Penguin Confetti

This evening I was with my three-year-old granddaughter and we worked on a small paper project--coloring the parts of a penguin, cutting them out, and pasting them together. After some attempts at coloring, I gave her a pair of safety scissors and she began cutting away. She repeatedly refused my offer to help cut, even though her penguin soon began to take the shape of, well...confetti.

Throughout the time we spent on our little "craft", I kept telling myself that the end product was not as important as the fun and skill acquired by the process used to get there. In other words, our adult definition of success (having a wonderful product to show for our effort) may not be the same for someone younger (the thrill of discovery and learning through the experience).

How does God measure success? Well, I know He doesn't measure our love by how much we love our friends, but by how much we love our enemies. And He doesn't measure our faith by how we trust Him when things are going wonderfully in our lives, but by how much we trust Him when trials and suffering are all around us. How much love and faith will God find in your life? Are you ready for HIS measure of success?

Studio Smiles

Today my daughter and I picked up some studio photos we had taken of our little Julia at a Wal-Mart store awhile back. I remember the day the pictures were taken. We spent over an hour and only managed to get two or three "half-smiles" out of this one-year-old. She was a tough cookie to crack! And I have always bragged about Julia's sweet little smile she has for anyone. A smile is just her natural facial expression. Evidently not when she's in front of a camera though...

I wonder how many times we are not ourselves "when the cameras are rolling." Either we are sweet and cuddly in our private lives and totally out of character in public. Or perhaps we keep our nice personality up front only when the public is there to witness it, but are very difficult to live with at home.

Lord, help me to show only one side of my character and let that side reflect the lovely Lord Jesus. This is the best way to be a witness to others, including all the others we come in contact with every day. I pray our little Julia will learn this also as she grows up...but maybe, just maybe, she'll at least have the smiles down the next time we are in a studio!

Life Busy-ness

Busy Monday, as usual. Filled with doctor appointment for husband in the morning and running errands in the afternoon. Several "things" to do yet this evening. I'm beginning to understand the title of a book for caregivers called "The 36 Hour Day".

Alot of us need a 36-hour day to get done with all our life "busy-ness". It just dawned on me where the word "business" comes from. Life in and of itself constitutes a business. Hey, we're all small business owners, if you have a life! And being a caregiver, doubles your business, because you are not only looking out after yourself, but your loved one. Same for parents. Think of yourselves as small business owners, because you really are.

Getting back to the 36 hours... Unfortunately God only allows us 24 hours each day, but He has built in a cushion for us each week. It's called the Sabbath and has been blessed for us to "use" clear back when our world was created. Man has tried to get rid of it, change it (Daniel 7:25), and just outright ignore it. But the sacredness of the day stands, and true rest, physical and spiritual, can only come from heeding its call. It's a call to worship the Creator and found in the very heart of God's Ten Commandment law.

Still Thankful

I'm not sure about your family, but this is day four of eating Thanksgiving food around here. Not sure how many more plates of sweet potatoes and dressing I can handle, and there's even some leftover green bean casserole that I'm feeling responsible for, not to mention quite a large bowl of my "from real cranberries" sauce staring back at us when we open the fridge door.

All this food was so delicious the day we fixed it and sat down to eat it on good china and a lace tablecloth. When did it start to lose its appeal? Our blessings on the food are sounding pretty mundane lately, compared to the flowery ones we asked on Thanksgiving Day.

This food situation, crisis for some, reminded me of the manna that fell from heaven for God's people in the wilderness. I wonder how long it was before some of them were complaining about the monotony of their menu too. Let's not be forgetful of where our food comes from. If we remember the Source, straight from heaven above, maybe all our food can gain back its appeal. Hmmm... I think I'll go have some green bean casserole.

Message of Gideon

My thoughts tonight are of the sermon I heard this morning. It was a very special sermon--a dramatic presentation by the pastor in a biblical costume that became a message that stays with a person. Wasn't that why Jesus told parables? The stories He told about everyday life were easy to relate to and easy to remember.

The overriding message this morning was that our God is a God of the impossible. The story of Gideon and how his small army defeated the great Midianite army was a demonstration of the victory that can be ours, even against overwhelming odds.

