I’m So Hungry

We hear our kids say "I'm so hungry!" and we even say them ourselves. But, in reality, unless we have gone for days upon end without a morsel of food, we don't know the meaning of true hunger. Thank God!

Being, "hungry" took on a new meaning for me recently. I have a wonderful devotion book that comes with daily scriptures and a great, practical message to back them up. I also listen to the "Bible in One Year" scriptures from my phone app. I guess I'm an overachiever because I don't want to miss a day so that I keep my Bible-reading streak going on the app. I've also learned a wonderful way of reading the Bible called Lectio Divina (Latin for "divine reading"). Lectio Divina has four steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate. First a passage of scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. Then it's followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God. So many times when I read and pray this way, an aha comes. It encourages me so much that I'll note it in my Bible and my journal. It's not how many scriptures we read, but how our hunger is quenched when we really understand even just one.

This photo is the Bible my daughter gave me on Mother's Day, 1995. I know that by the inscription on this page. That was when she was still Staci (Sissy, as was called by her big brother) Michelle Wuerch. I had a moment of endearment because I hadn't noticed that page -- probably since she gave it to me back in 1995. It is a Bible that is very marked up.

I've resumed my deep dive into the Word daily. You see, I was hungering to know more, learn more, and live more by what this best-selling BOOK says. There is none other to compare with its wealth of wisdom and guidance for living an overcoming and successful life -- if we would but adhere to what it tells us. The Psalmist and Jesus said this about God's Word:

"Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands are always with me… Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path… I have put my hope in Your word". ~ David, Psalm 119:97-98, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 119:114
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” ~ Jesus, Matthew 4:4

The Bible is more than an instruction manual or a rule book. It is more than a random collection of stories, poems, and letters. It is the voice of God communicating with us. That is why the Bible is often referred to as “the Word of God.”

The bottom line? We know the sound of God’s voice in our lives when we read His Word. Need direction? Need peace? Need hope? Need joy? Need answers? Everything you and I need is found within the pages of the Word of God (the Holy Bible). It is the most definitive way we can know and hear the voice of God! I'm hungry! How about you?

A Frog and a Pressure Cooker

I just dozed a minute in my cozy chair (I promise you -- that chair is a sedative!), and I awoke suddenly because I heard: "No pressure!" At first I wondered what that meant, because I sure don't, any longer, see my life as pressured. But then I heard it as a clarion call to caution my beloved friends and family. The answer came quickly. Life is full of opportunities to be stressed-out, but sometimes, voluntarily, we bring on the added pressure.

I thought about the added pressures we got ourselves into because of that BIG, beautiful, must-have home we purchased. It came with all that extra cleaning, the added maintenance of things that would break-down like the garage door motor, the air conditioner as well as the larger lawn and landscaping requirements, and God forbid -- that the home came with a gorgeous pool that was surrounded by pine trees that when the needles shed.....landed in the pool. Those were the added pressures we experienced with our dream home in Canada. But, we loved our home for entertaining and had wonderful family times. But was the added pressure really worth it?

And, who doesn't crave career "opportunities" along with titles and fat paychecks? We surrender our evenings and weekends to speed-climbing up the ladder or to promote our services if we're self-employed. The long hours are often grueling and the added pressure comes when we have to miss family time, school activities and celebrations, and it even affects our quiet times with God. And, often in even doing the right things in taking on more volunteer commitments in organizations and church -- we spread ourselves so thin that we leave little for those God placed in our lives as first priority. Again, I speak from experience -- though I can count on one hand the number of family opportunities we missed because of work. We did strive for prioritizing our family.

We can learn a lot about being in "hot water" from a frog. If you drop a frog into a shallow pot of boiling water, he'll jump out immediately. But if you place him in water at room temperature, then gradually bring the liquid to a boil, the frog doesn't notice until it's too late. Farewell, Sweet Prince!

If we have succumbed to the pressure cooker lifestyle and aren't noticing the signs of the heat being turned up, then maybe it's time for a closer look, especially because we are not only living a pressure-filled life, but we are modeling this life and teaching it to our kids. It doesn't take rocket science to recognize that years of pressure and stress will manifest in our behaviors and even in our physical bodies. Other legitimate signs of lives filled with pressure may be insomnia, excesses of food and drink, a troubled marriage and children straying off right paths.

It seems to me that we've become frogs -- creatures in some great experiment that we didn't sign up for. If we don't start paying attention, the outcome is predictable. Sure, some pressures are unavoidable and we handle them with wisdom, faith and strength. But we can strive to be free of pressure cookers by placing priority on what's most important in our lives -- God, our family, our peace. When we do have time for our loved ones, we can choose to disconnect from our phones and computers. We can talk to our spouses and our children face-to-face at meals. We can purposely make time for God in our prayer-times together and "no excuse" mentality in attending church where our spirits grow stronger and He gets first-place priority. We can say no to perpetual overload and in its place, say yes to turning down the temperature -- before we find ourselves pressured cooked alive.

“Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." Psalm 86:11.

What Difference Does a Hamburger Make?

My oncology nurse friend is all about bringing sunshine into the world. What a joy it must be for her patients who face a riveting cancer diagnosis. Her bright light intersects their darkness with hope. In addition to her nursing job, she is also a volunteer at a charitable organization that is truly a "back-up resource" for families who have a loved one dealing with cancer, and if that's not enough.....she goes to hospice facilities to cheer up the families and their loved ones. I couldn't resist sharing the following story with you. It touched me so much.

Jodi was headed to a hospice facility to visit a patient there. As she approached the facility, a 93-year-old man was sitting on the porch. She greeted him with “How are you doing today?” He responded, "Good -- and I'm working on the pretty!" She remarked that he was a delight and just had to sit down and visit with him a while. They carried on a long conversation and he mentioned “I’d love a hamburger.” She didn’t hesitate to say: “I’ll be right back” and went to get that burger for him. There wasn't a question about whether it was good for him or not -- she knew her attention to him WAS good for him. She came back with the hamburger and a strawberry shake. The dear man had a chair pulled up right next to him for Jodi to sit by him. Jodi said he ate every bite and drank all the shake. She spent over two hours with him. Jodi was beaming as she told me this story. The dear man passed away a few days later.

