You Can Quote Me on This

‘The best laid plans of mice, men and Lynn’…..this is a quote, my quote which I have uttered more times than I care to think about. The first part of the quote (up to my name) is a partial line from a Scottish poem by Robert Burns written in the last half of the 1700s. It comes from a poem he wrote to a mouse after an unfortunate turn of the plow blade unearthed its nest just as the harsh winter weather was approaching; leaving the mouse without a home or the food stash it had accumulated.

In this sad poem Burns feels empathy for the plight of the mouse acknowledging it’s planning and preparations now left in ruin in spite knowing the mouse availed food from his fields. I can’t say I’m that generous if I discover a mouse in my house!

‘I doubt not, sometimes, but you may steal;
What then? Poor beast, you must live!
An odd ear in twenty-four sheaves
Is a small request;
I will get a blessing with what is left,
And never miss it.’

In life we all make plans of some sort. I’m a self-confessed planner. I make plans as a compass to guide me and keep me true to the course of direction I choose to go. If you’ve ever deviated a little bit off course in the beginning of a trip, you know the final destination can often be a surprise and nowhere near where you intended to end up when you started out. A plan can be a very good thing.

God often laughs at my plans. This has taught me to not take either my plans or myself so seriously. In scripture we are told God has a plan for our lives, so I can see where He might be amused by our pitiful little attempts to make our own. Like the mouse in the poem, we cannot foresee when an event or change in circumstance may plow through our plans; turning our worlds upside down and in pieces blowing in the wind. God’s Master Plan for our lives makes provisions for all we can neither see nor anticipate.

But Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes of mice and men
Go often askew,
And leaves us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!

All our planning and aligning of events can be quickly extinguished like the dancing flame of the candle in the window sill. This makes submitting to God’s plan for us the wiser choice. We can rest in confidence in His plan for our lives, believing He is in control at the helm in times of stormy weather; we can sleep peacefully as Jesus did in the back of the boat while those men around Him trembled in fear. With Jesus as our compass, our one True North, we are not left flapping in the breeze of our own plans flying out the window; we are held steady on course.

This is why I can say with a chuckle, “The best laid plans of mice, men and Lynn….”

Happy Thanksgiving!

Family in town and cooking like crazy! Just popping in to wish everyone a blessed Thanksgiving Day. We all have so much to be thankful for this year. If you're reading this, you are alive and functioning, your eyes are working and your fingers can move. That's more than a lot of people can say!

My prayer for us all is that we truly appreciate all God has done in our lives and all He will continue to do! Share your blessings! Stay bless-able! Praise the Lord. Give thanks!

Blessings to you and yours,

Lynn

Recipe for Success

I love learning and finding new things that make me think, take me through a new concept I had not considered or perhaps not contemplated in depth. In my reading this morning I ran across a passage about building steps to become a person of persistence in all that we hope to achieve.

The first thing that caught my eye was that we are to set goals under God’s leadership; goals that are challenging and demand our best AND require His help. That may sound like a ‘no brainer’ but DO we really purposely set goals with those requirements?

As Christians, we often set the goals we want to accomplish and then ask in prayer that God bless our efforts in obtaining those goals. I had not considered creating my goals up front with the mandate that they include God’s leadership. Maybe it’s just me but I have to say, I bet I’m not he only one putting the cart before the horse.

The second concept was to then develop a passion for the goal to drive us toward our desired outcome. Most any book you pick up on goals will tell you to determine what it is you are passionate about, make the goals; then the work toward it.

In the world, perhaps that is the key. In God’s economy, we are to go about it from this other perspective. We make a goal that requires God’s leadership and challenges us to be the best we can be. Then we strive for the passion to continue on when we run into obstacles; an attitude of persistence.

Additionally, we should refuse to listen to criticism; surrounding ourselves with people who will encourage us. Certain steps may fail, but we should look for a personal lesson in every defeat.

Finally, we are to believe that we can reach the goal, and then must rely on God to enable us. The circle is complete.

When we start out with God in the goal making decision process, relying on Him throughout the process and end believing He will enable us to reach the goal, we have come full circle. The focus is not about what we can accomplish but what God can accomplish through us.

A recipe for success if ever there was one!

Recipe for Success

I love learning and finding new things that make me think, take me through a new concept I had not considered or perhaps not contemplated in depth. In my reading this morning I ran across a passage about building steps to become a person of persistence in all that we hope to achieve.

The first thing that caught my eye was that we are to set goals under God’s leadership; goals that are challenging and demand our best AND require His help. That may sound like a ‘no brainer’ but DO we really purposely set goals with those requirements?