Many of us today feel just as hopeless as the Israelites back in Gideon's day. Some today are battling health problems, struggling with financial difficulties, facing divorce and other strife on the homefront, worrying about family members out in the world, or grieving over the loss of a loved one. And there are some who are facing all of the above. How can God help us survive in this sinful planet that we have been asked to occupy until He comes again? The only answer is to trust and obey...just like Gideon.

Thanksgiving--Round Two

Today we celebrated Thanksgiving again to include family that was absent yesterday. I was just thrilled to get my daughter here, even though it was "the day after." It was an in-law situation, and one I'm sure is encountered multiple times with other families.

It must be even more complicated to get together for stepfamilies and those who are separated geographically. Not to mention the heartache of not seeing someone at all, as the case with many military families.

The point is to be thankful for whatever situation you find yourself in this Thanksgiving, as Paul advises us to do in Ephesians 5:20: "giving thanks always for ALL things..." Don't let anything deter you from giving thanks to God our Father. He's someone we should never spend the holidays without. And we never have to! Praise God!!!

Thanksgiving Memories

As I set the table from the dishes in my Mom's hutch this afternoon, I pulled out a tablecloth that had many memories attached. My nephew and I both commented on its not-so-pretty color and I immediately headed to the hall closet for one of my lace ones. The truth was I just couldn't bear eating on Mom's favorite tablecloth again. We've missed her so much this past year she's been gone.

We all have memories in store that are brought to the surface during special times like holidays. As a matter of fact, one of the things we should be thankful for on Thanksgiving IS our memories--both the past ones and the ones we are creating each day we live.

There are many folk among us who have memory loss, especially short term memory. So be glad you can remember tomorrow what you did today, or even an hour ago. Be thankful for your memories AND your memory!

Thankful for Onion Sandwiches

The other day I was checking up on a fellow church member who is 96 years old and living alone. I asked him if he had any plans for Thanksgiving and he said no. I was a bit surprised because he does have a son who lives close by. But perhaps they were traveling somewhere. He said he didn't mind being home on Thanksgiving--he'd just have an onion sandwich, which is his favorite, I understand.

On this Thanksgiving eve, how many of us are thinking about all our holiday plans--cooking a big meal, cleaning house, packing up to travel, seeing family we haven't seen in awhile...just so many details to attend to? Naturally we want to think of things we're thankful for, but how many of us are really going to express that thanks in any way other than saying a blessing before the big feast tomorrow?

Wouldn't the greatest expression of our thanks come in the form of SHARING our blessings with others less fortunate? I'm hoping to bring some food over to my friend who will be all alone tomorrow, as he is every day. Is there someone in your life who will be happy eating "onion sandwiches" tomorrow? Why not bring them some of your holiday food, or better yet, invite them over and show your thanks for ALL you have! Happy Thanksgiving to EVERYONE!!!

Life Is a Headache

This morning I woke up with a terrible migraine headache. But it came at a very bad time, because my blood pressure was also running high. I struggled for over an hour which problem I should treat first. The migraine medicine raises my blood pressure even higher, which would require medicine to lower it too, and I really don't feel good when I take both medicines too close together. The headache won out, even though it made my blood pressure alot higher than I like it to get, before I could take the other medicine.

Life in general can get complicated like this. Seldom does one have just one problem to deal with at a time. Trouble seems to come in duplicate or even triplicate, and we don't always know how to sort it all out. I'm glad for a Heavenly Sorter and Solver. He can always be depended on to help us make wise choices. And the best part about His services is that He is on call day or night--you don't even need an appointment. It's worth the call!

Phone Peeves

They say Monday is a bad day to make business calls because phone lines are particularly busy that day. Unfortunately with all weekend to think about them, by Monday I usually have a list as long as my arm of calls that need to be made. I've tried spreading them out during the week. But no, since I detest it so much, I force myself to get it all done and over with on Monday (probably the cause of all the busy lines).

My phone peeves include trying to decipher foreign accents (don't they know only Midwestern Americans really know English?), menus so long and complicated you need an advanced college degree to understand them, and then there's the "hold" status which make me feel like I'm a plane hovering over an airport waiting to land. Not too bad, if you can stop thinking of running out of fuel, which in this case, is more like patience. People get ugly when they run out of patience, and no one wants to sacrifice their good looks on a petty business call.

