Power Of A Moment

December 3, 2013 · 11:41 pm

A Curve Ball

Life can take a nasty turn sometimes.

Our family had a wonderful Thanksgiving: lots of laughter, good food, and sweet fellowship.

The joy from the day was shattered 24 hours later with the phone call that everyone dreads.

Our brother-in-law Tony had had a heart attack and would require quadruple bypass surgery. Here is Tony just hours before, proudly displaying his impressive 25 pound turkey: The next couple of days were filled with sterile hospital halls, somber waiting rooms, many tears, powerful prayers, sleepless nights, bland cafeteria food, and agonizing waits.

In the midst of fear, sadness, and uncertainty, our family bonded tightly together throughout those scary hours.

Doug and I were so proud of our nephews and our niece (who are all adults now) for being so strong for their mom and for each other. We may only get together a couple of times a year these days, but when tragedy strikes, we are there for each other, no question. That is such a gift.

But the greatest gift in the midst of a nightmare is the soothing, comforting, and strong and steady Presence of Jesus. It seems that when the heartache of this life crashes in, His Light shines the brightest, the Hope He offers blazes brilliantly, and His Peace covers my fearful heart like a security blanket.

The news was good. Tony survived and as I write this four days later, he will be released to rehabilitation tomorrow.

It is a miracle and I give the Author of Life all the praise.

However, before any of us knew how this story would end, I was sitting alone in the hallway outside of the surgical ICU waiting room. I needed a break from that somber place where grieving family members speak in hushed tones and the lights are dim. I sat for a moment with my eyes closed, enjoying the feel of the warm sun that was shining from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Then I heard the music: A woman’s voice raised in song rang through the hospital corridor.

She had one of the most beautiful voices I have ever heard in my life: sweet, strong, and clear.

I couldn’t see her since I was too far down the hallway but I closed my eyes again and just let the music wash over my tired soul. She was singing in another tongue so I couldn’t understand any of the words, but I imagined that is what the voice of an angel singing would sound like.

It was exquisite…a reminder straight from Heaven that because He lives, beauty lives…even on the most desperate of days and in the saddest of places.

Life is fragile but His love is not.

The fire of love stops at nothing—it sweeps everything before it. Flood waters can’t drown love, torrents of rain can’t put it out. (Song Of Songs 6:8).

I’m grateful for the little reminders of that love that come just when I need it the most.

And I am most grateful for my beautiful God, who gives songs in the night. (Job 35:10).

2 Comments

Filed under Devotions, Friends and Family

November 25, 2013 · 10:55 am

If I Had It To Do Over Again…

This morning, I was looking through my mountain of books in order to determine which to keep and which to give away.

In one of the books, I found this poem on a bookmark:

If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I’d finger-paint more and point the finger less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.
I’d stop playing serious and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I’d do more hugging and less tugging.
I’d see the oak tree in the acorn more often.
I would be firm less often and affirm much more.
I’d model less about the love of power
And more about the power of love.
—-Diane Loomans

Young mom who may be reading this, take those words to heart.

This time with your little ones goes by in the blink of an eye.

For this moment in time, you have been given a miracle, a window of grace in which you have the privilege and joy of watching your little ones explore the world around them.

Is there anything more enchanting than being a witness to the wide-eyed wonder of a child discovering delight and joy?

Don’t miss it.

In the midst of the dirty dishes, diaper duty, tantrums and sibling squabbles, the bills, the fatigue, the piles of laundry, brightly colored toys everywhere… the beauty of life is unfolding.

The passage of time is swift and you will turn around and those moments will be gone.

Don’t miss it.

Just last night, my nearly 18 year old son told me that he is so ready to leave our small town for New York City and begin the next chapter of his life story. One eye is on the present moment, the other eye looks ahead to see a future sparkling with excitement and possibilities.

I share in his sense of expectancy and anticipation. Yet I think there will always be a tiny part of my heart that wishes for just a little more time.

