I was just thinking the other day about all the reasons I love spring. Beautiful blue skies. Warm, but not too hot, temperatures. Flowers. Sunshine. All the shades of green as the trees get their new leaves.
Now fast forward from those thoughts to this morning. The sky is gray. The wind is howling. The current wind chill is a single digit number just barely above zero. It's snowing!
On Saturday, as I was packing away winter clothes and getting summer clothes out of their bins and back into the closet, it occurred to me that maybe I was rushing things a bit. But I convinced myself that spring was here to stay and I carried on with that task. Big mistake! Now I need to go dig out a sweater or a sweatshirt!
In spite of it all, I do love spring. Growing up in South Carolina, I always considered spring my favorite season.......dogwoods, azaleas, all the beautiful flowers and plants of spring.....how could I have had any other opinion? Well, there was the pollen. But that was just part of the deal.
Then we moved to places with completely different climates. Like Colorado. And Connecticut. And Minnesota. And I soon discovered that spring can be quite unpredictable. And quite cold. And I'm being reminded of that this morning as we are experiencing a quite un-springlike morning. BRRRR!!!!
In spite of this crazy weather, I do love spring. I love watching the plants and trees come back to life. I love looking down across the valley below us and watching the "green line" gradually make its way up to us. I love seeing all the different shades of green that represent so many varieties of trees and shrubs. I've come to understand that spring comes slowly to this mountaintop.
And I love spring because it's a time of new life. Because in spring we celebrate Easter, as we did just a few weeks ago. Resurrection Sunday! The ultimate expression of new life. And so today, I choose to think about that......and not about the snow I see falling outside my window!
"And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and the life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." (1 John 5:11-12 ESV)
Monday, April 23, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Every Careless Word
I've been reading in the Gospel of Matthew lately. This is part of what I read this morning......"Every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment." That's Jesus speaking. Every careless word. Oh my. Every careless word. Not some careless words. Not just the words I meant to say. But every careless word. Including the ones that just slipped out of my mouth. The ones that caused me then to say...."did I really just say that??!!"
And as I have been thinking about that verse, I wonder how many careless words I have spoken already today.
Or how many careless words have I spoken this week?
Or this month?
And I realize that I can't even begin to keep up! How sad that is.....
Every careless word.......that's a lot of words......and that's something to think about.
Maybe that's one of the reasons we were made with two ears and only one mouth!
"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. (Matthew 12:36 NASB)
And as I have been thinking about that verse, I wonder how many careless words I have spoken already today.
Or how many careless words have I spoken this week?
Or this month?
And I realize that I can't even begin to keep up! How sad that is.....
Every careless word.......that's a lot of words......and that's something to think about.
Maybe that's one of the reasons we were made with two ears and only one mouth!
"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. (Matthew 12:36 NASB)
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Incredible Journey
A couple of weeks have passed since my last post......not because I deliberately decided not to post. But sometimes life gets a little busy and the calendar gets a little cluttered and things just don't get done. As I look back on the last couple of weeks, I'm not really sure why it feels that I've been so busy - because I'm not sure that I have been - but somehow it feels that way. Going in circles can have that effect, can't it? But it's all part of the journey, my incredible journey.
Back when I first began my Mary Kay career and attended my first of the Company's annual seminars, the theme of Seminar that year was "Incredible Journey". I still have a well-worn t-shirt with that Seminar's logo on it. As I pulled that t-shirt out a couple of days ago to wear while exercising, I began to focus on those two words......incredible journey. Before you tune me out, this is not a post about exercise (which I loathe!) or about Mary Kay (which I love!). Rather, it's about those two words.....incredible journey.....as a metaphor for my life.
Life is a journey, isn't it? And we never actually arrive at our destination, at least not in this life! There's always "one more mountain to climb, one more river to cross," as the song says. And all the events along the way, from birth to the time when we leave this life, are part of our journey.
