Encouraging Deep Roots

Today is Mother's Day and as I reflect on my own life, there have been a few women in my life whom stand out to me.... Each Sunday, my father would pick us up and take us to our grandmother's for Sunday dinner.  I remember each week she would prepare a huge meal down to the pies and cakes for her large brood.  The women would clean up the kitchen after the meal while the men were in various stages of talking or napping around the house. We children would run around the farm, climbing trees and generally getting into trouble.  My grandmother was a sweet, soft-spoken woman who willingly served her family this way. My mother worked long, long hours as a single mom but I do remember her always making a large Saturday morning breakfast.  Apple fritters were at the top of the list.  I also recall numerous Halloween costumes being sewn for me as a child. She read to us and instilled a desire for education in me. She taught us to be responsible and to follow through on ...

I've been missing in action here for more than a week. In that time, we've celebrated a birthday (my eldest's), went to a conference for a few days, ministry activities, and just been overall busy. Plus, to be honest, I just haven't had much to say. Yesterday afternoon, I spent getting ready for today's farmer's market. I'm torn with doing it because it takes such a large chunk out of my Saturdays. However, as a people person who is alone most of my days it affords me the opportunity to get out in the community and be around people. I've met new acquaintences. I've gotten some business opportunities, including being interviewed for a local television channel next Saturday about my cookbook and plant-based eating. Being at the market meets a need I have for connection. We moved here seven years ago and there are days when it's a challenge. It has been difficult to establish deep connections with some. I'm not sure why some people hold us at ar...

  I love spring as it ushers in song birds, blooming flowers, greenery every where I look and the renewal of all things. Nature comes alive and everything is fresh and new. Of course, here in the northeast, we still have chilly days and nights but overall it's refreshing to know that warm temperatures are on the way.  I have renewed energy and renewed hope. The extended and brighter days also reveals corners in my house that need a refreshing and cleaning. With a very quiet few days ahead of me I plan on doing some spring cleaning out of those corners and a refresh and reset in my house.  I got out and walked at the local audubon center the other day as that is one of the places that is a healing balm to my soul. Ministry is hard and sometimes, people can be difficult. And for me, being able to connect to the Lord while out in creation is essential. I find as I walk and pray, think and photograph my spirit is renewed and refreshed. I come home better able to deal with iss...

I've been hearing a lot about surrender lately in my reading, my prayers as the Holy Spirit speaks to me, in different messages I've heard. Philippians 2:3-8 ~ Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross. Surrendering to God requires humility and a laying down of my will.  It is daily - moment by moment. It means setting aside my pride and my need for others to notice. It means staying in a hard place in my life until the Lord has taught me...

I was reading in Galatians this morning when I came across this little verse in chapter 5. Galatians 5:25 says, " Since we live by the Spirit,  let us keep in step with the Spirit." I was reminded of the game, follow the leader, that we used to play as a child. The point of the game is to follow behind the lead person and imitate whatever they do as you follow behind. If doing it correctly, you will move as one unit.  As we walk in the Spirit we will put away those behaviors that belonged to our former way of life and will begin to see the fruit of the Spirit developed in our life. Our lives will reflect joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But Paul gives this reminder to keep in step with the Spirit. In other words, our lives should be so reflective of the Lord that we move as one unit - much like the game of follow the leader. Paul makes it very clear in this passage that every attitude, action and word we speak is to be ...

I lay away in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday, unable to sleep and stressed about a situation. Psalm 23 began to run through my head and as I recited it to myself I walked through the verses and what they mean.  The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He gives me everything I need. He watches over me. He is my protector and provider. He is my defender. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. I find this verse interesting since the pastures of the Old Testament wouldn't look like pastures here in the states. They weren't green and lucious. They were just intermittent tufts of grass near where moisture collected by the rocks.  So the sheep had to keep moving to find nourishment. That's true of our lives. As we follow the shepherd we will have moments of nourishment and rest, but we need to keep moving to grow.  Shepherds didn't drive the sheep, they led them. God isn't pushing us forward, but He leads us and it's ou...