And there will definitely be a part of me that sees this in my mind’s eye as I talk to my son, both today and in the coming years:

🙂

During this time of year, especially, we would all do well to stay awake to the beauty and wonder of this beautiful place called now.

2 Comments

Filed under Friends and Family

November 21, 2013 · 5:55 pm

A Sweet Victory

We found out yesterday that our son Josh is now a full-fledged member of the All-State band!

Josh with his beloved oboe

This has been a long, three year process.

Back in 2010, my husband and son wandered into a local pawn shop during an outing. They had never been there before and never went again. But that day, Josh discovered an oboe for sale. He had been playing the clarinet in the high school band for the past year but was looking to increase his repertoire.

He paid $40 for his new treasure…and a love affair was born.

It was definitely not love at first sight, though.

The oboe is an extremely finicky and difficult instrument to play. He hated it at first. Then he heard his girlfriend play it and loved the sound. He decided then that he would learn (and master) this instrument that was capable of making such beautiful and stirring music.

He switched to the oboe in his high school band and began private lessons. He decided in the fall of his sophomore year to audition for All-States. He knew he wasn’t yet ready to make it, but he wanted to try.

The first audition did not go well. He was extremely nervous and when it came time to sight read, his mind went completely blank.

Still, when he walked out of his audition, he had a smile on his face. He was both relieved that it was over and filled with a new resolve to dramatically improve his skill.

A new goal had formed in his mind and heart: he wanted to make the All-State band by the time he was a senior. He threw himself into his private lessons and played the oboe in three different bands.

He improved in his junior year audition, coming within just two points of making the band. Sight reading was still something that needed some work so he concentrated on that with a laser-like focus.

He also joined our church’s worship team and was now playing the oboe in four bands. He relentlessly practiced his sight-reading and continued taking lessons. Our house was often filled with the sound of his music (which I loved).

This past Saturday were the auditions and his last chance to realize his dream.

I woke up and saw his stuff in the kitchen and had a nostalgic moment, knowing that this was it.

Next November Josh will be away at college. There will be no more All-State auditions after today.

But today he is here and the day sparkles with the possibilities of a dream being realized.

When we arrived at the high school and crammed into a crowded cafeteria filled with student musicians from all over the state. Josh was quietly confident, able to joke and laugh with his fellow classmates. He alternated between chatting, practicing, and reading his favorite book, Catcher In The Rye.

When they called his name, he smiled as we all cheered for him, grabbed his music, clutched his oboe, and disappeared down the hallway into the audition room.

He would later tell us that as he placed his music on the music stand, one of the judges instructed him to turn to piece #18 and begin to play.

Josh was startled. “18? You mean 19?” he asked hopefully. He had been practicing #19 for months, thinking that that was the piece he would be required to play.

“No, #18,” came the reply. “Please begin.”

There was a moment of sheer panic.

He had practiced the wrong music!

This was his last chance and everything he had worked so hard for was in jeopardy.

He would have to sight read. The moment of truth was upon him.

And he did it!!!

The very thing that had undone him two years before proved now to be the point of his triumph.

What a fabulous lesson for all of us!

Josh had a choice to make when he fell short the first time he auditioned. Would that failure define him? Or would it spur him on to make progress, to improve, to master the very thing that had threatened his dream?

I happen to think that just taking those first steps toward a dream, being willing to enter the arena—rather than sitting on the sidelines and playing it safe— is a win.

And if you find that you falter or stumble?

So what?!

We all do from time to time. The only time failure is permanent is if you quit.

Failure is an excellent teacher…if you are willing to learn.

Thomas Edison tried over 1000 times to invent the light bulb. When asked how it felt to fail 100o times, his reply was, “I didn’t fail 1000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.”

Whether you are still trying to find the courage to take the first step toward your dream or you have just taken your thousandth step, don’t give up.

The very next step may be the one that leads you to victory!

1 Comment

Filed under Friends and Family

November 17, 2013 · 9:12 pm

You Are Here. Make The Most Of It.

I experienced a scary episode last Thursday.

