Step Forward

Do you like adventures? Wanna go somewhere no one has ever been before? You can....for free!

No one has ever been in 2008 before...and you're going there....soon!!

A whole new year ahead....a chance to start again....a time to change direction or set a firmer resolve to continue the direction you're already going.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the past...thinking of regrets we have...things we would have or even should have done differently....that we forget to look expectantly to the future.

I like what Anne Shirley said in the movie Anne of Green Gables...."Tomorrow is fresh with no mistakes."

The new year is fresh with no mistakes, too. Oh, it's inevitable that mistakes will be made...but trust that God will bring you through those just as He always has. Let go of things in the past that hold you back and step into the new year with joyful anticipation at what lies ahead. Look with new eyes at those around you....love more, dream more, serve more, pray more, be thankful more, and follow God more.

Abandon yourself to God.

I love that phrase! When I looked up the word abandon, I found that one of the definitions is: to give oneself completely to

Give yourself completely to God this coming year.

There's no greater adventure...no greater fulfillment.

No greater way to live.



Try it...you'll see!



"...Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to Him..." Rom. 12:1

Comfort and Joy

It wasn't a song I sang often or even particularly enjoyed, but I found myself singing it....after all, it was the song that the little Christmas tree I bought that night was playing.

"God rest ye merry, gentlemen, let nothing you dismay,Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day;To save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray..."

I sang and when I got to the chorus, my heart flooded with emotion...

"O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy,
O tidings of comfort and joy."

Comfort and joy was, indeed, what God had given me that year. Comfort and joy after a long, difficult time....comfort and joy straight from God's heart to mine.

I love that song now. It's a reminder to me that God heals...that He knows what each of us is going through every second of every day...and that He cares enough to comfort us and bring us joy again after sorrow. I also realized I had never really listened carefully to the song until that time....I found that it so beautifully tells about the birth of Jesus and of His power in our lives.

Today "joy" is one of the sweetest words I know. God returned to me the joy I had earlier only after I had walked a very difficult path....the way He did it was quite remarkable...using people and circumstances I never could have imagined....weaving even those I didn't know into my life to touch me in a way only God could have planned.

And I want you to know that He is able to comfort you, too, and bring joy to you again. Whatever sorrow you're going through....whatever you've faced in the past little while...God is able to bring comfort and joy to your heart again. There is nothing too hard for Him. Nothing too far from His touch.

And He loves you so very much.

It may all come suddenly or God may choose to heal you a little bit at a time as He did me.

But no matter what, know this...

God sees you....He knows who you are....He loves you deeply and completely....and He will never leave you.

Never.

Just ask Him to be in your life and He will.



May God fill your heart with comfort and joy this Christmas season....and may you know His presence always in your life.

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:9-11

A Ride Away...

I only clicked on the news story to read about weather related problems in the northwest....

but I found the story of someone's life...

and death.

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The article I was reading told about the weather and then near the bottom it listed a couple of weather related fatalities. One was a dancer from New York City.

Since my heart is so often in New York these days, I was drawn to the story. As I looked on the Internet, I found out more about the accident and about the woman who had died...and I sadly thought it a strange coincidence that her credits listed her as being in a movie I had watched earlier that evening.

The pileup happened in New Jersey....a winter's night....an icy road.....several cars. A moment in time...lives forever changed. Initially, right after the accident, all four of the people in the car were ok. They got out of the automobile for a few minutes and just as they were going to get back in, aware of the danger of standing outside, a car slammed into two of the dancers. The woman died at the scene. Her husband, who she had been married to for only a few months, was in critical condition. The other two people with them, also dancers, dodged out of the way and ended up with only bruises.

I couldn't help reading additional news stories about them. The woman who died was well thought of.....kind....took new dancers under her wing and mentored them. She didn't have to do that. She could have used her time for her own gain....could have focused on herself with little thought of the others around her....but she chose to reach out....chose to love rather than compete with the other dancers.

I had a difficult time sleeping that night. I couldn't help thinking about how fragile life is....how it can end at any second....couldn't help considering what I've been doing with my own life...and wondering about steps ahead.

We only get one life. A limited number of days to do the things God wants us to accomplish. I want to live well...want to please my Father....want to hear the words, "Well done, faithful servant," when I leave the earth.

Each of us needs to consider how we're living our lives.

After all, we're all just a ride....a heartbeat....a breath.....away from eternity.

And I have to ask....do you know God? Do you know that He loves you and sent Jesus to die for your sins? Do you know that when you believe in Him and ask Him to forgive your sins you have eternal life? Do you know you are loved with an unconditional love? It's all there...love, acceptance, forgiveness, eternal life, strength for living today....and so much more I can't even say it all...it's all there...if you accept it.

I pray you accept it.

God longs for you to believe in His Son...longs to welcome you into His family....longs to have you in heaven with Him when you die.

Will you ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life...your Savior?

Will you do it now?

......There are no guarantees you will have tomorrow.


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If you already know God, please pray for Julio, the husband of the woman who died. (And for all the friends and family members who are hurting during this difficult time.) He suffered a broken leg in the accident. The doctors are hopeful he will dance again someday, but there is much physical healing that needs to take place for him to be able to do that.

...And he is mourning the death of his wife.

...a tragedy so deep it's difficult to comprehend. I know, though, that God is able to bring Julio through it....is able to comfort and take the broken pieces of his life...and the broken pieces of our own lives....and make something new and beautiful out of it all...in His time.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Ps. 34:18

"To all who mourn in Israel, He will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the Lord has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for His own glory." Isaiah. 61:3

Family Resemblance

I love looking at families and seeing how they're alike. Sometimes they all have the same hair color...or the same smile....one child may have dad's eyes and another may gesture just like her mother when she speaks. Sometimes people are so much alike that others can look at them and say, "Oh, I can tell he's a 'Smith' or she certainly acts like a 'Rogers'." It's interesting and fun to me to see the characteristics families share with one another

Last night I stopped to pick up a take-out order at a restaurant. As I looked around the room, I noticed two men sitting side by side. They looked similar to one another. I watched them as they talked....studied their faces....several of their features were alike. I concluded that they must be family....brothers, perhaps.