I'm so glad for another phone line we have access to every day of the week. It's called prayer. There's no worry about understanding each other. The Holy Spirit is our heavenly translator. And menus aren't even necessary because we have instant access to the party needed. Besides that, we are never on "hold". And here's the real icing on the cake. Instead of an ugliness risk, we actually become more beautiful the longer we're on the line to divinity. Make your call today--God's company is open 24/7.

Falling...again

One more day till my husband gets his foot X-rayed again to see if his foot fractures have healed enough to take the "boot" off. We have waited months for them to heal, so needless to say, I was mortified when he fell again today in a store!

Fortunately, he didn't appear to be injured this time, even though he went totally down to the floor and needed some help to get back up. Many times he has fallen and not gotten hurt. I think he just knows how to land well. He goes down so gracefully. Heaven knows he's had lots of practice with falling down during his wild, barroom days. It's the only explanation I can come up with, except that there are also angels orchestrating his downward spirals and cushioning his tumbles.

Psalm 91:11 and 12 says "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." Yes, I do believe he fell into the arms of some angels today. We'll have to watch out more for those "stones".

Bixby, the Guide Dog

At church dinner today we had the pleasure of having a guide dog in attendance at our table. Bixby, a new addition to his master's life, is fast becoming a hit with church members, young and old. There is a rule, however, that he can't be petted unless his "guide harness" is off. It's his signal that he is "off duty".

Certainly this harness concept must relate to our Christian walk. We must constantly be "in harness" and "on duty" for God's service, as we guide others to an understanding of God's love. But will God ever allow the harness to be removed and the petting to begin?

I believe He's making provisions for that time even now. Somewhere in heaven there are "petting" mansions being built, where God's people will be pampered supremely when Jesus comes again. (John 14:1-3) And I'm sure there are angels who are eagerly waiting for the chance to get to know the human race on a more personal, up-close level...just like our desire to pet and make friends with Bixby.

Caregivers Unite

Today I went to the State Capitol Building and witnessed the signing of a proclamation to recognize November as National Caregivers Awareness Month. Then we met on the lawn outside and tied awareness ribbons on a tree. As an added bonus, we were invited across the street to the Governor's Mansion to enjoy a delicious dinner and a tour of the Mansion.

Caregivers are valued members of society because of their service to others. But we are all called to give care to those around us, so this title should include every Christian. The reason we are called to this service is because it is a primary characteristic of our God. I Peter 5:7 says "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." Jesus is the caregiver of the caregiver!

As important as my day was, all of these activities pale in comparison to future events, spoken of in Biblical prophecy, which will include a proclamation that "it is finished", a magnificant feast for all God's children, and mansions being prepared for US even now. I pray we are all united in our efforts to prepare for THIS Day.

Shoofly Pie

Tonight I made a shoofly pie. I had heard of them in books, but had no idea what they would taste like. The name came from the fact that the pie was so sweet that flies would have to be shooed away from them while they were out cooling. The main ingredient of molasses was offset by the zest and juice of two lemons in the Amish recipe I used, so I think it came out about right in the sweetness category.

Isn't this like one's personality? Sweet communication is, of course, to be desired, but we do need a balance of firm resolve and serious contemplation. When Jesus is an ingredient in our personality recipe, we will attract people, just like my pie would attract flies...if I hadn't slapped mine in a pie container! Not taking any chances!!! Now I just have to figure out a way to shoo people away from it. My husband has already been in the kitchen asking for a second piece and the night isn't over. My daughter's family is coming over with some homemade lemon sherbet to go with it. Yummmmm...

God Has a Plan

I knew it was going to be a busy day when my daughter called ten minutes before library storytime and asked if I could meet her there and help watch one of the granddaughters. Fortunately, it only involved putting my shoes and jacket on and going out the door, but I thought on my way there that only for my daughter and her little ones would I be making such an impromptu and rather inconvenient trip. I did have other things lined up for the morning before she called.

And then I thought, am I as willing to go on God's errands? Would I be just as anxious to drop all my plans and follow His? The answer lies only in how much love is motivating me to do it. It has to come from a pretty close relationship, just like with my daughter.

