undoing discontentment

I had my 30th wedding anniversary back on July 19!  

I know, Whoa, right?  I can hardly believe it myself!

Yes, we were just babies in 1985.

There have been times, over the years, that it wouldn't have taken much for either of us to just walk away.  It's been hard at times.  There have also been amazing, awesome, wonderful times, of course.  But those storms when it seems there's no chance of escaping in one piece can shake you to the core.

But God...  If not for having Him in our lives and in our marriage, we surely would not have made it for thirty years.  Of course, we can do nothing on our own, but we like to think we can.  We so easily forget that it's only by the will of God that we even breathe let alone move, think, walk and talk.

I'm so thankful that He intervened so many times in our marriage.  I have always felt really glad that both Hubby and I had intact families (neither of our parental units have divorced) and have two examples of half-century marriages to look to, although... *giggle* our marriage looks nothing like either of theirs.

And we don't want it to!  We exchange knowing looks of agreement when either set of our parents are doing something we find annoying and we'll laugh or commiserate later that we're SO glad we don't  "     whatever     " like they do.  I'm sure our kids have the same feelings about us and I guess that's how life is.

We make our own lives and our own favorite ways of being a couple.

Speaking of the kids, July has become Anniversary Month around here.  Our oldest son and his wife

celebrated seven years of marriage the week before our 30th anniversary, then our youngest son & his wife

had their first-ever anniversary the week after!  Yep, all within three weeks.

I'm not sure how that happened, but I think it's kinda cool.  And convenient too in that none of us can quite forget any of the others' anniversaries.  Ha ha!

I have to admit...I was feeling pretty bummed that we didn't have any kind of "real" celebration for our 30th though.  I mean, that's supposed to be some kind of milestone, isn't it?  I sure don't know many couples our age who have been married even half this long.  I remember having "dreams" if you will, of being able to take a cruise for our 25th anniversary, but that didn't happen.  Not for lack of wanting on either of our parts, but for lack of funds?  You betcha.  So five years ago, we plunked down a chunk on a room for the night way high on this mountain, and it was awesome.

It just would have been more awesome if I hadn't worried about money the whole time.  *sigh*  And here we were five years later, and once again, absolutely no funds for any kind of get-away or even a room for the night somewhere.

I was getting really bummed.  We talked about maybe going to do the Virginia Creeper trail, which is a cycling thing, and that would have been great, but the drive was so long that we'd have been killed to have driven there, ride the trail and then drive back home in one day, so we didn't even attempt it rather than go and not enjoy it.

After having to replace our air conditioner system (lighting hit it) and then just the week before our anniversary, our water heater broke, saturating the carpet in our bedroom and adding another big expense we couldn't afford... we just didn't have any extra money for anything big.

I had spent the week being really sad over it to the point I just didn't want to do anything.  However, the day arrived, a Sunday, and my best friend from high school contacted me, who I hadn't seen in probably 10 or more years, who has recently moved back here with her newly-adopted TWO YEAR OLD son!!!  She was coming to our church and wanted to see if we could meet and at least sit together.  Of all days for this to happen, on our 30th anniversary had to be a "God thing" because this sweet lady was the one and only member of my "bridal party"..my maid of honor!!!  How cool is that??

So, we got to meet her adorable little guy, visit for a bit, then we took off.  We'd gotten a coupon for a free appetizer at a restaurant we like, but there's not one near us, so before I even knew what he was doing, Hubby was on the interstate and all he'd say was we were going to eat.

We drove 100 miles away, found the restaurant and had a great meal.  By this time, God had worked on my sour attitude and I was just enjoying time with my husband of 30 whole years.  I began to think about how hard-working and caring he is.  How he's encouraged me to try harder and do more than I ever would have attempted myself.

Later, we stopped in a couple of surplus home goods stores and bought a few little items, found a gorgeous duvet cover with shams for our king size bed for just $18!!  Then we walked through the other place, that was more for builders I guess.. it had furniture and decor and we saw some gorgeous items that gave us some inspirations for future improvements on the house.

Then we went to a couple of health food stores and he helped me pick out meals for the coming week.  His request, saying "since it's our anniversary"... LOL! is for me to start eating better since I don't do well in that area.

