Year End Thoughts:
This is it - today is the last day of an amazing year and my thoughts this morning are more about what to do today than they are contemplating the ups, downs, ins and outs of 2007. So far this morning I've 1) made a bed, 2) made coffee, 3) written a commercial for the farm, actually a skit for our New Years gathering at church, 4) been stalked by chickens, and 5) have slugged two cups of coffee.
It's a beautiful day. I'm enjoying the sun room more and more, though I must admit seeing the poor condition of my garden makes me want to go out there and overhaul the thing, starting with the greenhouse.
I guess I should hit the highlights of the year:
We survived a tornado
Cindy and Becky made a CD
Mike and Heather got Married
Norman got Local Help Wanted up and running
Thanksgiving in Phoenix and the Grand Canyon
Brian had knee surgery
Norman and Becky going to jail with me
Actually, the real highlights are more like this:
God protected, preserved and provided for us during a natural disaster
God protected my daughters heart and gave her strength to face trials
God preserved my son and his bride's chastity - they both should have worn white at their wedding
God has poured beautiful music out through both the girls
God has blessed us with amazing relationships with unique young people that we relish watching grow in faith and maturity
God gave me back my best friend from thirty years ago
God has helped my oldest son through multiple trials and has loved and sustained him through an incredible young woman
God helped my dil with deep seated health problems.
God has challenged us in unbelievable ways through the people we've met, the books we've read and an exceptional church family
God has wiped our tears
God gave me a grandbaby - no, not a biological one but a spiritual one. And he went to sleep on my chest Christmas week to Amazing Grace.
God has provided for our needs.
God let my husband spend the first Thanksgiving in 34 years with his family
God let me see my uncle and daughter meet for the first time.
There are others no doubt, and I may add more to the list as I think of things, but all in all, God was the center of 2007. I like it that way, and hope and pray He's even more so in 2008.
12.31.2007
12.22.2007
Jesus, I love you. It’s hard to fathom the infinite you left to become finite like us, to understand our sufferings, to live as we live, to feel as we feel, to experience life in an infested corrupt world where we’re bound by time and gravity and our own fears and selfishness. And to think you wanted to do this . . . so I, we, could be reunited with you.
What was it like – to be eternal and all powerful trapped in a little baby’s body? What did you feel as a sinless three year old and the other kids wouldn’t share their toys with you? Were you ridiculed as a “momma’s boy” because you were obedient and did as you were told? Did you ever have to watch your younger brothers and sisters and did it break your heart to see them misbehave? Were you close to Joseph?
I must confess I can’t wrap my mind around your infinity – all powerful, all knowing . . . all those omni’s used to describe a fraction of you. But I do know this, that for you to become like one of us, mortal and finite, just so you could die to get us back – its beyond extraordinary. But it’s Who you are.
And I love you for Who you are. I can’t give you gold, frankincense or myrrh like the wise men did when you were flesh. But I offer you my heart anew and ask that you help me live with eternity in view.
It’s not that far away.
12.10.2007
Book Review
I listed Mark Batterson’s book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, in my 2007 books a bit prematurely as I’ve only got through chapter three thus far . . . but WOW, what its said so far! I’m taking this book in slowly so I can drink it all in.
This morning I read chapter three, Unlearning Your Fears, a second time. It hit me square between the eyes, again, as fear has been an ongoing problem in my life. It’s a sin I cannot conquer without divine help and I find myself regularly going to the Throne of Grace to deal with it. I’ll spare you the details of how it started and gained a foothold, the various fears that assault me, etc.
To the good stuff!: My favorite excerpts from this chapter:
Half of learning is learning. The other half of learning is unlearning. . . Unlearning is twice as hard, and it often takes twice as long.
Faith is unlearning the senseless worries and misguided beliefs that keep us captive. . . Faith is rewiring the human brain. . . Our minds need to be defragmented . . . . The way to upgrade your mind is to download Scripture. . . . (Part of ) faith is the process of unlearning your irrational fears.
Lion chasers . . . unlearned the fears that kept them captive . . . by chasing their fears instead of running away from them. They exposed themselves to the very thing they were afraid of.
Your fear is worse than the actual thing you’re afraid of. . . When you put yourself in a defenseless position, it sets the stage for God to show up.
I’m concerned that the church has turned into a bunker where we seek shelter when we’re actually called to storm the gates of hell.
