The Tale of The Sock Drawer

Where did they all come from?  Do socks have some inherent trait that causes them to multiply like rabbits in the privacy of the sock drawer? 

So many socks. Black socks.  White socks.  Gray socks.  Multi-colored socks.  So many socks.

How many socks does one woman need?  Not this many would be the correct answer! 

A couple of days ago, after thinking about it and putting it off for a while, I decided to clean out my sock drawer. Oh. My. Word.

And that over-stuffed sock drawer doesn't even contain all the seasonal socks, with their Christmas trees and autumn leaves and pumpkins.  Nor does it contain all the compression socks that were part of my knee replacement journey.

Where did all those socks come from? The answer, of course, is obvious.  I put those socks in the drawer.  And I continued to buy new socks while never discarding any of the old, worn out, no-longer-with-a-mate socks. 

I must bear responsibility for the mess in the sock drawer. Just as I must bear responsibility for the clutter in the pantry that leads to too many cans of this and not enough of that.  Just as I must bear responsibility for too many of the almost-identical, same-color t-shirts that hang in my closet.  And just as I must bear responsibility for all the books on our overloaded bookshelves and tucked into every nook and cranny around the house.  Well, that really isn't the same thing, is it?  (I'm sure every book lover will agree with me!  For more perspective, see yesterday's post.)

I'm not sure I rise to the level of being called a "sock hoarder", but I may be getting dangerously close!  I really had no idea there were so many socks in that drawer.  I should have counted them, but I probably would have been shocked at the number, and then far too embarrassed to share the number with you!

The sock drawer looks much neater now.  The number of socks is manageable.  The worn-out socks, the I-never-even-wear-these socks, the I-don't-even-like-these, and these-don't-even-fit socks have all been discarded.

How did my sock drawer get to be such a mess?  The answer is simple, really.  It happened because I wasn't paying attention.

Not paying attention leads to clutter in the sock drawer.  And in the pantry.  And in the closet.

In the same way, not paying attention leads to clutter in our minds as well.  Unless we make careful, deliberate choices - about what we read, about what we watch, about what we listen to - our minds can end up as cluttered as my sock drawer.

I need to pay attention to what I put into my sock drawer, and I need to remember to take out what isn't needed.

It's a life principle, really.  Pay attention.  Not just to the sock drawer or the pantry, but to what goes into your mind. 

Remember that old computer saying?  GIGO.  Garbage In/Garbage Out. 

Think about that next time you pick up a book or a magazine, or the next time you sign onto social media.  Think about that the next time you start to watch a television show or something on Netflix.  Think about that when you're choosing music for your playlist.

Don't let your mind end up as cluttered as my sock drawer.  Fill it with good things instead.

"Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."  (Philippians 4:8 NASB)

My sock drawer had some good things in it.  Some nice socks.  Some socks that fit well.  Some socks that were useful.  But it also had some things that didn't need to be there.  The clutter made it hard to discern which was which, so a clean-up was needed.

Taking time to clean up our thinking - to declutter our minds - is even more important than cleaning out a sock drawer.

Do you have any clutter you need to deal with today?


"Create in me a clean hear, O God." (Psalm 51:10)

So Many Books.....

There are a lot of books in my to-be-read pile. And there are lots of books on the shelf that I would like to read again.  I enjoy all sorts of books, both fiction and nonfiction.  And I'm usually reading several at once. I have stacks of books piled up in the bedroom.  My bookshelves are overflowing.  And my Kindle has several yet-to-be-read titles awaiting me.  So many books, so little time!

I read for all sorts of reasons.  Sometimes I read for information or for education, to learn more about a particular person or topic.  I read because it keeps my mind sharp and increases my vocabulary.  I read for the pleasure of it, because it's relaxing and it's something I enjoy doing.  I read because I want to!

I have always enjoyed mysteries.  Figuring it all out is part of the fascination, I think.  For the last several years, political thrillers have fascinated me.  I have particularly enjoyed a series of books by Daniel Silva about an Israeli counterintelligence operative.  I most recently read The Black Widow in that series, and am already looking forward to the next installment in the series, which unfortunately won't be available until next summer!

Right now this is what's on my reading table:

I'm still making my way through Simply Tuesday by Emily Freeman.  I've been at this one for a while, not because it is difficult reading, but because I read a passage or a chapter and then think about it for a while, rather than sitting and reading straight through.  The subtitle is "Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World".  It's a call to embrace and enjoy the small, ordinary moments of life, rather than always rushing to the next big thing.  If you think your life is too much hustle-bustle and hurry-up, this might be a good read for you.

Not visible in that photo is the mystery I'm currently enjoying, Scandal at Six by Ann Purser.  This is one of a series of books revolving around Lois Meade, a house-cleaner in a small English village who fancies herself a detective.  Purser began the series with the days of the week (Murder on Monday, Terror on Tuesday, Weeping on Wednesday), and after finishing the week, continued the series with numbers (Warning at One, Tragedy at Two). I've just begun Scandal at Six, and am enjoying checking back in with Lois, her daughter Josie, her mother Gran, and all the comings and goings in the village of Long Farnden.  I expect that this book will follow the style of the others:  cleverly plotted, humorous, believable characters, with an unexpected twist at the end.

Once I'm done with Scandal at Six, I'll begin Braving It  by James Campbell.  This is a book I have received for review, so you'll be hearing more about it later.  It's the story of a father's journey with his daughter into the north of Alaska.  I'm looking forward to that one! Once that one is finished, I'll work my way down the stack to The Secret Keeper and the other books in the stack, all either recommended to me by someone or something that just sounded interesting.