What makes someone go the extra mile to bring a ray of sunshine into someone's life? Especially when that someone is close to leaving this world anyway. What difference does it make? Here's the difference: Jodi was serving a sweet man that was getting ready to leave this world. I told her she was his midwife -- giving him a sweet, comfortable and beautiful time as he was transitioning to "going home". But, more than the sacrifice of her time for this sweet man, this was about Jodi. She was so grateful for those two hours.

Helping others makes us see what we have.....and makes us even more grateful for it. Helping others makes us happy. There is so much joy in giving. She was grateful. When we help others, it makes us see what we have and makes us more thankful for it. Jodi's acts of kindness are seed planting times. She is already enjoying the harvest of her acts as she experiences such overflowing joy and happiness. “Give….and it shall be given back to you!” Luke 6:38

What difference does it make? Maybe our solution to complacency, boredom, loneliness and sadness is to find some-one or some-place where we can make a difference in someone's life today. It just might be the last act of kindness they will receive, but it will be an act of kindness that will change us FOREVER.

A Value-Added Life is an Empowered Life

My daughter is the director and founder of a faith-based, non-profit organization called EMwomen (Empowering Women) that exists to embrace, educate, equip and empower women and girls who have been impacted by some of life’s greatest challenges. Many of these gals have come from lives of abuse, homelessness, addiction, abortion, and hopelessness. Now, they are transformed women as they turned those pains into blessings through the power of Jesus Christ in their lives. It is a honor to join with these precious women every week. Eleven of these gals met on Monday night, me included, and I was the honoree because it was my birthday. I was also the guest speaker. When Staci first asked me to speak on my birthday, my initial response was “No, I want to just chill on my birthday – not be thinking about speaking.” She understood. Our conversation ended. But, Holy Spirit nudged me to share, because IT IS my birthday. I quickly called her back and recanted.

I’m so happy I accepted “the call”. These precious women celebrated me by their presence AND their presents of themselves, beautiful cards, hand-written notes and precious gifts. In my talk I shared about my “empowered” life that started with a praying mother and becoming well acquainted with her value system. Those values included honesty, integrity, character and following the leading of my conscience when choosing right from wrong. She explained that our conscience is the Holy Spirit Who takes up residence in our hearts when we ask God to be the center of our lives through His Son, Jesus Christ. So, when I would head out with my friends or my boyfriend, her parting words of “Let your conscience be your guide!” stuck with me like glue. I heard her voice in my ears when I was choosing integrity, honesty, and character. Character is doing the right thing when no one is looking – and when she wasn’t looking!

What I remembered most about my mom was her unwavering faith. Faith, because her values began and ended with her relationship with God. She made it through some of the most difficult times (my dad’s debilitating illness when I was just eight years old, her being our sole provider, raising me and dad’s passing when I was fifteen). My mom’s value system passed down to me. It would equip and sustain me through plenty of tough times, but none greater than when my own husband became very ill and passed away. My Mom's abiding faith was because of her God-relationship and it is what I “preach and teach” daily through my blogs and counsel to others.

That is what I wanted most for these beautiful young women to get and embrace too. I’m purposing to live each remaining day of my life as if it is my last day. I mean it. I don’t want anything to come between me and God. I say “Forgive me a lot!” when I’ve chosen my words and actions unwisely. I ask God for forgiveness when I know I’ve messed up. I endeavor to spend each day wisely, acknowledge the Lord in prayer, spend daily time with Him, and serve Him in loving others, and in making a positive impact on our generation for Him.

As an “older woman who taught the younger women” (Titus 2:3-5) on Monday night, I am impressing upon you who are younger or older than me to live with the values of serving God with all your heart, letting the Holy Spirit be your guide – your conscience, and when you face a decision, “Do I or don’t I?” – to choose life. The abundant life – that even in the toughest times – you’ll be empowered to do the right things when no one is looking, and empowered to be the example of strong values when they are looking. I’m harvesting the blessings of living that empowered life and I assure you – it is a value-added life!

What I Learned From an Escape Room

Last week a group of us from my community headed out for a fun-filled day that started with going to the “Countdown 2 Escape” here in Frisco. It is an Escape Room adventure where you go into one room and through a series of opening up boxes, drawers, and closets to find riddles, puzzles and clues to get through another door where even more challenges await us. It was my second time for this kind of adventure. My family took me on one for my birthday last year in Austin. It takes a ton of mental ability (Lord, have mercy!), lots of patience, thinking outside the box, teamwork and communication. There were about 25 of us who went and were divided into three different experiences. You have an hour to escape.

That experience made me think about this life we live and figuring out God’s ways and desires for us in this room called earth to eventually escape to our home sweet home in heaven. It takes a lot of patience, sticking to the rules, communication, teamwork and if we do our part, we’ll eat the good of the land here even before we go there. Isaiah 1:19 says “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land.” I see my co-adventurers out there in social media land. I love watching your life adventures and most of all seeing you communicate your faith and even your times of difficulty and then see you weather the season and come “out of the room” with victories.

In that Escape Room, you can’t escape with duct tape over your mouth. You have to communicate to your group when you’ve found something. If you run into a stalemate, there is a Game Master watching you from another room, and if you ask, he or she will help you via a monitor. Doesn’t that sound like us? Especially when we’ve done all we can do on our own and we turn to God for help. He gives us an idea or a creative plan to get us out. We get to share our “how-to’s” with each other.

