Heart-In-Hand by Mary J. DuVal

River Feast

2012-01-30T17:47:00.000-06:00

I grew up ina loving church family, surrounded by imperfect people trying their best tolove and serve God, in a youth program which nourished and helped me grow andbloom in my faith. These were the years that set a foundation of rich soilunder my soul and said, “Here. Grow.” I was well fed spiritually.

Then I wentto college.

I decided toadd God to my schedule only when it was convenient for me. I checked in withhim every now and then, mostly when I felt overwhelmed or needed something. Mytwenties were lean years in my faith walk, but if you’d asked me at the time, Iwould’ve told you everything was “Fine - Really! God and I are good.”

Truth betold, there was a hunger within me that lay unfed…and I knew it, but working onmy relationship with God was just too inconvenient at the time. It didn’tbother me too much though because, as the saying goes, I had moved away fromGod but I had enough of a foundation to know he had not moved away from me. SoI strung him along behind me for the next 10 years or so, like a childhoodsecurity blanket.

In mythirties, I took a step in God’s direction. I went back to church and foundmyself surrounded by another loving and diverse church family…and I started togrow again. This time it was a mature growth and God blessed me with specialindividuals who represented for me why we feast together at God’s table. I began, slowly, to understand that therewere lots of opportunities for spiritual food, but I had to make a consciousdecision to plant myself next to the Source, next to the river of God’s grace.I became friends with beloved people who showed me what growing my faith beyondthe church’s doors looked like.

A friendgave me the title of my painting, RiverFeast (above), before I painted it and a timely reading of Psalm 1 brings mystory together:

They are like trees planted by streams of water

which yield their fruit in its season,

and their leaves do not whither.

In all they do, they prosper.

~Psalm 1:3

“PLANTED”– not growing wild, not by random chance. I thought about the blessings thathave grown from choices made to plant myself close to the Source. Living watersthat nourish and provide when I commit to living on God’s terms. I included atrimmed branch from the tree as I thought it was important to acknowledge that,idyllic as my painting may seem, this world hurts and harms and often seems outof sync with the Infinite. But good or bad, I give it all to Him. The worldwithers, God replenishes.

It’s oftensaid that a painter shouldn’t explain a painting, and I have already takenliberties. It should be up to the viewer to have their own experience so I willlet you interpret the rest for yourself. For me, it is a reminder that each day I havea decision which way I will go…or grow.

My Heart in Your Hand

2012-01-20T08:36:00.000-06:00

This first post of the New Year, I want to take a moment tothank you for the privilege of sharing my thoughts and inspiration with youthroughout the year. If you only knew how many times I think of things that I’dlike to share with you and then end up feeling too shy about putting anything“out there” that might not come across the way I want it to, that could bemisinterpreted, or even wrong.

2012 begins my fifth year (!) of Heart-In-Hand and I am still amazed that I havethis blog and I share my thoughts with such a wide audience. This sense of vulnerability I have of puttinga bit of my heart in your hand with each post is a risk I continue to bewilling to take with the hope that what inspires me will build you up too. It’s not like I am vastly knowledgeable in anygiven area, and I’m sure I make points that could be argued over. Most of the time, before I hit the publishbutton, I think, “Who am I to assume this isrelevant…interesting…well-written…inspirational?” and then I muster up mycourage and send it off with a prayer that God will be able to use at leastsome part to his benefit and that I have worked faithfully to allow the HolySpirit to guide me.

Ring the bells that still can ring;

Forget yourperfect offering .

There is a crackin everything:

That's how thelight gets in.

—Leonard Cohen

Heartfelt appreciation to my subscribers who send responsesto my posts and share their thoughts with me – you keep me going!

2011-12-13T09:33:00.000-06:00

For a child has been born for us, a songiven to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named

WonderfulCounselor

Mighty God

EverlastingFather

Prince ofPeace

~Isaiah 9:6

Themulti-named messiah, love labels

On a faithshape, every name a promise

And everypromise a present, made and named

All in thesame breath. I accept.

~Eugene Peterson

White.As.Snow

2011-12-06T23:54:00.000-06:00

I see periods used after each word on social media these days

as a way to get peopleto pay attention to each word written.

This translated well into how I felt as I read the words of Isaiah 1:18:

“Though your sins arelike scarlet,

they shall be likesnow.”

White. As. Snow.

The scarlet stain of sin cannot withstand

God’s gift of theinfant Jesus,

…an Emmanuel offeringof a clean, fresh start

Will you accept it?

For in this new babyChrist

is born

the opportunity to claimyour own

fresh start.

Infant holy. Emmanuel.

White.As.Snow.

“Christ the babe wasborn for you!”

Let it snow!

It's No Accident

2011-11-17T09:00:00.001-06:00

IT'S NO ACCIDENT

that the same spirit of love

which created you

is a most powerful ally of

JOY.

When our actions,

our kindnesses,

our very living,

burst forth from this place of love,

nothing

NO-THING

can stop the Spirit

from claiming the goodness

that is bestowed

not just on ourselves,

but also upon those

around us.

It is from

this deep well of God's love

that we can claim our own

JOY.

"Uneven Performers"

2011-11-09T09:29:00.008-06:00

What are your talents?

Are you afraid to use them?

The world needs your talents!

Whether it's the talent of bringing laughter to others,

the talent of kindness towards others,

a talent for saying the right thing to a hurting heart,

the talent of being a willing worker in time of need,

a talent for wise counsel,

the talent of a listening and patient ear...

Do us all
a favor and
start
"singing"!!!!

“All the persons of faith I know are sinners, doubters, uneven performers.

We are secure not because we are sure of ourselves

but because we trust that God is sure of us.”

― Eugene H. Peterson

Finding My Missing Peace

2011-10-12T20:05:00.006-05:00

It used to be that I was uncomfortable with silence - so much so that I would go out of my way to avoid it. The TV or radio were always on. Silence was akin to wearing an itchy wool sweater, I avoided it.

There was no peace in quiet for me.

Finally, I decided to dedicate quiet time to be with God – outside of my normal prayer time.

Do you ever feel like there is a next step you need to take in your relationship with God? This was my next step at the time. At first, sitting in the quiet was uncomfortable. I wanted to start talking right away. I couldn’t clear my thoughts from taking over. I forced myself to refrain. Soon, the quiet time became a gift. Sometimes I talk, but always the quiet first.

My reading of Psalm 40 yesterday inspired me to frame my own thoughts around the time I spend with God and how it helped me find my missing peace:

O God, none can compare with your steadfast love and faithfulness.

And so,

I close my eyes,

I calm my thoughts.

Patiently, I prepare to be with you (v1)

For I have come to understand the gift of this quiet place within myself, Lord,

as the breadth of your presence envelops the furthermost corners of my heart.

With you, I can be my truest self.

“Then I say, ‘Here I am.’” (v7)

I have come to this place both in time of joy and eagerness and in time of anguish and tumult.

You have sat with me on both sides and in the middle. I can feel you stretching from the heavens towards me, inclining your ear to your child.

In times of anguish, I have felt your arms gather me up and “draw me out of the miry bog” (v2) of despair and place me on the solid rock that is your Son. You take my weak, anxious thoughts and “multiply your thoughts” (v5) toward me, a flood of love.

Thank you.

You have given me “a new song” (v3) of praise in my heart.

O God, none can compare with you.

How We Roll

2011-08-30T20:38:00.005-05:00

In 2 Corinthians 6, Paul speaks of the many afflictions he and others have been exposed to in spreading the good news of the Gospel. Despite the enormous challenges and dangers they faced, Paul points out that as servants of the Almighty, part of their calling is to present themselves, in every situation, as exemplifying the following qualities:

“purity

patience

kindness

holiness of spirit

genuine love

truthful speech

and

the power of God”

(2 Cor 6:6-7)

In today’s lingo, Paul is saying “This is how we roll” or how we operate. Though afflictions beleaguer and cultural challenges overwhelm, outer influences should not change how we move through the world as we share the character and good news of Jesus Christ.

I taped these words on the kids’ bathroom mirror a couple of years ago:

Live in such a way that when you put your head on the pillow at night you can say, “Lord, I did the best I could today to honor your name and live out my faith and love for you in both words and deeds.”

They’ve never commented on that note, but it’s ok. I understand it’s easier to read words on a page than it is to live them, same as it was easier for me to print out and tape the words up there than to be a living example. Those are lofty expectations at any age. And mostly we are trying to do our best. Not the kind of “best” we use as an excuse for not doing better, but the kind of best that asks God to help by adding his power and grace into a given day, a given situation.

The Message translation of the last part of 2 Corinthians 6:7 says, “we're doing our best setting things right.”

Thinking of the challenges we face today, that’s a verse any generation could get behind to help them "roll."

Stubborn Stains

2011-08-03T08:26:00.004-05:00

As I removed a tag hanging off the wire hanger of a shirt picked up at the dry cleaners, I noticed there was a large “X” next to the words: “Sorry, this is the best that can be done.”

I would’ve tossed the tag into the trash without a second thought, but something about the words “Sorry, this is the best that can be done” struck a chord in my memory.

When I was 6yrs old, I was the proud owner of a very sweet pair of red Mary Janes. I wore them at every opportunity and remember feeling an extra bit of fabulous whenever I had them on. Around the same time, my family moved to England where we rented the gate keeper’s cottage on a sprawling estate, among old and ancient history, surrounded by farm land and no one younger than 50. Playmates were few and far between, so when a family down the road asked us to visit, I was beyond excited because they had a little girl my age. Dressing to impress, the red shoes were put on for an extra measure of confidence.

No one told me we were going to a pig farm.

I climbed part way up a fence to see the pigs for myself and when my foot slipped, both shoes went directly down into a muddy slop. The little girl who lived there thought it was hilarious and I decided right then there was no future for us if she couldn’t understand what a disaster this was. Mother tried to clean them up as best she could, but the smell was horrendous and her efforts were an exercise in futility. I tried wearing them, stains, smell and all, but they were unbearable. As much as I hated to let them go, the shoes had to be tossed out.

And so with life sometimes, we journey in this world hoping for the best, for happiness, and good times, and companionship, and instead end up walking or falling into a mess.

We are left with stains. And the best that could be done was not enough. The heart that so recently beat was not able to survive the operation. The relationship that shared everything now languishes unattended. The dreams long strived for have little resemblance to the current situation. Time for letting go.

But our letting go is not a giving up… it is a giving over. We give this stain, this pain, over to God. We let go so we can let God. For God knows these stains have left their imprint on our heart, and He asks us when we give them over to Him to trust that:

“…in the gulf of our unknown being [He] works behind our consciousness… coming forward through regions of our darkness into our light, long before we begin to be aware that he is answering our request – has answered it, and is visiting His child.” ~Geo MacDonald

Answer

2011-06-23T07:52:00.002-05:00

Flipping the Switch, Flexing the Heart

2011-06-19T21:10:00.007-05:00

“…I prefer a flexible heart to an inflexible ritual”

~Matthew 12:7b (MSG)

Back in the day, we wouldn’t think of going to church wearing anything less than our Sunday best. On one particular Sunday evening, my mother and I debated about attending a church choir function because we had spent a long day working outside and if we were to do the usual getting ready, we wouldn’t make it on time. Mother didn’t want to go without dressing properly and I reminded her of Billy Joel’s popular song at the time “Just the Way You Are,” ensuring her that Jesus would love us going “just the way were were.” To my dismay, she agreed and we brushed ourselves off and headed to church. I would have bet money at that time that she would be inflexible about the “dress code”, yet she surprised me.

The inflexibility of the Pharisees when it came to following the Mosaic Law brings to mind the image of a train on its tracks headed in one direction. The path ahead was clearly set and there was no diverging off the main line…until Jesus came along and flipped the switch on their law-driven living. The law itself was not the problem as it was God-given; it was their single-tracked approach to it that failed to recognize that something greater – Jesus Christ himself - was in their midst.

“I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.” ~Matthew 12:6 (NIV)

Mother agreeing to go to church without getting dressed up was an acknowledgement of “something greater” being more important at that time and place. That moment was more about love than a practiced ritual.

Are you able to flex your heart muscle when the occasion presents itself? How flexible is your heart when it comes to a loved one in your presence? Or are you more likely to stay the course because it’s what you always do?

Our lives should not resemble an iron horse of law and duty that will not be diverged off-track, but rather an engine that moves with the power and direction of love, ready for when Jesus flips the switch for something greater.

Super Thriving in the Holy Present

2011-05-30T21:56:00.003-05:00

When I was growing up, I spent a lot of time helping my parents gardening in our orchard. Whenever we would plant something, we would add the tiniest spoonful of “Super Thrive” to the water. My teenage brain wondered how such a tiny bit could make a difference in comparison to the gallon of water we put it in, but this was some highly concentrated potion! The bold claims on the packaging always fascinated me:

“Extra Life”
“Greatest Guarantee-Offer Proof Ever”
“#1 Activator”
“#1 Reviver”
“#1 Extra Grower”
“Millions of Molecules of World’s Science Miracles in Each Drop”

Galatians 6 tells us to “Sow to the Spirit.” Each morning, we have a new opportunity to decide how and where we will plant our seeds of the day. But unless we “Sow to the Spirit,” we risk that our cultivating will be non-productive. So how do we “Sow to the Spirit”? The best way we can do that is by offering ourselves up to help bear one another’s burdens.

Bear one another’s burdens,
and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
~Galatians 6:2

The number one law of Christ?
“Love one another, as I have loved you.”

~John 13:34-35

When we put our feet on the floor to get out of bed, we can perceive it as just another day or we can commit to not just thrive, but to super thrive in the holy present, thereby cultivating in ourselves the Fruit of the Spirit (LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL). The Holy Spirit is ready and willing to add that Super Thrive to the good we bring to others today.

Wherever you find yourself needed today, “Millions of Molecules of Miracles” might result from a mere concentrated drop of your attention for someone whose burden you can share.

The Giver Is in the Gift

2011-05-22T22:22:00.000-05:00

My Own Hosanna

2011-04-14T07:25:00.006-05:00

And I who looked for only God, found thee. ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

At one time in my life, I felt that even though I had been raised to know and love God, a type of spiritual blindness kept me from truly seeing Jesus.

John 9 tells of the man blinded from birth whom Jesus healed by making a paste of clay and his own saliva: [Jesus] …spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man's eyes, and said, "Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "Sent"). The man went and washed - and saw. ~John 9:6-7

As is to be expected, those in Jerusalem who have known this man to be blind from birth are shocked and dismayed and they want answers as to how this came about. The leaders of the day are urging him to deny Jesus as the one who restored his sight.

