Well, it's been a long time - too long. It seems I keep letting life get in the way of my writing. You'd think I'd learn my lesson by now, but it seems I'm destined to learn things the hard way. I am learning though...

This last weekend I went to Washington, D.C. with my husband, daughter, and son-in-law. This wasn't a sightseeing trip, we were there for something more momentous. My husband was there to run in the Marine Corps Marathon. Yes, at age 50, he was going to run 26.2 miles without stopping. When he first told me he was going to train for this marathon I thought he was crazy. After all, he's not 20 anymore. But he was determined and so began a journey neither of us will ever forget.

He began running each week, slowly building up his mileage and though I worried about him, I encouraged him. There were times I resented the running; it seemed to interfere with us spending time with each other and getting things done at home that I thought needed doing. Still, I continued to encourage him. He had tried this once before and had to stop because his knee began to hurt too much and I worried it might happen this time as well. Thankfully, his knee did alright. It hurt a bit at times, but he pushed through it and studied how to strengthen his knee and prevent injury. And the mileage continued to increase.

Each Saturday or Sunday was a long run and before long he had reached 12 miles, then 14, then 16 - a few weeks before the race, 18 miles. Then it happened - he injured the tendon in his ankle. At first we thought it was his achilles tendon and he was so upset and discouraged. But he researched and finally went to a physical therapist who told him his achilles was fine. The injured tendon was one that came off the achilles and he began exercises for it. When the exercises weren't working he again began researching and learned about a special way to tape the ankle along with stretches to do. He was determined to run.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped worrying and instead was in awe of the determination and self-discipline my husband had. Throughout it all, I was praying for him but now I had a new determination of my own and my prayers became more fervent. I wanted this for him - I wanted him to run! For the last 2 weeks before the race he didn't run at all; probably the worst thing a runner can do before a marathon. I prayed.

This past weekend was make it or break it time. We went to D.C. accompanied by the prayers of a lot people. He was nervous - afraid he wouldn't be able to finish. Somehow, I knew he would. We bought him a Marine Corps Marathon jacket - he didn't want it, afraid if he didn't finish it would only bring back bad memories, but now I was determined. I insisted we get it, and we did.

The night before the marathon we talked about his nervousness and I tried to encourage him. I confess, I was a little nervous as well, so I stayed up late praying for him and for his safety. Neither of us got much sleep that night and he was still very nervous in the morning. He left for the race and I prayed. My daughter and son-in-law came to get me and we took the subway to the first spot we could see him and waited. It was only the one mile mark, but when he came into view I could see the joy and excitement on his face as he ran by with his arms up in the air and tossed me his jacket. He was living a dream...

With each time we saw him, the joy and happiness was evident. I looked at the people running around him - some with such pained expressions, struggling to breathe - and marveled at my husband and the answered prayers. He was smiling, laughing, rushing over for a kiss, and breathing like this was just an easy jog in the park.

I was amazed and so proud of him. He was doing it - and best of all, he was having fun! He finished the race and beat his own goal of 4 hours. He came across that finish line and looked great doing it. All the training had paid off. All the prayers had been answered. His self-discipline and determination got him across the finish line in record time and I couldn't be more proud of him.

My husband is a very special man and I have learned a lot from him over the years. But watching him as he trained the last 6 months - overcoming every obstacle in his path, not allowing himself to give up - I have learned a lesson I have needed to learn for a long time.

I say I want to be a writer, but I have allowed every little obstacle life puts in my path to slow me down and even stop me. Writing is like running a race. When my husband didn't feel like running, he made himself do it anyway. When I don't feel like writing, I need to do it anyway. I will never finish the race by giving up and getting discouraged. I need to push forward even if what I write misses the mark. I'll never get good at it if I don't train - and my training is writing and more writing. My plan is to attack my writing like I'm training for a marathon, with self-discipline and determination.

I feel so blessed to have been able to accompany my husband on his journey toward living his dream and to witness the strength, self-discipline, and determination he possesses. He's my hero, my example, my best friend, and one of the greatest joys in my life is to be his wife.

Letting Go...

If you had to give something up in your life, what would it be? Is there anything you're involved in that you feel like you don't need to be doing? I've recently been faced with this dilemma and as much as I say I'd like to simplify my life, when it comes down to doing it, I never do. Well, this time is different. I have no choice, something's got to go. My health has been suffering since February, and instead of slowing down, I was adding things to my schedule. That has got to stop.

