Waiting Joyfully

Waiting joyfully is a constant challenge because waiting is a part of life. I was definitely not waiting joyfully a couple of nights ago. I had fallen asleep with a scowl on my face and a churning in the pit of my stomach. "The appointed time must arrive, whether you're watching the clock or not. You are waiting, even if you don't participate in it or fret over it." This is the wisdom the Lord shared with me early the next morning. I have given birth to two children, written and published two children's books, and waited in line at the DMV; I can promise you, I am no stranger to waiting.

Even so, this current waiting season came with heavy fog, dark clouds, and rain. The heavy fog was in my mind, the dark clouds in my soul, and the rain from my eyes. I am happy to say, though, that once we decide to follow Jesus, every season, no matter how dreary, also comes with wind from the Spirit.

Often, however, the personal words the Holy Spirit speaks to us don't translate well to others. That's because they are personal. I told my husband what the Holy Spirit said to me about waiting, and I could tell the words did not have the same effect on him as they did on me. As I verbally fleshed out this idea of waiting without waiting, these words came out of my mouth, "A watched pot never boils."

Grandma Knows Waiting

Anyone who has a grandmother has heard these words before, and with all due respect to grandmothers everywhere, that's simply not true. But it feels true. I've watched a pot full of water waiting for it to boil. I've waited, and waited, and waited, and it wasn't until I walked away that it boiled! As a matter of fact, it seemed as if the moment I walked away, I heard the sound of bubbling water, indicating a boil. However, the water didn't boil because I walked away (that may be superstition or an old wives' tale, but it isn't science) the water boiled because the temperature of the water reached the boiling point.

The boiling temperature of water 212° F. This is the standard degree that most scientists agree upon. However, the time it takes for water to reach this temperature, to boil, depends upon a variety of factors. I Googled this and found an interesting article from the University of Maryland. Here's what they had to say: "The boiling point is the temperature at which boiling occurs for a specific liquid. For example, for water, the boiling point is 100 degrees Celsius at a pressure of 1 atm. The boiling point of a liquid depends on temperature, atmospheric pressure, and the vapor pressure of the liquid. When the atmospheric pressure is equal to the vapor pressure of the liquid, boiling will begin." Sorry, Grandma.

Waiting Isn't The Issue

You see, the water doesn't need privacy; it needs time. Waiting isn't the issue; it's the watching. In other words, watching is what makes the waiting unbearable. The Holy Spirit was telling me that I could stand by the stove, watch the pot, tap my foot in frustration, and wait for the water to boil; or I could walk away and fill my time with something worthwhile. Either way, the water will boil at the appropriate time, when the temperature reaches the boiling point.

Waiting joyfully is a constant challenge because waiting is part of life. We wait through the night for morning; we wait a year for another birthday or holiday; we wait for the right mate; we wait for children to be born; we wait for the perfect opportunity; and the list goes on. It seems to me, that the things I want most take the longest to boil. I mean, happen. I put a great amount of effort into strategizing and am always on call to help God figure things out. He is so good and gracious to humor my suggestions and then give me wisdom and comfort while I wait. Holy Spirit is there too, gently reminding me that I have trust issues. Don'tcha just love God...

Shift Your Mindset and Renew Your Joy

"It's not the passing of time that makes you old, it's what you let get to you."

Mechelle foster

Yes, I am quoting myself! Not long ago, these words were a revelation to me about my own life, and I believe they are also true for your life. Allow me to elaborate..

It's not the passing of time that makes you old, it's what you let get to you. It's what you let frustrate you or make you angry; it's what you let make you feel weak instead of victorious; it's what you let rob your joy; it's what you let make you feel hopeless— like there's no light at the end of the tunnel; it's what you let sap your courage and doubt your purpose; it's what you let steal your dreams and your very soul. I confess, there are times I feel old.

I am a methodical, organized, and detailed person. I like those things about myself; however, I realize those characteristics are potential hindrances. Einstein said, "If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind, of what then are we to think of an empty desk?" I neither prefer a cluttered desk nor an empty one, but I do prefer well-marked files, to-do lists, and a letter tray for every ongoing task. I long to create in clean, quiet, euphoria, completely present in the creative process. However, there are times I need to focus and function in chaos, and I don't always do that very well.