16 Some of the Pharisees said, "Obviously, this man can't be from God. He doesn't keep the Sabbath." Others countered, "How can a bad man do miraculous, God-revealing things like this?" There was a split in their ranks. 17 They came back at the blind man, "You're the expert. He opened your eyes. What do you say about him?" ~John 9:16-17 What do you say about him?”

As we near the Easter celebration and raise our voices with the chorus of “Hosannas” this Palm Sunday, how can we not also wonder about our own answer?

For so many years, while I believed that Jesus was God’s son and acknowledged him as my savior, I embarrassingly hid from others the fact that I didn’t understand Jesus’ true place in my everyday life. Eventually, I decided to come right out and ask God to remove this darkness from my eyes with a simple request, “Please show me Jesus.”

They said, "You're nothing but dirt! How dare you take that tone with us!" Then they threw him out in the street. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and went and found him. ~John 9:34-35

This would have been a terrible fate for any Hebrew, this casting out. With his newly restored vision, this man is cast out and away from everything he’s known, everything that has provided him security in the past. He had to feel so alone. And yet the story does not end there because we are presented with this intimate action of a savior with great compassion who searches him out, for him to understand, “You are NOT alone.” This is the Savior we serve. This is the Savior I have come to know and serve. A Savior who seeks us out. A Savoir who seeks me out. A Savior who cares about individuals. A Savior who cares about me.

Thinking about Jesus’ triumphal ride into Jerusalem, and the spectators that crowded the route, I wonder if this former blind man, cast out of Jerusalem might have been standing among the celebrants on the parade route. As Jesus passed, perhaps he shouted, “Lord, Remember me?! It’s because of you that I can see!” And when their eyes met, in the eyes of his Savior did he see the love, the compassion, the determination that spoke to every individual that day and in the days to come. “I will never forget you. I’m doing this for you.”

“Thank you God, for letting me see Jesus.”

Hosanna!

Because He First Loved Us

2011-03-06T22:23:00.004-06:00

"...treating everyone you encounter as Christ would treat him ~ in the next five minutes, all your life long ~ will do more to further the coming of God's true kingdom, than all you could do with a million [dollars], were it handed you to spend "in his work" the moment you finish this sentence."

~George MacDonald

Toilet Paper Penguins

2011-01-26T09:13:00.005-06:00

“The Holy Spirit does not hesitate to use any method at hand to make a point to us reluctant creatures.”
~Madeleine L’Engle

Arduous days of little ones creating messes faster than I could clean them up and answering phone calls from the pantry just so I could have a moment uninterrupted now feel like a blip on the radar screen of my memory. The intensity of demands on a young mother’s time is constant. Fast forward, and I wonder as I walk through my mostly quiet house how this transition happened in what seems like the blink of an eye.

A niece of mine, who is in a completely different stage of motherhood (her four ranging from newborn through grade school), shared a recent “God moment” with me:

“I was tackling the never ending paper pile on the kitchen counter when I came across a toilet paper tube penguin that one of the kids made at school. My first through was, ‘how many things can they make out of TP tubes?” I almost trashed it when God spoke to my heart: ‘It won’t always be this way. You will not have toilet paper penguins in your home forever.’ So often, I rush towards the next stage of life. My newborn has really brought that home for me. She has taken me back to a place in my life that I thought I had completed. Apparently, God still has some good lessons for me here in babydom.”

“I put the penguin on my nightstand to remind me not to rush the next stage. My husband and I now say to each other ‘Toilet Paper Penguins’ when one of us says, ‘I can’t wait until we don’t have to change diapers…the kids can bathe themselves…we aren’t always picking up around the house.’”

As I read her email, I thought of the toilet paper angel made for me 15+ years ago by my little girl, tucked away in some odd box for safe-keeping. It wasn’t easy tracking it down. As I triumphantly pulled it out of its shoebox, the years washed over me and it felt just as precious as the day she gave it to me. I proudly carried it downstairs to place on my nightstand as a reminder to make the most of given moments, whatever stage in life we happen to be occupying.

Time flies...
…toilet paper penguins…and angels.

“Normal day let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.” ~Anonymous

"...Oh yeah, and That Too"

2011-01-11T12:30:00.004-06:00

But I nearly missed it,
Missed seeing his goodness.
I was looking the other way… (Psalm 73:2-3a)

2011 begins and I fall into the excitement and plans that a new year brings. I’m not sure why this is so because you could say it’s like any other time of year, but I feel the anticipation of a new start and goals rejuvenated. I am MOTIVATED!! Then again, I pretty much do this every year. Like all the people crowding into the gyms on January 2nd, I fall right in with those who step out with a new determination to accomplish and succeed at what may have escaped us last year.

Last week, in the midst of my planning frenzy, thrilled at the list growing in size before me, I happened upon this photo posted by a young friend. I paused barely long enough to tell myself, “Oh yeah, and that too.” But I kept seeing that darn sign in my mind. SLOW DOWN. Drats. Not part of the plan of action. How does that help me accomplish my goals? Even more irritating, it felt true…truer than my lofty plans written on paper.

It’s about balance, isn’t it? And needing to be reminded that for all our goals, we won’t get far if we don’t balance our lives with quiet time spent each day in God’s presence. The older I get, the more I realize the precious gift of even one quiet moment in His presence. The New Year list is safely tucked away in my nightstand for periodic review, but I’m also creating a prayer card to post in my early morning coffee spot to use as a daily reminder:

Father,
Open my ears,
Still my thoughts,
Prepare my heart.
Help me yield to your Holy Spirit,
So that today you would delight in teaching me a deeper truth, working mightily through me,
For I long to be your servant.

I’m not scrapping my list. But I do have a new perspective.
The year will unfold as it should.
I’ll be doing well to embrace today with its own unique challenges and blessings.

“This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 (NLT)

The Best Gift of All

2010-12-24T10:08:00.005-06:00

Back in the day, when I taught Sunday School to the littlest children, I was always coming up with these extravagant craft projects that were probably a little over ambitious with regards to age appropriateness. Part of the fun was breaking down an idea to where it was do-able. This called for lots of behind the scenes preparations.

Pictured above is a present/ornament we made one Christmas. We even made the boxes - I must've been crazy! While it looks like a simple little gift box when closed, you open it up and inside is Baby Jesus in his manger. Hands down, this is my favorite and each Christmas, when I hang one made by each of my own children on the tree, all over again I remember how much fun we had making them. When we did this project, I had enough supplies so each child could make two, one for their family to keep and one to give away to whomever they wanted.

God gave us the gift of his son Jesus that Christmas morn, but it's not a gift he forces on us. I like Luke's tag because it's a reminder that we have a part to play in our own Christmas story.

The sovereign God wants to be loved

for Himself and honored for Himself,

but that is only part of what He wants.

The other part is that He wants us to know

that when we have Him

we have everything --we have all the rest

~A.W. Tozer

"Emmanuel"

2010-12-22T22:08:00.003-06:00

Watch for this - a virgin will get pregnant and bear a son; They will name him Emmanuel (Hebrew for "God is with us")

~Matthew 1:23

Charles Stanleywrote this about "God with Us":

"One of the most debilitating emotions is loneliness...That is why one of the most comforting names given to our Savior is Immanuel - God with us. Because of the indwelling Christ, believers are never separated from His permanent presence. We are in Christ and He is in us. What an encouragment! What a comfort! What an assurance! We always have a shoulder to lean on - the broad shoulders of Immanuel. We always have Someone to listen to our heartache - our constant Companion and Friend, Jesus...

Don't let the adversary and accuser rob you of the peace and joy that come from experiencing and enjoying the sweet presence of our God. No sin, no deed, no trial can ever diminish the full presence and acceptance of Christ once you have become His child through faith.

God is with you.

God is for you.

God loves you.

Allow his presence to fill any void.

~Charles Stanley

"The World Is the Manger"

2010-12-20T08:55:00.005-06:00

Frederick Buechner's writings never fail to get my mind thinking in new ways. His manner of word crafting often causes me to pause and re-read, re-think and decide for myself. I like that in a writer. Here's an excerpt from him on Christmas that I'd like to share:

"The lovely old carols played and replayed till their effect is like a dentist's drill or a jackhammer, the bathetic banalities of the pulpit and the chilling commercialism of almost everything else, people spending money they can't afford on presents you neither need nor want, "Rudolph, the Red- Nosed Reindeer," the plastic tree, the cornball creche, the Hallmark Virgin.

YET FOR ALL OUR EFFORTS, WE'VE NEVER QUITE MANAGED TO RUIN IT.

That in itself is part of the miracle, a part you can see. Most of the miracle you can't see or don't...The world is the manger. It is only by grace that [we] happen to see this other part of the miracle. Christmas itself is by grace. It could never have survived our own blindness and depredations otherwise. It could never have happened otherwise...

~Frederick Buechner, "Beyond Words"

"Our Kneeling Places"

2010-12-19T14:14:00.008-06:00

A dear friend gave me an advent devotional put together for their church. I hope I can find time this week to pass along some Christmas inspiration to you like this one from the book "Kneeling In Bethlehem"

In each heart lies a Bethlehem,

an inn where we must ultimately answer whether there is room or not.

When we are Bethlehem-bound, we experience our own advent in his.

When we are Bethlehem-bound we can no longer look the other way, conveniently not seeing stars, nor hearing angel voices. We can no longer excuse ourselves by busily tending our sheep or our kingdoms.

This Advent let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that the Lord has made known to us.

In the midst of shopping sprees, let's ponder in our hearts the Gift of Gifts.

Through the tinsel, let us look for the gold of the Christmas Star.

In the excitement and confusion, in the merry chaos, let's listen for the brush of angel's wings.

This Advent, let's go to Bethlehem and find our kneeling places.

~Ann Weems

Today, will you stop, kneel, and listen for the brush of angel's wings?

L'Chaim People

2010-12-10T22:57:00.007-06:00

"Recently, as I was checking out at a store, I commented to the cashier “Wow, I can’t believe it’s already December 1st!” Her resigned response: “I would just like to get through it as quickly as possible to the New Year.” The honest response weighed heavy on my heart as I walked out with my groceries. I’ve been there before.

One Christmas, loss was a much closer companion than the joys of the season as I lost my father just a few days before Christmas. Even surrounded by love and a faith that sustained me, the joy of that Christmas felt fragile.

We experience many kinds of loss and the holidays seem to render them more poignant. Some have experienced or are in the midst of experiencing great adversities, yet they move through this world with a peace that those close to them view with amazement. In the midst of struggles, we see them doing more than just getting through. Throughout the year, they inspire those around them, choosing to embrace life…and even go forward in joy.

In one of my treasured books, My Grandfather’s Blessings, Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. speaks of how her grandfather explained the meaning of “L’Chaim” (לחיים – le CHI yeem), a Hebrew toast meaning: “To Life.” A young girl at the time, Remen inquired of her grandfather whether its meaning was a reference to a “happy life.” He responded by telling her:

“It is just ‘To life!’”

Seeing the confusion on my face, he told me that L’Chaim meant that no matter what difficulty life brings, no matter how hard or painful or unfair life is, life is holy and worthy of celebration. “Even the wine is sweet to remind us that life itself is a blessing.”

Remen goes on to write:

“L’Chaim is a way of living life. As I’ve grown older, it seems less and less about celebrating life and more about the wisdom of choosing life. In the many years that I have been counseling people with cancer, I have seen people choose life again and again, despite loss and pain and difficulty. The same immutable joy I saw in my grandfather’s eyes is there in them all.”

Writing this post has caused me to spend some time thinking about who these people are in my life. L’Chaim People who inspire us in our moments when we feel over burdened, overwhelmed. For every name I can think of, I’m sending up a prayer of thanks to our Father in Heaven for putting them in my life.

I love the image of families standing around a table, raising their glasses and proclaiming “L’Chaim!” and in so doing, acknowledging that whatever life may hand to us, together we will proclaim it holy and worthy, embracing the joy of the Lord.

L’Chaim, my friends! L’Chaim!

The joy of the Lord is your strength.
~Nehemiah 8:10

It Takes A Lifetime

2010-10-29T22:27:00.005-05:00

"The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him." (Romans 12:3)

There are verses in the Bible which I read and feel immediately humbled by because I know I'm not there yet. They are what I refer to as the "IT TAKES A LIFETIME VERSES". Human nature and personal tendencies urge us to forget them or replace them with our own ideas and understandings. The point is not to be discouraged but to pray for guidance, keep trying and remember...there is G-R-A-C-E in this space of a lifetime.

When you read God's Word, you must constantly be saying to yourself, "It is talking to me, and about me." --Soren Kierkegaard

Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand. --Mark Twain

A Gift of Words

2010-10-16T09:51:00.005-05:00

“If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we

should cast the gift of a loving thought into

the heart of a friend…that would be giving as

the angels give.”

~George MacDonald

When I think about good things left unsaid, I think about a friend who passed away after her short battle with cancer. It wasn't until after she died that I realized there were a few things I wished I had told her. She was not a close friend in the sense that we talked all the time or even saw each other often (other than Sundays), but when she passed, my heart wished I had told her how much I appreciated her being my first new friend at church and how welcomed she had made me feel from the instant she first included me in her conversation with a few other ladies. It seemed like a small thing to say, why hadn't I taken the time to say it? One of the legacies that Carol left me and that continues on today is that I feel soul-convicted, whenever possible, to not let good words go unsaid. Because of her, I make more of an effort not to let those good thoughts stockpile inside of me where they lay undelivered.

Words can become gifts to ears that yearn for kind and sincere sentiments:

Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help. That way, God's bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus. ~1 Peter 4:10-11

In God's economy, there is no shortage in the supply of good words to pass around - be generous with the people you encounter today - if you have good thoughts for them, why not turn them into "bon mots"?

"If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person."~Fred Rogers

"Learning, Following, Growing"

2010-09-03T09:22:00.004-05:00

Several of my favorite scriptures in the Bible are located in the Old Testament, but sometimes, reading from it leaves me feeling my ability to grasp what I’m reading is beyond what I’m capable of understanding. I feel stuck when I struggle with stories that don’t make sense on first reading. Over time, I’ve made peace with the fact that it takes an awful lot of studying, patience and prayer to bring to light the importance of so many of its stories and lessons.

In his book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, Eugene Peterson writes:
“No literature is more realistic and honest in facing the harsh facts of life than the Bible. At no time is there the faintest suggestion that the life of faith exempts us from difficulties. On every page of the Bible there is recognition that faith encounters troubles.”

As a painter, I struggle against static interpretations of landscapes, trying to put movement in them. In a similar way, as I read, I challenge myself to remember that God’s written word is not filled with static renditions or irrelevant stories; it is infused with movement and life.