*sigh*

Well, okay.  So, we ended the day at Whole Foods, where we ate a slice of "wholesome" pizza and drank his ever bottle of kombucha tea (don't ask)  Ha!

and then stopped at the Walmart at home to pick up some batteries we needed and I bought us a selfie stick.  See?

This is the photo I sent to the kids showing them how techno-savvy their parents are.  HAHAHA!!

And so, our 30th anniversary came and went and left me with a sense of satisfaction. A deep contentment.  I am sad that I've wasted so many years being dissatisfied with things, life, people, myself... but I am doing my best to change things now.

And I'm looking forward to reaching our 50th anniversary and yes, still hoping we might have a bit bigger celebration by that time.  But if not, I know that'll be okay too.

We have each other and we're happy.  That's enough.

Philippians 4:11-12 - "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need."

Plans

 I am often reminded of a life verse that my late husband loved – We hung it in his office.  It brought us such hope as he worked his own business.  I’m sure a lot of you are familiar with it for the same reason we were.  It’s Jeremiah 29:11:  

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

 

Can I be honest, though?  I think when you are waiting to see plans happen that scripture is hard to find as comforting.  When you are just really unsure of what’s next in your life or what’s ahead on such a huge level, this scripture can almost be guilt inducing because you think you’re ready but God just isn’t revealing much.  So we wonder.  Are you there God?  Do You see me?  It says You do?   People in my life who seek to encourage me will quote it and with an almost resentful twist  I think – that’s easy for you to say!  Then you remember they mean well and they don't understand having never been here.   I know that I know that I know that my God has never forsaken me.  I know that I know that I know that I need to cling to this promise.  I just should be honest to say I’m impatient waiting to see what this plan is now - especially with my empty nest and new life.  It’s hard.  I’m not sharing anything I haven’t already prayed about.  I just think transparency is the best way to move forward.  So, I wanted to share something new at my house lately that is helping me. 

 

After a few puppies going through our house these last few years, I declared that I would never have a dog in my house again.  My chewed up furniture and now patched walls – not to mention my clean carpet - were proof to me I was really done.  Then, earlier this spring I unexpectedly fell in love my oldest son’s pug, Dexter.  He’s a happy-go-lucky, 3 year ball of easy-going fun.  I didn’t realize I would get so attached to his company while my son was gone to the Philippines and I was his dog sitter but I really did.  Here’s Dexter.  He makes me smile just seeing his pictures.  A face those who know him love – you can hear them talk about him with such affection - me included:

 

This summer as the quiet has increased exponentially in my empty nest and my oldest son refused to surrender Dexter (I wouldn’t if I were him either), I began to reconsider if maybe a canine companion of my own would be nice.   The thought of puppy training and the chewing was out of the question, though.  My oldest son suggested I look into a rescue dog.  He indicated a rescue dog would be fiercely loyal and I could pick an age and personality like Dexter too.

I went to Pet Smart one Sunday afternoon after church recently to see for myself what Homeward Bound had to offer.  I explained the characteristics of the companion I’d like to have. The Homeward Bound women asked me to consider Heidi – a maltese mix (I think poodle) who was there that day.  They told she’s a diamond in the rough.  She just needs real food and love.  Here is what she looked like when I first saw her:

 

Something about this dog clicked with me.  I saw the neglect.  I saw the fog in her eyes.  I saw that feeling I think I identified with from some of my own struggles in life as a widow.  It’s not that I have really had a difficult life as some widows I know.  It’s just that I honestly know first hand that there is a reason God encourages widows and orphans in the bible.  There are no words that can be shared to understand what we go through in this new life without our spouse.  It’s hard.  And my Father knows that.  So, when I saw Heidi, it’s like we had a connection.  I know that I have struggled with wondering if I’m forgotten.  I too honestly wondering if God sees me some days.  Looking at Heidi, shaved completely down because her Maltese mixed fur was so neglected they couldn’t save it, I knew she could be more.  I knew I could help her!  Yes, I wanted her.  I saw her potential.

 

When I first brought her home, she was so tired and underfed that she would literally just wake up to eat, do her business then lay back down on me.   It was interesting the only happy or excited emotion she gave us was when she saw clean water and a whole bowl of food.  You could tell she also wondered where those new sweet potato treats had been all her life too.  After several days of Eat, Rest and repeat, we began to see her walk on her own.  She was too weak to climb stairs and she’d bump into me or the furniture at times when she did.  We discovered that she couldn’t see well but she began to trust that I was going to be there to help her and that seemed to give her the confidence she needed to start to venture out into this new life I had brought her into.