And it made me start thinking about the family of God. There are characteristics and attributes that should mark each of us as members of His family. Jesus was loving, kind, and compassionate. He took time to speak with those who were sick or had been cast out by society. He fed those who were hungry and taught those around Him about God. He was honest, fair, and humble. He always reached out to others.

As members of God's family, we should be living the same way Jesus did. It should be apparent to others by our actions that we are part of His family.


How about you?

When others look at your life can they say, "Oh, I can tell she's a Christian."?

Do you live your life the way Jesus did? Are you doing the things you should be doing as a member of God's family?


.....Can others see the family resemblance in you?



"Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ...."
Eph. 5:2

The Adventure

I had gone out to dinner with friends. After we finished, they headed home. I wasn't tired so I decided to go to the city.

I asked God to take me on an adventure....and He did.

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I was driving, with no real destination in mind, when I saw bright lights. As I got closer, I realized they were lights from a football field. I fondly remember my high school football-watching-marching-band-playing days so I decided to go investigate. As I drove by, I noticed the band lined up on the side of the field and I couldn't resist watching and listening to them so I parked my car and went in. I decided to sit on the home team's side, but after I climbed to the top of the stadium to stand (because the seats were all wet), I realized I was on the visitor's side. "Wrong side," I thought. But I wasn't going to climb back down and walk to the other side so I just stayed there. The band was on the field and I watched and smiled....but again thought, "Wrong side," because the band was mostly facing the home team's side, which made the music a little difficult to hear, and I, of course, was on the visitor's side. After the home team's band played, the band from the visitor's team played, too. A double treat!!

Halftime was over and the game started again. I decided to stay for just a few minutes. The visitor's team wasn't doing so well. Their score was 0. The home team had 20 or 30 something. (Ok...I admit I'm not good at remembering scores!! But the home team was definitely outscoring the visitor's team!) I started praying for the visiting team...that they would get a touchdown....anything...I didn't want them to go home without any points on the board. I looked around the visitor's side. Only a few people were really paying attention to the game. I noticed an older man watching with a serious, almost pained look on his face. I wondered if he was some boy's father....watching and wondering what to say to his son after the game. What do you say to someone whose team has lost a game by so very much? The people on the visitor's side continued to talk and visit....and I kept praying....for a touchdown....and that the clock would move faster! I wanted to see the game, but I also wanted to leave and I couldn't decide which I wanted more. Well, the 3rd quarter came and went....and I was still there. I looked around and prayed for the people...that they would know Jesus...that He would be with them. As I stood there, I asked God, "Does it make a difference that I'm here....does it make a difference that I'm praying for people at this game?" I realized that if I truly believed in prayer, which I whole-heartedly do, that it did make a difference that I was there and praying. I thought maybe that was my adventure, my reason that I had ended up at that game that night. Maybe someone there needed prayer.

The clock seemed to move faster in the 4th quarter...and I was glad! I thought about leaving with only a few minutes to go....but, thankfully, I stayed to the end because that's when God really showed me the reason I was there. I kept watching....and praying. With about 2 and a half minutes to go, the visitors were very close to making a touchdown. Excitement grew within me. "Please, God, let them make a touchdown! Let there be rejoicing on this side of the field!" A few plays later, the visitor's side exploded in joy!! They made a touchdown and even earned an extra point afterwards!! The score was 49 to 7. I saw some of the players from the visitor's team smiling and that made me smile. I felt happy for them that they had something to celebrate. Now the visitor's side was alive! People clapped and cheered and actually watched the game.

And it made me wonder....how many times do we sit back, involved in our own lives, not really encouraging those who need it while they're down? Do we also wait, like the people in the visitor's stand, until some worthy accomplishment comes along for someone and then get interested and give our encouragement to him or her? Wouldn't it be helpful to also give encouragement when they're down, when they're trying to find their way, when they're scrambling to make a touchdown in life instead of just waiting until the goal has already been made?

As I continued to watch the team members celebrate, one young man on the sidelines caught my eye. He was hugging the other players.....a high school boy hugging other players openly and with such love. I couldn't help watching him. He hugged several players and bent down to hug someone sitting on a bench...it even looked like he leaned over and kissed the top of his helmet! He went up to some of the men on the field....perhaps some of the coaches...and extended his hand for a handshake. I was so taken with the mature way in which he carried himself and his openness in showing how much he cared for people. Tears filled my eyes as I watched....and learned. As a Christian, shouldn't I be that open in showing love and affection to others? Shouldn't people know I'm a Christian by my love, just as the song says? I didn't know whether that young man was a Christian or not....I wanted to talk to him and ask him if he was. I imagined the conversation going something like this:

"Hey, Number 25! Good game out there! Are you a Christian?"

"Thanks! Yes, I am!"

"It shows!"

And our Christian love for others should "show" too, whether we're hugging someone or helping someone carry a bunch of packages or just sitting quietly with someone at the hospital.

I didn't actually have a chance to talk to Number 25....still don't know whether he is a Christian or not, but God used him and the others things that happened at the football game that night to teach me several things. Don't be so caught up in your own life that you forget to look around for others who need you....Encourage others when they're down, don't wait until they accomplish something wonderful before you lavish praise and encouragement on them....Let your love for others show....openly and uninhibitedly.

