The Signs

The signs are all around us.

Today is the last day of August.  The crape myrtles that line my street are losing their blooms. We're beginning to see pumpkin everything - Cheerios, Peeps, and coffee creamer, to name a few - everywhere we turn. And it's time for some football!

The air was cooler and much less humid this morning when I walked.  There's a subtle change in the temperatures, which around here means low 90s instead of upper 90s.  But hey, we'll take what we can get!

All these signs point to one thing.  It's time for fall, y'all!

I know fall doesn't officially make an appearance for about three more weeks.  But turning the calendar page to September, as we will do tomorrow, means it's that time again.  Add in the fact that we're coming up on the Labor Day weekend, and it's as good as official. 

Fall has arrived. The signs are everywhere. You can't help but notice.

There are other signs that are obvious as well.

"But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power."       (2 Timothy 3:1-6a NASB)

I'm certain you have noticed some of these things in our culture.  They are just as obvious as the cooler air and the football season.

We can look at the calendar and know when fall arrives.  We don't know exactly when Jesus will return, but as we look at these signs around us, we are aware the day is closer now than it has ever been.

Are you ready?

 

"People get ready, Jesus is comin',

Soon we'll be going home."

(-Crystal Lewis)

Diary of a Knee Replacement. 5 Months Later.

When I looked at the calendar yesterday, I realized that Sunday was the 5-month anniversary of my knee replacement surgery. It's hard to believe five months have passed already.

My new knee and I are doing very well together.  When I saw the doctor a few weeks ago, he said everything was just as it should be.  I'm walking with no pain and doing things that a few months ago I would have thought impossible.  Most days, unless I notice the scar, I don't even really think about it.

This morning, as I was reflecting on these five months, I'm reminded again just how many reasons I have for giving thanks.  I am very aware that everyone who has knee replacement surgery does not have as good an experience as I had.  I am aware that, even now, people are struggling through recovery and physical therapy.  That awareness causes me to pause and give thanks. 

I am so thankful for my surgeon, Dr. Armocida, and for the team of doctors and nurses who took such good care of me.  I am thankful to have had my surgery at the Villages at Pelham hospital, which I have occasionally been known to refer to as the "Spa at Pelham"!

I am so thankful for Caitlin, my physical therapist, whom I affectionately refer to as the "World's Best Physical Therapist".  Because she is!

Every morning when I'm out walking, I'm thankful for this new knee.  Thankful for Dr. Armocida.  Thankful for Caitlin.

Just so thankful.

Now, if I could only get some of these other aching parts replaced.......

"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good."  (Psalm 136:1a NASB)

When a Plan Comes Together

"I love it when a plan comes together."

If you ever watched the TV show "The A-Team" back in the 1980s, you're familiar with that line, a line often spoken by George Peppard's character Hannibal Smith.  On Saturday, I thought a lot about that line.

Several weeks ago, one of our Life Group teachers announced his retirement from teaching.  Max had been teaching Sunday School for 57 years, more than thirty of those years at First Baptist Spartanburg.  From the time Max told us he was going to give up his teaching position, our Life Group began planning a surprise for him.  We had already scheduled our annual picnic at Croft State Park, so that seemed the perfect opportunity.

Plans were set in motion.  Funds were collected.  Notes were written.  Gifts were purchased.  All this unknown to Max and his wife Becky.  And on Saturday, it all came together.  We gathered at the State Park for food and fellowship and for the big surprise.  We were almost the ones who were surprised when it turned out that Max and Becky were running late!

Our plan came together.  Max and Becky arrived.  Between lunch and dessert, we presented the gifts. It was a precious time!  I love it when a plan comes together.

Max and Becky were two of the first people we met when we first began attending First Baptist Spartanburg. On the first morning we visited their class, Max welcomed us by saying, "We're so glad you're here.  We've been praying you would come."

With a greeting like that, why would we visit any other class?  We settled into that group, where we have made many wonderful friends.  That all began with Max and Becky, who welcomed us not only into their class but into their lives.  Isn't that really what a Life Group should do? I love it when a plan comes together.

We feel so blessed to have sat under Max's teaching and to have his influence in our lives.  So blessed to call Max and Becky our friends.  So thankful they aren't going anywhere, but are still a part of our Life Group.  And I feel so blessed and thankful that a couple of years ago, Max gave me the opportunity to have a part in teaching the class.  It's a privilege and a responsibility I cherish and take very seriously.

Saturday was such a fun day.  Such a precious time of honoring two special friends whose lives have influenced so many.  Two friends whose lives shine for Jesus.  Just as He intended.  I love it when a plan comes together.

"Let your lives shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  (Matthew 5:16 ESV)

The Long Journey to Jake Palmer

The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by James L. Rubart is the story of corporate trainer Jake Palmer whose career has been about coaching people to know themselves better and deal head-on with the issues that hold them back.  Yet it seems that Jake can't face his own issues.

The story begins with Jake trying to be a hero and defend a young girl who is being bullied back into prostitution.  That scenario doesn't end well, and the storyline picks up more than a year later with Jake trying to heal.  The physical wounds from the altercation have healed, but he is left with horrendous scars.  As a result, his wife has left him, and he is in the process of trying to get his business back on track.  The healing Jake needs is more than just physical healing.

Meanwhile, it's time for the 10th annual summer vacation with friends. As the newly-single person in the group, Jake is reluctant to participate, but is convinced by his best friend that it would be good for him. This vacation leads to his learning about the legend of Willow Lake, a lake with a lost corridor leading to a place where all one's hopes and longings can be fulfilled.

