March 30, 2012 · 10:58 am

Love At First Sight?


Photo credit: Emma Larsen Art

Last night at dinner, the kids began to talk about “Romeo and Juliet.” My daughter is reading the play for her Honors English class.

She mentioned that the story took place over the course of three days (a fact that I did not  remember from my days as an English major in college. Then again, I couldn’t remember where I parked my car when I left Bible study last night, so that’s not saying much! :)).

“There is no way anyone could fall in love with someone in three days!” she said emphatically.

“I knew I loved your father as soon as I saw him,” I told her.

Both of my kids looked at me like I was crazy.

“That’s impossible,” Josh said and Julia nodded in agreement.

Not impossible. True.

Granted, no one can love someone deeply upon first meeting them. That  takes time and commitment.

However, I was 25 years old when I met Doug. I had been to college and out in the working world for a couple of years so I was no longer a kid. I had dated but there was no one that I was even remotely interested in spending the rest of my life with.

I recently heard someone talking about meeting her husband. She said, “The instant I looked into his eyes, it was like coming home.”

That is exactly how I felt the first time I met Doug. It may sound sappy and unbelievable but it is the truth.

Those blue eyes contained kindness, intelligence,  humor, a twinkle of playfulness, and wisdom that endlessly intrigued me.

By the end of our first date, I knew I would marry him.

I just knew in a way I could not explain that I would love this man for the rest of my days.

And I have.

What about you? Do you believe in love at first sight? Have you experienced it?

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March 29, 2012 · 8:58 am

Peace In The Storm


Photo credit: wappic

A couple who are very dear to my husband and me are on their way to Maine this morning to visit his father who may be dying.

It is a gray and dreary day here in my part of the world  and my heart is heavy at the sorrow and uncertainty that awaits them at their destination. I made a similar drive 10 years ago when we got word that my dad had suffered a heart attack and I can still remember the feelings of anguish and fear like it happened yesterday.

No matter the age, one is never truly ready to lose a parent.

This year, I have been using a little calendar called Standing On The Promises Of God. in my devotional time. Each day, there is one promise to read. Without fail, I have found that whatever promise is given, it has applied to what I would face that day. It is such an enormous comfort and joy to hear my Savior’s voice so clearly and powerfully.

Today’s verse was Philippians 4:7. And God’s peace shall be yours (that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace) which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Amplified).

That is such a beautiful verse but I was unfamiliar with the term “garrison” so I researched it and it means: “to occupy with troops…any military post, especially a permanent one…fortified stronghold…synonyms: harbor, home.”

I think that paints a beautiful word picture of what Jesus does for us when fear hits hard and fast.

He stands in front of us and takes the hit for us. He cushions the blow, turns around, and envelops us in His love where we are safe and secure and gives us the strength to stand.

Jesus IS our safe harbor in the storm. Jesus IS our home. Jesus IS our stronghold.

Colossians 3:3 says that our lives as believers are hidden in Christ. That means that whatever comes to us must come through Him first. Since He has promised to work ALL things together for our highest good and His highest glory (Romans 8:28) we can know without a doubt that whatever He allows has come with great purpose and intention.

The use of the term “troops” in the definition of  garrison caused me to think of one of my very favorite life verses from Habakkuk 3:19: The Lord God is my Strength, my invincible army;…He will make me to walk (not to stand still in terror but to walk) and make spiritual progress upon my high places of trouble, suffering, and responsibility. (Amplified).

Do you realize that we have the power of an invincible army living inside of us through the Spirit of Christ?!

The word invincible means: “powerful, strong, unbeatable, unconquerable, undefeatable, untouchable, unyielding.”

That means that when trouble comes, you can confidently say—not about yourself but about Christ in you—:

I am powerful.

I am strong.

This will not beat me.

This will not conquer me.

This will not defeat me.

The Enemy cannot touch me.

I will not yield to fear.

So, when you are facing your fearful situation, take and accept His precious gift of peace! He tells you in Phil. 4:7 that it is yours for the taking…which means we can turn it down and give in to fear and worry instead, bringing upon ourselves all manner of strife. However, there is a much better way.

Let Him fight the battle for you while He saturates your heart with His supernatural peace.

