This is the Day the Lord has Made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24)
I sing this scripture as a song and I use it in expressing my gratitude. It’s not unusual to read it as a text message when a friend or loved one has a birthday. I say “This is the day the Lord made you and I’m rejoicing and so glad for it.” And, for you and me, this is the day the Lord made for us.

Notice that scripture isn’t talking about tomorrow and what may happen tomorrow. The psalmist is putting an emphasis on THIS day! That reminds me of another scripture. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:34)

We have had plenty to worry about, haven’t we? As if the pandemic wasn’t enough, now it seems our country is at war with itself Oh, how we need unity! We ponder about the future and what it will look like My friends, two who are pre-school teachers and the other is a special needs teacher, were talking about what school is going to look like come August. Too often, we set ourselves in a whirlwind of worry and anxiety about what tomorrow will hold. Especially during these times: If we are concerning ourselves with the future, we are overthinking. That’s opposite to the point the psalmist was making “THIS is the Day” to focus on, to rejoice in whatever this day holds.

Remember when the disciples said to Jesus: “Lord, teach us to pray!” And Jesus gave them the template for all our prayers. “Our Father…..Give us THIS DAY our daily bread.” He didn’t say “give us today and next month’s bread.” This DAY! Can we trust Him for today’s faith – today’s daily bread?

Each day is a blessing from God. He has blessed us with a new day to live it to the fullest, doing the necessary tasks for this day, loving and helping one another and discovering new things about life and about ourselves. Being present with God Who gives us wisdom for today, may be the game changer we need for what tomorrow holds.

No matter what kind of struggle we are facing, we can be secure in knowing that if we do our best in this day to make progress and trust our tomorrows to God -- He will meet us there tomorrow like He does today. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

God is love and everything He does in the world is out of His love for us. He can turn this day’s struggles and suffering into blessings for us if we run to Him and trust in His promises to us. But, how, Lord? And He responds with these words:
"'Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'" (Isaiah 41:10).

Happy Passover and Temple Tuesday

What timing! Medical and essential services personnel are on their call of duty. The rest of us are all snuggled in at our homes. Those of us in Christ, don’t work the frontlines or snuggle in fear – we carry on into each other (while apart) and into our Lord – our Place of Refuge (“The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are His everlasting arms” Deuteronomy 33:27) and our Hiding Place (“You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.” Psalm 32:7) No fear – there!

I had seen the 1956 movie “The Ten Commandments” many times over the years. In fact, it was the first “theater” movie I ever saw. Of course, I remember it – it was scary – especially the part when the “death” clouds (or death angel) rolled in that killed all the firstborn children of the Egyptians after Pharaoh would not let God's people go. The movie was aired a few nights ago and I watched it again.

Tomorrow begins the Jewish holidays of Passover, April 8th -16th. This holiday is about the Passover sacrifice when God passed over the houses of the Israelites during the 10th plague on the Egyptians. God instructed the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and put its blood on their doorposts. It represented the power to protect their families. And it did. In the movie you could hear the wailing coming from the Egyptian homes, but not the Israelites.

Amidst this pandemic, I somewhat followed applying the blood, by placing a picture of Jesus – Divine Mercy – that represents the blood and water poured out for us on Calvary – with the words: “Jesus, I trust in You” on my front door. Even more effective than a lamb's blood is my Lord's blood and I declare: “I am covered by the blood of Jesus, and 'no evil shall befall me or plague come near my dwelling.'" (Psalm 91:10).

I’ve seen where other Christians put red ribbons on the doorposts of their homes declaring the precious blood of Jesus to wash, purify, heal, guide, and protect them from evil, harm, sickness, and bless and make them holy. I love this symbolism – but more so, the faith in God’s Word and Christ’s blood that was as an atonement for our sins and our salvation.

