Magnets on the Fridge

When I recently moved into my own little space for the first time in 5 years, I couldn't find my refrigerator magnets. I knew I had kept a few tucked away somewhere, but that somewhere was not to be found.

This past Saturday I had time to organize a bit more and came across Christmas cards and photos of family and friends sent during the Christmas season. Again I tried to locate the missing magnets so that I could attach these photos to my fridge as prayer reminders. After wracking my brain and looking in the same places a second or third time, I gave up and ordered these really fun little magnetic balls, like I had seen at my son's house in Arizona.

Yesterday as I was helping my Mom put away her winter clothes, I walked into the back bedroom closet and saw a small blanket and a poncho of mine. Oh yeah! I do still have a few things over here. I think there's a box or two under the bed. Down on my belly with my head under the bed,  I spied a small box with "Kindle" on it and a memory was stirred....magnets! Sure enough, there they were. I was so excited!

It may seem strange that I would be so excited about magnets, but most of these were handmade by a very dear elderly friend of mine who has since gone on to be with Jesus. I had even forgotten all about them, but evidently in the back of my mind I knew they were there and that's why I wanted to find them so badly. Memories of Don handing me a pile of different magnets flooded my mind and heart. "These are my uglies," he said as he handed me the little lady faces with kerchiefs on their corncob heads. He had also made owls from pine cones & twigs, a lady bug, a pipe-cleaner insect, and a cotton-ball chicken. They make me smile and bring back fond memories of my good friend.

Then there is the pair of dugongs. A momento that Mike and I purchased after going with his father to a dugong farm in Florida during our boys spring break one year. I was fascinated by these large, gentle creatures and this magnet reminds me of a fun time with my family on a rare vacation, seeing something new.

Another favorite is the one sent from missionary friends of ours that's sort of like a snow globe only it holds black sand and tiny sea shells from the Tasman Sea in New Zealand. There are magnets from a Vacation Bible School our boys attended, "got milk?" from my parent's farm, a cute stick figure girl that was attached to a card years ago, and one that shows an adult hand and the very tiny hand of an unborn child reminding me that all life is precious from the moment of conception whether we can see it or not.

The new magnetic balls arrived and I had fun playing with them while trying to put them to use. They are strong and were rather attached to each other! With 50 balls, I was able to attach all the photos to the refrigerator and scattered my treasured magnets on various surfaces throughout the kitchen. Now my place really feels like home with my refrigerator and other surfaces covered with old friends (magnets & photos!) It's like receiving good news from far away places.

Proverbs 25:25

"Like cold water to a weary soul

is good news from a distant land."

My Dad

Psalm 37:18 (ESV)

The Lord knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will remain forever;

I love my Dad. He always believed in us. He was never a helicopter parent hovering over our every move. He would instruct us in the basics of how to run a lawnmower, tractor, skid-steer loader and then walk away. He trusted that we had paid attention to his instructions and watched his example. He believed that we had listened and would remember, or if we didn't remember everything, that at least we had enough sense or smarts to figure it out.

Dad believed in hard work and expected us children to be obedient. We did work hard, but we also had time to play and he often made work fun also. I remember digging potatoes as a kid. He was digging ahead of me and I was coming along behind putting them in a bucket. I came to a spot where he had placed the potatoes in the shape of a smiley face or maybe a word like "Hi". I remember the year he made an obstacle course though the woods for my birthday. My friends and I had so much fun climbing over a wall, running through the stream or dashing between trees and running over tires football-player style. How many kids have that? On another birthday, maybe my 16th, we had a dance in the hay loft. Daddy loved to dance and I remember him really getting into it and kicking his barn boots off high up in the air as he hooped it up with absolutely NO alcohol involved.

Those same lively high-kicking legs won't hold him now. At almost 94 he has become almost bed-ridden in the last week. He's always been able to come back from illnesses, heart surgery, stomach surgery, falls, accidents and various episodes that we thought might take him over the past 15-20+ years. I'm not sure he's going to come back from this latest fall. His legs are tired and worn out from his hard work and play. He still has all his original parts except for the pig valve. No fake knees or hips and that was "some pig". A valve that was expected to last 10 years has gone way beyond.

