Welcome to my Wild Frontier!

Maybe not the frontier, but it’s sure been wild at my place. I have felt like Annie Oakley in my determination to rid my home of an outlaw squirrel. This wildlife adventure began several weeks ago when I heard scratching outside my window. I went out to my patio and saw all kinds of wood shavings on the ground. I spied the evil varmint who was cozy in-between my pergola and roof eaves. I shewed him away using a can of bug spray (not harmful to animals) to deter him and he was gone for a week. The next week he returned. I shot my spray and he left again. This went on for a few weeks but no more wood shred because of my keen eagle eyes and ears. But when I went to Austin for a week and returned home, that critter had succeeded in chewing out a 6” x 3” hole, quite adequate for his home in my attic! His tactics were made clear when I heard rustling above my bedroom."Vengeance is mine" saith Donna (rather Annie!).

I sought Dr. Google's advice and found others who had squirrel invasions and how they rid themselves of the nuisance and destruction they can cause. They said, "Use mothballs, fox urine (gasp), animal deterrent spray, a cage trap or get a remove-a-pest company (and plan to pay $250 to $500)." A friend told me I should be glad that I only have one squirrel. He had two squirrels and a possum in his attic! WHAT???

My accomplice, Denise Gerrich, and I went to Lowe’s and found an animal deterrent spray. When an animal smells it, it triggers their natural instinct to escape. When we got to my home, we made sure the rascal wasn't in the attic and then in my best Annie Oakley sharpshooter form, I proceeded to spray the animal deterrent all over the eaves and pergola. The smell was ghastly. I can see why it makes an animal run in terror!

That was a week ago. It's quiet now at Donna's wild frontier. When scurrying up trees, that cute, little furry guy was a friend, but when he started messing with my domain, my peace, my comfort, and MY frontier, he became my foe. Like that annoying squirrel -- so is the enemy of our souls. He pesters us and gnaws away at our hearts and minds trying to invade our thoughts with concerns, doubts, and worry. It can be incessant and troubling -- just like that pesky squirrel. We can let our concerns get to us or we can let go, and let God do what He is best at. What I’ve come to know is worrying gets us nowhere and gives us nothing but sleepless nights and destroys our peace of mind. God’s Word says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Our best defense against annoying intruders or circumstances that try to steal peace is doing what we can and get on the offense instead of letting the enemy take over. Seal up and fortify the weak places, like in my roof AND in our hearts. We apply covering to the vulnerable places to protect our roof and we apply prayer and God's Word to our heart. He will give us His peace that’s beyond anything we can understand. His peace will guard our hearts and minds against the anxieties that can be as persistent as that squirrel. I’m hopeful that the squirrel has moved on to another frontier. I'm also hopeful and determined to be on guard against the enemy of my soul! "Be clear-minded and alert. Your opponent, the devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

When It Seems Impossible NOT to Worry

I know worrying is counterproductive to anything we are pursuing and are believing for, but sometimes it’s just impossible NOT to have “spells” of worrying. We can apply “mind over matter” to the task of not worrying and boldly declare: “I will not worry. I will not worry." But then, here it comes again -- those tinges of worry slip through the crack of our heart’s door.

Winston Churchill said, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never.” That describes the enemy of our souls who doesn't give up on creating anxiety and worry. I’ll never forget the woodpecker that caused us to worry about the side of our home being devoured by this beautiful, yet determined bird. I think Churchill’s quote was the rallying call for that woodpecker that decided the side of our home was perfect for his machine-gun beak exercises. I remember running out the door with a broomstick waving at him like a crazy lady. He’d fly away. Yay! Silence. For one whole minute. I would no sooner go back inside and he was back at it. I ran out the door again and he fluttered away to the neighbor’s fence. I knew he was smirking; I could feel it. By the time I was back inside, he was back at the siding, probably laughing. I don’t remember how we resolved our “bird” issues, but eventually, the machine-gun stopped.

