A Year of GREAT Expectations!

With the Christmas season and story still resonating in my heart -- of a baby in a manger Who became our Savior, I am starting this new year of 2020 on a " great expectation” high. Certainly not expecting a Disney World kind-of-magical-year, but simple confidence in “He Who began a good work in me (and you), is faithful to complete it!” (Philippians 1:6) He Who promised that if I put my faith and trust in Him, will show me where to go and how to get there! “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.” (Proverbs 14:26)

As I said in my blog yesterday, the number 20 symbolizes expectancy. My “expectors” are on high alert for a 2020 year and a decade of blessings! I plan to wake up each day with expecting the best out of this day – this moment. No doubt, there will be some highs and lows – but it doesn’t matter, because I plan to view each day as a gift and how I tackle it with my attitude AND fortitude will either make it or break it for me – and even others in my sphere of influence.

My husband and I, for years, made it an annual tradition to meet with our children and we’d write out our goals for the next year. We made dream boards that made our visions very plain (Habakkuk 2:2) like this one of mine and Payton’s. BTW – most all of the pictures and the dreams behind them came true in some way. There’s just something to be said for goal-setting and vision-casting. Goals create a road map for success. They are the targets that we point our lives to – with a starting point and a destination to reach. They help us clarify what we desire to do, understanding the importance of pursuing them and committing ourselves to making them happen.

My vision casting, today, isn’t so much about the things to attain since I’ve been there and have been so blessed. I’m in this sweet season of purposely laying up my treasures in heaven far more. That’s not to say we shouldn’t set goals spiritually AND naturally that include dreams and desires. But, for me, my goals are so simple – spending time with my family, some travelling, but most of all, serving God. I’m intent on leaving a legacy of faith. I sincerely believe this 2020 year will be marked by opportunities to share God’s good news everywhere I go. My “YES” is big when it comes to being a devoted follower of Christ. I’m keeping my eyes and ears wide open with great expectations for a harvest of souls into the Kingdom of God and seeing radical life transformations in those God places in my pathway. I’m purposing to find things that I can take delight in so that I always dwell on goodness and not sorrow. I know I can trust God to bring me through every circumstance in peace.

I am looking to the future and not the past. I know WHO holds my future so I have no reason to fear or doubt. I refuse to allow discouragement to take me off course. I intend to embrace what God is doing in each situation and circumstance of my life because, by now, I’ve learned “ALL things work together for good” because I love God with all my heart and I know I’m called according to His purposes.” (Romans 8:28)

This is my "Great Expectation" declaration! Could I please urge you to begin this year with a Great Expectation declaration, too? Great Expections that something good is about to happen to you and yours each day. Great expectations that God is for you. Great expectations for a great hope and future (Jeremiah 29:11). Great expectations for living in hope, love, joy and peace – every single day of this new year! Let's get our "expectors" expecting!

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

Don’t STOP Now!!! Just Keep Swimming!

Don’t STOP Now!!! Just Keep Swimming!
I've watched so many animated movies with my grandchildren that I have plenty of material for my blogs/posts for a long time. Hence, today's inspiration was the hilarious “Finding Nemo” movie., Dory said to Nemo when he was down about his circumstances “"When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming."

In other words....DON'T STOP! Keep going to the finish line!
You know what I mean. We start a new fitness routine or a new diet or join a gym or a new healthy-eating regime…..and after a few weeks, when we didn’t get the results as fast as we thought we would…..we quit. It was either too hard, too restrictive, didn’t have enough time to fit it into our schedule, or life happened and it just didn’t pan out.

Or maybe it looks like this. We start praying for something or someone, and when the answer doesn't come sooner than later, we quit praying about that something or someone.
Maybe in our marriage or other relationship, we start having relationship "issues", so we decide to write them off because it just isn't worth the frustration to deal another day with that someone.

I read this scripture and it says (my paraphrase) “DON’T STOP NOW”!! Actually, these are the words from Hebrews 10:35-36 “Do not throw away your confidence. You need to persevere so you believe what God has promised.”

The question is "How relentless are we?" How willing are we to continue seeking God for the answers to our most complex problems? How often do we throw in the towel and abort our dreams because nothing is assuring us of the finish line?

Not an animated film -- but a TRUE story in a REAL place was when I was in the Holy Lands last June, I had my feet on the ground where the walls of Jericho came tumbling down, when at God’s command, Joshua and his troops marched once around those walls for six days and then on the 7th day – walked around them seven times on that one day And those walls did come tumbling down. What a great victory story!!! But, the story wouldn’t be told today if Joshua and his men had stopped short of completing their task. If they stopped on the 3rd time around – there would be no story. They didn't stop!