In our Escape Room, teamwork was huge in our success. All of us shared the same goal – to escape within the allotted sixty minutes. Thank God for all the various ways that teamwork plays such a significant role in our “life’s great escape” – our church, Bible Study, loving and faithful friends, family members, support groups and so many others who assist us in being devoted followers of Christ and help us escape on time. We need each other.

Every single thing in the Escape Room had a use – be it to distract us from the real thing or the key we found in a drawer that opens another thing. Every one of our life experiences has a meaningful use to it. I know that now as I look back on my life and realize that everything was making me stronger and wiser and more on purpose.

Consistency was key in our Escape Room. Some folks found a chair and gave up, but others of us refused to give up. We were persistent and determined. Our Game Master was always there to help get us out of tough spots. So does our Heavenly Game Master Who promises to never leave us or forsake us. He ensures that we complete our mission.

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

It's My Birthday, and I Can Cry Happy Tears if I Want to!

Sweet time with my Frisco family yesterday at a great restaurant and then to see the new "Overcomer" movie. I was totally on that bandwagon of celebrating me. This is my life -- the only one that was meant for me. Alexia asked "Nana, how does it feel to be younger than the Great Depression? How does it feel being younger than the greatest drought ever that led to the dust bowl years? How does it feel to be younger than the Empire State Building?" With happy tears, I was elated that something was older than me! 🤣

And I'm so grateful to be younger than something....especially when my doctors, lawyers, teachers and preachers.....are younger than me! Honestly, I'm so blessed beyond what I deserve with the love that I’ve received from friends and family. I’ve been made to feel that I matter. And, the real crux of the matter for you AND me is -- we always did and always will matter because we are God’s treasures. “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession.” Malachi 3:17

Treasures. God always saw us as treasures and on our birthdays we get to rock that truth. I’m rocking even as I type this post today. While the media leads us to believe that youth somehow has more value, the truth is, we are treasured by God at every age. Not only that, but He gives us specific gifts to share with the world in every season of our lives. We best be owning and sharing those gifts. They are the specific ones God planted within us.

Birthdays are a big deal – because birthdays represent our God-given mission and destiny and every year that we’re here, we get to celebrate our journey. And with each year -- we have the opportunity to celebrate -- not just THE day, but EACH day that God gives us. Celebrating it with a joyful, thankful, forgiving heart that is open to bringing forth flourishing fruit. So, today, let's party -- at least in the sense of celebrating YOU and me! Whether you are 8, 38 or 88.....you are to be celebrated. You're still bearing fruit. We're still here....we're not done! "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be vigorous and flourishing." Psalm 92:14

The anthem of the musical, “The Greatest Showman” was “This is Me”, sung by Keala Settle. As I was looking for the lyrics for this post, I saw the original video of Keala singing the song with the rest of the vocalists in a practice room for the first time with Hugh Jackman. Of course she was intimidated at first. She didn’t even want to step out from behind the music stand. You must see the transformation that took place as she sang the song as if it were her own anthem. I was in tears, and I think you will be, too! “This is Me” – let’s own who God made us to be. He has plans and purposes that only we can fulfill. Walk out being YOU! Because YOU matter!
Here is the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLFEvHWD_NE

Look out 'cause here I come;
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum.
I'm not scared to be seen; I make no apologies, this is me.

What Wattage is Your Light?

Let’s sing it together….one more time! "This little light of mine...I'm gonna' let it shine!" What a great old song we learned as kids. "This Little Light of Mine" is a gospel song written for children in the 1920s by Harry Loes. Obviously, its message was as needed in the 1920s as it is now almost 100 years later in the 2020s. It was a dark time in the 1920s with the stock market crashing. The economic boom and the Jazz Age were over, and America began the period called the Great Depression.

And here we are in the almost 2020’s where our world is still filled with darkness and so many people choose to live in the dark. Those lost souls may never find the light anywhere in the world except from you and me and the gospel that we live in front of them -- not so much by what we say....but how we demonstrate God's love in our actions to them. People are watching us. And it is our light that draws them in to ask: "Why is your life so peaceful and full of joy?” And we can boldly reply "It's God's love!" St. Paul reminds us, "You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8).

I had an aha moment about the variations of light that we should consider as LIGHT bearers. There are times when we need to let our light shine as a soft, calming, sensitive and tender candlelight to those around us. Other times, our wattage needs to be amped up boldly and brightly to bring about clarity and illumination so that those who see us, see the truth of God's love and Word. Then there are times when we need the high beams of flood and spot lights -- that dispel the darkness as we lift up He Who is the One deserving to be in the spotlight -- after all HE IS THAT LIGHT.

I know I need to wisely discern which light wattage I should be using at any given time. My “little light” needs to be regulated in those moments so that it is Jesus’ light – not MY light that makes the difference in their lives -- especially when sharing about Him. As I sing "This little light of mine, I'm gonna' let it shine" -- I'm considering: "Do I need to turn up the dimmer switch or turn it down?" Do I put away the harsh, cold light that is insensitive and makes others just want to stay away from my light? Those decisions are best accomplished by checking in with THE LIGHT SOURCE -- He Who knows everything about everything will guide us and help us light the way for others to come to Him.

So, let's "let it shine, let it shine....all the time", being God’s light that dispels darkness in the faces and places that need His loving light the most. It’s about shining our lights for Him Whose light is bearable, lovable, healing, and draws people to Him. Shining Jesus to this world is the way to go and if people around us can’t handle it, then let’s give them some shades!

Lord, I'm Letting Go and Letting You Control

I'm single so I don’t have so much “need to control” any more. I have my say with the remote control, choosing what to eat and when to eat it, when to wake up and when to go to bed. But, I’ve noticed some control issues far too many times. God noticed and I feel His divine chisel out that is slicing and dicing off my rough edges. It isn’t comfortable, but I am yielding to His still small voice that often gets loud and clear. I'm letting go and letting Him control.

