Could You Use a Blessing Today?

We hear a sneeze and our knee-jerk reaction is to say “God bless you!” I did a little research and found this from the Library of Congress: “In Rome in the 590s, Pope Gregory summoned the people to join together to march in the streets, arm-in-arm, asking God for forgiveness and for an end to the bubonic plague that was ravaging their city. He asked priests to lead people from all seven regions of the city to the Basilica. Whenever anyone sneezed (which was a symptom of the plague), he asked that they immediately say, 'God bless you!' as a prayer to ward off the plague. Their prayers were finally answered and the plague ended." Sounds like that’s something we should be saying to everyone we encounter during this 2020 “plague”.

So, can we be too casual with saying "God bless you"? The words bless, blessed, and blessing are found over 500 times in the Bible. Frankly, I can use as many blessings as I can get! Psalm 103:1 says “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, all that is within me, bless His holy name.” Psalm 103:1

Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn't just words. It's us willing the good of another person. It always involves God, because when we will the good of another person, we realize only God is capable of bringing that. So, we naturally say, "God bless you!"

Maybe you’re like me and you say “God bless you” at the end of letters or emails. And, for the kind comments from friends and family to my FB posts and blogs, I usually respond with “God bless you for your encouragement.” Earlier this year, for weeks before the pandemic, when we were having our ACTS team meetings, I endeavored to hug each gal when they came in the room. Well, we know how that worked out. And at the end of each meeting, I would speak Aaron’s blessing from Numbers 6:24-26 to them: “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Kari Jobe and her husband, Cody Carnes, put those words to such beautiful music. We can sing those blessing words right along with them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiko8DSRMZI

Those words are the desire of God’s heart for His people. He only wants the best for His children. His desire is to bless us.
The meaning of the word “Bless” is to make somebody or something holy. Just by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become holy under God’s umbrella of righteousness. He doesn't measure His love for us by our actions or words. He doesn't have a measuring stick that he pulls back when we mess up. We are in Jesus and that is who He sees when He looks at us.

So, here's today's action for us: Let's open our arms and tell God we receive His blessings and favor! GOD BLESS YOU!

Browsing Brings Blessings for a Blog

DREAM, PLAY, GIVE, SMILE, CHERISH -- truly words to live by. This wall mural got my attention while shopping at the At Home Store. This is the way I really want to live! Embracing this one life with as much gusto as I can.

DREAM like there are no impossibilities. Nothing is impossible with God -- so we shouldn't insult Him with small thinking -- BIG THINKING brings Him BIG PLEASURE! “Let the Lord be magnified who has PLEASURE in the prosperity of His servants.” (Psalms 35:27)

PLAY like there are no winners. My son is a marathon runner -- readying up for the Boston Marathon in April..again. He doesn't run to win. He competes against himself -- to finish. He is the winner of every race he runs. And I intend to be the winner of my race! I will finish my course AND my God-given assignment. I will be the single winner of my RACE! "And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us," (Hebrews 12:1)

GIVE like you have plenty. Generosity is about a heart for giving -- and when we have that heart -- there will always be more than enough to share. Give time. Give intentional focus to that one who needs your undivided attention. How about being such irrational givers that we start to round up when the cashier says "Would you like to donate to whatever charity they're representing?" "Give and it shall be given, pressed down, shaken together and running over" (Luke 6:38)

SMILE till your face hurts. I want my outside to reflect the inner joy and delight I have on the inside. There's just something about a "smiler" that lets us know -- something or SOMEONE lives big in them. I love Nat King Cole's "SMILE" lyrics: "Smile though your heart is aching. Smile even though it's breaking. When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by if you smile through your fear and sorrow, smile and maybe tomorrow, you'll see the sun come shining through for you. Light up your face with gladness, hide every trace of sadness. Although a tear may be ever so near. That's the time you must keep on trying. Smile, what's the use of crying? You'll find that life is still worthwhile, if you just smile." "A cheerful heart is good medicine," (Proverbs 17:22)

And, CHERISH you and your friends and family everyday. It takes a lot to say "I cherish ME", but isn't that what Jesus meant when He said "Love your neighbor as you love yourself"? I really do cherish my friends -- THAT'S YOU -- and my family. My greatest joys and the things that money just can't buy are those people that God has given me. "Because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you cherish towards all God's people," (Colossians 1:4)

I'm going to keep my eyes WIDE OPEN for the "God" moments like I saw in this sign. They sure make me want to dream more, play more, give more, smile more and cherish more -- on purpose!

The Blessings of Listening

Last week I blogged about listening for God's voice. I admitted to my own inabilities to hear Him as often as I should because of so many distractions. But, on another note, I'd like to share with you some of the times when I did listen and how it paid off.

There were the times when I was hurt because of what someone said or did. And, hurt turned into frustration. So, I thought, I'll state my case in a nice lengthy email. I made sure that my words were only tainted a tad bit with my angst. I felt my words were kind and made my point. "Good job", I thought. Then, when I was ready to hit the "send" button, I stopped short. I heard a whisper in my heart, "Don't send it." Then I thought to myself, "I haven’t talked to God about this yet, have I?" I paused, sat back in my chair and prayed over the little email I was about to launch. That prayer nudged me to sleep on it. I did. Next morning, I realized that no matter how savory my words were, they could be misconstrued and it just wouldn't be worth the confrontation. I realized the same Holy Spirit Who nudged me to sleep on it, is the same Holy Spirit that lives in my friend.