Also there waiting to be read is a cookbook, Old-School Comfort Food by Alex Guarnaschelli, whose name you will recognize if you watch the Food Network.  Yes, I read cookbooks.  I don't cook all that much anymore, but I still enjoy reading cookbooks!

After I finish these, I'll retrieve some more from stacks of unread books that can be found all around the house.  Or maybe I'll pull one or two off the shelf to re-read.

The bottom line, I guess, is that I just love books.  Big books, little books.  Fat books, thin books.  Heavy-duty novels that require lots of thinking.  Little "fluff" books that require no thinking at all!  I think in the publishing world these are referred to as "cozies".  Some of my favorite cozies are a series of  Tea Shop Mysteries set in Charleston, SC and a similar series of mysteries set in a coffee shop in Greenwich Village.  No deep thinking required.  Just fun to read.

So, there you have it.  My name is Susan and I'm a compulsive reader. 

What are you reading this week?

In a Way That Matters

It has happened again.  It often does, really.  There's a song running through my head on a continuous loop.  I can't get it out of my head.

Maybe that's a good thing.  It's a reminder of some things God has been teaching me lately.

In a way that matters,
In a way that shows that I belong to You.
Help me to serve, to care and love
As you’d have me to,
From a life that is pure
And a heart that is true.
Give the courage to stand for what’s right
When everything within would compromise.
Lord, won’t you fill me each day,
And I will give myself away, I pray,
In a way that matters,
a way that matters.

 



 

Larnelle Harris recorded that song some years ago.  He may have written it as well, but I couldn't find any information on that.  Whether he or someone else wrote those words, they are powerful and challenging.

Everywhere we turn these days, every time we pick up a newspaper or turn on the television, it seems we are hearing the same thing.  Black lives matter.  Blue lives matter.  And they do.

Your life matters.  My life matters.  All lives matter.

But just repeating a mantra about whose life matters is not enough.  Just saying we believe that all lives matter is not enough. We each must live in a way that demonstrates that belief.  We must live our lives in a way that matters.

For those of us who are believers, that means we must be living each day intentionally.  Living each day in a way that demonstrates that we belong to Jesus.  That's the message of this song from Larnelle Harris.  And it's the overwhelming message of the Bible.

It's what Jesus was talking about when He said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."  (Matthew 5:16 NASB)

This message is the theme of Jean Fleming's book Pursue the Intentional Life.  In that book, Fleming writes:  "I long to see Christ's life formed in me, to live my highest until the Lord calls me home.  I want to become the person God had in mind when He created me.  I yearn to touch the world for God's glory and advance His kingdom.  [It is] my earnest desire to 'number my days that I may gain a heart of wisdom'. (Psalm 90:12)"

Thinking about living in a way that matters leads to some questions.  How shall I spend my time?  How can I make my days count for Jesus?  How can I be living in this season of my life in a way that matters?  Are there things in my life - attitudes, activities, choices - that need to change?

As I have been thinking about these things, the Lord often brings this passage to mind:

"It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage, now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain."  (Philippians 2:20-21 ESV)

This is the essence of living life in a way that matters.  Living in  such a way that Christ is honored in every area of life.

Practically speaking, how will I - or you - live in a way that matters?  What should we be doing?  What should we be saying?  How should we be interacting with the world around us?

How does living in a way that matters impact our posts on social media?  Our church involvement?  Our parenting?  Our attitudes at work?  Or in the marketplace?  Or in traffic?

How does living in a way that matters impact our relationships with our neighbors?  Or our attitudes toward those from a different part of town?  Or those who are from a different culture or ethnicity or economic background?

Those are things that require us to think.  Living in a way that matters is not just going through life on auto-pilot.  Not just doing the same things we've always done or thinking the same way we've always thought just because "that's just how it is."  Living for Jesus in a way that matters means looking to Him, seeking His opinions rather than those of the culture.  It means being willing to stand for truth, even when everyone around you is following a different path.  It means taking time to know truth by spending time in the Word and in prayer.

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."  (Romans 12:2a NLT)

My prayer is that my life would count for Jesus.  That I would live my life in a way that matters for Him.  In every area of life.

And that's my prayer for you, too.

"Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning:  Don't think you are better than you really are.  Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us."  (Romans 12:3 NLT)
 

Thankful Tuesday: Home

At this time last year, my husband and I were just a few weeks into an extended road trip around the country.  On this particular day, one year ago, we were checking into a hotel right on San Francisco Bay, where we had a view of the Golden Gate Bridge from our window.

That trip around the country was a phenomenal opportunity, and most days I enjoyed it very much.  But then there were the other days.  The days when I found myself missing home. Missing my friends.  Missing my church.  Missing my dog.  Missing my coffee maker (although I confess I traveled with my own mini-Keurig!).  Missing my own chair.  Especially there in Cypress, California.

This particular chair, and others like it in hotels along our journey, was incredibly uncomfortable.

There were a number of days last summer when I found myself checking the calendar to see how much longer before we would be "home".

When I thought of "home", I was thinking of our home here in Spartanburg.  From the moment we moved into this house, it felt like "home".  Even when we were still surrounded by boxes!

Perhaps it's because this is so close to my growing-up place.

Perhaps it's because we had already made such good friends here, even before we moved.

Perhaps it's because we love our church so much.

Perhaps it's because we view this as our permanent location, at least until it's time for "the home" or for heaven, whichever comes first.

For whatever reason, this feels like home, and I am incredibly thankful.