Today is Holy Tuesday. We read in Matthew 21 how Jesus spent His entire day in the temple – teaching and using parables to make His points to religious leaders who doubted Him. Jesus knew this was His last week leading up to His death, so I suspect He was determined to leave an unforgettable “last impression”. He answered them so successfully that "no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions". Matthew 22:46

As we continue to journey during this Holy Week, on Thursday, we'll remember the Passover, the Last Supper and Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. Then on Good Friday, He was tortured, suffered, shed His blood for our healing and our redemption, and died. He was our Lamb that was slain. As despicable as it was....we can REJOICE! It is really good news! We know the end of the “The Ten Commandments” movie. God set His people free. And OUR movie expresses freedom, too!. DON"T lose hope! Just when we think the "movie" could get no worse, our Champion, Jesus Christ wins on Easter Sunday aka Resurrection Sunday……so, we win, too! So, why should we worry or fret? God has got this. God has got us!

SPECIAL MID-DAY EDITION of MyPeaceZone.Com

Unlike my early (before 6 am) posts each day, I just read this article and felt I MUST post it now. I’ve heard Christians say: “I have faith. No fear here. I don’t need to social distance myself.” I, too, have complete faith in my Lord. I quote scriptures consistently about faith and not having a spirit of fear. But, I also want to obey the laws of my land. Romans 13:1-2 says: "Obey the government, for God is the One who has put it there. There is no government anywhere that God has not placed in power. So those who refuse to obey the law of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow."

Today, I ran across an article from March 16th, 2020 with this title: “Martin Luther actually had some good coronavirus advice back in 1527.” I think we all can draw wisdom from it:

“Back in 1527, a deadly plague hit Martin Luther’s town of Wittenberg and he wrote a letter to a friend explaining how churches should deal with such complicated circumstances. Sure, science has progressed immensely in the last 500 years and we know way more about infectious diseases than we did back then, but the heart of his words still ring true.

“Use medicine; take potions which can help you; fumigate house, yard, and street; shun persons and places wherever your neighbor does not need your presence or has recovered, and act like a man who wants to help put out the burning city,” Luther advised. “What else is the epidemic but a fire which instead of consuming wood and straw devours life and body?”

We have a better understanding of medicine, “potions” and the value of fumigation but Luther’s advice about loving your community by avoiding going out is just as pertinent today.
The scientific consensus is that “social distancing”, staying home and avoiding crowds is the best way to prevent the spread of the virus and help those who are most vulnerable. But Luther knew that as Christians, even these precautions have their limits. “If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person but will go freely, as stated above,” he wrote. “See, this is such a God-fearing faith because it is neither brash nor foolhardy and does not tempt God.”

In other words, be smart. Use discernment. Protect your community by staying in but if someone needs help, remember the Gospel’s call to assist those in need. That may look different for everyone but we can all do something: Call an isolated friend who might be lonely. Check-in on elderly neighbors and family members. Don’t hoard groceries and supplies. Be generous with extra income, remembering that many people will be suffering financially in the coming days. Support medical professionals through prayer and respect of their advice and guidelines.

And most of all, remember that though the war on the coronavirus is one that can be won through wisdom and science, we protect our bodies and the health of our communities through social distancing and self-isolation. We battle not against flesh and blood, but spiritual forces that want to strip us of peace and replace it with fear.

Luther wrote: ”In closing, we admonish and plead with you in Christ’s name to help us with your prayers to God so that we may do battle with word and precept against the real and spiritual pestilence of Satan in his wickedness with which he now poisons and defiles the world.”

May God's wisdom, abiding by the laws of our land with His armor about us, and “loving our neighbors as ourselves” be our mission.

No Fear Here!

I stumbled across this little doll girl on Facebook while scrolling through my timeline. It was a video of her jabbering away as she turned the pages of her book. She had her own joy-filled language – free of any worry or fear. What drew me in even more was the music playing in the background, Josh Baldwin’s “Stand in Your Love” : “My fear doesn't stand a chance when I stand in Your love....."

How befitting to hear a song that spoke volumes to my heart in the wake of this, may I say, crazy crazy time we’re living in. It would be one thing if it was in only China. We’d cast a look, and maybe a prayer said to help them through their troubles, then be on with our lives. But here we are experiencing a worldwide pandemic that crosses borders and invades our lives.

Here’s what I commented on this mama’s post: “Oh I love this so much. That little angel knows no fear! I love that you are making your home a sanctuary of praise and worship where you have no fear either. She sees it and feels it. Oh, that other families would embrace making our domestic homes a place where Jesus abides. “My fear doesn’t stand a chance when I stand in your love.” You blessed me so much in actions and not just words!"