This is a beautifully written story.  Rubart's words draw you into Jake's life. In some ways, Jake's story requires you to stretch your imagination.  Lost corridors leading to mythical healing meadows are not a normal part of our lives, after all.  The best part about The Long Journey to Jake Palmer is that it challenges you to think.  Many people have a journey similar to Jake's, with hurts that are hidden from view. Like Jake, many are in need of healing. Because of that, as readers we so easily relate to Jake. The Long Journey to Jake Palmer is a thought-provoking tale of relationships and hope and healing.

A beautifully written, thought-provoking story.  Interesting characters, much like the people we know in our daily lives.  Lots of twists and turns in the plot. An unexpected ending.  All these make The Long Journey to Jake Palmer worth reading.

BookLookBloggers provided me with a free copy of The Long Journey to Jake Palmer in exchange for my honest review.

Saffire. A Book Review.

I loved this book. Let's just start with that. The history. The storyline. The characters. Saffire by Sigmund Brouwer is one of the best books I've read lately.

The time is 1909. The place is the American Zone of the Panama Canal.  The main character is a man named James Holt, a cowboy from the Dakotas. Holt has been sent to Panama by an unnamed person, who turns out to be President Theodore Roosevelt, to meet with Colonel George Washington Goethals. For meeting with Colonel Goethals, Holt has been promised enough money to prevent the bank from foreclosing on his ranch.  His intent is to hear what the Colonel has to say, decline whatever offer is made, and return home to his orphan daughter.

However, a chance encounter with a young girl of about the same age as his daughter changes all that. Meeting this young girl, Saffire ("because a p and an h is such a silly way to make the f sound"), changes everything. Saffire's mother is missing, and Saffire doesn't believe any of the explanations being handed to her about her mother's whereabouts.  Holt decides to help her, a decision which turns out to be life-changing.  In his words, "I reminded myself that once you start to defend someone, it's difficult to find a place to stop. But I went ahead and took that first step anyway."

Holt's decision draws him into the world of Panamanian politics and a possible revolution. It also leads to meeting the beautiful Raquel Sandoval.

Saffire is beautifully written, fast-paced, and filled with historical accuracy which brings the construction of the Panama Canal to life.  Holt's story is layered on top of the history. Added to that is mystery and political intrigue, topped off with just a hint of a love story.

Saffire is an excellent read, particularly for fans of historical fiction.

I was given a copy of Saffire by Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Learning to Say "No"

Several days ago I read a blog post by Priscilla Shirer titled "The 'No' Anointing". When I came across the post on Facebook, the title intrigued me.  I guess that's what titles are supposed to do!  Anyway, the title captured my attention, so I read the post. And I'm glad I did.

"The list of demands and opportunities and errands and activities and invitations is for me, the same as it is for you, endless. Life can easily become a hurricane of overwhelming (and sometimes) mindless activity that leaves us spent, exhausted and unfeeling; our emotional reserves zapped and unavailable for the people who want, need and deserve it most." (Priscilla Shirer, in "The 'No' Anointing")*

Can you relate to what Priscilla wrote? I certainly can. As we move into a new season, there are several opportunities in front of me. I've been doing a lot of thinking and praying about my fall schedule, trying to discern which things to say 'yes' to.  Or should I say 'no'.  To some? To all? There's the dilemma. And it's a dilemma we all face from time to time.

We don't want to become Negative Nellies, always saying 'no' to everything.  Along the way we have to learn that sometimes it's ok say 'no', but we shouldn't always say 'yes' to everything either. Because sometimes 'no' is the right answer.

Priscilla had this to say in her post: "every yes to one thing is a simultaneous no to something else. Time spent here will be time we are not able to invest there."

She makes a valid point. Since most of us are not the superwomen or supermen we might like to be, and since we only have 24 hours in each day, we need to learn to make good choices about how we spend our time. 

Learning to say 'no' is a byproduct of learning when to say 'yes'.  Learning when to say 'yes' comes from learning to listen to God.  Making decisions based on His plan and purpose for my life. Not my plan. Not my friends' plans. Not my church's plan. Not the culture's plan. Or the PTA's plan. Not any plan other than God's plan for me and my life.

Following God's plan and purposes involves taking time to discern what those are.  Taking time to listen to God.  He wants us to know His will, and He will use the Holy Spirit to communicate that to us. We just need to be listening.  We need to be paying attention.  And we can't do that very well if we're so busy with everything that comes our way.

How can I most effectively serve Him? How can I most effectively use my time for His glory? Those are important questions to be asking as we're trying to make decisions about our schedules and determine when to say 'yes' and when to say 'no'.

Learn to listen. Listen to God. That's the first step in learning to say 'no'.

Don't be afraid. That's another important step. When God tells you to do something, you definitely better be about doing it. But when He tells you 'no', you better be all about repeating that to whoever and whatever is vying for your attention.

It's ok to say 'no' sometimes. Obey God. Leave the consequences to Him.**

"So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12 NASB)




*   You can find Priscilla's post "The 'No' Anointing" at www.goingbeyond.com
** Dr. Charles Stanley, Life Principle #2

How Was Your Day?

Yesterday I shared that may day had gotten off to an unusual start.  Unusual for me, anyway.  From its unusual beginning, my day developed into one that was quite peaceful.  And pleasant.  And productive.

It was a quiet day around here.  The phone didn't ring much.  There weren't many texts.  Molly slept most of the day, and Al is in Belgium for the week so there was nobody to talk to.