This story, from well over 20 years ago, came flooding back to my memory when I heard someone telling about their own machine-gun woodpecker. Those woodpeckers reminded me of the worries that kept coming to my mind, usually in the middle of the night. The doubts and fears fluttered in, and I would fervently try to figure out a solution. It would be incessant, troubling and, burdensome -- just like that annoying woodpecker. After hours of sleep deprivation, I’d remember: God is God, and I am not, which meant that I had a decision to make. I could continue to let that woodpecker AND my other many worries get to me or I could let go, and let God do what He is best at. What I’ve come to know is worrying gets us nowhere and gives us nothing but sleepless nights and destroys our peace of mind.

God’s Word says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

Aw! Our best defense against annoying birds and circumstances that "drill" on our minds to steal sweet sleep from us, is praying and applying God’s Word to the situation. When we find the enemy drilling holes through constant worry, we can cover those vulnerable places with prayer and God’s Word, which redirects our thoughts and keeps us focused on Jesus. God promises that when we release our worries and turn instead to prayer, He will give us His peace that’s beyond anything we can understand. His peace will guard our hearts and minds against the anxieties that can be as persistent as that woodpecker. The woodpecker eventually went away which is a good reminder to be diligent in prayer and not let worries flutter back and nest in our heads.

Dear Lord, it’s so easy to fall into worry. When our fears and worries are drilling in our minds, help us to stop trying to fix everything ourselves. Please teach us to turn to You in prayer, trust You to be in charge and let Your peace reign over us. In Jesus’ Name, we pray, Amen.

Amping Up Back-To-School Prayers for Our Kids AND Us

I see and hear you mamas who are taking those kiddos to school and college. Some of you are elated to get them back-to-school after a long summer. But others, like my niece who took her daughter to college, said: "I'm not gonna lie, I teared up the moment we pulled onto the campus, again while decorating, and more as we walked about. I have a feeling that I’m not done yet!"

To help those moms saying goodbye to their new high school freshmen, I love how Tulsa's Bishop Kelley High School (where my nephew is a Math Teacher and the Girls' Soccer Coach) has a school tradition of the upperclassmen standing outside and welcoming the freshmen with signs that say "Kiss Your Mother Good-bye", and when they do kiss their mom, they scream for joy. Check out the video here: https://www.facebook.com/BKTulsa/videos/2004578409565118/

While the arrival of the school year brings a fresh, new start, it can carry new concerns to a mama’s heart. This photo is of my two on their first day of school (first grade and third grade in Cleveland, OK). I wondered how they would handle a brand-new school and classroom with kids they didn’t know and if they'd find a close "good" friend and not hang around the wrong crowd. I wondered if they'd do well in their classes. Some of you may be fretting about your prank-pulling middle schooler, earnestly hoping he doesn’t make a habit of getting called to the principal’s office. You may be stressing over academic concerns. “Will my struggling second grader ever make progress in her reading? Will math ever click with my fourth grader who gets hives when he sees a story problem? Will my high schooler graduate with honors, or better yet, will my high schooler graduate?"

But more than all those “school days” concerns, we also long for our kids to be spiritually and physically healthy. Long ago, in my children’s early years, I found an antidote to worrying about my children in the story of Mary and Jesus.

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

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

When we turn our worries into our prayers, we'll realize our children aren’t the only ones being taught; we are learning life-long lessons in trusting and treasuring, knowing God is in control.

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

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

Keep Smiling!

Yesterday’s visit to the dentist with my two youngest grandsons, inspired this post today. I saw that sign on the wall, and of course it called for a photo opt with my two boys. The smiles on these two boys remind me of the joys of a smile and the importance of a simple smile:
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1. Smiling can make us happy (even when we're not).
2. Smiling can make others happy.
3. Smiling makes us more attractive.
4. Smiling can help us de-stress.
5. Smiling can help us land a job, win friends, open the doors of opportunity.
6. Smiling can lead to laughter.
7. Smiling just feels good.

But, with so much to look perplexed about these days...who will be our next president, how to keep our families safe, how to earn enough finances to keep afloat, dealing with a physical issue, how to calm the storms in our lives – how can we possible muster up smiling all the time?

