Birds on a Feeder…

My Sunday school gals are crackng up right now. Yes girls, I am writing about the birds on the feeder. Ha! (Please excuse a little inside joke here.)

Bird-Watch_101698698_web — Picture from Lowe’s website.

We have quite a bit of bird activity in our back yard. The birds are magnificent around the feeder: bright red and orange beaked cardinals, blue jays, yellow and tan finches, ring neck and mexican doves and black grackles to name a few. They each take a turn and have their own unique way of feeding. Some wait their turn on the fence, swooping in and out grabbing seed at the feeder quickly and decidedly. Others land on the feeder and pick out the seeds that they like, tossing the unwanted seeds on the ground. While others eat the scattered seed on the ground under the feeder. And often, along comes a squirrel to dangle over the feeder in a variety of positions, even though we put corn out specifically for them.

It is fascinating and often comical to watch the activity and ritual of each bird at the feeder. I wonder if God feels the same watching over His little flock. Some of us swoop into life, not over thinking it and get things done; quickly moving in and out of our roles. Others wait patiently to see how things are done and then follow the lead and take their turn. Some of us are very picky and quickly sort what we like from what we don’t like, with unwavering discernment. And some of us like to wait and be served, happy when things are sorted out and decided for us. And some of us provide the much needed theatrics and comical relief of dangling it all out there, without a care in the world about protocol or procedure. Even when there might be an easier way to get things done.

There is beauty in each way, each gift, each approach to life. God orchestrated it perfectly. Each personality and gift needed, valued and cherished by God, our Father. He loves to watch us figure it out and I think He gets a good chuckle sometimes too.

Embrace your unique approach to life this week. Fly high. Soar. Dive. Embrace your bright feathers! You were designed to radiate His Glory and He loves you…most!

Be joyful!

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” Luke 12:24 NIV

It’s Time to Make the Donuts…

I showed the students at our Leopards for Christ meeting this morning a very popular Dunkin’ Donuts commercial from the eighties. This commercial showed Fred, the Baker leaving his house morning and night, in all kinds of weather, to make the donuts. At the very end of the commercial, Fred actually finds himself running into himself. You see, the monotony of the daily task left him blurry eyed, confused and half brain dead. He couldn’t remember whether he was coming or going, let alone whether he actually made the donuts!

Much of daily life is the same for us. The paper work, the laundry basket, the car pool, the dead lines, the yard work, our studies, the gym, conversations, and even our time with God can fall into drudgery. Before we know it, we find ourselves simply going through the motions and finding little motivation, let alone joy in our daily tasks.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” I can’t think of a better way to combat the mundane tasks that confront us in every day life. When our focus shifts from going through the motion of the task to trusting God to pattern our steps and guide our understanding, everything changes! We find a revitalized soul and a purpose. (Even when it means scrubbing the toilet for the 100th time.) Seeking God’s will each and every day, makes the day seem limitless in possibility and wonder. Our obedience to the minutiae that every day life requires can actually bring blessings we could never imagine.

When it’s time to make the donuts again, trust that God has a bigger purpose. Even the smallest of tasks can result in the greatest rewards. By simply fixing your eyes and heart on Jesus, those donuts start to look and smell amazing. And before you know it, you find yourself taking a big, ‘ole bite, thanking God for each delicious morsel of life!

Be joyful!

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” Mark 12:30 NLT

doughnut6

Parenthood…

When I was little if you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would respond, “a mom”. As I mentioned in The Story of Us, there was a time in my life when I thought that being a mom wasn’t part of God’s plan for me. Then along came a bright, blue-eyed little girl who changed my life forever.

Being a mom is the hardest job that I have ever had and it is also the most rewarding. Watching my daughter navigate the challenges of school, friendships, athletics, peer pressure, boys and adolescent life is difficult. There has never been a day that I stood back and thought, “yep, nailed parenting today.” No, not one.

My dad reminded me last year when we were going through a particularly challenging time as parents that our job is not necessarily to raise “good” children. Rather, we are to train up our daughter in the ways that she should go. We should direct her heart and steps towards God. And realize the same free will that God gives us, He also gives to her.

Our best effort as parents is placing her feet on the solid foundation only Christ can provide, not us. It is relationship with Christ that gives my daughter a fighting chance in this world that tries to entice, distract and often devour her.

It is Christ who gives her an audacious spirit to stand up against the unfairness of teen life. It is Christ who gives her kindness to give when mean girls try and knock her down. It is Christ who gives her the athletic ability she uses on the field. It is her responsibility to honor Him and no one else when she is on that field. It is Christ who watches when she takes a test and who she pleases when she studies and prepares for that test accordingly.

And it is my job as her parent to remind her of Christ each and every day. He is the only One that can give her what she needs to get through her day and life.