I spent much of my morning dealing with issues related to my latest book project, giving final approval to the cover design and working on what I hope will be the final edits on the content.  That gave me a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.  It feels good to be productive!

Our Life Group has been studying 1 Samuel this summer.  We will finish that out this coming Sunday.  This is not my week to teach, so I left Saul and David behind and moved on to begin my study of 1 Peter, the book we will begin studying in September.  I spread out my Bible and my notebook and my colored pencils, and had a wonderful time digging into Peter's letter.  I'm really excited about this study!

I have received several new books to read and review, so late yesterday afternoon I got started on one of them.  Saffire by Sigmund Brouder is one that is hard to put down, which meant I stayed up too late last night reading.  That may be why it was a little harder to get up this morning than it was yesterday!

Maybe it's because I was up late reading.  Or maybe it's just getting back to the "usual".  In any event,  I didn't wake up as early.  I wasn't exactly wide awake when I crawled out of bed.  It took me a while to get going.  I needed some coffee and some time before I went out for my morning walk.  In spite of that, I met my goal to walk two miles this morning!  Yay me!

It's a beautiful morning.  A beautiful start to what I hope will be another peaceful and pleasant and productive day.

 

 

"This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

(Psalm 118:24 NASB)

Unusual

This is quite an unusual day.

I woke up early this morning.  Before 6:00.  That's unusual.  That I woke up so early without the prompting of an alarm clock is even more unusual.

I was wide awake when I woke up.  That's unusual.  Those who know me best know that I am most definitely not a morning person.  I'm not one of those people who are wide awake as soon as their feet hit the floor.  I'm more an ease-into-the-day kind of person.

This morning when I woke up I was far less stiff than normal.  That's unusual.  And I was not in any particular pain.  That's most unusual.  Pain and stiffness are part of my life, and mornings are often worst.  But not this morning.

Because I was wide awake and because I was feeling so good, I went out for my morning walk earlier than usual, shortly after I got out of bed.  That's unusual.  I'm rarely out walking when the street lights are still on!  And I'm rarely out walking before I've been up for at least an hour.  But because I wasn't as stiff as normal, out I went.

Walking at such an early time was a pleasant experience.  It's much quieter then. No sounds except a few birds beginning to sing.  There were no cars driving by.  It was a very peaceful walk, and I watched the sky brighten up as the day began.  That's most unusual for me!

I walked around the neighborhood twice this morning.  That's unusual.  Most days, one trip around is all I can manage, so I was feeling pretty proud of myself today!

It was cooler this morning, only 68 degrees when I set out.  That's unusual.  This has been a brutally hot summer and even the mornings are hot and humid and miserable.  But not today.  And I am so thankful.

I'm not sure what else this day will hold.  It has started out as a very unusual day, but certainly a pleasant one.  For all these blessings I am so very grateful.  And I'm excited to see what else the day has in store!


"Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer nor His lovingkindness from me." (Psalm 66:20 NASB)

Thinking About Clutter

On Monday mornings my thoughts often turn to clutter. Around here Monday mornings are generally devoted to laundry and decluttering, so it's natural that I would have that on my mind this morning.  Monday mornings are a time for putting out the garbage, for putting things back in their places, for getting rid of old newspapers and any other unnecessaries, and for getting a good start on the week ahead.

On many Monday mornings, all this decluttering has me thinking about clutter in general.  Today is one of those days.

This morning the garbage was picked up.  The laundry is begun. Clutter from the weekend has been cleared away.  Maybe it's the same at your house.

It occurs to me that it's much easier to deal with physical clutter, although that is often quite challenging, than it is to deal with the stuff that clutters our minds.

Last week I spent some time cleaning out our closet and our bathroom cabinets.  I got rid of a lot of stuff that was no longer useful or needed.  Worn-out shoes.  Clothes that no longer fit. A past-its-prime toothbrush.  Stuff that is no longer useful and had become just more clutter.

Sometimes it's a challenge to determine what to hold on to and what to let go.  I can't make decisions about what to let go of in your closet.  But here are a few ideas about what to hold on to.

Hold on to your memories.

Memories are precious things.  If you've been in the position of watching someone you love lose their memory to Alzheimer's, as I have, then you are aware of what a treasure the memory is.  We can't hold on to every photograph or ticket stub or souvenir; for most of us, space doesn't permit that. Nor do we want to become so anchored to those memories that we miss life in the present.  But we can treasure the memories! Revisit them from time to time.  Share them with others.  Enjoy them!

I often find myself wishing I knew more about my parents or my grandparents in their early years.  Wishing I had asked them more questions.  Wishing I had listened more closely to the stories they told.  Some day our children may feel the same. Share your memories and the stories of your family history so it can be passed on from generation to generation.

Hold on to relationships.

In our culture, it's all about the stuff.  All about how much we can accumulate.  All about what kind of car we drive or what kind of house we live or what kind of electronic devices we have.  It's all about our technology.

I sat in my doctor's waiting room on Friday, and as I looked around, I realized every single person in that waiting room was staring at their phone.  There was no conversation.  Not even any eye-contact.  Just staring at the phone.

Look around at your next family gathering.  Are people talking to each other, or are they glued to their electronic devices?  We need to make an effort to reverse this trend in our culture!  People are important!  Let's never lose sight of that.

Relationships matter.  And nothing is more important in developing and holding on to our relationships than personal interaction.  Texting and tweeting can never take the place of the human voice.  Of actual conversation.  Of real sentences that are more than 40 characters in length.  Of a smile or a hug.  Don't let technology rob you of what's most important.