My journey has been incredible! It isn't my intention to use this post as an autobiography, to give you a listing of all my life's events - the wonderful things that have happened along the way, as well as the not so wonderful - but rather to give you my perspective on life as well as to perhaps cause you to pause and ponder your own journey.
I had a wonderful childhood. I had amazing parents. I have the best husband ever! I could go on and on about the blessings of my life.
Like any journey, my life has had moments of beautiful scenery. Mountaintop experiences with amazing views. Overwhelming moments of joy. And along the way, there have been potholes. Ruts in the road. Times in the valley. (And that's a good thing......how can we fully appreciate the mountaintop if we've never been in the valley???).
If you have ever been on a road trip through some of the western states, or perhaps in the deserts of Africa, you can appreciate that sometimes the journey is a bit monotonous......it all looks the same! And life is like that sometimes.....a bit monotonous, just going through the motions. But then.....over the next hill or around the next curve is something amazing that you could never have anticipated!
My life has been like that. And yours as well, I would venture to say, if you would stop a moment to think about it. And so that's my challenge to you today. Take your eyes off your immediate circumstances and look at the big picture. Let's keep remembering that all the events of our lives are part of the journey......
And today, whether you are on the mountaintop, or in the valley, or on a detour, or in a rut......keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and enjoy the journey!
"......let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus......" (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB)
Back when I first began my Mary Kay career and attended my first of the Company's annual seminars, the theme of Seminar that year was "Incredible Journey". I still have a well-worn t-shirt with that Seminar's logo on it. As I pulled that t-shirt out a couple of days ago to wear while exercising, I began to focus on those two words......incredible journey. Before you tune me out, this is not a post about exercise (which I loathe!) or about Mary Kay (which I love!). Rather, it's about those two words.....incredible journey.....as a metaphor for my life.
Life is a journey, isn't it? And we never actually arrive at our destination, at least not in this life! There's always "one more mountain to climb, one more river to cross," as the song says. And all the events along the way, from birth to the time when we leave this life, are part of our journey.
My journey has been incredible! It isn't my intention to use this post as an autobiography, to give you a listing of all my life's events - the wonderful things that have happened along the way, as well as the not so wonderful - but rather to give you my perspective on life as well as to perhaps cause you to pause and ponder your own journey.
I had a wonderful childhood. I had amazing parents. I have the best husband ever! I could go on and on about the blessings of my life.
Like any journey, my life has had moments of beautiful scenery. Mountaintop experiences with amazing views. Overwhelming moments of joy. And along the way, there have been potholes. Ruts in the road. Times in the valley. (And that's a good thing......how can we fully appreciate the mountaintop if we've never been in the valley???).
If you have ever been on a road trip through some of the western states, or perhaps in the deserts of Africa, you can appreciate that sometimes the journey is a bit monotonous......it all looks the same! And life is like that sometimes.....a bit monotonous, just going through the motions. But then.....over the next hill or around the next curve is something amazing that you could never have anticipated!
My life has been like that. And yours as well, I would venture to say, if you would stop a moment to think about it. And so that's my challenge to you today. Take your eyes off your immediate circumstances and look at the big picture. Let's keep remembering that all the events of our lives are part of the journey......
And today, whether you are on the mountaintop, or in the valley, or on a detour, or in a rut......keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and enjoy the journey!
"......let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus......" (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB)
Monday, March 26, 2012
You Haven't Changed a Bit!
Has anybody ever said that to you? I have had several occasions in recent months to see friends I haven't seen for quite some time, many years in some cases. And nearly all of them said the same thing......."you haven't changed a bit!"
That made me laugh........mainly because I own a mirror, and I know it isn't true! I have pictures to prove it! Maybe I should share some of those pictures. On second thought, maybe not! I have been fat, and I have been thin, and I have been everything in between. I have had long hair, and I have had short hair, and every length in between. And I have had a variety of shades of hair color. I was even a redhead for a time. Not a pretty picture! I once was painfully shy, and now.....not so much! I was young, and now I am not.