It was only as I was driving home that I realized I was not on the "wrong side" of the field at all. God had me exactly where He wanted me to be so that I could see the things I saw that night and learn the lessons He wanted me to learn.

He's so good that way!!

It Only Takes a Little

I was recently reading the story in the Bible about Jesus feeding five thousand people. There was a great crowd gathered that had been following Jesus. When He asked the disciples about feeding them, one of the disciples told Jesus that a boy in the crowd had five loaves of bread and two fish. Soon after that, you read that Jesus gave thanks and passed out the bread and fish to the people. They even had leftovers!

I started thinking about the boy in the story...the one who had the bread and the fish. It doesn't say that the boy wanted to keep the bread and fish for himself...it doesn't say that he didn't want to share what he had with others...it doesn't say that the child whined and complained about giving up his food....the Bible doesn't really say anything about the boy other than that he was the one who had the bread and fish. But we know that he gave it to be used because Jesus gave thanks to God for it and the disciples passed the food out to the people. And it got me thinking....the boy was willing to give the little he had....willing to let it be used....and Jesus was able to multiply it into so much more.

So it is with us....we may feel we only have a little to give....a little time, a little money, a little encouragement....we may feel that the way we serve at church or in another place is only a little job....but in Jesus' hands it can become so much more....our "little" can be a big blessing to so many.

So today....if you feel like you only have a little to give....give willingly and joyfully...because through your "little", God can bless many!

"Serve the Lord with gladness..." Psalm 100:2

Just Ask

Don't you love movies?! I do! I looked at some old movies and CDs last night at the store...browsing for something to buy. I smiled as I saw CDs of music that I used to love (If I said the names, I bet you'd smile, too...they were very popular once upon a time!) I saw movies from yesteryear displayed in bargain bins. (I bet you'd know the movies, too, if I wrote their titles!) These CDs and movies that had once brought top dollar were now discounted because love for them has waned. They're not deemed as valuable as they once were...thrown in the bargain bins to whoever would like to claim them for a discount price.

I'm so glad God's love for us doesn't wane like our love for music and movies. God's love for us remains strong....unchanging....we are always valuable to Him. We're never thrown into the "bargain bin" as if we're not as "wanted" as another.....we're never cast aside by God. We are precious to Him.

How ever you're feeling today...whatever you're going through....know that God loves you! He cares about every circumstance you're going through and every detail of your life.

He will be there for you if you ask Him to be.

Anytime.

Night or day.
Good times or bad.
Top of the world or down in the dumps.


He will be there for you always.....

....you just have to ask.


"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"....and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20

Be Quiet

I rolled my eyes and closed the book, letting it drop from my hands. God was once again reminding me of something I needed to be doing....that I was not.

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Is it just me or does time seem to move more quickly with each passing year? Perhaps, more tasks are asked of me to complete at work...perhaps, I'm not using my time wisely.....I don't know. What I do know is there never seems to be enough time to accomplish all the things I want to do in my day.

Someone once told me, among other things, to be quiet. The quiet she was referring to had nothing to do with me speaking to her....she was talking about being quiet in God's presence...listening to what He has to say to me. I used to do that all the time...even before she said those words. It was a regular part of my prayer time. Now, it seems that WAY too often I come to God, say what's on my mind, and go on about my day, praying that He will bless it....without taking much time to listen to what He might want to say to me.

The book I picked up (with the hope that God would speak to me somehow)....was one that I decided to open up to a few random pages. (It was late, after all, and I, of course, was in a hurry....not much time, you know!) The last page I looked at...the one that I rolled my eyes at...spoke of, not only praying, but listening to God. I rolled my eyes, not because of the message, but because I have been so slow to "get" the message. God has brought the words that were said to me about being quiet to my remembrance several times in the last couple of months. and yet I am slow to "get it". I mean, I understand that I need to listen to God....I even realize that because of my busy schedule that there will rarely just BE time to listen to Him; I have to MAKE the time to do that. The thing I've been slow to "get" is just putting that into practice. I, too often, wait until the end of my day (when I'm worn out and exhausted) to try to hear what God is saying to me, but by then....well, I'm too tired to do much listening.

God is happy to listen to all that we say to Him. He WANTS us to go to Him with our concerns, our needs, and our requests....but along with that, sometimes we just need to remember to be quiet and listen.

At least I know I do.

Are You Available?

I sat in my car at the intersection waiting for the light to change. I looked to my left and saw an elderly woman standing on the corner. A few seconds later, I looked over and saw a teen-ager, iPod or MP3 player in ear, standing beside the lady. They talked for a moment and then the light changed. The lady and the girl walked side by side slowly....the elderly lady held onto the girl's arm as they made their way across the street. "Funny," I thought. "I didn't think they were together." At least they hadn't arrived at the corner at the same time. I was curious to know if they knew each other or if walking across the street together was something that occurred because they happened to be there at the same time. So I watched to see if they continued to walk together after reaching the other side of the street. When they stepped up on the curb, they said a few words and then they parted company. It appeared that they hadn't known each other at all.

That kind of thing makes me smile. Someone who was available to help another. The teen-ager didn't know she would be asked to help the lady across the street. She was just minding her own business and listening to her music....but she was available when asked to help...available to be a blessing to someone else when called upon.

It's so easy to get caught up in our own world. Life seems to go by entirely too fast sometimes. We have meetings and practices, Bible studies and dinners with friends, theatre and family time....so little time to add something else to our schedules.

But....

when someone needs an arm to steady them....when someone needs help or just needs someone to listen to them....are we available?...or do we try to tiptoe away so we can get on with whatever we're busy doing?

I admit there are times that I've tiptoed quietly (as well as quickly!) away from certain situations because I was eager to get on with my day...but I'm trying to do better.