No wonder Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) That kingdom is here right now. “For the kingdom of God is not meat or drink, but is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 4:17

What are we manifesting to our children and grandchildren right now? Children see and sense fear. Maybe it’s dispensed to them, unintentionally, but still our actions and the words we speak may expose them to real fear. Children absorb fear and anxiety just as much as they absorb courage, faith, love and peace. So, do they see us in a place of peace, courage, joy and faith by “Being still and knowing God” whose infinite love for us will not be shaken? (Psalm 46:10) Giving them fun, family times and the most they’ll remember is a crisis came but it was the best of times for us? Or do they see us overcome with fear and hustling around, standing in long lines for fear that toilet paper and paper towels are soon to be a thing of the past?” Do we fear and cower to the lies of the enemy who goes around seeking whom he may devour? Or, does our faith level cause the faith level in those in our sphere of influence to skyrocket?

I read an article by Dr. Abdhu Sharkawy, an Infectious Disease Specialist: “I’m scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, open-mindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested. Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviors and “fight for yourself above all else” attitude could prove disastrous. I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let’s meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophizing. Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts. Our children will thank us for it.” -- Dr. Abdhu Sharkawy

And I concur. God isn’t surprised at any of this and if we know Him, He has brought us to THIS kingdom “for such a time as this”! May we prove to be the lighthouses that light the way for those who need to know the Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, and the Light in the darkness. Our God – that is Who You are!

An Old Story That Can Bring Us Hope

It’s in almost every conversation. We can’t help it. The effects of the coronavirus are certainly beyond any plague or disease pandemic that I have seen or heard of in my life. I mean – a pandemic that is causing businesses to send their people home to work virtually; causing schools to shut down and children being homeschooled; causing families to store up extra food and supplies – just in case. In fact, in my own world, a group of 38 women are having to meet through teleconferencing. At the hospital where I volunteer, they’ve suspended volunteering until this crisis is over. In my morning text to my kids, I apprised them that the news says “the elderly (70 and above) should be checked on regularly to be sure we’re okay”. My reply to that is “Watch me defy the odds”. I have no fear.

This pandemic is nothing to make jokes about. People are alarmed and are filled with anxiety. Again, I look at scripture that shows us how to deal with the fear of impending danger. This is the perfect time for us to refresh our memory on how Scripture navigates perils, plagues and pandemics. My mind rushes back to serving at Vacation Bible School last summer.

The whole theme was around the exodus of God’s people from Egypt. But before the exodus, ten plagues were inflicted on Egypt by God to force wicked Pharaoh to let His people, the Israelites, go and be freed from slavery. I loved watching the VBS children acting out the various plagues. God answered Pharaoh’s taunts by saying “The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” (Exodus 7:5) Eventually, the Israelites were released and started walking towards the Red Sea. If you saw “The Ten Commandments” movie, the scene that stands out the most is Charlton Heston as Moses, lifting his rod over the waters commanding them to open up. And open up, they did, enabling millions of Israelites to cross over on dry land – but closing up over the Egyptians and killing them all. God provided a way of escape. And He has a way of escape in mind for us in this crisis – those who are professed children of God who know Christ as our Lord and Savior.

What we can easily miss are the details of this story. What is it like to pack up everything you own – your children, your possessions, your livestock to go to an unknown land? What’s it like to wonder if you might lose it all? Sounds like a good parallel to this virus that is seeping across the world and has reached our shores, and we don’t know how treacherous it’s going to be. God is calling us to continue marching forward with a diligence of conquering and overcoming while being very health-smart – following all the rules of washing our hands and staying away from crowds as much as possible.

Waiting well in the face of our anxiety about a coming danger means taking seriously the reality of the danger. Our God takes our lives and our sufferings very seriously, and “He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone” because He cares for us and for the things we care for and He shows compassion – so great is His unfailing love (Lamentations 3:32-33).

