Happy Sunday!!!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
My Day in Pictures
If these walls could talk!
Love these birds in the mist!
Plane overhead reflected in the water!
This is one of my favourites I took today!
One of these Canadian Geese is not like the others! Might have been a little hanky-panky that went on with a swan! ;O)
Stopped for coffee in Madison at The Perk and these were my coffee companions. I looked up at one point and giggled and had to snap their picture...discreetly, of course!
Got a giggle at the irony of The Wellness Trail leading to the cemetery!
This is the Nolan Plantation near Bostwick, GA. It was in a few movies, including My Cousin, Vinny!
Loved the fences around the plantation!
All that's left of one of the slave quarters!
Many an exhausted slave has climbed these few steps over the years!
Cotton!
Carts of cotton waiting to be processed at the only working cotton gin for 150 miles...in Bostwick, GA!
Field white with cotton! So pretty!
I took many, many more pictures than these, but these are some of the highlights! All in all, a lovely day!! :O)
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Focus!
We are fast approaching the time of year when women can become so overwhelmed with all that is on their plates that they start to sink faster than the Titanic on that fateful night! I had recently been contemplating Thanksgiving and Christmas and was pleasantly surprised that I did not feel my anxiety levels rise as I observed that my plate was not too loaded down. Yeah me! And then it happened...
We had a women's ministry meeting!
Breathe in! Breathe out! Breathe in! Breathe out!
I had forgotten that this was my first year as a wife at the helm in a church environment where there is no lack of opportunities and needs during the holiday season!! The list was endless and I felt my pulse start to quicken and my eyes glaze over as I processed all that was being shared! The worst part was that it was all good. Not one thing was something I could roll my eyes at and dismiss as unnecessary fluff! What to do? What to do?
First thing to do was to realize that one or two or three people cannot do it all! It takes a whole body of believers working together to make it all happen. Letting the hands be the hands and the feet be the feet and every little part of the body operate in its entirety is essential. We need each other!
A number of years ago I quit sending Christmas cards. It wasn't that I think there is anything wrong with Christmas cards, it was just that particular year I realized I could either send Christmas cards or I could enjoy Christmas...and I chose the latter! Fortunately for me, the advance of technology and the invention of FB has kept me in touch with most of the people who would have gotten my Christmas cards anyway. I still enjoy receiving all the cards each year, but I treasure the feeling of not succumbing to the pressure to meet a deadline in the midst of an already busy time!
Now back to the church....I again had a choice. I could look at all that needed to be done and feel the pressure to cram as much as I could into my days or I could calmly ponder the possibilities and focus in on what I was passionate about! What could I, based on the giftings and passions the Lord has placed within me, contribute to this list? Suddenly I found my eyes begin to refocus and my pulse begin to regain its natural rhythm and it all became very clear to me.
There is a group of widows who live in an apartment complex by the church. Many of them have serious needs, but we don't really even know who they are or how truly extensive their needs might be. How fun would it be to plan a tea and invite them all to come and be spoiled for a morning? Allow them to use fine china and taste sweet desserts fixed lovingly with my own hands. Let them eat off of fancy tablecloths and use cloth napkins to wipe their mouths. I am sure for many, if not all of them, this would be a highly unusual occurrence. How disarming would it be, though, for them to realize someone cared enough to treat them like high society ladies? How credible would it make us to pamper them and then tell them we really do care and want to help? How helpful to build a relationship with them to assess what their true needs are during the holidays and all year long?
How relieved did I feel to see with clarity where my gifts and passions could best be utilized? He has wired me to be hospitable and here was an opportunity for me to exercise my spiritual gift!!
Instead of shutting down, I felt myself coming to life. Before I left the church there were already 5 of us committed to going and loving on these ladies. I found myself mentally planning a menu and decorating the tables as I happily drove out of the parking lot!
Reality is, there are still many areas on the list that was presented that need to be covered and I am asking the Lord to impress upon hearts just where exactly they fit in His plan! If we all begin to step out and operate within our giftedness as He gives us opportunity, we eliminate the need for a few people to bear the burden of carrying out all that needs to be done and becoming overwhelmed.
Are you a hand? A foot? Are you a planner? Hospitable? Do you love all that goes with an administrative position or do you come alive as your creative juices start to flow? You have a role...you were created with a definite purpose! Will you ask the Lord to show you what it is and then jump in knowing that He has prepared you for such a time as this?
Read with me these words from the Casting Crowns song, We Are the Body, and ask yourself just where exactly do you fit! The Body is counting on you!!
It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in
Trying to fade into the faces
The girls' teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know
CHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
There is a way
A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat
And quietly sinks into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances
Are better out on the road
CHORUS
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
Jesus paid much too high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the Body of Christ
If we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Desire Granted!
Psalm 37:4 ~
Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.
All I ever wanted to do was be a wife and a Mama. December 1, 1990 the first part of that dream was fulfilled when I married Tim. October 11, 1992 the rest of the dream was fulfilled when I gave birth to Rachel!! Oh how full my heart was when I looked at this little one for whom my heart had longed!!