When you see someone who needs a door held for them at the mall....maybe walk by a person who requires assistance reaching an item on the top shelf.... know that someone could use a listening ear for a few minutes....

....when you see that somebody needs the help and assistance you can provide, do you take the time to stop and help them?

There are people we come into contact with each day that could benefit from a few minutes or even just a few seconds of our time.

....Are you available?

Thank You

I saw it in her eyes...the look that said, "Here we go again." The look that seemed to be waiting for the condemnation that she must have heard before from others. She had done something years before....something that wasn't the best choice....something that many hadn't let her forget. Sadly, some people in her life had chosen judgment and condemnation over support, love, and restoration. So many times it's easy to point out another's shortcomings and not see our own....or to see our own shortcomings and dismiss them while holding others accountable for what they have done wrong. I had a chance to talk to her....I told her that something she had done had been a blessing to me. I didn't wait for a response. I didn't need one. I only wanted her to know that she had been, and was continuing to be, a blessing in the lives of others. But as I walked away, she stepped over to me, touched my arm, looked me in the eyes and sincerely said, "Thank you for that."

One thing I know for sure is that God is all about forgiveness and restoration....He will forgive anything. All we have to do is ask Him. And there are second, third, fourth....as-many-as-you-need chances with Him if you're really seeking to live your life for Him and are sincerely asking for His forgiveness. We all mess up. We all blow it. We all wish, at times, that we had done things differently. But God picks us up, brushes us off, and sends us on our way again. He knew we could never be perfect.

We never know how a word of appreciation or encouragement will touch another. I know that the right words at the right time have been of great encouragement to me at various moments throughout my life. You, too?

If you have the opportunity this week, encourage someone whose path crosses yours.

Your words may be just what their heart is longing to hear at that very moment.

"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing." 1 Th. 5:11

Show and Tell

We had Show and Tell in my classroom. Most students brought toys...a couple of students brought books. I smiled inside when I saw the books....I love books. One book was just a nice story that made the student happy. The other was a book of questions and answers....it had answers in it to LOTS of questions....all kinds of 'em! One student raised a hand to ask the little girl something....and though I can't recall the exact words to the question, I do remember, clearly, the answer. "Is it special to you?" The little girl replied, "Yes, because it has all the answers." Her words made me smile and I thought, "Wouldn't we all like to get our hands on a book that has ALL the answers?!" I even got up to write down the girl's reply because it made me laugh inside. It was only a little while later that I realized I already have that book.....the one with all the answers. In fact, I actually have quite a few copies of that book. It's called the Bible....and I have some in my car and in my house...one or two go with me when I go on vacation. The Bible is, indeed, filled with answers. I have only to look for them. "What do I do when someone hurts me?" "How will I have the strength to get through this trial?" "What will happen to me when I die?" "Does anybody care?" The list could go on and on. The answers are all there...right in that book that's so special....the Bible.



And as I think of my own Bible, in my mind I hear the question......

"Is it special to you?"

.........And my heart replies, "Yes, because it has all the answers."

A Bad Day....Not.

I was bummed. Walking out early of a place I had intended to be for a while longer wasn't easy....but it was the right thing to do. I had hoped for a delay....prayed for a thunderstorm to keep my plane from flying so I could stay. There were people I wanted to spend time with....an event I wanted to attend. But it was not meant to be. The sun was shining as I stepped into the terminal...and my flight was on time. Funny it should be on time when so many times before it was running late. I boarded my plane with heavy heart...still praying for something that would cause the plane to pull back into the gate. We sat on the runway for an hour and 15 minutes. Sigh. Then we flew away. I stared out the window thinking of all I would miss. Then I saw it...off in the distance...the thunderstorm that a few of us had been praying for. Tears stung my eyes and fell down my cheeks...but I smiled at the same time.....the lightning looked so awesome and stars were shining brightly in other parts of the sky. It was beautiful to see. But I couldn't help wondering why the storm didn't appear when and where we had prayed it would....at the place that would have delayed my trip and changed my plans back to what they originally had been.

Hours later, as I was driving home from the airport, a song started to play on my CD player. It was a song about a bad day. I thought back over my day...yeah, I had cried....I had been bummed....I had been sad to leave my friends two days earlier than I had planned....had been unhappy about not being able to attend the event I had planned to go to.....but I had also spent time with some wonderful friends....had seen an awesome musical....had laughed much and had shared life with others....I had been immensely blessed that day. And so when the song about the bad day started to play, I smiled to myself and told God that I couldn't call it a bad day because there were too many wonderful things that had happened to call it that.

I don't always understand why things work out the way they do. I would have rather had that particular weekend work out a whole lot differently than it did....but I know the way it worked out was for the best. I knew it on Friday before I left and I felt it again on Monday when I returned early from my weekend.

I guess the thing I'm reminded of is...I don't have to have all the answers. In this life, I won't always know why things work out the way they do. But I trust God. I know He loves me. I know He's watching out for me. And I know that He will direct the path I'm to walk when I acknowledge Him in my life and listen to what He would have me do.

