It's Not What You Say

I’ve heard it said, “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one.” This, Friends, holds true in every area of our lives. It is easy to faithfully sit on your favorite pew in church on Sunday and smile at people as they go by. It is not usually a stretch to take a casserole to a pot luck dinner either. The real effort in our Christian walk comes in our daily unspoken communication.

With every action we take, every word we express, we are sending out a loud message to those around us. Do our actions and our words line up or contradict one another? You can carry your Bible in your arms for all to see but how are you talking to your kids at home while getting ready or as you’re pulling in the church parking lot? They will remember that more than the image of you with your Bible.

You can wear that new Christian T-shirt but if you’re cutting people off to get in line at the grocery store in front of them, they see the attitude you think you’ve nicely covered up with the T-shirt. Nary may a word be said but……unspoken communication.

I once knew a woman with a beautifully decorated home. Sadly, all the time and money spent on her home could not make it a warm, inviting place. People felt tolerated instead of welcomed in her home. On my last visit there, her indifference to those gathered for a holiday get together was screaming loud and clear. Her hollow laugh and tense tone far more reflective of her true feelings than the brightly colored Christian sweatshirt she wore. She was active in her church but bitterness encompassed her. Anger her constant companion. She no longer goes to church or even tries to put up a Christian front which, sadly, is more honest than she ever was all those years she played a part without really having Jesus in her heart. Unspoken communication speaks loudly.

My little grandmother sat in her favorite chair every evening reading the Bible before bed. As I recall, she read two chapters every night. She never preached to me about it but the picture lives on in my treasure trove of special memories. She taught me faithfulness in reading scripture without saying a word. Unspoken communications teach powerful lessons.

I can look back in my life at times I know I missed the mark. I feel regret and a touch of sadness for all those times I showed myself revealing an attitude or action that was not Christ-like. I don’t beat myself up over them any more. I’ve learned that condemnation is not the same thing as conviction. Conviction is from the Holy Spirit, condemnation….well, it’s ugly and you know where ugliness comes from. I’ve also learned to trust the arms that open wide to receive me when I’m hurt or scared. I know the joy and comfort of climbing up in the lap of the Lord. Unspoken communications show love and acceptance.

I, too, would rather see a sermon than hear one.

This is the Day....

"This is a day the Lord has made and we shall be glad and rejoice in it!"

These are the words I spoke when I woke this morning. I like to say these words every morning. I'm hearing scripture as the first sounds of my day.

Still, it doesn't take long for things to get out of kilter. When we put God first in our mornings, things typically go better the rest of the day. However, trouble finds us where ever we may be, even in the darkness before sunrise in a sleepy household. The confusion this morning was brought on because I had not followed my routines; I was doing things out of my usual order and that was throwing me out of whack.

Our household routines in running the home give us a much nicer place to be. Sadly, we as a family are out of whack and not functioning as smoothly as we could be because we have gotten off the routine wagon, if you will. We still cling to some tenaciously, but make excuses for the ones we don't get done.

Our faith walk is like that, confusion comes when we step out of the order of the Lord. Isn't that the way it is with life? We would rather focus on what we have done rather than own the things we have not. We make excuses for not going to church, even though the Bible tells us to have regular fellowship with other believers. We make excuses for not tithing because we have to pay more bills this week. We make excuses for our behavior because we don't want to admit, even to ourselves, that NO, Jesus would NOT be acting the way we are. We make choices that step out of the Lord's order and then wonder why things get crazy.

The thing is, the Lord doesn't move somewhere else, WE step out of line. If you're not feeling the peace of the Lord today, I highly recommend you look at your choices and see where you got off the path of God. It's not a fun task but a necessary one. I crave that peace and I'm the only one that can put myself back on His path; abandoning my poor choices, admitting my mistakes, repenting as I go and stepping out once again in the ways of the Lord. My prayer for each of us today is that we take those steps and walk in God’s peace!

Garden University

As a backyard gardener, I have felt the flush of excitement discovering the first fruit of my labor and I have known the disheartening disappointment of discovering your veggies covered in pests. We live, we learn. We learn, we teach. This is a teaching story.

A few years ago, granddaughter Hannah was working with me in the garden. We were painstakingly winding soaker hoses all through the raised veggie beds. While it is a labor of love, hand watering is still labor and the soaker hoses are far more efficient. We were working in the bed where the vining beans live and discovered another victim of the cats; a once thriving plant broken at ground level. Cats and gardeners do not always live harmoniously, but that's topic for a future novel, so I won't get started on that!

Hannah asked if I wanted her to pull it out. I examined it more closely and discovered a tiny brand new shoot coming straight out of the broken stalk. I use gardening to teach the kids about God's creations and miracles, so this was a ‘divine' opportunity.