Lord, help me to hear your voice and, no matter what I am doing and where I am going in life, to just go where you want me to go and do what you want me to do. I may not be able to make sense of your plan, and it may cause hardship and sadness to me, but I trust you to lead the way.

Watching the Gauge

This afternoon when I decided to take a nap, I discovered that my oxygen concentrator had a problem. It didn't seem to be a big problem--the gauge that tells you how much oxygen you're getting wasn't working. After a phone call to a repairman and some simple troubleshooting, I found out that there was a small crimp in the oxygen tubing that caused the gauge to malfunction. How alarming that a tiny crimp in the tubing would be so important to my getting enough oxygen.

When I think of my spiritual life, I wonder if there are any "crimps" in my lifestyle that would cause the full delivery of the Holy Spirit to miss reaching me. I don't want anything to stop the flow of God's Spirit, sometimes referred to as the Breath of Life.

The only way to discover a malfunction is to keep monitoring the gauge. So, in this case we must keep our eyes on the Bible, our measuring tool for discovering any problems in our life. It won't fix the problem. For that, you'll have to get on the phone with the Master Repairman Jesus. He knows just where the "crimps" are and what to do about them.

Special Son-in-law's Birthday

This evening we celebrated my son-in-law's birthday. I have truly come to feel like a mother to him. For a year, he escorted me faithfully on many trips to care for my parents, who had cancer and finally both passed away just a few months apart. With no car radio and an hour's drive each way, we had many chats about some serious topics, including life and death.

That's one good thing about adversity. It brings people together in ways that may never happen without it. I'm sure that the closeness we developed on those car rides will give us a special bond that will last throughout the years.

When hard times come, it should draw us closer to God as well. He is waiting for some chat time with us even now though. The closer you are to Him in the good times, the more you will benefit from His presence when you really need Him. Don't wait another day to get to know this wonderful family member, our Heavenly Father God.

Payday Thanksgivings

Today my husband became upset, as alot of husbands would, because we were moving and changing some things in the house and garage. Some of HIS things, he pointed out rather forcefully. Awhile later, I saw him reading in his recliner and felt the the Holy Spirit must have guided him to just the right article. He read me a few sentences and it was about how God owns everything we have.

This is a truth that we are likely to forget and has to be one of the reasons God instructs us to return one-tenth of our income to Him. How blessed we are that He only asks for one-tenth! After all, it's all His anyway. This ten percent, or tithe, is also a sign that we love and trust God. It allows God to be our business partner and enables Him to bless the 90% that's left. You wouldn't believe the ways God has looked out for us with our shrinking income these last few years since disability has hit our household!

In these insecure economic times, many are questioning the wisdom of returning to God what is rightfully His share. But for those of us who are aware and convicted of the Biblical requirement, can we really expect God to look out for us financially or to help us become or stay employed, when we refuse to obey Him in this matter of tithing? Think and pray about it if you aren't tithing. And for those of you who already are, rethink the reasons you do it, and let every payday be a thanksgiving to God!

A Pink Tutu

I was at the store the other day with my daughter and two granddaughters and it was brought to my attention that Jenna, the three-year-old, has been begging to wear a dress every day, even though the temperatures are colder now and demand something covering her legs. She says she wants to feel "bootiful" and loves to twirl around and around like a "ballerwina".

As a result of her request (or demand, as the arguments had been escalating), we bought her a frilly pink tutu skirt that day which she could wear over all her long pants or jeans and would satisfy both mother AND daughter. Hopefully this would make their mornings at home a little less dramatic and traumatic.

My thoughts were drawn to the robe of Christ's righteousness that is talked about in the Bible. No matter what sinful ugliness is underneath, when we are covered with His robe (which I'm sure is even more "bootiful" than a pink tutu), we can be assured that the world sees only the loveliness and beauty of Jesus' noble character. Ask your mommy (in this case, the Holy Spirit) for your tutu today!
+

Dad Was a Soldier

I can't think of Veteran's Day without thinking of my dad, who passed away a year ago. He gave his youth to the service of his country. World War II was just winding down and he was just fifteen when he tried to enlist. The Navy wouldn't take him without a birth certificate, but the Army would require only a parent's signature.