There have been times my writing was done in the bathroom because it was the only almost-quiet place in the house. Can you relate? There have been times when I allowed my circumstances and frustrations to literally exhaust me. Times when my stomach felt like someone was wringing it out like a sponge. During those times, I cried more than I care to mention. The bottom line is our circumstances don't always change as quickly as we would like them to. So when our circumstances don't change, it's time to change our mindset. I'm not sure who said it, but someone somewhere handed out some pretty good advice when they said, "Don't focus on the chaos, focus on the task." God's advice is even better. His Word, the Bible says, 

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Isaiah 26:3 New Living Translation

So if you find yourself in the midst of chaos, vexed, frustrated, overwhelmed, and feeling old, remember this:

To stay in perfect peace
Don't focus on the chaos.
Don't focus on the task.
Don't focus on the circumstances.
Don't focus on yourself.
Focus on God.

The Season of Change

I was born in the mountains— I spent my childhood there. When I return to them, I am happy and sad, because the mountains are only mine to borrow. They are not mine to keep.

Emotions float to the top of my soul like marshmallows in cocoa— warm, bittersweet emotions.

I want to stay in the mountains— not just for a few days. I want to stay long enough to adventure; explore; rest; create; reconnect; and pray.

I am drawn to the autumn colors of the mountains and to the falling leaves. When October comes, I must journey there. The changing season is symbolic of the change I long to see within myself. It feels like instinct, but it is certainly the Spirit of God, who longs for my change even more than I do.

Thank you, God, for leaves on a porch; for crisp air; for a thick blanket next to a fireplace; for hot apple cider; for homemade meals around a table of friends who feel more like family; for quiet peace; for fog on the mountains; for the smell of lavender; for joy; and naps. Thank you, God. All of this means so much to me. You knew it would.

Dedicated to Dee and Mark Mueller, the founders and hosts of Hearth Ministries.

Another Day

There is no agenda.
No schedule.
No formula.
No script of well-crafted words.
No required reading.

This is not about getting a jump on my to-do list.
I'm not here to analyze the details of this room.
Mulling over thoughts or conversations I might have had with people. None of these things is worth getting up for. If that's what this is, I'm going back to bed.

I'm here to be with You— my closest Friend. We can say whatever we want. We can be silent. We can sing. We can cry. You give me direction; instruction; wisdom; comfort, so many things. You strengthen my faith. I know You are real. That's why I'm here.

Distractions, you are nothing. I focus my mind, my heart, even the posture of my body on The One who woke me up and called me to this quiet place. Soon the dawn will break, and the house will fill with activity and noise. I'll be ready because the first words I heard were Your words, and my first thoughts were Your thoughts. You have touched my heart and shielded it with Your love. It belongs to You. Another day? Let's do this!


The Creator

I recently spent some time in Alaska. I was impressed by the beauty of what God has made- the snow-covered mountains, the icy waters, the tall evergreens in the expansive forest, the variety of plants, the birds, and the marine life.

I visited a local museum while I was there and saw ancient artifacts from the people that first made their home in this rugged climate. I was amazed at their ingenuity, inventiveness, and sheer will to bloom where they were planted. They created fashionable clothing, utensils, toys, art, watercraft, and so much more! Upon hearing their history and the wonderful legends they tell, I was inspired to create a legend of my own; a story that could be retold by generations. However, I heard nothing about God in their historical account. Did any of the people believe in Him? The Bible says creation testifies of the Creator.

“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

How sad to think that anyone could be surrounded by such beauty and miss the One who created it. Years from now when people look at my history, will my connection with God be obvious? What about yours?

Juneau, Alaska

Fall

Spices in the air

Color in the trees

Crunching of the leaves

Crispness in the breeze

A Hope

A Vibrancy

That breaks monotony

And excites me to the core

Leaves me wanting more

Of this magical autumn time

The season when I thrive

I feel abundantly alive

As creation breaks from her cocoon

And flys all around me

I'm drawn in by her beauty

And inspired to create

My creator can relate

For this wonder

It's all His

Spoken word

He did it first

Let there be

And so there was

He looked around and called it good

Four seasons all built-in

Each one pointing back to Him

But I feel Him

Hear Him

See Him most

In the Fall

Prepare for Pushback

I haven't written in weeks. A blog is supposed to be a stream of consciousness. Right? Blah, blah, blog? Here goes...