In the midst of the clamor, may we pour out our anxieties to our Father in Heaven. May we not allow our hearts to panic over school closings, travel plans, economic downturns, or the potentially infected surfaces we’ve touched! When we are afraid, we turn to Him. We cast our anxieties on Him, because He cares for us. In fact, we can allow handwashing or rubbing on hand sanitizer to become a moment we consciously entrust ourselves and the future of everyone we care about into His hands.

So we do wash our hands, and do what is wise about working from home, or calling our doctor. But we don’t let ourselves forget where our true safety lies. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring, but we do know the One Who parts raging seas and blocks its flow with His blood-soaked cross!

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you;my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.“

(Thank you, CCEF -- Christian Counseling Educational Foundation for some of your excerpts included in this blog.)

We Have Nothing to Fear Except Fear Itself

That was a line from Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Inaugural Address in 1933. But are FDR's words true, especially when we hear about the coronavirus more each day? No question -- if we only thought, read, studied and listened to the news about it, we could seriously get ourselves into a world of fear.

I loved hanging with my #4 grandson (in order of ages), my #3 grandson and #1 granddaughter the last couple of days. #4, Brennan, from Austin, is here as his school is closed because of the coronavirus outbreak, and next week is Spring break for him. Word has it that officials from his school are already talking about home-schooling. He loves that idea!

In the midst of the chaos, we are having intelligent family discussions about the pandemic. Most of the discussions are about “having no fear” because we have been inoculated with God’s Holy Word. Jesus said this in John 14: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; also, trust in Me.”

But how can we trust, if we really don’t know what the Bible says? It’s time to get to the equipping station to power up on God’s Word. Look at what Psalm 91:1-16 says:

“Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him. For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you FROM DEADLY DISEASE. He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the DISEASE that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished. If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; NO PLAGUE will come near your home. For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in My name. When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

Those are words direct from Heaven Central. God ALWAYS presents reasons for us to TRUST in His sovereignty and power to keep us in peace when everything else in the world screams out for us to FEAR. Reality tells us that so much of what we spend our time worrying about never even happens. Living under the weight of the "what if's" is a hard place to dwell.

I struggled with fear and worry for years -- so much so that I developed acute colitis. My amazing Christian doctor coached me to healing by giving me the prescription of taking God's Word into my heart and meditating on it, when anxiety would come up. And, I did. I learned to call on the Prince of Peace (Jesus) to give me peace. Through time, I began to find that the things that once would have sent me down a spiral of fear, no longer had the same effect. I read words of life and truth like those above. I soaked them in, prayed them out loud, until they became so familiar, they replaced the other things in my mind that I had battled against.

Change happened. Anxious thoughts began to diminish. Worry let go of its constant grip. God's words became "life" words, soothing to my soul, calming my spirit, giving power to my days. It wasn't always easy, and it often came down to a choice. Choosing not to allow fear and anxiety to control my life. Choosing to guard my heart. Choosing to focus my mind on what is truth in the midst of uncertainty.

We are living in times when we can rationalize that it’s okay to be afraid, but not according to God’s Word. When we feel out of control and not able to make sense of it all, we can rest assured that God is IN control and already has a plan for keeping us safe and sound. .If FEAR has you in its grip, I urge you to take the same prescription that Dr. Gregory gave me. Over and over again, as many times a day as you can -- take God's Word in, speak it, pray it, meditate on it and be healed.

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

PEACE be with you!

At Least Take the First Step

In my “No Fear” post yesterday, I shared how proud I was of my granddaughter when we were at Six Flags Over Texas. Against her initial concerns about the wild rides that were there, she conquered her fears and in fact, exceeded our greatest expectations for her. After the first ride (her first step), she became an ambitious and relentless rider and wanted to keep riding more – long after Staci and I were ready to call it a day.
While that “no fear” story described overcoming fears about amusement park rides, I know that nowhere compares to certain fears that may be looming before you today. I know it sounds easy to say “Have no fear!” until we are facing some situations that have created fears of gigantic proportion.

In June this year, I had the time of my life and dream-come-true experience when I was riding in a boat on the Sea of Galilee and walking all over the region where Christ performed so many miracles – among which was the story of those seasoned fishermen (aka disciples) who knew the sea and everything there was to know about fishing. They had seen, survived and lived through many storms. But for all their experience and nautical knowledge, they needed to experience what it was to BELIEVE audaciously in Christ who was daily demonstrating to them on how to live with NO FEAR.