We've all heard the saying, "Sleep on it. Give it fresh eyes in the morning." Good advice. I know that routine because that's what I do each day after I've typed my blog. Since I always make sure my blog goes live by 6 am every day, I sleep on it and with those fresh eyes I scan it and invariably, I'll see a grammatical error or a sentence that isn't needed or it's just way too long and so I edit something out that wasn't necessary. I like to think it's not just my eyes that scans it, but Holy Spirit scans it with me -- for me! Those little edits are heaven-sent. I just know it.

I've learned my lessons well because there were times when I sensed/heard God whisper and ignored it. The still small voice—the warning. I know that it's so much more than my conscience speaking. Well, in fact, I know that my conscience holds hands with the Holy Spirit, so I've come to welcome those warnings. Because, there were times when I didn't act on those warnings, and it is just not worth the misery it caused.

Today, I count on that voice that causes me to take a little longer before I send a text message, an email, or even speak my mind. I'm taking my time to consider the outcome if I said this or that. I'd like to say I've conquered the hastily-spoken words and said something that seemed so innocent, but in the ears of someone else, were taken the wrong way.

Here's what I know for sure. God doesn’t speak to hear His own voice. No, He lovingly will use whatever it takes to protect us from our own undoing. His voice is not only one of correction but a voice of protection. I've learned to discern His voice better AND I'm remembering to ask for it.

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3) Listen and obey. Simple as that. And when it comes to emails, text messages or real life interaction, I ask myself daily: "Will these words simply make a point or am I using my words to point to Christ?"

Be careful little mind what you think….because thoughts lead to actions and actions can sure get us into “quick sand” of regret! Please save us, Lord, from ourselves. Keep us tight with You – so tight – that we imitate You in our thoughts AND our actions!"

Love's Power to Change Everything and Everyone

I’m carrying on one more day of recognizing the power of love. The power to overpower hate with love. Martin Luther King Jr. did that and he gave his life for it. I started thinking about how illogical Jesus’ words seem to be in Matthew 5:44. “Love your enemies! Bless them that curse you! Do good to them that hate you! Pray for them who spitefully use you, and persecute you!" Does that make any sense at all – love our enemies? It does -- in the light of the ONE Who said those words and gave HIS life to prove they make a profound difference in this world.

How is it possible to love our enemies? How can we do good to those who hate us, curse us, use us and persecute us? And, even a step further, “bless them and pray for them”? It seems impossible, but Dr. King explained it well in this quote: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” There is another reason Jesus says, 'Love your enemies'. It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. That power eventually transforms the lives of people. We just keep loving them, and they won't be able to stand it. The power of our love will break down under the load. Love is redemptive, and that's why Jesus said, "Love." Love builds up and creates. Hate tears down and destroys. So build up. Create. LOVE!

I try to live by the words, What Would Jesus Do? (WWJD), in determining what action to take in situations. He set the example for us in every area of our lives. He had enemies – plenty of them. They rejected Him, tortured Him and even killed Him. He loved them anyway. And if we believe in Him, it’s time to be that kind of lover, too, and say to our enemies, “I love you. I would rather die than hate you.” When we live that way, we’ll find the strength to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who spitefully use us. Getting even with our enemies isn't even in the equation. Blessing them is.

We are living in a time where there is so much need for love, more so than ever. It starts with each of us reaching deep inside and connecting to THE ONE Who lives big within us and with His love, we can offer our loving selves to others, not because we seek anything, but because our cup is full of love and we have nothing more to do than simply share it with others.

I invite you today to be the change you want to see in the world, to be love and loving towards others. If we can let go of our anger long enough to pray like this, we’ll discover an amazing benefit – we’ll be putting ourselves in a position TO BE blessed and loved!

A Fire. A Journal. A Blessing

A few days ago, my daughter sent me this text message: “Do you know when the fire in our home was?” Of course, she could ask me that because she knows about my daily journal writing. It’s a routine that I’ve been quite consistent with for decades. I write about significant details of my day, notable happenings of my family and little nuggets from God in our time together during my devotions. Staci was asking that question because a couple who was at their church the next Sunday after the fire and heard their “victory” testimony of God’s amazing grace, asked for the date. It was a pivotal story for that couple. It touched their lives so much that they starting looking at life differently – with gratitude in the midst of chaos and disappointment.

On this day, when Staci asked about that specific horrific, yet victorious day, I was able to go right to my 2002 journal because I remembered it was when Payton was two years old and Alexia was 9 months old. We received the call that their garage and home in Prosper, TX were on fire. It was a 4-alarm fire caused by a squirrel eating through electrical wires and when they switched on their lights, it ignited the fire. Their home was unliveable because of so major damage.

We lived in Tulsa and we headed right out to retrieve the little ones. My husband and I kept them for two months while the home was being restored. That, of itself, made many pages in my journal! Over and over I’d comment how exhausted we were at the end of each day, but most precious to me were the words I wrote about how helpful Ron (Papa) was with the kiddos. It made me love him even more. One of these days – I’ll just sit, reminisce and re-read all my entries – but there’s no sitting for this gal right now. Too much to do and accomplish before “sitting days” set in!

Here’s the blessings that came out of what could have been a tragic day of monumental proportions. No one suffered physical harm. They were able to retrieve important original music and speaking tracks from Staci’s recordings, Larry’s college rings, Staci’s jewelry, her scrap books and treasured pictures. They ended up getting enough back from their insurance to do some major remodeling in the home that they had been wanting to do. Things that mattered were saved and other things were replaceable.