During the early afternoon, I started to feel lightheaded and slightly dizzy. The feeling persisted so I decided to lie down for awhile. Later, I made dinner and went to Bible study but by the time I got home, I really felt “off.”

As I got ready for bed, I happened to glance at my pill box on the bathroom counter. There, inside the “Thursday” box were my blood pressure pills. (I was diagnosed with high blood pressure in January 2012 and wrote about that unnerving episode here). I had forgotten to take them that morning…and now I was feeling the frightening effects.

A memory immediately came to my mind of a time when my dad went to a new doctor.This doctor did not think the high blood pressure medication my dad was on was the correct one and prescribed a new one. He told my dad to stop taking that one for a few days until it was out of his system, then begin the new medication. My dad listened to this doctor and we were all horrified to learn later (when my dad got a new doctor) that doing such a thing can kill you!

“Never stop your blood pressure medication cold turkey!” He told my dad in a stern tone. “Never.”

Yikes.

I immediately took the pills and went to bed. It took me a long time to get to sleep. Not only was my body acting slightly haywire, I could not turn my mind off.

Most days, it is easy to forget that there is anything at all wrong with me. I look fine. I feel fine. I have plenty of energy and can go anywhere I want to. Life goes on as it always has and I feel healthy.

It’s easy for me to forget that I have a very serious condition that can be life-threatening.

Once again (will I ever truly learn?) I realize how much I take my one precious life for granted. I always assume that tomorrow will come for me. But I am given no such promise.

What if today had been my last day? I asked myself. Would I have said the things I needed to say? Done the things I needed to do? Used my time wisely? Would I have loved well? Would I have paid attention?

Would I have lived the life out of that day?

The next morning, I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was my camera.

The idea came to me of documenting my day. I wasn’t planning on doing anything special that day, but that wasn’t the point.

Sometimes ordinary can be beautiful in all its wondrous simplicity.

I carried my camera everywhere with me that day and noticed everything. Each time I clicked the shutter, I whispered a prayer of thanks to my very good God who had gifted me with another day to live with Him and my loved ones in this lovely place I call home.

I paid attention. I marveled. I smiled…a lot. I laughed. My heart sang and joy filled my soul.

At the end of the day, when I loaded the images into my computer, I realized that the photographs I had captured were most likely not the same ones anyone else would have taken, even if they had walked through the day with me.

Because we are all unique.

I am the only one who sees the world through my eyes.

No one like me has ever walked the face of this earth and no one like me will ever be again.

The same is true of you. Take a moment to think about that for a minute.

We are all fearfully and wonderfully made. Each of us was created in the mind of God, the magnificent Artist. You…and me…are His masterpiece! From the color of your eyes and hair to your height and talents and passions, there will never be another you!

You are not one of the faceless billions walking this planet. You are known to Him.

By His design, you are alive on planet earth at this time in history.

Make your mark. Let your voice be heard. Share your dreams. Live your passion. No excuses. No regrets.

Do not let the music that is in you remain un-played and unheard.

Today is the day and the time is now.

Let the world around you know that you are here.

******************************

Here are the glimpses of my day...

I loved the way the sunlight made my mom’s crystal bowl glitter.

These two jolly snowmen now reside on the windowsill of our sunroom…a whimsical preview of the holiday season to come.

I had a few minutes to read one of the most amazing books I have read in a long time. The characters are so richly drawn that I thought about them even when I was away from the book. Reading it was like riding a rollercoaster in the dark. Just when I thought the writer was taking the plot in a certain direction, there would be a breathtaking drop,followed by an unexpected turn that evoked both laughter and tears. I loved it.

(I finished the book a few days later and I still miss the characters. I will think about them for a long time to come).

This was my view from the sun room while I read. Joy lives here. 🙂

I listened to Jesus’ voice as I spent time in His Word: Hebrews 11, the Faith Hall of Fame. One of the most powerful Bible studies I have ever done is Beth Moore’s Believing God. There are only 40 verses in Hebrews 11. I will never forget Beth saying that our lives can be Hebrews 11: 41: “By faith, Susan….” Insert your name there. What does your faith say about you today? When all is said and and done, what legacy of faith are you leaving for future generations?