Hold on to Jesus.

Our culture would seek to marginalize or trivialize our Christian faith.  Christians in our culture are often viewed as weak or out of touch or not terribly bright.  Even so, our relationship with Jesus is the most important of all our relationships.  It's a relationship that must be held on to, cherished, and nurtured.

How do we do that?  The same way it has always been done.  By spending time with Him in prayer (conversation).  By spending time with Him in Bible study (getting to know Him).  And by fellowship with other believers (church attendance).  These are the building blocks of growing our relationship with Jesus and of holding on to that relationship.

A relationship where there is no communication doesn't last long, does it?  It's hard to have a relationship with someone you don't know, isn't it?  A "lone-ranger" relationship isn't really a relationship, is it?

Know your priorities.

When we're decluttering around the house, we get rid of things that no longer are useful or have value to us.  We are able to do this because we understand what does have value.

The same principle holds true in our relationships, particularly as concerns our relationship with the Lord. When we know our values and our priorities, we are more easily able to clear our minds of things that don't line up with those values and priorities.  We are able to declutter our minds based on these priorities.

And what is the priority for the Christian?

"Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness."  (Matthew 6:33a NASB)

Take action.

I cleaned out my closet.  I got rid of the clothes that didn't fit, the purses I never use, the shoes that were worn out.

I cleaned out my bathroom cabinet.  I decluttered it by disposing of the empty mascara tubes, the eye shadows I didn't even like, the empty lotion bottles, the worn-out toothbrush.

The same thing needs to happen for you and for me in our thinking.  We need to get rid of the clutter.  We need to toss out anything that doesn't line up with our priorities.  No matter what the voices of culture would tell us we need to be thinking about or what our opinions should be in order for us to be politically correct, we need to make certain that our thinking is lined up with the plumb line of the Word of God.

Today would be a good day to start doing some decluttering.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus......"  (Hebrews 12:1-2a, NASB, emphasis mine)

Some Hard Questions

Summer is ending and children are going back to school. Definitely an occasion for prayer.  For my grandsons.  For my son and daughters-in-love as they resume their responsibilities as teachers.  For friends who are sending their children off to school. For educators and students all across this great land.

For some, this back-to-school season is the last first day of school before their children graduate.  For others, the journey is just beginning.  In every case, the back-to-school season is time for some serious praying.  Because it's a hard world out there.

Yet even as our children venture out into this hard world with their new clothes and new lunchboxes and new book bags, across the world there are children and parents facing a different set of circumstances.  And they could only wish for a beautiful late summer day with a new lunchbox and new book bag, and for the opportunity to innocently begin another year of school.  Across our world, for many, life is a much harder reality
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I've been reading Anne Graham Lotz's new book The Daniel Prayer, and along with that, I've been doing some reading in the Old Testament book of Daniel.  As I think about everything going on in our country and our world, Daniel's story becomes so much more than just a Bible story I remember from childhood.  Daniel's story is very much the story of many men and women and boys and girls around the world.

In Daniel's day, King Darius had signed a decree that no one could worship or pray to any god or man except himself.  The penalty for violating this decree was to be cast into the lion's den.  And that, of course, is equivalent to a death penalty, since we all know what would happen if a person were to be cast into a den of hungry lions.

How did Daniel respond?  He knew the decree had been signed.  He knew what would happen if he continued to pray to his God.  Even so, "when Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem.  He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had been doing previously."      (Daniel 6:10 ESV, emphasis mine)

In spite of what it might cost him, Daniel continued to pray, just as he had always done.  If we bring Daniel's story into the 21st century, Daniel is very much like men and women and children in the Middle East and elsewhere today whose lives are on the line because of their faith in Jesus.  For Daniel, the command was to renounce his faith or face the lion's den.  Men and women and children in the Middle East today, and in other parts of the world as well, are faced with a similar threat:  renounce your faith, convert to Islam, or die.

The question is often asked, why doesn't God put a stop to this?  Why doesn't He protect these people from this kind of persecution?

My question is a bit different. Why do they have to suffer like this and I don't?  Why am I protected from this kind of suffering? Why is there this level of persecution and suffering in some parts of the world, and not in others? No one stands at the door of my church to prevent me from entering. No one is knocking on my door this morning and holding a gun to my head to prevent me from praying or reading my Bible. And for that, I am very thankful indeed.

But what if they were? Would I be strong enough in my faith to stand firm? When that kind of persecution comes to this country, and it may at some point, will I be strong enough in my faith to do as Daniel did? Will I be strong enough in my faith to continue doing as [I] have been doing previously?

If it were difficult to go to church, if there were men with guns blocking my way, would I go anyway? If I were commanded not to pray, would I pray anyway? When persecution comes, will I stand firm?

Why are believers in other parts of the world suffering such profound persecution? Why do some suffer and not others? Why them and not me? 

Hard questions.

But things we need to be thinking about.

I believe in a hill called Mount Calvary.
I believe whatever the cost.
And when time has surrendered
And earth is no more,
I'll still cling to the old rugged cross.

(Gaither/Oldham)

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed."  (1 Peter 4:12-14a ESV)

"Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."                (2 Timothy 3:12 ESV)

Sound the Alarm

This time last summer we were in the middle of our road trip around the country.  It was an interesting journey, filled with beautiful scenery, good food, and new experiences.  And alarms.

In Bozeman, Montana, we were sleeping very soundly until we rudely awakened from our sleep by the blaring of the fire alarm.