No doubt, all of us, in one way or the other, have some “control" issues. Recently I was trying to reorganize a group meeting AFTER the plans were settled and done. What in the world? Lord, please help me let go and let others have their way and, by all means, to let go and let YOU have YOUR way. This morning, in my daily text message to my children, I sent this scripture to them. I’m quite sure it was as much for me as them: Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and LEAN NOT to your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to Him and He will direct your paths.” Thanks, God! I needed that reminder!

Maybe you relate to my musings this morning. Maybe you, too, have control issues. Last week, I heard a mom share how her grown, married daughter doesn’t want to communicate with her or even come to see her and spend time with her. But the back story is this mom has control issues – always advising and telling her what to do. She is one of those helicopter parents (overprotective and hovering over the every move of her daughter). Control issues are the enemy’s tactics to drive wedges in relationships.

Recently, I had a passenger with me in my car and before I could get the car started, she was already telling me how to drive, which road to turn on, which direction to go and how fast to go. I was quite proud of myself because I just let her “control”. There are just sometimes it’s best to let a controller be in control – for Pete’s sake -- and for peace sake.

Bottom line.....it's time to let go of having to control. It's time to choose "surrender" over "control". Submitting instead of controlling. Again, that scripture says it best….”in ALL your ways, submit to Him” – let Him be the controller.

Dear God, I confess I like being in control. It makes me feel safe and secure. It makes me feel like I have a purpose. But I know that being a control freak isn’t going to get me anywhere. Help me surrender control to you each and every day. Help me trust in you deeply, so that I will not fear surrendering that control. I open the cage and let the "control" birds fly away! Amen.

Life is a Balancing Act!

I hold these photos so dear to my heart. It was eleven years ago and one of those times when my husband and I were visiting our son and family in Seattle. We made the most of every minute that we were there. Imagination ran rampant and Papa and Nana joined in with vigor and vitality. Unlike these teeter-totters, those in my younger years, were not my friend. I well remember when my see-saw partner decided to bale on me and I came crashing down on my bottom. I made sure I had reliable partners after that! I also remember, by myself, standing on the pivotal point of that see-saw trying to keep it in a horizontal position that required a lot of focus and balance.

In these photos you'll see we are making sure that balance is a big part of the boys' experience. I assure you, in my life, I've had to use that exercise in way more scenarios than just a teeter-totter. And, I know, for a fact, that my central point of attention and focus is keeping God in view while maintaining solid footing and balance. When I plant my heart and feet on the truth of God's Word and in Him who is my stabilizer, the winds, the waves, the shifting sand AND even the teeter totters will not cause me to crumble or stumble.

We Christians are called to a balanced life. That doesn't mean that we do everything with the same attention or even in moderation, but it does mean being obedient to God in every area of life. It may seem difficult to juggle so many balls at one time -- being an interested and active parent and fan to all the sports and extracurricular activities of our children, while maintaining a faithful and devoted prayer life, while doing a great job as a volunteer at a local organization or church and also being a dutiful and loving support to older parents and personally being devoted to a balanced healthy body and mind. It is truly a balance act that can be overwhelming and tiring.

But God didn't ask us to be the super mom and super dad or the super employee or the super child. He asked us to be "steadfast" in our faith, and to maintain our confidence in Him. He started this good work in us and He is faithful to complete it. "For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end." (Hebrews 3:14) The balance act in life starts with our surrender to He Who balances our lives as we surrender, yield and abide in Him. When we teeter totter with Him, He always brings balance to everything and everyone else in our lives.

Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Where Two Shall Agree.....

I’m in my cozy chair all set for my morning devotion and prayer time and I remember the sweetest surprise last weekend. My dear friends, Charles and Sheila Michie, invited several mutual friends over for a pot luck meal. Little did I realize it was a set-up to celebrate my birthday (26th). I was so grateful for this precious time of, literally, breaking bread together.

Christ started that fellowship when He broke bread with His disciples. Coming together to celebrate Him in us and us in Him. Some of my favorite memories involve yummy food and sharing God's love and caring like this. Scripture shows us how important it was to God for us to break bread together. Acts 2:42,46: "They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart."

Like that scripture says "breaking of bread, and in prayers", that's how it played out for us Saturday night. Following our meal, we headed to the Great Room where we sang and praised God that led right into individual prayer for each of us. At one point, I sensed the importance of the prayer of agreement for couples and for any of us who need a prayer of agreement. That kind of prayer is similar to a contract. I know what it means to have a binding contract having been in the real estate business for over 40 years. Contracts are the tool used to legally bind the parties in agreement to the specific terms and acts.

An executed contract is a done deal like Jesus' words in Matthew 18:20 about agreement -- when we take those words to heart and action. “I tell you, if two of you on earth AGREE about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them.” That, my friends, is a 3-fold agreement contract. A husband, wife AND God the Father. A friend, another friend AND God the Father. Think about this tremendous tool God has given us. So when I hear someone say “I set myself in agreement with your prayer – maybe for a desire for a better job, the well-being of a child or family member, or wisdom coming when making a big decision -- an agreement is taking place. Bottom line – because we’ve initiated a binding contract, we will NOT come out of agreement with them.

It is beautiful when a couple joins hands, prays and agrees together. The answer to that prayer is not up to us. It is up to Jesus’ words that when we agree in prayer, in the presence of God, it will be done by our Father in His perfect timing and His perfect way. Especially, when couples are able to breakout of their stand-off when they are in dis-agreement and come together in solidarity IN agreement, mountains move, waters are parted and heaven touches earth. I assure you….I speak from the many answers to prayer that my husband and I received because of our agreements in prayer.

The enemy desires for us to get into dis-agreements because he comes to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). But, Jesus came to give us abundant life and has given us the “how-to” by staying IN-agreement with Him and each other. Imagine the walls coming down in our marriages, our families, our businesses, our finances, and our health as two come together in unity and in agreement. Nothing is impossible with God, when we agree.