“The Bible shows us God present and active in and among living, breathing human beings, the same kind and sort of men and women that we are. Imagination is the capacity we have of crossing boundaries of space and time, with all our senses intact, and entering into other God-revealed conversations and actions, finding ourselves at home…” ~Peterson (p.205)

I look through my Bible with the “footprints” I left behind as I moved through its pages – coffee stains, highlighting, margin writing, scraps of paper. Lying open in my hands, I see pages of faith encountering troubles. I see in it paths from previous readings that give evidence of my own reaching for life applications and supplications. With gratitude, I view the neon-highlighted, triple-underlined, joyous messages of hope and promise that have sustained me and have settled into my heart’s home.

It is an ongoing, committed movement in partnership with the Holy Spirit that allows God’s message to come alive and breathe new understanding, prodding us to continue, as Peterson says, “learning, following and growing.”

“They are not monuments, but footprints.
A monument only says, ‘At least I got this far,’
while a footprint says,

‘This is where I was when I moved again.’”
~William Faulkner

To Be Determined

2010-08-02T10:14:00.004-05:00

A wise friend once said, “You really can’t call it a faith journey if you have to know exactly where you’re going.”

A friend of mine was writing how her family took an adventurous trip, without a road map. They loaded up the car and headed out with no destination other than seeing where the roads would take them. What a charming, fun approach to a weekend road trip. If any of you are like me, my “to do list” never far from hand and a self-acknowledged planner at heart, this aspect of trusting the journey to reveal its own purposes represents a loss of control we aren’t always comfortable surrendering to. And yet, what a fun idea!

I enjoy people who are adventurous at heart. I think I was better at it when I was younger. On occasion, we need someone to jostle us into reminding ourselves we don’t always have to be the ones in charge, plan at the ready.

Abraham is a wonderful example of faith in what was yet to be determined as he waited for God’s promises to be manifested in his life. One can almost feel the “letting go” in the tension of Abraham’s life when he finally resigned himself to letting God be the determining factor in the course of his future, at the pace and time chosen for him by God…the actual point at which he himself finally decided to believe what God could do through Abraham was bigger than what he could ever dream for himself.

When everything was hopeless, Abraham believed anyway, deciding to live not on the basis of what he saw he couldn't do but on what God said he would do. (Romans 4:18)

Personally, I’m thinking I've made decisions based on what I couldn't do more frequently than I care to admit. It just seems…well, safer. It takes a much larger leap of faith in trusting what we can do if we let God be the guardian of the “to be determined” in our life. How different Abraham’s whole outlook must’ve been when he was basing his life on the fact that he couldn’t’ have kids rather than basing his life on what God COULD do in it?

… And so he was made father of a multitude of peoples. God himself said to him, "You're going to have a big family, Abraham!" 19 Abraham didn't focus on his own impotence and say, "It's hopeless. This hundred-year-old body could never father a child." Nor did he survey Sarah's decades of infertility and give up. 20 He didn't tiptoe around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, 21 sure that God would make good on what he had said. 22 That's why it is said, "Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right.” (Romans 4:18-22 MSG)

“Trusting God to set him right” is trusting God for what is still “to be determined.” There’s no need to “tiptoe around God’s promises,” we can be bold and adventurous. Boldness has God in it! As verse 21 says, “He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God.” With every day comes a new adventure and we can claim for ourselves the same bold trust that Abraham had in what God can and will do.

Photo credit: MKBurrows

What Mama Read Out Loud This Morning (A Good Way to Start the Day)

2010-06-28T10:44:00.003-05:00

May every soul that touches mine --

Be it the slightest contact --

Get therefrom some good;

Some little grace; one kindly thought;

One aspiration yet unfelt;

One bit of courage

For the darkening sky;

One gleam of faith

To brave the thickening ills of life;

One glimpse of brighter skies

Beyond the gathering mists --

To make this life worth while...

~George Eliot

Spiritual Sherpas (Out of the Wild)

2010-06-08T09:14:00.007-05:00

“...We are guides into God's most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them. The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge.”
(1 Corinthians 4:1-2)

When heading out into the wilderness, onto unfamiliar trails, having and following a good guide is important. I was talking with someone who has ventured out on many hunting trips over the years and asked him about what makes a good guide. He said the worst guide had used their supplies without asking, wasn’t at all knowledgeable of their surroundings, and he led them to cabins full of holes with an outhouse that was up the hill and flowing toward the cabins. The best guide he’d experienced took great care of them along the way, took his job seriously, was extremely knowledgeable and led them in prayer before meals.

You may have heard the expression, “Don’t walk behind me, I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me, I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend” (Unknown). However, there are times we need more than a friend or a teacher. We need a guide, someone to take the lead for us. And God provides. How many times have we felt lost on an unfamiliar trail of life, unprepared and afraid to take the next step? And God presents us with that very person we needed to lend an ear, to share the experience, to point us in the right direction, even sometimes, to take the lead for us.

“[God] comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.” (2 Corinthians 1:4)

We’ve all known the feeling of being taken out of our comfort zone and plopped into unfamiliar territory without any idea of what direction we should take or even how to manage that next step. Perhaps it is when a doctor delivers a diagnosis, a spouse asks for a divorce, when life gives us what we do not want, or any number of unanticipated scenarios that leave us feeling we are on an uncharted, precarious course.

A recent 20/20 program about hiking Mt. Everest discussed the use of native Sherpas as guides. According to this program, “local Sherpas know the weather, route, and mountain extremely well and assist climbers, but don’t make critical decisions about when to summit or even when to turn back.”

The very best of our own Spiritual Sherpas do that for us as well. They are there to share their knowledge and enlighten us with their experience; but they are not there to make our decisions for us. They may lead us at the start, but their ultimate goal is to serve God’s purpose and then willingly move beside us and be our friend.

Have you spent time thinking about your own Spritual Sherpas? Do you get the same feeling as I do that they could be sent by none other than God himself?

It’s a humbling thought, but maybe God is calling you to be a Spiritual Sherpa for someone who is starting out on an unknown trail, a trail for which you have much experience and knowledge to share. May God bless you as you move on to tell his story and serve his purpose:

From all the neighboring nations of the earth.
Now they move on to tell the story
Of what has been and is, but also is to come.
God in the now prepares them for the future;
The end is not yet - with him it is just begun.

~ "In Exploration of a Vision" (Brendan the Navigator)

Graduation: Not In This LIfetime

2010-05-10T15:00:00.003-05:00

No matter our age or experience, we are never officially graduated from the learning and growing that comes with our commitment to allow God to be the beloved teacher that molds and makes us into the dedicated student of His Ways and of His Grace. He’s just never done with us! Thank goodness God is a patient and loving teacher because at that very moment we are single-minded and can be proud of what we’ve learned, at the next turn we find ourselves stumbling and in need of further direction.

I'm single-minded in pursuit of you; don't let me miss the road signs you've posted.

~Psalm 119:10

My good friend was telling me last week about a sign that appeared out of nowhere, poking out in the multitude of debris in the backyard of her bayside home, after Hurricane Ike. The sign stated: WEAR SHOES ON PIER

Despite the sign and its clear warning, she chose to walk on the pier without shoes and ended up with a large splinter of wood in her foot. Three months of high-dose antibiotics and a great amount of pain was suffered before it was finally discovered and removed. I knew all about her foot injury, but last week was the first I’d heard of this signage in the yard. I asked for clarification. “You mean there was an actual sign that said that?” She looked me square in the eyes, and said “Right there in the middle of the yard!”

“What I like about experience is that it is such an honest thing. You may take any number of wrong turnings; but keep your eyes open and you will not be allowed to go very far before the warning signs appear.”

~CS Lewis

“Experience is such an honest thing.” And so it is. My friend admitted, “Yes, there was a sign, and yes I ignored it.” Now she has the sign prominently posted at the entrance to their pier, a reminder for all to wear shoes on the pier but also a reminder to herself that God is passionate in his own attempts to communicate and teach us about life and what happens when we go forward and ignore his attempts at guidance.

God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course.
~Psalm 119:33

As much as we hate to admit it, the lessons we learn from experience, with all its consequences, are often those we learn the best. We’d like to think we are smart enough to heed warnings and use our common sense; we don’t have to think very long to remember a time we chose to ignore a warning or take a wrong turn…and suffered the consequences.

And should I wander off like a lost sheep - seek me! I'll recognize the sound of your voice.

~Psalm 119:176

My friend’s sign has become for her a “visible physical reminder of [an] invisible spiritual truth” (Vaughn, Ellen). God wants us to invite him to be a part of every step we take but he is like the teacher who is willing to do everything to help the student learn, but knows nothing is accomplished by doing the lesson for them.

My troubles turned out all for the best - they forced me to learn from your textbook. Truth from your mouth means more to me than striking it rich in a gold mine.

~Psalm 119:71-72

We strive to be the kind of student who not only read the textbook, but enjoyed the textbook. And when we finally stand before our Teacher we hope to say:

“Oh, how I love all you revealed.”
~Psalm 119:97

Note: Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm in the Bible. I outlined and messed around with this blog and found no anchor for my writings until I asked for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and turned to this wonderful Psalm. I used the Message translation and found it to be so full of “good stuff” that I hardly knew what to choose from its rich bounty. I encourage you to look it up and read it in its entirety.

The Earth Sings in Flowers

2010-04-24T22:57:00.002-05:00

“It is always springtime in the heart that loves God.”
~Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney

This week I nearly passed up an opportunity to spend a day enjoying sunshine, cool temps and nature with my mother because I felt like I had too many other pressing responsibilities to handle. Every now and then, we need to listen to those inner voices that offer rest and rejuvenation over our usual “trying to put the big pot in the little pot” (as my cousin would say). So mother and I set out on a wildflower adventure.

When we finally came upon the field pictured here, I teased her, “Ok, get out there and pose!” She commented that I should have someone young and beautiful out among the flowers to photograph instead of her. What could be more beautiful than this pose?!

I doubt someone younger could’ve captured this moment of joyful gratitude in a better manner than she. And if you know my mother this is not the pose of someone who doesn’t know what to do with their hands in a picture. It couldn’t be more intentional and I picked up on it right away. It’s the pose of someone who has embraced life with all its ups and downs, and for whom this outward posture of gratitude reflects an inward celebration of God’s love and blessings.

“Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean revel in him!” Philippians 4:4

Can You Drink This Cup?

2010-04-02T08:57:00.003-05:00

Picture this life of ours as a cup.

Poured into this cup is a complex mixture of joy and sorrow, security and doubt, love and pain, success and defeat. We do not choose the proportions and no one else has the same mixture that we do. On some days that mix feels weighted in favor of joy and we are glad to drink from our cup. It’s a celebration. Other times, it becomes bitter with agony and we want to cry out, “I don’t want this cup! I didn’t ask for this!”

In the garden, Jesus himself prayed, "Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do you want?" (Luke 22:42)

Jesus was, “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 53:3) He knew these sorrows of ours intimately and took them upon himself so that the sorrows of our life would not embitter and overshadow the great love that our Father has for each and every one of his children.

In his book “Can You Drink the Cup?” Henri Nouwen writes:

“Drinking the cup of life makes our own everything we are living. It is saying, ‘This is my life,’ but also ‘I want this to be my life.’”

“Often when we wish to comfort people, we say: ‘Well, it is sad this has happened to you, but try to make the best of it.’ But ‘making the best of it’ is not what drinking the cup is about. Drinking our cup is not simply adapting ourselves to a bad situation and trying to use it as well as we can. Drinking our cup is a hopeful, courageous, and self-confident way of living. It is standing in the world with head erect, solidly rooted in the knowledge of who we are [God’s beloved child!], facing the reality that surrounds us, and responding to it from our hearts.”

We are touched by people who have responded to their cup, full of challenges and heartache, who have chosen instead to focus their trust in the love that the Father has for them and in turn they echo the words of Jesus, “Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do you want?"

It is this example of Christ himself who stands by and gives us the courage and faith we need to drink the cup “that makes our own everything we are living.”

(Note: I found Nouwen's words in a book which I just completed last month entitled "The Essential Henri Nouwen." I found it to be a very compassionate and uplifting book and highly recommend it to anyone who would like to add it to their own inspirational readings).

You Say/God Says

2010-03-25T23:35:00.003-05:00

I came across a copy of an email that I’ve seen many times over the years, but I happened to read it differently this time. The original email contains the phrases “You say/God Says” at each line and also makes note of the scripture where it can be found in the Bible, which is very handy. However, reading it without all the extra distractions today, it sounded different to me. I think many of the phrases felt familiar to my own prayer life at times and can even be read as one continuous litany:

"It's impossible."
All things are possible.

"I'm too tired."
I will give you rest

"Nobody really loves me."
I love you.

"I can't go on."
My grace is sufficient.

"I can't figure things out."
I will direct your steps.

"I can't do it."
You can do all things.

"I'm not able."
I am able.

"It's not worth it."
It will be worth it.

"I can't forgive myself."
I FORGIVE YOU.

"I can't manage."
I will supply all your needs.

"I'm afraid."
I have not given you a spirit of fear.

"I'm always worried and frustrated."
Cast all your cares on ME.

"I don't have enough faith."
I've given everyone a measure of faith.

"I'm not smart enough."
I give you wisdom.

"I feel all alone."
I will never leave you nor forsake you.

(author unknown)

Our inner voices may mislead and beat us down, but as Joan Chittister states:

“When I am feeling battered by life

– sometimes even life at its best –

I take a deep breath and remember that though God is in all of it,

God is also greater than all of it.”

Step by Step, One by One

2010-03-11T21:49:00.005-06:00

This is poem by Barbara C. Ryberg seemed to be a perfect acompaniment

to the dandelions I found growing in our yard today. I liked that each stage of

the dandelion's life was present in this single plant:

"STEP BY STEP"

He does not lead me year by year,

Nor even day by day.

but step by step my path unfolds

My Lord directs my way.

Tomorrow's plan I do not know,

I only know this minute;

But He will say "This is the way,

By faith now walk Ye in it."

And I am glad that it is so,

Today's enough to bear:

And when tomorrow comes, His grace

Shall far exceed its care.

What need to worry then or fret?

The God who gave His son

Holds all my moments in His hand

And gives them one by one.

~Barbara C. Ryberg

First Love

2010-02-13T22:49:00.001-06:00

We, though, are going to love - love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.
~1 John 4:19 (msg)

Acknowledging this precious “first love of God,” redefines all of our capabilities of loving and shows how that same first love was intended to be fruitful and extend beyond ourselves to others.