He is the only one that can give me exactly what I need to be her mom. He entrusted her to me and chose me to be her mom. Right here. Right now. And it is my responsibility to honor God in how I navigate my role as her mom.

If you, too, find yourself grappling with this thing called parenthood, take heart! Remember that God has not forsaken you. He will give you the words, wisdom, patience and love that you need to get through it. He is cheering for you, loving you and holding you up even on the toughest of days.

You see, He knows the sacrifice parenting requires. He sacrificed His own Son for us.

He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. He equips you. Now, roll up your sleeves and get back to work! We can do all things through Christ!

Be joyful!

“Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.” Proverbs 22:6 NLT

A Kit Kat…

My husband and I laughed so hard at the family Easter Egg hunt in our back yard yesterday. You have never seen grown people act such a fool over hidden plastic eggs! My daughter’s beloved Nana actually tossed a plastic bowl at her head to try and distract her at one point. I’ll put it this way, we have a very competitive family!

The angel dog was also part of the hunt, barking and cheering on the hunters. And he was close by when each participant went through their eggs. He proudly brought a small Kit Kat candy bar back to me and was very proud of his found treasure. Before I knew it, he was eating his treasure, wrapper and all. I immediately told him to “drop it”, which made him choke it down even faster. You see, he wanted that candy bar even though it was not good for him.

We have so many similar temptations in life, don’t we? We find ourselves caught up in the moment and before we know it, we have gobbled down that thing that is not good for us. Even when we hear our Father telling us to “drop it”, we quickly devour it in hopes that it won’t hurt too bad this time.

Thank God that we have a Father that understands and was willing to send his Son, Jesus, to conquer death and sin. So when we find ourselves with a mouthful of sin, wrapper and all, we can repent and bask in his forgiveness. He also provides a way for us to stand up against that temptation the next time, even if it is a yummy Kit Kat candy bar!

I hope each of you delighted this Easter in the overwhelming sweetness of that empty tomb and all that it means for you. And I do hope that you enjoyed a little something sweet to eat, minus the wrapper of course!

Be joyful!

“The angel spoke to the women: ‘There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.'” Matthew 28:5‭-‬6 MSG

A Seizure…

20180329_124330 The angel dog had a seizure yesterday. It is the second tine this has happened to him. The first seizure was at least three years ago. The truth is that it has been so long since the first one that I had forgotten what they looked like. We were laying on my bed late afternoon and I was working on my laptop. One of my first blogs, “Early Mornings with the Angel Dog” was about our morning ritual, which depicted how the angel dog loves to snuggle under the covers each morning with his momma. Yesterday afternoon, he began scratching like he wanted under the covers. When I lifted the comforter so he could go under, I noticed that something was wrong. He was squirming on his belly and it seemed like he didn’t know how to get under the covers. I jumped up and put my hand on him and called his name. He again was squirming and seemed unable to stand up.

My husband works for a company that allows him to work remotely. So, his office is actually in a barn in our back yard. I called him and told him to please come in because something was wrong with angel dog. In the time that it took him to walk across our yard into the house, angel dog seemed to be calming down and was now trying to squirm his way closer to me. I laid my body over his and kept whispering over and over that it was going to be okay. We called the vet and headed to the vet clinic. Angel dog was already feeling better and actually ran to the truck and hopped up ready to go for a ride, which is one of his favorite things. (My sweet husband prayed for the angel dog on our way to the vet clinic, which made me fall a little deeper in love with him.) Everything checked out at the vet clinic and the vet confirmed that it was a seizure and that often mild seizures in dogs are more traumatic for the owners than the animal.

I want you to know that I was completely calm, cool and collected throughout this incident. And if you believe that, I have some swamp land that I would like to sell you in my home state of Florida. I was so shaken that I called the wrong vet clinic. Then, was crying so hard that its no wonder how the poor woman who answered the phone at our vet clinic even understood who we were and what was happening. Fear had taken a firm grip on me.

I remembered a time about a decade ago when fear also took a firm grip on me. This time, the recipient of my phone call was my mother and I told her through choked back tears that my first husband wanted a divorce. What followed for months after were cries to my Father in heaven asking Him to put the pieces back together. Sometimes those prayers were with words; but, often those prayers were silent cries where the words simply wouldn’t come. Through all of it, Jesus laid his body over mine and whispered that it was going to be okay. And it was eventually okay. In fact, because of His grace, forgiveness, mercy and peace it became more than better. I found myself able to run again and hop up in the truck ready for a ride!

Maybe you need to be reminded this Easter that God is active and present. That He is capable of conquering death and resurrecting life. That we never go through life’s storms, life’s heart breaks or life’s fears without Him. He can and will, in His timing, make things good again. Make things great in fact! He will not leave you in the darkness of Good Friday….to borrow a well known quote…”Sunday is coming”! Hallelujah!