 

Today, I want to show you what she looks like so far.  I love that she has adopted my butterfly pillow in the living room as her own.  For so many reasons, I identify butterflies with God’s promise of new life for all of us.  But I know in my heart as I see this dog come to life and celebrate each unexpected bark or toy interest or enjoyment that My Father in Heaven sees me even more so just like I see this mangled mess of a dog.  She has no idea the plan I have for her – But just like me and my Father, she’s going to have to trust that I see her.  And I’m there.

She doesn't realize it yet but  I have every intention to make her new life better than her old.  While my job with Heidi is much easier than my Father’s (I know I’m still such a hot mess myself), I am renewed in my faith that my Maker is up to the task.  I need only listen for His help when I’m bumping into things finding my way too in this new place. So I know I'm a mess and He knows I am a mess but He's got plans for me. Heidi reminds me of that ever day.  I hope she does for others too. 

 

It's Okay to Laugh

Some of my friends may not know this about me but it's a true statement - I am clumsy.  I almost always have bruises on my knees from running into furniture; it's not unusual for me to be wearing a band aide from an injury sustained while cooking; and I have taken a few very ungraceful falls. I want to tell you about one such fall that happened at church.

 

I had walked into the church office carrying two fairly large stacked boxes. The bottom box needed to go on a shelf and the top box on a desk. I carried them in and sat them both on the floor.  I took the top box and swung around and placed it on the desk. As I was doing that a lady I knew stuck her head in the door to say a quick hi.  That tiny distraction was all it took and I completely forgot about the second box. I took a step to follow the lady out when all of a sudden my toes slammed against the second box rooting my feet firmly in place all while the top half of my body continued to propel forward. Down I went, over the box and through the air, landing with a thump and an UGH! Unfortunately, I had picked that Sunday to wear a dress and high heels, something I rarely do. The dress went up as I went down and the box got crushed.  The floor I so ungracefully landed on was carpeted but unfortunately since the office was in the basement there was concrete underneath and no offerings were spent on padding lol.

There were people nearby and when they heard the crash, they came running. There I was on the floor and all I could do after an audible groan and a quick jerk of my dress down, was laugh!  I'm sure I looked quite a sight lying there twisted up on the floor, laughing!

After a few seconds, I realized no one else was laughing. I guess they were being polite or perhaps they were too concerned.  When I realized no one else saw the hilariousness of my situation, I no longer felt it and the funniness quickly turned to embarrassment.  You see, to me,  laughter makes the most uncomfortable situations much more bearable. Looking back, I wish one of my best friends had been there. They would have laughed with me after a quick, 'O-M-G, are you okay?'   They may have even done a quick check for blood or broken bones; then they would have lost it ... not at me mind you, but with me.

Now, don't get me wrong. No one wants to be humiliated and I am no exception. But those silly little things that happen in life that are not serious or life altering, are much better handled with a sense of humor.  There are so many challenging things in our day to day lives so I have found if I can find something to laugh about, it's a stress reliever and I believe a gift, so I'm going to thank God for the opportunity to laugh.

Laughter is so important for our physical and mental well-being.  As they say in Reader's Digest, "Laughter is the Best Medicine", and it's true.   Laughter releases endorphins, protects the heart by increasing blood flow, and boosts the immune system. Laughter also relaxes the entire body. Studies have shown that your body can stay relaxed up to 45 minutes after a hardy laugh.

Many don't picture God with a sense of humor and I'm not sure why. We were created in His image so if He does not have a sense of humor, where did we get ours?

There is nothing more cathartic than a good laugh and if I have to laugh at myself over a silly fall, I'm okay with that. There will come a day when a fall could have dire consequences to my health. Until then, if you're around the next time I do something silly, especially if I am laughing, by all means join me in a big ole belly laugh. It will make us both feel better. 

“A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.”                  

 Proverbs 17:22

 

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Just for Laughs!