And remember that when your heart is breaking, His was broken first…for you.

You are loved.

When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say
It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

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March 25, 2012 · 9:21 pm

God’s Will


Photo credit: Flickr

When Doug and I were looking to buy our first home in 2000, we found two houses that we liked.

We had no idea which house to buy. Which one was God’s best for us?

One night I went to church for a meeting and told a friend about our dilemma.

Her answer shocked me.

She said, “It sounds to me like God is just letting you choose between the two.”

She walked away and the meeting began but I didn’t hear much of what was being said. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. Didn’t God have a specific house He wanted us to choose? What if we made the wrong decision and bought the wrong house?

I went home and told Doug what my friend had said. He agreed with her. So, we chose the house we liked best and moved in shortly thereafter. It was the perfect house for us at the time and we filled it with many wonderful memories.

I thought of that time in our lives this afternoon when I listened to James MacDonald teach a series on God’s will.

According to James, “God doesn’t have a detailed blueprint for your life that you have to figure out.God’s will is not anchored in the minutiae of this temporary life. God’s will is about bigger things, more eternal things. God’s will is about the kind of person you are…’The will of God’ is mentioned 27 times in the Bible and every single time it is speaking about the moral will of God (God’s Word…His prescription for how to live this life)  or the sovereign will of God (He is in control and nothing can thwart His will)…the Bible gives no plan for discovering God’s individual will for one’s life.”

James rejects the idea that there is a “dot” that God has in mind for each of our lives and it is our job to figure out where the dot is and get on it.  This leads to much pain, heartache, and stress, as we worry about whether we’ve found the dot and  then worry about falling off. Rather, Ps. 31:8 tells us that God has set our feet in a spacious place. James said, “You are not in danger of falling off the dot and missing God’s best for your life. Get free from that!” 

God does care about the decisions we all make (Ps. 31:3) and of course, He knows our every single decision,  but His primary concern is our relationship with Him. His most important plan for your life and mine is for us to have intimacy with Him: “You will call on Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”  (Jeremiah 29:12-13). After all, He is Who we were created for.

What do you think? Is this new to you? Is it freeing to think that God will use you regardless of which job you take or  which college you choose, or which house you buy? That all He asks of you is to live in the security and freedom of His sovereign and moral law and not be paralyzed in fear that you will make the ‘wrong’ decision?

I still have some questions about this myself and plan to talk to my pastor about it. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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March 20, 2012 · 11:04 am

Beef Tenderloin or Chicken McNuggets?


My daughter has to have a root canal this afternoon.

Following track practice yesterday afternoon, I told her that I was planning to make a beef tenderloin dinner with all the trimmings. She loves this meal (it is one of the few things I can make well! 🙂 ). I thought she would enjoy having a hearty meal prior to the procedure, as she will be limited to soft foods for awhile.

Her response was as follows: “Can I have Chicken McNuggets instead?”

Sigh. (I did take her to McDonald’s).

I posted that little exchange on Facebook and one of my friends had a wonderful insight. She messaged me and wrote: “Today it occurred to me that that  is a perfect example of what our relationship can be with God. Our ways are not His ways. He offers us the best and we say, “Meh…I’ll just stick with cheap and greasy because that’s what I’m familiar with.” The good news is that He allows us to have it and loves us anyway.”

I thought that was very well said. (Perhaps she should be blogging! 🙂 ).

We  serve an astonishingly generous and good God. He LOVES to give gifts! And all of His gifts are good because HE is good and cannot be otherwise.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)

He ALWAYS gives His very best too.

You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Ps. 23: 5-6).

For God so loved that world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).

Did you know that He even stores up good gifts for those who love Him?

How abundant are the good things that You have stored up for those who fear You, that You bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in You. (Ps. 31:19).

When we pray in His will and want the same things that HIS heart desires, He even sends blessings of good things to meet us on our path!

You have given him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of His lips. For You send blessings of good things to meet him. (Psalm 21:2-3)

When we hold all we have loosely and  give generously of our resources (which is easy to do when you realize that you don’t own anything anyway…it’s all HIS!), He promises to out-give you:

Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For  with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38). 