I told her, no, this is a God thing. She looked at me like I had lost the last of my marbles. She's heard me threaten to take several of each cat's nine lives for lounging in the veggies, so this caught her completely by surprise. I showed her the new growth and told her that was JUST the way God was. He takes the broken lives of people and plants and makes good come from bad situations.

In this case, He had given the plant a second chance just like He does people. Since the roots were in good soil, new growth was possible. When we plant our lives in the good soil that is Jesus, we can grow and thrive in spite of the bad situations that come our way.

Nothing is cuter to a gardener than tiny baby plants and I imagine the tender hearts of broken people are the same to God. An opportunity for new growth!

My prayer is that part of the legacy I leave my grandbabies will include the love of gardening; I praise God for the abundant harvest of opportunities He has given me to use gardening in sharing about Him with the kids. Kids, like baby plants couldn't stand up against the force of a fire hose, but those soaker hoses, well, they can work miracles.....in the name of Jesus!

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Today, my heart is singing! Maybe it dates me, but I'm hearing choruses of 'Bridge Over Troubled Waters' loud and clear! Jesus is our Bridge, our only bridge; our bridge over the chasm sin creates between us and the One Holy God. We can not swim those troubled waters. Jesus, alone, is The Bridge that allows us to cross.

The water is thick with many alligators. Hungry alligators! Those alligators would gladly and eagerly chew us up; causing great pain and torment. Some alligators come in human form. Some in sickness, financial troubles, relationships and cleverly disguised by the enemy. Some we invite into our lives. Some hit us in spite of the way we try to live. People, there is no other way to make it to the other side!

The Cross was laid across the troubled waters spanning the gap between our sinful selves and God. Build by the blood, sweat and tears of sacrifice by our Lord and Savior, The Bridge is our only access.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord! We'll take the Bridge, thank you!

Welcome Home!

We are in the middle of the work week; nothing like a message of comfort and reassurance to act as our spiritual booster shot to bolster sagging energies.

Life can and will bring troubles and pain to us. How we respond them makes the difference. We can stand with our own two feet planted firmly and take them on, blow by blow or we can turn to Jesus and trust that He has already taken the blows for us. We can react and go off half cocked (not sure what that really means) or we can act in a consistent manner of turning to Christ. I have walked the road where life was a series of reactions and jerk-knee responses; crisis management was all I knew. Now, I choose to turn to the One and Only. I now KNOW better and nothing else will do!

Through Christ, we have access to God's throne of grace. When we cry out to Jesus to save us (when we finally admit we can't save ourselves) the doors of heaven open, and we are ushered into the throne room. We are welcome because Jesus, our intercessor, gives us access to the God of all creation. Jesus walked where we walk, He knows our weaknesses. Jesus was tempted just as we are; though remained sinless and one with the Father. He invites us to follow in His steps. His death and resurrection make it possible for us to receive mercy and grace at all times. So, rather than sitting alone in our pain, outside this wonderful place where we are always accepted, we should run through the open doors, straight into the presence of our Father.

‘Hi, Daddy (Father, Abba), I’m home!’ This should be out battle cry, not ‘I am human, hear me roar!’

Kiss a baby, call an old friend, take a bubble bath, whatever makes you feel special and pampered. But above all else, take time to thank the Lord and snuggle in His arms. THAT'S when you really feel special and protected.

Direct Line

What a privilege we have of talking directly to God through our relationship with Jesus. Once upon a time, I thought my pitiful little stuff wasn't important enough to bother God. I would speak in prayer of the really serious issues but didn't know I could take it all to Him. Looking back, I can see where so much of my life was a wasteland of unuttered prayers and, consequently, unanswered needs.

I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit breathed new hunger in me for Him and His Word; revealing to me that which He would have me know. The more I understand about prayer and petition, the more I know there is to learn!

I didn't understand this truth in time to teach it to my children in their youth; though I try to lead by example now. However, I am doing everything I can to share this with our grandchildren.

For a season we had grandchildren living with us. Every morning before school we prayed. They took turns saying the prayer and my heart was touched by their honesty. One morning, Hannah was in the midst of the usual words of thanks for safety and health, when she thanked God for the fact she was getting to participate in a walking tour her class was taking that day. She had been in trouble in school and missed out on some fun activities; so this tour was a big deal to her. I was thankful she knew enough to thank Him! I didn't at that age or even much older.

Jesus paved the way for us to speak directly to God in giving thanks and petition. Jesus, Himself, petitions on our behalf! WOW! Come before Him as the little child speaking from your heart. Do not be concerned about eloquence or verbiage; thank Him for every little thing. Lay before Him your needs no matter how insignificant you may think they are. He knows them anyway; might as well.

My prayer for us today is that we humble ourselves as Hannah did that morning, thankful in the knowledge of the awesome privilege of the direct line of communication.