So much of our life has been "for as long as we're here, .....".  Most of our life, we have saved boxes for the next move.  But not this time.  For most of our life, we've been waiting for, anticipating, the next thing.

Here it feels good to be settled.  Until it's time for our eternal home, this feels good.  It feels right.  It feels like "home".

Last year's road trip was an incredible opportunity.  What a blessing to be able to see so many different parts of our country!  Even so, as we traveled around the country, there was always a longing for "home".

There's a sense in which that is a picture of life.  We who are believers in Christ still live in this world.  We enjoy the sights and sounds and experiences that are part of life.  But underneath it all is the knowledge that we're not "home" yet. 

As we observe current events and as we read the Scriptures, we may find ourselves looking at the calendar and wondering how much longer.

Until we are finally home.

"This world is not my home; I'm just a-passin' through.

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue."

(Brumley)

 

 

"I go to prepare a place for you.  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."  (John 14:2b-3 NASB)

Motivation

With earbuds in and water bottle in hand, I set out on my morning walk.  My I-pod was set to "shuffle", so I heard a variety of music as I walked.  Some Southern Gospel.  A trip down memory lane to my high school years as I listened to The Lettermen.  Some hymns.  A Christmas song.  But even a Christmas song was not enough to cool me off this morning!  It's another hot, humid day here in the Upstate.

My goal when I set out was to walk the main road of our neighborhood twice.  Up to the top of the hill, then down to the bottom, and then repeat.  After I had made one round, I was still feeling pretty good, so I kept going.  When I passed my house the second time, I knew I could make it. And I did.  Yay me!  Mission accomplished.

The last song I heard as I was walking was "Send Us to the Nations" by Jarod Espy, who is the worship leader in the "Genesis" services at our church.  Jarod is a gifted young man and this song packs a powerful message.

As I was listening, I was reminded of our Life Group lesson yesterday.  We were studying 1 Samuel 17, the story of David and Goliath.

What does a song about going to the nations have to do with a story about a boy with a slingshot defeating a giant?  It has to do with motivation.

Look at 1 Samuel 17:46-47.  David is speaking, announcing to the giant what he is going to do (kill him and cut his head off!).  Then David tells the giant, and all the people listening, and us, why he is going to do that.

"...that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD's and He will give you into our hand." (1 Samuel 17:46b-47 NASB)

David was not going to kill the giant just to save the army of Israel, although that was  certainly a result. 

David was not going to kill the giant in order to make himself famous, although that was certainly a result.

What David tells us here is that His motivation was that all might know the power of the living God!

And that should be a motivation for us as well.  To make God's name and His glory known.  In our homes and our neighborhoods and our cities and our country and our world.  That's what the song "Send Us to the Nations" is really all about.

Whatever you or I may be doing today, what are we doing to make God's glory known? 



Listen to "Send Us to the Nations" here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IB3wfLf3zTw

The Courtship Basket. A Book Review.

I don't read much Amish fiction, but The Courtship Basket by Amy Clipston caught my eye, and I decided to give it a try.

The story centers around Rachel Fisher, a young Amish woman who is expecting her boyfriend to ask her to marry him.  Her dreams are shattered when she discovers her boyfriend has been dating her best friend.

As might be expected in this type of book, Rachel meets another young man.  There are the usual misunderstandings, and that's where the "courtship basket" becomes part of the story.

The plot moves very slowly, and the conversations are often redundant.  But my biggest problem with the book is Rachel.  I didn't find her to be a particularly likeable character.

In spite of that, and in spite of its predictable outcome, there are enough twists and turns in the plot to make it a pleasant read for a summer's day.  Those who are fans of Amish fiction will likely enjoy it very much.  For me, I liked it, but I didn't love it.

I received a free copy of The Courtship Basket from BookLookBloggers in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Desert

This time last year my husband and I were in the third week of a three-month long road trip. We began our week in the desert.  In Phoenix, Arizona.  Where it is hot.  Really hot.  And one year ago today, we were crossing the desert from Phoenix to Southern California.

It was a long day.  I didn't take very many pictures because, just to be honest about it, the scenery never really changed.  We spent the day looking at this:

 When we arrived in Southern California, we were greeted by this:

 



It was a long, frustrating day.

The desert can be like that.  Not just the Mohave Desert, but the desert times in our lives.  Those dry, barren times when we feel like we're getting nowhere.

We all face those times.  Even David, the Psalmist, faced these barren times.

"I thirst for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water."  (Psalm 63:1b NASB)

David wrote these words in the Judean wilderness, another dry and barren place, much like the Mohave Desert we drove through last summer.

Just as we sometimes do, David experienced a dry period.  How did he deal with it?  The answer is in the first part of that verse.

"O God, You are my God; I shall seek you earnestly."  (Psalm 63:1a NASB)

When, like David, we are experiencing dry, barren periods in our lives, the answer is the same for us as it was for him.

"I shall seek You earnestly."

Seek the Lord.

Seek Him earnestly.

Not half-heartedly.

Because He is the Living Water that satisfies our thirst.

Even in our dry, barren deserts.

"Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You.  So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name."  (Psalm 63:4 NASB) 

Distractions

Do you ever get distracted?

Have you ever started a project and then not finished it because your mind wandered to somewhere else?  And then you remembered another thing that needed doing.  Or a phone call you needed to make.  And then you decided to check Facebook or your texts.  And then you needed a snack.  But maybe you should walk the dog first.  But I need to finish this chapter. Except I just remembered that I have clothes in the washing machine that need to go in the dryer.  But first I'll go make another cup of coffee.  Now what was I doing? 