The story went like this in Matthew 14:22-33: Jesus was on the shore praying while the greatest storm of the disciples’ lives was upon them in the Sea of Galilee. They were scared out of their wits and at the end of their ropes when there came Jesus walking on the water to them. He called out to them “Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.” We know that Peter, as shifty in his faith as he was at times, had the courage to at least take a FIRST STEP. He didn’t have to get out of that boat to walk to Jesus. But he did. He took a chance. That was courage – holy audacity. He got out of the boat. I admire that courage and I sure can’t fault him for noticing the winds and waves even though Jesus was right in front of him. How many times have I shook from the winds and waves in my own life instead of staying constant in my laser focus on Jesus, the Peace Giver?

We know about first steps. It’s bold for a woman who is being abused to take the first step to get help. It’s bold for a man to quit his job or attend school for a better job. It’s bold for students to take the first step and stand in front of a room and give a speech. It’s bold for someone who has never traveled in an airplane, to take a flight. It’s bold for a couple to buy their first home.

Dear, try-to-do-good Peter has received so much critcism thrown at him for his failures, but you’ve got to hand it to him – he got out of the boat. He took the first step. We all need to get out of the safety of our boats. I’m not saying we should take wild chances or throw caution to the wind, but I am saying “If we hear the Master calling us to take a chance or change something in our life, then we need to get out of the boat." And when we get out of the boat, and stay focused on the Master, He will see us through to the other side. Peter met the storm head on, fought the waves and the winds and felt the awesome experience of touching the very hand of Christ – because Peter was the only one willing to get out of the boat and go toward Jesus. Peter had the courage to take that FIRST STEP out of the boat.

There are storms in every life and sometimes they feel like they’re drowning us, but in every storm, Christ is waiting with outstretched arms, to save us. If we really want water-walking faith, then it's time to get out of our boats of comfort and ease and take that FIRST STEP!

No Fear! You Only Live Once

It was the yellow Mustang convertible that I would have for a week while my car is being repaired, that energized the idea of the 3-generations (Me, my daughter and granddaughter) to take to the road. "The Road" was only around here in Frisco and over to Arlington TX, but we sure had a "Girls Wanna' Have Fun" couple of days.

Alexia was the master planner. After all, it's soon to be her 16th birthday month, so we followed her plans. First, we went to see the "Spider Man" movie (again) and then with the top down, we drove around Frisco, to the pet store (one of her favorite places) where she cuddled an adorable cocker spaniel that looked just like "Desi", a dog that Staci had when she was younger. Then it was going for Mexican food. We made it back to my home for a sleep-over and chartered our course for the next day (yesterday).

Our big road trip turned out to be to Six Flags Over Texas. Who knew that this would be the perfect day to go. It was cloudy all day, the crowds were minimal, so the line waits were minimal. In fact, often, we would just walk right up to the ride and get on.

This was my-kind-of-day. I think it must have started when I was young and enjoyed all the thrills of the rides at the Texas State Fair. I was fearless on any ride and the faster, higher, and the more up and downs it had -- the better. My two children were the same way. So, naturally, Staci plotted the course for our day with the "Extreme Thrills" rides first. Alexia made it very clear that she wouldn't be going on most of those. Oh, not so! FEAR isn't in our genes. We began to speak faith and excitement into her. We spoke into her about not speaking, acting, or even implying fear. YOLO -- you only live once, was repeated over and over. Staci asked "Will you trust me? I'll plot the course for working our way up to the most extreme." Alexia agreed but when we approached those rides, I could see she her reluctance. As we were headed to what looked to be a milder ride, Alexia said, "Look, there's hardly any line there. Let's ride that one." I saw it and thought "Oh, that's a 'sissy' one. Let's not do that one first." Staci said, "Mom, let's go ahead and ride this one with her." And, "this one" happened to have been "The Riddler" -- one of the craziest, wildest and fastest. Late, Staci told me that it really was one she planned to work up to, but since Alexia said "Let's go!", then "Let's go!" That FIRST STEP. That bold STEP of FAITH -- opened up Alexia's wild side -- that "no fear" side, because for the rest of the day, she wanted more and more -- and even did repeats on most of them. By the end of the day, Alexia and Staci waited to get the front seat on each crazy ride! NO FEAR!