Last night I let go of something I've been doing for about 8-10 years. It was a hard decision, but one that had to be made. For the next few months I am going to focus on getting my health back and on my writing. If I'm successful in my focus, you will see more frequent posts on this site. If that doesn't happen, email me and give me a push to get at it. :)

Why is it so hard to let go of things in our lives? We all complain we are too busy or we don't have the time we need to do the things we enjoy, but we don't do anything about it. Why? I need to be more like my kids. Once, when they were about 11 and 13 years old, they asked to have a family meeting. We set a time for it and met with them, my husband and I both wondering what was up. (After all, we were the ones who usually called these "meetings".) When we met with the kids, they told us how frustrated they were with the schedules we were keeping. Each child was involved in at least two activities per week, plus we had Bible class on Wednesday nights, which made for a pretty hectic schedule. They asked us if they could each give up an activity because they missed just being home with us at night and having family time together. We were pretty surprised at their request and their reason for it, not because we didn't agree with them (we'd been feeling the same way) but because they were wise enough to see the problem and how to solve it. They were willing to sacrifice something they enjoyed so they could simplify their lives and have a better family life. We were impressed.

We need to be like my kids. We need to stop saying we want to simplify our lives but never doing anything about it. Like them, we know the problem, now we need to evaluate our lives and decide what we're willing to sacrifice. My father used to say that if I wasn't careful I would become a "jack of all trades and master of none". He was right, and I don't think I'm the only one of whom this can be said. Many of us are going in too many directions at break-neck speeds. As a result, our lives lack focus. Without focus, it is difficult to accomplish what we should. I know if I can just get focused, I will be able to accomplish much more of what I'm really here to do. With focus, determination, and prayer I will be amazed at what God can do in and through my life.

Can you do it too? I challenge you to let go of the extraneous things in your life, the things distracting you from being focused, and with determination and prayer, focus your time and energy on your true purpose. Then stand back with me and prepare to be amazed...

Lost Without Thought

Once again, it's been awhile. I was working part-time for a few months, but that is really no excuse. My son, who has been working full-time, found time to write a screenplay and he was encouraging me to get back to my writing. I guess I needed that push and I'm grateful to him for it. So here goes...

My problem seems to be coming up with a topic to write about. I've been wondering about that - why it's so difficult - and I've come to a conclusion. I think I have such a hard time coming up with a topic because I don't allow myself the quiet time necessary to think. Like so many other people, I find it easier to fill the silence in my home with the drone of the television, radio, or talking on the phone. Even the computer itself distracts me from thought, because there are so many other things to do on it other than write.

Which causes me to wonder... Why do we shy away from quiet and solitude? Why don't we spend time thinking about what is going on in the world around us? Why don't we reason things through? There are probably many reasons. One that comes to mind is that we are used to being "spoon fed". If you attended public school, most likely you were conditioned to want to be spoon fed. It's so much easier than thinking things through for yourself. For example, when we turn on the TV news, we are spoon fed. It's not just the news being reported anymore, it's someone interpreting the news for us - telling us what it means and what to think about it. Gone are the days of "just the facts", now it's always got someone else's spin on it. But I don't think the ease of being spoon-fed is the main reason we don't spend time in thought.

I think people who don't like quiet and who don't want to be alone with their thoughts are afraid. Afraid of what you might ask. Well, maybe they're afraid that they really don't have any original thoughts of their own, or maybe they're afraid of what conclusions they'll come to about things if they really take the time to think about it. For instance, if people really took the time to think about our economy and the plans of our government to improve it, they would be faced with the realization (at least in my opinion) that the government is making things so much worse that we may never be able to dig ourselves out of it.

If we stop to think about our lives, to understand why we do what we do, there is the chance we won't like the conclusions we come face to face with. We may need to make changes in our lives, and change is never easy - at least in my experience. Regardless of the reasons for not seeking out quiet time for thought and reflection, I believe this is something that we must do. We must make it a priority to "tune out" of the world around us and give ourselves time to think, reflect, pray, and question. If we mindlessly go through life, doing what we've always done without truly knowing why, we are doomed to repeat past mistakes, waste the time the Lord has given us here on this earth, and in the end, have nothing really meaningful to show for our brief existence.

All this thinking about why I don't think has convinced me. It's time for me to make times of quiet solitude a priority. I want to live a purposeful life, not one without thought - doing what I've always done, what others expect, without reason. My time here is too short to be wasted... isn't yours?

Tell me what you think - post a comment. :)

Time...