Fresh Each Morning!

As a new day dawns, there is an air of newness; a fresh start, new chances. Hope becomes an option again, where the night before was littered with lost opportunities and abandoned intentions.

I know this to be true in my life. If you have known me any length of time at all, you have heard me talk about God’s mercies being new every morning. I talk about it because it is important and relevant in my life. I count on His new mercies. I NEED His fresh mercies. Because it is written in scripture, I can count on it.

I try to make a point of counting my blessings each evening and looking to see where God moved in my life but sometimes, more often than I like, I see the areas I did not meet the mark; where I failed….good intentions falling by the wayside. I remember the person I intended to call and encourage but didn’t. I recall the new healthy habit I wanted to incorporate into my daily routine that was not. I regret the time I didn’t spend in prayer…….the list goes on.

So, to have His Word telling me of His fresh and new mercies….ah, the comfort and love washes away my failings because He loves me in spite of me.

Mornings have always been my favorite time of the day. As an early riser, I appreciate the quiet stillness before life interrupts; before the noise of our hectic world barges in. No early morning TV for me; just the quiet time to seek God, to pray and to be thankful for His tender mercies fresh every morning!

Lamentations 3:22-25 (New Living Translation)

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!” The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him.

Labels Are Not Nametags

I recently saw a commercial on TV for a popular reality show that stunned me; it is one that pairs dancing professionals with mortal folk of questionable fame for the ultimate in extreme dance competition. Now, don’t get me wrong, I enjoy this show. My husband and I watch it together.

The thing that struck me about the commercial was how it announced the contestants. It labeled them by profession or notoriety. One such contestant was announced as an actress in B movies. Seriously, they are saying that out loud? They actually said “B movies.” They might as well said she’s not really famous but you may have seen her face somewhere in an under par movie. Why would they do that? More importantly yet, why would she allow that?

When people are labeled by family, coworkers or society, most times those labels stick. Whether they were applied in jest or intentional meanness, labels can affect the way we see ourselves and shape our personalities.

We have grown twin sons. At an early age personality differences were evident. Perhaps because twins are noticed often, people tend to comment on them. At the ripe age of four, one of our boys was asked if he was funny like his brother. He replied, “No, he’s the family clown.” This caught me off guard because we had worked diligently to protect their individualism. The children were not labeled. We never even referred to them as ‘the twins’ but rather called them ‘the boys’ or by their names. So to have a four year old make such a statement and have awareness like that, was shocking to me. Where did that come from? He must have heard it somewhere…..and it stuck in his mind.

My brother, Michael, is a mere eighteen mouths younger than I. When he has the occasion to introduce me to people in his world, he always makes a point of describing me as his older sister, much older. In reply, I simply point that I am indeed the older sister but I am also the intelligent pretty one, too. This is all done in jest and adult sibling playfulness. No harm, no foul. Not all siblings labeling is as benign.

Sadly, I’ve seen situations where someone was known by their label where their name became a non-issue. It is easier to remember someone as the troublemaker than by their name apparently. In groups of children it is common to hear, “he’s the tattle-tale, she’s the crybaby, he’s the whiner, the bully, the problem child….” Having worked in a daycare I can tell you, the kids even label one another from an early age. Again, as with my son, they heard this somewhere along the way.

In today’s environment of mistrust and animosity we see and hear all sorts of labeling in the evening news alone. This reflects the world at large in sorting and grouping people by gender, race, political affiliation, religion, education and the overused ‘class’. The latter I find particularly offensive but that’s just me.

The good news is that God disregards all the labels and gets straight to the heart of a person. He does not see us as the world sees us, nor is He influenced by labels the world has plastered all over us. Thank God for that!

This is me pulling off one label after another…..

Soapbox Observations

Customer Service - where did it go? This has me jumping up and down on my soapbox. Wouldn’t you think in this hard economic time with more people unemployed than there are jobs that those blessed enough to have a job would do everything in their power to insure they actually get to keep it? If we are to believe mass media, questionable sanity required, we are being told that fifteen million people are competing for two million jobs. This just addresses those folks listed on any such statistic.

So, doesn’t it seem this would step up the quality of job performance of Joe Q. Public, working person? I think so but my humble opinion is apparently not shared by the masses. The quality of customer service on an average shopping or service seeking trip is at an unsettling low.

Now before there are mobs formed to throw rocks at me, let me qualify these remarks. There are fine employees and business owners dedicated to quality customer service. This is not about those entities at all but rather a look at places where such is not consistently found.

I’m not sure if it is an attitude in the workplace or the lack of training in customer service that is to blame; probably both. Rather than an attitude of gratitude for even having a job, it is not uncommon to hear disgruntled employees venting to one another about their plight. This is happening everywhere in front of customers! I know this because I hear this. I’ve had employees ‘helping’ me complain about their job situation to me. That’s never good.