We happened to be in Oak Brook, Illinois on the day for routine testing of all the smoke detectors and the alarm system in the hotel where we were staying.  As a result, all morning long, alarms were sounding.

That same evening, Al and I were both startled by the sound of an alarm coming from our phones.  It was a severe weather alert, warning of the possibility of flash flooding due to storms in the area.

Later that evening, another alarm sounded as a tornado warning was issued.

If you live in an area prone to tornadoes or other storms, you likely are familiar with the sound of the storm alarm as well, particularly at this time of year.

Alarms are important.  An alarm is defined as any sound, outcry, or information intended to warn of approaching danger. 

Paul Revere sounded an alarm to warn that the British were coming.  The fire alarm warns of impending danger from fire.  The storm alarm alerts us to danger from a coming hurricane or tornado or severe thunderstorm.

The Old Testament prophet Joel had something to say about alarms.

"The day of the LORD is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.  Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain!  For the day of the LORD is coming; surely it is near."  (Joel 1:15; 2:1 NASB)

Blow a trumpet.  Sound an alarm.  The day of the Lord is near.

If it was near in the prophet Joel's day, how much nearer is it now!

It is time for us to be sounding the alarm.  It is time for us to wake up and pay attention.  It is time that we who name the Name of Jesus are about the business of sharing Him with others.  It is time for us to wake up!  It is time for us to be sounding the alarm! 

The day of the Lord is near, much nearer than ever before.  And we live in a world where we are surrounded by people who need to know Jesus!

People need the Lord. People need to know Jesus in a personal way, not just to know about Him.  And people need to know that Jesus is coming again, that the day of the Lord is near.

It's time to sound the alarm!

 

"People, get ready.  Jesus is coming." (lyrics by Crystal Lewis)

 

 



"Knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed."  (Romans 13:11 NASB)

The Blessings of My Morning Walk

It might seem something of an oxymoron to think of my morning walks as blessings. But I do.

First, the fact that I am able to do this is a blessing.  Just a few short months ago, in the weeks following knee replacement surgery, I could barely make it to the end of our very short driveway.  Prior to knee replacement, even the thought of going out for a walk made me laugh.  Or cry.  Depending on how much my knee was hurting on that particular day.  So being able to walk, up and down hills, for a mile and sometimes even longer, is a blessing indeed!

While I'm walking, I am able to notice the beauty around me.  Lush lawns. Crape myrtles still boasting their summer blossoms.  Green leaves on the trees. The morning sun.  The neighborhood bunny.  So much beauty in the world God has given us.  What a blessing!

Occasionally I see a neighbor, coming out to get the morning paper, or out for their own walk.  It's a blessing to have neighbors, after years of living on the side of a mountain, a long way from anywhere.

One of the greatest blessings of my morning walks is the opportunity to pray.  To pray for the neighbors I see while I'm walking.  To pray for friends and neighbors as I pass their homes.  And to pray for others God brings to mind as I'm walking.

This morning's prayer time was particularly special, as this week I've been praying for students and teachers beginning a new school year.  Today I prayed for my grandson who is beginning his 5th grade year today.  I prayed for my grandson who began his 4th grade year a couple of weeks ago.  I prayed for their parents and for their teachers.  What a privilege and what a blessing it is to pray!

Other friends came to mind this morning as well.  Friends in Louisiana.  A friend in Texas battling breast cancer.  A friend in North Carolina whose husband is very near the end of his journey here on earth.  So many friends.  So many needs.  What a blessed privilege to lift them before the Father!

Some mornings it's hard to get these old bones moving.  Some mornings I just don't want to.  Some mornings it's so hot and so humid that I think I can't bear it for another minute.  Even on those days, my walks are a blessing.

I'm so blessed to have these times to pray.  And I'm so blessed to be able to walk.

So blessed.  And so very thankful.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits." (Psalm 103:1-2 NASB)

It Will Be Worth It

I had planned for yesterday to be a quiet day.  That didn't happen.  Turns out that yesterday was the day for the sprinkler system to be installed, which meant there was a lot more noise around here than what I was expecting.

When we bought this house last year, the back yard was in a "natural" state and covered with pine needles.  Last fall's heavy rains were washing the yard away, so Al and I decided some grass would help to hold the yard in place. Early this spring, sod was put down in the back yard and some landscaping was done. 

We were thrilled with how it all turned out. But then came the drought!

We couldn't spend that much money on new grass only to let it die because there was no rain, so Al rigged up a system of hoses and sprinklers to water the grass, and it thrived.  However, watering this much grass with hoses and sprinklers is not a very efficient way to water.  Some areas got too much water; others, not enough.  And there were those hoses strung out all over the yard.

Eventually we decided installing a sprinkler system would be the best way to deal with the issue.  Once we had selected the company who would do the work, we were told it would be about three weeks before they could get to it.  Yesterday was the day.  And now my beautiful green grass has "dirt stripes" all through it!

 

Work in the front yard was done first and then they moved down one side of the house and to the back yard.  This morning I once again am hearing the sounds of the trencher as they are here to finish up today.

I know it will be worth it.  If I hadn't thought so already, I would have been convinced when I walked to the mailbox yesterday and saw our water bill!  Yes, we will still be paying to water the yard, but this sprinkler system will be ever so much more efficient than what we have been doing.

It will be worth it.  We won't be wasting so much water.  And eventually the grass will grow back over the "dirt stripes".  It will be worth it.  I keep telling myself that.

Life is a lot like that, isn't it?  We have to keep reminding ourselves that all the "dirt stripes" of life will be worth it all in the end.  When we see Jesus!