Can anyone relate?

We all get distracted from time to time.  Life is busy, and our schedules are filled with places to be and things to do. 

Sometimes distractions are a good thing.  We can be going through the busyness of the day and then find ourselves distracted by the beauty of a flower.  Or by a sunset. Or by a song we hear.  Or by the sound of children at play. At those times we hit the pause button on life, set aside for a moment whatever we might have been focused on, and enjoy the beauty.  We take time to smell the roses, to borrow a phrase.  Those are good distractions.

Too often, however, distractions are not good things. 

We too often allow distractions keep us from the Word of God.  We allow the busyness of life to get in the way.  We even allow good things, like family and friends, to become distractions, keeping us from best things, like time with the Lord. We too often use friends and family as an excuse, rather than seeking to find the right balance.  As a result, relationships with family, with friends, and with the Lord can suffer.

We allow the media to distract us.  This week the media is making much of a few words in a candidate's wife's speech that sound very much like the speech given by a candidate's wife in a speech eight years ago.  And there are similarities.  But if you go back and listen to every candidate's wife's speech in every election year, they are all remarkably similar.  They all follow the same template.  Even so, this is being debated ad nauseum in newspapers and on talk shows.  And police officers are dying.

If we follow the media's lead and keep our focus on a candidate's wife's speech, we won't be paying attention to the other speeches.  We won't be paying attention to the hate being stirred up and the violence being perpetrated against police officers.  We might forget about deleted e-mails.  We might not focus on the real issues of the day.

The media would like to keep us distracted.  Politicians would like to keep us distracted. The enemy of our souls would like to keep us distracted.

That's the greatest danger of all.  That the enemy of our souls would keep us so distracted, whether by busyness or by false teachers or by media and political pundits with their particular agendas.  That distraction is the one we must guard most against.

The enemy of our souls would like to keep us so busy and so distracted by our religion and our politics and our good works that we miss the most important thing - our relationship with Jesus.

Don't give your enemy the victory!  Don't get distracted!

"You therefore, beloved....be on your guard."  (2 Peter 3:17 NASB)

"Be on guard."  (2 Timothy 4:15 NASB)

"Be on guard, so that your heart will not be weighted down...."  (Luke 21:34 NASB)

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."  (Ephesians 6:12 NASB)

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith."  (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)

Thankful

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you may remember that from time to time Tuesday posts are about being thankful, under the heading Thankful Tuesday.  Today is one of those days.

Today marks five weeks since one of my dear friends underwent a very serious esophageal surgery.  Over the course of these five weeks, Mary Ellen has had some real ups and downs, and she remains in ICU.  But for the last couple of days, the news has been positive and encouraging, and for that I am so very thankful.

I'm thankful for the community where I live.  A community that came together last night - young and old, rich and poor, black and white - to honor fallen police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge.  The Sheriff's Department in our county asked our church to host the event, and our pastor spoke.  But it was not a First Baptist Spartanburg event.  It was a Spartanburg event.  It was a community coming together.  It was a community saying we honor and respect and appreciate law enforcement officers and the rule of law.  And I am so thankful.

We have had rain nearly every day for several days now.  After weeks of near-drought conditions, this rain is very welcome indeed.  And I am so thankful.

Last night I stayed up much later than normal.  I was reading a very good book and couldn't put it down until I finished it.  As a result, getting out of bed this morning was even more of a challenge than normal.  This morning it would have been very easy to find an excuse not to walk.  But I walked anyway! 

These morning walks are a definite reason for thanksgiving.  That I have a new knee and am able to walk is certainly a starting point for giving thanks!  That physical therapy conditioned me to be able to do more than I had previously thought possible is another reason I'm thankful.

This morning I gave thanks for the beauty I saw as I walked.  I stopped for a brief chat with one of my neighbors, and I gave thanks for my neighborhood and good neighbors, which is a special blessing after years of isolated living on the side of a mountain. 

I don't always, but today I put my earbuds in and my I-pod in my pocket, and I enjoyed some wonderful music as I walked.  As a result, this morning's walk was a wonderful time of worship.  I even made it up Kellie Lane!

 

 

 

One of the last songs I listened to was the Gaither Vocal Band singing These Are They, a song based on this verse from the Book of Revelation:

 

"These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."  (Revelation 7:14 KJV)

 

As I listened to that song, and as I thought of the future that awaits all of us who belong to Jesus Christ, my heart overflowed with thankfulness.  Thinking about that makes this a Thankful Tuesday indeed!

 

"And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe way all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."  (Revelation 21:3-4 KJV)

 

 

To watch the tribute to fallen officers, click here:  http://livestream.com/fbcspartanburg/events/3447238/videos/130230476

 

To listen to the Gaither Vocal Band sing These Are They, click here: https://youtu.be/YuitgwHBIbQ



Anyway

Anyway.

Several months ago that word inspired a blog post.  This morning that word is at the forefront of my thinking again.

At the end of yesterday morning's worship service, just before he led us in our closing prayer, our minister of missions informed us that there had been another ambush of police officers.  This time in Baton Rouge.

I had a knot in the pit of my stomach.  I felt heartbroken.  I wept.  And I wondered how much more.  When will this madness stop?

Much of this madness stems from a movement that tells us that black lives matter.  And they do.  All lives matter.

But did not the black life of a Baton Rouge police officer matter?  And does not the black life of his four-month-old child matter?

This senseless taking of human life to prove a political point sickens me.  It breaks my heart.  It brings me to tears.