I’ve been shopping in large stores and found no salesperson in sight to answer a question, only to stumble across a gaggle of them huddled together in a remote location sharing whatever with one another. Group training? I don’t think so.

Then there is the emotionless cashier that scans their way through your purchases with nary a smile or interaction. Do you feel the love?

There is the inevitable employee that looks up in disgust when you have the nerve to make an inquiry. Can’t you see they are busy? They don’t have time for people and their pesky questions.

I play out my own version of Donald Trump in my head when I run across such an employee. I fire them! It's important that you note the "in my head" part. I know that those I mentally fire would never be allowed to work in my place of business.

Has it always been this way? Maybe in isolated cases but it seems to be getting worse with time. Common courtesy is an endangered species. Customer service is woefully lacking. Not only is the customer no longer always right, the customer is regarded as an intrusion. Commercialism at its best? No way!

I’m not a chronic complainer. I’ve only sent food back at a restaurant once and only then because it was inedible. But I do think people have the right to be treated with common courtesy and at least adequate customer service. I think employees and business owners have that same right and should be treated with respect, as well.

Just so you know, I am self-employed as a freelance writer and place a higher standard on myself than I expect from others. I need customers and need them to be happy with the quality of my work and the way they are treated. If my employee (me) gets sloppy in her treatment of customers we’re gonna have a serious talk!

Little Things

It is the little things that bring quality into our lives. Tiny acts and actions can make an impact in ways we tend not to think about.

For instance, Monday through Friday mornings, I get a “hello” honk from a school bus driver. This may not sound like a big deal but to me, it is heart warming. This man drives the bus my grandson rode to the high school before he moved away. I no longer have anyone on that bus, yet Mr. Driver still sends me a quick “hello” every morning. The fact that he thinks about doing it is what makes it so sweet to me. He’s a nice man, he was good to our grandson and his tiny action makes my morning. I can’t tell you how I missed it over the summer.

There is an older man at church that silently goes around taking care of things that need to be done without being asked. It is not his job, he just does it. He’s always enthusiastic, smiling and talks to everyone. This angel in human form is so attentive to those around him he noticed that I have bouts of coughing when fighting allergies. He brings me a peppermint candy to suck on when I need it. Bear in mind, he has even done this during our church service and I sit on the front row. A small act that means so much shows his heart.

Just talking to people can change their mood. I was in a home improvement store and asked an employee where I could find the specific bolts I was looking for. I hated to bother him because he had an intense scowl on his face as he went about the task he was on. As we tried to make sense of the instructions listing the items I needed, I noticed his name was the Spanish version of my maiden name, so I shared that with him. He brightened up and got very talkative, even sharing stores with me from his time in the service. I only needed two bolts and had I located them and went on my way; I would have never been blessed by watching this man’s demeanor come alive and animated. It was a pleasant exchange I would have missed. It was a tiny act that brightened this man’s afternoon. He was smiling when I headed away from his area, an awesome change from the scowl I had witnessed earlier.

It doesn’t take much to make a large difference sometimes. In the examples above, two men used up tiny amounts of time yet their thoughtfulness was so noted, it’s being written about. The time I spent with the store employee was minimal; the difference in his demeanor was huge.

There are is so much ugliness in the world today. Little acts of kindness can make a difference, bring a smile, brighten someone’s outlook requiring nothing more from us that a moment of thoughtfulness. Yep, that brings real quality of life and it doesn’t cost a thing!

The Secret Life and Breeding Habits of Mugs

Coffee mugs are a pain in the backside for me. I understand that many people love their coffee mugs and more power to them. I am not one such person. This is not to disparage those fine folks but merely to vent frustration in my attempts to remain mug free and failing miserably.

Mug vs. Cup
There is a difference between a mug and a cup. Not always but more often than not, mugs are larger and heavier than a cup. Cups typically come with saucers. Cups are standard in dish ware sets but you can now find sets with the larger mugs sans the saucer, of course.

Additionally, there are Cappuccino cups, Espresso cups, tiny Demitasse cups, Latte cups, Irish coffee cups, and, at an internet site near you, Crème Brulee cups. Do we really need a separate set of cups and saucers for Crème Brulee?! When was the last time you tried to serve Crème Brulee at home but were thwarted by the lack of Crème Brulee cups? Seriously! This has gotten out of hand.

I digress. Back to the secret life and breeding habits of mugs.

My theory is they breed in the dark of the cabinets behind closed doors. I’ve ushered out more mugs than I can count, yet invariably the odd mug will pop up as if to taunt me. My husband has a mug sitting on his bathroom vanity that our grandson won and gave him on a recent camping trip. Sweet, right? What sort of person would it take to get rid of a heartfelt gift like that? A Cruella Deville type, that’s who! Yet, if left to itself, that dang mug will breed and become four mugs before you know it! Mugs love company!