My amazing (and Coke-loving) husband planning our date for the day. 🙂
Catching my mom on her way out the door.

All this green will soon be covered in white.

Our dog Buddy is the most neurotic, silly, and entitled pooch ever. And I love him dearly.

The mail brought a thank you note from a dear friend. Getting snail mail in this age of electronic communication is a special joy. I especially loved her closing reminder.

On this day, at that time, my love and I headed out to enjoy the day together.
One of the things I loved most about living in our area is that one turn around a bend can boast the most amazing views of the mountains and the lakes. I am surrounded by the beauty of His creation.

As we drove by, I snapped a quick picture of this house that has always fascinated me since we moved here. Two completely separate homes connected by an enclosed hallway. Is the building on the right the most fabulous of in-law quarters? Was it built for an adult child of the owners and his or her family? A War-of-the-Roses marriage relationship that required two separate living spaces? Questions abound! I am desperate to see the inside!

My husband and I went to see a matinee. I thought back to our first date twenty-three years ago. We went to a picnic and I was thrilled when Doug asked if I wanted to catch a movie that night. He mentioned that he wanted to see “The Hunt For Red October.” I had seen it the week before (not my kind of movie, had no desire to see it again) but I responded with much enthusiasm, “I would love to!”

We sat in that theater and held hands for the first time. I could have cared less what was playing on the screen. I was just happy to be with him.

I still feel the same way.

I love movie theater popcorn in all its salty goodness. Yum.

Speaking of yum, after the movie, we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner. The lighting was awful but I was able to get a shot of the sizzling fajitas. I could eat Mexican food every day.

The full moon was beginning to rise high in the sky as we headed home.
We were blessed to see one final glimpse of beautiful light before night fell on another day.

My name is Susan.

And I was here.

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

November 16, 2013 · 9:24 am

Busted

The flashing blue and white lights exploded in my rear view mirror, cutting through the dark Friday night in a most unwelcome way.

I eased over to the side of the road, turned off the happy Jeremy Camp version of “Jingle Bell Rock” that I had been singing, and sighed.

After thirty two years of speeding across roads in several states, I had finally been busted.

I turned on the overhead light so the cop could see that it was just me alone in the car. I pulled my license from my wallet and just as I was fumbling for my registration card, he came up to the driver’s side, positioning himself just behind me.

“Good evening, Ma’am,” His voice was pleasant. ” Did you know that I clocked you going 59 in a 40 mph zone?”

He was young…young enough to be my son.

I smiled slightly, apologetically. “I wasn’t aware that I was going that fast, no.” (I was actually surprised to discover I wasn’t going faster).

I was still trying to find my registration card, which was difficult because it looked just like my insurance card.

“That’s the one you are looking for, ” he said kindly, helpfully.

I handed him my license and registration and he told me he would be right back.

My friend Jackie texted me at that moment, asking how my night was going.

“Pulled over on the side of the highway by a cop. Busted for speeding.” I texted back. I did not text the fact that I was on my way to a Bible study for teen girls that my friend Wendy and I lead every other Friday night.

The irony of that was not lost on me.

“WHAT?!” Came the swift reply. “I hope you don’t get a ticket.”

He came back to my car and handed me my license and registration with a smile. “I’m just going to give you a warning this time, Ma’am. But please watch your speed from now on.”

He pulled back, ready to walk away, but my voice stopped him.

“I just wanted to thank you for all that you do, ” I said. “I appreciate it.”

His eyes widened in total surprise.

I lowered my eyes from his for a moment to watch the other cars driving (very carefully and slowly) past me before continuing.

“I had a cousin who was a cop.”

“What’s his name?”

“His name was David. He was a cop in Pennsylvania. He was killed two years ago when he made a traffic stop on the highway.” I looked back up at him. “So please be careful out there, okay?”