Most of the men in his unit were much older, or so it seemed to a young teenager. But they bonded with him, if nothing else but to look out after such a young recruit. Dad never talked much about his time in Japan until a few years before his death. I had no idea, for instance, that he came very close to being in the thick of the Pacific arena. As a matter of fact, his ship was headed for duty in that part of the world when the atomic bomb was dropped. So instead, he was part of the occupation forces that tried to repair some of the damage. Obviously, it was still a very dangerous duty. The Americans were seen as the enemy by the populace for quite some time.

I even learned recently that he had seen numerous dead bodies in a river over there. I had always thought it odd growing up that Dad would never attend funerals of even close family members. But I believe now that he was just very anxious about seeing dead bodies again. It took the fortitude of a true soldier to attend his own wife's funeral, just a few months prior to his own. To see her dear face again in a casket was, I'm sure, the hardest duty he ever had to perform.

But like all duty, when it is driven by love--whether love for country or love for a spouse--God provides the strength. So I'm praying this Veteran's Day that we all have the strength to face the hard duties in our life. God didn't just promise us eternal life and freedom from sin, but also strength and power and peace of mind. So while we are thinking of our vets, who have and are sacrificing so much, let's also take hold of all that Jesus offers, as a result of His sacrifice for us...and our duties will seem much lighter.

Who Has a Flashlight?

A few days ago I desperately needed a flashlight to go down in my parents' totally dark basement to turn on their furnace. The house has been empty for months now, and we are hoping to sell it soon. But I was worried about the water in the pipes freezing and needed to get that furnace on again.

My dad would never have been caught without a flashlight and we found numerous ones of various sizes and styles in their house and in his car as we emptied them out, including boxes of batteries. I was driving his car now and believe it or not, there was not one flashlight left in the car and I was fifty miles from my own house! Where did all his flashlights go? I knocked on two doors in their neighborhood and both of them said they had no flashlights either. I was forced to go to a nearby convenience store and purchase one.

Driving home, I thought about disaster preparedness and how totally unprepared many of our homes are without even a flashlight--the most basic of all security items. Are we this unprepared in our spiritual lives too? The Lord is coming soon. If your neighbor knocked on your door for some Holy Spirit, would you have to send him to the store to get some?

Proud to Be Humble

“The Story of Ferdinand” has another story; not about Ferdinand, but about the storybook itself. The book, which I checked out awhile back, has been due at the library for a few days, and I have begged my daughter to look for the book at HER house, because I was sure she took it home to read to her girls. Today I had the very humbling experience of discovering the book behind MY couch! Ouch…

My daughter had a humbling experience of her own today too. She was feeling very good about getting “fixed up” to go out on some errands. She didn’t often go to such lengths to make herself presentable, so she actually felt proud to have just the right clothes and makeup on to go out and meet the world.

Just as they were about to go out the door, her three-year-old daughter told her she had “mud on her bottom”! Well, it wasn’t “mud”, but some embarrassing substance she must have sat on somewhere! What a relief she hadn’t made it out the door yet. It just goes to show that none of us are as good as we think we are.

So, why do we lowly human beings find having humility so difficult? I’ve actually found myself feeling proud of myself for being so humble. Maybe it’s because the sin of pride has been around longer than any other sin. After all, pride was behind Lucifer’s downfall in heaven. Our only hope is to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ…who left the highest position in the universe to reach down to our level (with books behind our couches and “mud” on our bottoms), which, face it, is about the lowest He could come. Talk about humility…

Seeking the Lost

Today I drove 50 miles to help with a caregiver awareness event at the veteran's hospital. It turned out to be a rather small affair--just three tables, but there was alot of traffic in the lobby due to free boxed lunches the Red Cross were passing out to people.

I was encouraged by one passerby, a young lady and her little boy. She saw the information about brain injury on my display board and related how she had fallen down some stairs. She recognized some of her symptoms in the brochures I showed her. I told her about some of the resources available to help her and she seemed truly appreciative.

As I was driving home today, I compared in my mind how much more thrilling it is to see and help someone on a personal level, as opposed to reaching them with a media barrage or even some big event or conference.