People seem to like to give mugs as gifts. At least the people I know. I have graciously accepted many a Christmas mug with a smile. Inside I am wondering what the shelf life has to be before this mug can disappear. I’ve used them as pen and paper clip holders in my office. I used them to stash the make-up-containers-that-have-too-much-to-throw-away-and-maybe-will-be-needed-in-an-emergency under the sink. Let it be said I have NEVER used any of that stuff but at least the mug had a job. I’m not a bad person.

I do have my reasons for the mug aversion; some practical, some aesthetic.

On the practical side;
1. My hands hurt a lot. I have joint and tendon issues that make holding the average mug full of coffee difficult. They feel like boulders to me and, quite frankly, I do not need the unnecessary additional pain.
2. Storage is at a premium here. At one point, the entire top shelf of my pantry cabinet was taken up by an assortment of unwanted, albeit colorful mugs. This is what happens when mugs are allowed to breed unchecked!
3. We no longer have children living here so the more delicate coffee cups are not in imminent danger….as long as my husband is not doing dishes.

Aesthetics:
1. Our house is saturated in color; rich, intense color. We like it this way. So, a bunch of prolific, brightly decorated mugs tend to seem too busy and distracting. All my dishes are white. This gives the eye a place to rest. It’s soothing. Life needs soothing. I need soothing.
2. I don’t do cutesy! There are, indeed, some beautiful mugs out there, let my say I know this to be true. However, there are a lot of cutesy mugs, too, and those seem to be the ones that breed like rabbits in my cabinets. I repeat; I do not DO cutesy! You can do cutesy till your heart is content and I’ll applaud your efforts. No cutesy for me, thanks.

On a parting note let me say that it is not required that you share my opinion. Like your old stinkin’ mugs, I don’t care. This tirade was not the unprovoked ramblings of an anal retentive obsessive compulsive mug hater. I was washing up a handful of dishes this morning and lo and behold, there were two, count ‘em TWO mugs in the mix. WHY?! The secret life of mugs is alive and breeding!!

Breakfast of Champions

I happen to like fish for breakfast. A little Ocean Perch revs up the morning for me! Many of my friends and family find this odd but I find fish to be an excellent breakfast food. I usually buy two pounds of the perch at a time; steaming half of it with some Old Bay seasoning to use in omelets and scrambled eggs. Then the other half I simply sear in a hot cast iron skillet to relish its flaky texture in every bite. I love fish anytime but fish for breakfast is nurturing for me.

The word ‘breakfast’ is a compound word which simply means, according to Webster, ‘to break fast.’ The fasting is done at night while we sleep. So, breakfast would be anything we consumed first. This discourse is not about the virtue of eating breakfast; although I did have the privilege of having two grandmothers that thought you would surely perish and the world would come to an end if you did not have a large breakfast. That’s another kettle of fish….

We are predisposed by the culture and tradition in which we are raised to find things acceptable; apparently, fish for breakfast in America falls outside that norm. There are exceptions, like me, of course. I bet you can find the camper/fisherman that relishes a freshly caught fish cooked over a camp fire beside a lake in the early morning. Sounds yummy to me! Makes me drool to even contemplate that!

Many cultures find this commonplace and would probably laugh at our American noses wrinkled at fish for breakfast. If you recall, fish for breakfast is Scriptural ….well, it is written IN scripture. Jesus, Himself, cooked fish for breakfast for the Disciples. Fishing for them was done overnight and Jesus greeted them in the morning with fish over a campfire on the beach. If it’s good enough for Jesus…….

We tend to get locked in to a routine of familiarity and anything outside that comfort zone is not for us. Sad, that! My husband asked for eggs this morning. I was happy to oblige his request. Before I could walk into the kitchen, he was saying he only wanted scrambled eggs with tortillas. This meant he wanted to make egg tacos. We were out of tortillas and this ruined the whole thing for him. He did not want eggs without taco potential.

But fish for breakfast? One morning I presented him with a plate that had scrambled eggs, tortillas, refried beans and steamed fish. The look on his face was priceless. Not wanting to be rude and hurt my feelings, he proceeded to eat...very slowly. This was common breakfast food for my King of Tacos; all but the fish, of course. I bet if I had fried the fish and smothered it in the dreaded ketchup he would have had a whole ‘nuther attitude! Let’s just say he will have to ease into accepting fish as the breakfast of champions.

No, It Is Not Fine!

One of the most vile four letter words for most women is the word ‘fine.’ This is not just my opinion; I do not know any woman that likes to hear something is ‘fine.’ Dinner is not fine. Her hair is not fine. You get the point.

