We've Got Comeback Power

Don’t look or listen now because another catastrophe, another day of record coronavirus reports, another lost life, another angry mob, another negative report is coming from the news-media world. It’s true. What a year this has been and we’re not even halfway through it yet!

I was amused when I looked at some of my New Year’s 2020 blogs – all hopeful with great expectation, God-is-in-Control, “It’s-gonna-be-the-best-year-EVER!” I must say, this one has surprised us all – in so many ways! You know the details so I won’t remind you.

But, I’m still as optimistic with the great expectations as I was at the front side of this year, because what I said then, is still true now. God IS still in control and we can still believe this can be the best year of our lives. Maybe we've had a setback -- but that's when God orchestrates a set-up for the greatest comeback ever. It's like the trajectory of an arrow that can only be shot by pulling it backwards. And maybe difficulties during this season feel just like that. But we remember -- when life drags us back, we're just getting on the launch pad toward something even greater. The greater the setback -- the greater the comeback. I mean, seriously, think about Jesus' death on the cross. It was a setback, unlike anything the disciples could have imagined. It was over for them and they hid in fear. But joy came in the morning when the greatest comeback ever took place. Jesus rose from the dead and we were the winners right along with Him. He lives to give us His comeback power!

Romans 6:10-11. "The Spirit of God, Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you."

Listen to Danny Gokey's new song, "Comeback". I love this rendition and the photos that accompany it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfWDDlh-8pw

"This is your time, your moment
The fire, the fight, you're golden
You've come so far, keep going
Oh here comes the comeback.

Now, get ready for your rocket to fire on all cylinders. Your greatest comeback might just be at the coundown now:
5-4-3-2-1 COMEBACK!

God's Remarkable Color Palette

Take a look at these beautiful “Spring” flowers. Breath-taking – literally! Not just the beauty, but the fragrance is exquisite. Well, these flowers should be – they’re growing in this exotic climate of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where my Austin family and I are here celebrating Spring break and family love. I was delighted when they invited me to be a part of the fun. There is something about being entertained by God’s beauty in another area of God’s beautiful earth.

As beautiful as this week is for me, it only holds a candle to a little over eight years ago, when I went to Cabo with this family after a whirlwind previous couple of weeks of major decisions to be made, funeral preparations, and all the responsibilities that went with my sweetheart's graduation to heaven. Cabo was just what I needed – to get away – find that place of consolation, peace, and comfort. Everything about the previous few weeks – in fact, the last eight months had seemed quite surreal. But, I had walked through the valley of the shadow of death, and, because of this profound place of peace, I literally feared no evil. God was there to comfort me – that was His promise in Psalm 23 – He had kept His promise. I was comforted.

Of course, I'm nostalgic being back here in Cabo this “Spring Break” week and, I’ll admit, I’m savoring the memories – especially those that were so healing to me. Embraced by family. Embraced by God and His creation. Embraced by the sounds of laughter of my grandchildren. Embraced by the knowledge of knowing that God has given me so much tender loving care during this life-after-death. It was a choice I made early on and it seems the more life I live on purpose, the more life gives back to me in monumental ways.

I assure you, it is possible to feel the loss for a while in those times of life, but NEVER to stay there. To grow and celebrate this season of life, we must pick ourselves up and be willing to go to a NEW SEASON. As Spring is surfacing and the trees and flowers are blooming, we can see God’s reminder to let go of the old things and expect the new things He’s wanting to do in our lives. Expect that there are good and beautiful things to come. As the flowers are being resurrected to new life, the trees are sprouting from what seemed to be a lifeless state, the green grass is peeking through the brown remains of winter, may we SPRING FORTH in fresh, new strength and vitality that comes from taking off those grave clothes, and putting on garments of praise and joy! It's a new day, it's a new season, it's a time for great expectation that this will be the BEST day and times of our lives!

Isaiah 43:19 "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."

I’ve Learned My Lessons About Look Backs

It’s been several weeks since I was able to make my trek back to Tulsa and I’ve missed everything and everyone there, especially Mom and my besties! I’m glad I’m heading there today, even in the rain AND cold!