The WONDERS of our WONDER-ful God

On their daily EMnation YouTube video, my daughter held up a loaf of Wonder Bread and mentioned that Alexia, her daughter, prefers her peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread. Obviously nutrition wasn’t the topic of Larry and Staci’s video, but the “Wonder Bread” story was. In 1921, the Taggert Baking Company of Indianapolis was planning to launch its 1.5 pound loaf of bread. Elmer Cline was charged with finding a name for the new bread. Inspiration struck while he was visiting the International Balloon Race at the Indianapolis Speedway. He was awestruck by a sky filled with hundreds of colorful balloons. To Elmer, the image signified a sense of “wonder,” and Wonder® Bread was born. Notice all those balloons on the packaging! Now you know the rest of the story. You’re welcome!

That word, “wonder” is what inspired me most. There’s something about children that God wants us to see. If you want to witness a natural display of a sense of wonder, just observe a child. A child's whole world is viewed through the eyes of wonder and excitement. A child has no judgments of why things are so, but rather a child is in awe of life and views life through innocence, purity and curiosity. You may have often heard the term "be childlike," referring to our adult self to let go of the adult ego and be more open and curious. The truth is that we lose our sense of wonder as we become adults.The future is wide open for them, and they seem to know it. Their wide-eyes of wonder are easy to recognize. Wide-eyed with wonder, filled with potential, children are ready to try new things and build new possibilities. Unhindered by the past, they are free to chase after whatever the future holds. And you know what? That’s the childlike spirit that God wants to give all of us.

There is no theme park or even the seven wonders of the world to compare to our “wonder-working” God. Think of it: The one true God is a God of wonders. The Bible is full of accounts of the great acts God performed for His people. Psalm 77:11–14 says: "I will remember the deeds of the Lᴏʀᴅ; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples." God’s wonders are supernatural acts beyond human understanding. Through extraordinary signs, the God of wonders demonstrates His limitless power, His inescapable presence, His divine protection, and His sovereign purposes. In each instance, God’s wondrous works are designed to draw people to Himself. Through His most stunning of all miracles, the God of wonders revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, overcame the power of sin and death, and redeemed His people for all eternity.

So, when you are “wondering” about your mistakes, that you are too old, too wounded, too limited, too whatever……I suggest that you remember --- with wide-eyed wonder -- about our loving and faithful God Who is up to something WONDER-ful in your life. None of us are so bound by our past that God can’t open new doors for us in the future. Our Father has great plans for us. He has a future full of hope laid out for us. Now it’s up to us to run into that future with all the confidence of a little child Whose Dad is the WONDER-worker and miracle-maker.

Service With a Smile and Excellence

It’s Saturday and Mom, Karen and I meet at i-Hop for breakfast. This is our annual go-to birthday celebration place and since I’m in Tulsa town this weekend and my birthday is next week – they jump on it. I love these two women so much. They have been sources of anchoring me for so many years -- since I fell in love with Karen’s big brother and Mom’s son when I was 12. We have many precious and cherished memories together.

What makes this celebration even sweeter is this beaming waitress. Just look at her sweet shining light! This is Jacquie! Karen is taking a phone call so I roll Mom in her wheel chair to the booth. I get her settled in and take her wheelchair to a corner out of the way. When I return, this precious girl is bent over helping Mom get out of her sweater. That’s when I am first attracted to her serving beyond her call-of-duty.

I spot her almost ear-to-ear smile. I am drawn to her radiance -- her countenance. I tell her so. She graciously accepts my compliment with an even bigger smile. I'm reminded of Proverbs 15:13 "A joyful heart makes a cheerful face..." She asks if she can get us coffee and within seconds, she returns. Karen joins us and our “shining” waitress is ready to take our order. I ask: “What’s that big smile about? Is it because you love God?” And, instantly, she replies, “Oh, yes. Very, very much!” I say: “Keep shining because this world needs to see what God looks like and how He serves.”

To Mom and Karen, I say: “A blog is on its way!” And here it is for you today! Now you know what Jesus in human flesh looks like. It’s a look of joy, love and kindness. It is excellence in attitude and service. We can’t help but give her an extra good tip because she is all about “service with a smile”. She makes this little birthday celebration so pleasant with responding to our every request without delay, including allowing me to get a photo of her and her taking a photo of us.

I could go on about being a bright light to our world and if ever our world needed more smiles and service like this, it does today! How much more would we want to “bless” those who come with a heart of a servant in excellence and quality customer service? St. Francis said, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and sometimes use words." The beautiful young woman is preaching the good news every day with her happy heart and encouraging smile.

Whether in the service industry or the servant-of-God-ministry (and we should always be in the latter as devoted followers of Christ), we should always be practicing the Golden Rule -- putting ourselves in other people’s chairs and treating them the way we would want to be treated in any given situation.

Service with a smile should be more than a catchy phrase. It should be a heartfelt, everyday commitment to exit the doors of our homes as people-pleasers, people-lovers, people-servers, and people who exemplify the good works of Jesus by bearing His fruit to a world that needs role models who make a difference.

Want Something to Celebrate? Celebrate YOU!

I love the saying “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” When we were kids, we couldn’t count the months and days fast enough until another birthday rolled around. But, the older we get we’d just as soon let the next birthday roll around unnoticed – that is unless you’re my dear friend, Peggy Boerner. This birthday was a milestone one and she owned it because she’s the pilot of her “plane”. She’s a “can-do” gal who takes matters into her own hands and makes what matters – matter.

These photos show a group of Hyde Park friends (where I lived in Tulsa) who were invited by Peggy to celebrate and enjoy an evening out together. Riding in a limo bus to a wonderful restaurant and then to the historic Mayo Hotel for great views of Tulsa and more fun times together. I was honored to be among the invitees!