I remember being in high school when I first realized this was an issue. My little mother, quite frustrated at the dreaded ‘fine’ response to inquiries as to whether the family enjoyed dinner, blew a gasket. Guess she heard that reply one time too many! She stormed out of the dining room shouting, “I’d rather you tell me it tasted like %#@* than to say it was fine!” My eyes were open to the not so fine situation with the word fine.

There are all kinds of application and uses of the word fine, such as having fine hair; meaning hair that is thin in texture or fine small grained sand. Those uses do not generally incur wrath. A man saying a woman looks “FINE” drawing his word out in a tone an obvious admiration is acceptable. Any other use beyond that is a slippery slope of potential problems. Wise is the man that resolves not to use fine as a description for anything else when it comes to relational harmony.

A good case in point is a recent situation concerning my precious son-in-law. He is a good man. I’m very proud of him and how he takes care of his family. Typically, I would say he was an intelligent man. This is a story of how that intelligent man slid down the slippery slope of ‘fine’ and into a quagmire of hostility. Preparing for a big night of dinner with his new bosses, my daughter wanted to represent her husband well and groomed meticulously for the event. As every woman knows, this involves time and effort; a labor of love to make her man proud. Sadly, my son-in-law carelessly neglected to make note of said effort and told his wife she looked fine. Where is all that intelligence now? This caused an immediate reaction from the bathed, shaved, moisturized, coiffed and perfumed woman standing across from him in full make-up and best flattering outfit. Can you hear the shovel hitting the dirt as he digs his own grave?

My daughter, in a very similar scene to her grandmother all those years ago, replied she was so thankful she spent the whole day working and primping just to make herself look fine for dinner with HIS bosses. Her choice of words was a bit more colorful than mine but you get the point. Now as if this was not bad enough (and don’t you think it should be), my poor misguided (kinder word than stupid) son-in-law told his now deflated wife that the next time they have an event she could go out and spend whatever it took to make herself look better than fine. Bring in the backhoe, the boy is a goner! I’ll miss that boy!

Relationships 101 – never tell a woman she looks fine. This is an insult of huge proportion.

We do not want to look fine. We want to look lovely. We want to look ravishing, breath-taking and/or beautiful. We want to know our efforts are noted and appreciated. This is not restricted to how we look either; it applies to life in general.

Life is full of adjectives, Mister; use them!

Assuming my son-in-law comes out of the coma, I plan to buy him a Thesaurus.

Take a Chance on Change

One credo defining my life is “The only thing that doesn’t change is the fact that things are going to change.” Change is inevitable yet so many of us resist it as if we had a choice in the matter. We do not; things are going to change whether we like it or not. Might as well embrace it.

For someone that sees change as exciting, I have a hard time understanding those that avoid it. Some even fear change. My mother was one that feared change to the point of being paralyzed into lack of action. She was not alone in that mentality.

In the check out at the grocery store the other day the clerk commented on some colorful sweet peppers I was buying. She said she always wanted to try them. I told her I loved the little things; they made the food look appealing by virtue of their color, were healthy, inexpensive and tasted good to boot. Sounds like a good deal all the way around, doesn’t it? So I wonder why this woman, who by the way could actually see the peppers from her work station, never tried them even though they intrigued her so. My bet is fear of change kept her tied to her normal, usual grocery list and away from anything new or different. The peppers were $2.58, not a large investment toward change but it was the personal cost of change, and not the price of the peppers that kept her away…that’s my guess.

Having lunch at a friend’s house the other day, I was astounded when she said she had the same wallpaper in her kitchen for twenty-eight years. This makes my head spin with the question, “Why?!!” She didn’t really know why; she thought perhaps it could be that she just never wanted to tackle the job of changing it. Hmmm….

Making a change in your world requires taking a chance, the risk of making a bad choice, committing to stepping out on unfamiliar ground. Granted, some changes in life, such as the loss of a loved one, are not good but most changes in life are not nearly so dramatic and if you do not like the outcome, change it again!

Daughter #1 says she is not worried about us should a tornado come our way because the sheer number of layers of paint I’ve applied would hold the house together. She might be right. Painting is an easy, quick fix for those of us that need change on a regular basis. I once did a complex seven step wall treatment in one of our bedrooms. I loved it! Then the grandchildren came to live with us and my beautiful exotic walls were too stimulating for young children to sleep in. I had to paint over it. My guess is that room CAN withstand a tornado. But the point is, changes were needed to fit our lives at that time so changes were made. Life changed again and the children no longer live here. Yes, I have painted that room once more but not the seven step process I used before. I have changed; I’m older now and not nearly as excited about all the climbing of the ladder required.

In change we can find a new appreciation for things that might have become so commonplace that we do not even see them anymore. Just as a new outfit makes you feel good, changes can add a spark to ‘the usual.’ It doesn’t take big changes to make a big impact. Rearrange the furniture or try a different route home from work for new scenery. Make a new recipe for dinner. Edit decor accessories.