He didn't say it would be easy....but He did say He would be with me through it all.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Prov. 3:5,6

"...For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Heb. 13:5

Lessons

Several months ago, when I knew that I was about to begin a really busy time in my life, I decided to take a day for myself and drive up the coast and stop somewhere at a beach to write. I drove north and saw beautiful views of the ocean...went on fun, winding roads by the mountains....saw a pelican soaring over the water....watched people sliding down a hill filled with sand--and a dog bounding down it as well...ears flapping as he ran! (I’m pretty sure he was smiling!!) ...and I chose the place I was going to stop and write on the way back. I kept driving a while longer and then I stopped and looked at the mountains, got a close up view of pumpkins growing, looked at fruit in an orchard, and watched birds flying. I always love how they fly together--knowing just when to turn and dip so they change direction all at the same time. I decided that I wanted to go to a church in the valley--not my home church, but a church I like and go to fairly often...to do that, though, I had to take a different way home....I wouldn't be able to go back down the coast. I knew the road I was going to take would have beautiful views...I've been on that road before...but as I turned onto the ramp for the road I would have to take home, I was a little bummed....that meant I wouldn't get to see the ocean again that day and I love the ocean....and I wouldn't be able to stop and write where I had planned to stop. I wasn't bummed for long, though, because I saw the rich, deep green of trees that from a distance looked like the green fields of the midwest where I grew up. The mountains were beautiful. I saw a jeep filled with wiggly, squiggly dogs and I love dogs so that made me smile. I saw a sign that said "Honey Farm". (I didn't know there was such a thing as a honey farm! That made me smile, too!) All the things I had seen on my trip reminded me about how beautiful God's creation is. And the road I had to take that I didn't expect to go on and that hadn’t been in my plan....that reminded me that sometimes God takes us on roads that are unexpected and that sometimes He even takes us ways we aren't initially thrilled to go and hadn’t planned on, but if we are open to it, there can be beauty and blessing there.

I finally arrived at church and as we were in our prayer circle, an usher brought someone to join us. The woman was blind. She sat by me during the service and for the first part of the service I just kept thinking about the contrast....most of my day had been about all the beauty I had seen....and she wasn't able to see any of that. It made me sad. The pastor very briefly spoke about healing and the woman leaned over and said something to me. I responded and then she said something I couldn't quite understand. We didn't speak anymore then because the pastor was talking, but after the service I asked about what she'd said. She told me she had gone to that church for a certain number of years and had been blind for x number of years....and that sometimes it wasn't God's will to heal. I agreed with her. (While I whole-heartedly believe that God can and does heal today, I agree that sometimes it's not His will to heal.)

Anyway, I walked out of the church thinking about what a mature Christian she was and how accepting she was of God allowing blindness in her life. I wondered if I would be as accepting of that or of something equally as difficult. I went to the store and I thought of her as I walked around. I was looking for cookies and I felt a twinge of disappointment that the store didn't have the kind of cookies I wanted....then I remembered that just a few hours earlier I had been a little bummed that I didn't get to take the road home that I wanted to...and I thought, "How in the world would I handle blindness?" I walked around the store feeling kind of bad about myself and thinking about what a lightweight Christian I am. And then God came through. He reminded me that I just need to trust Him. He hasn't called me to blindness at this time in my life....so I don't need strength for that right now. I just need to trust that He will be there to comfort me and give me strength for the things that I go through...when I need it. (Phil. 4:13) I thought about His faithfulness in taking me through difficult situations I've already gone through in my life....and He's always been there. He's always walked with me through everything....and I just need to trust that He will continue to walk with me through all I go through for the rest of my life. I had peace after that....and I was grateful for all the ways God had touched my heart during the day.

A Blank Page

I thought off and on this evening about what to write here tonight. I couldn't decide. A few times I looked through my journals....hoping a story or something would jump out at me so that I could post it here. As I was looking, I came upon a blank page. Odd that it should be there among all my other journal entries. And it made me think about my day ahead...a blank page....yet to be written on.

We will all write upon the "page" of our day....we will write it as we interact with family and friends...with how we behave at work....with the way we choose or choose not to give of ourselves to others. We will write it with how we live out our entire day....from the time we get up in the morning until the time we go to bed at night.

Our words and actions matter so much. With our words, we can wound deeply or we can uplift and encourage. We can tear down or we can build up. We have the ability to make someone's day brighter with how we choose to interact with the people that God places in our path. There are so many people who could use a kind word.....so many who ache for someone to show some care and concern for them. There are so many different ways we can fill the "page" that is before us.


Yes, tomorrow is a blank page.


....What will be written on yours?

Blessed Be the Name of the Lord

We sang the song again at church today.....the one that used to make me cringe. (Sometimes, I admit, I still do cringe a little.) The song is "Blessed Be Your Name" by Matt Redman. The song talks about praising God when things are going well.....and continuing to praise Him when things aren't going so great. I love much of the song. It's got a great tune. I love what many of the words say.....and then.....there are those words that are difficult to sing sometimes....the ones that made me cringe.

In Job 1: 21,22 Job is speaking and he says, "....'Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.' In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong."

Job is speaking right after a time in his life when he lost many things and people. His servants were killed. His animals were lost. His sons and daughters passed away. And yet, Job still says, "Blessed be the name of the Lord." What faith. What a lesson for us.

....what a lesson for me.


Part of the song I'm speaking of says:

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your Name.

When I sang those words, I would think about all the things and people I loved that had been taken away from me. I had been through a rather difficult time in my life and singing those words were really something that was hard for me to do. One Sunday as we were singing it.....and I was cringing inside....God reminded me of something. Yes, He will allow us to lose things and loved ones at times....people die....situations change.....but that day, God reminded me that He also takes away the hurt and the brokenness and the pain we feel. Those things don't last forever.

Yes, there are sometimes very difficult things that we go through in life. We do need to choose to praise God no matter what is going on around us because He is good...He is worthy of praise....He is to be honored even in our brokenness. We don't praise God for the bad things that happen in our world; we praise Him for who He is.

I am to praise God when my world is sunny and everything is going along smoothly and wonderfully.....and I'm also to praise Him when things aren't going as great as I'd like them to be....for He is God. That day at church, He reminded me that He is with me through all of the painful situations I go through. And the pain won't last forever....He will take that away, too.

And for that, I'm very grateful.

"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."