There is much in life that is unpleasant.  And inconvenient.  And painful.  And messy. But it will be worth it all.  When we see Jesus!

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."  (Romans 8:18 NASB)

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus;

Life's trials will seem so small when we see Christ.

One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase,

So bravely run the race 'til we see Christ.

(Esther L. Kerr Rushtoi)

Break Is Over.

Break is over.  Today is back-to-school day here in the Upstate.  My unintended blogging break is over as well.

I didn't really intend to take a break.  It just happened.

Last week one of our grandsons was here visiting from North Carolina for the last week of his summer break.  We had a great time hanging out together before he starts his 5th grade year this week.

Spending all my time with AJ meant that I didn't do any writing.  That's how summers are.  Regular routines aren't always followed.  Regular schedules don't hold up.  Things are done differently in summer.  Especially when there's a grandson around.

Today begins a new week.  And a new season.  Summer break is over and back-to-school season is here.  Even for those of us who don't have children to send to the bus stop this morning, it's a new season. 

In many ways I look forward to this time every year.  It's been quite a number of years since I was taking first-day-of-school photos or buying school supplies, but this is still a season of getting back to routines. 

Although the school year starts later in other parts of the country, here in the south the school year often begins very near my birthday.  Birthdays and back-to-school are both a time for a fresh start.  A time to set new goals and look forward to what will be accomplished in the coming year.  Today I plan to spend some time thinking about that.

Here in the South, in this back-to-school season, life is beginning to shift gears as we move toward fall.  Toward changing leaves and apples and all things pumpkin.  Because it's also the time of year when I have celebrated being another year older, it's the time of year I think about what I will do with the rest of my life.  It's the time of year when Pursue the Intentional Life by Jean Fleming often makes it off the bookshelf and back onto my reading table.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is this:  "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)"

Having another birthday reminds me that I am no longer a young woman.  How shall I spend the remaining days allotted to me?  Shall I just sit and wait for life to be over?  Shall I just waste my days away?  I think not.  So I ponder how to remain useful in this last third of my life.  That's something I'll be thinking about today as I get back to the regular routines of my life.  As I'm doing laundry and decluttering and then [hopefully]doing some reading, I'll be thinking about those things.

Because break is over!



"O God, You have taught me from my youth, and I still declare Your wondrous deeds.  and even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come."  (Psalm 71:17-18 NASB)

A Foggy Monday Morning

It's a little foggy here in the Upstate this morning.  But this fog is nothing like the fog we experienced when we lived in the mountains.  Often the fog there was so dense we couldn't even see the trees in front of our house.

And it wasn't at all unusual there to begin the day with a view like this one, with heavy fog in the valley below us.

 

 

 

Some days the fog wasn't quite so thick.

 

 

Fog in the mountains doesn't usually last all day, or even all morning.

Usually, once the sun begins to peek up over the mountains, then

 the fog begins to dissipate and the view becomes clearer.

 

Thinking about this morning's fog and remembering the fog in the mountains leads me to think that our lives are often much like these photos.  Our thinking, our perspective on life, is often foggy.  Perhaps our view is clouded by the circumstances of our lives.  Perhaps we're too tired to think clearly.  Perhaps there is sin in our lives that needs to be dealt with before we can see clearly.

It occurs to me that perhaps it's something else.  The Psalmist wrote, in Psalm 119:18, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law."

Could it be that the reason we can't see things in our lives as clearly as we might like to is that we haven't spent enough time in the "instruction manual" for life?  Perhaps we need to spend more time reading - and studying - the directions!  Once we do that, perhaps we will see things more clearly. 

 

 

 

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."  (Psalm 119:105 ESV)

A Tapestry of Secrets. A Book Review

A Tapestry of Secrets by Sarah Loudin Thomas is perfectly titled.  Just as a tapestry is made up of many threads that form a whole, this book follows several different threads that come together to form a beautiful story.

Woven throughout is the story of family.  This is the story of Ella, an artist whose primary medium is quilting, her grandmother Perla, and her Aunt Sadie.  Their relationships with each other are at the heart of A Tapestry of Secrets, with other family relationships interwoven into the plot as well.

There is also the thread of secrets.  In the first chapter we are made aware of a secret Perla has carried for years and is about to reveal.  However, a stroke leaves her unable to communicate her secret and Sadie is left to try to unravel the secret herself.  Along with this secret, there are secrets involving other characters woven throughout the plot.

The third predominant thread is faith.  Faith is an important part of Ella's family, and we see Ella's personal faith develop through the story as she struggles to understand that true faith is more than just her family's church membership or her attendance at Sunday services.

Secrets.  Family relationships. Faith.  Lots of twists and turns in the plot.  Well-developed characters and a believable story line.  These are what make A Tapestry of Secrets a book that, once begun, is hard to put down.

This was my first Sarah Loudin Thomas book.  I'm certain it won't be my last.

I received a free copy of A Tapestry of Secrets from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

My Bucket List

I'm a list maker.  I make grocery lists and to-do lists and lists of gifts to purchase.  All kinds of lists.  I began this week with a rather lengthy to-do list, and have added quite a bit to the list as the week progressed, so I'm left today with a lot on my list that is yet-to-be-accomplished.

I remember making a list when I was in high school.  These days we would call it my bucket list.  Back then it was just a list of things I wanted to do or to accomplish in my life.  I don't know what ever happened to that list, and I really don't remember everything that was on the list. 