As Christians, we often set the goals we want to accomplish and then ask in prayer that God bless our efforts in obtaining those goals. I had not considered creating my goals up front with the mandate that they include God’s leadership. Maybe it’s just me but I have to say, I bet I’m not he only one putting the cart before the horse.

The second concept was to then develop a passion for the goal to drive us toward our desired outcome. Most any book you pick up on goals will tell you to determine what it is you are passionate about, make the goals; then the work toward it.

In the world, perhaps that is the key. In God’s economy, we are to go about it from this other perspective. We make a goal that requires God’s leadership and challenges us to be the best we can be. Then we strive for the passion to continue on when we run into obstacles; an attitude of persistence.

Additionally, we should refuse to listen to criticism; surrounding ourselves with people who will encourage us. Certain steps may fail, but we should look for a personal lesson in every defeat.

Finally, we are to believe that we can reach the goal, and then must rely on God to enable us. The circle is complete.

When we start out with God in the goal making decision process, relying on Him throughout the process and end believing He will enable us to reach the goal, we have come full circle. The focus is not about what we can accomplish but what God can accomplish through us.

A recipe for success if ever there was one!

Picture This

There are snapshots in time that move our emotions to a point of wanting to freeze the moment so we can look at it longer. Those of us old enough, remember when those were referred to as ‘Kodak Moments’. This morning I am having one long Kodak Moment.

I’ve spoken about how much we love the view from our front deck. This morning it is breathtaking; I can see it from my desk and am distracted to the point of not being able to work. So I will write about it.

We had a storm roll in overnight and the sky is still heavy with clouds. It’s not raining for now so I ventured outside to get a closer look. As you step out the door you are greeted by the wind. It’s stronger than a breeze; steady cool wind coming from the southeast. An American and Texas flag are waving in unison on the porch columns of the house across the street. From my higher point of view, the palm tree behind that house sways a little though it looks like a soldier standing at attention behind the flags. With the variation of greens of the trees in the valley behind it, the grays and blues of the skyline and overhead, the colors of the flags stand out proudly.

Though not flying about as usual, birds of many species are singing out a morning song. A rooster somewhere in our ‘village’ joins in, though not in harmony! Two houses over an old cottonwood tree stands like s sentry in the front yard. It is taller than any tree near it so you can clearly see how the leaves are turning colors as they dry out. I love this tree because I enjoy the particular sound its leaves make rustling in the wind. My house sits on a hill; this one does not, so the top of the tree is at eye level. The wind is blowing all the leaves in all the trees but this one has the advantage of the large dry leaves to be heard above the rest.

I heard an aircraft overhead high above all the clouds. It served as a reminder that even though we have storms around us, life goes on. In the valley across from me the slow and low rumbling of a train makes itself known. Before long I can see glimpses of it through the trees. We are in the country so there is no need for whistles, just the low rumbling. It moves on and is gone as quickly as it came.

The clouds are the real showstopper. From the deepest blue-gray across the tops of the distant hills to a wide band of blue-gray that reflects just enough light to allow the blue to be more dominant. Next, the layer of flat bottomed white clouds shooting high into the sky with their marshmallow looking selves. As you turn more to the west, the white clouds are less dense, less high. Above them all is a blanket of thin wispy clouds in shades from white to smoky gray to patches of more serious looking gray. As they move across the sky an occasional clear patch can be seen and through it, the sun shines. It makes changing patterns of light as they march on to the northwest. The sun’s rays that do get through the clouds dance on the tops of tress. Some, brilliant chartreuse in color, look alive in the light and dance in the wind.

The scene has changed a great deal since I sat to write this. Darkness fell and large drops of rain began to hit the glass door. Thunder rolled overhead as the clouds released the rain again. It fell hard against the wooden deck and roof. I love that sound.

Now, there is a stillness that has enveloped everything. The only sound I hear is that of the keys clicking on my keyboard. No rain, no thunder, no birds, no train or plane, just an engulfing quietness as a foil against the clicking keys.

Watching the majesty of a storm move across the sky is rather like a peek at the power and strength that is God. They excite with their creative beauty yet you realize that you have no control, you are not in charge. The seer power and energy of lightening cutting through the darkness is glorious to behold. I can’t even imagine what the view will be like in heaven but I know it will be awesome and I look forward to it. For now, I will enjoy the blessing God has given us. A silent gentle rain moves in as the next act of the show!

The Flip Side

Though I often complain about the hot weather in South Texas, any part of Texas really, there is a flip side to the searing, breathtaking heat. It’s our very long growing season! This is mid-November and I have multiple tomato plants with blooms and tomatoes on them. A rogue squash plant or two coming up in my compost pile, my ‘blessing’ basil plant in the veggie garden is doing so much better than the ones I actually planted in the herb garden. I call all volunteer plants “blessing’ plants. I have several, all types, thriving in the veggie garden this fall. The Swiss chard and mustard greens are beautiful and lush. They are the only thing growing better than the weeds that took hold during the drought.