And it's the same with our witnessing methods. We have to vary our approach, just as Christ did. He spoke to the multitudes, yes--but He also shared the gospel with one woman drawing water from a well. I pray the Lord will lead me to the "lost sheep", but also to that one lone little lamb, wandering off on his own.

Housekeeping Recipe

This recipe is guaranteed to create a sweet heavenly home, if served daily with love.

Ingredient To-Do-List for the Entire Family:

T--trash (garbage, paper products, etc.)
D--dishes (dirty plates, cups, glasses, etc.)
L--laundry (clean and dirty clothes)

1. Pick up all trash and put in designated trash cans, or better yet, pick it up right after it falls or before it gets laid down. (Take trash cans out daily.)

2. Take all dishes and eating utensils to the kitchen sink, preferably right after eating from them.  (Wash them daily, along with the rest of the kitchen.)

3. Deposit dirty clothes in a designated hamper and clean clothes to proper drawers and closets. (Visit laundry facilities weekly, or use them at home, as needed.)

(Some of us just need it spelled out in 1, 2, 3 format!)

Frosty the Snowman Warmed Me Up

Tonight I happened to be in a department store, had made my purchases, and was waiting for someone I was with to finish shopping. Sitting there, I had time to notice the music playing on the intercom, and you guessed it, it was Christmas music.

Maybe because it's so early in the season, but I was rather enjoying the mood it was designed to create. How can you not smile at "Frosty, the Snowman", I mean the old Burl Ives version from when I was a kid? Forget that the rationale behind the music was to prepare you to start your Christmas shopping and spend all your money, before the mad December rush.

But then my thoughts went to another preparation time, one we are asked to make every week. On Friday, called the preparation day in the Bible, we are called to prepare our homes for the Sabbath. But isn't God mostly interested in the preparation of our hearts?

Next week, I'm going to make sure I listen to some good quality worship music WHILE I busy myself with the many Friday housekeeping chores, so my heart and spirit will also be prepared for the sacred event of the Sabbath. Music--let it create your mood too!

Sunshine Visiting

I did some visiting today. Not just your ordinary "catching-up-with-friends-how-are-you-today" kind of visiting. This was special for two reasons: my granddaughter was with me--and the people we visited were people who don't get alot of visitors or even get out of their home very often.

It's such a blessing to bring a little sunshine into someone else's life. My little sunshine's name is Jenna and she's three years old. I want her to know the joy of giving a little of herself like this. She's still rather shy in public settings, but I find that she will warm up to strangers one at a time.

Alot of us adults are the same way. You would never catch us in front of a crowd performing a song or delivering a sermon (although there's nothing wrong with that, if you can). But our light can still shine in very small, and sometimes dark, places. As a matter of fact, the dark is where the light of Jesus' love is needed most. My goal is to find some dark place every day, just so I can have the joy of lighting it up!

Waiting for Snow

Today is a first- snow "teaser" day. The sky looks right, the temperatures are about right, and there is definitely some precipitation in the air. But whether the raindrops will morph into some flaky stuff is up for grabs. Some are waiting with anticipation and others with dread.

Isn't that how it will be when our Lord Jesus comes? Some will rejoice and cry out, "This is our God and we have waited for Him and He will save us!" Isaiah 25:9 And others will cry for the rocks  to fall on them and hide them from His presence. Revelation 6:16

Which side will you be on, my friend? The waiters or the hiders?

Food for Thought...and Service

Today I started my monthly grocery shopping and once again tried to keep one rule in mind, due to working with very limited funds. There's a verse in Isaiah 55:2 that says, "Why do you spend money on what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance."

Now I realize in context this is speaking about listening to God, and therefore feeding on His Word, but I think we can also take to heart the part about eating what is good and apply it to the vast food offerings we have in our stores these days. So much of it is not good and in some cases could hardly even be considered "real" bread or food.

Making wise food choices will keep our minds sharp and our bodies fit, which in turn equips us for better service to God. Let's honor Him in the grocery store and in our kitchens and you'll find as I have, that you CAN eat  healthy on a very tight budget. Dean and I, on retirement earnings, are eating better than we ever have, and we thank God for continuing to help us improve our diets.