Notice that wording there: this verse did NOT say “it will be dripped little by little into your lap.” No, it will be POURED! He gives to us out of His never-ending, overflowing ABUNDANCE!

So often, we are ready to settle for the good or for the better.

But our Heavenly Father yearns to give us His very BEST.

He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32).

Our Heavenly Father is a gracious, kind, and loving Father who DELIGHTS to give.

Ask Him to open your eyes to ALL the gifts He has placed along your path today. I promise that when you live life like this, your JOY will overflow!

Choose the beef tenderloin today! Don’t settle for the Chicken McNuggets! 🙂

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March 19, 2012 · 8:42 am

Laughing At The Days To Come


This past Wednesday, a choir comprised of young adults from a Pennsylvania Bible college came to our church to give a concert and share their incredible talent and love for the Lord.

Earlier in the day, I had heard a piece of news that tempted me to worry.

During the concert, even as I was enjoying the exquisite voices and lovely music, there was a part of my mind that ruminated on possible scenarios.

That all stopped when a young lady approached the microphone with her flute. She spoke eloquently about the piece she was going to play, which was based on (the dreaded or inspiring, depending on your point of view :)) Proverbs 31 woman. Specifically, she mentioned verse 25: “Strength and dignity are her clothing and she laughs at the days to come.”

Just before she began to play, she said, “This woman knows that she has no need to fear because she always has hope in her God. That’s why she can laugh at the days to come.”

With that Scripture, Jesus cut through my worrying and reminded me of the truth I know so well in my head but often need reminding in my heart: He is in control of ALL my days…past, present, and future.

In the original language, that word for laugh means: “to rejoice, to play (including instrumental music, singing, dancing), merry.” 

This verse comes to us from the Author and personification of Joy Himself…the very One who told us: “In the world, you will have tribulation and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer! Take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted! For I have overcome the world! I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you!”  (John 16:33, Amplified version).

No, not all the days ahead will  be good ones. There will still be trials and heartache and sadness. Jesus—never one to mince words or minimize anything— told us as much in the above verse.

YET (such a beautiful, hopeful word!), Jesus will give me strength and dignity to face whatever comes.

He will give me the gift of steady and constant overflowing joy, allowing a lightness of spirit that defies explanation.

I can laugh at the days to come because I have a Savior who knows every last detail of what the future holds. He is already there. He knows no fear and is ever-ready to conquer any fear that I have with the light of His Presence and the glory of His power.

There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! —I John 4:18.

Real life is right now. I can’t live in the future. I can only live now. 

And for today, I choose to laugh…long and hard, loud and full.

I choose faith.

I choose joy.

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March 12, 2012 · 9:36 pm

Jazz, Surprises, And Joy


This past Saturday, my son and his high school jazz band played at the University of New Hampshire Jazz Festival.

We woke up to several inches of snow that morning but the weather soon turned beautiful and sunny.

Upon entering Memorial Hall, we were greeted by the rich sounds of all manner of brass instruments. Students scurried through the hallways lugging their instruments trying to get to their performance areas. Abundant laughter could be heard over the music and the energy that filled that space was wonderful.

We had a couple of hours until our school played so it was such a treat to listen to the other bands play. The sheer talent of these kids was amazing. I have zero musical talent so I have always been in awe of those who do.

At one point, my daughter got a text from one of Josh’s friends. Josh’s 16th birthday was the following day and some of his friends asked if they could throw a surprise birthday party for him.

At our house.

Doug and I loved the idea! (And I was so happy that I had tidied up before we left! 🙂 ).

My brother agreed to let the kids into the house to decorate.  Subsequent texts informed us that a cake had been baked, decorations were up, and Josh’s favorite candies had been purchased. All that was needed  was the birthday boy.

But first, he had a concert to perform. The band took the stage and they just blew the doors off the place!

My son comes alive when he holds an instrument in his hands. Music is part of him.

Ray Charles once said, “I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my heart. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me—like food or water.” 

I think Josh would say that is true of him as well.

It has been a joy to watch him pick up his first instrument and discover the music that God placed in his soul.

As soon as the performance ended, we headed for home.

This was my son’s reaction when he walked into the door, saw his friends, and heard a resounding: “SURPRISE!”