The Concert

I went to a concert last night. There were several different singers on stage throughout the evening. Every so often, they moved to the extreme left and right sides of the stage and touched those who had extended their hands toward them. As I watched this going on, I noticed a little girl....she was sitting in a seat lower than most of the others....and she was short....so it was difficult for the singers to reach her. I saw her as she extended her hand and waited. A particular singer passed her by and touched others. I thought, "Oh, that little girl is going to be so disappointed." But she turned to her mother, smiled, and sat down. Several times throughout the show, the girl extended her hand and, from what I saw, was not touched. Finally, near the end of the show, a singer headed over in that direction once more. I prayed, just as I had prayed several times before, that this singer would touch the little girl's hand. The singer walked slowly to that side of the stage....then she stopped, gently squatted down, and reached out and touched the girl's hand. After she was touched, the little girl clenched her hand in a fist as a sign of victory and turned to her mother....I didn't really see what took place after that, because I was saying thanks to God that someone had finally connected with the little girl....someone had seen her and had taken the time to reach out to her.

There are people all around us who are just like the little girl I saw that night at the concert. Oh, they don't extend their hand in a way that says, "Touch me, please." But they're there...in our families, among our friends, in the midst of those we come into contact with at work...and they're even among the people we've never met before that we see at the grocery store, the theatre, or wherever our daily lives may take us. They're there and they are just as hungry for a touch as that little girl was. You have to look for them, though, because like the little girl, they may have a smile on their face, though all the while they are yearning to connect with someone. Maybe they need someone to listen to them...someone to help carry the load of a situation they're going through. Maybe they need a hug or just a smile. Maybe they need some encouragement or someone to help them as they go through the illness of a loved one. Maybe they just need to know that someone cares about them and that they are loved.

Will you be like that singer?.....Will you reach out to someone who is hungry for a touch of some sort in their lives?

Today, really take the time to look at those around you....look in the eyes of those who cross your path....and if you see someone in need, stop and reach out and help them.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7

Car Wash

My car was dirty!! (I'm not the best at keeping it clean!) Often it needs a good washing. And the inside is sometimes (actually often!) a mess! But today was the day it was going to be washed. Finally, a bath for my car....I wanted it to look SPIFFY!! I had to drive for quite a while before I found a carwash. When I finally found one, I heaved a sigh of relief and pulled into the automatic wash. When I drove out, I was so pleased with how my car looked...until I turned toward the sun. With the light of the sun shining in, I could see that my windows were not completely free of dirt....and I said out loud, "I still need to clean the windows from the inside." It made me think about how many times we try to make the outside look good to "blend in". Our hair is done, we have new clothes and some fashionable shoes, our make-up is just right. And we do look good....on the outside. But how many of us still need our "windows" cleaned from the inside? When we turn toward the Son and His light shines into our lives, it becomes quite clear what needs cleaning inside our hearts and minds. We're able to make ourselves look good on the outside, but only God is capable of making each of us SPIFFY on the inside!!

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1: 9

Comfort

Ever wanted to go back and change things? Press "rewind" and start a day fresh and new? Shout, "Do over!" like we used to do when playing childhood games?

I have. Sigh.

I messed something up. It was my fault. No one to blame but myself.
...And now I'm feeling kinda crummy.....

But the thing I'm thankful for...the thing I know without a doubt....is that God loves me and He's with me....and no matter how much I mess up, He'll always be there for me. THAT gives me comfort....even now, when I should have done things differently....and when I long to go back and do things over again....I can count on God to listen to me as I pour out my hurt, to bind up my wounded heart, and to send me on my way, comforted, and with my hand safely in His.

"...casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." 1 Pet. 5:7

All Things Are Possible

While driving home last night after visiting a friend, I was listening to music and singing....and thinking about something that I've dreamed of and prayed about for several years....wondering about the steps ahead. It's funny how you can sing words to songs and not really think about them or apply them to your life. I have known one of the songs I was listening to for a few years...and have applied it to other situations in my life....but I've sung it a lot in the past couple of months and never once thought about it in relation to what I was thinking about tonight. One of the lines in the song is "....in the power of Your name, all things are possible." And tonight as I was driving, the realization finally came to me that this song also spoke of what I was thinking of. All things are possible....even this....if it's God's will. The thought of that made me smile....a holy revelation that I was slow to "get"....but better late than never! There came a comfort and a freedom in resting in God about this....if He wants it to happen, He is more than capable of bringing it to pass.....and if He doesn't allow it in my life, then I trust Him that there's a reason for that, too, though I may never know what that reason is. God can use all that happens (as well as the things that don't happen) to shape me and mold me into the person He wants me to be and to accomplish His purpose for my life. I will do the things I can do in the development of what I'm praying about.....and then leave the outcome in God's hands.

After all, He knows what I need and what's best for my life.

I trust Him....with open hands before Him....

with it all.

Psalm 117

I sighed and thought, "It's another Psalm 117 night." A "Psalm 117 night" for me is when I only read Psalm 117 because I'm too tired to read anything else in the Bible. It usually means that either my life is incredibly busy or that I haven't managed my time well that day. You see, Psalm 117 is the shortest Psalm in the Bible....so if I'm feeling wiped out, I choose to read that because I can read it quickly and it fulfills my desire to read something from the Bible each day. Of course, reading it quickly and not really thinking about it doesn't really do all that much for my spiritual life. Oh, I feel better that I read something from the Bible, but it doesn't touch my heart as much as it does when I really sit down and give my total attention and some quality time to my reading. (And before I go further, I need to say that Psalm 117 is a great Psalm....it's just that I don't think God intended for me to use that Psalm as a "quick read" before I go to bed just so I can feel like I read something from the Bible that day.) Anyway, that night I read Psalm 117, fell into bed, and because I was craving God, I prayed, "Lord, please feed my soul." Immediately, I realized that He couldn't "feed" my soul when I wasn't "eating"....He couldn't fill me up spiritually if I wasn't reading the Bible. Reading Psalm 117 the way I was doing...quickly and without too much thought ...was like only eating a snack. I was hungry and I needed a meal. I determined in my heart to do better.