There are many valuable commodities in this life - the most valuable of which is time. It's funny, we think we have so much time and we procrastinate like time is not in short supply, but it is. Recently, my time has no longer been my own and I have been forced to look at the way I was spending my time before I started working. I've discovered that I have squandered more time than I like to think about.

It's interesting that we say "spending" time, because it really is what we do. We can spend it on things that really don't matter and have no return - in other words, we can waste it. Or, we can spend it on things that will give us a good return for the time spent. Too many times I have wasted my time on TV, talking on the telephone or surfing the net. I should be spending my time on more worthy pursuits - studying God's Word, writing, sending a card to a friend who needs encouragement, making memories with my family, exercising, etc.

There are many things on which to spend time - what are you spending your time on? What return are you getting for your expense? Are you squandering your time? Make the changes you need to in order to get a good return - don't put it off, "time's a wastin' ".

Changes....

I wish I were different. There are so many things about myself I'd like to change - at least I say I'd like to change them. The thing is, I never do. Does that mean that in reality I don't want to change them? Maybe. I know that I let too many things distract me from the things I know I should be doing and I make a lot of excuses. Why do I do that? Don't I care enough?

Do you find yourself doing the same thing? Is it because you don't care? No, we care. I think the real reason we don't make those changes or try new things we are feeling called to do, is probably fear. If we really try and fail, then we might feel like a failure or suffer some embarrassment. It's easier to keep things the way they are and be able to say to ourselves that we CAN change those things, when we're ready. If we don't try, then we can't fail, right? Wrong!

By not trying, we've already failed. Not trying is actually the worst kind of failure. In Luke 19:12-26, Jesus tells a parable about a king who went away leaving three servants with some money until he came back, telling them to put the money to work. The first servant took his ten minas and made ten more. The second servant took his five minas and made five more. The third servant told the king he knew he was a "hard man" so he hid the mina he'd given him, so he could give it back to him. The king was very angry with the servant and took the mina away from him. This servant failed. Yes, he might have lost the money if he had used it to try to make more money, but by not trying at all he had failed.

How does this apply to us? God has given each of us certain gifts that He expects us to use for His glory. If we don't use them, then haven't we failed - not only ourselves, but God as well? We will never truly know what God can accomplish through us, unless we put the effort into using the gifts He has blessed us with. God has a plan, and we're part of that plan. It's time we all stop watching from the sidelines and get involved with building God's Kingdom and His church. We need to stop sitting back waiting for someone else to do 'it' and take a step in faith to do 'it' with God's help. With God, there are no limits to what can be done and there are no failures.

Yes, I want to be different. I want to step out in faith and work with God to achieve what He has planned for me to achieve. I don't want to be a failure anymore; I want to try. God is more than able to equip me to do whatever it is He has called me to do. I just need to believe it. It's time for me to take His hand and start walking along the road He has called me to. This blog is just one step in the journey, there are many more steps to be taken, and with God's help I'll change with each one.

What about you? When you walk with God, change is inevitable, and the journey is never dull. Are you ready to take God's hand and do whatever it is He calls you to? Are you ready to be whatever He asks you to be? Are you ready to be different? I don't know about you, but I can't wait to see what God has in mind!

Words...

Words.  We are surrounded by words all day, everyday.  If we turn on the TV we see "talking heads" spewing their words.  We turn on the radio and hear commentators using words to try to convince us of things.  These words have an effect on us even if we don't realize it.  As Christians, we need to be aware of the words we are listening to. We need to be able to recognize truth from falsehood.  This world is in control of the "Father of Lies" and we are surrounded by lies all the time.  It is often difficult to decide what to believe and what not to believe.  How do we, as Christians, train ourselves to recognize the truth?  There is really only one way - by knowing THE Word.

It's interesting that God chose to call Jesus, His Son, the Word.  We need to know Him and we need to know God's Word, His Holy Bible.  God's word is full of truth, the truth of God.  By knowing the Word of God, we will recognize when something is untrue.  Even within the church, we must be questioning what we hear at all times.  We must be comparing what we hear to what God's word says.  Satan does not want us to read the Bible. He distracts us in anyway he can to stop us from opening that Book of Truth. He knows that if he has any hopes of deceiving the people of God, it is by confusing what they think they know about the Word. Just look in Genesis, when the serpent entices Eve to eat of the fruit, he twists the words that God spoke to Adam and Eve concerning not eating of the tree of life. He keeps just enough of the true words of God in his statement to make it sound right, but he changes some important parts.  This is precisely what he does to people today.  We hear things that sound good, but if we take the time to really examine what is being said, we discover it does not line up with scripture at all.  There is just enough truth there to sound right and hopefully keep us from really checking it out.  