It has been 19 glorious years and we have had 4 more additions that have multiplied my initial joy exponentially! Today we get to celebrate Rachel, though, and the gift that she is to each of us!
Rachel, I have watched you grow and mature and evolve into a very amazing young woman. I have watched you go from being obsessed with horses to being obsessed with sports. I have watched your Plain Jane ways slowly be set aside and a girl of beauty emerge! I have watched you struggle thru some tough things, but you have clung to the fact that Jesus loves you and so do we!!
I am so proud of you, Rach, and am thankful beyond adequate words for the gift that you are in my life!! I pray that this year is a year of continued spiritual growth for you, of peace that can't be explained and of exciting surprises that you can't even comprehend yet!!
I love you, baby girl!!! XOXO
Monday, September 26, 2011
Shadows
Tim taught on worry yesterday in church and it was so good. He shared that the definition of worry is to divide the mind or to strangle and knot up. None of those seems desirable yet worry is almost akin to a spiritual discipline for some.
One of our favourite books to read to our kids when they are little is Bedtime For Frances. Frances is a badger with a very vivid imagination. Frances is not a fan of bedtime and she finds many excuses to avoid actually laying down and going to sleep. One episode involves her being convinced there is a monster in the corner and she works herself into a tizzy. After being sent back to bed for the umpteenth time, Frances realizes that the monster that seemed so large is just actually her little bathrobe which has cast a shadow. Not much to actually be afraid of!!
One of the most powerful things that Tim shared yesterday (in my humble opinion ;O) ) was when he said that worry gives a small thing a big shadow! I loved that because it is so true. Worry causes us to take something that is often times not even a big issue and allow it to cast a much bigger shadow than it should be capable of casting. Even if it is a big issue in our lives, we can still be tempted to let it take on a life of its own by not reigning our minds in the way we should.
When you look at the true meaning of worry, it really does seem counter-productive. We are causing ourselves to have a divided mind and be strangled and tied up by worry instead of trusting that the Lord is in control and is taking care of us. We have to wrestle thru in our hearts and come to the conclusion that either He is trustworthy or he is not. It doesn't mean we're not ever going to have concerns or worrisome thoughts, but we can choose to not pitch a tent, make a fire and camp out in the midst of that worry.
Luke 12:25
And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span?
Lord, I don't want to be a woman who allows worry and the cares of the world to define me. I don't want to allow a small thing to cast any big shadows in my life. May I choose to take my thoughts captive and filter everything thru the lens of your sovereignty and care. Help me not be found with a divided mind for then I shall be unstable in all my ways and that is truly no way to live. May I choose to live in the shadow of the cross rather than the shadow of my fears!!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Measured Words
Many conversations are centered around very heavy topics and people are coming to us for advice that can have lasting implications. For instance, one girl called me the other day because she has to make some important medical decisions about her mom. While I was so honoured to have gained this woman's trust, I found myself confronted with the fact that the counsel I gave was regarding the very life of another human being. Not exactly light conversation.
And then the need for confidentiality is a very real issue. Unfortunately Christians, who should be the most confidential people around, can actually be some of the biggest gossips you'll ever find. It can be lonely to look around and realize there are VERY FEW people you can really bounce things off of, seek advice from or share your heart with without the risk of it becoming fodder for the grapevine.
There are so many verses that speak to the tongue that it must be an issue near and dear to the Lord's heart...
The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly.
A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.
So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!
These verses are just a sampling of scriptures that address our tongue and the blessing or curse it can be in our lives and in the lives of others!! The reality is that those of us who lead are held to a higher standard, but all these scriptures are written for the common man or woman as well. Joe Blow and Suzy Q are still very accountable for what comes out of their mouths even though they may not be in a position of leading others. How much stronger would the body of Christ be if we would just work a little harder to get one of the smallest parts of our body truly under control?
There is a children's rhyme that is often sung as a defense against the onslaught of hurtful words. I am sure you know it. It goes like this...
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
That may actually be one of the biggest lies we ever grapple with from a very early age. In actuality, bones will heal much faster than the heart wounds that words inflict. We can recite this little ditty in our best sing-songy voice, but never out-run the sword that pierces our heart as the words are flung in our direction. Words have one of the greatest abilities to hurt like nothing else ever will, but they also have the ability to bring healing that echoes into eternity!
Lord, may I never take lightly the issue of controlling my tongue. May I always keep, in the forefront of my mind, the reality that I have the ability to speak words of life or words of death into the lives of others. Lord help me remember that as people are looking to me for wise counsel there is a desperate need to prayerfully consider what comes out of my mouth before I utter the first word. And Lord, when it is all said and done, may You find I have been faithful in this area of being wise and measured with my words!!
Psalm 19:14 ~ Let my words and my thoughts
be pleasing to you, LORD,
because you are my mighty rock and my protector.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sleep...Oh Elusive Sleep!