Joan Chittister writes:
“The people who love us do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. They release the best in us; they shoulder us through the rough times in life; they stretch us beyond the confines of our own experiences to wider visions, to truer vistas. They show us the face of our creating, caring God on earth.”

That Which Cannot Be Shaken

2010-01-22T08:54:00.008-06:00

My feet are planted
on this rock

And I will not be shaken
~Australian Hillsongs, “All Things Are Possible”

My thoughts over the past week have been occupied with events that shake us to the core of our beings and threaten our foundations. The recent earthquake in Haiti started me thinking about how individuals strive to recover from events of great magnitude in their lives, natural or human.

Events that shake us to the core leave our souls bruised, our hope weakened, and our connection to God feeling fragile.

We wonder, "How is it that still we stand?" There is something that God gives to us that speaks louder than words and concrete answers as to these mysteries of life that leave us battered and bruised:

It’s all grace.

Bonhoeffer writes about grace being free, but that it is not cheap. It comes at a cost:

"It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God."

I came to a point in my life where I realized that whatever happens in my life, there is no place where I can go to hide from God. I may pull away from him, question him, neglect him, but he will never abandon me. The harsh realities of the world may try and drive a wedge between Him and I, but there is a security which is the priceless gift of grace that marries both the mysteries and realities of the world we live in to a Groom who has committed his love and support to us unconditionally.

My hope it comes

from You alone

My Lord and my salvation
~Australian Hillsongs, “All Things Are Possible”

Hebrews 12:27 - This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Isaiah 54:10 - For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won't walk away from you, my covenant commitment of peace won't fall apart."
The God who has compassion on you says so.

2009-12-16T21:16:00.002-06:00

Each Christmas, I find myself doing little reality checks with my heart, “Does it feel real yet? Can I feel what I am working towards is the celebration of Christ’s birth? Or have I yet again succumbed to the commercialism and culture that runs roughshod over my Christmas spirit?

When will that moment be that His birth feels special to my heart this year? I’m usually waiting expectantly and half the time, I’m pretty sure I’m not doing the right things to help it out. Sometimes it takes so long, I feel ashamed for being so far off track.

I know it won’t happen in the form of “Happy Holidays” or anything else that tries to smooth out the contours of a culture that feels it might be easier for everyone if the birth of the Christ child faded to the background during the holiday season instead of being its prominent feature. I think that’s a little of what scares me about people exchanging “Merry Christmas” in favor of “Happy Holidays” and “holiday tree” instead of “Christmas tree.” I feel like shouting, “People, a little help here, please! It’s already hard enough to keep His birth at the centerpiece of Christmas!”

This year it snuck up on me in the form of two greetings and one great kid. First, I received a greeting that said “Merry Christmas!” and then the person writing went on to say, “It feels so good to say that.” I had to pause, because I hadn’t thought of that before, but it really does feel good to say it; maybe because each year it feels we are closer to losing it if we aren’t intentional about using it. The second greeting was a reinforcement of the first because she wrote “Merry CHRISTmas” which gave me a connection with someone else who must feel the need to protect it too.

But what really opened my heart this Christmas was hearing that my great niece had rearranged her family nativity scene after it had been set out on display. She told her mom she had rearranged the original formation into what she claimed was “the way it should be.” As you can see in the photo, she didn’t leave much room for doubt as to where the focus should be.

Let’s keep it real: “Merry CHRISTmas”
The way it should be.

The Nativity in Art

2009-12-11T22:14:00.005-06:00

Welcome! All wonders in one sight!

Eternity shut in a span,

Summer in winter, day in night,

Heaven in earth, and God in man.

Great little one!

Whose all-embracing birth

Lifts earth to heaven, stoops heav’n to earth!
~Richard Crashaw

I enjoy collecting images of the nativity, so when I had an opportunity to go to the National Gallery of Art in October, I was delighted to see several of the paintings in real life for the first time.

There is much symbolism used in the art of the nativity, symbols which would have been understood by the people who viewed the art in the era it was created. I enjoy trying to figure out why the artist included this or that subject or object or composition.

For example, Cosimo’s “The Nativity with the Infant Saint John,” (at left) is one of numerous paintings that include the infant John the Baptist with baby Jesus. Many artists leave baby Jesus exposed and uncovered on the ground and I think, “Poor baby!” but I expect that’s because the artist wanted his humanness to be very obvious and clear.

Oftentimes, Joseph seems almost an afterthought and in many works he appears in miniature, as he does here, coming down the stairs. (Stairs=God’s descent to earth).

“The Adoration of the Magi” (Fra Angelico, c. 1445) while not one of my personal favorites, is a famous nativity which is all the more amazing when it is seen in person. The imagery is not as intimate as most nativity paintings, but it certainly grasps the idea that the Jesus has come as savior to all with its long line of waiting worshippers.

The inclusion of the peacock is a direct reference to eternity and resurrection. Another common sight is the ox and ass which are representative of the old and new testaments respectively.

"The Nativity,” (Lorenzo Lotto, 1523) has long been a favorite of mine. Here we see more than a simple nativity celebrating the birth of Jesus but also a surprising inclusion foreshadowing his death on the cross. In the pastoral distance, a figure stands on a hill overlooking a flock of sheep. Could this be a depiction of Jesus as shepherd? I like to think so.

It’s a masterful composition that beckons us to remember that this precious child grew up. It encourages us to go beyond the initial obvious focus of attention in the foreground.

In the painting and in life we are called to acknowlege the amazing birth and death of our savior…and then we are quietly invited to walk beyond, to join him where he waits for us to continue the journey…waiting to be the shepherd that guides us every day of our lives.

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T16:43:00.004-06:00

"Rest In Me"

2009-11-15T20:15:00.003-06:00

Sleepless nights sometimes offer the most honest moments in my talks with God. I lay there as thoughts and happenings of the day settle in. Such thoughts can weigh heavy and don’t always create the most restful environ.

In the book “Blue Like Jazz,” Donald Miller writes:

“At the end of the day, when I am lying in bed and I know the chances of any of our theology being exactly right are a million to one, I need to know that God has things figured out, that if my math is wrong, we are still going to be okay.”

Our pastor, before reading the scripture on Sunday mornings, always says a prayer which includes “Silence in us any voice but your own.” It struck me what a useful prayer that would be to remember on those nights where my own thoughts chase away hopes of sleep.

Jesus talks about burdens that weigh heavy on us and make us weary. He tells us to give them to him and he will give us rest.

Matthew 11:28-30
28 "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

“All shall be well,
And all shall be well,
And all manner of things shall be well.”
~Julian of Norwich

I Am Weak, But He is Strong

2009-10-26T21:45:00.003-05:00

The following is a great little analogy. It’s from “Teaching Your Children About God,” by David Wolpe:

A boy and his father were walking along a road when they came across a large stone. The boy said to his father, “Do you think if I use all my strength, I can move this rock?” His father answered, If you use all your strength, I am sure you can do it.” The boy began to push the rock. Exerting himself as much as he could, he pushed and pushed. The rock did not move. Discouraged, he said to his father, “You were wrong. I can’t do it.” His father placed his arm around the boy’s shoulder and said, “No, son. You didn’t use all your strength – you didn’t ask me to help.”

Anyone who has been around kids knows there usually comes a time when a little one adamantly proclaims, “I do it myself!!”

As with the child, most adults become even more determined to handle life’s obstacles on their own, a latter proclamation of their maturity and ability. After all, it seems we have something inside us that is ashamed to admit, “I can’t do it.” Something inside makes us feel less than adult if we admit we need help. Even worse, someone might label us as “weak.”

In Matthew 17, the disciples are asking Jesus why they were not able to drive out a demon when they understood that God had given them the ability to do so. The opening to verse 20 (Message Bible) is what caught my eye. Jesus says, “Because you’re not yet taking God seriously.”

It caused me to pause and ask myself in what ways I am not yet taking God seriously. Definitely when I delude myself into thinking “I’ve got this covered” – whatever that big stone IT is at the moment. Maybe, just like the little boy trying to move the rock, the disciples were so focused on proving they could do it that they forgot to ask for help through him who gives strength.

“…and then he told me, my grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

"Because you're not yet taking God seriously," said Jesus. "The simple truth is that if you had a mere kernel of faith, a poppy seed, say, you would tell this mountain, 'Move!' and it would move. There is nothing you wouldn't be able to tackle." Matthew 17:20

Harvest Time

2009-10-06T14:01:00.008-05:00

Joan Chittister writes:

"Life is a thing of many stages and moving parts. What we do with ease at one time of life we can hardly manage at another. What we could not fathom doing when we were young, we find great joy in when we are old. Like the seasons through which we move, life itself is a never-ending series of harvests, a different fruit for every time."

An old, familiar, and often heard axiom in our family is "You reap what you sow." I am thankful that the Master Gardener tills the fertile soil of our souls. I pray that my life will reveal the harvest that God intended and ask for help for those times I have selected weak or diseased seeds and nurtured them rather than the seeds of love, grace and his word, so freely offered.

(Today's artwork is a bookmark from the Fall of 1997 - an oldie, but a longtime favorite. I used to make bookmarks all the time and pass out to friends. I have always done some form of art, whatever that particular time in my life allowed).

"Waking Into a New Day"

2009-09-11T09:54:00.012-05:00

I received this sunrise photo from a dear friend this week and it was just too good to pass up in pairing with this wonderful quote from Frederick Buechner:

Darkness was upon the face of the deep,

and God said, "Let there be light."

Darkness laps at my sleeping face like a tide,

and God says, "Let there be Buechner."

Why not?

Out of the primeval chaos of sleep

he calls me to be a life again...

...He calls me to be this rather than that;

He calls me to be here rather than there;

he calls me to be now rather than then...

...Waking into the new day,

we are all of us Adam on the morning of creation,

and the world is ours to name.

Out of many fragments

we are called to put back together a self again.

~Frederick Buechner, The Alphabet of Grace

Each morning, as you awaken, how wonderful to imagine God eagerly awaiting you opening your eyes, calling you into the self that He is daily creating with you.

He is whispering, "Good morning, Child, let there be YOU."

Let the morning bring me word

of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143:8

Putting Up Fences

2009-08-24T09:24:00.005-05:00

I proudly present to you a photo that my niece Maddy took several months back. I have been waiting for just the right saying to pair it with and this one, by Michelangelo, fit so nicely. Do you notice the sun's rays or the wire from the fence first? Does that say more about the composition of the photo or your outlook on life?

So much of what we come across in our life journey feels like a "fencing-off" from God's glory, preventing us from seeing Him right in front of us.

I have come to understand the many fences I have put up between God and myself over the years, keeping me from His glory and from my true place in His heart. I have come to know that it is I who am responsible for putting up these fences and not God. But it is God who has shown me that his son Jesus came to tear down those fences, allowing me access to His glory and love...limtless and abounding.

"God did not stay at a distance from us to toy with us. God

was not close when we were perfect and far away when we

were not. God was ours for the asking. God is with us.

Here. Now." ~Joan Chittister

Here. Now. No fences.

Beloved & Blessed

2009-08-05T07:43:00.009-05:00

Luke 3:22
…and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
"You are my Son, the Beloved;
with you I am well pleased."

It’s a beautiful moment in the Bible when God openly declares his great love for Jesus during his baptism. A part of me, when I read it thinks, “Would God say that about me? Would he say that I am his beloved and that he is pleased?”

If you’ve read The Shack, you may have noticed that in several points in the novel, Papa (God) makes reference to the fact that she is “especially fond” of someone in the book. The 2nd time it occurred, I questioned, “Surely the author is not trying to say that God has favorites?”

But haven’t we all wondered that at times? We wonder if God considers some more beloved than others. We wonder if, when hard times come, God may not love us as much as we thought he did. Or maybe we wonder if there is something we could do that would cause God to love us more. Maybe we fear that he’s not as pleased with us as he is with some others, therefore affecting his love for us.

“To the degree that those fears have a place in your life,
you neither believe I am good nor know
deep in your heart that I love you.
You sing about it; you talk about it,

but you don’t know it.”
~Jesus to Mack in The Shack

God’s love for us is separate from our actions. God’s love for us is not dependent on our actions, no more than our love diminishes when our own children behave in ways that disappoint and discourage us.

By the third time Papa states that she “is especially fond of someone” I realized that, given the opportunity, it’s a message that God is trying to convey to each and every one of us, not just a chosen few.

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.

~St. Augustine

In a beautiful little book by Henri Nouwen entitled, Life of the Beloved – Spiritual Living in a Secular World, Nouwen aims to get the same message across: “You are beloved by God,” and...

…“The voice that calls us the Beloved

wills us words to bless others
and reveal to them that they are no less.”
~Henri Nouwen

At the end of The Shack, Papa asks Mack to relay a message to a friend of his. “Tell Willie I am especially fond of him.” When we acknowledge the gift of our own belovedness, we can’t help but want to encourage others claim to their belovedness as well.

Beloved and blessed, that’s what you are.

After all, God is especially fond of you.

A is for Adventure

2009-07-13T14:03:00.004-05:00

“God, who got you started in

this spiritual adventure, shares

with us the life of his Son and

our Master Jesus. He will never

give up on you. Never forget

that.”
~1 Corinthians 1:9 (MSG)

I have always admired people who approach new opportunities with a sense of adventure. The boldness and determination to approach life’s unknowns with confidence is enviable to those of us who drag our feet at the thought of change. We all deal with feelings of uncertainty and trepidation before striking out on new paths, but perhaps genuine confidence comes from being willing to first examine doubts and fears and then look beyond them to the possibilities of what lies ahead.

Something about the 2nd verse of Amazing Grace caught my attention this past week as I was writing this post. At first glance, these two lines put together sound contrary:

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved;

“Grace” taught my heart to fear? Shouldn’t grace relieve fears?

There is a great amount of grace that goes into the life decisions we make and fear is perhaps what gives us pause and turns our hearts toward asking God’s help rather than relying on our own weak and reckless understandings.

Having done that, God’s grace will give us the strength to set aside fear and step out with confidence when we know the “God who got us started on this spiritual adventure” and gladly shares that journey with us, will follow through to the end.

“You are tough because the Spirit of God lives in you – and if anyone tells you otherwise, you want to meet them outside. Whether things are good or bad, happy or sad, difficult or easy, you’re in the middle of a God-ordained adventure that changes day by day – sometimes second by second. You are never abandoned, never destroyed.”
~Thelma Wells, The Great Adventure (A Women of Faith Devotional)

I feel that perhaps I am being called to consider some new adventures. I’m not sure yet what steps I need to take or where I will be lead, but the thought of setting out is less fearsome when I remind myself that God and I are in this together and His grace is sufficient for all my adventures …day by day, second by second.