There are a number of popular sayings in our culture that sound like direct quotes from scripture, but are just not right.  For example, "Pride goeth before a fall" - that's in the Bible, isn't it? Well, not actually.  The scripture this is referring to is Proverbs 16:18, Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.  Another example is at Christmas time when we hear "Peace on earth and good will to men".  Actually, scripture says, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. (Luke 2:14)  This is an important difference.  The first saying, implies that God's good will is for ALL men or people.  The actual scripture makes it clear that God's good will is only for those who belong to God. That is a major difference!  You can see how important it is that we know what the Word of God says.  We do not want to be deceived into thinking God approves of something or someone that He does not.  Satan would love nothing more that to deceive us and slowly draw us away from the Lord.

Another reason we need to know the Word of God is so we can share it with others.  2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to "correctly handle the word of truth".  We must diligently study the word so we will be able to share the good news of Christ with others.  We do not want to perpetuate false ideas that will be attributed to the Word of God.  The Bible is the truth and we need to be able to hold the truth out to others.  How can we tell people the truth if we don't know it ourselves?

It is distressing how many Christians bring their Bibles to church on Sunday and after arriving home, just leave the Bible on the shelf until the following Sunday.  Some people, I would venture to guess, probably don't even bring their Bibles inside, but leave them in the car until the following Sunday.  What good is a Bible that isn't read?  God wants to speak to us and He wants to speak to us everyday - if we'll let Him.  The Bible, His Word, is the most common way He speaks to us.

How about you?  Do you want to hear God speak?  Then turn off all the other words around you and open the words of God - His Bible.  You might be surprised by what He has to say.

Dreams...

It's time for some changes. I have been marking time, going nowhere, while time passes and slowly runs out for fulfilling my dreams. No more! It's time for me to stop dreaming and start doing the hard work required to see my dreams come to fruition. I have made a list of things that I need to change in my life - things that will help to propel me forward and get me closer to achieving my goals. I have allowed myself to become distracted by too many things - meaningless things. It's time for me to get focused and to listen for God's guiding voice in my life. My dreams have seemed unattainable, but they're really not. I have let fear of failure paralyze me and have made excuses for myself. Well, I have been reminded that the only failure is found in not putting forth my best effort, in not trying.  From now on, I'm putting forth the effort.

I have had the skeleton of a book done for over a year now and have not fleshed it out, there was always something else that needed to be done. Well, I've dusted it off and I plan on working on it for however long it takes to finish it. It may never get published, but it WILL get finished. :) I've made a list of ten things I can do to move myself closer to making my dreams a reality and I will be chipping away at these things on a daily basis. One of those things is to blog at least weekly. So, if you're following this blog, expect to see more frequent posts.

It feels so good to have goals - to have a purpose again. I'd lost sight of it for awhile, but I feel like I've just woken up from a long nap and I'm ready to get going. My daughter-in-law was a big inspiration for me. She is working really hard at fulfilling her dream of having her own freelance design business. You can check it out at http://www.thebloccreative.com. I'm so proud of her! Seeing her working tirelessly at realizing her dream has inspired me to get to work to see my dream become a reality. I'm not getting any younger and now is the time!  

So, welcome to my journey.  I'm sure it will be a bumpy ride at times, but I don't plan on giving up. With God's help I'll achieve all that He has planned for me - I can't wait to see what He has in store.

A Call to Stand

Well, it's definitely been awhile, so I thought I'd better post something. We had a wonderful Christmas and New Year with our kids and their spouses and made lots of memories. I admit to not being able to really get into the swing of things yet this year. You would think a month would be long enough! I have been spending some time reading books on writing along with trade magazines. I've been focusing on getting into an exercise routine and a writing routine. Alright, I confess, the exercise routine is going better than the writing routine, but I hope to rectify this situation very soon. No time like the present...

I've been watching/listening to the news concerning this so-called stimulus plan that President Obama and the Democrats have come up with and I'm really frustrated with the entire thing. This is not a stimulus plan - it is most definitely a spending plan. Tell me, what does giving ACORN - the liberal group known for committing voter fraud - money do to stimulate the economy? What does spending money on contraceptives and STD information do to stimulate the economy or produce jobs? The answer, absolutely nothing! These are only two examples of government waste put into the so-called Stimulus package. There are many more! They are bankrupting our country and no one seems to want to do anything to stop it! Do you realize, that IF interest rates don't go up (and many people are predicting they will rise because inflation is going to rise), the interest alone on this package is going to be $345 BILLION dollars! That's just the interest - there is no way we can afford this. It's time for people to stand up and say "Enough!"