There are a few items on the list that I do remember.  One of the items on the list was to learn to play classical guitar.  That hasn't happened.  There was also something on the list about travel.  I could put a check mark by that one.  We've had some amazing travels. To London, Edinburgh, York (not New York, although I've been there, too. York, England, in this case, one of my favorite cities!), Paris, Zurich, Milan, Tokyo, Sidney, Melbourne - just to name a few!  Travels all over this country, as well.  And Jerusalem, one of my favorite travel memories of all time. 

Last summer I checked an item off my travel bucket list by visiting Arizona and Oklahoma, the last two states I had not yet visited.  Now I have spent time in all 50 states at least once. As far as "the list" is concerned, when it comes to travel, I have actually far exceeded my expectations.

I do remember that my list included this phrase on the list:  to be happy, and to make someone else happy, too.  That one I can definitely consider a success.  I have a happy life.  I am a happy person.  I have a happy marriage.  My life isn't perfect or without its challenges.  In this journey through life, there have been potholes.  A lot of potholes. Some really deep potholes. But it's a happy life. There is joy in the journey!

If I were to make a bucket list in this season of life, it would be different from the list I made years ago.  Sneaking up on 66 gives me a different perspective on life than I had at 16!  I have a different list of wants and want-tos these days, for myself as well as for my sons and my grandsons.  Not too long ago I made a list of some of those desires. This is not so much a bucket list as a prayer list, one specifically directed toward my family.  When I wrote this list, I divided it into two parts.  The first part, the "A" list, is the most important of all desires I have for them.

This is what I'm praying for my family:

• a passionate love for God and His Word.
• an awareness of His grace.
• a personal and growing relationship with God through His Son.
• to know the life and power of God's Word.
• to love others and treat them with kindness and respect.
• to be reflections of God's glory, to glorify Him in all things.

There's a "B" list as well.  It includes things like laughter and friends, good health, a life-long romance with a spouse who loves Jesus, financial freedom.

These lists may not be a bucket list in the truest sense, but they reflect the desires of my heart, for those I love most in this life as well as for myself.  As we go through life, we each may have lofty dreams and goals.  We may accomplish much in the world's eyes.  We may be well-educated and have a long list of degrees and accomplishments attached to our names.  We may be well traveled.  We may receive much.  It will mean little unless this list has become reality in our lives.

"For this reason also......we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."  (Colossians 1:9-10  NASB)

Braving It. A Book Review.

I chose to read this book because of my fascination with Alaska.  Braving It by James Campbell, subtitled A Father, A Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild, is the very well-written account of a father and his teenage daughter as they make three trips to the "Alaskan Wild".

Reading Braving It makes you feel almost as though you are there in Alaska, experiencing the great outdoors, the whitewater rapids, the bugs, the bears, and the extreme cold.  James Campbell has done a masterful job of sharing his adventures in a way that makes the reader feel that they are right there in the midst of it all.

Braving It is a tale of adventure, filled with descriptions of life in the far north, far from civilization.  It is at the same time the story of a father and a daughter, and how they bonded through their shared adventures.  I often found myself chuckling at Campbell's attempts to understand his teenage daughter.

This is a wonderfully written book, perfect for those who love Alaska or who have a longing to be there. 

Braving It does contain some rough language. Not the trying-to-fill-the-page kind of language that is too often found in books these days, but it occurs in conversations exactly as they took place. 

I enjoyed Braving It very much, and highly recommend it.

Blogging for Books provided me with a free copy of Braving It in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Reason I Write

Since I first began blogging, I have frequently been asked how the blog got its name.
Why is this referred to as my sitting room?

I began blogging in a season of life when I was doing a lot of sitting.  The sitting began back in the spring of 2005 when I shattered my left ankle.  Seven months, multiple surgeries, and many hours of physical therapy later, I had surgery on my right knee, all of which resulted in a lot of sitting.

I spent the better part of a year just sitting, eating a lot of yummy food brought in by family and friends, and getting to know the Food Network and the Travel Channel much too well.  The end result was a new habit - sitting.

Unfortunately, all that sitting did not result in any profound new thought processes or anything really worthwhile.  It mostly resulted in a broader backside and a more-sedentary-than-ever lifestyle. I wasted countless hours just sitting, doing nothing or watching mindless television.  And I read a lot of books, many of them not worth reading.

When I entered the blogosphere and was trying to decide on a title for my writings, it seemed appropriate to refer to it as a Sitting Room.  After all, sitting was a habit of life! But as I began writing, my goal became for my sitting to be "on purpose", an opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus, to hear from Him, and then to share what He was teaching me.

Some days it seems no one pays much attention to what I write.  And that's OK.  Because some days, especially the days it seems no one is paying attention, are the days what I write is more for me than for anyone else.  On those days, what I have written helps to articulate to me more than to anyone else what God is speaking to my heart on that day.  I hope that doesn't sound selfish; it isn't meant that way at all.

From the beginning, this blog has been about sharing what God is teaching me.  Some days what I write is very serious; some days it may be mildly amusing.  On some days it may be exactly what someone out there somewhere needs to hear.  And on some days, it turns out to be just for me. 

Every post is not deeply spiritual or theological in nature.  Some posts are focused on something I read or some anecdote from daily life.  Occasionally I go "off script" for a rant about a pet peeve.  And sometimes the posts stem from some crisis or another in my life, like a dead car battery or the time I started the coffee maker without first emptying the carafe and ended up with coffee all over the countertop and floor. There are life lessons to be learned even in those moments.