Our country has gone crazy, or so it seems.  In fact, the entire world is teetering on the brink.  On Twitter this morning I read that in the just the last 30 days, these things have happened:  the UK has voted to leave the EU; there have been attacks in Baghdad (281 dead), Dhaka (24 dead), Istanbul (45 dead) and Nice (at least 84 dead); and there was a failed coup in Turkey.

That does not take into account any of the violence we have been experiencing in our own country.

And now, with the political convention season beginning, the airwaves are filled with opinions and hatred and bitterness and vitriol.

Life, even on a good day, can be challenging.  In all areas of our lives, there are challenges and disappointments everywhere we turn.  But these days, there seems to be a new crisis around every corner.

What are we to do? How do we deal with all that?  How do we handle these challenges and crises and disappointments? 

We trust God anyway.  Even when things aren't going our way.  Even when we have health issues or financial issues or relationship issues.  Even when we have been hurt or disappointed.  Even when our candidate isn't winning.  Even when those we love are suffering.  Even when we don't know how we will pay our bills.  Even when there aren't enough hours in the day. 

Even when the news headlines grieve us more than we think we can bear.

Even when those news headlines make us angry.

Even when those news headlines make us afraid.

Even then. 

Anyway.

Martina McBride expressed this well in a song she wrote and recorded a few years ago.  One verse of that song says, "God is great, But sometimes life ain't good, And when I pray it doesn't always turn out like I think it should. But I do it anyway, I do it anyway."

Anyway.

That's what faith is all about.  Faith is not dependent on circumstances.  Faith is faith in spite of circumstances.

Trust God anyway.

Obey God anyway.

Believe God anyway.

Let your light shine anyway.

No matter what the next crisis is.

No matter what you hear when you turn on the news broadcast.

No matter what.

Trust God anyway.

Let your light shine anyway.

Love people anyway.



"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD!  I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!  The Sovereign LORD is my strength!  (Habakkuk 3:17-19a NLT, emphasis mine)

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear."  (Psalm 46, 1-2a, NASB, emphasis mine)

Back in the Saddle. A Book Review.

Back in the Saddle by Ruth Logan Herne is the story of Colt Stafford, a prodigal son returning home to the ranch in Washington State after years of success on Wall Street.  When the market - and Colt - hit bottom, he headed home to the ranch.

This is Colt's story.  It is also Sam's story, the father with regrets trying to mend relationships.  And it is the story of Angelina, the housekeeper with a secret.

Back in the Saddle is the story of second chances.  The characters are "real", each with their own issues to be resolved.

Herne is a good storyteller.  Here she has given us a solid story of faith and family, with a little bit of mystery, a little bit of romance, and a little bit of humor thrown in.

Overall, this was a good read.

I received a free copy of Back in the Saddle from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion.

Determined

For several weeks now, it has been my [almost] daily practice to walk every morning in the neighborhood.  I began with a short walk, about a half mile, from our house up to the entrance of our neighborhood and back again.  Once I felt comfortable with that, I increased my distance and walked the whole street.  Last week, on a couple of different days, I made the turn onto Kellie Lane.

Walking in this neighborhood is all about walking up and down hill.  From the entrance to the end of the road is one long hill.  We live about halfway down the road, so it's either walk up the hill and then back down, or go in the opposite direction and walk down hill and then back up.  Kellie Lane takes that to a whole different level.  It's a very steep hill.

Twice last week I made the turn and attempted Kellie Lane.  On both occasions, I made it about halfway up before I had to turn around and head for home.

Yesterday I was determined to do the whole thing.  Yesterday I was determined to make it to the top of Kellie Lane.  Yesterday I had made up my mind I would do it.

And I did.

And I did it again today.

Because I made up my mind that's what I would do.

Back in the late 1980s/early 1990s there was a Contemporary Christian song with the title "I Am Determined."  That title sums up my attitude toward Kellie Lane!

But it is so much more.

I don't remember who sang the song.  And I don't remember who wrote it, so I can't give proper credit.  But these are the lyrics I remember from that song:

"Darkness around me, sorrow surrounds me,

Yet though there are trials, still I can sing.

For I have this treasure; my God reigns within me;

And I am determined to live for my King.

I am determined to be invincible

'Til He has finished His purpose in me.

And nothing can shake me,

For He'll never forsake me.

I am determined to live for my King."

 

That song became something of a theme song for me back then.  And it remains so today.  Because I am determined to live for my King.

 

This world is full of all kinds of heartache and trouble.  Of terrorism and violence.  All kinds of difficulties surround us. Do all these things rattle me from time to time?  Sure they do.

 

Even so - in spite of all that - I am determined to live for Jesus.  I am determined not to be shaken by world events, or by the circumstances of life.  I am determined to live with my eyes fixed on Jesus.

 

So that nothing can shake me.  Not even Kellie Lane!

 

 

"But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.  I was crying to the LORD with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain.  I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me."  Psalm 3:3-5 NASB

 

 

 



 

 

 

A Beauty Refined. A Book Review.

A Beauty Refined by Tracie Peterson is the story of Phoebe von Bergen, who has accompanied her father from their home in Germany to Helena, Montana for the purpose of purchasing sapphires.  Or so she thinks.  An unexpected encounter alters Phoebe's opinion about the trip and about her father.

I have previously enjoyed a number of Tracie Peterson's books, and this one is no exception.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I read the entire thing in less than a day!