The alternative of fear is boredom . . . If you’re bored one thing is for sure: You’re not following in the footsteps of Christ.
I listed Mark Batterson’s book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, in my 2007 books a bit prematurely as I’ve only got through chapter three thus far . . . but WOW, what its said so far! I’m taking this book in slowly so I can drink it all in.
This morning I read chapter three, Unlearning Your Fears, a second time. It hit me square between the eyes, again, as fear has been an ongoing problem in my life. It’s a sin I cannot conquer without divine help and I find myself regularly going to the Throne of Grace to deal with it. I’ll spare you the details of how it started and gained a foothold, the various fears that assault me, etc.
To the good stuff!: My favorite excerpts from this chapter:
Half of learning is learning. The other half of learning is unlearning. . . Unlearning is twice as hard, and it often takes twice as long.
Faith is unlearning the senseless worries and misguided beliefs that keep us captive. . . Faith is rewiring the human brain. . . Our minds need to be defragmented . . . . The way to upgrade your mind is to download Scripture. . . . (Part of ) faith is the process of unlearning your irrational fears.
Lion chasers . . . unlearned the fears that kept them captive . . . by chasing their fears instead of running away from them. They exposed themselves to the very thing they were afraid of.
Your fear is worse than the actual thing you’re afraid of. . . When you put yourself in a defenseless position, it sets the stage for God to show up.
I’m concerned that the church has turned into a bunker where we seek shelter when we’re actually called to storm the gates of hell.
The alternative of fear is boredom . . . If you’re bored one thing is for sure: You’re not following in the footsteps of Christ.
12.03.2007
Junk and Crown Jewels
I love old junk and I love junking. There, I've said it. I love it so much that a few days ago I dragged a bunch of old stuff out of the barn, out of closets and even the yard, cleaned it up good and decorated my house with it. And it looks good.
Even better is the occasional freebie. I ran across an old quilt block this week I'd forgot I had stashed and contemplated how good it would look in a frame on my wall. I didn't even ask and God gave me a frame the very next morning. So what that He had it strategically placed on the side of the road so I would find it - it was too amazing to be coincidence. I knew immediately how I was supposed to mount and display the quilt block when I saw it.
Another favorite freebie is my black skirt. It was rescued from a "help yourself" box at a thrift store in Tennessee a couple of years back. It was in perfect condition, is a classic cut that will never go out of style and fits perfectly. What more could you ask for?
There's a certain feeling when you acquire something almost supernaturally - something unexpected that costs you nothing. Sometimes it's something tangible, like the frame or the skirt, sometimes it's an inspiration that you run with and see amazing results, or an idea that sparks your imagination and concludes with being a great blessing. These are not the humdrum every day things of our lives but those where God intervenes to show us that there is so much more.
I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil. Psalms 119:162
There is so much more - so much more He whats to show us, so much more He wishes to bless us with, and I'm not talking about material things here, I'm talking about relationships, experiences, and opportunities to be used for His kingdom. At nearly fifty I'm relearning that the Christian life was not meant to be a life of ease and safety, but one of casting your bread on the waters and praying with expectation that ax heads will float.
But it all starts with his Word - that transforming power that defrags our stinking worldly thinking and reprograms us with the mind of Christ. I have to ask myself today if I consistently rejoice over the truths of the Bible as I rejoice over the unexpected spoils God has blessed me with. I truthfully can't say yes. Sure, I do my daily reading and even regular studying, but it's been a long time since I found a beautiful nugget of truth that I wanted to share with everyone.
Maybe it's time I re-evaluate how I approach God's Word. No, it's not spoils and just because it's free doesn't mean it's not precious and valuable. Something as beautiful and pure and good as the words of God should be guarded like crown jewels; kept under lock and key to preserve and protect it. But God chose not to do that, He made it available to all mankind and has done a fine job of protection and preservation without any help from us mere mortals. I however, should appreciate it above crown jewels, protect it as if my life depended on it (it does!), cherish it above all else, and most of all, rejoice in what's spoken to me.
I love old junk and I love junking. There, I've said it. I love it so much that a few days ago I dragged a bunch of old stuff out of the barn, out of closets and even the yard, cleaned it up good and decorated my house with it. And it looks good.