Yes, we do have a big problem on our hands, but making decisions out of panic will not help. When people make decisions in "panic mode" they make poor decisions and this is exactly what is going on now. It's time to stop, take a deep breath, bring in the best economists we have and make some decisions based on solid information and advice. Where is the common sense in Washington? The Democrats are too interested in pushing their left-wing agenda to stop and really look at what is best for our country. We are in big trouble people and it's time for all of us to become involved. Let's put aside our partisan differences and work toward a solution that will really help the country and keep our democratic system intact. Socialism isn't working too well anywhere else in the world and it won't work here. Our forefathers fought for our freedoms - including our free enterprise system - and we should not so blithely give them up.

Christmas Preparations

How are you doing with your Christmas preparations? Are you feeling stressed? Is the shopping done? Are the cards mailed out? Is the decorating done? Have you finished making the cookies yet? How about the grocery shopping – have you bought the necessary ingredients for the meal?

Every year at this time it’s common to hear (and say), “I’m so stressed! I’m so behind on everything. I don’t know how I’ll get it all done.” We write list after list – shopping, “to do”, gift ideas etc. We want to get each and every detail perfect, all in a quest to make this Christmas perfect and one we will never forget. We long to see the looks of joy, excitement and gratitude on our loved ones as they open the perfect gift we’ve picked out for them. In the hustle and bustle of the preparations we are often told we are missing the true meaning of Christmas – and yes, it has become too commercial. But there was a Christmas about 2000 years ago that believe it or not, has more in common with today’s Christmas than you might think.

That Christmas, 2000 years ago, was the first Christmas - the Christmas of the birth of the Lord, Jesus Christ. No, the commonality is NOT the date. The first Christmas didn’t really take place on December 25th – in fact, no one really knows the exact date. We just know it happened and a date was chosen to commemorate it – December 25th. What the first Christmas had in common with today’s Christmas – believe it or not – is the preparation that went into it.

God knew how He wanted the first Christmas to take place. He had much the same goal we have for our children. He wanted to see the joy, excitement and gratitude in the eyes of His people when they opened His gift for them. His gift was wrapped, just like ours, only His was wrapped in strips of cloth and tightly swaddled. But long before that gift was wrapped and left for us, there were many preparations. God wanted it to be just perfect and He saw to every detail with the love of a father.

First He had to decide on the perfect gift for His people. This gift would be a one time only gift and it would be a gift that saved the world. It had to be just perfect. Along with the perfect gift He had to pick the perfect time to give the gift. It had to be at a time when His people were ready to receive it. Oh, how He wanted ALL to except His gift, but sadly, He knew there would be many who would not.

God had to pick the perfect bearer of His gift – someone who loved Him and wanted to serve Him and would see to it that what He desired was carried out, even if it meant hardship for her. He chose a young girl with a loving spirit, who desired nothing but to serve her God. Along with her, He chose a man with a heart of understanding and love - who would take care of her in the midst of ridicule and see to it that God’s will was done.

He used a ruler, one not serving Him, to cause the young couple to travel to the perfect place for His gift to be given. This ruler decreed there would be a census and that each person must travel to the city of his ancestry to be counted. The young couple had to travel to Bethlehem just at the time when the young woman was about to bear the gift. (It was the perfect time) They went to Bethlehem, with the young woman riding on a donkey, filled with hopes of getting a comfortable room at an inn when they arrived. But the giver of the gift had a different idea. He wanted His gift to arrive at a much different place – a place away from the hustle and bustle of the travelers, a place not so comfortable but surrounded by the quiet sounds of His creation. He chose a stable – a simple place for a wondrous gift. There the gift was given, into the arms and the heart of the loving young woman and her courageous husband. They wrapped the gift with love and care and gently placed it in a bed of warm, dry straw.

Once His gift had arrived, being born of the young woman, He prepared a radiant star to shine in the sky, marking its arrival and its location. He chose to reveal to simple shepherds the gift He had given them and allowed them to be the first to welcome the gift. They were in awe of the gift and were among the first to be given a glimpse of God’s plan – a plan to save them. When they arrived at that simple stable they beheld the gift and were filled with wonder. They found the gift - still wrapped - lying in the manger filled with straw – a small baby, but the most wondrous, selfless gift ever given.
The first Christmas had come. The preparations were complete and the gift had been opened. Many did accept the gift, but many did not.