He's ready to go. He has lived a full life and wants to go be with Jesus, his Savior and Lord. He told my sister and me
on Sunday, "I wish y'all would let me go." It's not ours to say, Daddy. Only God knows the day and the hour that He has appointed to be your last. From our limited view we wonder why he lingers with a sharp mind and failing body, but God has His reasons. Maybe it's to teach me more patience, perseverance and love when age makes my loved one a bit more grumpy and irritable. Maybe it's teaching me to hold my tongue when I'd rather complain. Maybe it's to learn from my sweet mother what sacrifice and service and selflessness really look and act like.

Being a caregiver is tough, especially as the loved one declines more and more. Yet it is also a privilege to be the one to give comfort, to handle gently through words and physical touch and seek to make the remaining days of life on this side as pleasant as possible. To be the one hearing the stories, one more time, of a life well spent; to hear the laughter as a favorite memory of younger days, when legs were strong and nimble, passes over dry lips and tears run down wrinkled, weathered cheeks.

Yes, this is a hard stage of life for Father, Mother and children, but I am so blessed to have had my Dad and Mom for almost 58 years. I am blessed by their love, their commitment to God, each other and all 5 of us children. Our children and grandchildren are blessed to know them and be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor here on the farm. The farm - oh how Dad loves this farm! My prayer is that whenever God says it's time to go, it will be right here from Daddy's beloved farm and the house in which he was born. I am thankful that all of us children are committed to taking care of him right here as long as we possibly can.

So, while this can be a sad time, it is also a celebration of a life lived fully that now anticipates and longs for it's eternal home. A longing to be free from a body that holds him down when he desires to be lifted up to his heavenly Father, where he will have no more pain and where he will be able to walk the streets of gold and be reunited with his parents and siblings. It is also a time to remember how very blessed I am to have this man as my Daddy.

Genesis 25:8 (NET Bible)

Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, 

an old man who had lived a full life. He joined his ancestors.

Relationships

My bright spot tonight is hearing my nephew and his little girl playing outside. What a joyful thing to hear a father playing with his daughter and her squeals of joy. Almost every afternoon when he is finished with his day of working on the farm, we’ll either see (or hear) them out by the swing or running around. I believe they have a circuit: swing on the tree-swing, play in the cotton seed, run, run, run and occasionally bring Great-ma a flower or a dandelion before heading home. It is precious seeing him give his daughter the gift of his undivided time and his presence in her life.

Our heavenly Father also desires to spend time with us. He also has a plan for our lives and wants to share that with us. Often we think we don’t have enough time; however, learning to prioritize and taking the time to spend with God will yield huge benefits. Learning to slow down the pace just a bit will reap many wonderful things not only spiritually, but physically, as well.

Relationships. In order for any relationship to be good, it requires time. My nephew has prioritized time with his daughter and it will draw them close as the years go by. She will learn that she can trust him, depend on him to guide her, talk to him, and have fun being with him. The same is true of our relationship with our Father God. Spending time talking with Him, reading His word, and sitting still to listen to what He has to say to us will draw us close in trust and dependence, plus give us direction and help us prioritize the other areas of our lives.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, 

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

TIP: God wants a relationship with us, so do our families. Take the time today to draw close to each.

Christmas Photo Cards

I like to receive Christmas photo cards. I especially enjoy the ones that have a quick summary of the lives of the sender in addition to the photos. It’s fun to see how children have grown up, how friends have changed their hairstyle, and maybe see places they’ve been throughout the year.

The added blessing of receiving these photo cards is that they become prayer cards. I tuck them into my Bible study notebook or the nook in my desk and look at each one as I pray for those pictured on the cards. It adds a more personal feel and connection to the people shown there. If there is a brief summary on the card, there may be prayer points to glean.

I’m learning to pray the Scriptures for others, myself, our country, our leaders, and the persecuted church. Using God’s words to lift others up in prayer adds so much more meaning and power, plus it helps me to stay focused. The hardest part about praying, for me, was that my mind would wander or I would even fall asleep. Praying the Bible verses is helping me to put more of God’s word into my mind and heart, as well as, helping me to intercede for others.

Ephesians 1:17 is a great prayer for others or ourselves:

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,

so that you may know him better.

(Replace “you” with their name or me/I)

Praying Scripture is also a great way to praise God. The Psalms are full of praise that we can use to worship and adore God.

Psalm 103:1 says:

Praise the Lord, my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Feeling fearful or having a hard time being thankful?

Try this verse: Hebrews 12:28

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,

let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably

 with reverence and awe,

For the persecuted church:

Psalm 119:9 & 10

Remember your word to your servant,

For you have given me hope.