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Well, here I sit on July 1, 2015 at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; the day I have feared for months now.  My youngest granddaughter who is only 15 months old is being put to sleep for an MRI to check for something I have refused to believe she has, cerebral palsy.  I believe she is fearfully and wonderfully made. Yes, she’s a little slower than other kids her age but there’s nothing wrong. 

As I am writing this they are proceeding with the test.  My insides are very trembly but my heart is set on God, our Creator.  He is in control; He knows what is going on inside my granddaughter; and He will not be surprised at what the doctors find  . . . . Or don’t find.  As I look around the room while I’m waiting, I see many children, young babies to teens.  There is something going on with each of them, some much worse than others.  As I look around I am reminded of the verse in Mark 10:14, “Suffer the little children come unto me, and forbid them not, for such is the Kingdom of God.”  I am also reminded that in this thing called life, nothing is perfect.  There is sickness and disease everywhere and yes, some will even end in death.  But God promises that if we believe in him, we will have eternal life.  The time draws closer.  Ready or not, one day the Lord is coming, saved or lost, sick or healthy, the time is drawing near.  (Revelations 1:3)

So, it’s been about three hours since my granddaughter’s procedure began.  The nurse just called and said the test was over.  She also gave us the report we prayed for - everything is normal!  My daughter asked about the cerebral palsy.  The nurse was confused by the question and said the doctor would be contacting us soon, which he did. The doctor stated that some cerebral palsy is so mild that it does not show on tests and she will need to be re-evaluated in four months, but all looks good!

So, was there ever anything wrong with her; or did God heal her between the time her parents were first told something was wrong  and the time she was taken to an old- fashioned alter where God’s people prayed for her healing?  I guess we will never know, but this grandmother knows that no matter the diagnosis, this child was created by God and she is fearfully and wonderfully made!    

Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise You, For (Isabella) is fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well.”    

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

One of the favorite side dishes on the Grace Emmaus Walks (at least for the women) is the Broccoli Cauliflower Salad.  I made this for a recent cookout and thought I’d share it with you.   It’s not my recipe but we share it with everyone.  The ingredients are pictured here (note I forgot the cheddar cheese so it’s not in the picture).

 

 

To get started, I cut up half pound of bacon into small pieces and started to brown it in a pan.  While the bacon was frying, I cut up not quite all of the head of cauliflower, the broccoli shown and I diced the red onion putting them in my bowl to combine.  

 

 

Look over my oven.  I am not used to photographing as I’m cooking.  I’ll have to learn to clean up before taking the next picture next time!  Anyway, you get the idea.  Cut everything up into smaller pieces. 

Next, for the dressing - it’s really simple.  A quarter cup of sugar, a half a cup of mayonnaise and a tablespoon of vinegar. 

The trick to the dressing is that you should make it, pour it all into the mix with the bacon and stir it really well then leave the salad covered in the refrigerator for several hours allowing it to absorb the dressing. 

Now, because I forgot my cheese, when I took the salad out of the refrigerator the next day, I first poured the cheese in.  I took the easy way out because I was in a hurry to get to my cookout event and just bought the cheddar cheese shredded already.  The recipe calls for a cup of cheese but I don’t know anything that isn’t a little better with a little extra cheese so I put a little more.

But here’s the trick to the dressing - the salad is usually still a little dry.  So, I made a second round of the dressing and added it also, combining it about an hour before the event.  I have no idea why this picture seems so much lighter but, any way, here’s the final product.  I wish I had realized the picture was not so good so I could have taken another one because the bacon looks purple; but trust me, it was good.  Ha.  

Bacon Cauliflower Salad Recipe:

Salad

1 head broccoli

1 head cauliflower

1 red onion

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

½ lb fried bacon

Dressing (I like to double this!) 

½ cup mayo

¼ cup sugar

1 tbs vinegar

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into bite size pieces. Chop onion. Add bacon and dressing. Toss well. And put in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Prior to serving, toss again. Add more dressing if needed. Serves 10.

 

What the rainbow means to me!!

I am sure some of you may be turned off by the title of my blog entry but let me reassure you it has nothing to do with the recent supreme court rulings in our country.

My husband and I married in July 2006, and we were very excited to start our family. We became pregnant in 2008 but found out around 15 weeks of pregnancy that our baby would not make it. The heart break and devastation I felt at that moment was like none other I have ever experienced in my life. I was so angry at God for taking my baby that I became bitter. God healed me of that bitterness and resentment on my Emmaus Walk in the fall of '08.