But here is the ultimate, best news. People were watching them and how they handled a crisis. God gave Staci a song as she sat on the curb while watching her home burning. She experienced the peace of God that passed understanding. I called her and asked her to give me those words for this blog and she sang them to me. With holy chills, I share them with you of what peace looks like in the midst of a fire or any storm:

“Thanks for the joy that You’ve given to me.
Thanks for Your love -- unconditionally.
Oh, thanks for peace in the midst of the storms.
Lord, I thank you. I thank you.
Because, You’ve been faithful, faithful to me.
Lord, You’re faithful. Your mercies I see.
And when I look back on my life,
The message is clear, You’ve been so faithful to me.”

People are watching us every day. What do we look and act like in times of crisis? How do we live our faith out loud? How do we display our faith and character when we’re pinned up against a wall? Who do we turn to in times of tribulation? I don’t know about you – but I like to think that I go to the Rock of my salvation. When all the earth around me is sinking sand, on Christ the solid Rock I stand. When I need a shelter; when I need a friend – I go to the Rock! I just couldn’t help myself. I broke into song when I was typing this! God is faithful and as we stay faith-FULL in the ups and downs of our lives – may we find the blessings in the midst of the fires, the storms, the winds and the waves -- because -- God is faithful!

He is Our Storm Chaser

Most of my posts come from my own personal life experiences with the sincere hope that what I share will encourage and even open your eyes to our great Storm Chaser. I learned some very difficult lessons the hard way so my goal is to pass along the wisdom from those lessons to give you shortcuts to your prayers being answered and your faith increased.

It's our human nature to have the mindset: "I've got to figure this out on my own!" Many times, seeking God for the answer is the last thing we do to escape our storms. "I've tried everything else. I might as well, as a last resort ask God for help! Instead of asking "God, can't you see how great my storms are", we should be saying "Storms, can't you see how big my God is?"

The disciples passed their lessons learned onto us. We can learn a lot from their mistakes if we would not go the way of their lack of faith. They knew Jesus was on land and they discounted that He was the authentic, unparalleled STORM CHASER and PEACE MAKER. They toiled and feared, but Christ was praying on the shore for them. He saw the storm come up. HE SAW. He knew. And He sees and knows the storms we're going through. They are no surprise to Him. In fact, they are part of His plan to build our faith and trust in Him more. He is hearing our prayers in the midst of OUR storms and He will carry us safely to the other side.

We can know this: There is no difficulty in life that is stronger than Jesus. We can face our difficult times with courage because He promised to ALWAYS be with us! I love knowing that His peace is ours in the midst of our storms....and how reassuring to know that right behind this storm is a rainbow of blessing! He promised it, and I've come to count on it! Since we know our circumstances are no surprise to Him, let’s surprise Him with our trust in Him – in all circumstances and in all seasons.

The calm and quiet nature of Christ is what calms the storms in our life and in others. By sharing the presence of Christ within us, we introduce the nature of Christ. He is our Storm Chaser. He pursues us to let us know that we can trust Him. He calms our storms when we ask Him.

Dear Lord, we come to you and ask you to increase our faith. We acknowledge that one of the best ways to grow in faith is to experience storms in our life. For only in those times, can we exercise and experience trust, so that we may receive true peace and increase our confidence in You. By growing in our trust, we receive the calm and quiet nature of Your presence. May people be attracted to my soul that expresses calm in any and every situation. I invite you into my boat and ask you to take control. Amen.

That Filet Knife Can Sure Slice and Dice

All that blood! On our fishing trips, I am the designated cook. It’s my pleasure. I love rustling in all the fisher-people for their next chow-down. My son, Larry, is the fish-filet-er. He uses the sharpest filet knife to get the perfect, boneless filets for our big fish-fry. It was that knife that was laying on the counter when I needed something sharp to open a plastic bag. I grabbed it and sliced open the bag AND the palm of my hand. All that blood! Fortunately, it wasn’t a deep cut, but still in an area where a band-aid just couldn’t keep the blood from flowing.

I thought about that "bloody" scene when I read my devotion scripture from Exodus. Imagining my scene with the filet knife was minor compared to all the bloodshed in those sacrificial offerings. It makes me squirm a bit, but I get it. Blood played such an important role in the everyday life of the Israelites. When Moses splashed the blood of animals on the altar and sprinkled it on the people, everyone saw it as a beautiful, moving gesture. Can you even imagine – ALL THAT blood? But, that blood, the substance that gave life, sealed their covenant with God. It connected them with the altar of His presence.

We know the rest of the story. God lived up to his part of the covenant by making the Israelites His special people and by giving them the Law. But they didn’t always live up to their part. Sure, they promised to obey God’s commandments, but they often failed. Nevertheless, in the face of their failures, God remained faithful to them. He wouldn't give up on his beloved people! But that just wasn't good enough to God. Over time, He prepared for them AND us a new, better covenant, one that would be sealed not with the blood of animals but with the blood of his own Son, Jesus. Now, Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross, has the power not only to cleanse us from our sins but to give us the grace to live in holiness and blessing. Through His blood, we are forgiven, healed, and protected. Thank you, Lord, for YOUR blood sacrifice for us.

Jesus initiated this new covenant at the Last Supper when He said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which will be shed for you” (Luke 22:20). Every time we receive communion, we relive the Last Supper. God reminds us: “I have made an eternal covenant with you. I have given myself to you, all of myself, so that you can live with me forever.” What a GIFT!

This is our God, a God who continues to pursue His people, even when we stray. This is our God, who renews His covenant with us every time we receive the Body and Blood of His Son. What a gracious Father we have!