When I moved to Frisco from Tulsa in 2016, I promised God I wouldn’t look back and wish I were still there. Famous last words. I'm glad God didn’t turn me into a pillar of salt like Lot’s wife when she looked back at Sodom and Gomorrah! I’ll admit I’ve missed my friends and family and familiar places. I haven’t wished to move back, but I have looked back on the best parts of living there. Selective thinking and remembering. Isn’t it funny how, when we’re missing something or someone, we don’t think about the negatives associated with them? And there were plenty. There were some tough and crazy times and my precious husband became fatally ill, but I've locked up the vault on those memories and throwing away the key!

Here’s the deal. As long as we keep looking backward, we’re not making progress going forward. In Luke 9:62, Jesus told the disciple “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Yikes! Thanks, God, for the reminder! I want to be fit for your Kingdom!

Why is it that we have such a longing to look back? God knows we are prone to backward glances and thinking about our mistakes and failures along with our successes and victories. We can learn from those experiences, but as long as we’re looking back, we can’t move forward. Living in those memories keeps us looking in the rear view mirror instead of looking ahead to where we're going.

It’s time to “Let it Go” (Hark! Do I hear Elsa from "Frozen" belting out her song?) I mean “Let go of the past – we can’t change it so it’s time to move forward. The past is the past and, yes, though we have fond memories of precious loved ones and times we hold near and dear to our hearts, but I’m sure we all have past experiences, relationships, and memories that we’re all ready to bury and forget about. Literally, it’s a new day. We can do nothing about our past, but we can do everything about our today and tomorrow, especially when it comes to thanking God for His many blessings and living in those blessings TODAY!

So I’ll give hugs and warm embraces to my dear ones AND even visit some of my favorite places while I’m there. But, God knows my heart and how grateful I am for precious new friends, new places, new faces, and new opportunities to love THIS place! I won’t be looking back, but looking forward with great expectation to what today and tomorrow holds. One thing’s for sure. God holds me and he holds my hand in THIS place!

HOPE is Great Expectation

My husband described HOPE as "Something good is about to happen to you!” He/We never gave up hope….even until his last breath, we stood by “Nothing is impossible with God so we will continue to HOPE that something good is about to happen." How beautiful to live with expectancy instead of living in hopelessness. Even though what we had “hoped for” – to see him healed and whole, God still didn’t fail us, because healing and wholeness are what he ultimately received.

I started this post yesterday morning. I knew HOPE would be my topic for today. My granddaughter’s phone call to come to pick her up so she could spend the day with me interrupted my train of thought. I was still in my gown, so I quickly ran into my closet, put on a top and pants, looked in the mirror and I saw HOPE! I had a “gotcha!” from God. He was confirming I needed this “word” today, and maybe so did you!

I never liked it when I heard someone say, "Don't get your hope up!" What a sad command! I think of those huddled masses yearning to be free who are hopeful that they may one day live in a country like ours. And, so many who are going about it the right and legal way keep their HOPE up, because they pray for the day when something really good happens for them.

I don't like movies that leave you hanging, or have a disappointing ending. I LOVE the happy ending ones! Hello, Hallmark movies! A real life, true story movie played out as our Lord lived on this earth and gave hope and great expectation that something good was about to happen to those He encountered. He always gave hope, yet this same Lord, as despicable as it was, was beaten, tormented and martyred. What a sad ending to all that He taught! OH, but we don’t stop there, because HOPE didn’t stop there. Such good news came on the 3rd day. It wasn’t the ending at all. Our Champion, Jesus Christ won on Resurrection Sunday aka Easter…so, we win and HOPE with great expectancy! Anything is possible with hope!

Right now, life may be tough for you. You might have some health issues, or experienced the recent loss of a loved one. There may be strife in your marriage. You might not have enough money to make ends meet. But, DON"T lose hope! Just when you think the "movie" could get no worse, our Champion will be there because HE LIVES!

Here's why we should ALWAYS have our hope up: Hope gives us confidence and assurance. Hope gives us the ability to trust, to have faith in the present moment, no matter how bleak it may be. Hope gives us peace in the midst of the storm. Hope brings us joy in times of sadness. All those things that give us strength and courage rest in hope. Hope is the prescription for a sleepless night. As long as we have hope, we won't give up, because once we choose "HOPE", anything is possible!