What about you? In the midst of all your preparations for this Christmas – the shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, card writing, etc. – have you thought about the first Christmas and the gift given you by the one and only God? Have you chosen to accept God’s gift? Have you chosen to unwrap the gift and make it part of you? Have you chosen to follow Him and serve Him, - as the young woman did – regardless of the hardship that may be involved? Most of all, have you chosen to love Him and give that love to the others around you? In the midst of all your preparations, take a moment to remember the true gift of Christmas, the preparations made by God and recognize His love for you, shown through the gift of His Son at a cost we can’t possibly imagine.

Sacrifice

Easter is just around the corner and the kids' minds are filled with images of the Easter bunny, baskets full of candy, and colored eggs. When I was a kid we would have Easter parties in school - something we always looked forward to. Today, however, the Easter bunny has been banned by many of our schools with "separation of church and state" being cited as the reason. I find this almost humorous - since when are the Easter bunny, colored eggs and baskets of candy considered religious symbols?! None of those things has to do with Easter in the least. What is really sad though, is people do relate them to Easter and forget or ignore what Easter really is about - the resurrection of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Easter is around the corner, but before we get to the celebration we must go through the sacrifice. Unlike Christmas, Easter is an historical date and the days leading up to it are historical as well. This Thursday night, when so many are watching the TV show LOST , will any of them be thinking about the One who was betrayed by a friend and handed over to die for the lost in the world? On Thursday night, about 2000 years ago, Judas Iscariot went to a garden and kissed his friend on the cheek, thus betraying Him to the chief priests, temple guard, and teachers of the law who accompanied him with swords and clubs with murder on their minds.

This Friday, when it's the end of the work week, (maybe even a paid day off for some) and many are looking forward to the evening and having some time off to relax, how many will be thinking of the bloodied and beaten man hung on a cross about 2000 years ago? How many will think about why this man hung on the cross? How many will think about the sacrifice He made so others could live eternally with the Father in heaven? How many will realize that He took their place and paid their debt that Friday afternoon so many years ago?

On Saturday, will anyone even give a thought to the total hopelessness the friends (disciples) and family of Jesus felt, knowing He was lying in a tomb and thinking they would never see Him again?

We like to think about the resurrection - Jesus Christ risen from the dead. We like to rejoice in the fact that He came back to life. We want to celebrate. But do we take the time to really think about the sacrifice He made before that glorious day?

Easter has nothing at all to do with bunnies, eggs, and candy and everything to do with sacrifice and God's gift of grace. We celebrate Easter, but does it have any kind of lasting effect on our lives? When is the last time you sacrificed something for someone else without expecting anything in return? Do you even know what it means to sacrifice? We live in a society that is focused on entertainment, pleasure and excess. Where does sacrifice fit in? Jesus sacrificed His life for you - what have you sacrificed for Him?

So celebrate Easter this year. Enjoy your families. But most of all rejoice that Jesus lives and because He does, you live too. In the midst of the celebration, don't forget about the sacrifice that makes the celebration possible. More than that, learn to follow Jesus' example and sacrifice for others as well. It doesn't take much, sometimes just a few minutes of your time and a kind word, but sometimes it can take a lot more. Just remember, He sacrificed His life - you can never match that, but you can extend the same love, mercy and grace to others that He extends to you. Jesus said in Matthew 25:40 "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did for me." Each small sacrifice we make for someone else, we make for Jesus.

So I challenge you, this Easter to forget about the bunnies and instead, think of the cross. Beginning this Easter Sunday, make your life one of sacrifice for the One who willingly sacrificed all for you.

Make the Most of it

I learned today that a friend of my children passed on unexpectedly. He was only 26 years old and it was a shock to all who knew and loved him. Maybe because I'm a mom, it has been on my mind all day. He was only a year older than my daughter - a young man with so much to look forward to, including an upcoming marriage. It just doesn't seem fair that one so young should leave this world.

It made me think about life in general and, as trite as it sounds, how we take it for granted. When we go to bed at night, we expect to wake up the next morning. We don't usually give it a second thought as we lay our heads on our pillows. But the truth is, we aren't promised another day, another hour, or even another minute. We are only promised the here and now - the question is, what are we going to do with it? How will our lives make a difference in this world?