This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you. (Exodus 24:8)

The Blessing of My First-Born

On the road again! Yesterday the boys and I traveled back from Frisco to Austin to be here today for the traditional birthday breakfast where we celebrate another birthday of one we love. It’s the dad’s (my first-born’s) birthday this time. We’ll enjoy the usual: biscuits (plus cream & chocolate gravies), eggs, bacon and fruit. His will be served in the “You are Special” plate and we’ll each go around and tell him why he is so special to us.

This #1 child (in order of birth debuts) – my first-born -- and his birthday, makes me even more nostalgic than I already am daily. That's what happens as the years go by. Our love for them and all the memories, indelibly imprinted on our mind, continue to give us such pride and joy. And, all you mamas and papas out there, you might as well realize you'll never get over the awe of the accomplishments and abilities of your kids, and most of all, that you were in partnership with God in bringing these amazing human beings into this world.

Our Ryan Keith, our first-born was the “test-case” for two inept amateurs. No prep-training classes in those days. All we had was a Dr. Spock book, “Baby and Child Care” to give us “baby” tips. I remember the hospital staff showing me how to nurse this little human being. It occurred to me: “This baby is dependent on ME!" Oh, the responsibility that hit two very novice kids. I remember being shown how to change his diapers, take care of his tummy button, how to bathe him and THAT WAS IT! We were on our own. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? No formal training in baby care? Fortunately, we had our two mothers that “knew the ropes” and they guided us in becoming experts.

The first-born shows us an unconditional love that is beyond explanation. This little first-born gave me the incredible gift of my cherished title – ‘mother’. My first-born and I were partners as we navigated all his first-born challenges like blow out diapers, sleepless nights and keeping him alive when he was so sick. We are still partnering as we navigate MY life. It’s definitely a role reversal. I’m so thankful for my partnership with my first-born. He was the first time I did all of the “mom stuff” and I certainly made a lot of mistakes along the way, and I (and his dad) have been his first time in his opportunity for “son stuff”. He reminds me each Valentine’s Day that I was his first love. His dad, me and God created his first heartbeat and my heartbeat was the first one he heard.

He was my first time I wore maternity clothes, the first time I watched my body change and grow to accommodate a person, the first time I threw up for mornings for three long months and experienced the crazy ride of pregnancy highs and lows. The first time I nursed, the first time I planned a first birthday party. The first-born teaches us so much. My boy gave me the confidence to be a mother. It didn’t happen right away. But over time, through mothering him, I found out who I was and am in this role. My strengths and my weaknesses. My highs and my lows. He even gave us the courage to do this thing again. And, we had his little sister two and a half years later.

Yes, I’m nostalgic, but mostly I’m so grateful God blessed us with a remarkable, talented, compassionate, giving, tender-hearted and loving first-born. Not only am I having memories on this day, but I'm counting my blessings that continue to bring my life so much joy and pleasure. My greatest blessings call me Mom and Nana -- and on this day, I'm especially thankful for that little man that kick-started us into parenthood and continues to make me so grateful when God was handing out “Motherhood” – He picked me to be this man’s mother. He survived our youth and inexperience and he rocked our world and I think to myself.... what a wonderful world it is!

Happy Birthday, my first-born, Ryan Wuerch! What a difference you’ve made in my life!

Are We So Spoiled Because We’re So Blessed?

I am here for my volunteer work at Children’s Hospital and it starts out slow this morning. The radiology techs give me a sweet card of thanks and a great set of earbuds. I am blessed. I have time to read my scriptures for today and then have an “aha” moment.

In Acts 3:26, Peter was speaking about when God said to Abraham, “In your offspring, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” I begin to think “What did “blessing for his offspring” really mean to Abraham back then?" New and more well-crafted tents; stronger, faster and more trustworthy camels; more tolerable winds in the sandy deserts; wives that are more sensitive the needs of their husbands; obedient children; fruitful crops and clean water?

As I type this post in this bright, fluorescent LIGHTS reception area, using WIFI on my COMPUTER, at this state-of-the-art HOSPITAL, responding to text messages on my CELL PHONE, sitting at a clean and sterilized DESK, in a ergonomic CHAIR that I can move up because the last volunteer was a shorty, take patients back to RADIOLOGY where their fractures and broken limbs are X-RAYED. I’m drinking coffee poured from my Keurig COFFEEMAKER in my YETI MUG guaranteed for 12 hours hot or cold liquid. I’m hearing the sounds of the HD resolution TELEVISION in the waiting room. There’s a HAND SANITIZER machine near me. And, the restroom, complete with indoor, self-flushing TOILETS is just down the hall. I am smelling the mouth-watering popcorn that is popped from a huge ELECTRIC popcorn machine that, by the way, I must always take some with me as I’m leaving for home in my CAR!

Did I make my point? We are BLESSED! We take so much for granted because we missed out on having to deal with life without our modern conveniences. We are so privileged that we are spoiled. We don’t know real hardship. We aren’t being persecuted and we aren’t living in a poor country. We don’t know what it’s like to live in a country where we can’t drive to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for dinner. We don’t know what it’s like to live through the bombings in Syria. Our country isn’t in shambles!

Bottom line, my dear friends, we need to stop being so melodramatic over all the "the stuff" going on in our lives. We need to take a deep breath and express how thankful we are for the century we are living in and that God, in all His sovereignty, deemed us to be here NOW!

Back to Abraham and the blessings that God was pouring out on him. The actual definition of the word “blessed” is “made holy; consecrated; endowed with divine favor and protection. I find it encouraging that the primary definition of blessing is not wealth or comfort, but rather “being made holy”. I think that’s what Abraham and we -- have in common. In the midst of all our conveniences and privileges, may we become people of holiness as we make Dad proud of how we live out our faith in gratitude and in praise to Him. Yes, we are privileged HOLY people.