This is my life lately and it is driving me crazy. I am working on 4 totally new messages to share at 2 retreats, one in less than 2 weeks, and if I come to even the least little bit my brain is triggered and it's on. This morning it was 3 am...most days 4-4:30am. Unfortunately, I really do need more than 4-5 hours sleep!!
Well, off to work on my messages and pray that maybe tomorrow will be the day I sleep late...like maybe 6 or 6:30am!! ;O)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Shame
I am teaching at 2 retreats this fall and one of the sessions is on shame. Thankfully I guess, shame is not an issue I have had to deal with a lot so it is the one I am least familiar with. In preparation for the retreat I have been reading the book, Shame Lifter, by Marilyn Hontz.
Wow!! I just cannot say enough good about this book! My copy is all highlighted and dog-earred and has given me so much food for thought that sleep has been somewhat illusive these days. I am so thankful that I felt impressed to choose this book out of all the ones I looked at on Amazon during my search for resource material!
If this is an area you struggle with, I highly recommend you check it out!!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Omission
Wow! I decided to Google a verse this morning because I couldn't remember exactly where it was found. I knew it was Titus 2, but I wanted to be sure of the actual verse numbers. As I glanced at one of the sites that came up in my search, I was shocked and thought surely my eyes were just not focusing that well so early in the morning. I clicked the site to read more and was definitely appalled at what I found.
Apparently there are certain verses in the Bible that the Irish Catholic church doesn't like because they feel they subordinate women and they are discussing just taking them out so as not to "give an undesirably negative impression regarding women." Seriously? You know, verses like that one in Titus 2 that encourage us to love and care for our own families and mind our own business so that the Word of God is not dishonoured. Scandalous, wouldn't you say?
Well, while we're eliminating verses we don't like, I am not really big on that verse that says I am to love and bless those who persecute me. I wouldn't mind it just disappearing. And what about pretty much the whole book of James because it would be a whole lot easier to just run my mouth about someone when they get under my skin rather than have to actually control my tongue and be silent on the matter. I'd also probably change up the Beatitudes a little because those seem very counter-intuitive to how things should play out in real life and I might even just put a big ole red mark through "wives submit to your husbands as unto the Lord" because that seems a tad archaic. I mean, if I can't be comfortable reading the Bible and really enjoy what I read then what's the point?
Is anyone else seeing how truly dangerous a mindset like this is? Tim has talked a lot about the danger of "a la carting" scripture, but this is actually just throwing the whole doggone dinner out the window because it might give you a tummy ache. How dare we choose which verses are important and which ones should be eliminated based on how they make us feel.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 in The Message says ~
There's nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God's way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.
I guess we'll have to rip that page out, too, in order to feel good about skipping these other ones! Before long there won't be much left other than something akin to a book about a cosmic Santa who just showers us with goodies because, with no standard to live up to, we all look like good little boys and girls!
Lord, May I never get to the point in my life that I would rather eliminate or ignore portions of scripture that make me uncomfortable or take me out of my comfort zone rather than deal with the Truth of what they say. Would I see each scripture as having great value in my own life and the lives of others. As a teacher, would you make me mute if I ever dare try and distort scripture into a feel-good message that doesn't stand the potential of offending anyone. And, Lord, please forgive those who are choosing to cheapen what Your Son did on the cross to make them feel better about themselves!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
40 Days Without Food
I just read a great ebook, called 40 Days Without Food: Divine Goodness For a Starving Soul. It is by a friend of ours and I was so pleasantly surprised by Russ' literary style and the raw way in which he shared. I realize that could sound like I didn't think Russ had what it takes, but that is not it at all. I just have never had the pleasure of reading anything he wrote and wasn't sure what to expect!
One quote that really stood out to me was when he said (in a slightly paraphrased kind of way) that "the fear of mediocrity often drove him while the fear of failure often held him back". This thought has stuck with me as I have pondered how true this has been in my life at times and the lives of some I know.
As someone who writes and speaks, there is always a tension between not wanting to bore people to death while at the same time remembering the truth found in Galatians 1:10 that what we do we do ultimately for an audience of One! We cannot get caught up in doing anything in order to receive worth and affirmation in an attempt to "be somebody". That is a need that only the Lord can fill in our lives and it is always dangerous to try and fill it in other ways.
Interestingly enough, though, the fear of failure can often be a powerful deterrent to stepping out of our comfort zone and obeying that still small Voice. It, again, can be a case of worrying too much about what others might think if we did actually fall flat on our faces. That would be a highly unlikely scenario, but the fear of it can be paralyzing.
My earnest prayer right now and, I pray, for my remaining days on earth is the truth found in Proverbs 16:9 ~
We plan the way we want to live,
but only God makes us able to live it.
Lord, may I never find myself straining ahead of You trying to make a name for myself to avoid just being an average somebody. May I similarly never find myself refusing to step out of my comfort zone and do what I feel You are encouraging me to do because I fear I may be unsuccessful!
Fear of mediocrity and fear of failure are terrible motivators to attempt anything of lasting value!!
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