And, the Roaring Rapids ride was by far the most hilarious because Staci had seen how soaking wet some of the riders were that rode it, but we kept saying "YOLO" to her and she came, but ended up sitting in the very seat that gets the greatest amount of water in it. She was soaked head to toe, but took it like the resilient champ she is and, in fact, presented those of us in that boat with a comedy show.

I'm making several points with this post today:
1) Live with no regrets. Be spontaneous. Plan a road trip near or far -- but do it with those you love and those who have memories from where you're headed. We sure did.

2) Help and encourage someone, who has some fears that keep them from enjoying the fullness of life -- to face those fears and take the first step. They'll be so grateful to you for helping them conquer their fears.

3) YOLO -- you only live once. What are you afraid to do? What do you hide behind that keeps you from getting the most out of this life. After all -- this is the only one you get on this side of heaven -- YOLO -- you only live one.

4) Keep making memories. We talked a lot about my sweetheart today. He loved Six Flags. He always won big prizes for Staci at the games. He loved the shows, especially the Crazy Horse Saloon and the show girls! LOL! We talked about Larry and how his Mom used Six Flags for child care for him. And, we made our own memories today -- laughing so hard at some of our shenanigans that we'll remember for years to come.

Go ahead.....take the first step! YOLO! How appropriate were the t-shirts being sold at the Texas Giant roller coaster: Be a Chicken or Be a Giant.....it's your choice!

Eyes Wide Open: Enjoying God in Everything

Yesterday, when Buddy (Payton’s Australian Shepherd) and I headed out for our daily walk, I seemed to be more in tune to our surroundings than usual. I’m noticing more now about the sweet times I’ve had and am having with the Wallace’s because soon this will all change. Living with them (on and off between my Austin Family and my friends and mother-in-law in Tulsa) is drawing to a close as I’ll be moving to my new place on April 1st. The everyday routines will soon be different as I go back to my single life. For example, I’ve been royally spoiled to Denise’s amazing cooking, hearing my Payton regularly playing his piano, Alexia – randomly popping into my room with “Nana, let’s watch a movie!”, the sweet devotional times with the family and so many other routines. But, it’s time for me to move on to making my own sweet times with new friends and opportunities.

As Buddy and I walked yesterday, I thought about these sweet mornings we've shared. He lies outside my bedroom door, just waiting for me to say the words “walk” and then he goes into an excited frenzy. While we visit – me talking to him, singing to my Lord, saying “Good Morning” to other walker/runners, I watch for details and yesterday morning, more than usual. I remembered when I first came here back in November, that I had a rude awakening to my being so caught up in my surroundings, that I didn't notice the pitfalls, like the sidewalk pictured here that caught me by surprise and I went down in one fell swoop.

You can see the obstacles that could cause one to stumble -- the very cracked sidewalk and the unlevel sidewalk. I have appreciated that Buddy was “walking" trained as a pup because other dogs who weren’t trained and go ballistic when they see him, but he just keeps marching on and looks at them like “What is YOUR problem?” Buddy has taught me not to be distracted by barking dogs or barking, cranky people. Just keep moving along and don’t give them the time of day, other than being an example of a steady, calm and peace spirit.

"The Trails" is the community, where my kids live. That’s because there are biking, walking and driving trails all throughout the neighborhood and golf course. Some of the trails might have some major vehicle traffic. In that case, we just stay consistent, keeping our pace, ignoring the road noise and hustle and bustle of those getting to school and work. That, too, reminds me of the noise that can come into our lives via conflict, anxiety, worry, and need-for-speed, but, like on this walk with Buddy….we just stay in peace and press on to the finish line of our walk. Some of the trails are through the back side of homes where you’ll see swimming pools, back yard havens, children’s swing sets – all that represent rest and peace, which reminds me of Psalm 23 where we read about the Lord being our shepherd and making us lie down in green pastures….but it also talks about “Yea, though I walk through the valley of shadow of death….I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me” -- peaceful times; troubled times – but NO FEAR!