Even better is the occasional freebie. I ran across an old quilt block this week I'd forgot I had stashed and contemplated how good it would look in a frame on my wall. I didn't even ask and God gave me a frame the very next morning. So what that He had it strategically placed on the side of the road so I would find it - it was too amazing to be coincidence. I knew immediately how I was supposed to mount and display the quilt block when I saw it.
Another favorite freebie is my black skirt. It was rescued from a "help yourself" box at a thrift store in Tennessee a couple of years back. It was in perfect condition, is a classic cut that will never go out of style and fits perfectly. What more could you ask for?
There's a certain feeling when you acquire something almost supernaturally - something unexpected that costs you nothing. Sometimes it's something tangible, like the frame or the skirt, sometimes it's an inspiration that you run with and see amazing results, or an idea that sparks your imagination and concludes with being a great blessing. These are not the humdrum every day things of our lives but those where God intervenes to show us that there is so much more.
I rejoice at thy word as one that findeth great spoil. Psalms 119:162
There is so much more - so much more He whats to show us, so much more He wishes to bless us with, and I'm not talking about material things here, I'm talking about relationships, experiences, and opportunities to be used for His kingdom. At nearly fifty I'm relearning that the Christian life was not meant to be a life of ease and safety, but one of casting your bread on the waters and praying with expectation that ax heads will float.
But it all starts with his Word - that transforming power that defrags our stinking worldly thinking and reprograms us with the mind of Christ. I have to ask myself today if I consistently rejoice over the truths of the Bible as I rejoice over the unexpected spoils God has blessed me with. I truthfully can't say yes. Sure, I do my daily reading and even regular studying, but it's been a long time since I found a beautiful nugget of truth that I wanted to share with everyone.
Maybe it's time I re-evaluate how I approach God's Word. No, it's not spoils and just because it's free doesn't mean it's not precious and valuable. Something as beautiful and pure and good as the words of God should be guarded like crown jewels; kept under lock and key to preserve and protect it. But God chose not to do that, He made it available to all mankind and has done a fine job of protection and preservation without any help from us mere mortals. I however, should appreciate it above crown jewels, protect it as if my life depended on it (it does!), cherish it above all else, and most of all, rejoice in what's spoken to me.
12.02.2007
Christmas is over . . . at least the family part that we have cherished for as long as Norman and I have been married. Things got turned around this year. With two sons married now and Cindy very involved in her own life none of the older three are coming home this year. It's kind of sad in a way, but to be expected with jobs, other families to consider and responsibilities.
But we did have Christmas, just on December 1 instead of the 25th. Mike and Heather and Cindy all came and we went through the standard good times - Christmas Dinner, worship time, presents and fun. Lots of fun. Kammi, Naomi and Vickie came for dinner which made things all the more special.
That being said - the following I write just for myself so I won't forget the special moments of this Christmas.
1. The stockings - with a new one for Heather-hung by the chimney with care.
2. Becky and Naomi playing "wolf" in the back yard.
3. Naomi smiling.
4. My baby sister looking fabulous and having a sound mind and heart despite going through a (excuse my French) hell of a divorce. She questions how sound she is most days, but that's a sign she's got her head on straight. I'm very proud of the woman she is and pray for her constantly.
5. Mike and his outrageous jokes. He hasn't changed a bit and still loves to get a reaction out of his Momma.
6. Worship time. Always the best part.
7. Baked Brie. Have to get that recipe.
8. Sending some of my father's skins home with grandkids and great grandkids. Naomi, Cindy and Mike each took a gray fox pelt. (I write this to keep up with who has what)
9. Cindy's music. She brought Amelia, her guitar, and played some of her new songs. The girl has a gift and I'm glad she's developing it.
10. Laughter.
11. How can I forget Heather covering my sofa and love seat for the fun of it? I'll see this act of love for years every time I walk into my living room.
12. The thickest homemade (as in from scratch) apple pie ever. Cudos to Heather (again) for making Norman one happy man.
These are the kind of things Christmas has been in the past, the love of God and the love of family we have cherished for years. Everything we did in December led up to it. And now it has passed and all of December is before us. I'm thinking that maybe this is a good thing, almost liberating in a way. We're free to concentrate on serving Jesus without worrying about who's going where, how we're getting together, buying the right presents or anything like that. Who knows, maybe an early "Christmas" was His gift to us. It will be a good month for sure.
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