I wrote my last post on using the gifts we are given by God to His glory - making the most of every opportunity. Life is too short and uncertain to procrastinate in using our gifts. We need to find out what our purpose for being here is and fulfill it. We are God's workmanship, His poiema. The one who does the work, God, is the poietes - poet. So God is the poet and we are His poem, His work of art. I would go so far as to say that we are His PRICELESS work of art. He created us for good works which he planned in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10) I wonder, are we doing what God created us to do? Are we asking Him to lead us each day in the way we should go? Sadly, I think too many times we just go about our lives without ever thinking of the eternal implications. Our lives here on earth may be short, but what we do here has eternal ramifications for ourselves and for others.

Yes, I learned today that a young man passed on unexpectedly. At least it was unexpected to us, but God knew exactly when Eric Myers would be going home. He never made the front page of the paper in life or in death, but his life touched many and had a real impact on others for eternity - I know this from reading the posts left on his facebook site. I wish I could have known him - he sounds like a remarkable young man with such a heart for God and for people. He knew his purpose, to serve the one and only true God, he lived it and I'm sure God took note of it. He put Eric here for a purpose and apparently he fulfilled that purpose and is now living in inexpressible joy with his creator - the poem and the poet reunited. We need more like him, we need to be like him - a poem of God read by all who met him. From one poem to another, let's get busy doing the good works God created for us to do. I'm ready, how about you?

Gifts

With Christmas a distant memory, I was looking back and thinking about all the wonderful gifts I was given. There is the digital picture frame from my daughter and her boyfriend, currently displaying pictures from a couple of vacations and Christmas; the Pirates of the Caribbean movie and 1 GB computer memory from my son and daughter-in-law, the latter being used right now as I write this; and there is the beautiful watercolor painting of my faithful dog, given to me by my husband. These are wonderful gifts and I have every intention of using them. That's why they were given to me - to be used. If they sat here unused, I think my family members would be disappointed. When thinking about this, my mind drifts to other gifts I've received - intangible gifts, but gifts of great worth.

You see, as God's children we have each been given gifts - gifts selected just for us by the Creator of the Universe. These gifts, unlike the ones we receive from others on birthdays and Christmas, are not just meant for OUR enjoyment. The gifts God gives may give us some enjoyment, but they have a much weightier purpose. Each of us is called by God, first to be saved, then to reach others and build up the church. Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12: 4-31 discuss some of the gifts given by God to His people. From reading these scriptures, we find that He intends for us to use our gifts for the good of the church and for building up the kingdom of God.

God's gifts give us purpose for this life. Each of us is called by God to serve Him and He provides the tools for that service. If I were to leave my gift sitting on the shelf to collect dust, then I would be guilty of sin and God would be disappointed. James tells us in James 4:17 that "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it sins." Using our gifts from God, for God, is good. If we don't use our gifts the way God intended we are in disobedience to His will and guilty of sin. This is a pretty important fact to face. It is the difference between hearing Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." or "Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Is it easy to use the gifts God has given us? Sometimes, but a lot of times - no. I have found that answering God's call on my life has required me to step out of my "comfort zone" and do things I never dreamed of doing. The path I'm traveling may be wrought with twists and turns, peaks and valleys, and unforeseen obstacles, yet it is a path I travel with my hand in God's, trusting Him to lead the way. With each step we take together, I become a little more surefooted and my faith gets a little stronger. I am learning to trust Him more and believe that no matter the task, He will equip me to perform it for His glory. The gift He has given me DOES fit me just right, just like He knew it would. I just needed to take it off the shelf and dust it off.

What about you? Has God given you a gift that you've carefully put on a shelf and let the dust collect on it? If so, God is disappointed that you did not accept His gift with joy and put it to use for His glory. Maybe it's time to dust that gift off, put your hand in His and walk the path with Him that leads to greater faith and the realization that the gift He's given you fits just right. Then, when your time and purpose here is fulfilled, you will hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Resolutions

New Year! It’s that time of year again and I’ve been thinking about resolutions. In the past, I have not done very well with them so I am hesitant to make any this year. Yet, it seems I should set some goals. Oh, not the usual ones, losing weight, exercising more, (though I need to do both of those things) but I’m thinking more on the lines of spiritual goals. Goals that will bring me closer to God. Goals that will bring my relationship with Jesus to an even more intimate level than it is currently. There are the tried and true - reading my Bible everyday, praying everyday, having a “quiet time” everyday – these are all admirable goals and things I know I should be doing. But this year, I want my goals to go deeper. I want to KNOW Jesus on a whole new level and that is going to require a different set of goals.