My comfort in my suffering is this:

Your promise preserves my life.

Forgiveness of sins:

I John 1:9

If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins

and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Praying is a real privilege. It is our opportunity to speak to and listen to Almighty God. It is one way that we can serve those around us also and we can be sure that God is listening and will answer according to His will.

Psalm 6:9

The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;

the Lord accepts my prayer.

TIP: If you have not thrown out your Christmas photo cards or letters, try putting them with your Bible and spending time in prayer throughout the year for each one you have.

Embracing His Call

I’ve been struggling personally with what exactly is my call and purpose in this life and being at peace with it. It seems mine is quite different from most of my family and those around me and I have a hard time being OK with that. The whole “walk to the beat of a different drummer” type scenario.

Little by little, God has been revealing His purpose to me and helping me to embrace my calling. As I look back on my life, I see where it has been my call for a very long time, just in slightly different forms. Not long ago, I believe God gave me a name for my life’s purpose. My purpose on this earth is to pour into other people. This takes the form of telling them of Jesus Christ, showing love, helping them physically, being a listening ear, a companion and friend, a prayer warrior, and sharing from my heart through the written word.

Currently in my time with the Lord, I am parked in and absorbed with Ephesians. There is so much to take in and to try to understand. This morning as I was reading in Ephesians 2, verse 10 caught my attention:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

The cross reference in Ephesians 4:1-3 spoke to my questioning and struggling heart:

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

As a believer in Jesus Christ, I have been called to walk in a manner worthy of that calling. Not doing anything that would offend Christ, only seeking to do what would please Him according to His word. As I read those verses this morning, I had the distinct realization that it was also talking to my particular calling in life. I was created in Christ Jesus to do good works. Works that God had decided for me. A path that He had specifically prepared for me to walk - my personal calling. I am to walk the path of my calling with humility, gentleness, patience, and love. As I walk, I am to exhibit the fruits of His Spirit working in me to create unity and peace. Not comparing my call to someone else’s call, but wholeheartedly embracing my call and walking in it.

Sometimes our call may seem “forced” on us and we find ourselves “kicking against the goads”*. The urge or prodding is there, but we resist. The prodding doesn’t go away, it actually intensifies or we feel miserable because we are not being obedient to it. I know I have been kicking against the writing part of my call. I feel inadequate, fearful, or wonder what I have to say that hasn’t already been said, etc.

From reading other writers’ blog posts and articles, this is a common thought pattern among writers; however, by far the most repeated bits of advice are “just write” and “it hasn’t been said by you”. Even if we’re unsure or don’t think it’s good. Keep writing. So, I’m going to once again try to obey the prodding and this time not get stuck in the perfectionist/fear mode which tends to leave my writings in my notebook or on the computer instead of getting posted. Good, bad, or blah posts are going to go out. Supposedly the more I write the better it will get. Like exercise or sports, I guess. Practice makes perfect…or at least better and if it means I’m walking in a manner worthy of my calling, then that’s the goal. To walk in a way that is pleasing to Christ my Savior and Lord. Ephesians says that God has already prepared the way beforehand, so I don’t even have to cut my own way through the brush. He’s already done that. I just need to follow.

Where do you sense God’s call on your life? Are you walking obediently and confidently down the path that God has prepared for you or are you “kicking against the goads”? Are you embracing your call? I’d love to hear your purpose and how God is working that out in your life. Feel free to leave a comment!

TIP: God’s call will never lead you in a way that goes against His word.

(*If you are not familiar with the phrase about goads, follow this link for a good explanation: http://www.jesus.org/early-church-history/the-apostle-paul/how-did-paul-kick-against-the-goads.html)

No Expectations

Colossians 3:1-4

"If then you have been raised with Christ, 

seek the things that are above, where Christ is, 

seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things 

that are above, not on things that are on earth. 

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also 

will appear with him in glory."

No Expectations. That’s what my counselor told me. Work at having no expectations of other people, especially family members. Let’s face it; we all have expectations whether we are totally conscience of it or not. The problem with expectations is that when they are not met, we are disappointed, hurt, sad, crushed, dejected, or have a whole host of other feelings we’d rather not experience. If we are hoping for a phone call, letter, gift, or visit and it doesn't happen, this can trigger a downward spiral emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. However, when we don’t have any expectations, then when any positive thing happens we are pleasantly surprised or we can just enjoy another person’s company in a relaxed, no-strings-attached manner. 