As we rounded our way back to our home street, my eyes went to this beautiful red bud tree that shouts "Springtime ahead!" old things passed away and new birth is here again. Then we came upon these two doves sitting in a tree beside our walk – no sound, no anxiety – they didn’t even get worried about these two intruders walking by them. That makes perfect sense because the dove has long been a symbol of peace. I could hear God speak “Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed upon me.” Isaiah 26:3.

In Steve DeWitt’s outstanding book, “Eyes Wide Open: Enjoying God in Everything”, he explains enjoying God's presence this way:

In Steve DeWitt’s outstanding book, “Eyes Wide Open: Enjoying God in Everything”, he explains enjoying God's presence this way:

“Creation speaks to us — every day, all the time, constantly shouting truths about spiritual reality. Did you hear it this morning as you got up? Did you feel any truth about God this morning as you took a hot shower? Did you taste any truth as you delighted in your morning coffee? Did you hear any divine reality as you heard a bird singing? Did you see any truth as you saw the blue of the sky? What have you actually felt, tasted, touched, seen, and heard today? The whole earth is filled with His glory. Every day creation shouts to us, God is glorious! God is creator! God is provider! God is love! God is there! . Everywhere I look, everything I feel, hear, smell, and taste transmits the beauty of God through the beauty of creation. He is the beauty behind all beauty.”

I think those words summarize my purposeful awe and wonder of all of God’s creation. I saw the Creator’s finest last week at Disney World where God infused imagination, ability, and tenacity into an inventor and creator. This week I’ve seen the Creator’s finest in the morning air, the budding trees, these ears that hear the sounds of the morning, these eyes that see the beauty, this nose He created to smell the rich savors of Spring, this mouth to taste the delicious waffles made by one of his originals….Denise. I sincerely believe that God is in EVERYTHING, so I worship Him in words and song. No wonder I sang these words as I walked yesterday morning “I worship You, Almighty God. There is none like You. I worship You, oh Prince of Peace, that is what I long to do. I give You praise, for you are my righteousness. I worship You, Almighty God. There is none like You."

She Laughs

“She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she LAUGHS without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25. I sure want to be this woman. This scripture speaks of a woman who embodies the balance of strength -- she is strong, holding it all together, while being able to laugh in the face of fear. She’s a woman who walks in the recognition of not only who she is, but Whose she is. No need to fear when God is her Father. I love that “SHE LAUGHS”. And, in a day when there is so much doom and gloom all around, laughing can be that "medicine" that causes us to have a merry heart, in spite of it all.

My post today was inspired by my granddaughter who is into calligraphy and when I saw what she had penned into her journal, “She Laughs. Proverbs 31:25", I knew I had to share it with you. "She Laughs” is me, especially when I'm with my grandchildren. Just yesterday, Lexi, had me in stitches when she was posing with Storm Trooper and Kylo Ren at Penney's.

From December 19th until January 10th, I will have been laughing way more than usual because I’ve been hanging out with my grandkids who take me to a whole new level of LAUGHING OUT LOUD. Last week, my two youngest grandsons were urging me to ride the hoverboard and the simple "try" had me laughing almost uncontrollably, and in this season of life, that can be quite interesting (I’ll leave it at that -- LOL!). Here I am now, back with 15-year old Payton and 14-year old Lexi who seem to pride themselves in seeing just how much they can "tickle my funny bone". As a matter of fact, Payton and I were laughing so hard at some internet postings, that it drew the rest of the family in to see what we were laughing about. Obviously, humor and laughter are infectious.

The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough or sniffle. Don't you just love the "belly laugh" of someone that gets you laughing? My dear son, Larry, is that way. I love watching movies with him because his laugh spreads to others, and we can't keep ourselves from laughing with him. When laughter is "caught", we are bound together in joy. The medical field says humor and laughter strengthen our immune system, boosts our energy, diminishes pain, and protects us from stress. Best of all, this priceless medicine is fun, free, and easy to use.....and we can't overdose on it. Matthew 17:22 says "A merry heart does good LIKE a medicine."