This whole thing was surreal. I hadn’t planned on saying any of this.

He seemed genuinely shocked. I imagine most cops are not thanked for what they do when they pull someone over for speeding. But I needed him to know that I appreciated the fact that he had chosen to live his one life in order to serve and protect.

He nodded. “I will.” A small pause. Then,” My condolences on the death of your cousin. Take care.”

“Thanks. And I will slow down from now on.”

“Please do.” Another smile and then he got into his car and disappeared into the night.

I put my license and registration back where they belonged and texted Jackie one word: “Warning!” before putting my car back into gear and easing back onto the highway.

It was then that I realized that tears had filled my eyes.

It is coming up on two years that my cousin David’s life was taken by a madman with a gun on a dark Pennsylvania highway. I still miss him, still think about him often.

Cops had always intimidated me before David’s funeral. Then I met so many of them in a sea of blue in the funeral home.

During the course of the visiting hours, I had the opportunity to talk with many of them. I listened gratefully to their memories of David and watched helplessly as these grown men in crisp uniforms cried like babies over the loss of one of their own.

Ever since then, I pray without fail for the cops I know personally and for every one of them I see on the road.

Just like I prayed for that young officer’s safety for the rest of the night.

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

November 15, 2013 · 11:16 am

Friday Photos: God’s Glory

Then Moses said, “Now show me Your glory.”

I have been praying that same prayer for a week now.

And He has answered. 🙂

“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ask to see His glory…today and everyday,

You will be changed.

You will be amazed.

You will live your life in wonder.

Bling Discrimination

I do not have an iPhone. Or a Droid. Or a Galaxy.

I am probably one of the ten people left in this country who does not have a smart phone of any kind.

I call people, text like a fiend, and am delighted to use the “Notepad” feature (which I only discovered after having the phone for a year and a half). But I remain tragically unhip with my little Samsung Brightside.

A few months ago, I needed a new case for my phone.

Everyone who knows me knows that I have a deep love and attraction to all things sparkly. I went to the mall to get my new case, anticipating a stylish new glittering case for my phone.

It was not to be.

My husband and I visited the first kiosk and I could not believe the paltry selection: black, black, and oh yeah…black! Next!

I approached the salesman at the next one with great anticipation. I was practically blinded by the sparkles coming from his little booth.

“Can you show me your phone cases for the Samsung Brightside?” I asked cheerfully.

“Wow,” he said.

I didn’t know what to make of that, but my best guess is that he was thinking, “What loser still has a Samsung Brightside?”

He rooted around and finally pointed to a pitiful selection of choices. All were boring. No sparkles to be seen anywhere.

I pointed to the lovely iPhone covers, prominently displayed in all their sparkly glory on the top shelf under a bright light.

“Do you have any cases for my phone that sparkle?” I asked, trying to hold my chin up.

He literally burst out laughing.

“Uh…no,” he said, his voice taking on a kindly tone when he saw my disappointment. “You will not find any sparkly cases for your phone.”

I resigned myself to my fate, swallowed my disappointment, and selected a purple case.

It was….kind of pretty.

Fast forward a few months to this week when I dropped my phone and the front half of the phone cover broke.

Based on my last experience, I walked into the mall feeling very self-conscious about my quest.

The first store I tried was AT & T.

“Can you please show me the cases for a Samsung Brightside?”

Total silence.

Confused look.

Then this, “Um…can you please show me your phone? I can’t even remember what those even look like.”

Sigh.

I handed over my phone and he looked at it like it was a charming relic from another era.

He handed it back to me with a weak smile and said quietly, “I think we might have something.”

After searching fruitlessly for a minute, he finally came across the one cover that would fit. And it was black.

With all the dignity I could muster, I thanked him and told him I would look elsewhere.

I approached a kiosk, asked for a case for my sad little phone and waited for the obligatory look of pity. I had long given up on a sparkly case. At this point, I would settle for fairly colorful.

Instead, the salesman smiled and said, “Certainly!”