It is always my hope that what I write will in some way encourage someone.  It is my deep desire that what I write will "be good and helpful, so that [my] words will be an encouragement."  (Ephesians 4:29 NLT)

Whether a day's post brings huge numbers of readers to the blog, or only a few, or even none on a given day, before I write a word, I want to sit and listen.  To ponder.  To hear Him speak to me.  Then I want to share what I have learned in a way that honors God and encourages others.

It's the reason I write.

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."  (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

Dealing with Disappointment

We survived the primary season.  We survived the convention season.  Now we find ourselves in full campaign season.  And we're already weary of it all.  In less than one hundred days, this presidential campaign season will be history, but right now many are wondering how much more of this we can stand!

Many people are passionate about their particular candidate.  Many - perhaps most - find themselves struggling to support either candidate.  Many - perhaps most - are disillusioned by the process.  Many - perhaps most - are disappointed and disillusioned and even disgusted by the way this campaign season has unfolded. 

In years past, even when we had strong disagreements about issues and about candidates, we the people were able to disagree without being disagreeable.  Social media has changed all that.

If nothing else, this year's campaign reveals a country that is deeply divided.  Divided not only about issues, but about candidates, and about whether to even bother voting at all.  Disappointment with the process has many contemplating staying home on election day. 

I understand the disappointment.  My first choice is not on the ballot.  Nor my second choice.  Not even my third or fourth!  I'm disappointed in the options.  But these are the options from which I must choose.  And choose I must, because this is my privilege and my duty as an American.

We face disappointment in all areas of life.  Disappointment with the political process is certainly at the forefront of our thinking right now, but disappointments come on a regular basis.  When our favorite sports team loses.  When the contestant we were rooting for on a reality show doesn't win.  When we don't get the new job we applied for.  When a friend or a family member lets us down.  When we didn't reach our weight loss goal.  There are many, many things in life that lead to disappointment and discouragement.  Too many to list here.  Health concerns.  Financial struggles.  Job loss.  Bereavement.  Relationships.  And the list goes on.

How do we handle it?  Where do we turn?  What do we do now?

When facing tough times and disappointments, I turn to the Lord and His Word and find comfort and encouragement there.  The old gospel song perhaps puts it best......."where could I go but to the Lord?" 

Here are a few of the passages that bring me comfort in the disappointing times.  I pray they do the same for you.

"Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired.  His understanding is inscrutable.  He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.  Though youths grow weary and tired and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." (Isaiah 40:28-31 NASB)

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses; we trust in the name of the LORD, our God."  (Psalm 20:7)

"Look among the nations!  Observe! Be astonished!  Wonder!  Because I am doing something in your days - you would not believe if you were told."  (Habakkuk 1:5 NASB)

"For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal, and it will not fail.  Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay........For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." (Habakkuk 2:3,14 NASB)

"But the LORD is in His holy temple.  Let all the earth be silent before Him."  (Habakkuk 2:20 NASB)

"LORD, I have heard the report about Thee and I stand in awe.  O LORD, revive Thy work in the midst of years, in the midst of years make it known.  In wrath remember mercy." (Habakkuk 3:1 NASB)

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail, and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.  The Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet and makes me walk on my high places." (Habakkuk 3:17-19 NASB, emphasis mine.)

"For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39 NASB)

"I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.  Wait for the LORD; Be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD."  (Psalm 27:13-14 NASB)

Turning the Page

Welcome to August!  It's a new month.  A clean page on the calendar.  Time for a fresh start.

This morning I turned the page on the "official" family calendar on the side of the refrigerator.  And I smiled.  It's my birthday month.  Our grandson will be visiting next week before school starts.  And it's one month closer to fall and cooler temperatures!

We often think of a new month as a clean slate.  A time to start over.  But if your calendar looks anything like mine, it isn't exactly a blank page.  There are doctor appointments and hair appointments and concerts and meetings at church already written in.  August is shaping up to be another busy month.

Even so, there's something refreshing about turning the calendar page.  A new month means new opportunities.  New adventures.  New challenges to be faced. 

Turning that calendar page also means moving on.  Leaving the previous month behind.  Letting go of all the less-than-we-might-have-liked-them-to-be moments.  The new month is time to let all that go, and time to move forward.

For me, this new month will be a month of editing.  Last month I [finally] finished the first draft of a writing project, and now comes time for editing.  Editing can be a tedious process:  checking spelling; replacing one word with another; rearranging sentences; formatting; doing it all again; and then doing it all again; and again.

Editing is not just for books or magazine articles.  Sometimes our lives need some editing as well, and the first day of a new month is an ideal time to stop and consider what might need to be edited in our lives. 

Editing some things out of my life is an area where the Lord has been really dealing with me.  As in, what things in my life need some correction. What additions need to be made? What things in my life need some fine-tuning.  What things in my life need to be deleted.  You may find that to be true in your life as well.

Here are a few questions to help you get started in your editing process.

What foods need to be deleted from my life?  What foods need to be added?

What habits need to be deleted from my life?  What habits need to be added?

What corrections need to be made in my speech?

What needs to be deleted?  In my activities.  In my recreation.  In my reading.  In my TV watching.  In the way I spend my money.

What needs to be added?  In my activities.  In my recreation.  In my reading.  In my TV watching.  In the way I spend my money.

Writing is a process. Life is a process.  And all those processes need some editing from time to time.

What better time than today, as we are turning the page to a new month, to take some time to consider what changes might need to be made!  There's no time like the present to do a little editing!


"But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord."  (Philippians 3:7 NASB)