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My Purpose Filled Life Comes Without a Drill Sergeant

I want to start off by saying I know God has always been with me -- even before my conception. Cheers to my mom and dad’s hardcore belief in life. I was an unexpected baby (not to God, but to mom and dad). It had been 12 years since their last child, but mom was in a trainwreck that upset her “apple cart”, rather, her birthing cart. All the biological factors came together and whoa-la, here came Donna Sue! At first, I wasn’t a welcomed surprise. Mom was older and done with being a baby manufacturer, but God wasn’t done and if she were alive, she’d tell you I was her blessing. We were besties, inseparable, and eventually, I became her caregiver.

Once mom grasped the notion that I was a blessing and not a curse, she loved me with all her heart. I was diagnosed with a heart murmur at birth and she prayed for my healing to live. Obviously her prayers were answered and obviously, God purposely planned my existence. He created a unique path for my life. He created a unique path for your life, too -- even before your conception. In Jeremiah 1:5, God said, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..." If you are reading this blog, you are most likely a believer and lover of God and His Word, too. If you’re not, I pray this is the day you join me on the most remarkable journey of sweet assurance of OUR manufacturer and His purpose for our lives.

I wish I could say since I became a Christian at 8-years-old that I had completely understood God’s love for me. I wish I had always been on fire for Him and tight with Him, but, rather than “I wish I hads”, I am learning that's just not His requirements. Sometimes we see Him as a Drill Sergeant who requires a certain way to stand, act, dress, speak and "Oh, YES SIR! I promise to seek You more, read my Bible more. I'll get more involved. I'll reach out to others more!" But with all the ups and downs of life, those promises get a little watered-down. After all, we are just human, right? But what if it was for a different reason altogether?

What if the whole time we were trying so hard to draw into God, we were going about it the wrong way? We were making it a routine, a drill, a rigid, religious exercise that once we completed the tasks, we had completed our requirements, because, of course, that’s what a good Christian does…..right? But then one day, I realized God wasn’t my drill sergeant yelling at me to “Get up! Get going! Give me 10 (push-ups)!” I realized He shows up in the softness of a gentle breeze, or that big hug from a fellow believer or a worship song, or scripture that pops off the thin page of my Bible that was “right on” and what I needed for that day. That has been the ebb and flow that eventually got me to this day and time that pulled me into blogging and sharing my faith.

Now I am using the gifts HE has given me to glorify Him. I am able to understand what He is teaching me even more. I am confident when He says "yes" OR "no" to me because I know He has my best interests at heart. Now, out of my sweet relationship with the One Who loves me most, I want to serve Him. I want to read my Bible to find out more about Him and now read it in a way that sticks with me, sinks into my heart and sets me on my path and it may even be the catalyst for my next blog.

My relationship with Jesus has become radically different. It’s a built-in, 24-hour open-shop with Him. I just love HIm so much, I truly want, with all my heart to please Him out of a thankful heart. My thought life hinges on pleasing Him. “Forgive me, Lord, for thinking that!” “Thanks, God, for that advice.” It was sitting right there in front of me just waiting for me to discover the path that was made for me and embracing it. If you find yourself in a similar situation of wanting more from your relationship with God, don’t give up. You'll get there because He's always right there with you, for you and waiting for you. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." Revelation 3:20

Being an Influencer

Okay....this is longer than my usual "long", but it describes major influencers in my life. When I come to Tulsa, I squeeze in as much as possible because there are so many precious friends and family here. Yesterday was no exception. First was attending mass at my home parish and sitting beside my Tulsa “family” who mean the world to me. My godson brought us all together when he was a very sick newborn. My husband and I fell in love with this family long before his birth, but it was his little precious and vulnerable life that cemented us all together. Isn’t it amazing how what seems to be the worst of times, brings out the best in people and the best of times? Owen is 13 now so it’s been 13 years of watching God perform miracle after miracle in his life. Since my husband passed away, Owen has taken his place beside me in church and he still holds my hand and wraps his arms around me with abandon. Be still my heart! I was thrilled to have lunch with them and seeing the two youngest in their costumes for Trunk or Treat that followed. This family has been amazing influencers in my life.

After church and before lunch, I made a couple of quick visits to see two amazing “older” women. My first visit was to see Margaret, the mother of my brother-in-law, She lives in a skilled nursing facility, If you need a pick-me-up, go see her. I walked in her room and she was beaming from ear-to-ear and excited to tell me “I’m 96 years old now! Just look at these paintings on my walls. I painted them all!” Margaret is a dear, optimistic, light-hearted friend that as long as I’ve known her, her outgoing, and warm personality made me feel loved. She influenced me.

Then I headed over to spend time with my mother-in-law. I took her dinner the night before and we caught up then, but yesterday I savored our time together once again. She's gone through a lot physically, but now that she lives with Karen, my husband’s sister, she's become stronger and filled with so much vitality. She boasted “I’ve gained five pounds!” And that says a lot! I can’t begin to tell you how much she has influenced my life -- the most of which are her prayers for us. I asked her “What are you going to do today?” She quickly responded, “I’ve got lots of calls to make!” She has a list of people she calls to encourage. She is sure not done yet. She’ll be 96 on Wednesday.