Expectations are different from requests. In this context, expectations are usually unspoken desires or dreams – things we hope others will say or do. Requests are verbalized and give the other person the opportunity to respond. In my experience, expectations are those unspoken desires that we think the other person should intuitively know or comprehend. Very often they don’t and how can they if they don’t know what we are thinking or hoping? It’s not realistic. 

The Christmas season can be a time of great expectation which can lead to great disappointment. This Christmas and throughout 2017, try letting go of unspoken expectations. Sit down and write out those expectations, then choose what is really important to you and turn it into a spoken request. This can be difficult and scary. If it is too hard to verbalize your expectations, try writing a letter; otherwise, put them out of your mind. When we don’t carry so many unmet expectations, a huge mental and emotional weight drops off and we are truly able to enjoy our family, friends, and special occasions without the hurt, disappointment, and depression. Not only do we feel lighter and freer, but the whole atmosphere around us loses tension. 

As I am learning the principle of “no expectations” and how to verbalize what I need or want, the tendency to be hurt is replaced with richer, more open, and relaxed relationships. What I'm finding is that my previous desires are often being met or were selfish and unnecessary, even silly. In essence, I am releasing those I love to be who they are, not who I want them to be. I am learning to ask for the real assistance I need, but to let go of the unrealistic expectations that rob me of a lot of joy, peace, and contentment. I'm learning to look more and more to God who will supply my every need. (Philippians 4:19)

The above passage from Colossians reminds us to set our hearts on things above where Christ is and to set our minds on things above also. Christmas is the Christian’s remembrance and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, our Savior and Lord. Jesus was the greatest gift ever given and the greatest sacrifice of our Heavenly Father. He came so that we have the opportunity to one day live with Him above. All we have to do is ask. Ask forgiveness for the wrongs we have done and accept that Jesus paid the ultimate price, His life, to bridge the gap between an unholy people and The One and Only Holy God.

My prayer for you this Christmas is that you will fill your heart and mind with thoughts of Jesus and why He left His home above to live among us. 

In John 14:27 Jesus says 

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. 

I do not give to you as the world gives. 

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." 

Merry Christmas!

Tip: Read the Gospel of John and the book of Colossians.

The Bracelet

Gifts are my love-language. I like to give them and receive them. Especially unexpected ones. Surprises. You know, the good kind.

Today I received a gift basket filled with small gifts. Some wrapped and some not. This was no generic gift basket. This was a gift basket lovingly filled by the hands of women from my church. Every year they prepare lovely gift baskets for those who are shut-in or evidently for those going through difficult times. I'm not really sure why I received one, but today was like Christmas for me as I pulled out each surprise. Homemade cookies in a pretty glass jar, assorted candy, oatmeal/coconut soap, beautiful hand-made cards in a lovely folder that matches, a key with the words "courage" and "strength" on each side, some toiletries and The Bracelet.

When I opened the small blue box and discovered The Bracelet, I knew who had put it there and two memories flashed across my mind. 

The first memory goes back to August of 2014. Mike was still at home with me at that time and we were sitting in church on the first Sunday of the month. He was having a good day and our Pastor asked Mike and I to help with communion. This was a big deal for Mike to be able to assist in this way and when we returned to our seat, tears were running down his cheek. When the service was over, one of our sweet members with tears in her eyes removed a bracelet from her arm and gave it to me. It said "With God, All Things Are Possible". I wore the bracelet for probably a year or so.

The second memory is also on a Sunday. During the preceding months, this same sweet woman and her husband were experiencing difficulties of their own. Sensing that she needed a word of encouragement, I handed the bracelet back to her. It is not a good luck charm or talisman. It is a visible reminder of God's word which gives hope and encouragement. A reminder to turn our thoughts away from the pain and sadness and think of God and His promises.

Luke 1:37 (ESV)

For nothing will be impossible with God.

So today when I opened the blue box and saw The Bracelet, I had to smile. I slipped it onto my wrist and cherish the promise that I read there. God is not confined by what I see and know. He sees vastly more than I can ever imagine and His power is limitless. Where I see impossible, He sees possible. I like His view much better. Plus the act of receiving and giving hope in the form of His message on a bracelet tells me I am not alone here either. 

Where have you seen God do the impossible? I'd love to hear your story.