2009-06-26T10:08:00.005-05:00

"I hope you're proud of

yourself for the times

you've said 'yes' when

all it meant was extra

work for you and was

seemingly helpful only

to someone else."

~Fred Rogers

A Lion Dream

2009-06-12T18:23:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite lion images is that of Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis. When a friend and I were talking about dreams we’d had recently, she told me about her “lion dream” and I was glad she did because I felt like it was a message I needed to hear at the time. I asked her permission to share it here:

“In the midst of my dreams, I "woke up" and a huge lion had his front leg wrapped around my left thigh. He was hugging me and it felt good as long as I relaxed. If I squirmed, He squeezed me tighter and I was afraid of his strength. I didn't want him to wake up, because what would he do? Eat me? I wasn't sure. As long as I relaxed, I felt safe.

It seemed so real; I can remember the fur on his leg, the size of his paw, the sound of his breathing. Then I realized it was a dream. It wasn't until the next morning that I recalled the dream.

Why did I dream that?

I hear people in Bible Study talking about being "born again", and they say, "You will know it when it happens." I wonder "Have I been born again?" It's been rather a long process for me. I've always had faith in the Lord for as long as I can remember. I know He's helped me/carried me through many challenges and blessed me beyond what I could have imagined for myself, but I can't say "I'm born again"...I feel like I've been "born" over and over.

To me, this dream means God has a hold on me and He's not letting go, so I just better relax and rest my mind from all the worry this world lays on us.

I am so thankful, it brings tears to my eyes.”

When she told me the part about the lion tightening his grip when she wasn't relaxed, it made me think of the times I lean more towards being fear-full than trust-full in a situation. I feel disappointed in myself when I realize just how inclined I am to think about my weaknesses as opposed to God’s strength.

I also like this excerpt from Lewis’ “The Silver Chair” (which I found in his book, "Words to Live By") :

“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion.
“I am dying of thirst,” said Jill.
“Then drink,” said the Lion.
“May I – could I – would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill.
The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And as Jill gazed at its motionless bulk, she realized that she might as well have asked the whole mountain to move aside for her convenience.
The delicious rippling noise of the stream was driving her nearly frantic.
“Will you promise not to – do anything to me, if I do come?” said Jill.
“I make no promise,” said the Lion.
Jill was so thirsty now that, without noticing it, she had come a step nearer.
“Do you eat girls?” she said.
“I have swallowed up girls and boys, women and men, kings and emperors, cities and realms,” said the Lion. It didn’t say this as if it were boasting, nor as if it were sorry, nor as if it were angry. It just said it.
“I daren’t come and drink,” said Jill.
“Oh dear!” said Jill, coming another step nearer. “I suppose I must go and look for another stream then.”
“There is no other stream,” said the Lion.
It never occurred Jill to disbelieve the Lion, no one who had seen his stern face could do that – and her mind suddenly made itself up. It was the worst thing she had ever had to do, but she went forward to the stream, knelt down, and began scooping up water in her hand. It was the coldest, most refreshing water she had ever tasted. You didn’t need to drink much of it, for it quenched your thirst at once. Before she tasted it she had been intending to make a dash away from the Lion the moment she had finished. Now, she realized that this would be on the whole the most dangerous thing of all.

~ “The Silver Chair” by C.S. Lewis

Sitting Back and Enjoying the Ride

2009-05-28T13:02:00.003-05:00

Catch my drift? I know you do.
Sometimes I need to be reminded.

I think the friends God sends us go a long way in

keeping us smiling and laughing,

reminding us of the good in life.

So often, it is their kind gestures, smiles,

phone calls and shared moments that get us through the day.

The best ones are those who we can trust

when the road is bumpy or smooth, long or curvy,

the ones we can be ourselves with,

and who aren't afraid to tell us when

it's time to stop worrying

and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

The Hard Task of Love

2009-05-18T19:31:00.006-05:00

Last week was a “learning week” in which I felt God was challenging me to see things His way -with loving eyes - instead of relying on my own inadequate, myopic attempts at understanding. First, I was confused and upset, then asked God to lead me, and finally acknowledged that I can’t see the big picture (or my place in it) yet.
As I wondered what my place was, what was being expected of me, how I could be relevant, I picked up and re-read a short book by Henri Nouwen, entitled In the Name of Jesus.

Nouwen, writes how he “stepped away from the academic life to accept a call to be a priest for mentally handicapped people and their assistants...[and moved from] the best and the brightest, wanting to rule the world, to men and women who had few or no words and were considered, at best, marginal to the needs of our society.”

Nouwen points to how the first temptation Jesus faces in the desert is to be relevant, to change rocks into bread. Anyone who has a business, works, guides a family, loves a spouse, teaches a class, serves on a committee, has a blog that you want people to read, or any other numerous activities is prodded by this same temptation to be relevant. I know I am.

As I read along, I was struck by the idea that God does not need us to be relevant, He needs us to love others. My first thought was, “Easier said than done.” Here’s how Nouwen writes about it:

“The question is not: How many people take you seriously? How much are you going to accomplish? Can you show some results?
But: Are you in love with Jesus?”

Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves him. My kids get annoyed when I repeat things to them, but when I use this tactic, it’s because I want to be sure they heard me right, that it really sinks in and that later, they won’t say, “I didn’t hear you say that.” My repetition is a way of making sure they get it. Jesus wanted to make sure Peter “got it” and he wants us to “get it” too.

The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.”
~John 21:17

In the same manner, if we love Jesus, we will feed His sheep. Feeding his sheep means we will act even though we fear, give even when we don’t feel generous and love even though it’s hard.

It seems easier to be God than to love God,
easier to control people than to love people,
easier to own life than to love life.
~Henri Nouwen

I Finally Read It (Now I’m Recommending It)

2009-04-29T14:14:00.004-05:00

Most people know I’m an avid reader and lead a book club, and they often come up to me and ask, “Have you read ______________?” With this particular book, it got to where I would finish the sentence for them and say, “The Shack? No. Not yet.” So many asked.

I put off starting it a long time, even though I had heard such positive reviews of it. The premise of this fictional story is a difficult, tragic subject matter and that was the main reason I lacked the enthusiasm to start it.

It wasn’t until one of my own teenage sons read it in 3 days and begged me to read it that I couldn’t put it off any longer. In an age of video games and movies, when your kids get this enthusiastic about a book, you take note.

Wow. I wish I’d had this book when I was younger.

Did you ever have a great teacher who helped you to learn without even trying because they were so good at explaining? Their enthusiasm was contagious.

That’s the way this book reads. I felt I was receiving an explanation of theological concepts (specific to my interest, the Trinity) which in the past made me feel like I was trying to grasp at air. As I read, I kept saying to myself: “That makes sense.” “I get that.” “Why didn’t I ever think of it that way?”

And I was saying: “When you look at it that way, it’s so beautiful.”

For me, one of the most intriguing talks between the Holy Spirit and the main character, Mack, surrounded a fractal.

A fractal in The Shack is described as, “something considered simple and orderly that is actually composed of repeated patterns no matter how magnified. A fractal is almost infinitely complex.” When the Holy Spirit shows Mack a fractal, he says it just looks like a mess to him. She tells him:

“This mess is you! Together you and I, we have been working with a purpose in your heart and it is wild and beautiful and perfectly in process. To you it seems like a mess but to me, I see a perfect pattern emerging and growing and alive – a living fractal.”

I don’t mind telling you I was very late in coming into a relationship with the Holy Spirit in my own life and it’s one I’m still working on. The Shack confirmed for me so much of what I am only just beginning to learn about the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit. The simplest way I can think to say it is that the Holy Spirit is my Helper.

In another point in the story, God tells Mack,
“You try to make sense of the world in which you live based on a very small and incomplete picture of reality. It is like looking at a parade through the tiny knothole of hurt, pain, self-centeredness, and power and believing you are on your own and insignificant.”

We need the lenses of Holy Spirit to guide our heart’s eyes, to keep us from being limited by that same knothole perspective. It’s hard to see the pattern behind the “mess.” But with the Holy Spirit as our guide and helper, God’s full purpose for each life eventually comes into being.

___
You can see more information on fractals here, (which can get highly mathematical and endlessly fascinating but hurt my brain after just a little research). I had fun creating my fractal art, but suspect it’s not quite mathematical or self-similar enough to be a true fractal. Oh well, it's "purty." :0)

Lord, Please Keep Their Lamp Burning

2009-04-16T18:48:00.006-05:00

As I prayed for a special someone today, words didn’t come easily for me. What might they need to get through their day? How could the prayer I lifted up be more specific to their needs instead of my more typical “please bless so-and-so”? I imagined that their walk today might feel like one where darkness becomes easier for their mind to focus on than light.

So I prayed that where the darkness of pain, fear, uncertainty, doubt and more encroached, God would shine His brilliant light of faith, hope and love as a beacon to guide them.

Even in
the uttermost
depths of darkness,
I see before me

your light of hope;
your light of faith,
and your light of love
burning deep within me,

Giving me
an unspeakable,
peaceful
assurance,
Knowing you will perform
what you have spoken.
~Kathy Troccoli

“[Jesus] is beyond our seeing, but in the darkness where we stand, we see, thanks to him, something of the path that stretches out from the door, something of whatever it is that keeps us trying more or less to follow the path even when we can hardly believe that it goes anywhere worth going or that we have what it takes to go there…”
~Frederick Buechner

My friend, Jerry, writes about a light too, this week, at his Celtic Crossings blog. You can read it here.

He Will Have Us

2009-04-02T11:54:00.009-05:00

My Bible buddies and I continue to work our way through the Old Testament. We are currently in Jeremiah.

Sometimes, it’s really TOUGH getting through the readings. One particular day a few weeks ago, I read a chapter and asked myself, “Now, what the heck am I supposed to take away from that?” Chapter after chapter are stories of people turning away from God, not listening to Him or his prophets, not living in ways that honor Him. (Yep, in many ways it sounds like today too).

I rejoice when I get to a verse of hope and promise. And then I am humbled and reminded that we have the privilege of reading the Old Testament with a New Testament perspective. Reading the OT shows us just how necessary Jesus was to the story of humanity and to our own stories here and now.

Putting down my Bible after one of these tougher chapters, I reached out, picked up another book, and went right to the quote:
“He will have us even though we have shown we prefer EVERYTHING ELSE to Him.”
(C.S. Lewis)

It felt like God's answer to my question, "What am I supposed to take away from that?" just moments before. I picked my Bible back up, found the very first page marked Old Testament and wrote that quote beneath the title.

The artwork for this posting was inspired by illuminated manuscripts which have always fascinated me. (Did you notice how the “H” is formed by 2 OT scrolls?). I wrote the quote in my Bible, but if you send me your address here, I will mail you a free laminated copy of my artwork for you to use as a Bible bookmark. You can request up to 2 additional ones to share with friends. (I will make a maximum of 50 of these so get your request in soon!)

Romans 8:32
If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us?

Graduating from the Kiddie Table

2009-03-19T08:47:00.002-05:00

A long-standing tradition in our family is the kiddie table at large family gatherings. Always a smaller version of the adult table, my mother went to great pains to make it as pretty and with the same decorations. Over the years, debate went on about what age is appropriate for the “move up,” mostly by teenagers who thought their time had come to be considered more of an adult than a child. As a young mother, I thought the kiddie table was ingenious. I actually got to eat a meal and enjoy it among adults (!!) while the older cousins kept watch. For this reason, their moms probably made some of those cousins stay a little longer than they wanted to.

Finding a family photo of an Easter dinner together in the 1960’s (the inspiration for this drawing), I began thinking about spiritual maturity and how some of us would be very content to stay at the “kiddie table” of our faith for however long we could manage it. Sometimes, I feel like the spiritual maturity I have came kind of late, but God likely has the say so for when we are ready for the “move up.” Other times, I feel like there are areas of my life where I am trying to convince God I am not ready for the big table yet! I do feel pretty strongly though that in the years where I was a Christian without a committed prayer life, I was the one responsible for keeping myself a baby in Christ.

Eugene Peterson states: “The apostle Paul used growth words frequently as he urged people to enter into the full implications of their life in the Spirit. ‘When we become mature in the faith,’ he said, ‘we will no longer be infants,…(but) we will in all things grow up into him who is the Christ.’” (Ephesians 4:14-15).

By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one - baby's milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago!
Hebrews 5:11-12 (MSG)

Good Words to Start Any Day

2009-03-04T13:37:00.002-06:00

I’m feeling “Spring” around the corner…promise, hope, new growth. This prayer is a longtime favorite of mine. Right off the bat, the author of this prayer asks for help this day only and the ending paragraph is huge. I love the way everyday can feel like a new beginning with God. Think of these words as an invitation to God to begin something new in you this day:

Help me THIS DAY to live a
simple,
sincere
and serene life,

repelling PROMPTLY every thought of
discontent,
anxiety,
discouragement,
impurity,
and self-seeking;

CULTIVATING
cheerfulness,
magnanimity,
charity,
and the habit of holy silence;
exercising economy in expenditure,
generosity in giving,
carefulness in conversation,
diligence in appointed service,
fidelity to every trust,
and a childlike faith in God.

In particular,
I will try to be faithful in those habits of
prayer,
work,
study,
physical exercise,
eating and sleep
which I believe the
HOLY SPIRIT
has shown me to be right.

And as I CANNOT IN MY OWN STRENGTH DO THIS,
nor even with a hope of success attempt it,
I look to THEE, O Lord God my Father, in Jesus my Savior, and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

~ From “Forward Day by Day”

Walking 65,000 Miles in a Lifetime

2009-02-19T20:50:00.004-06:00

In the book "Life's Journeys According to Mr. Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way," Fred Rogers wrote:

"I've recently learned that in an average lifetime, a person walks about 65,000 miles. That's two and a half times around the world. I wonder where your steps will take you. I wonder how you'll use the rest of the miles you're given."

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."
Proverbs 16:9

Loving the Right Things

2009-02-12T08:22:00.006-06:00

When people who follow Jesus love the right things, they help create God’s kingdom on earth; and that is something beautiful.
~Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I think about how hard it can be sometimes to “love the right things.” It’s easy to be good at loving the hearts and flowers and chocolate-y kinds of things in any relationship. However, these touch only the surface of what it means to truly love and be with someone in any kind of relationship, through thick and thin, through joyous occasions as well as the trials of life.

Antoine de Saint Exupéry in his book The Little Prince, wrote, "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." (One cannot see well except with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eyes).