Of course, there were none displayed. They were in a drawer…deep down at the very bottom of the door. But they were there and there were a ton of them!

I looked over my choices. There were a ton but they were all fairly hideous.

Why must those who do not have a smart phone have to be punished by not having sparkly cases available to them? Our phones are already lame. Can we not at least dress up the lame a little? It is most unfair.

I cut my losses, chose a hot pink case, and called it day.

When I do get an iPhone, I intend to get a case so sparkly that you can see it from space! 🙂

4 Comments

Filed under Humor

November 6, 2013 · 4:31 pm

Defiance

Photo credit: Google

The word ‘defiant’ has negative connotations.

However, I learned today that defiance can be a good thing…when it is aimed at the enemy of our souls as he tries to bury us beneath an avalanche of fear and dread when painful circumstances hit our lives like a firestorm.

The book of Philippians is commonly known as “the book of joy.” The apostle Paul did not write this book during a happy time in his life. He wrote it when he was in a first century prison.

Today’s prisons make the one Paul inhabited look like a country club. Forget electricity, heat, air-conditioning, television, lights, windows, a bed, blanket and a pillow.

This is what Paul experienced: “Roman imprisonment was preceded by being stripped naked then flogged—a humiliating, painful, and bloody ordeal. The bleeding wounds went untreated as prisoners sat in painful leg or wrist chains. Mutilated, blood-stained clothing was not replaced, even in the cold of winter. Most cells were dark, especially the inner cells of a prison, like the one Paul and Silas inhabited in Philippi. Unbearable cold, lack of water, cramped quarters and sickening stench from few toilets made sleeping difficult and waking hours miserable. Because of the miserable conditions, many prisoners begged for a speedy death. Others simply committed suicide.” (–reference: preachingtoday.com).

Picture being in those conditions and imagine writing these words: “Rejoice in the Lord always (delight, gladden yourselves in Him). Again I say rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4).

The words “joy” or “rejoice” are used 16 times in this short book of the Bible, written under the worst of human conditions! Amazing!

And what I learned today about that absolutely thrilled and inspired me. According to the Dictionary of New Testament Theology, “In Philippians, joy is thus a continuous,’ defiant nevertheless’.”

A continuous, defiant NEVERTHELESS.

Continuous: never ceasing, never stopping, never giving up. No matter what. Uninterrupted.

Defiant: boldly resistant, challenging, gutsy, aggressive, daring.

Nevertheless: in spite of.

Think about this: the very same Person who inspired Paul to write those words and to overflow with JOY in the midst of hell on earth is the risen Jesus. And if you believe in Him and are one of His own, He is with you to give you the very same supernatural invincible, unconquerable, and undefeatable joy and strength that Paul had.

Yes, even in the very midst of your struggle.

Be defiant in the face of the enemy. Be bold in faith. Resist his plans for you, which are to cower in fear and allow depression to settle on your soul like a blanket. Challenge what you see and feel and aggressively fight back by the power and truth of God’s Word. Be gutsy, not wimpy. In spite of your circumstance, choose His joy!

Dare to believe your God!

He is in FULL control and He can ONLY do good to you!

So, you can say with all Jesus-saturated confidence, “I will NOT let this beat me. I will make the choice to praise Him all day, every day. Yes, Jesus has allowed this into my life but I will trust Him. What the enemy means for evil, He intends for good. I will not deny that I am in a rough season. I will face it head on in the strength and power of His Name. For as long as I need to walk this difficult path, my spirit will be marked with a blazing NEVERTHELESS for all of earth and heaven to see. Jesus has never known defeat and I will not either as long as I am clinging to Him. He always leads me in triumph! ”

This is the same attitude that allowed Paul to write, “…one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14)

Paul lived the continuous, defiant, nevertheless while inside a filthy prison cell and that is why He could boldly press on.

You can too.

Do it.

2 Comments

Filed under Devotions

November 5, 2013 · 3:58 pm

Extra Time

Uncle Duane and me

When my brother and I took a road trip to our hometown a couple of weeks ago, one of our main priorities was to spend time with our Uncle Duane.