Advent - the Great Expectation that Something Good is Coming

It's the first Sunday of Advent. This photo of the Advent Candle wreath is from my church in Tulsa. The first candle (the HOPE candle) will be lit today. The word "advent" means a coming or arrival of something or someone extremely important. In biblical terms we speak of the Advent Season, referring to the four weeks before Christmas when we celebrate the Lord leaving Heaven and coming to earth to be born of a virgin and dwell among man. It's when we reflect on God's promises and prophecies to His people. And, it's a time of preparing our hearts in anticipation of the special day when we remember the birth of our Lord and Savior.

While enjoying the festivities -- sleigh bells, carols, chestnuts roasting, my Hallmark Christmas movies, parties, visits to see Santa, baking Christmas goodies, gift giving --pondering ADVENT, keeps us remembering that there is such greater reasons for this glorious season. It's about a better day, a better life, it's about HOPE.

The word, HOPE, means “the exciting expectation that something GOOD is about to happen”. Charles Dickens is well known for his book, “Great Expectations”. I love that optimism, but I love the reality of the absolute possibility that HOPE and expecting something good to happen, is a much better way to live than saying "Don't get your hope up, because you don't want to be disappointed if it doesn't turn out alright!" Ugh! What a dismal outlook. I prefer to live with hope, with GREAT EXPECTATIONS, for today and tomorrow.

Do you have your hope up and do you have great expectations for your life? It's like waiting for the birth of a child. We know it’s a process, and if we patiently wait for “the appointed time” of delivery, we’ll be blessed with a precious bundle of love and joy.
The beautiful season of Advent is about expecting and waiting. The birth of Christ gives us the hope, and possibility, that we can live life in a radical way – the way of trusting, believing, and expecting that all He’s promised us will be ours if we patiently wait for His perfect plan for our lives.

During this beautiful season, may we find that place of loving, caring and deepening our relationship with God – delighting in Him. It’s a radical way of living, but the infant in the manger, as sweet and mild as He seems, is really our triumphant King of Kings and Lord of Lords. That precious baby grew up, and He sacrificed His life so that we can live a life of hope and GREAT EXPECTATION.

Don’t give up! Keep your hope up! Get your EXPECTOR expecting! Remember ….. it’s a process! Your “baby” (your hopes, your dreams) will get here….and you’ll soon be blessed with God’s bundles of love and joy.

“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

When You Choose HOPE, Anything is Possible

HOPE, means “the exciting expectation that something GOOD is about to happen”. Yesterday, I knew what that's about -- based on my grandchildren's GREAT EXPECTATIONS about what last night held for them. When the tickets could first be bought, my grandson, Payton Wallace purchased tickets for his whole family (me and his friend included) to the premier showing of the new Star Wars Rogue One movie. Needless to say, he is quite the avid Star Wars fan. Check out his bedroom decor' here! He has looked forward to the new movie since he first heard it was coming out. When my Austin grandson, Brennan, heard about Payton going to the 10:30 pm showing last night in Frisco, he one-upped Payton and bought tickets for him and his friend to see it at the 7:30 pm showing in Austin. I love the "cousin" rivalry! Needless to say, their hope and great expectations became reality when we all saw it last night.

This post isn't so much about Star Wars as it is for us to be putting our hope and great expectations for our lives out there. Those of us who have experienced “expecting” a baby – know quite well, that it's a process. We don’t get half way through our pregnancy and say – “I’m through with this – I’m done with ‘expecting’!” No, we know it’s a process, and if we patiently wait for “the appointed time” of delivery, we’ll be blessed with a precious bundle of love and joy. Payton and Brennan, and the rest of us for that matter, did our best to patiently wait for this new episode of Star Wars and it was worth the wait.

This post really isn't about STAR Wars, but THE STAR of the show in this beautiful season of Advent -- expecting and waiting for Him. The birth of Christ gives us the hope, and possibility, that we can live life in a radical way – the way of trusting, believing, and expecting that all He’s promised us will be ours if we patiently wait for His perfect plan for our lives. During this beautiful season, may we find that place of peace -- a time of loving and deepening our relationship with God – delighting in Him. It’s a radical way of living, but the infant in the manger is a beautiful “memory” – our King of Kings is not there. He grew up, and He sacrificed His life so that we can live a life of hope and GREAT EXPECTATION.

Don’t give up! Keep your hope up! Get your EXPECTOR expecting! Remember ….. it’s a process! Your “baby” (your hopes, your dreams) will get here….and you’ll soon be blessed with God’s bundles of love and joy.

Advent is Hope -- the Great Expectation That Something Good is Coming!