What is essential, in love and in life, can only be seen rightly when we view the world through Jesus’ eyes and when he is allowed to make His home at the center of our hearts. Loving the right things means following Jesus’example of love in all our relationships, and in so doing we see the very real presence of God’s kingdom on earth. And that is, indeed, something beautiful.

Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it.
Romans 12:9 (The Message)

Love is the language every heart speaks,
And Love is the answer to all that man seeks.
~Helen Steiner Rice

After Winter Comes Spring

2009-02-04T17:53:00.004-06:00

The God of
spring's new life,
of summer's joy,
and of
autumn's
fullness,
is also
the God of winter's chill.

Although we never know
what lies buried beneath
the frozen stillness,
we can trust that,
surely,
after winter
comes the spring.
~Debra Kingsporn

Spring is just around the corner and the days are becoming warmer. I'm starting to think of spring plantings and flowers. Still, the winter sun feels so good and the leaveless trees provide interesting sculptures. It won't be long now before spring green is everywhere.

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show.
~Andrew Wyeth

Dragonfly Messengers

2009-01-22T06:28:00.003-06:00

“God is always trying to give us good things, but our hands are too full to receive them.”
~St. Augustine

Around the time I had decided it was time for me to get serious about my commitment to prayer, I was reading a book entitled “Jesus, Life Coach,” by Laurie Beth Jones. In it, she describes a personal ritual she has whereupon whenever she sees a ladybug, she takes it as a love note from Jesus. “I see you. I love you. I’m with you.”

The first thing I did after reading this was to chide myself for thinking God might not be interested in making this deal with me. Nonsense. He is always trying to manifest his love for us in any number of ways.

So I selected a dragonfly as “our” messenger. Can I tell you how much fun this has been? The many unexpected moments in which a dragonfly has appeared before me and I am reminded to stop and say, “Thank you, God. I love you too.” Sometimes I laugh at God’s timing and chuckle at the sudden appearance of a dragonfly when I am caught up in my own schedule and busyness. So often it has helped me to get my priorities back on track and left a smile on my face.

Last year, on a particularly tough day, I went out on my back patio to pray as I will often do and as I sat in tears, I looked up to see a cloud of dragonflies hovering over my yard.

“I see you. I love you. I’m with you.”

“Thank you, God. I needed that. I love you too.”

“Do you believe you are worth a special ritual?
(You are).”
~Laurie Beth Jones

Isaiah 55:3 (MSG)
Pay attention, come close now, listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words. I'm making a lasting covenant commitment with you, the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring LOVE.

Whether Forecast: Cloudy with a Slight Chance of Prayer

2009-01-15T09:28:00.002-06:00

Whether I would pray or not for many years depended on whether I managed to squeeze in a tiny moment here or there. “On a whim” might be a good expression to use. Heavy laden to-do lists definitely took more of a priority when I planned my day’s activities.

My first realization of the presence of God in my life was in 3rd grade, at around 10 years of age. My first true commitment to making prayer a priority in my life came over 25 years later. Why the gap? I’m still not sure I know the answer to that question. I do know it was a gap that aggravated me no end, but for all my aggravation I never really took the necessary steps to rectify it. I would pray here and there, now and then, when there was time, when there was a crisis.

It wasn’t until a man stood up at a church meeting and confessed that he had finally given himself over to allowing God to help him do better with his own prayer life that I made a commitment to figuring out my own. I really admired this man for the humble stance he took of standing up there and saying “I’m still trying to figure it out.” It made me feel like I was getting permission to go ahead and try, even mess up, but at least make that commitment to try. And to know that I didn’t have to do it alone, if I asked Him, God would help me.

I decided to start on a slow track. If I could say one small phrase to God every day, what would it be? “I love you. Thank You. Help me.” Surely, I had the time for that! And because of my nature, I had to think of some kind of daily memory trigger to remind me and I decided to do it after I dropped the kids off at school and whenever I saw a dragonfly (I know, random…more on that story next week).

And God took this little tiny prayer offering and helped me develop it into a prayer life that enriched and changed me. God will take whatever small offerings we lift up to Him and expand them in ways we would never imagine possible. Do I still mess up and forget to pray? Oh, yes. Do I think there are many areas of my prayer life that need improving? Absolutely. In a lifetime of “whether forecasts,” my prayer life may be as unpredictable as the real weather. But I rest in the comfort of knowing that He and I are working on this together.

“God is my hiding place from the tyranny of the urgent!”
~Barbara Johnson

“God wants to reveal himself to us, not so that we will have him figured out, but so that we will trust Him and develop a relationship with Him.”
~WAU
(I apologize for this weak reference – I’m on the hunt to find the actual book it was in).

Favorite Inspirational Reads from 2008

2009-01-07T09:10:00.007-06:00

I am one of those readers who keeps 2-3 books going at a time. I like it this way because I can pick up whichever one fits my mood at the moment. Often times, it is inspiration I need and for that reason, I wanted to share some of the books with you that inspired me in 2008.

2008 marked my jump into the world of Christian fiction. Although I'd read a few good ones over the years ("Lord of the Rings," the Narnia series and such), I somehow got this poor idea that most trade paperback Christian fiction sometimes lacked literary value. I'm so glad my narrow-mindedness was proved wrong. One of the many novels I read, "Mark of the Lion" is a trilogy by Francine Rivers of which the first book is "A Voice i n t he Wind." It follows a Jewish Christian slave girl as she is taken to Rome after the fall of Jerusalem. In Rome, she works for a family whose lives are falling down around them in the midst of decadence and worship of mythological gods that leave them empty and searching. Her commitment to God, while strong inside, feels lacking to her when she tries to share it with others. Reading about her growth and willingness to serve is a true inspiration. (One tip, not a spoiler: if you read the first of the series, be sure to read the first chapter of the second book right away. I think most copies have it at the end of the first. You will be glad you did). Oh, and forget getting anything done once you get started reading it!

I have always enjoyed C.S. Lewis but have read only a few of his many books in their entirety so I was happy when I found "Words to Live By: A Guide for the Merely Christian," a compilation of selected writings from all of his books and letters which are conveniently categorized A-Z under headings such as "prayer," "effort" "holiness," etc. I like his writing because he makes me think and continue pondering his words even after I've closed the book. A sample:

On Prayer: "I am often, I believe, praying for others when I should be doing things for them. It's so much easier to pray for a bore than to go and see him."
~C.S. Lewis

When my mom really likes a book, she buys a multitude of copies over time and passes them along to people she thinks would appreciate them. She's handed out at least 10 of "Streams in the Desert," by L.B. Cowman, which is also how I got my own copy. Originally written in 1925 and updated in today's language, "it has become one of the most dearly loved, bestselling devotionals of all time since its first publication" (quoted from book cover). It's uncanny sometimes how I can pick it up when I'm having a bad day and it can offer just the right comfort. I don't read it every day as it seems geared toward difficult times and I've picked it up on lighter days where I haven't felt the same kind of connection. It more than makes up for it though on those days where encouragement is what you need.

This was the most "powerful" book I read in 2008 - "Same Kind of Different As M e: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together" by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. It was no light, easy read (in fact, at one point I had to put it down and didn't finish it for several more weeks) but I felt that I grew by reading it. It brings to mind the parable of the lost sheep, when even one of 100 sheep is lost, the shepherd will search for that one sheep. This is a modern-day version of two lost sheep from very different backgrounds and upbringings who find their way back to their true selves and their God under very difficult circumstances. Beautiful and humbling.

Let me know if you have read or end up reading any of these titles. I'd love to know your opinions. Happy Reading!

New Year, Mostly the Same Goals

2009-01-01T12:04:00.003-06:00

Resolutions…some people like them and others think they’re pointless since they are so often broken, but I do like the time that New Year’s affords for additional introspection and consideration. I suppose my resolutions are mostly the same from year to year. In a nutshell, top of my list, this short prayer by Thelma Wells for me says it best:

“Lord, help me change those areas of my life that don’t yet reflect your peace and love.”

It sounds simple as written, yet I imagine that the power behind those words is one that would transform and touch many other areas of our lives if we were to pray it every day.

I think I might have to tape that one to my bathroom mirror.

How Could I Have Missed Him?

2008-12-15T22:26:00.004-06:00

The other day, my mother and I were admiring the nativity that my father made many years ago, carved from wood and set in it’s own little manger-scene box.

As she made a show of turning on the lights, my eyes stopped on the seemingly out-of-place man off to one side. “Mother, who is this guy? I don’t remember seeing him before.” “That’s the innkeeper.” “No kidding? I never knew we had an innkeeper. How is it that I haven't noticed him all these years?”

The more I’ve thought about it, the more I seem to remember that Daddy and I discussed an extra block of wood he had and not wanting to waste it. I’m sure I suggested another shepherd or a drummer boy, but he obviously had other ideas. Now I wish I could ask him why he chose the innkeeper of all characters. This morning I picked up a small book that I keep in my study and read:

“In Winter Hearts Touch…People need physical hospitality, spiritual hospitality, and psychological hospitality always. There must always be someone available to care for anyone and everyone in need. The winter cold reminds us to open our hearts always. Someone is waiting to get in.”
~Joan Chittister, “In a High Spiritual Season”

I never thought much about the innkeeper--indeed he’s more a person in childhood Christmas stories than a specific person named in the Bible, but I do remember as a child being grateful that somebody finally gave Mary and Joseph a place to stay. The inn may have been full, but he gave them access to what he had, his stable.

Regardless, what a lovely symbol to have represented in the nativity scene, that of one who opens his heart and says yes to the needs of others and in so doing says yes to the infant Jesus, born in his midst. The innkeeper may have started off merely being hospitable, but I expect he ended up realizing that saying “Yes to God” is but a precursor to an expanding of our hearts and lives in ways we never could have dreamed possible.

There are so many different kinds of needs that people have, some not as obvious as a pregnant woman at your doorstep. Maybe it’s someone who wants to say yes to God, to open their hearts to that infant Jesus waiting to get in, but feel like they are still wandering. What kind of spiritual hospitality could we offer them in their journey?

And from now on, Daddy’s little innkeeper will remind me that we should open our hearts always. Someone is waiting to get in.

Luke 1:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Finding Your Center

2008-12-08T11:50:00.002-06:00

I find myself constantly pulled by the busy-ness of the season and wondering whether I am managing well enough to keep the Christ child at the center of my focus. It doesn’t seem like it should be something I have to work at, but I do.

I remember experimenting as a kid with something I had seen on tv that would help you not get dizzy if you were to spin around and around, something about finding a spot on the wall and focusing on that. I don’t know about you, but Christmas to-do-lists and preparations can make me feel pretty dizzy! And it’s not that I necessarily want to stop these preparations, most are special and full of tradition, but I do want help in keeping Christ the center of my focus.

I called my sister-in-law, who has danced ballet her whole life and asked her how this spotting is done. She told me that ballet dancers use spotting to help them from getting dizzy when they spin. They pick out a spot on the wall, at eye level, and while their bodies are spinning, keeping their eyes returning to that spot gives them their center and keeps them from spinning out of control.

The best part? She said that spotting is something that develops with practice and for an experienced dancer, that spot on the wall is something they no longer need because it becomes a spot they see inside their own head. Their brain has formed muscle memory and they can go to that inner spot for centering whenever they need to.

I wish I had this clear concept of muscle memory when I was a young mother. I remember very much the pull of trying to teach my children what Christmas was really all about and always feeling like I could have done better. What better gift could we give our kids than helping them to develop this muscle memory?

Each Christmas is another opportunity to practice forming that Christ-centered muscle memory within so that we may become more experienced and not require the outer trappings of lights, presents, traditions and whatever else…to see our true center in God’s amazing gift of the Christ child.

Almighty and eternal God, so draw my heart to You, so guide my mind, so fill my imagination, so control my will that I may be wholly Yours, utterly dedicated unto You; and then use me, I pray, as You will, and always to Your glory and the welfare of Your people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
~From “Patches of Godlight” by Jan Karon

THANKFULNESS...EVERYDAY

2008-11-25T22:17:00.003-06:00

It’s incredible: The small, compliant human action of saying “thank you” constantly links us to the awesome Creator of the universe. In the practice of perceiving every part of every day as a gift from Him, we stay connected to Christ. We can’t wander away, as our hearts are so prone to do: as we thank God for His presents we remain in His presence. He says, “You are welcome.” And more. We begin to see things from His point of view. The conversations of a continually grateful heart become a way of life, a fountain flowing in us, the means by which we acknowledge our dependence on Christ, enjoy Him lavishly, and run to do whatever He wants.
~Ellen Vaughn, from "Radical Gratitude"

So, what happens in those quite moments after we say thank you in a prayer?

And God says, “You’re welcome”?

It sounded strange to my ears when I first read the above quote with God saying “You’re welcome." Well, why not? I guess I never thought of that, or maybe I never paused long enough to hear it. We thank Him and that’s that. No response necessary.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the origins of “You’re welcome” and it is mostly a 20th century phrase meaning “Freely given.”

Some cultures don’t even have a translation for “You’re welcome.” They don’t say it. No response is needed. Current English responses include: “No problem.” The Spanish version “de nada” is similar to saying “it’s nothing.”

An interesting translation is the Old English, “Wilcuma” which means “one whose coming is pleasing."

I imagine that it is very pleasing to God when we come to Him with hearts full of thanksgiving.

And maybe, if we listen carefully, in that precious pause after our thanksgiving, he is whispering:
“It was my pleasure”

Burying "Talents"

2008-11-19T16:59:00.004-06:00

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me.’”
~Erma Bombeck

My brother used to get a big kick out of saying, “If MJ drew a picture on a piece of toilet paper, Mother would frame it.” I could say he was just jealous, but I’ve seen drawings he did when he was 8 or so and I know he had the talent too. For whatever reason, he never developed it.

Artistic or not, we all have talents and they are God-given. Some may not be as obvious as others, but are no less precious. I would much rather be loved for talents that serve others than ones that involve a brush and paint.

Last week, we studied “the parable of the talents” (you can read it here: Matthew 25:14-30) which was a kind of money in biblical times but often is taught in correlation with the kinds of God-given talents I was speaking about above. The thing that drew me into the scripture last week was the servant that buried his talent and how upset the master was with that decision.

If I was listening properly in church this Sunday, our pastor correlated the burying of the talent with a “burying of our faith.” It doesn’t do us much good if we have faith but we guard and hide it away for that is not what God intended. For faith to grow and multiply, we must get out there and use it.