Back in February, our entire family headed to Pennsylvania to say what we thought would be our goodbyes to our beloved uncle. (I wrote about that here and here).

It turns out doctors can be wrong. He wasn’t supposed to live to see April but he is still alive and kicking in November!

Simply put, my uncle is a warrior. He is a WWII veteran and his frail body houses the heart of a fighter.

His goal for our trip was to purchase a laptop and a printer. And to get a Facebook account! 🙂

So, my brother and I happily picked him up the day after we arrived in town.

It was hard to see how much effort it took for him to do such a simple thing as get into the front seat of a car. Yet he carries himself with such dignity that we could not feel sorry for him. We simply—and happily— adjusted our pace to his, just glad to be with him on a sunny autumn day.

I am not in any way a patient person. I have one speed…fast.

However, that day, I was content to match my pace to my uncle’s. I had all the time in the world to give to him.

Love does that.

Later in the trip, he showed me a box of letters and documents from our ancestors on my dad’s side. (Uncle Duane is our family historian).

I looked with wonder at the documentation of my first relative to come to this country. His name was Samuel and he was born in 1777 in Switzerland. He came to New York City in the 1800s, and became a citizen. One of his children was born in 1813 and was my great, great, great grandfather.

I was able to read a few letters from some long-gone relatives who were first generation Americans. Even though there was nothing earth-shattering in their words, I was absolutely fascinated to read about their day-to-day lives, their struggles, their joys. I wondered what they looked like? Would I have enjoyed spending time with them?

Among the letters were photos of my Uncle Duane and Aunt Dot touring the midwestern family homestead that had been built in the 1800’s. It was still standing well into the early 1980’s.

After I finished looking at the letters, I was able to talk to Uncle Duane about them. I was able to ask him questions and hear his memories and stories.

“I want more time,” I thought as I hugged him goodbye, fighting tears.

Time with our loved ones is such a precious gift. It is also the easiest gift to take for granted.

I am already looking forward to the next time that I get to see my uncle.

Regardless of when that is (whether on earth or in heaven) I will always be grateful for the “extra time” I had with him on those sunny October days.

2 Comments

Filed under Friends and Family

November 4, 2013 · 5:07 pm

How Knowing His Revealed Will Sets Us Free

Photo credit: Google

Last Thursday night during Bible study, one of my friends said something that has profoundly affected me.

There are many unknowns in her life right now and she has been trying to discern God’s will about these matters. One night, she decided to open her Bible and begin to look at what He has already revealed about His will for our lives.

To her great joy, she discovered that when she plugged her various situations into His revealed will, she was given answers and direction!

I love a good challenge, so I went home and dug into my Bible to see what treasures I could find. What I found filled me with joy so I wanted to share them here.

(Disclaimer: these commands are impossible to follow in our own strength. They are purely supernatural and can only be accomplished when we die to self and allow Jesus’ Spirit in us to take over. After all, that is how we live the Christian life (Galatians 2:20). You probably will not feel like doing any of these things…but then again, life isn’t about you. It is about Jesus and Him living His life through you as He advances His kingdom on the earth. Will they fly in the face of human logic? Absolutely. But His ways are higher than ours. Nothing about doing these things is easy. But Jesus never said life with Him would be easy. But it is a life full of joy and love, meaning and purpose).

What you are about to read is what His grace and mercy look like in a life fully surrendered to Him. And it is gloriously beautiful.

“To discover grace is to discover God’s utter devotion to you, His stubborn resolve to give you a cleansing, healing, purging love that lifts the wounded back to their feet.”—Max Lucado

Are you filled with fear?

Have I not commanded you? Be strong, vigorous, and very courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. —Joshua 1:9

Why are you so timid and fearful? How is it that you have no faith, no firmly relying trust? —Mark 4:40

Do you not know which way to turn?

Lean on, trust in and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight and understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. —Proverbs 3:5-6

Do you lack peace?