Lastly, I made my way to another dear friend and mentor. Oh, how I love this precious saint, Sister Marie Pierre. After 50+ years of ministry, she retired and lives in a small space at St. Joseph's Monastery but it is everything she hoped for in this season of her life. A few months ago she had a pretty bad fall and had to have hip surgery. I was shocked to see that she was waiting at the door with her walker for me when I arrived. She wasn’t setting any records, but she was up and moving. Another nun waited with her and she asked: “Are you a teacher?” I replied, “Yes, I am, but I’m also one of Sister Pierre’s children.” We made each other cry as we shared sweet memories, and about our future....getting to graduate to heaven. We talked about how our loved ones and the saints and Jesus are cheering us on to the finish line. I could tell she is longing for the day when she'll go home, but in the meantime, sitting at her feet, feeling God's presence and His peace all around her, is the place to be. God continues to use her to touch our lives. She has MANY children -- of course, not biologically, but she sure had a hand in raising many of us in the ways we should go.

Why do I go into so much detail about my life and share it on social media? One, it will be forever an archive to remind me of those people who passed my way. I’m quite sure they were all a part of God’s Master Plan for my life. Placing value on those people and acknowledging them as precious and valuable makes them matter in the grand scheme of God’s almighty handiwork. I love to give credit where credit is due. Each teacher, mentor, encourager, family member, friend, and even casual acquaintance are strategic in God’s wisdom to co-partner with Him. I am so grateful for those who helped “make” me.

The point is to embrace God’s plan AND people that come into our lives – there’s a reason for them all. I’m so thankful that mine has made me purposeful in my mission and determination to finish strong. Perhaps you’re thinking of your own life and those who have contributed to who you are today. Maybe phone them or pay them a visit to let them know how thankful you are for them. Why do I go into so much detail about my life and share it on social media? One, it will be archived to remind me of those people who partnered with God to fulfill His Master Plan in my life. Acknowledging them is giving credit where credit is due. Each teacher, mentor, encourager, family member, friend, and even casual acquaintance are strategically placed in our lives by God. I am so grateful for those who helped “make” me.

The point is to embrace God’s plan AND people that come into our lives. There is a reason for them all. I’m so thankful that mine has made me purposeful in my mission and determination to finish strong. Perhaps you’re thinking of your own life and those who have contributed to who you are today. Maybe phone them or pay them a visit to let them know how thankful you are for them.

A Summer That Changes Everything

I'll always have fond memories of the missions’ trips our family took because those trips changed everything about the way we viewed what we had, and what we may not have had. It's a culture shock to see how other people live who are not afforded the conveniences, the comfort and the many blessings we encounter daily, and take for granted.

So, to see my grandchildren, Payton Wallace and Alexia Wallace, packing and getting all geared up for their Guatemala trip with over 50 from their church, and to be so excited about the opportunity they'll have to impact people there, was so inspiring to this Nana. Payton amused me with all his “must haves” for the trip: first aid kit, Allen wrench, small “Barbie” fishing pole and tackle (he’s caught some whoppers with that little pole), Papa’s walking stick, lots of snacks and his waterproof “Outdoor Bible”! Alexia carried Papa’s snake skin coin purse. I loved that Papa is getting to go with them (in their hearts, as missions was his passion).

My hat’s off to the youth leaders that are taking these kids – no doubt, it’s a work-out to orchestrate the journey, making sure these kids’ own personal needs are met, and to keep up with each and every one. You know that they know the rewards will far exceed whatever work-out they’ll have. They are having a huge part of giving these kids – not a trip to Disney World for their own pleasure – but to a country where they can be a bright light to darkness, and seeing how these kids’ lives are changed as they are used by God to bring change to others.

Honestly, if you or your children haven’t had the opportunity to go on a missions trip, I urge you to consider taking one. It causes a new perspective of the blessings we have and helps us have compassion and sincere desire to bring change to someone else’s world. It's not about "What's in it for me?", but about "making a difference in other people's lives".

I'll never forget taking a busload of college students to Mexico where we were going to be "Jesus personified" to them. And, as it turned out, we left there being far more inspired and blessed to have encountered people who not only were radically transformed by God's love and light coming from us, but to see how little they had, yet were so joy-filled with the greatest gift they could ever receive -- coming to know Christ as their Savior. Their love for God was so much more than what they could get from Him -- it was about loving God with all their hearts -- because, basically, He was all they had. It certainly altered our consciences from "needing more" to "thankful for what I have".

Though we may not be going on a missions trip this summer, it doesn't mean that we, daily, don't have a mission to fulfill. In fact, when we leave our homes and when we walk through our doors, we are entering our mission field. Missions: an important assignment carried out for going out into the world and spreading faith and good news. Jesus said in Mark 16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." And I love St. Francis' words "Preach the Gospel at all times, and sometimes use words".

What is our mission field? I believe it is to everyone that we encounter on a daily basis. The clerk at the store, little children, the homebound, the family next door, the yard man, our own families & friends, our neighbors -- just anyone we have the opportunity to BE A BLESSING to and share the LIGHT of Christ with.

Perhaps, we need to develop a Mission Statement for our lives that keeps us focused on our calling to missions. In Genesis 12, where God makes His covenant with Abram. God tells Abram that He will make him into a great nation and that He will bless him. And then, what God says to him in the last part of verse 2 just may be our Mission Statement, too. "You will be a blessing."

That's it -- whatever we do, wherever we go, whoever we encounter -- our mission is "TO BE A BLESSING". Isn't that a great way to live? On purpose, outside of us 4, and no more -- TO BE A BLESSING in our communities or our school or office building or gym -- BE A BLESSING, and in doing that.....we will be IN OUR MISSION FIELD!!! If we do that....then this will be a summer that changes everything!