A Beauty Refined is historical fiction, set in the post World War I era.  It is, at the same time, Christian fiction, with faith playing a prominent role in how some of the characters make their decisions and resolve conflicts.  It is also the developing love story between Phoebe, daughter of a German nobleman, and Ian Harper, a lapidary working in Helena.

This is a fast-paced book, with plenty of interesting plot twists and turns.  Love and hate, revenge, deception, intriguing relationships, and a little bit of mystery.  All these combine to make this a delightful read!

A Beauty Refined is Book 2 in the Sapphire Brides series, but is easily a stand-alone read. I had not previously read Book 1 of the series before reading A Beauty Refined, and did not find that to be a hindrance to my understanding or enjoyment of this book.

I received a free copy of A Beauty Refined from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group, in exchange for my honest opinion.

What Are You Reading This Week?

An appointment that I had scheduled for this morning was rescheduled, so that gives me an unexpected block of time to enjoy two of my favorite things:  reading and coffee.  This is just a bit of what's on my to-be-read pile.  If I showed you everything, you would probably call for an intervention!

During the summer I typically opt for lighter reading fare.  Nothing too heavy.  More fiction than non-fiction.  There are, of course, some exceptions.

On top of this pile is my Kindle.  Before we left for the beach, I had downloaded Dangerous Passage (Southern Crimes Book #1) by Lisa Harris.  It was free and sounded interesting, so I decided to give it a try.  It was a very enjoyable read.  So much so, that during beach week, I also read Fatal Exchange (Southern Crimes Book #2) and Hidden Agenda (Southern Crimes Book #3).  Each of them can be read as a stand-alone book, but reading the first one led me to want to read the next one, and then there was a plot twist at the end of book 2 that I had to have resolved!  These are Christian fiction, well-written with interesting characters, and I enjoyed them very much.

Once I had finished those three, I started on another book on my Kindle:  The Flinck Connection by Estelle Ryan.  This is the 4th book in the Genevieve Lenard series.  Again, each book can be read as a stand-alone, but reading the entire series helps you understand the development of relationships between the characters.  The main character, Genevieve, has high functioning autism spectrum disorder, and the series revolves around a team of people who investigate art theft.  In this book, the art in question is painted by Flinck.  In case you weren't paying attention in art appreciation class, Flinck was a Dutch painter, similar to Rembrandt.  The book contains some colorful language and is written with a different world view than my own.  Even so, I've read all the books in the series up to this point and found them to be very interesting.

Once I finish The Flinck Connection, I'll be diving into this stack.  The two books on top of the pile are A Beauty Refined and Back in the Saddle, both being books I have received to read and review.  So, you'll be hearing more about that later.

There are two non-fiction titles in the stack. I have been leisurely working my way through Simply Tuesday by Emily Freeman, which I also began while we were at the beach, and I'm looking forward to The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, subtitled Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

What I am most looking forward to in this stack is The Black Widow by Daniel Silva. Since I read the first book in this series, The Kill Artist, I have been fascinated by Gabriel Allon, art restorer and spy/clandestine operative/assassin for the Israeli government.  Silva is one of the best writers of espionage fiction that I have read, and I look forward to each new installment in the Gabriel Allon saga.  This is no exception. The promos all point to The Black Widow being one of the best books in the series, so I'm excited to read it.

So that's a little bit of what I'm reading.

I'd love to hear from you.  What are you reading this week?

Garbage

I don't think I have ever been quite so happy to see Monday come around.

You see, Mondays are garbage pick-days for us.  And it had been a few weeks since our garbage had been collected.

Three Mondays ago, we put our garbage out as usual.  On Friday of that week, we collected all the garbage in the house and put it in the can in the garage.  Then on Saturday morning, we left for our beach vacation.

The following Monday was the 4th of July holiday, so no garbage pick-up on that day.  Normally, when there's a Monday holiday, garbage is picked up on Tuesday. But, while we were at the beach, our garbage company had left a note on our porch that, because of the holiday, garbage would be collected on Saturday, July 1.

That would have been fine if we had been at home to get that note or to put our garbage out on Saturday morning.  But, we didn't arrive home from our vacation until Saturday evening.  So, we still had garbage in the garage.

We had the whole family here for the weekend.  We enjoyed a little more together time.  We accumulated some more garbage.

This past Saturday, Al did some clean-up and organizing in the garage.  That meant more garbage to be thrown away. 

Our garbage can was overflowing.  Our recycling bin was overflowing.  And besides all that, because it has been so hot, all that garbage smelled really bad.  Really bad.  It was "stanky"!  (Yes, I know that isn't really a word!)

Monday morning came.  The garbage can, along with all the black garbage bags that wouldn't fit into it, were set out at the curb.  The recycling bin and the stacks of cardboard were put out.  The big truck came through the neighborhood, and the garbage was taken away.

I am a happy woman.  The garbage is gone!  And, incidentally, the garage now smells much better!

It's a good thing to get rid of all that garbage!

If only it were as easy to get rid of the garbage we carry around with us on a daily basis!

Garbage like fear.  And bitterness.  And worry.  And prejudice. And hate.  And anxiety.  And the list could go on.

If only we could put all our "stinkin' thinkin'" in a garbage bag and sit it out by the curb.

But, in a sense, we can.  We can take all our worries and our anxieties and our bitternesses and our prejudices, and lay them at the feet of Jesus!

He can handle it all.  And He wants to.  If we will only let Him!

"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you."  (! Peter 5:7 KJV)

The Root of the Problem

What a difference a week makes!  Last Monday we were celebrating.  We were, at least for the day, a united people focused on parades and picnics and fireworks.  We were waving our flags and singing patriotic songs.  We were proud to be Americans.