Peace I leave with you; My own peace I now give to you… Do not let your hearts be troubled; neither let them be afraid. Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled. —John 14: 27

Daughter, your faith (your confidence and trust in Me) has made you well. Go (enter) into peace (untroubled, undisturbed well-being).—Luke 8:48

Do you have an enemy?

Love your enemies, treat well, do good to, act nobly toward those who detest you and pursue you with hatred. Invoke blessings upon and pray for the happiness of those who curse you; implore God’s blessing (favor) upon those who abuse you (who revile, reproach, disparage, and high-handedly misuse you). —Luke 6:27-28

Love your enemies and be kind and do good (doing favors so that someone derives benefit from them) and lend, expecting & hoping for nothing in return…then your reward will be great, rich, strong, intense, and abundant, and you will be sons (and daughters) of the Most High, for He is kind and charitable and good to the ungrateful, the selfish, and the wicked. So, be merciful, sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate, even as your Father is all these things. —Luke 6:35-36

Do you struggle with forgiveness?

Forgive and release (give up resentment, let it drop) and you will be acquitted and forgiven and released. —Luke 6:37

Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father who is in heaven may also forgive you your own failings and shortcomings and let them drop. —Mark 11: 25

Do you find it difficult to love others in a Christ-like manner? Are there people in your life who are driving you crazy?

Walk in love (esteeming and delighting in one another) as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us. —Ephesians 5:2

Be helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted, compassionate, understanding, loving, forgiving one another readily and freely, as God in Christ forgave you. —Ephesians 4:32

Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating) but on the contrary blessing (praying for their welfare and happiness and protection and truly pitying and loving them). For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessings from God. —I Peter 3:9

Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and troublesome moral faults. —Galatians 6:2

Above all things, have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins (forgives and disregards the offenses of others).—I Peter 4:8

Do you struggle with greed, with keeping-up-with-the-Joneses?

Guard yourselves and keep free from all coveteousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more) for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. —Luke 12:15

Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth…but gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in Heaven. For where your treasure is, there will be your heart also. —Matthew 6:20

Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” —Hebrews 13:5

Do you struggle with your tongue?

Do not judge, criticize and condemn others so that you may not be judged, criticized and condemned yourselves.—Matthew 7:1

Put away from you false and dishonest speech, as well as willful and contrary talk.—Proverbs 4:24

Let no foul or polluting language nor evil word, nor unwholesome or worthless talk ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others…that it may be a blessing and give grace to those who hear it. —Ephesians 4;29

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father and with it, we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. —James 3:9-10

Are you filled with worry?

Stop being perpetually uneasy, anxious, and worried about your life…do not worry and be anxious…your Heavenly Father knows what you need. Seek first of all His kingdom and His righteousness and then all these things will be given to you. So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow. —Matthew 6: 25, 32, 34

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened and I will cause you to rest. I will ease, relieve, and refresh your souls. Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me…for you will find rest, relief, and ease and refreshment and recreation, and blessed quiet for your souls. —Matthew 11:29

Are you searching for a lasting purpose?

You shall love the Lord your God with all your mind and all your heart and with your entire being and all your might. —Deuteronomy 6:5

Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature. —Matthew 16:15

Go and make disciples of all nations. —Matthew 28:19

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. But it is a place to start if you are feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Jesus tells us that His Word is a light for our path. (Psalm 119:105). He has not left you in the dark, regardless of how you may feel.

Seek His Word and do what it says.

Then you will be in the midst of His will.

Your path will become clear.

Your peace will be great.

Your heart will sing with joy.

There is a plan and He has graciously allowed you to partner with Him.

What a gift!

Power Of A Moment

A Curve Ball

If I Had It To Do Over Again…

A Sweet Victory

You Are Here. Make The Most Of It.

Busted

Friday Photos: God’s Glory

Bling Discrimination

Defiance

Extra Time

How Knowing His Revealed Will Sets Us Free

Search My Blog:

My Categories

What’s New

Not So New (My Archives)

Subscribe to My Emails

Blogroll