The Older I Get, the More I Get It

I don't want to take anything about my life for granted, because, after all, "God knows my comings and my goings" (Psalm 121:8), "the number of hairs on my head" (Luke 12:7), "my innermost thoughts" (Psalm 139:2), and "the number of days I will be on this side of heaven (Psalm 139:16) -- so why in the world should I be concerned about what tomorrow holds for me and my loved ones? I get it. God desires for me to full on engaged with Him and when I do that, I'll have no need to worry or fret about anything!

When I'm worrying and fretting about this and that, and them and those, I'm wasting good mental power (and Lord knows I need to hold onto as much mental power as I can), and I'm disappointing God by my lack of faith in Who He is and how much He loves me.

The older we get, the more faith we should have because we've experienced more of God's faithfulness and it's God's faithfulness that increases our faith and enlarges our expectations for a life that is full of blessings, opportunities to be a blessing, and the immense possibilities of being a world changer and history maker.

The fact is -- our date of death isn't the date that is actually etched on a tombstone. It's the day that we stop dreaming and living and celebrating life. It's the day we start dying.

I plan on living to a ripe old age -- but if God has other plans for my future, my faith tells me to make the most of what I have in this day -- just in case, tomorrow, I get my assignment for the other side of heaven.

I've loved being in Austin, celebrating my grandson's 13th birthday. He's next to the youngest of grandchildren, which means I need to savor their youth as long as I can.

Living in the moment -- making the most of this day -- embracing those around us and giving them the best of us is what will outlast us, and will even open up doors for future escapades with them because they enjoy you so much. They'll invite you to hang with them when they're getting ready to go on exciting adventures! I say, "Count me in! I don't want to miss a thing!"

ACHOO!! God Bless You!

In church on Sunday, right during the pastor’s message, here came that annoying tickle in my nose again. I tried to hold it back, but it was no use. I had to let it go! "ACHOO!" Immediately, the kind lady behind me whispered, “God bless you!” I replied “Thank you!” Then, within 2 minutes, there it came again, and this time, the gentlemen beside me repeated “God bless you!” Immediately, the thought came “I’ll take as many of those blessings as I can get!”

Yesterday, I was inspired for this day's blog post when we had another one of those “Wallace family moments”. We were having morning devotion, just after breakfast, and Larry gave a walloping man-sized sneeze. Staci quickly remarked “Please cover your mouth when you sneeze!” And I said, “God bless you! Sneezes are an opportunity to give AND receive blessings and I can use as many blessings as I can get!” Then, in resounding Staci style (and pictured here), were these words of blessing to her precious husband: “Honey, I bless you in the city. I bless you in the field. You are blessed coming in, blessed going out. You are the head and not the tail, above only and not beneath. You are a king that is favored at the city gates. No weapon that is formed against you shall not prosper. I bless you in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ!” Now that’s what I call a “God bless you” because those are some of the words God spoke over His people in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 if they would be obedient! How’s that for a “God bless you” and what if when we said those three little words, we actually were thinking those words from Deuteronomy over the recipient – not casually, but intentionally.

Discussion ensued about my own sneezing spurt on Sunday. We all agreed that it must be the pollen, as seen on our trash cans outside. But pollen or no pollen, what if we were instruments for God to bless His people? It’s a rarity to let a sneeze shoot out without someone uttering those “Bless you” words.

Of course, that family discussion inspired me to research sneezing on some online sites. I found that sneezing is a way for our bodies to get rid of some irritant, like dust, pollen, pet dander, pepper, or even a tiny bug that flew up our nose. Whatever the irritant, our body knows that it must get rid of the problem right away. A sneeze begins with a tickle. This message is then sent to a “sneeze center” in our brain, where it dispatches the message to our muscles. And not only is our nose and mouth involved, but even our abdomen, diaphragm, chest, vocal chords, and eyelids all play a role in a full-blown sneeze. They work together to expel 2,000-5,000 bacteria-filled droplets into the air. That’s a lot of germs floating around! This explains why we cover our mouths when we sneeze, preferably with a tissue that can be thrown away. WOW! That impresses upon me, once again, the magnitude of God's creative genius.

Further, in my research, I found that we have Pope Gregory1 to thank for this tradition. He came from a very religious family. His strong background and steadfast faith in God enabled Pope Gregory (later “Saint” Gregory) to be a powerful leader at a critical time in history. In Rome in the 590s, Pope Gregory summoned the people to join together to march in the streets, arm in arm, asking God for forgiveness and for an end to the bubonic plague that was ravaging their city. He asked priests to lead people from all seven different regions of the city to the Basilica. Whenever anyone sneezed (which was a symptom of the plague), he asked that they immediately say, “God bless you!” as a prayer to ward off the plague. Their prayers were finally answered and at some point after this procession, the plague ended.

So, are we being too casual with saying "God bless you!"? The words bless, blessed, and blessing are found over 500 times in the Bible. As I said to my kids, I can use as many blessings as I can get! For sure I come away with these certainties from God's Word:

~ It is good and right to bless the Lord. He is worthy of all my praise. “Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, all that is within me, Bless His holy name.” Psalm 103:1
~ Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn't just words. It's the actual putting forth of our will for the good of another person. It always involves God, because when we will the good of another person, we realize only God is capable of bringing that. So we naturally say, "God bless you!"

So, today, my FB friends and family, I offer Aaron's words of blessing to the Israelites to you as I say "God bless you!"