I am writing my second book and have been concerned about the cost, among other things. I have battled discouragement to the point of even questioning whether writing was part of God's will for me. I have experienced pain in my body- muscle pain, tension, and arthritic symptoms that included numbness in my fingers. I have been praying about all of this and battling it too. Yesterday, my closest friend revealed that many of these symptoms were present the last time I was really stressed out. I was surprised. I hadn't thought about that..at..all. I am more likely to blame my pillow for pain than stress. Stress, concern, and worry are all friends of the enemy. I was introduced to discouragement when I wrote my first book. I almost quit all together the day I saw the proposed cover- it was not at all what I expected. I can't remember if tears made it to my eyes, but I definitely cried inside. I'm happy to say that with God's help I pushed past the discouragement, found the perfect cover art, and have a beautiful book that I cherish.

Talking through the feelings I have been having about my current project with the Lord first and friends second, really helped me identify what I believe about God, myself, and the enemy. I am constantly asking God to encourage me in this writing thing because it's hard. The actual writing isn't the issue, it's the pursuit of writing as a career- the publishing industry, marketing, etc. Conversely, writing as a hobby, is basically free, is rather small scale, and doesn't require anyone's approval. Exploring the difference further makes me tired, so I'll stop there.

Let's go back to the garden for a minute. The enemy (satan) loves to ask the question, "Did God really say?" It's the question he asked Eve. He has been whispering this question to me lately. Apparently, like Eve, I started listening. The result: discouragement, stress, tension, and pain. Has the enemy ever whispered this question to you? Here is my advice...

Four Things To Do When the Enemy Starts Questioning You:

  1. Pray.
  2. Remind yourself of God's Word.
  3. Remember what God said to you.
  4. Remember the victories.

Let's unpack this together. Here's what I do...

  1. I pray and tell God how I feel and what I'm thinking. I ask Him to reveal the truth to me. I ask Him to encourage me in this area. I ask Him to help me have His thoughts, His words, and His actions.
  2. I remind myself of God's Word by reading it. I search for specific passages about the subject I am dealing with, read them, and follow the instructions. I quote encouraging scriptures that God has highlighted to me.
  3. I remember what God said to me by reading words of prophecy that have been spoken over me. I read encouraging cards, letters, or notes I have received in reference to this area of my life.
  4. I encourage myself by remembering a time when God gave me victory in this area. I look at completed projects and remember how I felt and what I thought during the time I was working on them. I recognize that if I had given up when I was discouraged, those projects would have never been completed. I spend time thanking God.

The book project I am working on now is a bigger project than my last one. It involves more people and a greater investment of my time, energy, and money. Why am I surprised that the enemy is attacking me? Why am I surprised that he is talking louder and more consistently than before? It sounds trite to say, "new level, new devil," but I am honestly seeing this in my own life right now. As I write this, I finally understand that the things we do as we follow God's will for our lives and live in obedience to Him, need to be covered in prayer BEFORE we do them. Athletes understand this concept. Football players, for instance, know before they ever step on the field, that the opposing team is going to be there to try to stop them from reaching the end zone. Football players know they are going to face pushback. This is why they train, prepare, and practice BEFORE they play. Is it worth it? It is if you love the game. The possibility of a touchdown is real.

Morning Song

What a beautiful time,
Morning;
When light is just arriving.
There’s nothin’ like gettin’ up early,
Sittin’ on the porch swing,
And listenin’ to the birds.
It’s like the good Lord puts them right there with a special song.
And in the newness of the day,
His joy appears,
And hours vanish,
Like glistening dew on the roses.

Dedicated to my porch-swinging, bird-loving, rose-growing mom.

Don't Run. Don't Hide.