Life in and of itself is constantly changing; it is neither static nor stagnant. It ebbs and flows like the tide. Yes, there are constants we need in life. God is one of them. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. But the world around us was created by God and it is an awesome example of constant change. The sunrise this morning will be different than the one yesterday and will not look like the one tomorrow.

It is said, variety is the spice of life. I believe that. Take a chance, shake things up and pepper life with small changes. Life without change, like food without salt, can be a little bland.

Prayer

Let’s talk about prayer. God knows our thoughts before we ever think them; it's neither wise nor productive to have a flippant attitude about prayer. By that, I mean you really can't toss a quick prayer in heaven's direction, for example "Lord, please give me a parking space close to the store' and expect that to have a powerful impact on the heavenlies! I don't pray for those types of things but I sure give a prayer of thanks when I get one!

Scripture says that "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16 NKJV). Let’s break that down.

Effective-We certainly want our prayers to be effective. This scripture tells us what that requires. We can be confident that God does His part; releasing divine energy into the situation and our prayers will produce results when we do our part.

Fervent prayer - motivated by a deeply burdened heart, fervent prayers are filled with passion and a strong sense of personal helplessness. They also have a narrow focus on some specific difficulty about which we care deeply. Scripture calls this type of prayer "laboring earnestly" (Colossians 4:12).

Righteousness - At salvation, we become rightly related to God as His children. We are permanently sealed with the Holy Spirit, and we are declared righteous forever because of our position in Jesus Christ. But the word "righteous" is also used to describe a believer's conduct. This means that to be called a "righteous person," we must be found in Christ (Philippians 3:9) and have an obedient lifestyle before God. If we willingly and knowingly engage in sin, then we are not living righteously and our prayers will not be effective.

Prayer comes in all shapes and sizes, and study on prayer would really enrich your prayer life. Today we just briefly touched on the subject. We all have crisis in our lives and it's far better to have a strong prayer foundation to stand on when the storm of crisis comes than to wait until your facing the winds of adversity to give it any thought.

When the Lord hears an impassioned prayer, He knows who is praying. If it is a righteous person whose life reflects God's ways, Scripture promises the Holy Spirit will begin His divine work. God responds with great power to the prayers of even one righteous person.

That person can be you!

Family Tradition

There is a lot to be said for family traditions. They give you a sense of belonging, continuity and a warm glow that radiates from the depths of you. Today is one such day of tradition for our family.

Every Labor Day weekend, my Honey takes our grandkids on a retreat in the hill country at the H.E.B. Lodges. It's a Christian retreat hosted by his supervisor's church. They've reserved the Lodges annually over Labor Day for many years and we consider it a blessing to be able to take our G-kids. They have a blast in clean fresh air and clean moral environment. What more could a G-parent ask for?

This year Papa John will take the oldest seven of our ten G-kids and two neighbor kids that always make the trip with them. They will sleep in cabins with our group filling a whole cabin by themselves. They will run, fish, hike, canoe, play basketball, play horsehoes, lay by the river, eat, attend services, make new friends, sleep in bunkbeds and then get up to do it all over again the next day. That is just a partial list of activities. They will also have a service job to perform. Papa John signed our group up for K.P. duty after the dinner meal on Saturday night. Everyone eats, everyone helps make that possible. I love it! A little touch of home.

With our large family spread out as it is, and no one with a vehicle large enough for all ten to ride together, the parents will be trekking to camp to deliver their respective sibling groups this evening. Papa John will be hitching a ride with the neighbors. I'll be waving good-bye as they drive out of sight before gleefully skipping back into the house. This, too, is a family tradition! Papa John does his thing with the G-kids and I get a long, quiet weekend at home. Ahhhh...

Don't worry about me though. I'll be content here. I plan on getting some painting done, maybe a little writing, I hear Barnes & Nobel calling my name, I plan to eat a lot of fish and dream about the kitchen being finished. Indeed, I will be more than fine.

So, please join me in saying a prayer of protection over our tribe; include travelling mercies for all concerned. I know they will see and feel God at work in the midst of His handiwork. It is beautiful there. Before the weekend is over, the G-kids will already be talking to Papa John about going again next year. By next April, they will start trying to confirm with Papa again. An interesting fact, they always say they have to go...it's a family tradition!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off to Work We Go

It may also be said that rational, industrious, useful human beings are divided into two classes: first, those whose work is work and whose pleasure is pleasure; and secondly, those whose work and pleasure are one...Fortune's favored children belong to the second class. Their life is a natural harmony. For them the working hours are never long enough. Each day is a holiday... ~ Winston Churchill

I like this quote. What a blessing it would be to have your vocation be something that you find a labor of love rather than ‘the daily grind.’ Imagine how it would make this old world a better place if everyone loved their job.

