A little story bout thanks

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I had missed getting on two flights before finally getting out of Phoenix and was now stuck in Nashville needing to get to Indianapolis. The only problem is you can’t fly from Nashville to Indy, at least not on Southwest. I was flying standby – a free but risky way to travel, especially when flights are fewer in number and typically full anymore. It’s first-come, first on the list at the gate when you’re standby. If they get cancellations or no shows they start down the list of names, for however many seats are available, while those of us on that list stand hopefully by holding our breath. Continue reading →

A week of giving thanks

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I decided this morning that I need to focus more on gratitude and being content with all that God has given me – easy or difficult, what I thought was coming and what I didn’t expect, what I dream of and what I dread, what energizes me and what drains me.  It’s all allowed into my life through His good, loving hands and so I must be thankful and content.  I’m going to thank Him in a different way each day for a week here on my blog.  If you have any ideas send them to me!   Feel free to join me in this week-long experiment.

Today I’ll make a list from A-Z.  Continue reading →

You can be sure

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Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind, “Pooh!”, he whispered.

“Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing.”, said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you “.

– A. A. Milne

Today I find myself wanting to sidle up next to Jesus and take His hand, just to be sure of Him. The blahs invaded and I find myself feeling like I don’t really care about anything today. I’ve been thinking this afternoon about why I might be feeling like this, kind of drifting a little too far from God, far enough to disconnect from that lovely peace I have when I’m in close fellowship with Him.

I think part of the reason is fatigue – tiredness from not knowing what or when or where or how the next phase of our family’s life is going to unfold. At the same time I realize that I’m supposed to live in this day, Continue reading →

A couple of clips from my current cogitation

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I learned a new word today, can you tell?  I like it.  Cogitation:  thought or reflection.

  • John preached a message yesterday about how we often say, when caught in an habitual sin or mistake, “I can’t help myself!”  This can be an excuse that keeps us from really finding help out of those habits.  The behavior on the outside of us is really only a symptom of a problem on the inside of us.  If our heart isn’t pure or motivated by God’s Spirit then out come the boo-boos and trip-ups.  When I consider that truth about our hearts, then the phrase “I can’t help myself” is spot on truth.  I can’t fix my heart.  I can’t remove the smudge of sin or human weakness, but Jesus can.  Good ponder fodder, as I like to say.
  • Our family will possibly be making a move out west soon to serve God in the great state of California.  This isn’t a for sure thing yet, Continue reading →

Got Grace?

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I made a big mistake at work today.  It hasn’t happened for a while but it was bound to.  I get lots of projects going and something will fall through the cracks of my brain.  There are some pretty wide cracks and gaping holes in there, my brain that is.

To make matters worse, my error affects a friend of mine and he isn’t too keen on the situation.  I don’t blame him.  As I realized what happened I got that awful stomach-twisting, hard to describe nervous feeling go up the back of my back and neck and my heart started pounding a little faster.  Continue reading →

I don’t want to think about that today

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You may have noticed, if you’ve read my posts in the last few weeks, that my relationship with and parenting of one of my teenage daughters pretty much consumes my thought-life lately.

You know, parenting is really hard!  I hear all parents everywhere shout “amen!”  I have always loved being a mom and there have been other difficult times along the way, this is just a different type of difficulty.   It’s new territory for me and for John but thankfully not for God.

After a particularly challenging day and evening yesterday, I drove to work this morning I talking with God, Continue reading →

The God of Open Doors

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In a teenager’s eyes, sometimes the parent appears as a daunting obstacle to freedom, a task master laying down rule after rule in pure enjoyment of squishing every joy from her life.  This definitely colors the relationship between teen and mom or dad.  Her preconceived notions of automatic “no’s” and restrictions may cause her to just decide to do something without asking, ask with angry defenses standing tall, or buck and kick against it all like a wild bronco.  In truth, the parents are laying boundaries out of love.  They don’t enjoy holding her back from fun and friends.  They want the absolute best for her.  Helping her learn to live responsibly and submit to authority is key.  Staying within those lines drawn by her parents, she will actually experience real freedom.  It seems backwards but it’s true.

What if instead of thinking of God as a God of “no’s”, rules, and restriction we saw Him for who he really is? Continue reading →

Body Parts

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Need some practical ways to live following God’s heart?  Read Romans 12 in The Message.  I love it!  Today I was reading slowly and really only got through the first six verses or so.  I was trying to digest what each verse was really saying and I had a new realization.  Now it may not be new to you but it’s worth pondering anyway. Continue reading →