I always feel like I’m taking somewhat of a risk when I post my art for eyes that may not think it’s all that great. I wonder if we are sometimes like that with our faith? Maybe we worry that once we stick our faith out there for everyone to see and analyze, and, heaven forbid measure its quantity or quality against other, more capable servants, we may come up short. You’ll never know unless you try. The parable seems to say it will multiply. Just don't bury it!

Happy Thoughts

2008-11-12T23:29:00.004-06:00

Some days, you just really need to hear happy thoughts and heartfelt inspiration. Enough watching the news, stressing out and worrying over your backed up to-do list. Call a friend who makes you laugh or tell someone you need a hug. Stop and take a moment to let the magnitude of God's love wash over you.

More quotes by Barbara Johnson:

"Aren't you glad God loves us for what we are...and not for what we should be?"

"We inhale God's love and exhale His goodness. Breathe in His grace, and breathe out His praise."

And here's a good one - try saying this today:

"I open my arms wide for the very best God has for me today."

"Sanctify Our Love of Country"

2008-11-04T09:57:00.002-06:00

sanc·ti·fy [sangk-tuh-fahy]
–verb (used with object), -fied, -fy·ing. 1. to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.

It’s a big week in the US as we vote for a new president and I wasn’t sure exactly how to approach my blog posting. As I sat on the edge of my bed, ready to start the day, I looked at my bookshelf of “yet-to-be-read” books and my eye stopped on “A Man Called Peter” by Catherine Marshall, a collection of her husband’s writings, published in the 1950’s. I opened up to a random page where Marshall is talking about love of country. Immediately I was drawn in as the thoughts of what today will bring have me humbled and hopeful no matter who is elected (and trying to focus on who is really in charge!)

I love the title of this prayer because it gets right to the heart of the approach anyone might take who has a love of their country, whether it’s in the US or elsewhere. Sanctify…set apart my (our) love of country so that it is sacred and guided by You, Father and not by my (our) own interests and hopes.

Sanctify Our Love of Country

Lord God of Heaven, who has so lavishly blessed this land, make us,
Your people, to be humble.
Keep us ever aware that the good things we enjoy have come from You,
that You lent them to us.

Impress upon our smugness the knowledge that we are not owners – but stewards; remind us, less we become filled with conceit, that one day a reckoning will be required of us.

Sanctify our love of country, that our boasting may be turned into humility and our pride into a ministry to men everywhere.

Help us to make this God’s own country by living like God’s own people.
Amen.

Peter Marshall, from “A Man Called Peter,” 1951

Photo note: this picture was taken by my bro-in-law on Mount Haleakala. If you ever have the chance to watch the sunrise at its summit, it’s a wondrous thing.

Teach Them What & Whose

2008-10-28T20:29:00.003-05:00

"Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again.

And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are?…

We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move.

Yes, you are a marvel and when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel?"
~Pablo Casals

I like the above writing but I would add to it. Teaching children that they are a marvel is only a small step on the sacred journey of teaching them to understand WHOSE they are.

“You are a child of God.” It’s in my very first little book of quotes ever, a mere 3”x3” booklet, maybe 6 pages long, handwritten, decorated and taped together by my sister and given to me as a small token at 7 years of age. I memorized several verses out of it, but that was always my favorite. Even before I understood fully what it meant to be a child of God, I knew I was reading something important that meant I was special…to Him.

I wish every child could know that feeling.

Top Ten in Ten

2008-10-22T17:34:00.002-05:00

Ten years ago, my pastor suggested that if I would lead a book club, he would take care of rounding up some people who might be interested in joining. At that time of my life, I had 3 small children and couldn’t imagine myself leading anybody anywhere (except maybe to the park or the grocery store). In the early years, book club was a lifeline where I could talk to grown up people about things that had little to do with my usual busy, mothering days. Now it’s a treasured group of friends who relish these couple of hours together once a month.

Over 100 books later, we have compiled the highest rated books into a list of the “Top Ten in Ten.” I’m passing it along because we have some quality books listed and I thought you might like to see how many of them you have read, or put them on your future reading lists.

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. ~Francis Bacon

These books are in no particular order, except for the top 2 which are our all-time favorites. I’ve provided links to Amazon if you want more details:

1. Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett
2. East of Eden, by John Steinbeck
3. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
4. Saints and Villains, by Denise Giardina
5. The Life of Pi, Yann Martel
6. One Thousand White Women, by Jim Fergus
7. The Kite Runner, by Kaled Hosseini
8. Marley and Me, by John Grogan
9. A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini
10. Tuesdays With Morrie, by Mitch Albom

You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.

~Paul Sweeney

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

~Richard Steele, The Tattler, 1710

Remembering Best

2008-10-15T11:20:00.003-05:00

I celebrated a birthday in the past week and it was a card from a dear aunt that spurred the idea for this week’s entry. She wrote, “I remember you best at 16.” My first thoughts were, “That’s a nice age to be remembered at!”

She and my uncle moved out of state a year or so later and they had lived close enough to be involved in my day-to-day living for 5 or so years before moving. I was very sorry to see them move, even though I had reached an age where I would be leaving for college myself.

No one knows how long special people will be with us or involved in our daily lives. Sometimes we are privileged with a lifetime of close encounters, others are but moments or are hampered by long distance, but the privilege is no less. One thing I feel certain about is that God has his hand in these encounters and He delights in them.

I remember best that at 16, this aunt made me feel loved and special. Her eyes twinkled and I always felt like she was glad to see me. I could make her laugh. She stayed up late watching TV with me when no one else would. She helped me get permission to go on a date 2 weeks before I turned the official 16. She liked desserts. I liked desserts. I always thought her smile was beautiful.

Teenagers crave to feel loved and accepted in the presence of those who surround them. At least I know I did. There’s an awful lot to deal with out there in the wide world and having a circle of people who provide you with that “soft place to fall” is comforting.

Whether it’s a quick encounter in the school parking lot, a family gathering or your day-to-day interactions, perhaps there is a teenager or child or “any-ager” in your life who will remember you best for any number of reasons but hopefully, mostly, for the times you made them feel loved.

Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.

Be the living expression of God’s kindness:

kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, and kindness in your smile.
~Mother Theresa

A Tree Story, Part 2

2008-10-08T09:10:00.004-05:00

"Alice laughed: "There's no use trying," she said; "one can't believe impossible things.""I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was younger, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

~Lewis Carroll “Alice in Wonderland”

I could hardly believe my eyes last week as I was driving around town and noticed the pear trees are blooming. I had to do a double-take because it seemed so impossible. Odd because if you don’t know it already, pear trees only bloom once a year, and that’s in spring. Only Spring. Ever. And it’s not Spring. It’s October. And to make things even more interesting, it seems that only the sides of the trees that were exposed to the high winds of the hurricane are the ones blooming.

But Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible."
Matthew 19:26

I don’t know that I am as good as I should be at believing the impossible. It seemed easier when I was younger. Maybe like the Queen, I need to do more mind bending/belief stretching exercises with my morning coffee. Now, I pause and laugh at myself because the very heart of being and believing in Christ is to willingly surrender to the mystery and hope of what is seemingly impossible.

Daily Mantra to self: God makes the impossible possible.

He did it when he resurrected his Son. He’s doing it every day. Believing in the impossible doesn't come naturally to us humans. We have to work at it. My mind focuses on human-based impossibilities but my heart embraces God's wondrous possibilities. Maybe the answer is to focus on what is possible for God instead of what seems impossible to us...at least 6 times, every morning, and that's before breakfast.

It is always springtime in the heart that loves God.
~Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney

2008-09-28T17:33:00.005-05:00

We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something.
~Sandra Day O’Connor

This post was generated in a roundabout way. My friend Jerry sent me a photo of the Lone Cypress. He had captured this famous California landmark on a grey sky day. I was inspired to paint it and then I asked Jerry to follow-up with writing about it for this blog. I had no idea what he’d write or what angle he would take, but I love the whole idea of the collaborative efforts and creative inspiration that went into our results. His writing and my painting follow.

Standing Firm
The painting by Mary Duval is from a photograph I took while driving the 17 mile loop around Pebble Beach on the Monterey Peninsula. It is an image beyond just being photogenic; beset by wave and wind year after year, this lone cypress tree still stands firm, and straight, and strong. Over 250 years old, it is emblematic of the development of this section of California.

From the observation area the visitor is afforded a great view of the cypress, the little spit of land into which it has sent it roots, and the Pacific Ocean. What you cannot see, or at least must look carefully to see, is the cable which has been attached to the trunk of this tree to keep it in place. There is just so much that the cypress tree itself can do to hold on to its place in this world, beyond that it is tethered to an immovable rock.

As a guest bloggist, I am writing this piece at a time when our government is involved in the biggest bailout of our financial institutions in the history of our country, a massive infusion of cash to save Wall Street. I cannot begin to imagine the complexities of such an undertaking. Banks and lending institutions that have been around for decades are crumbling under the weight of their own greed. And now, for better or for worse, there is a movement to attach a cable, a tether, to keep the American economy from sliding into the sea. Wall Street has been emblematic of the economic development of these United States. Who would have thought that Wall Street would ever need what it is facing today?

Perhaps some of you are worried about retirement portfolios; perhaps you are worried about weathering this latest disaster so soon after “Ike” knocked you down. When will it end? Truth is – it never does. Life, as I have come to appreciate, is what happens to us while we think we are on our way to someplace else. I think the more important question is: Am I connected to that which will keep me – and my family – from falling when the next perfect storm howls around us? Financial security is wonderful, but we do not have to look that far back in our own family history to know that it is far from certain.

Paul, writing to the Romans, says this:

“…Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, … or peril or sword? … No, … I am convinced [that nothing] in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

For all intents and purposes, that is the anchor to which the tether of our faith is tied. It may not be visible to the outside world, but you can feel its strength; you know it is there; and you are convinced that you will still be standing when everything else has fallen away.

The lone cypress is inspiring to those who marvel at the way it has prevailed for lo these 250 years. But beyond the inspiration, it is comforting for me to know that it is anchored to the rock of its salvation.

~Jerry Hurst

UN-plugged

2008-09-23T20:41:00.004-05:00

Eugene Peterson, in his introduction to the book of Joel, writes how a dramatic event doesn’t necessarily introduce anything new into our lives but
“simply exposes [a] moral or spiritual reality that already exists but was hidden beneath an overlay of routine, self-preoccupation, and business as usual.”

Not withstanding a lack of batteries, as a family, we could not begin to get all our chargers together and cell phones, ipods, laptop, etc. fully-charged fast enough for the arrival of Hurricane Ike. How many different chargers can one family have? It’s slightly embarrassing.

In the wake of Hurricane Ike I hear lots of adults speaking about how the hurricane brought together their community and neighbors. One individual interviewed on TV stated, “Hurricane Ike was strong, but our community is stronger.” Good words.

I spend time with youth of various ages and when they speak up about something, I try to glean some of that “youthful perspective.” Similar views about Hurricane Ike are expressed by the youth I have talked to, but it has a different ring to my ears. It sounds more like, “I was really surprised how good it felt to walk outside my door and see people doing things for others and neighbors we never even talked to all the sudden had time to visit and help each other.”

Consider for a moment the drastic differences in the ways the youth of today communicate and relate to each other compared to a mere 20 years ago. We related to each other because there wasn't much else to do, they have 50 friends at their fingertips but in a less personal way. Yeah…WAY different from when we were in high school.

I was born on the brink of a generation that socialized by way of clothesline talks and front porch chats, a time when neighbors had not much else to do recreation-wise than to visit. TVs were not yet in every household (at least, definitely not in multiples). Idealistically, it seems somewhat of a golden-era, when I think back on it. Our youngest generation has experienced very little of that because most of what they enjoy doing requires them to be plugged in. And herein lays the dilemma, if you’re plugged in, you really don’t need to go out

Maybe I enjoy my technology too much. (guilty, guilty, guilty!) Maybe I allow my children to enjoy their technology too much. We sure don't stray far from these tethers of a plugged-in variety, but I do wonder what it all means for our kids…and their kids, and so on.

It’s all about balance and being aware, I suppose. I know I need to do better at both. My mother was a master with that TV off button and I think she may have even yanked the plug for dramatic effect a time or two.

---
A side note:
It never ceases to amaze me how I decide to write about something for my blog and then things/inspiration will happen that tie directly into it. Mother, having no idea what I was writing about this week, informed me today that she thought she would “just unplug that machine of hers” (her computer) “so it will stop sending all those annoying advertising emails” (Spam). You should’ve seen the disappointed look on her face when I told her that’s not the way it works. “The spam will still be there when you plug it back in, Mother.”
She really is priceless.

Devastating Beauty

2008-09-16T17:30:00.004-05:00

A family member took this picture as Hurricane Ike was headed our way, amazed at the colors in the sunset the evening before its arrival. I almost didn’t post this week, because I wasn’t sure what to write. However, I came across this in my readings this morning and hoped it might be worth sharing. We have been fortunate. Please keep all those that are still struggling in your prayers and praises for those who are volunteering and working all hours to aid in the recovery.

The passionate tempest with rush and wild roar
and threatenings of evil may beat on the shore,
The waves may be mountains, the fields battle plains,
And the earth be immersed in a deluge of rains,
Yet, the soul, stayed on God, may sing bravely its psalm,
For the heart of the storm is the center of calm.

Let hope be not quenched in the blackness of night,
Though the cyclone awhile may have blotted the light,
For behind the great darkness the stars ever shine,
And the light of God’s heavens, His love will make thine,
Let no gloom dim your eyes, but uplift them on high
To the face of your God and the blue of His sky.

~Author Unknown, taken from the book “Streams in the Desert” by L.B. Cowman, edited by James Reimann. (Note: I only used a portion of the full poem)

Natural Revelation

2008-09-08T19:26:00.004-05:00

Does anyone else spend much time pondering random things? Some people putz around, I wander and ponder.

My pondering often takes me into the garden and last week I was perplexed as I noticed a whole plant of zinnias that blossomed sans petals. Not because bugs ate them…they just didn’t form any petals. That caught my attention. And then I went and got the camera. A neighbor child snuck up on me and said, “Miss Mary, watcha takin’ a picture of?” So I grabbed the neck of this blossom and showed them this and all the other flowers without petals. “Oh, Okay…see you later.” (Obviously they were not as impressed as I was with this development).

What you can’t tell from this picture is that the center is way past a normal size center of a zinnia – it’s huge, in fact. It’s like this flower and the others used all their energy to grow beautiful centers, but forgot to apply any of that energy towards blossoming out with petals.

And so, now I’m pondering about the message here…Maybe God’s telling me to spend a little less time pondering and a little more time petal-pushing, growing outward, serving, and actually applying what I’ve learned.