Day 334 of Photo Inspirations -- Advent is Hope -- the Great Expectation that Something Good is Coming!

I took this photo inspiration at my church yesterday,  It's the Advent Candle Wreath and the first candle (the HOPE candle) was lit.  The word "advent" means a coming or arrival, especially of something or someone extremely important.     In biblical terms we speak of the Advent Season, referring to the four weeks before Christmas when we celebrate the Lord leaving Heaven and coming to earth to be born of a virgin and dwell among man.   It's when we reflect on God's promises and prophecies to His people.  And, it's a time of preparing our hearts in anticipation of the special day when we remember the birth of our Lord and Savior.  While enjoying the festivities -- sleigh bells, carols, chestnuts roasting, reindeer movies, parties, visits to see Santa, baking Christmas goodies, gift giving --pondering ADVENT, keeps us remembering that there is such greater reasons for this glorious season.  It's about a better day, a better life, it's about HOPE.

The word, HOPE, means “the exciting expectation that something GOOD is about to happen”. Charles Dickens is well known for his book, “Great Expectations”.  I love that optimism, but I love the reality of the absolute possibility that HOPE and expecting something good to happen is a much better way to live than saying "Don't get your hope up, because you don't want to be disappointed if it doesn't turn out alright!"  Ugh!  What a dismal outllook.  I prefer to live with my hope, with GREAT EXPECTATIONS for today and tomorrow.

Do you have your hope up and do you have great expectations for your life?   Like waiting for the birth of a child,  we know it’s a process, and if we patiently wait for “the appointed time” of delivery, we’ll be blessed with a precious bundle of love and joy.

The beautiful season of Advent is about expecting and waiting.  The birth of Christ gives us the hope, and possibility, that we can live life in a radical way – the way of trusting, believing, and expecting that all He’s promised us will be ours if we patiently wait for His perfect plan for our lives.     During this beautiful season, may we find that place of  loving, caring and deepening our relationship with God – delighting in Him.   It’s a radical way of living, but the infant in the manger, as sweet and mild as He seems, is really our triumphant  King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  That precious baby grew up, and He sacrificed His life so that we can live a life of hope and GREAT EXPECTATION.

Don’t give up!  Keep your hope up!  Get your EXPECTOR expecting!   Remember …..  it’s a process!   Your “baby” (your hopes, your dreams) will get here….and you’ll  soon  be blessed with God’s bundles of love and joy.  “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  Psalm 37:4

Are You Aboard the Titanic or the Good Ship Lollipop?

Ever run into folks who you’d think they were onboard the Titanic – they are always expecting an iceberg – dismal in their outlook on life and they refuse to be full of good cheer and great expectation?

Then, there are others, like my friend, Debbie, who continue to inspire me, and my Life Group that meets in my home each Thursday. She’s one of those who, you would think, are onboard Shirley Temple’s “Good Ship Lollipop”. Just a year ago, Debbie and John, her husband, moved from the only state, California, they’ve ever lived in. They started life over again here in Tulsa, in their business and church, and they continue to celebrate God's blessings in their life. Debbie loves babies so much (she oozes with love for them, and they know it) that she volunteers every weekend as a baby caregiver in Life Kids, and she volunteers her time during the week in the church offices. But her love for Oklahoma has taught me so much about appreciating even the everyday, simple blessings of God, that oftentimes, we take so lightly, and so for granted. Here is her Facebook post from yesterday:

"Reason #213 why I love Oklahoma: Dinner at a "trendy" Italian restaurant (yes, there are trendy restaurants in Tulsa). It was fabulous and the waitress attends the same church we do. A drive through some beautiful countryside with spectacular estates (yes, people in Oklahoma have money). Fed two friendly horses some carrots and apples just a mile from our apartment, said hello to a flock of sheep (without their wool) and saw two baby deer right across the road from our complex. Oh, almost forgot, we saved a turtle crossing the road and relocated him to the edge of a quiet little lake. Great night altogether."

Don't you just love her wit, but above all, her appreciation for things that money can't buy -- just the overall attitude of gratitude? I responded to her post: "Oh how I love how much you love Oklahoma.....and life! You are always on the "Good Ship Lollipop" and that makes me smile so much!" It sure makes me want to amp up my gratitude for the many simple blessings of life that are all around me. No Titanic for me! I'm boarding the Good Ship Lollipop, too! — with Debbie Krzych.