Hearts in Service

Psalm 90:12 (NIV) ~   Teach us to number our days,      that we may gain a heart of wisdom.   My days often feel like they are counted out in canning jars.     In loaves of bread.   Or bars of soap. Or a host of other things I do in any given day. But I don't want my life to just be about checking items off a to-do list.  Is that what really matters in this life?   Isn't it about relationship? Shouldn't our life be about counting out our days in kindnesses done and in the amount of moments spent connecting with others. Lord, help me count out my days in the things that matter.  Let me count them in the times I've helped my neighbor.  The minutes spent listening to someone share a burden.  Let me count my days by the times I stop what I'm doing and spend time just being in the moment as my children share something with me or my husband wants to chat. Father, help me number my days not by my accomplishments but by my relationships

The smell of dry, dead leaves reached my nostrils as I walked through the woods.  I have to be honest and say I actually love that smell.  I had my camera, fresh air, and peace and quiet.  All that was necessary to clear my head and reflect on different situations in my life. As I shuffled through the leaves, I realized that there were not many things to photograph.   That can be a bit depressing to this woman who loves color. Yet, dying leaves form a function.  They lay rotting on the forest floor and turn to mulch.  They fertilize the soil.  Trees actually reserve their energy for the winter by shedding the dying leaves.  This allows them to save up the energy to produce new greenery in the spring.  And as I ambled along I realized that the trials in our lives are a lot like that. Things feel dead, dying, depressing and discouraging when we are going through a trial.  Yet, those trials cause us to turn to the One who can help.  As we cast off those worries and concerns

Hospitality ~ the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Are you hospitable?  Are you friendly?  Do you open up your home and heart to others? The Bible teaches us that as believers we should be known for our acts of hospitality and yet, so many do not do this.  We make excuses.  We find ways to avoid it.  Or we miss the bigger picture of the definition and don't realize it's not just about being hospitable to friends, but strangers also. I also think hospitality extends not to just our homes but the way we receive and greet people in church.  Are you welcoming to visitors?  Do you go out of your way to include others in your circle?  Do you make them feel happy to be there?  Or do you give them the cold shoulder or look at them with suspicion?  Or perhaps you spend the time before and after the service only speaking with your close friends. I know many would say, "Of course, I welcome visitors!"  But just a per

Benjamin Franklin ~ "Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship."   I haven't done a Frugal Friday post in a few weeks and I can certainly relate to this quote.  Ever since I opened the shop, I feel like our expenses are out of control.  It's time to plug up those small holes before this ship sinks. Because of all those small holes, when a major crisis hits (which it did this week), we are struggling to figure out how to deal with it.  Our car is on the fritz again and the repairs are going to cost $1,400 which we don't have.  Automobiles are so frustrating because you definitely need them in a rural setting and yet, when something goes wrong, it's costly. One of the bad habits I have slipped into is not planning ahead in the meal department.  On the days I'm at the shop, it's been so easy to grab fast food at the end of the day because I didn't have a plan for dinner and I'm tired.  Trying to juggle multiple bal

When I went to college and seminary, it was such an exciting time in my life.  I was surrounded by others who were headed off to full-time ministry.  We were all on the same page as far as what it meant to live out our faith for the Lord.  We all had a passion for God.  The world was full of color! Then as we went off into this life of full-time ministry, and especially in small, struggling churches, life became less and less exciting.  Oh, there were those times when we saw God doing miraculous things.  But it's a very lonely road when you are not surrounded by people who all have the same focus.  It begins to feel discouraging when you are in the middle of the battle field.  And that's what it is...a battle field for people's souls. Because we've been in small churches, we have not been able to go to some of the events that provide encouragement, rejuvenation and refreshment.  The money is just not there to go to our National Conference each year.  Our local gr

Perhaps today would be the day.  He had waited for 38 long years.  Each day he lay on his mat by the Pool of Bethesda, waiting for the waters to stir.  It had happened numerous times before.  It was said that an angel would stir the waters and each time it happened, the first one in would be healed.  There were so many people waiting.  Waiting, praying and hoping for a miracle.  Some were blind.  Some were deaf and others were paralyzed.  But they were all there wishing for a cure.   He had been waiting for 38 years, too sick to move and longing for not only the right timing, but for someone to take pity on him.  How he longed for someone to look at him and really see him.  Not just look in annoyance and spit at him.  He needed someone to look into his eyes and see his suffering.  To see that he was a man who wanted more than anything to be healed.  He needed help to even get into the water.  And yet, no one ever stopped.  No one looked, no one took pity and no one cared.  