After years of unsuccessful attempts to grow chile piquin peppers and having tried all forms of sow/growing methods to no avail; I have a ‘blessing’ piquin plant that popped up by itself! This was a delightful treat to discover. My Honey says it will need to be transplanted to a spot where it will have some shade. With any luck at all, it will survive the winter and be hardy enough to transplant in the spring. Since it began as a ‘blessing’ plant, I have high hopes!

Green beans are producing nicely, they are not edible but there are plenty of them. Guess the timing and weather plays a big part in the tough, bitter pods. I’m leaving them to go to seed for next year; they replenish the soil, bonus!

And the big exciting news is that my treasured fig tree has little figs all over it. This poor little tree has survived two years of drought and a shaky start considering it is planted on top of our hill, our rock hill. It’s still barely above knee height; my knees…I’m short, ‘nuff said. So to find it covered in leaves and figs after it dropped all leaves and shriveled during the roughest of summer heat, well, lets just say I give all the credit where credit is due…prayer and the Master Gardener, God.

As with most of my long stories this one does have a point, an analogy, or a modern day parable. In this world we often find ourselves in places and situations we find less than desirable. I love the view from our hilltop vantage point but, because we have that view, we do not have good gardening land and normal soil. Our typical weather is hot to extremely hot nine months out of the year. The other three months, we can vary from fabulous to chilly with moments of actual cold. Towering trees we do not have but we are on the Monarch Butterfly migration path in the fall; they fly directly over our front deck. Too awesome! God-given flip sides.

I’ve said all that to say this: regardless of location or circumstance, regardless of stage we find ourselves in life, in spite of the highest highs and lowest lows that come our way….God holds us in His hands and little miracles, like my blessing plants, come through as if to say, “Behold, I am with you always.”

Dream Song

This is the dream I had last night:

I worked in a facility that had the feel of a large hospital. Music played as people were coming and going through double swinging doors and long halls. At one point a young man that appeared to be in his late teens or early twenties hesitantly came through the double doors closest to me. He would step through then have a change of mind and turn around and go back. This happened several times; each time he looked more troubled. After watching this and pained by his obvious doubts and hesitations, I approached him and asked if I could help him. He looked at me with eyes of caution and suspicion. I tried to reassure him that all was well. He shoved a folded piece of paper at me and stood back. His demeanor was partly defiant and part embarrassment.

I opened the crumbled, folded paper and read the handwritten note; it said his family owed a debt. I told him we had someone he could talk to about it. It was a large debt and I felt that was why he acted ashamed. He shook his head no; he was not willing to talk to anyone. I explained that he could start making things right by simply talking to the person; arrangements could be made for the debt if he would just go talk to them. He darted off down the hall and out through the double doors again. Time and again I would catch glimpses of this young man. It was as if he could not help himself; he kept coming back but just could not commit to talking to anyone about the debt.

Finally, I took him by the hand, holding on tight, and walked him through the double doors. I did not let go though he pulled against me. Though music still played, the halls were different now; they were lined with gurney like beds with people in different conditions. Some sick, some in parts, like half a person or just body parts on the bed but it wasn’t scary. The young man clung to my hand tightly; he asked about those in pieces. I told him they were the broken people and they came to be fixed, made into a whole person again. We walked up to a desk and I told the woman in charge that he wanted to make arrangements for his family debt. She said that was simple to do and as he relaxed, I left him with her.

Later, I would still see this young man in the halls; he was working there now, too. He was busy with a purpose and he was happy. One day he came through the double doors with my dog, Chelsie. She is the epitome of love and compassion, wanting nothing more than to lay her head in your lap and looks at you with pure love in her eyes. He took her from one broken person to the next; smiling as she would lay her head and front legs on them, like a hug. He would wave when he saw me and move on to the next bed.

It was at this point I woke up. I lay in bed thinking about the dream; it felt so real. I asked God if He was trying to tell me something. In my spirit I still heard the music. I had slept in the guest room with our puppy in bed with me. He was struggling and cold, so I slept with him under my arm; still snuggled against me, he had slept peacefully all night. I felt the Lord say He was same way with us, though we are broken and dirty He tucked us under His arm and we sleep in the warmth of His love. Music still resounded in my soul. I listened to the harmonies and only then could hear the words that filled the halls of my dream and the depths of my spirit, “Home again, welcome home again. My child, you are always welcome home again.”