So, to say I haven't changed a bit is not entirely accurate. Well, I'm still short. That much hasn't changed! So when I hear people say I haven't changed a bit, I just have to giggle.
But......there's a level at which I hear "you haven't changed a bit!" and I cringe. I hope that isn't true! Not to have changed at all in 5 or 10 or 20 years???? How horrible!
To go for long periods of time and not change at all is to remain stagnant. Picture a stagnant puddle of water or a stagnant pond. Yuck! Not a very appealing picture, is it?
Now to be clear, I'm pretty sure that when people have seen me for the first time in many years and they have said I haven't changed, they have been referring to physical appearance or perhaps to personality. I do, after all, still laugh and smile a lot. A lot! I do still want to bring joy and happiness to those around me. But.......
Think with me for just a minute on a deeper, spiritual level. To never change. To never mature in my thinking. To never go deeper in my faith. How sad that would be.
So, if people look beyond the crinkles around my eyes, or if they fail to notice the extra pounds, that's a good thing and I'm pretty happy about that. Those changes, after all, are only on the surface.
But, oh how I hope I have changed on the inside. How I hope I'm constantly changing. That day by day, I'm maturing in my faith. That day by day, I am becoming all that God desires me to be. That day by day, I'm becoming more like Jesus!
"But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18 HCSB)
That made me laugh........mainly because I own a mirror, and I know it isn't true! I have pictures to prove it! Maybe I should share some of those pictures. On second thought, maybe not! I have been fat, and I have been thin, and I have been everything in between. I have had long hair, and I have had short hair, and every length in between. And I have had a variety of shades of hair color. I was even a redhead for a time. Not a pretty picture! I once was painfully shy, and now.....not so much! I was young, and now I am not.
So, to say I haven't changed a bit is not entirely accurate. Well, I'm still short. That much hasn't changed! So when I hear people say I haven't changed a bit, I just have to giggle.
But......there's a level at which I hear "you haven't changed a bit!" and I cringe. I hope that isn't true! Not to have changed at all in 5 or 10 or 20 years???? How horrible!
To go for long periods of time and not change at all is to remain stagnant. Picture a stagnant puddle of water or a stagnant pond. Yuck! Not a very appealing picture, is it?
Now to be clear, I'm pretty sure that when people have seen me for the first time in many years and they have said I haven't changed, they have been referring to physical appearance or perhaps to personality. I do, after all, still laugh and smile a lot. A lot! I do still want to bring joy and happiness to those around me. But.......
Think with me for just a minute on a deeper, spiritual level. To never change. To never mature in my thinking. To never go deeper in my faith. How sad that would be.
So, if people look beyond the crinkles around my eyes, or if they fail to notice the extra pounds, that's a good thing and I'm pretty happy about that. Those changes, after all, are only on the surface.
But, oh how I hope I have changed on the inside. How I hope I'm constantly changing. That day by day, I'm maturing in my faith. That day by day, I am becoming all that God desires me to be. That day by day, I'm becoming more like Jesus!
"But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18 HCSB)
Saturday, March 17, 2012
A Day at the Beach
I'm back home in the mountains after a wonderful trip to Florida......good times, family fun, memories made! One favorite memory that I'm reflecting back on this morning is a day at the beach.
It was a perfect beach day. Warm, but not too hot. A gentle breeze was blowing. I sat in my comfy beach chair taking in the sights and sounds. A beautiful blue sky with not a cloud in sight. Pristine white sand. The blue-green water of the Gulf of Mexico. It was an absolutely spectacular day! As I enjoyed all the sights and sounds of the beach, I could not help but pause to give thanks to God for the beauty of the world He created!
The beach is also a great place for people-watching! And people-watch I did!! I saw all shapes and sizes. Tall and short. Thin and round. Young and old. Varieties of hair colors and skin colors. And I found myself completely in awe of the creativity of our God! We all are basically the same.....arms, legs, head, torso. But beyond that, the variety is infinite. What an amazing God!!