After numerous trips to the fertility doctor and failed pregnancy tests, we became pregnant in 2009. I was so excited to see those 2 blue lines but as soon as they met my eyes, fear filled my heart. Remembering what had happened with our sweet Baby Ratliff, I tried with everything in me to have faith, but I just couldn’t. I remember the drive to our very first doctor’s appointment. It was a rainy afternoon and my husband had taken off work to take me.  As we passed through a nearby town we saw the prettiest rainbow. I made some comment about it and my husband reminded me of Noah and the flood and how the rainbow was God’s promise. He then said, “Lynndessa, maybe God is telling you that what happened last time will not be the outcome of this pregnancy.”  From then on every rainbow I saw filled my heart with joy. Even if it was on a TV commercial I just knew God was winking at me. It seemed that God always showed me a rainbow when my fear was out of control. The times no one else knew I was panicked beyond words God KNEW and He provided.

We actually almost lost Morgan Grace on April 18^th, 2010. I was dilated to 3 at only 24 weeks pregnant. The doctor prepared us for the worst and proceeded with surgery early the following morning. The surgery was successful and this would begin my 75 day hospital stay, an hour and a half away from home. With each milestone the doctors would give God glory for how far we had come because no one expected me to make it past 28 weeks. 28 weeks was our breathing point, although small, she could still be born and have a great chance of making it. We made it to THIRTY FOUR WEEKS. On June 29, 2010, Morgan Grace was born weighing 5 lbs and 11 oz. The Neonatologist said we would be in the NICU AT LEAST a week. We checked out July 2^nd………!

This time in my life is a great reminder to me of God’s grace and mercy. I didn’t deserve for God to allow me to be Morgan Grace’s mom (or later to become Isabella’s mom….more about that in another blog) but that’s where His mercy steps in.  Keep your heads up ladies!!! God KEEPS His Promises!!! He is alive and well!  Be encouraged!!  Think back on times in your life that God has proven Himself to be faithful. Meditate on those times; too often we forget what He has done for us. God was faithful to me yesterday He WILL NOT be unfaithful to me today. Much Love!

Decolores

tempered

It's summer, right?  Middle of June in Kentucky?  That's hot!  And since the beginning of May, we have had no air conditioning.  Lightning struck our unit and fried the compressor.  It was determined, due to its age,  that the enitre unit needed to be replaced.

After running around getting several estimates and filing an insurance claim, we finally have a new unit installed as of not quite a week ago.

We had pulled out and borrowed every fan we could find in the meantime, and honestly, it hadn't been too awful until a couple weeks ago.  It would get cool enough at night to need a light blanket and then keep the house cool enough to tolerate until midday.  We were loving the fact that we were saving a ton of money on electricity and were fine with having no a/c until it started getting up to 90 degrees during the day and staying up in the 70's during the night.  We were getting pretty miserable.

So when the unit was first turned on, the installers set it to 65 because the house had been so hot for so long, it was going to take awhile to cool the very elements of the house, like the walls, carpeting, cabinets...everything.   It wasn't long til the thermostat showed 79 and it felt like heaven to us!  Ha.  I was busy doing stuff and before long, I felt chilly!  I went to look at the thermostat again and it was 70.  Normally we would have set the a/c to about 68 in the past, but I was ready to put on a sweater, so I turned it up a couple degrees.  And then a couple more.  And.. well, finally, I got comfortable when it hit 75 and that's where we have it now.

I am normally a very hot-natured person. It's been a running joke that I am the one in short sleeves in the dead of winter and always freezing my husband out.  It was annoying how easily I would start sweating.  But now? Now I am a regular ice queen!  Ha ha!  I had been noticing that whenever we went out to other locations, a restaurant, church or a store, I would feel chilly.  Apparently, I'd become used to existing in much warmer temperatures than normal.

I had become tempered to living with the house much warmer than normal.

It got me to thinking, while my becoming accustomed to being warm was great in this context...less running of the a/c means lower electric bills, right?  But it struck me how easily we become used to things.  We, as humans, can become easily tempered to a lot of things.  Things that we should NOT get used to.