Proverbs 18:24 says “To have friends, show yourself friendly.” The Proverbs contain much wisdom about being a friend and how to find a friend. Peggy has been a dear friend to me in so many ways, the most of which is her "welcome mat". She always has “my room” ready for me in her beautiful, peaceful home and makes me feel so loved and welcomed.

I’ve heard adults and children say that they didn’t have any friends or that they had trouble finding friends. And there's probably a reason for it. There is a key to having loyal friends or making friends in the first place. We have to show ourselves friendly. And Peggy is outstanding at that – so friendly that she has her birthday celebration with her pals.

May I suggest that we all become better friends – having celebrations of life and living. We can’t do anything about the past, but we can sure do things differently now and in the future. We can enjoy the ride much more. We're the pilot on this flight and in many ways, it is like a RESET button. Each experience – good and bad, has equipped us to be better, do better and appreciate time more. It is the dawn of a new day, today. I know one thing for sure -- we can’t live in the past, and the future isn’t ours to predict. But, we can make moments, minutes, hours and days really count for what matters most.

I speak a lot about it, but I repeat: Treasure THIS day – make memories for yourself and someone else. Live as if there were no tomorrow. Spread sunshine. Give love and laughter and life to those who need an injection of fun, faith, and friendship.

The BAD news -- time flies, but the GOOD news, we're the pilot in the hands of the MASTER PILOT Who holds our future in the palm of His hands! And, I assure you, if indeed “time flies when you’re having fun”, then Peggy and I are having a blast!

An Icebreaker Became a Memory Maker

Our interdenominational fellowship group came together in my community on Tuesday night for another pot luck meal and time of fellowship. There is always an entertaining or thought-provoking time after dinner. This week we had five icebreaker questions to discuss at our table. I sat by my cousins and there were two other couples at our table. Naturally, for the couples, they answered the questions with each other in mind. For example, question one was “If stranded on an island, what 3 things (or people) would you want to have with you and why?” Each one of the couples gave as one of their three as each other. Widow Donna came up with a hatchet, water, and a ladder (I need help climbing a tree!). I’ve watched “Survivor” episodes so I know what I'd need on a deserted island.

The one question that gave me pause and introspection was “If you could live one year from your life again, which one would you go back to?” The couples’ answers were beautiful: “Going back to the first church that we pastored in Fayetteville, AR that began in our home and grew exponentially.” Another couple talked about the year that their first child was born, and the other talked about the year when he returned from Vietnam to come home to his wife and baby. Then it was my turn. I had plenty of time to consider it and, without a doubt, it would be the last year of my husband’s life that I would want a do-over.

You see, my sweetheart was a muscle-bound, picture of health and strength, full of the joy of living and sharing God’s love in ministry and counseling. We had traveled a lot and had the thrill of precious times with our children and grandchildren. Life was good. Then, came the day when we received the diagnosis of Stage 4 Kidney Cancer that changed everything. Life came to an all-consuming 24/7 endeavor to get him healed. If it had been God’s will, he would still be around today because with all the treatments, surgeries, interventions, and most of all, the prayers from around the world, it was his time.

This is what I shared with our group. I would have stopped being Martha – doing, doing, doing and I would have stopped to embrace every second that I had with my Love. I would have spent every waking moment laughing about our puppy love romance at ages 12 & 13 and some of the crazy things we did together. I would have talked more about all that God had blessed us with in the past than continuing to figure out that awful disease. We both knew he was in God’s hands and it would have been so much better to have trusted implicitly for the outcome than all the going here and there and everywhere. I would have sat with him patiently at the dinner table and just talked and talked instead of hurrying to get the dishes cleaned up so quickly. I would have thanked God for the ups and downs that we survived and even thrived through. Actually, I’ve added a little more than what I actually said in that group, but what I did say to them, as couples, to live each day as if this were the last with each other. Love each other deeply.

Since we can't do do-overs -- the best way to live life on this side of heaven is to take each day -- one day at a time -- and live it as though it were our last -- living with no regrets -- embracing and loving those around us with intensity, gratitude and gusto. Living in the light of eternity -- helping take as many others with us to heaven. My Love is waiting for me there. I look forward to introducing you to him one day!

Another Year of Potential and Possibilities

What a breath of fresh air it has been to see such optimism on my FB feed lately. Of course it has to do with all these adorable children heading off to another year of school. Wide-eyed wonder and excitement about what this new year will hold: new friends, new adventures, more challenges that open their minds to possibilities, understanding and building those little minds. They aren’t perplexed at all about what’s going on in politics.

And I especially appreciate how optimistic you parents are with your bold confessions of faith for your kiddos. Maybe the first couple of days were a tackle with getting in a routine again, but for the most part, I’m hearing a sigh of relief that another year is underway. I loved one mom’s prayer: “My prayer tonight as G___ gets ready to take those steps into Middle School and D___ starts a new school year with an unexpected twist. Of all the dreams I have for them, Christ follower is at the top. They've got this and He's got them.♥️”

That’s the attitude we should all have for our children and grandchildren. Of all the knowledge they acquire, all the common sense experiences that they will learn from -- the single most important achievement is to be devoted followers of Christ in their friendships, in the decisions they make and their problem solving with God’s wisdom leading the way.

Luke 2:52 mentions four areas Jesus grew in as a young boy: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.” Our Lord grew wiser and He physically grew. His relationship with His Heavenly Father continuously strengthened. Jesus even gained favor with people who saw Him day to day. I love the simple sentence that precedes this: “His mother kept all these things in her heart.” We never see Mary worried and anxious. She pondered about her son, but she didn’t allow her heart to become rattled.

May we all strive to be like Mary, turning our anxious thoughts into treasured prayers, kept safe and held fast by our loving Father — the one who knows our hearts and loves our children even more than we do. When a concern pops up in our mind, we carry that concern to God. When we start to fear for our child’s future, we petition the One who knows what the future holds -- the One Who knows everything about everything.