"It was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I will praise You, because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:13-14 HCSB)
It was a perfect beach day. Warm, but not too hot. A gentle breeze was blowing. I sat in my comfy beach chair taking in the sights and sounds. A beautiful blue sky with not a cloud in sight. Pristine white sand. The blue-green water of the Gulf of Mexico. It was an absolutely spectacular day! As I enjoyed all the sights and sounds of the beach, I could not help but pause to give thanks to God for the beauty of the world He created!
The beach is also a great place for people-watching! And people-watch I did!! I saw all shapes and sizes. Tall and short. Thin and round. Young and old. Varieties of hair colors and skin colors. And I found myself completely in awe of the creativity of our God! We all are basically the same.....arms, legs, head, torso. But beyond that, the variety is infinite. What an amazing God!!
"It was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I will praise You, because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:13-14 HCSB)
Monday, March 5, 2012
Happy Birthday!
Today is a special day! Today I am celebrating! On this day, 37 years ago, I became a mother. At 6:17 pm, just 47 minutes after I walked through the doors at Baptist Hospital in Columbia, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy! Incidentally, three years later it happened again. Same hospital. Another beautiful baby boy. And once again, doorway to delivery, 47 minutes!!!
I'm not celebrating because delivery was short. And pretty easy. Although those of you who have been down that road will realize that 47 minutes.....not with one birth, but two.....is pretty unusual and worthy of celebration!
But if you know me well, or if you have been reading this blog for any period of time, then you will realize how special it is. How deserving of celebration. Now, don't get me wrong. All births are deserving of celebration. But......
Back when this first-born child of ours was only a dream in our hearts, our dreams were shattered when we were told by doctors that we could never have children.
So today, I celebrate!! I celebrate that God knows more than any doctor knows! I celebrate that beautiful baby boy who grew up to be a handsome young man. On days like this, I travel down memory lane. Remembering the cute little toddler. And the sometimes rebellious teenager. Remembering the pride I felt when he joined the Air Force and went off to serve his country. Remembering how hard it was during those years when he was far from home. Nearly bursting with joy over the man he has become as I watch him be the parent.
Today, I'm celebrating Brian. But I'm celebrating so much more. I'm celebrating a faithful and loving Heavenly Father. And I'm celebrating answered prayer.
"For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him." (1 Samuel 1:27 KJV)
I'm not celebrating because delivery was short. And pretty easy. Although those of you who have been down that road will realize that 47 minutes.....not with one birth, but two.....is pretty unusual and worthy of celebration!
But if you know me well, or if you have been reading this blog for any period of time, then you will realize how special it is. How deserving of celebration. Now, don't get me wrong. All births are deserving of celebration. But......
Back when this first-born child of ours was only a dream in our hearts, our dreams were shattered when we were told by doctors that we could never have children.
So today, I celebrate!! I celebrate that God knows more than any doctor knows! I celebrate that beautiful baby boy who grew up to be a handsome young man. On days like this, I travel down memory lane. Remembering the cute little toddler. And the sometimes rebellious teenager. Remembering the pride I felt when he joined the Air Force and went off to serve his country. Remembering how hard it was during those years when he was far from home. Nearly bursting with joy over the man he has become as I watch him be the parent.
Today, I'm celebrating Brian. But I'm celebrating so much more. I'm celebrating a faithful and loving Heavenly Father. And I'm celebrating answered prayer.
"For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of Him." (1 Samuel 1:27 KJV)
Friday, March 2, 2012
Why Me?
Have you ever uttered those words? Ever heard someone else say them? Probably so. And more than likely, the context was negative. As in, why is this _______ (fill in the blank with whatever horrible thing you can think of!!) happening to me? Or as in, what did I do to deserve this?
But have you ever asked that question in a postive sense? As in, what did I ever do to deserve this good thing? As in, why am I so blessed?