He was truly shocked.

It was perfect.

The only one who was not enjoying any of this was our dog Buddy. He fled to the comfort of my mom’s arms.

He clearly does not like any disruption in his routine.

Doug, my mom, my brother, and I listened to another type of music that night: the music of laughter as the kids celebrated.

My husband and I treasured the moment because in two short years, our son will be off to college. Our daughter will be here one more year after that and then the house will be much, much quieter. It will be a new season.

It just served as a reminder to cherish this season. This noisy, fun, exciting, sweet, hectic season.

At the end of the night, balloons were all over the place. Most of the cake had been eaten.  Presents had been opened. Buddy finally calmed down.  Wonderful memories had been made.

It was a marvelous day.

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March 7, 2012 · 11:07 pm

Distraction


Photo credit: San Diego Lawyer

My son takes music lessons at the local music school every Tuesday night.

When we arrived this past Tuesday, a man was already in the lobby. I could hear a trumpet lesson going on and assumed that may have been his child. Sure enough, a little girl around 10 years old, came running out of her lesson a few minutes later, full of excitement.

“Daddy!”

Her father looked up briefly, smiled in greeting, and went back to the text he was composing.

The little girl danced around him for a few minutes and said, “Daddy, do you know what my teacher said?”

No response. The only sound was the tapping of the keys as he continued to text. He didn’t even look up.

“Daddy! Don’t you want to know what she said? Daddy?”

More texting, then finally he glanced up at her, almost as an afterthought.

“Just give me a minute, honey. This is really important.”

She sat down on the steps in front of him, a cloud of sadness passing over her face. Silent.

He continued to tap away on his phone while his daughter sat right in front of him, looking small.

She glanced up at me. I smiled but she looked away, searching her daddy’s face once again.

Finally, he stopped texting and said, “Okay, tell me what your teacher said.”

She told him, but the spark had gone out of her voice. He praised her just as his phone buzzed.

“Daddy, can we go get something to eat?” She asked the question quickly and breathlessly, trying to talk over the buzzing.

He held up his hand and checked out the incoming text. He responded, then said, “Okay, now what did you ask me?”

She repeated her request and he said yes, they could go out to eat.

He helped her gather her trumpet case and her music and they left together.

He was still clutching his cell phone.

A few minutes later, a mom walked into the lobby with her daughter, who was carrying a guitar case that was almost as big as she was. In her hands was a McDonald’s bag. They were early for her lesson, so the little girl settled into her seat and began to eat her Happy Meal.

Her mom whipped out her cell phone and immediately began to type a text.

“Mommy?”

“What?” Eyes still fastened on the phone, fingers flying across the keyboard.

“What does T-U-I-T-I-O-N spell?” She was reading a sign on the wall.

“What?” came the distracted reply.

Her daughter repeated the question.

“It spells tuition.” Still texting.

The little girl ate for a few minutes in silence. Mother and daughter, sitting side by side as the moments slipped away.

When the time came for her lesson, she scrambled out of her chair and ran into her room while her mom left, promising to return at the end of the lesson.

The lobby now empty, I just sat in my seat reflecting on what I had just seen.

I am on my sixth re-reading of Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. This book has had such a tremendous impact on my life. I have learned to live my moments with almost razor-sharp focus. I am fully present. (not all the time, of course, but much, much more than I used to be). I drink in the sights, the sounds, the scents of the present moment that will never come again. I see. I savor.  I give thanks to a beautiful God who is LIFE itself, who  has granted me a finite number of days on this planet and has gifted me with so many cherished loved ones. I love to capture beauty through the lens of my camera. I am utterly captivated by the dazzling beauty all around me, from the deep blue of a winter sky to ice-covered lakes to the sparkle of my wedding rings.

I search for beauty everyday, which makes everyday a treasure hunt.

I do not assume that I will have tomorrow.

I am fully alive.

One of my childhood friends lost her six year old son to leukemia. My cousin David’s parents lost their son on a dark Pennsylvania highway when a bullet ended his life. My cousin lost her daughter while she was still in the womb, almost ready to be born. Each of these people would give anything for one more moment with  their child.