Dirty or messy surroundings when we slack on the housekeeping.  Suggestiveness in our tv programs.  Vulgarity in general society, on clothing and advertising.  Nudity in clothing styles and on television.
 
We can so easily become accustomed to things which ought to offend and alarm us. Not that we should be easily offened, but we should be concerned that sin in our lives isn't hurting our souls.  But we get used to it.  We say, "Everyone's doing it.  It's not really that bad, right?"  and we start rationalizing that at least we don't watch THAT show, we don't watch porn on the internet.  At least we don't wear ours THAT tight/short/see-through.  At least we don't do/say/watch/wear THAT thing.

See?  We are all too easily tempered to sin.  God knew that.  He knew we would be so easily swayed.  That's why He told us in   Philipians 4:8 KJV – “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

And in Proverbs 4:23 NLT – “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

  

Take care to what you allow yourself to become tempered!

In His Image

I realize that not everyone had the best of mothers to raise them.  I just know that I did.  My mother was my biggest fan, my hardest critic, and yet, as I got older, my closest friend.  I can remember my sister sharing one time when I complained about how Mom always told me I needed a trip to the beauty shop that she always made a special trip before she went home to avoid that lecture.  My mother wanted the best for us.  She always encouraged us to put our best foot forward.  She believed in us but she also wanted to help us believe it too.

I can’t begin to describe the chasm that was left in my heart when my mother passed away from cancer.  I guess part of that grief was the realization of how entrenched she was in all that I did as I had not allowed anyone else into that depth of my life.  She knew instinctively when I was struggling. more than that, though, it was uncanny how she also knew when to let it go and when to ask me if I was going to share whatever “it” was.  I can remember when I chose not to share but discussed “it” later she would reply – “Well I knew something was up but I knew you’d get through it”. 

I am convinced that good mothers truly do have an intuition about their children.   Your children are a part of you in so many ways.  I knew my mother was vested in all that I did but I also chose to share so much with her as a result.  No wonder she meant so much to me.  No wonder it took so long to bounce back after I lost her to cancer.  

I was reading a book recently that has truly opened up another door in my relationship with God.   We all know that we are made in the image of God.  But I’m not sure I’ve internalized what that means?  I suppose I thought of that in a physical sense.  We know that man was made first and God saw that man should not be alone.  In other words, he was lacking something God did not give him on purpose. He needed other things to help him in this life.  So, in his infinite wisdom, He created a woman from Man’s rib to be his help mate.  We are  aware of the many traits men have.   God gave woman Adam’s rib but He then gave her different traits of Himself on purpose to help man.  Not to stand behind him but to stand with him.  There have been many an exasperated conversation over the differences between a man and a woman.  However, no one can deny that God did this on purpose. 

Here’s the recent kicker for me, though:  God gave woman the traits that make her a nurturer.  Woman is instinctively in touch with emotions and relationships.  In His image means that these traits are also a part of God’s character.  The God of the universe – who parts the Red Sea – who judges and allows consequences to sin – wants to be invested in and nurture me the way my mother did.  He can handle all of these traits that frustrate my male counter parts because He understands that within Himself.   

I cling to God when friends, family or I are sick or struggling with things in prayer.  Those big things we just can’t manage on our own.  I’ve seen Him move in those situations and it’s always praise and awe-inducing.   We need to know that He’s there especially during these hard times. I’ve wondered as a widow and a woman how God could truly heal the loss and other hurts in my past.  I realize now – These traits He gave my mother?  He also has!  But, if I want to be healed from the hurts in my life, I need to open up and let Him become invested in me the way my mother was.   That choice though is mine.

So recently I’ve started sharing with Him the way I did with mom.  To invest in seeking Him the way I did with her.   He’s responding but more than that, I’m realizing that He’s interested in so much more than I even realized.  I’m not sure why I hold that stuff back.  Just like my mother, He already knows and is wondering when I’m going to talk about it with Him.  And that means everything to me. 

Blessing Jar

A member of our group, Sharon made each of us a BLESSING JAR and gave them to us at our New Year’s get-together.  I think we all can agree that life is much better when we count our blessings rather than our disappointments.  This jar is a daily reminder to do just that.  

It has been said that gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness.  No matter what is going on, there’s always something to be grateful for.  A blessed reminder can be found in James 1:17 which says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights . . . "

Won’t it be fun to open this jar at the end of the year and see what God has done! 