I've been wondering that this morning. I have just received news of yet another friend who is dealing with bad health news. We have a number of friends who are dealing with health crises of one sort or another right now. And friends of friends who are facing some tough stuff. Relatives and relatives of friends who are facing difficulties.....health issues, job problems, financial stress. There's a lot of really bad stuff out there happening to people we care about a lot.
And in the middle of it all, Al and I are asking ourselves this morning.....why are we so blessed? What have we ever done to deserve all the goodness God has heaped on us? Why is this stuff happening to other people and not to us?
Please don't misunderstand me. I am beyond grateful that we personally are not having to deal with some of the really hard stuff that many people are dealing with! I am well aware that we are blessed beyond measure. And not just in material ways. There are many people who have much more in measurable, material things than we do. And many, many more who have less. So, while I am grateful for the financial resources and the "stuff" that we have, I'm not just talking about that.
I'm also talking about the blessings of good health, for example. Sure, we're beginning to show our age. There are some of those age-related things like creaky knees and achy bones and stuff like that. But we are blessed to be pretty healthy. And I am so very thankful.
We have the blessing of a wonderful relationship with each other. After nearly 40 years of marriage, we not only still love each other, we still like each other!! And we enjoy spending time together!
I don't understand it. But I know that I am blessed beyond what I can even comprehend. Not because I deserve it. In spite of the fact that I don't! In spite of myself!
Why me? And why are other dear, Godly people not as blessed? Why do many ungodly prosper? And many Godly people suffer? I don't know. I have no answers for those questions. But this I do know. I know that God is in control. I know that He has a plan and a purpose. I know that His way is perfect. I know that He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him.....not that things will always be good, but that things will work out for the good...and that good is that we be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29.......don't ever stop at verse 28; you must read on to verse 29!!).
Above all....."I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth." (Job 19:25 NASB).
And until then.....no matter what.....in good times and in bad......"since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB)
But have you ever asked that question in a postive sense? As in, what did I ever do to deserve this good thing? As in, why am I so blessed?
I've been wondering that this morning. I have just received news of yet another friend who is dealing with bad health news. We have a number of friends who are dealing with health crises of one sort or another right now. And friends of friends who are facing some tough stuff. Relatives and relatives of friends who are facing difficulties.....health issues, job problems, financial stress. There's a lot of really bad stuff out there happening to people we care about a lot.
And in the middle of it all, Al and I are asking ourselves this morning.....why are we so blessed? What have we ever done to deserve all the goodness God has heaped on us? Why is this stuff happening to other people and not to us?
Please don't misunderstand me. I am beyond grateful that we personally are not having to deal with some of the really hard stuff that many people are dealing with! I am well aware that we are blessed beyond measure. And not just in material ways. There are many people who have much more in measurable, material things than we do. And many, many more who have less. So, while I am grateful for the financial resources and the "stuff" that we have, I'm not just talking about that.
I'm also talking about the blessings of good health, for example. Sure, we're beginning to show our age. There are some of those age-related things like creaky knees and achy bones and stuff like that. But we are blessed to be pretty healthy. And I am so very thankful.
We have the blessing of a wonderful relationship with each other. After nearly 40 years of marriage, we not only still love each other, we still like each other!! And we enjoy spending time together!
I don't understand it. But I know that I am blessed beyond what I can even comprehend. Not because I deserve it. In spite of the fact that I don't! In spite of myself!
Why me? And why are other dear, Godly people not as blessed? Why do many ungodly prosper? And many Godly people suffer? I don't know. I have no answers for those questions. But this I do know. I know that God is in control. I know that He has a plan and a purpose. I know that His way is perfect. I know that He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him.....not that things will always be good, but that things will work out for the good...and that good is that we be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:28-29.......don't ever stop at verse 28; you must read on to verse 29!!).
Above all....."I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth." (Job 19:25 NASB).
And until then.....no matter what.....in good times and in bad......"since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB)
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