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-27

Now when we hear “bless you” or “God bless you”, we can thank the giver of those words and say "He has". Thanks, St Gregory!

BLESSED

Day 129 of Photo Inspirations -- B-L-E-S-S-E-D
To make running on my treadmill more enjoyable, AND causes time to fly, is watching pre-recorded TV programs: The Voice, American Idol, Survivor, Amazing Race, Fixer Upper, Shark Tank, Biggest Loser, etc. -- yes, my guilty pleasure is reality shows. You know the saying "She's so heavenly minded, she's no earthly good!"  Well, that's not me.  I know I'm still earthbound, but, I also do what I can to keep me heavenly-minded as much as possible.  My heaven-on-earth photo inspiration came from Beth Moore.  This photo is a screen shot from her teaching yesterday -- the acronym for BLESSED.   For almost 5 years now, I've been posting the most optimistic, positive and meaningful posts that I can.....even though during these 5 years, I've met with disappointments, times of sorrow, some  painful experiences, and challenges.  But who wants to hear about somebody else's woes, when they've got plenty of their own to deal with...and especially, on social media?

Beth Moore's message reminded me of why I try to only speak about the best things in my life.  I'll admit I cringe when I see women post about their struggles when their kids mess up their house or when those kids are whiny.  I so want to say: "STOP!!!  There are women who would do anything to just be able to conceive and have children!  Count yourself BLESSED!"  Then I see women post about the shortcomings of their husbands.  And I want to shout "STOP!!!!  There are women who have never been married or whose husband passed away and would do anything to be married! Count yourself BLESSED!"

Yesterday, a friend was sharing with me about all the negativity that is going on in her life......and there were so many things.  In fact, I thought to myself, but didn't say it, "If it weren't for bad luck, you'd have no luck at all!"  But what came out of my mouth to her is "You are still so blessed.  You are healthy.  You are strong.  This won't last forever."  She agreed.

When I post about God's blessings, it's not bragging, it's "boasting about the Lord's goodness"  (1 Corinthians 1:31).  I will ALWAYS choose the BLESSINGS to talk about, rather than complaining about ANYTHING!   Between the lines, there may always be something to fuss about -- but why grumble when I'm so bountifully BLESSED with God's extravagant love?  He has saved me from what I deserve, and empowered me with His Holy Spirit and I've been delivered from a life of sadness, pain and grief.  The next time we start to utter a complaint, let's flip it on the enemy and say, "Thank you for reminding me how BLESSED I am!"

Remain, or Be Raised?

Tested, tried, and proven fact:
How we talk and complain, and talk and complain about our present circumstances and challenges......determines how long we'll get to stay right there, and, if we keep it up, we'll even get to go around the same mountain again and again and again! Remember the Israelites being stuck wandering in the wilderness for 40 years -- that should have taken them only 11 days (Dueteronomy 1:2)? They complained....and remained!
Oftentimes, we, too, are out wandering in the desert, complaining -- and wondering why it's taking us so long to get from Point A to Point B, and why it seems we're getting NOWHERE fast? Could it possibly be that we're remaining because we're complaining? Wouldn't it be better to try another, tested, tried and proven fact.....when the PRAISES go UP, the blessings come down?
Here's the deal......
#COMPLAIN...and remain!
OR
#PRAISE....and be raised!

The Purer the Vessel, the Greater the Flow

"The purer the vessel, the greater the flow" -- Staci Wallace
Before my girl left for the airport this morning, we had some sweet time talking about how much we desire God's ultimate "stamp of approval" on our lives, in EVERY area of our lives. We talked about the times when it's easy, and even seemingly harmless, to make little compromises in doing the RIGHT thing. You know....putting the shopping cart back into its proper location, or putting the cereal you don't want, back in the cereal aisle. Or, being given too much change back by a cashier, and just keeping it; or just a little white lie; or just a little gossip. It's the little things, that over time, that causes our consciences to become seared, and what was once a clean, pure vessel, now starts getting clogged and that free flow of blessings seem to be held back. Again, this is that "tweaking" and "course correction" time, when we realize the LITTLE THINGS do matter. Don't we want the flow out of us to others to be abundant in encouragement, comfort, joy and love? And, don't we want God's flow back to us to be the same? It just makes sense to get out God's roto-rooter to clean-out and purify these vessels -- our pipelines -- because, as my girl said, "The purer the vessel -- the greater the flow!" Oh how I desire that flow -- freely flowing -- in and out of my life!

Let's Be Salt Shakers

Let's be SALT SHAKERS!! "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." - Colossians 4:6 So this scripture says.....when sharing our faith with others, it's like seasoning with salt. If someone sprinkles a little salt on food and makes it taste good, we really appreciate it. But if someone hands us a spoon of salt and says, "Eat up," it's really hard to swallow, difficult to digest, and most certainly not good for the heart.

So, what does the world think when we season our conversation with too much talk about church and God, and we never talk about things we might have in common with them? They just don't get us, and we just don't relate to them. But what if we talked a little about sports, and a little about the weather, and a little about our family, and their family, and a little about the every day concerns that we all have......and, then when the right opportunity comes, we occasionally sprinkle in a word about God's goodness, and how He answered a prayer or a special blessing we received and that He was the giver of the gift, or we mention an insight we gained from a sermon we heard? Or better yet, what if we went out of our way to share God's love with them in a tangible way, like taking them for dinner? Their curiosity just may be aroused, and, then, just maybe the flavor of OUR salt may cause a thirst for what we have? We can be the salt they need for zest and flavor in their life. Let's be salt shakers! We just might be the difference maker in what they need....when they need it most.