Even more loving and caring than our parents when we were kids, is our loving and caring Father God who wants to help us "worry less and smile more often". As God's children, should we worry and fret? Would He teach us to walk, to watch us fall? Would He give us life, to watch us fail? Would He be nailed to the cross and then disregard our prayers?

Philippians 4:6-7 says "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

God has a wonderful plan for our lives, and part of that plan includes taking care of us -- so let's purpose to WORRY LESS and SMILE MORE OFTEN! I think that's exactly how our DAD wants us to live -- complete trust in His wise and sovereign ways that ensure we are in His loving care.

I'll take that! I'm smiling BIG! How about you!

Worry Less; Smile More Often

Worry Less; Smile More Often
I've posted this photo before, but it is such a powerful reminder of the childlike faith and trust that we all need so much. I just had to share it again for you AND me.

Don't you just love watching a baby sleeping? His/Her adorable little smiles that just indicate their satisfied, care-free existence. Life was worry-free when we were kids and when we had parents who were bigger and stronger than us and were the answer to all our needs and wants.

But for us -- all grown up with lots of responsibilities, cares and concerns, there's certainly plenty for us to worry about. Income tax returns (just started getting my records together), identity theft (some pranksters put fraudulent charges in my bank account), too much month left and too little funds to make it through, who our next president will be (Dear Lord, help us!), or a medical report that wasn't so positive (Had those, too!)

But, even more loving and caring than our parents when we were kids, is our loving and caring Heavenly Father who wants to help us "worry less and smile more often". As God's children, should we worry and fret? Would He teach us to walk, to watch us fall? Would He give us life, to watch us fail? Would He be nailed to the cross and then disregard our prayers?

Philippians 4:6-7 says "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

God has a wonderful plan for our lives, and part of that plan includes taking care of us -- so let's purpose to WORRY LESS and, by the way....SMILE MORE OFTEN! Smile a while and give your face a rest. Let the world know, you know Who's got all the stuff in your life and in the world under control. Smiling could just possibly be the magnet that attracts the people, circumstances, and things you need to succeed and overcome all that is trying to pull you down. I think that's exactly how our DAD wants us to live -- complete trust in His wise and sovereign ways that ensure we are in His loving care.

Blessing or Curse?

I'll admit I was quite amped up with excitement when I saw gas prices yesterday (Kum n Go was $1.43/gal and Sam's Club -- where I purchased -- was $1.38/gal).   Though my car wasn't on empty, I filled it up just in case that number changes today.  A few months ago, when I posted about the low gas prices, a friend of mine commented "what a shame that so many people in the gas & oil businesses are losing their jobs and are suffering because of those low prices".  I think I replied "Let's keep them in our prayers."

I heard a sermon last week about this scenario and it was coupled with the craziness of the torrential rainfall in the Texas area, especially when it has usually been drought conditions.  The pastor said that Texas has received history-making downpours of rain.  I reminder last summer how my kids' neighborhood in Texas was under water restrictions -- no watering their lawns, washing cars, etc.

Think about it....when it rains so much, we are happy that our lakes and rivers are filled, our lawns are watered, farmers are ecstatic that their crops are getting the moisture they need to produce a healthy harvest.  But at the same time, there are people that are quite dismayed that their work depends on "no rain" -- building contractors, landscapers, road construction workers, painters, etc.

Plummeting gas prices means winning at the gas pump for us, but the obvious losers are energy companies and their employees.  There are winners and losers in the continued decline in the price of oil. The obvious winners are consumers at the gas pump. The obvious losers are energy companies. And it will have a ripple effect on other industries.  The same with the weather.....building costs and other industries will sky rocket if the workers can't work.

So REALLY, who are the big winners -- regardless of what the weather or the economy and our future holds?  I don't profess to know the answers, but I DO KNOW the ONE who does, and He gave us His Word to guide us.  Take hold of His promises....and, for sure, our future is so bright, we need shades!

Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you."

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Proverbs 3:5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."