Instead of quitting on our projects, our goals, our dreams and our relationships, we, too, must just keep marching, just keep walking, just keep exercising, just keep praying,, just keep loving, just keep crawling…..and inching our way to the finish line. With diligence and a lot of hard work, we’ll unlock the potential inside of us to accomplish whatever we set our hearts, hands and mind to. That's when we'll succeed. We determined that GIVING UP and stopping short is NOT an option.
Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.”

JUST KEEP SWIMMING!!!

We Know More as We Grow More and Learn More

've used every excuse in the world to deter me from my early morning walks, but this day, I was on purpose. First, I thoroughly sprayed myself with bug spray (we were alerted that mosquitoes are on a rampage here -- and the West Nile Virus has been reported. That was reason enough to deter me from my walk, but, NO MORE EXCUSES!!) Actually, it was the first time I did a 3-mile walk/run outdoors in my community. I've run on the treadmills in the Fitness Center but not outside. It's amazing how close to God we can feel when it's early in the morning, very little traffic on a Sunday, and what beauty and details can be noticed, as well as being able to talk to God, unhindered. Why did I wait so long? I made the turn around our entry and there was this beautiful waterfall. I've passed by it dozens of times and really didn't embrace it. I embraced everything this morning. I am healthy -- no aches and pains, I live in a free country, I have family that loves me, and I can worship God as I please. So much to be thankful for -- too many blessings to name.

I was also on purpose to take Denise, Payton and Alexia out for lunch. Larry and Staci are out of town so it was special "Nana" time! Oh, how I love the conversations at the table. Payton recently put an ad in their local community app "Work Needed" -- "Hey! My name is Payton Wallace and am 17 years old. I am looking for any jobs this summer that I can help with! I have experience with everything from power washing, dog walking, tutoring, piano lessons, house sitting, and more. I have a couple of bills that I need to pay coming up and don't have enough to pay them! (Car payment, insurance, etc.) So if anyone has any work that needs to be done let me know! I am open to almost anything!" And, he has been non-stop busy with over 58 folks who needed help. I'm so proud of his entrepreneurial/willing-to-work attitude and spirit.

And then there's my Alexia -- who was detailing her recent baby sitting job with two children who were bound and determined to be fed junk food versus making healthy choices. My Lexi has now matured to a ripe old "almost 16 years old", and along with that maturity has come the realization that healthy and nutritious food is most important, so she did her best to persuade the children to eat healthy food choices, but without very much success. Denise and I were both smiling at the changes in our girl. Not so long ago -- those two little kids represented my Lexi and Payton -- who loved coming to Nana's house and their Uncle and Aunt's house because food choices were "anything goes". Papa and I loved showering them with a wide variety of treats (i.e. Krispy Kreme donuts). That's a perk of grandparenting. That's why I got them a molten chocolate cake for dessert yesterday. Shhh! Don't tell their mom and dad! LOL!

The point of my post today is "don't sweat the seasons". In due season, we grow smarter, wiser and healthier when we listen to God's voice of wisdom, because "He that began a good work in us, is faithful to complete it." Philippians 1:6. It's amazing how much we come to know as we grow in maturity, wisdom and in God's plans and purposes for our lives.

For We Are God's Masterpiece

Day 233 of Photo Inspirations -- For We Are God's Masterpiece
I LOVE this "masterpiece" made by the children of our church.  When I walked by it -- I knew I had my photo inspiration for today!

"For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."  Ephesians 2:10.

Those kids get it.  They know they were handcrafted by the Master Craftsman with a plan and purpose for their lives. They know they are valuable and are His pride and joy.  Like the saying goes, they know they're special 'cause "God don't make no junk!"   AND, so are YOU!

When my two kids were little, they sang this little song:  "I am a promise.  I am a possibility.  I am a promise, with a capital P.  I am a great big bundle of potentiality.  And I am learning to hear God's voice.  And I am trying to make the right choice.  I am a promise to be anything God wants me to be."  And you know what?  That's how my little kids grew up to be big kids with promise, possibilities, hearing God's voice, and making right choices!

When we understand that God created us with full intentions of making a masterpiece that has potential and abilities and talents AND we DAILY reinforce that into our children and grandchildren  -- then we can trust that He is making us, AND them, into exactly who He wants them to be.

We have to be careful not to think that we're just clay that God is sculpturing.  We have the amazing privilege of partnering with Him.  We have a hand in the clay of this masterpiece as we coopeate with Him.  We can decide how it will turn out!  Maybe we'll shine with the light of compassion for the needy.  Maybe we will produce deep fatihfulness in trying situations.  Maybe we'll exhibit the humble smile of a prayerful, peaceful spirit.  Maybe we will create the next vaccine that will eradicate cancer.  We are God's  "good work" and He will continue to guide us until that word is complete.

Philippians 1:6.  "And I am sure of this, that He who began a GOOD WORK IN YOU, is faithful to complete it."