Be joyful!

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 NLT

Miracles Still Happen…

I witnessed a miracle this past weekend. My daughter’s friend was in a car accident. She actually flipped her car five times, over a barbed wire fence and landed halfway out her front window. For all intensive purposes, she should be in heaven with Jesus. No, not the case here. God has things left for her to do. Her part of His story is simply not finished. So, she walked, painfully, away from the accident with five fractured vertebrae and several contusions to her lungs. She will heal in a back brace. Her injuries did not require surgery. And she found herself at home the day after her accident to start the healing process. It was nothing short of a miracle. God’s grace and mercy on display for us to witness.

And what a better time to witness God perform a miracle than the week leading up to Easter, this Holy Week. The same God who turned water into wine; made the blind man see; and raised Lazarus from the dead just moved in this young girl’s life. His power, His glory, His mercy, His grace on full display.

The same God whose Son, Jesus, faced the brutality of the Cross and who gave up His final breath for each of us. Jesus, who three days later, left the tomb empty, completely victorious and alive, so that each one of us can have eternal life with our Father in heaven. Yes, this same God stood in the gap of this accident and spared this young girl’s life.

What is there left to say? Thank you Father. You are truly an awesome God. You are good. You are powerful. You are merciful. To You be all the Praise and all the Glory. Forever. Amen.

Be joyful and in awe!

“For even the Son of man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 NLT

I Think I am Van Gogh…

20180323_112854-1 — *Flower creds to the true artist, Lori Beane. Thank you for making my painting beautiful!*

Amongst the many spiritual gifts God has granted me, I am also quite an extraordinary painter. (Just ask me or Muscle Mom and we will tell you it’s true! Ha!) A favorite sister in Christ hosts painting workshops at her café. I attended one last night. I love everything about it. I love the easy conversation that takes pace. I love how everyone walks around and admires the talent of each unique rendering, I love the laughter. And I love the fact that the talented hostess has assisted me with every canvas, correcting, embellishing and putting her true gift into my mediocre attempt. I also love that my husband awaits my arrival home and graciously gushes over my canvas too, And that he has never complained when I deck our walls with original pieces, especially during the holidays!

I left the workshop last night feeling so refreshed. I met some neat new women. I enjoyed quality time with one of my best friends, who painted with me. And I was struck, once again, with how each participant can gaze at the same canvas; yet, leave with their own interpretation of it. Each one unique. Each one beautiful.

Looking around the workshop last night, the beauty and wonder of each face was remarkable: straight hair, freckles, brown eyes, dimples, laugh lines, pink cheeks. Each uniquely designed in the image of our Father, the original canvas. And each given her own eyes to look through, her own personality to pull from and her own unique perspective in which she takes in the original canvas. From that perspective flowed each brush stroke, each color chosen and each variation of the original art.

And it all took place under the watchful eye of the hostess, the original artist. If asked, she would offer advice or her own touch on your canvas. Her perspective came from love, care and a true desire for each one of us to succeed.

We were made be the Master Creator to be creative. He expresses His creativity through us in so many ways. He does it through His design. He does it through the gifts that He entrusts to each of us. Different talents that He wants us to use successfully. He stays close by, ready to offer advice through His Word and prayer. And with His love and care, we will see His handprints all over our lives and He will be glorified!

Okay, so I don’t really think that I am Van Gough. But, I am fearfully and wonderfully made. And you are too, And I do love to tap into my creative side whenever given the chance, with a little help from my friends. And a lot of Hope in my Father!

Be joyful….and be creative!

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14 NIV

Stand By Me…

DSC_0013_(2) — *Photo taken by my beautiful daughter.*

I was reminded of how important human interaction is after teaching my group exercise class this morning. There is just something about going through a strenuous workout (and a few dozen burpees) with a group of women. It can break down barriers, allow endorphins to heighten and leave us vulnerable and open to intimacy.

One of my sweet gym friends recently lost her father, very unexpectedly. She is now dealing with the aftermath of grief, one day feeling as close to normal as possible and the next day finding it difficult to leave her house. She showed up in class this morning and lingered after the cool down song, “Better Than a Hallelujah” by Amy Grant.

We hugged and she teared up when I asked how she was doing. She said that she was really glad that she came to class. You see today was one of those days where she didn’t really feel like leaving her house. But, her husband nudged her to go to the gym and she said that she felt better. We talked about how positive endorphins can help with our emotions and that human interaction can be the best medicine. I also reminded her that God was walking with her during this difficult time and that He was big enough for her grief. I assured her that she was a good mother, a good person and stronger than she realized.