I still have "Psalm 117 nights".....honestly, some nights I'm so tired that I don't even read anything from the Bible....though I try really hard not to do that. The Bible says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8) When I read His word, I draw near to Him and He draws near to me....many times, I feel His presence....I have more inner strength to get through my days....I'm more at peace and my heart is filled with joy. And I learn about the person that I consider to be the most important in my life...Jesus.

Yes, I realize God understands when we're tired...He knows we're human. I don't think He's up there in heaven looking down on me angrily on the days I don't read from the Bible at all or when I only read Psalm 117....but I think He does desire to spend time with me....with all of us. One of my pastors used to say, "God has nothing better to do than to spend time with you." I love that! And I want to spend time with Him because I love Him.

And now....if you'll excuse me....

.... it's time to "eat"! : )

The Real Thing

I love genuine people...you know, the ones who are "real". The people who behave the same way with one group as they do with another....who act in private just as they do when they're out in the world among many. I love people who aren't afraid to just be themselves and act silly, laugh about embarrassing things that have happened to them, and openly reach out and love others.

Oh, I know there is a time and a place for acting "dignified" and putting your best foot forward, but even in those situations, genuine people are able to remain "real"....able to retain that sense of being "down-to-earth" and approachable. They don't think of themselves as better than others. They know we're all in this life together and they try to help others and make their burdens lighter.

Yes, I love genuine people.

I pray to be one of 'em.

Drummer Boy

Sometimes I feel like the little drummer boy....the one who has no gift to bring. I don't sing (well, yes, I do sing....a LOT....but nobody would be lining up to hear ME sing! LOL!!), and I don't play the clarinet anymore (not a large market for a clarinet-playing adult unless you're REALLY good and in an orchestra or something....and, yeah, I'm definitely not that good!). I'm too old to twirl baton (but I do twirl my pencil at times...and the handle of the handbasket at the grocery store every once in a while!). I can't do stand-up comedy (though I can make my friends laugh on occasion). I don't speak in a lecture series. I don't act on stage (though I can fake people out pretty well when I'm joking around about something). I can't really sew or cook...though I can sew on a button when needed and I use a microwave as well as the next person!....yeah...not really anything to give it sometimes seems. The little drummer boy....he and I....we're two peas in a pod. I know there are things I do to help others...things I do that make a difference in the world....but a gift? Something to give back to God? Sometimes it seems the only thing I have to give are words. I don't write eloquently, though I wish I did....there are so many people who do. But in God's hands....He can multiply what I do give...the things I do write...little and lacking though it all is. He can multiply it like the fish and the loaves....if He chooses....maybe let it feed hungry hearts just as the fish and loaves fed hungry people. I pray He does that. I pray He somehow uses the words I write to touch the hearts of others.

And maybe....maybe Jesus would even smile at me and at what I've written....just like He smiled at the little drummer boy and his drum in the song so many of us have sung.


At least I hope He does....

Cause words are what I bring.
It's the gift I lay before the King.


Pa rum pum pum pum.

Sunsets

There's nothing like a great sunset!! Sometimes I drive west just to see the colors of the sunset swirled around in the sky. Purples, reds, blues....so many colors painting beauty in the sky. And I'm thankful that God has made the world so lovely for us to see.

One day I was thinking about sunsets...and one thing I noticed about them is that often the most beautiful ones are made when there are clouds in the sky. If there are no clouds, the sunset is pretty but not nearly as rich and colorful as when there are some clouds for the sun to shine its light through. And so it is with our lives....no one goes through life without any "clouds" overhead.....so often, when our lives have been clouded with trials and hurts, heartaches and difficulties, those are the times that the grace and mercy of God are most evident in our lives. The Son shining down on us....causing all things to work together for good....even the clouds in our lives....swirling events and people, days and years all together and making something beautiful out of it all in ways that I will never understand ....just as He swirls together the colors of a magnificent sunset.

But we have to look for it...we have to take the time to look back at our lives to see the way that God has brought us through the difficulties we've faced...He is faithful...He has worked things out in the past....we have to trust Him to do the same in the future.

We're all so busy. We often miss looking at sunsets. And we often miss looking at the way that God has worked in our lives....the way that He has worked things out for good. Take time now to look....today watch the sun as it sinks low on the horizon....and as you see the beauty of the sun shining through the clouds in a peaceful sunset, remember that the Son is able to shine through the clouds in your life and somehow make something beautiful as well.

Yes, God will work all things together for good.

You can count on it....

....cause He said He would.

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Rom. 8:28

Still Waters

A few months ago, I was so busy that I almost felt like I was drowning....(not drowning at that moment, but almost, and it wasn't even the busiest time of the year for me.)....so much to do....stuff going on, etc....then later that week at church, the pastor spoke about Peter when he was walking on the water...he talked about situations when you feel like you're drowning. It was exactly what I needed to hear. I hadn't been to the beach for awhile so after church I went there to do some paperwork and to write. As I stood looking at the ocean, I thought it was kind of funny that I finally made it to the beach with all that water in front of me when just a few days before I had felt kind of like I was drowning. Then the ocean became quiet....no waves....calm water....and it made me think of the part in Psalm 23 where it says, "He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." That's exactly what God did for me that day....he restored my soul. But then doubt began to creep in and I wondered, "What if I go to work tomorrow and I start feeling like I'm drowning again?".....I remembered (well, I think God had me remember) the part in Matthew that says, "Don't worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I knew that things would get hectic again and there would be times in the future when I felt like I was drowning, but that day God helped me be ready for the week ahead and reminded me to just take one day at a time. It's something I need to be reminded of constantly....you, too?