Sales people might really care about helping you. Cashiers might focus on serving you efficiently and with a smile rather than complaining about their schedule to one another as if you were not even there. The mechanic might act thankful for your business instead of as if he were doing you a favor by allowing you to drive into his garage. Doctors might actually look you in the eye instead of listening for what can only be assumed is the buzzer in his head that goes off after he has spent a whopping 3 ½ minutes with you.

Treating people with respect is growing rarer by the year. Regardless of what we do for a living, the Bible tells us we are to respect our employers and do everything we do as if unto the Lord. This includes our jobs, like them or not.

I’ve had a job I didn’t like; it’s difficult to get up every morning and drive to work when you dislike the job. Surrounded by hostile employees and far less than a Christian atmosphere, I was certain God could not want me to remain in that job. My daily prayer was to get me out of there. As it turned out, God used my presence as a Christian to reach others. Known as the ‘crazy Jesus lady’ and keeping my Bible prominently displayed on my desk over the years enabled fellow employees to come to my office and ask me to pray for their situation. Had I been unwilling to walk out my faith publicly in the workplace or conduct myself with Christian principles would that have occurred? Never.

I fell short of performing my job as if unto the Lord on a regular basis. I wish I could tell you I had an exemplary attitude every day. I did not. However, I did treat my boss with respect, loyalty and a Christian love. It has been many years since we worked together and we are still in contact and call one another friend. I believe God blessed me on that job because I was obedient in staying where He planted me and behaved myself, for the most part.

I had an old mentor that always said, “Inspect what you expect.” Perhaps we should all inspect our own behavior to see if it is what the Lord expects. By doing our own Performance Review we have the opportunity to adjust attitudes where needed.

We are not in a time or world environment where everyone can earn a living doing something they love. We are, however, most certainly in a time where treating one another with respect, common courtesy and Christ-like values is needed more than ever! Remember, it is scriptural for heaven's sake.

Keeping First Things First

As a Christian writer, one of my goals to is keep God first in everything I write. What good would it do me to pursue a successful career if God was not incorporated into every aspect of it? So, to that end, I daily look to God for divine inspiration and commit my writing to Him.

This morning alone, I have had four, count 'em, four false starts. I would have an idea, jump into writing and before you know, nearly a whole article was before me. Some were actually good. However, since they were not from God, I can not use them. Not for this platform, not at this time. I will save them and one day may get the godly nudge to release and use them. For now, they are tucked away in my Writing Projects file.

There may be any number of reasons I have not had that divine inspiration this morning. Perhaps my head is preoccupied with my plans for later on today. Perhaps my heart is not in the right place either. Could be anything but my guess is that it has something to do with ME being out of alignment. God is always in the right place, so it can't be Him.

When I do find myself floundering creatively, I find it helpful to go back and read my commitment again. It is titled Daily Writers Prayer and Affirmation for Lynn Bermea. This is very personal and specific to me and my aspirations but I feel I should share it at this time. When I read it again this morning, that familiar godly nudge showed up. I don't know the purpose behind the nudge to share but I hope someone gets something out of it. It is my heartfelt cry and prayer.

Daily Prayer and Affirmation for Lynn Bermea

Today is the first day of my new career as a writer. All the years of toying with the idea have come to an end. Today, I put words on paper with purpose and direction. Lord, I ask that you give me clarity and revelation about how to make this work. Where there is no structure in my life, help me to create it. When my mind starts to wander, help me take all rouge thoughts captive and guide them back to the task at hand. Where my physical strength falters, boost my endurance and help me run the good writers race.

Lord, I want to help my husband with the financial burden of maintaining our household and the maintenance of our home. Help me to keep focused to that end.

Lord, give me clarity of mind and creative juices that will bring words to life in any thing I write. Help to promote my business and market it to the exact people you would have me doing business with. Open doors of opportunity and help me walk through with confidence that my words and efforts will be in the client’s best interest. Help me, Lord, to never put my personal agenda above making this business prosperous. It is not fame and acclaim I seek but a thriving business to create a financial cushion for my husband that has faithfully supported me and the kids. Help me to know how to charge my clients fairly. Let each new day bring forth opportunity to serve You by serving them. Help me keep a humble heart and serve each client with love and compassion.

Lord, I desire to serve You in all I do and I will commit myself to that end daily. I ask now for forgiveness for all my undesirable ways. I want to thank You, Lord, for giving me the gift of writing and ask that You forgive me for wasting it all these years. You have been remarkably faithful to me; help me be more faithful to You. I want to write not only for providing for my family but to entice people to want to read and know more about You. To help people come to know You, Lord Jesus. Father, I ask for more of You in me…

Giving You all the praise and glory! Amen.

Me