The parents in the lobby of the music school had been given an opportunity to spend precious time with their children. To really see them. To hold onto and savor the moments before they disappear forever.

Yet…long distance communication was given preeminence over the face to face, voice to voice, eye to eye, heart to heart.

Now, I fully realize that no parent can give 100% attention to their children 100% of  the time. It is not possible or practical.

However, a choice is made every day. Will we give our attention to the temporal or to the eternal? The tyranny of the urgent or the gift of the present?

Choose wisely.

Live your moments.

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March 6, 2012 · 11:27 am

Preoccupied With Parties


(Disclaimer: I have no idea why the server is not letting me make the appropriate spaces between paragraphs on this post and I am not tech-savvy enough to fix it!) 🙂

I am reading a delightful book by Michael Card entitled A Parable Of Joy . It is a book based on the Gospel of John.

John was Jesus’ closest friend during His time on Earth. Not because Jesus favored John over the others but because John was so enthralled and intoxicated by this God-Man, the Messiah, that he could not get enough of Jesus. He did not want to miss a moment of the astonishing opportunity and privilege he had been given to walk alongside the dusty roads of earth with the very One who created it all. He reveled in his front row seat to the most momentous time in history and was continually amazed to watch the glory and wonder of life lived side by side with the Savior unfold day after day. 

Wherever Jesus was, John was right there too.

Michael Card takes  portions from the book of John and uses his sanctified imagination, as well as historical fact, to flesh out what John may have been thinking and feeling during those momentous days.

Card’s writing makes Jesus come alive in all His beauty, sweetness, power, glory, compassion, righteous anger, and relentless tenderness.

At one point, when he is writing about the fact that Jesus did His first miracle at the wedding in Cana, Card writes:
“Jesus and His disciples knew the excitement of anticipating a feast. In fact, whenever He was not preaching or teaching, you would most likely find Jesus at a party, a banquet, a feast, for some kind of get-together. It could be said that He was preoccupied with parties. What seemed to annoy the Pharisees most was not that Jesus went to so many parties, but that He seemed to enjoy Himself so much. Perhaps that is the real reason they called Him a winebibber. He was just having too much fun.” (p. 42).
Is that a surprise to you to read that Jesus had fun?
The world has done an effective job of convincing people that Jesus was a  killjoy, a stern, stiff man with no sense of humor. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hebrews 1:9 tells us that Jesus is the personification of joy…that Jesus IS Joy.
It was the sheer JOY of Jesus that drew others to Him like a magnet when He walked this earth.
It is that same burning and inextinguishable joy that He offers to every one of His own today.
Jesus truly awakened me to His joy back in 1997  when our friends David and Wendy lent us a videocassette of  The Gospel According ToMatthew.  At the time, it was the first movie ever made where every word was directly from  the Gospel of Matthew. There was no added dialogue. It was the book of Matthew come to life in vivid color. From the first scene, I was captivated and enthralled. I had never seen Jesus portrayed like this.
Bruce Marchiano, the actor who was chosen to play Jesus described his first meeting with the film’s director, Regardt van den Bergh: “Bruce, I have one word for you: JOY. He was anointed with the oil of joy, and that’s what set Him apart from everyone else! Bruce, I believe that’s what the Lord wants us to do in Matthew—to present Jesus as a Man of Joy.” (In The Footsteps Of Jesus, p. 73)
And that is exactly what they did.
Bruce writes of his experiences as the filming continued: “As I sought to confirm that joy of Jesus in the Word, it became so blatantly obvious I couldn’t believe I’d never caught it before. Suddenly it was everywhere, screaming from the pages of Scripture: joy! Jesus began jumping off the page at me as well—His realness and strength, the sparkle in His eyes, the spring in His gait, the heartiness in His laugh, the genuineness of His touch; His passion, playfulness, excitement, and vitality: His JOY!”
“Yes Jesus smiled; yes, Jesus laughed. Jesus smiled bigger and laughed heartier than any human being who has ever walked the planet.”
“He had no reason to hold back. He was GOD, and He had no problem being who He fully was and fully living what He fully felt, every full moment of every full day. And that word “full” is really how I came to see the joy of Jesus. It wasn’t so much just a smile and a laugh, for as hard as He laughed and as big as He smiled, that’s how hard He wept and how deeply His heart broke.”
“The joy of Jesus, I discovered, was wrapped up in His living in all the fullness of life’s ultimate adventure—a bigger-than-lifeness, robustness, victoriousness that comes with living 100% in the Father’s will 100% of the time.”
“Can you imagine the level of joy in your heart if you could live just ten seconds that way? Jesus lived every breathing moment that way!” (pp. 77-78).
As I watched the movie unfold, portraying Jesus in such a fresh, vital, jubilant, elated manner, I was often reduced to tears of wonder. “Jesus, I never knew You were this ALIVE” I remember telling Him one night after watching one of the tapes.
I could sense His smile and I knew He meant to show me and teach me and fill my life up with His Joy for the rest of my days.
Jesus used that wonderful movie to ignite a passion for Him in my heart that has only grown brighter and stronger through the years. He became so real to me.  (So much so that when I get to Heaven and see the real Jesus, I will be shocked that He looks nothing like Bruce Marchiano! 🙂 ). When I read my Bible, I was not  just reading about Jesus; I had entered into a love affair with my resurrected Savior. I could hear His voice. He showed me how to see every aspect of my life through His eyes. He comforted me. He challenged me. He counseled me. He convicted me. He taught me that I had only just begun to truly know Him and each revelation was sweeter than the one before.
Through the pages of Scripture, He encouraged me to see myself through HIS eyes, not the often harsh view of my own eyes. While I had often felt like an ugly duckling, He showed me that I was beautiful to Him.
He showed me what broke His heart…and then He broke mine to the same things.
When my life seemed to fall apart, He promised me that His love was constant, regardless of what I could see. He healed my broken heart and gently put all the shattered pieces together. And all the while a miracle occurred: I learned that His joy is not light like a feather. It is powerful and indestructible, able to withstand anything this life can throw at me.
He showed me that HE is true LIFE and taught me how to treasure my moments, to not take a single day for granted.
In short, He set my heart on fire with His joy and I have never been the same. It is the sweetest life.
Make the decision today to enter into the joy of a Savior who knows how to enjoy a party. At this moment, He is planning the Party to end all parties. (Revelation 19:5-9)
I will look forward to seeing you there!