Heavenly Father, I pray for all these precious children that are starting a new school year. Protect them, encourage them and fill them with strong minds to learn and grow. Help them to be a great friend and to have great friends. I pray the moms and dads turn their concerns and worries into prayers, knowing You are in control. Please help them to treasure each moment with their children as they grow in wisdom and stature and favor with others and You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving; let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Let's Be Kindness Junkies

A "junkie" is someone consumed by an addiction. What a difference it would make if we were all addicted to being kind -- just can't help ourselves. It's who we are and what we do. A few days ago I told the story of our helping a lady whose keys were locked in her car and her cell phone was dead. She was so relieved when we showed up to help her. But, what if we had parked in another location or what if we were so into ourselves in conversation that we didn’t even notice her?

I believe we are all God’s messengers on assignment when we leave our homes (or even in our homes when we sense a nudge to encourage a family member or call someone to encourage them). Most of the time, kindness always begins with our eyes — the way we observe the world and are sensitive to the needs of other people.

That's what I caught when reading about the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:33: “When HE SAW the man’s condition, his heart was filled with pity”. Notice that “he saw.” That's our starting point. If we want to learn to be a kinder person, our world view must change to being an observer of the needs around us. When we're in a hurry -- kindness opportunities evade us. If we're wanting to be a "kindness junkie", then we must slow down! Distractions are the death of kindness.

1 Corinthians 10:24 says “Look out for the good of others”. The first step to kindness is to ask God to give us a sensitive, spiritual radar to be on the lookout for people around us who are hurting emotionally, spiritually, and physically. To be on high alert for the opportunity to spread a little kindness with our words and our actions.

I'm determined to be a kindness junkie. I want to be aware of those who need kindness ministered to them. I want a bumper crop of kindness to harvest. It’s not always easy to see the needs of other people, especially when they’re on the other side of the road. But it’s the starting point of kindness. Maybe it’s time to slow down and even stop to smell the roses because the roses we smell, might be someone who needs Jesus in human flesh.

The Good Guys Wear White Hats

Lately I've been honing in on being a Good Samaritan or in Texas, we would say "being one of the good guys that wear white hats”. My Texas nephew is one of those good guys. This is Robert and Becky Wheat. I stay amused with following him on Facebook. He proudly wears his white hat most all the time except when he’s in church – and he’s in church a lot, as a beloved Texas Baptist pastor. And, he is always finding great photo opportunities to spot the hat in a location that makes for a hilarious and/or meaningful FB post. I had a great time scrolling through his FB timeline to snatch some of his photos. You’ll see wit and his passion for Christ in them. He is definitely one of those good guys that wears a white hat -- he is compassionate, kind, sensitive and is quick to meet the needs of others. I’m so proud of him and his love for Christ, his heart for sharing the Good News, as well as being an incredible role model for others. He makes me want to get a white hat – if that could help!

I remember the good ole' days when good manners, courtesy, politeness, compassion, concern for each other, patriotism, kindness, respectfulness, graciousness, consideration, and thoughtfulness were the norm. In reality, all those qualities are still right here. It's easy to recognize those who have those qualities. They may not (literally) wear white hats, but they are those white-hat-kind-of-people out there. Let's face it -- times really haven't changed that much because there were always those who leaned toward the wild side -- the mean, ornery, and disrespectful side -- those who could find something negative in every situation, instead of looking for, finding the good and even BEING the good..

Deep inside of most everyone is a "white-hat-wearing" loving and kind somebody. They came into this world "wearing a white hat" -- well, sort of. They were pure and precious. I often wonder what happened to those pure and precious babies who eventually lost their "white hats"? What is in their past that created someone so opposite -- their upbringing, their loss of a value system, their choice of friends? What was it that changed them from "loving God, respectfully loving others and living with kindness and honor"? It’s hard to believe how polar opposite we can be. Upbeat, celebratory and happy or rivalry, nasty, and bitter. I get that people are afraid, angered, upset, and confused about this world we live in, but we can change "our little world" if we want to.

We can lean in closer to God Who can change us and make us new. He is delighted to give out "white hats" to His kids. We can be devoted followers of Christ Who replace our meanness for kindness and our ugly talk to love talk. My Mama said it best, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!"

My Mama and Mother Teresa had a lot in common when it comes to loving and caring. Here's the way Mother Teresa put it:
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
― Mother Teresa

You, know, I think Mother Teresa must have owned a white cowgirl hat because she sure did talk the talk and walk the walk that most of those folks in white hats seem to do. I'm thinking I need to go on a shopping spree for a white hat!

Truth-Filled Temple Talk

As I sat waiting for my doctor to come in the room yesterday, I sucked my tummy in and thought “Yep – still carrying my baby boy on this tummy!” I was in for my annual physical and blaming my son for the extra inches. How silly of me! Back in my day we weren’t as prone to exercising after the baby’s birth as women are today. I see you slim, trim mamas who jump into the gym as soon as you get your doctor’s clearance “All systems GO!” Ours were something like: “You had a baby -- you deserve those extra inches with you!” But, for a lifetime??

A flashback of me before my baby boy filled my mind. I was so skinny that I was called “Bean Pole”. I took Weight-On tablets with the desire to catch up with the others my age who had "blossomed" much faster than I did. But, oh my -- everything changed with the birth of one innocent baby boy.

Over the years I struggled with a poor body image. Here I was, a Jesus-loving girl thinking those negative thoughts. The truth is, God saw and sees me very differently and even tells me who I am: His daughter, the apple of His eye, a pearl of great price. Here’s my wake-up moment: When we are poor-mouthing our bodies or the way we look, we are speaking disparagingly about “our temple”. The apostle Paul spoke intentionally when he used the word temple. “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” 1 Corinthians 6:19. Just think of it – our bodies are temples that carry the very Spirit of God.