I think the devil likes to keep us isolated, especially when we are going through difficult times. He likes to capitalize on the loneliness of grief. And our human nature likes to pull us into our own thoughts, grief, and anxiety; leaving us thinking that no one would understand. Or better yet that we shouldn’t burden others with our pain.

But, God knows the power of friendship, church and community. He knows how important it is for us to have brothers and sisters in Christ to hold our hands through a good cry; hug our necks when our heart is breaking; and give us hope when we feel like all hope is lost. It is in fellowship with one another that Christ can shine and hope can be restored.

So, thank you Father for my sweet gym friend’s vulnerability this morning and the strength she showed in opening up to me. It resonated with me today and I found myself beyond thankful for so many sisters in Christ that God has given to me. Visualizing the beauty of these faces fills me with such joy. You know who you are ladies!

Jesus indeed stood up for each of us. And because of Jesus, we can stand up for one another. Cherish your friendships.

Be joyful!

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Hebrews 6:10 NIV

The Old Sleeping Bag…

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The little old man found his old sleeping bag over the weekend. (If you would like to know the back story on the little old man, please read my previous post entitled, “The Little Old Man”.) I came into his room to give him his breakfast and found him zipped into this very worn sleeping bag, which he had laid on top off his bed. I must have looked puzzled because a very sleepy, little old man said, “Look, I found my old sleeping bag.” “I see,” I replied, “was there something wrong with your bed?” To which he responded, “Well, I used this sleeping bag for thirty six years.” So, I said “okay” and gave him his breakfast and left the room.

But, it really wasn’t okay with me if I am honest. In fact, I found it strange and a bit annoying, especially because I wasn’t sure how many years it had been since the old sleeping bag had been cleaned. Yet, each time I went back into his room, the little old man was tucked tightly into his old friend, the sleeping bag. I even overheard the little old man ask the angel dog if he liked the old sleeping bag. Hmmm…why was this getting on my nerves?

I brought the sleeping bag issue to my husband’s attention and shared that I found it odd and was afraid that it might be a stinky, old sleeping bag. My husband thought that it was indeed odd. But, this was not the first odd encounter that we had experienced with the little old man. He encouraged me to let this one go and let the little old man enjoy his new found treasure. Hmmm…boy do I hate it when my husband plays the part of the Holy Spirit.

I spent Sunday afternoon, cleaning the little old man’s room. I washed all of his linens and I cleaned the old sleeping bag. I made his bed back up and then laid the old sleeping bag on top. I know exactly what you are thinking, why is this such a big deal? But, if we are honest, how many times does someone show up with an “old sleeping bag” and disrupt our normal routine? How often do we allow our need for control to create huge mountains out of life’s tiny mole hills? Better yet, how often do we push our old sleeping bag, routines or habits onto God and expect Him to fit in? And how often do we try and control our own lives, when the easier thing would be to let go and let God take control?

You see, sometimes, we need to bring out the old sleeping bag and lay it down before our Father; let Him freshen it up, clean it off and spruce it up. He is the master of making old things new. In fact, it is one of His specialties!

Hmmm….the old sleeping bag…..who knew?

Be Joyful!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

A Game of Fetch…

roscoebeach — Photo creds to my beautiful daughter!

My daughter and I took the angel dog to the beach Wednesday afternoon. He loves to go to the beach for so many reasons. He loves to ride in the truck. He loves to dig for shells. And he loves to play a good game of fetch with any size driftwood we find on the shore.

Wednesday was no exception. My daughter found a great piece of wood and launched it down the beach. Angel dog would go running for it, ears flopping and tail curled up. He brought it back to his mom every time. His “sister” would grab it and launch it again and again. Each time angel dog would find his way back to me. You see the angel dog likes to stay close to his mom.

My daughter finally plopped down next to me too and we chatted while watching two huge pelicans catch and eat fish. I could remember my own mom and I spending many an afternoon, in Florida where I grew up, soaking up the sun at the beach and talking about life.

There is just something about the ease and beauty of the beach: waves crashing, sea gulls calling, and the blissful feeling of the sun warming your body. Life is good at the beach. As I watched my daughter and the angel dog play, I thought about how small they seemed nestled next to the vastness of the ocean. And how I loved having them both close to me.

Our Father who art in heaven filled the vastness between Him and us with a Cross, which allows us to plop down next to Him and take in the beauty of His creation, while chatting about life. His Son warms our bodies and He fills our hearts with His Holy Spirit. He loves to watch us play along the shore and delights when we seek Him out, especially after life takes us on a run. And just like me, He loves to have His children close, under His mighty protection.

Take time this weekend to spend some time with your Father, soak up His Son and let His Holy Spirit move you. And don’t forget that after a good game of fetch, it is always best to return to Him. Stay close, for He is a good, good Father.

Be joyful!

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NIV)