(Note: all photos are from The Visual Bible).

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March 1, 2012 · 12:16 pm

Sun Mountain


It is school vacation week in New Hampshire so the kids, my brother Jeff, our dog Buddy, and I loaded up the SUV and headed over to Vermont to spend a couple of days with my husband.

Since he works there during the week, it was a special treat to be able to spend some extra time with him and we were all excited about the trip.

Fortunately, a ski resort is close by and Jeff and Julia were looking forward to hitting the slopes.

(Josh was getting over being sick so he stayed at the condo with Buddy to work on the rewrite of his first novel. By the time we returned that afternoon, he had written 10,000 words.).

If only our son had some drive and ambition. 🙂

At any rate, Doug took the day off from work so that we could spend the day together at the resort. It was a gloriously sunny and clear winter day.

Doug and I were happy to get comfortable in the lodge.

Our skiing days are long over, the result of a bad back (me) and a bad knee (him). However, we treasured this opportunity to be together and share in the happiness and excitement of the passionate skiers in the family.

We planned our upcoming anniversary trip to northern California.

We talked and we laughed.

We people-watched, which is one of our very favorite pastimes.

After twenty years of marriage, he is still my very best friend. He is the one who challenges me, intrigues me, and motivates me to be all that I can be.

When Jeff and Julia joined us inside for lunch, Jeff said, “You two must be so bored just hanging out in the lodge all day.”

Bored? Not for a minute. On the contrary, I reveled in the gift of time we had been given to be together.

After lunch, I took the opportunity to head outside with my camera to capture the dazzling winter day…

The bunny slope

Ski patrol

Interesting combination...

My brother was kind enough to text me when he and Julia were reaching the bottom of the slope so that I could position myself to take some action shots…

He also related a funny story.

At one point, he and Julia were taking a break halfway down a challenging trail.

A ski instructor skied up to them and said, “Hey, how’s it going?”