LEARNING by the Spirit is great, but LIVING by the Spirit helps us to grow in the ways God intended us to…reaching out with petals of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Nine fruits of the Spirit!)

Were I a nightingale, I would act the part of a nightingale; were I a swan, the part of a swan. But now I am a rational creature, and I ought to praise God; this is my work. I do it; nor will I desert this post so long as I am allowed to keep it, and I exhort you to join in this same song.
~Epictetus

P.S. If you are a subscriber who got the previous email posting with no slide show :0/ it's because you have to go directly to my blogspot to see it: http://heartinhand-artbymj.blogspot.com/2008/09/fun-little-program.html. Sorry about that.

Fun Little Program

2008-09-06T16:18:00.003-05:00

I'm not sure how this will work if you subscribe to my blog, but this little slideshow was created using http://www.slide.com/. I love running across fun things like this to try out as I browse around the Internet. I hope you enjoy the flowers!

A MEGA CHURCH

2008-08-26T08:06:00.005-05:00

I don’t worship at a “mega church” but they seem to be more and more common these days. I must admit, there are many enticing features that generate a pull for me. But when I walk into my own average-sized church, it feels like home. Isn't that what we are looking for, regardless of size? No matter how you decorate it, add onto it or the numbers that fill it, size has nothing to do with the feeling you get of walking in to worship with your church family on a Sunday morning and feel the Holy Spirit among you in the pews.

Our email Bible group is reading about the building of Solomon’s temple this week and we were musing over the magnificence of it…GOLD nails, for heaven’s sake! I love what my friend said:

Wherever you worship or pray becomes magnificent by the faith in your heart.

So whether your church struggles to make ends meet or has a bounteous budget, it really doesn’t matter unless the folks in the pews are working to build that magnificent faith in their own hearts and in the heart of their community. Now that’s the kind of MEGA I’m talkin’ about!

What to Wear

2008-08-18T22:43:00.008-05:00

(click on image to enlarge)

There are those days that leave us feeling completely under-equipped for whatever we are dealing with at the time. I’m having a day like that…feeling lousy in my cloak of uncertainty, wrinkled at the seams and focusing on less than helpful thoughts.

Turning to my Bible, I ended up at Ephesians 6. Ah,...sweet words for a vulnerable time. The Message translation starts out “God is strong, and he wants you strong (v10).”

Ephesians 6:10-18 NRSV
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

“When you find yourself facing an issue in your life, the purpose or reason or good thing that might come out of it being completely hidden from you – what do you do? Do you worry and fret, become preoccupied with the problem? Do you ignore it or avoid it? Do you complain about it, or do you want to run away from it? Or do you see it as a situation in which you might be able to experience the power and grace of God at work? Do you watch for the work of God that is to be done in this situation?”
~From Patches of Godlight by Jan Karon

Give Your Heart

2008-08-11T23:30:00.002-05:00

“However perplexed you may at any hour become about some question of truth, one refuge and resource is always at hand:

You can do something for some one besides yourself.

When your own burden is heaviest, you can always lighten a little some other burden.

At the times when you cannot see God, there is still open to you this sacred possibility to show God;

For it is the love and kindness of human hearts through which the divine reality comes home to men, whether they name it or not.

Let this thought, then, stay with you;

There may be times when you cannot find help, but there is no time when you cannot give help.”
~George S. Merriam

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2

Sharing Some Love

2008-08-04T20:35:00.005-05:00

I have several friends who enjoy photography and I absolutely love it when they share their images with me. One of my “near and dears” sends sunrise and sunset photos from her home on the water and I never tire of seeing the various cloud formations and colors in the sky. This same friend took this lotus blossom picture and I almost felt guilty adorning it with words as the image is so lovely on its own. I’m glad she shared it with me so I can share it with you.

(Click on the photo if you would like to see it in a larger format)

COME FORTH
into the light of things,
LET NATURE
be your teacher.
~William Wordsworth

A Loving Silence

2008-07-29T11:27:00.005-05:00

"With the people I love most I can sit in silence indefinitely. We need both for our full development; the joy of the sense of sound; and the equally great joy of its absence."

- Madeleine L'Engle, A Circle of Quiet

My dad is the one who taught me about this. As a child I remember being a little puzzled as to why it was so easy to just sit with him and not say anything. I also remember thinking how nice it was to be with someone like that and eventually coming to the conclusion as I grew older, that if you can sit quietly with someone and not feel that the moment was lacking, there was a special element of your relationship that isn’t often duplicated. It’s a quiet linking of two souls that cuts through all the complexities of the universe and rests upon an understanding that, whatever else is going on in your lives at this moment, “this is good.”

Daddy was a “man of few words” as the saying goes, but all of us kids knew that when he did say something, it was going to be relevant and well thought out.

The flip side of being comfortable with silence in a relationship is knowing when your words can be helpful and when they can be hurtful. When I asked him (I was in 10th grade) to write out a quote in one of my blank notebooks, this is the one he chose:

He had memorized it as a boy. I think it was a timely lesson for a tenth grader. As I read it now, I am wondering whether I must’ve needed that lesson at that moment in my life?!! It’s another complicated part of growing up that just because you can vocalize whatever you feel, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. It is not about stifling your true opinions or repressing your freedom of expression, it’s about a mature understanding of weighing your words lest you cast them carelessly out where they can’t be easily retrieved.

That’s something we can probably all improve on, regardless of age. As the saying goes, “Lord, Keep my words soft and tender because tomorrow I may have to eat them.”

Words, both spoken and unspoken, may be the heartstrings that help tie together and build a relationship. We all mess up with our words, tossing out things we wish we could take back. It’s a true blessing when we are loved by people who forgive us when we do just that.

A Lesson From Bach

2008-07-15T12:36:00.002-05:00

To be a star,
You must shine your own light,
Follow your own path, and don’t worry about the darkness,
for that is when stars
shine brightest!
~Unknown

It’s amusing to me what the perspective of years does to your ideas about life. I remember so vividly being in my twenties and soaking up every little motivational and self-help morsel I could latch onto. I must’ve really needed that boost in confidence. Not that it’s a bad thing. I suppose it had a lot to do with finding my way in the world and being on the brink of career, adulthood and independence and wondering if I “had what it takes.” I know I spent a lot of time thinking about what it means to be successful. The above quote was on a postcard I purchased and stuck in one of my quote books from my twenties.

The same quote read from my mid-life perspective, doesn’t have the impact. In fact, it seems a little lacking. What does inspire me now is what I read a few years ago about the manner in which Johann Sebastian Bach approached his work.

Before he began working on a new piece of music, he would write at the top of the sheet, Jesu Juva. ‘Jesus, help me.’” The entry goes on to say how Bach would write the last lines of his arrangement and finish off the piece with the following words at the bottom of the page, “Soli Deo Gloria” – “To God alone be glory.”

Composing your life with God as your guide, only sometimes are we the star. Often times, we stand back and support others who will shine, or we hope to let God’s light shine through our endeavors, individually and with others. I know people who have shined brightest through darkness, but I think, as Bach, they too must compose their mornings with “Jesu Juva” and put their heads on their pillows at night saying “Soli Deo Gloria.”

Time for an Upgrade?

2008-07-06T18:19:00.004-05:00

It seems like every time I turn around (and if you are the parent of a teenager, you know where I am coming from) the kids are asking for some kind of upgrade of this or that technological gadget in our household. And it also seems like the older version should still be more than adequate. Ah, but that’s not how our consumer world works these days.

Does anyone else wonder what this propensity to upgrade everything is doing to our kids? I know I fall into the same trap as most other parents, so I’m not excused here. We live in a world that is constantly trying to tell us that what we have isn’t good enough. We need to upgrade or switch out or improve. We live in a society that is always saying “there’s something better out there and you need to get your hands on it!”

Of course, there really are times that it seems an upgrade might be a good idea. For instance traveling down the beltway last week in Mother’s car, she handily pulled out a map when we were slightly unsure what exit to take for the baseball game we were headed towards.

“Yay, a map!” I told her. “Look for the ______ exit on the beltway.”

Says Mother, “There is no beltway on this map.”

“What do you mean there is NO beltway?”

“Well, this map was given to me by my sister in 1991. See? I wrote it right here. There wasn't a beltway back then.”

“Uh……ok Things have definitely changed in SEVENTEEN years.”

At which point my daughter chimes in from the backseat, IPOD earbuds still in place,
“Granny, it might be time for an upgrade on that map.”

All His products are guaranteed to last—
Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof
All that he makes and does is honest and true…
…His Hallelujah lasts forever!
Psalm 111:7-8, 10 (Message translation)

Flower Envy

2008-06-24T13:50:00.005-05:00

This arrangement was just one of three glorious bouquets that a friend of my sister’s brought to an outdoor BBQ this past weekend.

Yes, it’s beautiful, but what if I told you that this lady cut all these flowers from her own personal garden? I just stood there thinking, “How is this even possible?” I get excited when I can go outside and cut 2 or 3 roses for a vase from my own garden. Flower envy, BIG time!

Feelings of envy should cause us to pause and question, and they creep into our minds so easily. I am the same way when I see someone with a better camera than me. What are your own envy-triggers?

Later on, at the party, I had the privilege of spending time visiting with the same lady who put together these bouquets and it didn’t take long for me to understand that these bouquets were merely a floral extension of her gift of spreading beauty and God’s love to the world around her.

There is no one to compare yourself to,
and no one to compete with.
There never was.
When the Rose and the Lotus
are side by side,
is one more beautiful than the other?
~Rusty Berkus

Then Paints My Soul...

2008-06-15T16:19:00.002-05:00

As I started this painting, I didn’t have any real vision as to where I would go with it. In fact, I was a little lost and bored with it. However, my daily Bible reading led me to Psalm 145 (specifically v.1-2 &10) which I figured provided me with all kinds of artistic license as how I wanted to praise God with this painting:

1 I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! And I'll bless your name into eternity. 2 I'll bless you every day, and keep it up from now to eternity. 10 Creation and creatures applaud you, God. (MSG)

So if my sky is too blue and my wildflowers are too profuse, it was a day of praising mixed-in with painting.

All Thy works with joy surround Thee,
Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee,
Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain,
Call us to rejoice in Thee
~“Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” Henry Van Dyke

You Just Never Know...

2008-06-08T23:13:00.002-05:00

I often play a game when I’m bored, waiting in line or sitting at the airport, as I watch the faces go by, wondering what any particular person’s story is.

For example, the lady at Subway who just made my sandwich…is this her only job? Does she have children she would rather be home with? What kinds of concerns are weighing her down? Or joys lifting her up? At this moment, I try to remember to offer a prayer up for this person’s benefit. It feels good to do that. We never know about the people we casually walk by and have contact with only in passing and what their lifestories may entail.

And sometimes, we know so little about the people we come in contact with on a daily basis. That’s why I’m passing on this story of Kumar written at a blog I enjoy checking out every now and then: “Letters from Kamp Krusty.” I love to browse the Internet and it was there I came along this story by another blogger, Brant Hansen, entitled, “In the Cubicle Next Door.”(Click on link) For all the bad rap the Internet gets, it’s blogs like this that make me happy to be a part of an Internet world that spreads GOOD STUFF. I warn you though, if you start browsing, you’ll want to read another entry and another….and make sure you stop by at one of his recent entries, “Happy Are the Spiritually Bankrupt.” Big time GOOD STUFF. I hope you’ll find time to have a look!

Lord, purge our eyes to see
Within the seed a tree,
Within the glowing egg a bird,
Within the shroud a butterfly.

Till, taught by such we see
Beyond all creatures, Thee…
~Christina Rosetti

The Very Order

2008-06-01T22:50:00.005-05:00

I'm very fond of history and am working on a book entitled "Words to Die For - Verses that shaped the lives of 30 people who changed the world" by Lawrence Kimbrough. A small book, organized in short chapters, It features the lifestories and struggles of various individuals through history. Most of the ones I have read were very engaging.

As Kimbrough states in the introduction: "If we all knew our church history a little better, we wouldn't feel like we were enduring Christian suffering every time the preacher's sermon ran a few minutes over." (Love that!) "We'd know better. We'd know that worship is a privilege. We'd know that our pews have been padded by men and women who served Christ when it hurt, when it cost them...when it killed them. We need to know them and the scriptures that inspired them."

His entry on Augustine shows a brilliantly educated young man whose life was derailed by lavish, foolish living even while he fostered his love of learning. Supposedly, his faithful mother had prayed and worried over Augustine for years and years. As his life was falling down around him, he picked up Paul's letter to the Romans, Chapter 13 and it was verse 14 (according to this author) that changed his life forever. Augustine went on to become a priest and defender of the faith, living to the age of 75.

(I'm trying to figure out how to post a larger image on blogger, but haven't succeeded yet. To get a better close-up of the artwork above, click on image and it will take you to a larger window). Enjoy!

Memorial Day, 2008

2008-05-26T20:42:00.004-05:00

Mother was recalling with us today what a big day Memorial Day was for them in their hometown. It was the opportunity to see family and friends from far away as everyone met at the cemetery to decorate the graves of loved ones. (Did you know it used to be called “Decoration Day”? I didn’t).

I didn’t make it out to my father’s gravesite, as I had hoped, but to my delight, the daylily (pictured above) that Mother snuck by and dropped on my back patio yesterday afternoon had one big, single beautiful yellow bloom on it this morning. It couldn’t have been more timely or reminiscent of Daddy – so instead of me placing the flowers, one was bestowed on me. Memorial Day is more than honoring those who died, it's remembering how they lived. And my daddy lived in the garden. I didn’t manage to go to him, but he came to me regardless, thanks to his loving, flower-bearing messenger.

When you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.
~Frederick Buechner

Surpassing Understanding

2008-05-18T22:10:00.005-05:00

Any tragedy that touches your heart is the hardest thing to pray about. As I started the week praying for the people in Myanmar, then victims of the earthquake in China, for the people in the U.S. who have experienced the devastating tornados, and then finally, prayed for far away friends this week that experienced personal tragedy, words escaped me. So I asked God to read my heart where I could not supply the words, and Philippians 4:7 came to mind:

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:7)

It was a tragedy that surpassed understanding, requiring faith that surpasses understanding.

It’s only the greatness of God’s love for his children, which surpasses understanding, that can hold together the hearts and minds of those who experience such.

“God never abandons His children,
but His purposes are unfathomable,
(they surpass understanding)
and He builds the road with our own steps.”
~Paul Coelho

Many are out there who, facing the day ahead, wonder at the possibility of putting one foot in front of the other. And it surpasses understanding just how it will be possible for them to take that very next step.

Yet step they do,
guarded by the peace of God in Christ Jesus.