If walking with God was categorized like college courses, I think I’ve moved past level 101 by now. I might even be presumptive enough to say I’m in 301, but just as soon as I claim something like that, God might say “Well then, little wise one, time for a pop quiz or comprehensive exam!”
I HAVE learned a lot in these 43 years so far, about 38 of those actually on the path with Jesus. I’ve been thinking today about some of the lessons I’ve learned most recently: Continue reading
I’ve always loved a good story. My dad used to make them up for us at bedtime, we read scores of them growing up and traveled to far away worlds in our hearts and minds, we’ve made them up for each other on long road trips. Sometimes we played that game where each person makes one part of a story and you end up with a bunch of weird, funny nonsense. This morning in church, I was reminded by the pastor’s message that we’re all living a story.
In a good story you’ll find a character, or characters, facing and doing what they can to overcome obstacles to achieve something, to reach a desired outcome. You know, protagonist, antagonist, plot, setting, climax, resolution of conflict, and more.
What type of story are you living in? How about me? Continue reading
I took my daughter, Kaitlin, with me this bright, sunny Saturday morning and drove to a rummage sale at our church. Years ago my dad pastored a church in town which grew and moved to a new building on the highway, which grew after he left under the leadership of the new pastor and moved to where it is now. So many of the familiar faces are still there smiling, long-time friends still involved in that congregation.
I saw several of these friends today, two in particular who are especially dear to my family and fun. Whenever I see them, wherever it is, I get a sense of home. They know me, they know my family, we love each other, they’re still faithful friends.
A few months ago when we first talked of possibly moving away Kimmi remarked that she won’t know where “home” is. Continue reading
Have you ever seen the show “Myth Busters”? The crew on the show takes something that’s been shown in a movie or TV show and tries it out in real life to see if it could really happen. For instance, one time they tried using a single sword swipe to cut a pole in half as seen in a ninja flick. Another time they tried shooting a circle of holes in a second-story floor with guns to see if the circle of wood the gunman was standing on would fall to the story underneath. It’s a lot of fun to watch. Sometimes the amazing feat proves to be actually doable, other times not even close.
In a loosely related way, sometimes I feel the need to search out the Scriptures to back up a claim about God – his character, the way He interacts with us, his promises, etc. Yesterday I was thinking about how it’s often said God is interested in and involved in the details of our lives here on earth. Is that true or just a myth? Continue reading
The cold I’ve been fighting is of the obstinate, lingering kind and so I’ve not felt like blogging or doing much conversing for the last week or so. That is definitely NOT usually my nature. I’m a verbal processor to the core. I need to talk to people when I’m working through thoughts, making decisions, questioning and trying to figure something out, brainstorming -you name it, I need to talk about it. Continue reading
He’s one of my favorite Bible characters, probably second only to Jesus. He persevered through lots of unfair treatment, imprisonment, hatred, and years of waiting and kept giving 100% and because of that people noticed. They could see that God was with Him. God never left Him and used all of those things, the entire timeline up to a certain point, to bring him to a place of purpose, a place from which he could save all of Israel, including his very own family. Joseph’s story is well-known but is one I can learn from over and over again. This morning, John preached about how God used even the opposition Joseph faced from his own flesh and blood brothers to help propel him down the to road to realizing his dreams. They were God-given dreams and they would be God-caused, God-created, God-completed. Joseph just had to stay faithful and keep believing.
Sometimes we let the negative things people say or their opposing attitudes and actions give us doubt about our God-given dreams. Sometimes we even give up on a dream when it seems nothing is happening, it seems maybe we thought it up or imagined it, when it seems too big to really ever materialize….if we’re being logical. Continue reading
Having spent the weekend with a bunch of other pastors’ wives at a retreat, listening to Beth Moore study about God’s love and loving others, love was on my mind more than usual this week. I learned so much and got plenty of things to ponder out of watching the messages and talking with the other ladies.
One of the things Beth shared that stuck with me is that God’s love doesn’t change with His mood like ours does. Sometimes the love we show is based on an emotion or feeling, but God IS love. The love we feel and experience is an expression of who He is at the core, through and through. We only love because He loved us first. He cannot NOT love. What an awesome, mind-boggling thought! I will never fully understand it. I have been trying to unlearn for years the idea that I have to perform well for God to really love me and accept the notion that He just loves me. Why would he do that? Continue reading
Each summer when the girls were younger, I typically would leave a note on the kitchen table for my girls once they woke up – ideas for ways to spend their time other than television or computer, chores I needed them to complete that day, etc. A few years ago at the bottom of the note I typed out something like this, “I’ll be checking when I get home so be sure you finish your chores. I love you girls and hope you have a great day! If you’re still reading this note you’re going to be really glad you read all the way through because the secret word is peanut. If you can tell me the secret word when I get home from work you get a surprise. Now go do your stuff.”
When I got home I asked them if anyone knew the secret word. They gave me blank stares and asked, “What secret word?” Continue reading
I haven’t blogged much since last week, mostly due to a very full schedule resulting in being thoroughly pooped. I never want to blog just for the sake of blogging if nothing is on my heart or coming to mind. I thought I’d wrap up the last week or so in my life in a view bullet points: Continue reading
I’m thankful for airplanes that cross miles in such a short time…which makes me think of
Destinations…which makes me think of
Possibility…which makes me think of
New experiences…which makes me think of
Trying something I’ve never eaten before at a restaurant…which makes me think of
The Japanese Grill we visited last week…which makes me think of
Catching scrambled eggs in my mouth in surprise…which makes me think of
Laughter…which makes me think of
All my wonderful friends…which makes me think of
Community…which makes me think of
God’s family of beautiful, diverse, and varied adopted kids…which makes me think of
Being accepted for who I am by Him…which makes me think of
Love and not just surfacy, shallow affection but the deep, wide, and utterly amazing love of God….which makes me thankful all over again.
Along the Narrow Path 