And then all that changed.  Then came the shootings.  And we exchanged our pride for fear and anger.  We stopped being patriotic and started being political.  Far too many in the public eye began finger-pointing and fear-mongering, none of which is helpful and none of which solves anything.

As I think back over the last week here in our country, my heart is broken.  As a nation, we are in a mess.  And it is my belief that the root of all our problems is not political corruption or strained race relations or a bad economy or political rhetoric.  Those are only symptoms of the problem.  At the very root of our problems is the fact that as a nation, we have turned our back on God.  We have abandoned the core principles of our founding documents.  And we are paying the price.

We who are God's people must recognize where we fit into this picture.  We need to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.  Being part of the solution means we need to stop expecting non-believers to act like believers.  And being part of the solution means that we who are believers need to start acting like it!

Yesterday in our Life Group, we continued our study in 1 Samuel.  Our text was          1 Samuel chapter 15, and our topic was obedience, certainly a timely topic.  What Samuel said to King Saul, and what God is saying to us today is, to obey God is better.

"To obey is better than sacrifice......." (1 Samuel 15:22)

To obey God is better.

To obey God is better than political solutions or political rhetoric.  To obey God is better than being caught up in emotion and fear and hate.  To obey God is better than good intentions.

To obey God is better.

How well are we - you and I and all who call themselves Christian - obeying God? 

How well, for example, are we obeying these words of Scripture:

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  (Matthew 22:39)

"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."  (Matthew 5:44)

"Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." 
(James 1:19)

We learned yesterday that obedience is better.  Obedience is everything.  Obedience is intentional.  Obedience means letting God set my priorities.

Obedience requires that I pay attention to what God says.  And it requires some self-examination.  Which leads to the verses our pastor used as the text for the morning message yesterday:

"Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)

What does all this have to do with current events in our country?  This:  it's time to stop pointing fingers at what others may or may not be doing wrong, and ask God to show us what we, individually, may or may not be doing wrong.

Search me.

Know my heart.

Try me.

Know my thoughts.

Is there any grievous way in me?

Lead me.

Certainly we as a nation have strayed far from God's ways.  But a nation is made up of individuals.  It's time that we as individuals begin to live in full obedience to God's ways.  When that happens, then we will see a change in the nation.

"Go home.  Lock yourself in your room.  Kneel in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle round yourself.  There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival in that chalk circle."  - Gypsy Smith

When There's Nothing Else to Say

We've come to the end of another heart-breaking week.  More shootings. We don't know all the details yet, but we do know that people are hurting.  And angry.  And fearful.

Our hearts ache for those who have lost loved ones.  Our hearts grieve for our country and what we have become.  We weep.  And we don't know what to say.

So we cry to the Lord.  Lord, have mercy.

All across social media, people are voicing their opinions.  Some of them not very helpful.  And we don't know what to say.

So we cry to the Lord.  Lord, have mercy.

On Facebook this morning, Jennifer Rothschild posted:  "Oh brothers and sisters, we need to fall on our knees!  Our country is so broken.  My heart is broken.....We are a divided nation dying under the weight of our sin and selfishness.  God, forgive us...."

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars....Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Jesus said, "If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." (Mark 3:25 NASB)

Jesus said,  "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  (Matthew 22:39 NASB)

Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."      (Matthew 5:44 NASB)

Our country is broken.  Our country is in trouble.  We are no longer united, but rather are divided.  We need help.  The solution is not a Democrat or a Republican.  The solution is not in more violence.

The only hope for us is the Lord.

So today, and every day, when we don't even know what to say or how we should respond, may we turn to Him.  When our hearts are broken and we weep for what is happening to our country, may we turn to Him. 

It's our only hope.  Lord, have mercy.

"For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You."  (2 Chronicles 20:12 NASB)

Slow Down

As I walked around my neighborhood earlier this morning, I heard birds singing.  I noticed the beauty of the blooms on the crape myrtle trees that line our neighborhood streets.  I heard bees buzzing as they harvested nectar from those blooms.  I heard the sound of a waterfall in a neighbor's garden.  It was a quiet morning, and I was in no particular hurry to finish my walk.  There was a gentle breeze blowing.

It occurred to me as I walked that most of the time we miss out on things like birds singing and flowers blooming because, here in 21st century America, we're always in too big a hurry.  We're too busy to notice the little things.

Simon and Garfunkel once sang, "Slow down, you move too fast......"

That was back in the 20th century.  How much more true is it today than it was then.

Most of us, most of the time, are rushing through life at a whirlwind pace!  We're living life more like we're speeding down the freeway than taking a drive down a quiet country road.

And because we are always in such a hurry, I fear we are missing out on some of the most important things in life.  A quiet conversation with a neighbor that is more than just a quick hello on the way to somewhere else.  Listening to the sounds of birds singing in the morning breeze.  Hearing the sound of a neighbor's waterfall.  Maybe we're even missing hearing that still, small voice of God because we're so busy.

The Psalmist wrote, "Be still, and know that I am God."  (Psalm 46:10).

Notice that he didn't write "Be busy, and know....." or "Hurry up, and know......"

Be still.....

Slow down, you move too fast.....

It's good advice.  Slow down.  Whether you live in a suburban neighborhood, as I do, or in a more rural setting.  Whether you live in a high-rise in the big city, or out in the country.  No matter where you live, or what's on your plate for today, don't be in such a hurry!

Slow down. Take some deep breaths.  Celebrate the little things, like bees buzzing.  Like the colors and textures of leaves.  Like petting the neighbor's dog.