To make your own BLESSING JAR you will need: 

A Jar with a lid

Ribbon

Label

Glue

Pen and Paper

The label says, "Starting January 1, write good things that happen on the little pieces of paper and put in this jar.  Surprise gifts, accomplished goals, LOL moments, memories worth saving, daily blessings.  On December 31, open the jar and read the amazing things that happened to you in 2015!"

Note:  Sharon got the idea for the blessing jar and label from Pinterest.  

He Calls Her Daughter

From the beginning of our lives we all have had labels placed on us. The first labels I remember in my own life are “shy” and “bashful”.  I don’t know why lol . . .  just because when I was 3, I hid under my mom’s skirt when the neighbor kids came running over to play.  (Ha ha!)  I remember that vividly because I remember the fear of feeling that I was being charged at, and I ran!  I also remember that every time we went anywhere, I wanted to hurry back home.  I realized from an early age that I was different from the other kids I knew, and in my little mind the difference was not a good thing.  It didn’t get any better after I started school.  My first teacher liked to yell.  I think I cried almost every day of first grade and wished to not have to go to school.  Unfortunately that longing never really went away throughout all of my school years.  As I got older, the labels expanded to “backward”, “weird”, “unsocial”, “standoffish”, and even “hateful”.  Some of these labels may or may not be deserved but this I know for sure – they all stem from my own awkwardness. 

Not too long ago I ran across an article entitled, “Ways Introverts Interact Differently with the World”.  The article described me perfectly.  Well halleluiah!  Amazingly, for the first time, I learned there are reasons why I am the way I am.  Not only that, but there are others like me out there.

What I learned from the article and a few more since then is that introverts and extroverts respond differently to their environments.   A scene that overstimulates the central nervous system (which doesn’t take much) might cause introverts to feel overwhelmed; while extroverts crave that stimulation.  Unfortunately for introverts, most social environments are geared toward extroverts.  I also learned there is no such thing as a pure introvert or a pure extrovert, but there are times I think I am almost a pure introvert. 

I dug into God’s word for further answers and what I was reminded of is something that I knew in my head but it had never seeped into my heart.  I’m positive God led me to the articles on introverts to guide me in the direction and at the time I needed it most.  What finally made it to my heart is that God is the Master Designer.   He designed my personality, looks, likes and dislikes, talents, and everything else about me to be unique, even right down to my fingerprints.  I am an introvert because I was created to be introvert.  I am the way I am on purpose.  (SO ARE YOU!)  To not be happy with what God created is to say that He did not do a good enough job.  That’s arrogant, don’t you think?

The label of “shy” became a brand on my life and a scar on my heart.  When someone said, “Oh, she’s just shy”, what I heard was, “Oh, she’s got a problem”.   It didn’t help that I was left out of a lot of activities because I was so uncomfortable with attention and group settings that I was simply no fun.  No matter how hard I tried, I was only comfortable in one-on-one or small group settings.  No one ever meant to place a negative label on me; but even simple, unintentional labels seem to take on lives of their own.  The more I was called shy, the shyer I became.  Shyness escalated into fear; fear of more judgment and more rejection, which then came across to others as “weird”.   

 

 A lot of introverted people seem to function just fine in society.  Of course they function differently than extroverted people and that’s the way it’s supposed to be.  It doesn’t equal weakness.  Our society is flawed in its thinking of introverted people as less than, and the term “weird” is used way too loosely in our society.

As for me, I am learning to block out the labels that flutter around in my head and try to be conscious of not putting labels on others.  I lean on the words of the One who created me.  I have faith that He knew exactly what He was doing.  I am sensitive; I care about things deeply; I would rather not be the center of attention unless God ordains it; I need the peacefulness of home; my skin is thin; and I am not weak.  God designed me; I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and I am His daughter.  THE SAME GOES FOR YOU! 

Ponder on this --

“And, I will be a Father to you, and you will be my daughters”.  2 Corinthians 6:8 

By calling us daughters, God is saying not only who we are but whose we are.  We should be so incredibly thankful that our Father put such love into creating us, and that thankful heart should give us confidence in ourselves no matter what anyone else says because God believes . . . His creation, which is me, and you, is very good!