This year, I want to read my Bible everyday AND learn something new about my God from that reading. This year I want to pray everyday AND have my prayers focus on praising our glorious Lord and interceeding for my church family and for the lost. This year I want to have a “quiet time” everyday AND focus on LISTENING to the voice of God instead of just hearing it. If I do these things on a consistent basis I cannot help but be changed and have my relationship with God change as well. I want to know His will AND then do it and accomplish His work. I want people to see Christ reflected in me as I walk in obedience to His will in good times and bad. I don’t know what this year holds for me, but I know who holds me in His hand. Knowing that, I can eagerly look forward to this new year and the growth I will experience as I hold fast to God, becoming one with Him.

Isn’t that what we all should be striving for as Christians? To have our lives changed; to become more like Christ each day; to be one with Him in purpose and will; to bring glory to our Father’s name; to truly KNOW our Father in heaven! Our God is so awesome and the fact that we can approach Him so freely is such a gracious gift! Let’s get to know Him like never before, to have His Spirit work through us in a powerful way, to bring glory to Him in everything we do, and to be used by Him in ways only He can imagine. (scriptures for study and inspiration – Psalm 1:1-2; Matt. 5:6; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 4:4-9; James 1:22-25)

Where is God?

Where is God? What does He do all day? Have you ever asked yourself these questions, maybe just before you close your eyes at night? We spend our days in busyness. We have so much to do! From the minute the alarm goes off in the morning until we drag ourselves to our beds and crawl under the sheets at night, we are busy. We shower, dress, get the kids up and dressed, make them breakfast, grab a glass of juice for ourselves, get them off to school, race around to find what we need for work, jump in the car and drive to work. Sometimes it seems as though we don’t take a deep breath until we finally get to our desk and sit in front of the computer. That deep breath doesn’t last long, there is work piled up on the desk, phone calls to make, deadlines to meet, and many meetings to attend. Our day are spent going from one task to another with hardly a minute to think. On the way home, we think about what needs to be done that night – cooking, laundry, help the kids with their homework, pay the bills, clean the house – there is always more to do than there is time to do it in. Later, the kids in bed, the house finally quiet, we head to the family room for some rest and relaxation. We turn on the TV and settle in for a little while. Then it’s off to bed because we have to do it all again the next day. As we crawl into bed, our eyelids heavy, we may wonder, “God, where were you today? What were you doing all day?” Quietly, He answers us, though most times we don’t hear “Child, I was at your side all day, waiting patiently for you to speak with me, to allow me to help you with your tasks, but you never asked. Maybe you will tomorrow. I’ll still be at your side – waiting.”

Purpose

Take a look around you at the culture we live in - the people we come in contact with. Do you see it? Do you see the restlessness, the aimlessness of people’s lives? They seem to be searching for something. Some will even put it into words when asked about it. They’ll say something like, “I just want to know what my purpose is. Why am I here? What is my reason for being here?” Over and over the word purpose will come up. We all inherently feel that there must be a purpose for our lives. People look for their “purpose” in all kinds of places. They look for it in their families, their work, in charity work, in fighting for “causes”, but it is not until they look to God for their purpose that they finally find it.

We, as Christians, know we have a purpose, though sometimes we lose sight of it in the busyness of our day-to-day lives. Jeremiah 1:5a says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” God has a purpose for us and has set us apart. Ephesians 2:10 says “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Oh yes, God has a purpose for us and it is a magnificent one. Do you remember when Jesus called the first disciples? He promised them He would make them “fishers of men.” Now that’s a purpose! To bring the lost to Jesus, to help them find their way to eternal life through the Savior; what greater purpose in life can we have?!

We share the same purpose as the disciples. We are told in Matthew 28:19-20 to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I (Jesus) have commanded you.” We are to be fishers of men! We are to bring as many as possible to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the main purpose in our lives, to serve our God in obedience.

We may have other purposes for being here – other things God wants us to do. But there is one thing I know for sure. Whatever the specifics are about what God wants me to do or what He wants you to do, we all share one common purpose. We are to love God with everything in us, obey His commands, and love our neighbors as ourselves. When we do these things we will feel fulfilled, the searching will come to an end.

(scriptures for study: Ecclesiastes 12:13; Mark 12:29-31; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Philippians 2:12-16; 1 Peter 1:22)