Listen.  To the birds.  To the sound of a gentle breeze.

And especially, listen for the still, small voice of God.

Won't You Get Bored?

One year ago today, Al and I set out on a long trip around the country.  Before we began our journey, I was often asked this question. Won't you get bored?

My answer was always some (polite, I hope!) form of No, I won't!

For starters, I was born with a travel gene, if there is such a thing.  I love to travel.  I love seeing new faces and new places, trying new foods and experiencing new things.  So for those reasons alone, the trip around the country was perfect.

Of course, because it was essentially a very long business trip, there were not always opportunities to see and experience all the new and different things there are along the way.  But we did manage to experience quite a lot!  

One of the best parts of the trip for me as we began our travels was some much-needed down time during the early days of the trip, while we were in Atlanta.  Prior to beginning our adventure, there had been the the packing and unpacking of moving from North Carolina to South Carolina, and then the packing again for the trip, so some down time was a welcome change of pace.  In the early days of our journey, we had a wonderful time seeing friends in Nashville, and a wonderful time of worship on a Sunday in Jackson, Mississippi.  We ate some delicious food and saw some beautiful countryside.  And that was only the beginning.  So, was I bored? In a word, no!

Over the course of the trip, one of the things I delighted in was catching up on some reading. During the last months of packing and unpacking, there was not nearly enough time for books!  I hear the aren't you bored? question a lot when books come into the conversation, which makes me so sad!  How could anyone be bored with reading?  It's something I can't even begin to fathom!  

Reading is definitely one of my passions.  Bible study is another.  When it comes to the Scriptures, I am saddened at how often I hear that question.  Isn't it boring?  Again, I have the same answer.  No.  I think that those who are bored by the study of God's Word just must not be doing it right! But that's a topic for another day.

Right now, as I'm recalling leaving on that long journey around the country, and as I'm trying to catch up on laundry after our beach vacation, I find myself wishing that once again I had those long, uninterrupted periods for reading and Bible study that I enjoyed so much on our journey last year.

I need to get this unpacking and decluttering and laundry done so I can get my regular schedule back, with plenty of time for reading and for study!


"O how I love your law!  It is my meditation all the day."  (Psalm 119:97 NASB)

Refreshed

Sitting in a beach chair with my toes in the sand.  Listening to the sounds of waves crashing onto the beach.  Hearing the laughter of grandchildren.

Those are just a few of my favorite memories from last week.

Now it's back to reality.  Instead of sand and waves, my day will be filled with unpacking and laundry.  This is the worst part of a vacation, in my humble opinion.

But not even the drudgery of laundry can dim the memories we made.

What a relaxing week it was.  No particular agenda.  No appointments that had to be kept.  No chores to be done.

Just relaxing.  Sitting on the beach with a book.  Or on the porch. Walking on the beach.  Laughing.  Talking.  Making memories together.

What great fun!

Now it's back to "real" life!  Yet even as I'm faced with unpacking and sorting laundry and putting things away, there's a smile on my face. 

Relaxed.  Refreshed.  Renewed.

The location was amazing.  Oceanfront.  Falling asleep each night to the sound of waves crashing onto the beach.  Waking up to see the sun over the water.

It wasn't just about the location.  It was about the people. 

It was smiles and giggles and laughter.  It was conversation.  It was together.  It was family.

Family.  One of life's greatest blessings.

The vacation is over.  But the memories will last a lifetime.

More happy than my heart can hold.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."  (Psalm 103:1 ESV)

Proclaim Liberty

"Proclaim liberty throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof."  



Those words from Leviticus 25 are inscribed on a bell we have come to know as the Liberty Bell, originally cast in the Whitechapel Foundry in East London, England, and now housed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.

Today we celebrate liberty.  We celebrate our nation's independence.  July 4, 1776 was the date of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, and we celebrate that every year on this day. 



But our independence, our freedom, is about more than a one-day-a-year celebration.  It's about more than picnics and parades. It's about more than fireworks and flag-waving and funnel cakes. No matter how you choose to celebrate today, keep in mind the reason for the celebration!


We celebrate today because a group of men gathered together on this date in 1776 to sign a document proclaiming our independence. We celebrate because there were men willing to risk all they had to fight for that independence. We celebrate because, in that year and in all the years since, men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States of America have dedicated themselves to protecting our freedom. We celebrate because we are a free people, with rights and privileges only dreamed of by many around the world.



Our freedom as Americans is something to celebrate every day of the year, not just on one day in the middle of summer. It's something to be cherished and protected. It's something we must never take for granted, but continually be thankful for.



Our freedom as Americans is a precious thing that must be guarded and defended. And just the verse on the Liberty Bell reminds us, we must "proclaim liberty throughout the land"!



If that is true of our freedom as Americans, how much more is all that true of our freedom in Christ!

Freedom in Christ isn't something just to be celebrated once a week on Sundays, but to be celebrated and cherished and treasured and proclaimed every day! Because "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!"  (John 8:36 ESV)


"For freedom Christ has set us free."  (Galatians 5:1 ESV)



"For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death."  (Romans 8:2 ESV)



[Jesus said] "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."  (John 8:32 ESV)



Free indeed!  Free in Christ Jesus! Our freedom in Christ is not dependent on political parties or political correctness or political whim. That freedom is all and only in and through Christ Jesus! 


Free indeed!



Proclaim that freedom "throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof"!






"Let Freedom Ring" - The Gaither Vocal Band:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVVbSXz7jaU