Today, my two-year-old grandson, along with his baby brother, got into the pantry. My daughter and I were not aware of this until we heard a crash. We came running into the kitchen to find containers of doggie snacks on the floor at the boys’ feet. His mother was mad, let me tell you! I, Nana, seeing his sideways smile and raised eyebrows, thought he was the cutest boy ever, (albeit mischievous) and felt the need to protect him from his mother’s wrath. “Run!” “Hide,” I yelled! He took my advice, quickly exited the kitchen, and buried himself in the doggie bed. Well, the Holy Spirit knew this was a teachable moment for everyone and prompted me very quickly to correct myself. “No, Asher. Nana has given you bad advice. Don’t run. Don’t hide. When you do something you're not supposed to, go to Mommy and be honest. Tell her what you did.” Asher didn’t budge. I could only see his backside because he was still face down in our dog, Emma’s bed. I wanted to help; to offer support. So, I went over to him, picked him up, and stood close behind him. His momma questioned him. “Did you open the pantry door?” Silence. “Did you open the pantry door?” Denial. “Did you open the pantry door?” I whispered in his ear, “Tell Mommy what you did.” “Yes,” he said. I whispered, “Tell Mommy you're sorry. He whispered, “I’m sorry.” His mother gave him a few words of correction, and I whispered again, “Tell Mommy you're sorry.” “I’m sorry,” he said a little louder. His mother forgave him, and everyone went back to their activities. The Holy Spirit wasn’t quite finished though. During the entire scenario, he was giving me one of the best demonstrations/revelations of repentance I have ever had. When Asher made a mistake, he listened to some bad advice and ran and hid. While he was hiding, you can be sure his mind was preoccupied with thoughts about the consequences of his disobedience. Would there be a time-out? Would he have to clean up the mess? Would there be a spanking? Nothing was resolved and he was stuck in that head-down position until he was willing to stand up, be honest, and sincerely apologize for his actions. The good news is, he didn’t have to do it alone. I was standing right behind him. As a matter of fact, I was holding him. I was whispering in his ear, telling him what to do. I was there ready to defend him, if need be, to remind his mother that he is still learning and growing, that he will make mistakes sometimes, but he is still a precious child. I was struck by it all. Father God is so brilliant to allow humans to parent. The earthly role of the parent mirrors God’s role so well; perhaps better than anything else. When we find ourselves in a pickle, or a jam, or any other kind of jar, the Holy Spirit stands with us and whispers His guidance to us. He says, “Don’t run. Don’t hide. When you do something you're not supposed to, go to Father God and be honest. Tell Him what you did. Tell Him you’re sorry.” Yes, even though God forgives us, there still may be consequences for our actions. Sometimes there’s a mess we have to clean up. Sometimes there is discipline. The good news is, Jesus took the punishment for us and is the one who reminds God we are growing and maturing, that we will make mistakes sometimes, but we are still His precious child. Asher is not in the dog bed anymore (or the doghouse either.) He is playing and having a wonderful day. He repented and he moved on.

Do you think God is mad at you for something you've done?

Don't run. Don't hide. Adam and Eve did that and it didn't work out so well. You can read all about it in the Bible in Genesis chapter 3. God loves you and wants to be with you. Here's what the Bible says:

Romans 8:34 NLT "Who then will condemn us? No one- for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us."

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. All rights reserved.

Romans 10:9-10 NLT

"If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

Romans 10:13 NLT For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. All rights reserved.

1 John 1:9 CEV "But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away."

Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society.  All rights reserved.

Jeanette's Mountain

From Mamaw’s house, I can see Jeanette’s mountain. I like to stand on the big rock and sing the songs that come down from there. I want to be a singer when I grow up, just like Karen Carpenter and Olivia Newton John.

I climb Jeanette’s mountain every morning before school to reach the bus stop. The curvy, steep path isn’t easy to climb, and sometimes I slip on the dew-covered grass. But there are beautiful morning glories along the way, sometimes just opening up. I like the way they're connected to the same vine. The pink and purple ones are my favorite.

I’m usually running late for school, but when I’m not, I watch Captain Kangaroo and then go to Jeanette’s house early; even before the boys get up. When I get there, I have to tiptoe through the girls' dark room without talking. Uncle Tim’s band picture is in there; I like his uniform. I want to play the drums some day, just like Uncle Tim. (Mom calls Uncle Tim my cousin, but cousins are little kids. Uncle Tim is in high school.)

Jeanette makes the best pancakes and homemade syrup… with butter melted in. She always shares breakfast with me when I get there early. I wish I could taste that sweet, buttery syrup every day. I think it's the yummy smell that wakes everyone up. Jeanette doesn’t talk much, but she has a beautiful smile; only kind people smile like her. I go to church with Jeanette sometimes and she teaches me about Jesus. I bet Jeanette talks to Jesus even when she’s not at church. I bet that’s why she’s so kind.