that she planted six years ago and remarked about the size. She couldn’t believe how quickly it grew into the strong monster (my words, not hers) it was today. It was an incredibly large and beautifully formed tree that stood like a sentinel over the yard.

At one point she’d given me a catalpa tree to plant. This was during one of my projects where I decided to clear some land in order to make a picnic area. I knew it would fit in with my vision for this little oasis that I had in my mind. I plopped it in there to let it start growing and give me some motivation to get it done.

My hubby thought I was a bit nuts, and I believe he even said, “You can’t do that, it isn’t going to work.” He didn’t have any confidence I’d make my plan into a reality! When someone tells me I can’t do something, I’ll occasionally get a little stubborn and dig my heals in to prove them wrong. This was one of those times. I might be little, but I had some muscle that I wasn’t afraid to put to work. I am my father’s daughter after all.

I got that garden rake out and started attacking all the weeds and underbrush…tell me I couldn’t have myself a picnic area…ha. I’d swing that rake down like a sledge hammer until it stuck in the ground. I learned that if I’d just push it forward hard enough, it would pull up the weeds with it. Those weeds and underbrush were coming out left and right!

My area was coming along quite nicely if I do say so myself when my cousin was overcome with awe and so impressed of what all I’d accomplished that he wanted in on the action. I really believe it was that rather than taking pity on me…or the rake. He decided to tackle my section with a weed eater. I was looking around in pride at how quickly it was taking shape when I noticed something, or the lack of something.

I asked him what happened to my catalpa tree. “What catalpa tree?” All he saw were the weeds and underbrush I was trying to get rid of. Umm…no problem, it must not have been meant for that picnic area anyhow. It really wasn’t his fault because I didn’t have it marked and I never even thought to mention it. It looked similar to everything else around it.

It’s me and it’s a tree. If God didn’t plant it, it probably won’t survive on my property. Beautiful evergreen that was planted…bear got it… “planted” a flag to replace it. Two apple trees that never looked like anything but big sticks…swing got “planted” the next year. My poor magnolia tree that is still hanging on…what will replace it? We’ll probably be “planting” a bench or birdbath or some such thing that won’t suffer.

My mother-in-law just made me think about what my tree would’ve looked like if it had that eleven years to grow. Would it have stayed the same size as the rest of the underbrush or looked as nice as her tree? The difference was that hers was marked as something with great potential, and mine (even though it was the same type of tree) was overlooked and thought of as just another part of the mess to be tossed aside.

About a year ago I was at a meeting where the topic being discussed was a national issue which all the media was covering. There had been another breakdown in communication and both sides believed strongly in their side. I believe it had a whole lot to do with cultural ignorance.

Someone asked, “What can we do?” I really tuned in because when I hear of a problem, I want to know what action needs to be taken to make it better, no matter what side you stand on.

The answer surprised me. We were told that there wasn’t anything that could be done on an individual basis. All these educated, academic people were willing to get fired up over a cause, but not do anything to help bring about change? I was a little shocked. Why were we being educated on the topic if we’re to just feel bad about it?

It was brought up that if we really wanted to, we could probably write to our government leaders. Immediately, it might get attention, but what about after that? That was a step, but in my mind the lady speaking so passionately was bringing awareness to an area that people are simply ignorant to. Bingo! Education leads to understanding, understanding leads to compassion, and compassion leads to respect. Don’t we all just want to be heard and be shown a little respect while keeping our dignity?

I couldn’t keep quiet (it was my first meeting too). What was I going to say? I feel strongly that ignorance is the root of so many of our problems. Everyone wants to feel heard and be respected. The first thing that I wanted to do was shout, “Pray! My God is bigger than any problem. You say there’s nothing for people to do? It’s the most important thing that each and every person here can do.”

I did speak my second thought aloud. I said, “Why can’t we educate our students now in order to help in the future?” That night we were being educated, why not take that education to our students? The students will some day be our leaders, so making them aware that there are cultures outside of what they know or grew up with can only help. We’d be preparing them to be able to listen to differing sides while being able to keep a calm, open mind.

In a somewhat condescending tone, I was told, “I think that’s a very idealistic way of looking at things.” I had to come home and make sure I understood what that meant! I wasn’t saying that having one talk with students would solve all problems, but while people were working on the national issue, I just felt that there was something we could do to bring awareness and take a step in getting rid of ignorance. Compassion starts in children! What we learn as youth, we tend to carry into adulthood.

If we’re all planted together and all get lumped together, what differentiates one from another? We can’t discount what might be because we don’t see it yet with our eyes. Like that catalpa tree, if we make sure it has what it needs, and don’t cut it down, how much would it grow in six years, eleven years, or even twenty years? Our children are the same way. It’s not being idealistic (unrealistic); it’s following God’s plan.

I challenge you to walk in love for all people of all ages. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love nurtures growth.