If you're busy and things are hectic...you have so much to do you think you'll never get finished....remember that God loves you. He cares about everything that happens to you and about how you feel.. Spend some time with Him and let Him restore your soul.

He will be with you always and He will help you through everything you're going through....one day at a time.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matt. 6:34

Friendship

I have a dear friend that I met at work. Our rooms were right beside one another....she was in Room X and I was in Room Y. We could often be found in one another's rooms talking and laughing. We joked about tearing out part of the wall and putting a door between our rooms. Over the years, we had some room changes....ended up being completely across campus from each other. Then we changed schools...and though we were both at the same school, our rooms were not next door to one another.

A couple of years ago, my friend changed schools again....I didn't. We were on the same road...miles apart. I said the road was just a long hallway between us. (Smile.) Then, because of certain circumstances I, too, decided to change schools. I prayed and God seemed to be leading me to the same school she was at....I prayed some more and He answered my prayers in ways that confirmed to me that this was a change I should make and that was the place I should go. So....I changed schools.

And I have to say, God does care about friendships and dreams...light-hearted joking that expresses honest feelings. It is many years later (trust me on the MANY years...I'm old enough that I don't want to say!) from the time we first met and taught side by side in Rooms X and Y. We've taught in several different rooms at several different schools. And now?

Now, we're at the same school....teaching right next door to one another.

She is in Room X and I'm in Room Y.

....And there's a door in between!

Isn't God good?!!

Never Know

Several years ago, I walked into the house and said quietly to my roommate, "I think I just saw someone get killed." The news reports later confirmed what I thought I had seen.

I was driving home after checking on a house for a friend who was out of town. I was driving safely in the flow of traffic, but I felt impressed by God to slow down...so I did. The wind was blowing and suddenly I could see dirt flying across the freeway ahead of me. Then...it was surreal....an electronic message sign on the freeway started falling over, as if in slow motion, right onto the lanes of the freeway....blown over by the wind. I prayed for the people ahead of me...that everyone would be able to get out of the way. I thought everyone had cleared the sign and I got over in the next lane to go around it. As I was changing lanes, a car drove right in front of me and I slowed down so as not to hit it. The car kept going slowly across all the lanes of the freeway and then stopped at the side of the road as if someone had intended for it to be parked there. I pulled in front of the car, jumped out, and headed back to see if the person was ok...but a gentleman who had pulled in behind the car got there before I did. He looked into the driver's side window, and then looked at me with a pained expression on his face, put his hands up in a way that told me not to come any closer, and shook his head. I'm a pretty determined person, at times, and I don't always do what others think I should do, but something in his face made me stop where I was. The man and I exchanged a few words and then I got back in my car and drove away. There was nothing I could do and I didn't want to hinder the emergency vehicles that would soon be there.

I drove home in shock. The line between life and death has always been somewhat difficult for me to comprehend. One second someone's alive, the next they aren't.

If I hadn't slowed down earlier when I felt impressed to, would I have been under that sign at the time it fell? And the car of the man who died in the accident....it looked like it was being driven across the lanes and intentionally parked at the side of the freeway...did God make sure it happened that way so others weren't injured by a car that had no driver?

I don't know the answer to those questions...but I do know that we don't know when our last day on earth will be. That man didn't know that his life would come to an end that day. He got into his car and headed out for his destination just as we all do.

Maybe you happened upon my blog on the internet while surfing....maybe you're one of my friends and you clicked on my blog intentionally.....no matter who you are...however you came to be reading this...God loves you very much! He wants you to know Him. If you haven't checked out the Bible, please do that. Ask God to make Himself real to you and He will.

He made Himself real to me.

Anticipation

I'm excited! I get to spend the 4th of July with my friends in a small town! I know that probably sounds strange, but I grew up in a small town....we had the whole 4th of July celebration thing going on with little booths and book sales...good food....fireworks at the end of the day. We kind of have that where I live now, but it's not the same as the feeling you get when you're in a small town. So I'm happy. It will be a little bit like being home for the 4th. And my friends....they make me feel so loved! (as do all my friends) I talked to ____ on the phone yesterday morning....we talked about my flying up to see them. I have to be back at a certain time and the inexpensive flights aren't always the most convenient so it makes things a little tricky trying to figure out flight times and times that are convenient for them to pick me up and drop me off at the airport.....and then there is the question of which airport would be the best to fly into. Last night, I was gone...I came home to two messages from her on my answering machine...."Let us know when you're coming!" "We'll pick you up; it doesn't matter what time." "Just tell us when and where." I could hear her husband in the background say, "Any airport." (Smile.) God has given me such great friends! So I booked my flights and I'm excited to see my friends and celebrate the 4th....in a small town like home!

The Airport

Her eyes looked tired but kind. She walked with a limp and leaned awkwardly over to speak to the person checking bags. She was in uniform. I looked at her with empathy and in awe that one so young and innocent could have lived through and seen the atrocities of war. I watched her as she walked toward me and when she was beside me, our eyes met. She gave a slight smile and I returned one. I hesitated a second, not wanting to bother her, but then I had to say, "Thank you for serving." She smiled slightly as she had done before and gave a little nod. Then she limped on.

....and my eyes filled with tears at the encounter.

Beginnings

Well, I never thought I'd be posting my thoughts openly on the internet, but here I am...for better or worse. Don't know if I'll have anything worth reading, but I'm willing to give it a try.

Life is funny...the twists and turns we take that we thought would never occur....bringing both heartache and blessings. I'm so thankful for the path that God has taken me on in my life...and I'm especially grateful for the things He's done in my life the last couple of years. How about you? Any twists and turns in your life that you're grateful for?