  There is a marked change in the days lately.  I noticed it's getting darker earlier and lighter later each day.  The past few days the air has been cold. The brilliant colors of autumn, are starting to fade and I see more brown than anything else.   Here and there, are still a few scraps of color. I think the brightest colors are from inside my house! :-) Flowers from Dan; a surprise this morning. Autumn decorations. I'm enjoying the colors because I know that right around the corner I'm going to be seeing lots of white!  And I don't mean candles, waiting to be trimmed. ;-)   Have a blessed day! 

Knots in my stomach, an ache in my heart and the beginnings of a pounding headache.  This is my reaction when my child is hurt by the unkindness of others.  The emotional hurt manifests itself in a physical way.  It's hard when you have a child, no matter how old, who aches to have a friend and to feel like they belong.  I can't make others be kind.  I can't force people to be his friend.  I can't ask others to just acknowledge him or talk to him.  I cannot do anything to make it better.  And that aggravates the pain I feel even more.  This morning as I woke up, my Bible fell open to this passage and the words in verse 29 leapt out at me.  Psalm 69:29-31 (NIV) ~ But as for me, afflicted and in pain—      may your salvation, God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song      and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox,      more than a bull with its horns and hooves.   In pain, the Psalmist still gave praise and than

I haven't done a Crafty Things post in a while and I thought I'd share some things I've been churning out of my sweat shop.....er, sewing room lately. I love making wreathes and haven't done it in a while do it's been fun doing a different thing than my normal sewing. I've also made placemats, napkins and table runners.  Here is a runner I did yesterday. I made a custom apron for a customer. And another customer asked me to make a T-Rex costume.  I'm finishing that up today, but here is the head minus the eyes I'm adding.  My little model really got into character by adding the roar. On top of that I've made about 6 batches of soap in the past week and a half and this morning I'm making more candles.   I really need to go clean my house!  ;-). 

This week has been busy and full and all about family.  I posted the other day about the visit we had this weekend from Dan's brother and family as well as Stephen.  Stephen is settled back in his college and doing well. Tuesday I was also blessed with a visit from my aunt and cousin. I haven't seen my cousin in three years and before that, we were both teens.  I do have to say that one of the biggest positive things about Facebook is the ability to reconnect with family members that I haven't seen in years. I took them to the lake and of course, we snapped a few selfies. :-)   Last night was spent with Dan, watching Emily sing in a concert at school.  I'm so pleased she chose to sing in the chorale this year.  She has a pretty voice but was going through this self-conscious "I don't like people looking at me" phase.  So it's been nice to see her coming out of her shell a bit and stretching herself. We are so proud of Nathan.  He has

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ~ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. I've worked really hard the past four months to lose weight and have lost 25 lbs. so far.  Yesterday, my aunt and cousin came for a visit and I took them to the lake where my aunt took a bunch of pictures.  When I saw them on Facebook that evening I realized that I still have a lot more work to do.  I really could be so much further ahead if I wasn't so allergic to exercise!  :-) This passage is one of my favorite ones and I would suggest reading the entire chapter because it is such an encouraging passage. I chose these verses today because it stresses the importance of working on being renewed inwardly. In ou

This weekend was all about family, as both Stephen came home from college, and Dan's brother and family came for a visit.  It was wonderful to have a full house! They basically were all here for only 24 hours but it was a fun-packed, full 24 hours. We watched the sunset over Lake Ontario. We ate together, played board games, chatted and laughed.  The four cousins had fun teasing each other.    Then yesterday they came to church with us and it was such a wonderful thing to see Dan & his brother play the offertory together.  They both are very musical and it was the first time they've been able to play together; Paul on the piano and Dan on electric guitar.  I am thankful that we live closer and are getting to see them more often.  For most of our married life, we have lived too far away to see Dan's side of the family for more than once or twice a year.  I think we've either visited or have had someone visit us at least 7 times in the pas

I have not done a Frugal Friday post in a very long time.  That seems to be because I've been running flat out for months now and just haven't had time to think about the ways I cut corners. It occurred to me this morning that a major way I save is the Do it Yourself principle.  I love trying new things and find that when I learn to do things myself, that not only do I save but become less of a consumer.  We live in a buy it now, instant gratification society.  No one waits for anything and if they don't have the money, they just charge it.  And people are also increasingly reliant on others to make and do for them.  One of the things I'm so thankful for is a mother who taught me the value of learning to acquire new skills.  While she didn't necessarily teach me any of the skills I've learned over the years, she gave me the desire to learn how to do things.  She instilled in me a sense of self-reliance that goes a long way in being frugal.  When I can make s