Jeff and Julia greeted him and agreed when he commented on the fact that it was a beautiful day.

Ski instructor: “So are you having fun?”

Jeff: “We’re having a great time!”

Ski instructor: “So, are you the dad?”

Jeff (slightly confused): “No, I’m the uncle.”

Ski instructor: “That’s great!  So, Colin, are you ready to get going again?”

Um…Colin?

Jeff: “This isn’t Colin. This is my niece, Julia.”

Ski instructor (eyes bugging out of his head in disbelief as he removed his goggles to closely examine Julia): “WHERE’S COLIN???? THE TWO OF YOU ARE DRESSED EXACTLY ALIKE!” The goggles were replaced and he skied away, yelling, “COLIN? COLIN????”

Oops.

Julia: “Why did he think that I am a BOY?”

I wonder if Colin got a refund because his ski instructor lost him on the mountain?

After a long, fun day of skiing, it was time to call it a day.

Doug and Julia

One last look at the mountain…

When we arrived  back home yesterday afternoon, I logged onto Facebook and saw a wonderful video that my cousin Jonathan had posted about our cousin David. As music played in the background, I watched as one photo melted into another, capturing joyful moments from a life now over.

Tears and smiles, all at once. And a reminder to make the most of my days.

Life is lived in moments that we can string together like jewels on a necklace.

Treasure your moments today.

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Filed under Friends and Family

February 24, 2012 · 10:08 am

From Ugly To Beautiful


Photo Credit: Precepts Bible Study Photo

Our ladies Bible study is currently doing a wonderful, video driven study called “Faithful, Abundant, and True.” The teachers are Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer, and Beth Moore. I would highly recommend it.

Last night, we listened to Kay Arthur bring a powerful message as only she can.

There she stood on the stage in front of thousands of women. She is 75 years old but she moves and talks like someone  thirty years younger. She was the picture of elegance: beautifully dressed, hair perfectly coiffed, makeup expertly applied.

Then she began to tell her story.

Unflinchingly. Boldly. With raw honesty. No excuses for her behavior. No whitewashing the truth. No neat and tidy explanations.

It was ugly.

Harrowing.

Heartbreaking.

It is her story to tell so I won’t do that here, but I so admired her bravery and fearlessness. She could have very easily glossed over the unflattering, ungodly, and harsh things she had done or said. Her audience would never have known. However, Kay Arthur was not there to lift up herself as someone to be admired. She had no interest in showing the world a cleaned-up version of herself.

She was there to showcase Jesus Christ and the miracle He has done in her life.

So many times at church (especially at women’s events) we hear the “pretty” stories. And yes, pretty stories have their place and can be very encouraging.

Kay’s story was not pretty in any way. Her scars run very deep and the  heartache of her painful past lingers.

YET…she invited Jesus right into the middle of the ugly mess.

Jesus was not intimidated. He was not repulsed.  He was not overwhelmed. He was not at a loss for what to do.

Rather, He entered her ugly and He transformed the ashes of a broken and ruined life into something exquisitely beautiful.

Because that is what He does. Always.

He comes right into the ugly mess in gracious response to our invitation.

Don’t be afraid to issue that invitation. He knows it all anyway.

He looks on us with kindness and tenderness…never condemnation. He lifts us up. He binds up our wounds.  He whispers His love. He dries our tears. He accepts our repentance. He forgives us.  He breathes gloriously fresh air into the space where the enemy has left his calling card of guilt, humiliation and shame.  His light floods our darkness. He decisively destroys every chain that binds us.  He honors and esteems us. He promises that He knows what He is doing and He will lead us out. He rescues us and He teaches us to walk in electrifying  freedom. 

Do not be afraid to follow Kay Arthur’s example.

Dare to believe the promises of God’s eternal Word.

Dare to invite Jesus right into the middle of your ugly and let Him do what He does best: transform  it all into a platform that will show a watching world the dazzling beauty of the Savior who comes to seek and to save the lost, the hopeless, the dying, the forsaken.

And then dare to walk through this life as a forgiven woman.

No more chains.

No more shame.

No more masks.

Redeemed.

Restored.

More in love with your Savior than ever.

FREE.

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Filed under Devotions