That’s mind-boggling. Truly, I pray for a filter that keeps me grateful for this skin I’m in. Paul knew temples -- there were plenty to compare to in Corinth with their domed ceilings, majestic columns, exquisite woodwork overlaid with gold and silver. (BTW, this photo is St. Paul's Cathedral in Rome that mildly compares, I'm sure, to those Corinth temples.) Wow! We are those temples of the Holy Spirit. That is true for you, me and Christ followers everywhere.

Whether we feel like a temple or not, it is still God’s truth to us. In Christ, when we ask for forgiveness, we become a clean, pure temple — no matter what impure, unimaginable things we’ve done. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross and His mighty resurrection, we can obliterate the trash-filled thoughts from our past and redecorate our mind with God’s truth. So now I’m careful about my “temple” talk. No more “trash” talk or “smack” talk about this temple God gave me.

No matter the size, age or agility, our temples are sacred, good and holy and have infinite value. God is incredibly interested in what we do with them, and how we treasure them. It’s time we ask God to give us truth-filled temple talk.

Psalm 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Rest for our Weary Souls

I'm here at Children's Hospital and a young mom with a special-needs child in a stroller along with two kids in tow, one of which has a break or fracture in her arm. I offer to push the stroller for her to the fracture clinic so she can attend to the injured one. She is obviously frazzled, weary of heart, soul AND body. I am reminded of Matthew 11:28-29 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29.

Rest for this mom may feel elusive. A radiology staff member stops by my desk, sees me reading. He says: "Aw. Reading your devotion?" He knows me and I know him. He asks me to pray for his wife: "She is taking her final exam tomorrow -- 90% requirement to pass. We are so excited that after that, we're headed out to church camp. We sure need this rest!" I love that! Church camp = rest! They are going for "soul" rest.

Sometimes the things that should make us feel rested..don't'. We may wake up after a restless night's sleep and our first thought is how early we can go back to bed tonight. Sometimes rest means just chillin' on the sofa to watch Wheel of Fortune but it doesn't make us feel rested because on that show someone wins $100,000 in a simple spin of a wheel, and we're needing just $500 to pay for a car repair. Dissatisfaction taps on our heart and the restlessness begins again.

Jesus invites us to a deeper rest -- a soul-rest! I love that He identified our "issue" of weariness without identifying how we got that way. His words and promise of rest applies to us -- no matter how we got so weary. But He wasn’t talking about physical rest; He was inviting us to a rest that is all-consuming. A rest we feel in our minds, bodies and spirits — this is soul-rest. And the only place we will find this rest is in Jesus. Soul-rest is deeper than any other kind of rest I’ve experienced. Soul rest is rooted in faith and confidence that we’re unconditionally and deeply loved, held safe in the arms of our Heavenly Father. Soul-rest comes when we trust God fully, which is quite different from merely saying we trust God. Words will not give us the rest our souls long for. Trust will.

God is utterly trustworthy. Each time I deliberately choose to trust God, fear loosens its grip on me. Anxiety recedes. Stress melts away. Worry doesn’t consume me. I am a different person than I was 10 years ago because of this soul-rest that comes from trusting Jesus. Today, Jesus invites all of us who feel worried and burdened, from whatever has made us feel overwhelmed, exhausted and guilty, to come to Him.

This is the message that will give each of us the abundant life Jesus offered. Not abundant with work, but overflowing with love and filled with the true soul-rest we long for. Lord, thank You for providing rest for our souls. Please help us fully trust You for that rest. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Psalm 23:1-3, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.”

Life is About Relationships

I continue to learn that the things that matter most in this life are relationships – not accomplishments. One of my young friends called and asked if we could meet for brunch to talk about a project that may turn into a new ministry outreach for our church. She wanted my advice. I loved that she called on me -- "the older woman" helping the younger as taught in Titus 2:3-5. I suggested she come to my home where we would be less distracted. I received a text from her: “Can I bring ___ with me?” I was pleased to welcome her, too. Then I received another text, “How about ___? Can she come, too?” Of course she could. Now we were an even number of four and my brunch-planning went into action. I wanted it to be a sweet time of celebrating these young women who have hearts to reach out to lonely and hurting people with God’s love.

Table was set with love in mind, fresh flowers in the vases, made a vegetable quiche, French toast casserole and mixed berries with yogurt and granola. At each place setting were cards that read: “You really do love your neighbor as you love yourself. It is obvious by your heart of gold that would rather serve than to be served. Well done, good and faithful servant! “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24.

This mama's heart was overjoyed with their excitement to make a difference in people’s lives. Their enthusiasm motivated me to say “yes” when asked me to be a part of their team. I am honored to align with those precious young women. This second photo is our second meeting at one of their homes! Relationships matter.

The Bible is very clear about what really matters in life: “If you are a follower of Christ Jesus, all that matters is your faith that makes you love others” (Galatians 5:6). Honestly, it’s hard for me to understand the awful animosity in our country these days. How can people sleep without a clear conscience of knowing "this day I lived a life of love”. If we’re not loving, then nothing we say will matter, nothing we know will matter, nothing we believe will matter, and nothing we give will matter. And, if we don’t live a life of love, nothing we accomplish will matter. “No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m nothing without love”. (1 Corinthians 13:3)

It’s as simple as this: We can have the eloquence of an orator, the knowledge of a genius, the faith of a miracle worker, the generosity of a philanthropist, and the achievements of a superstar, but if we don’t have love in our heart, it is worth zero. It doesn’t count. The only thing that matters to God is this: Do we love Him, and do we love others?

One day we’re going to die, and we’re going to stand before God. When He evaluates our life, He’s not going to look at our bank account or our list of accomplishments. He won’t care about all our sports trophies. He’s not going to look at our endorsements or our resume. God is going to evaluate our life on one basis: our relationships. He’s going to ask, “How much did you love Me and other people?” That’s called the Great Commandment. Did you love God with all your heart, and did you love your neighbor as yourself?

THAT love is a sure winner. That love makes us winners. That love IS about relationships – not accomplishments!