My dear husband's passing and funeral could have been one of the saddest times, if we had let it. But, instead, it turned into a joyous time of celebration and lightheartedness. How could that be? Because we laughed at so many memories of precious, hilarious times and now he was free of pain, so we joined in with his new freedom. Laughter sincerely helped us to keep a positive, optimistic outlook through the difficult times. That laughter went a long way in making us feel so much better.

Maybe it's time for you to try some "laughter" medicine. Pay attention to children and emulate them. They are the experts on playing, taking life lightly, and laughing. The ability to laugh, play, and have fun is such a gift from God.

I pray that you recognize that laughter just may be the needed ingredient for turning your gray skies to blue ones. So go ahead, what ever the future holds, like that Proverbs 31 woman, laughter just may be the key for you to live with "NO FEAR of the days to come."

I Can Do This --- Meet You At The Top

Day 15 of Photo Inspirations:
What could be more exhilarating than being pulled up over 75 feet in the air with just a cord holding you up, and then DROPPED?  Answer:  Being pulled up over 75 feet in the air and dropped with your granddaughter by your side.

Okay, I was the most mature one to tackle the high ropes courses, the tandem zipline, and the low ropes courses, and my granddaugther, Alexia, was the youngest.  We were quite the pair!   But we didn't hesitate to take our turn.  It's all about the adrenaline rush, the I-CAN-DO-THIS attitude, no-fear-allowed attitude, and living-out-loud attitude.  Sure, there could be reasons to step back and let all the kids go first, or go not-at-all.  After all, I'm in the "Senior -- above 60 category".  Don't want to take a chance with a little old lady.  After all, I shouldn't take risks with my body or health.  After all, it requires stepping out of my comfort zone.  After all, someone my age should be just watching the fun.  NOT!!!!

I'm here to tell you -- you are talking about the wrong Mama if you're thinking any of that.  I am a faith-filled, big thinking, bet-the-farm risk taker, and I will not give up until I'm taken up.  Expect to see me running with the wind.  I guess you can tell I’m a little on a rampage about growing older and what that means.  I’m not dead so I’m not done.  

Here's the big deal -- the enemy makes us think we’re obsolete when we get to a certain age.  We don’t age out.  We are just on our way home.    Purpose keeps us young.  And my purpose is to be an example of faith, joy, hope and great expectation.  Most of all I want to figure out how to help more people!  I will not be getting into a rocking chair anytime soon.  How about you?  If you're still here -- whether your 20 or 90 -- you're not done.  We're still young.....and we can do anything we set our mind and heart to do -- to the best of our ability!

I'll meet you at the top of the tower -- let's let it roll together!

What Would You Do to Face Your Fears?

I love success stories -- especially the success stories of my friends. Meet my sweet friend, Kristina Vinberg, from Bellevue, WA. She's been my grandsons' nanny for several years, and I've watched this little gal overcome many obstacles in her life. She was in a car accident a couple of years ago that caused her to have ongoing debilitating pain, but she never let it stop her. She faced the loss of family members and friends, and encountered other tactics by the enemy to take her down, but her strong faith, relentless determination, and absolute conquering spirit has caused her to WIN -- no matter what she faced.

But, my admiration for her resilience and optimism was only strengthened when I saw this video of her doing a tandem skydiving jump last week. That adventure represented what she has had to conquer in her real life experiences. Each negative scheme of the enemy would only cause her to have more determination. I loved watching this video with her and my family -- she was giddy and beaming from ear to ear as she told us how exciting it was. She was so proud of herself, and we are, too! Of course she started out with total fear (she was jumping out of a plane -- whew) but she became completely calm when she realized the strength, expertise and security that her tandem partner provided. In fact, she became so free that she is ready to go for the next exciting thing ahead. NO FEAR, because fear was conquered. When we realize that our Father (our Partner) has the strength, ability and everything we need to conquer in this life, we, too, will know that freedom.

Isn't it time that you and I to face those fears that have caused us to freeze in our tracks and have kept us from the FREEDOM that God wants us to live in?
"In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and He answered by setting me free." Psalms 118:5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJA8tUA0Al8