Hearts in Service

Happy Birthday, to my beautiful, sixteen year old daughter!  It's hard to believe that my little one is becoming a young woman.  She is a gentle, sweet-spirited girl who loves people.  She is merciful, kind-hearted and joyful.  She is artistic, athletic and determined.  I'm so thankful that the Lord blessed us with her!  She makes me laugh, challenges me and keeps me on my toes! We are celebrating with a party today with some of her friends and a cousin or two. :-)  Looking forward to making her day special. I love you, Emily.  Happy Birthday!

I find that it is so easy for me to get my priorities out of order very quickly. I tend to be an all or nothing type of person and I'll hyper-focus on something to the point that other things get neglected.  The problem with this is that I get frustrated and overwhelmed. I really wish I didn't struggle with this, but the truth is, I do.  But I am thankful that every now and then the Lord slaps me upside the head and says, "Hold on!"  "Think before you leap."  I'm having one of those "middle of the night" times, which hasn't happened in a while.  I woke up at 2 a.m. and realized that my daughter's birthday is a day away.  We planned on a party with some of her friends on Saturday and yet, I haven't thought about it, shopped for it or planned anything.  Nathan is truly having a struggle right now and needs assistance with paperwork on quite a few things and yet, I've been putting it off. Some of that distraction has happe

Luke 6:43-45 ~   No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. I'm reading the diaries of Dorothy Day, who established the Catholic Worker, and created a community dedicated to direct aid for the poor and homeless.  As I am reading her entries I'm struck by the fact that this Godly woman deals with many of the same issues that I do at times and I'm sure, some of you struggle with them too. I find that I can show quite a bit of willpower when things are going well. I can control my words and attitude. However, after a while and especially when I get mad, all sorts of hurtful words come spewing out! All the negativity, frustration and evil

There have been so many times in my life when I wish some situation hadn't happened.  I wish that a particular circumstance was changed.  I wish that things were different.  But I also find that wishful thinking gets me nowhere. The reality is that bad things do happen.  Problems arise on almost a daily basis.  Circumstances aren't always fair or just or right.  But the more I wish things were different, the more depressed and dissatisfied I feel.  So I find the better attitude to have is to believe that the Lord is allowing something in my life to stretch me, teach me or cause me to grow closer to Him.  The same is true for my children.  I often want to protect them from bad things or unkind people.  But I do believe that the Lord works in their lives as well.  I could spend my time wishing that my daughter didn't deal with allergies on a daily basis.  Or I could wish that people treated Nathan with kindness.  I could spend countless hours worrying about how Steph

  The few times I've had German potato salad, I really haven't liked it.  I found it to be very vinegary.  But I found a recipe that everyone loves and thought I'd share here.   German Potato Salad   3 cups peeled potatoes, cut into chunks 4 slices bacon 1 small onion, diced 1/4 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley.     Place the potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Drain, and set aside to cool.   Place the bacon in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Fry until browned and crisp, turning as needed. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add onion to the bacon grease, and cook over medium heat until browned. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a boil, then add the potatoes and parsley

Psalm 113:3 (ESV) ~ From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!

  This girl is going to be 16 soon.  Sigh.   Time flies.      Of course, she keeps reminding me that after next Saturday she can get her driver's permit.  How did this happen?  My baby is becoming an adult.  For those of you with little ones, enjoy those precious moments because in a blink they are grown up.    That's not a bad thing and adulthood brings new joys.  But every now and then I do miss those little ones. :-)

When I started this blog years ago I came up with the name, Hearts in Service.  The reason for that was that my prayer for as long as I can remember is that the Lord would use me as His servant here.  I want my life to emit the sweet fragrance of Christ. I have always loved the verses in Philippians 2:3-4.  "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."  I have tried to live these out, though not always successfully. Sometimes I get distracted or tired or discouraged and at those times it's harder to remember what my goal in life has been.  Yet God faithfully reminds me of my prayer to him all these many years.  I truly do want to have a heart that is in service to my Lord and through my acts of service my desire is to point others to Him. That has been the biggest blessing in my life.  This week I'm als

Oh I've missed this!  Sweet smells in the air.  Beautiful sights.  Birds singing, bees buzzing and flowers blooming.  All the things that bring me joy!       I feel like I am waking up and it's a wonderful feeling.  As I walked around the property this afternoon, I felt my heart singing out praises to my Lord.     I could have spent hours out there, drinking in the wonderful sights and sounds.  I'm so thankful spring has finally arrived!

James 5:13-16 ~ "Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." Why is it so difficult for us to pray both individually and corporately? When I read these verses and see the power there is in prayer, it makes me wonder why prayer seems to be something we struggle to do. I know that many would say they do pray. However, often our prayers are little popcorn prayers we throw up to God. "Help my child pass this test." "Help me at work today." "

I've been counting my blessings since 2010 and even though it's only been the last few years that I started numbering them, they are really too numerous to count.  The majority of those thankful moments have come when I am focusing on someone else.   It's in reaching and serving others that I find true joy and contentment. This has been one of the reasons that this was one of the best Mother's Day weekends I've ever had.  That is because the focus was off myself and how I could bless someone else.  I'm loving this opportunity to care for my grandmother and to bless my mother.  The few times I've talked to my mom on the phone she has sounded much more relaxed than I've heard her in a long time.  She will be coming home to a clean house as well. The blessing for me comes in finding ways I can minister to another person.  The times in my life when I feel self-centered, selfish and when it's all about ME, I do find that those are also the times wh

I talk to Dan every day that I'm here either via phone call or text.  I was so excited to hear that he turned the garden over for me yesterday and rototilled. So it should be ready for planting when I get back. I'm so thankful to have a husband who holds down the fort when I'm away.  Dan is not very demonstrative with flowery words or gifts.  But he is rock solid and devoted in different ways.  There are so many ways he shows his love on a daily basis and I confess, I often take it for granted.  And that makes me feel bad.  I want to do a better job of showing my love and appreciation for this man I married. Some of the little ways he shows his love for me and his children... * He does the dishes every single night.  * If there is a load of clothes in the dryer, he always pulls them out and folds them. * He constantly puts his family's needs above his own. * He drives his daughter to and from school each day so she doesn't have to ride the bus. * He

I remember family vacations, heading off to the New Jersey Shore with my mother, brother and sister to visit my grandmother.  It was basically the only vacation that my mother could afford because she worked hard as a single mom to make ends meet.  So she would pack us up once or twice a year and we would make the 4 hour trek to my grandmother's house. While I loved my days on the beach, collecting shells, swimming and looking for sand crabs, most of my memories of these vacations are not the most pleasant.  My mother's and grandmother's relationship was rocky and more often than not, angry voices signaled the close of the vacation time.  Many times we left before we were supposed to because of the arguing.  I remember that knot in my stomach feeling as a child when I heard the raised voices. As I grew up, went to college and into full-time ministry I never was able to get down to see my grandmother much and the few times I went it was very tense.  "Don't tr

Psalm 147 (NIV) ~ Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call. His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior; the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. Extol the Lord, Jerusalem; praise your

I'm sitting in the airport, waiting to board my plane and even though I'm going to miss my family, I'm looking forward to spending some time with my mom, stepdad and then my grandmother as I take care of her in the coming week. As I'm sitting here there are quite a few things that I'm feeling thankful about.  So this week, as I get ready to wing my way south, I want to list my blessings. This week I'm thankful for blessings #2421 - 2430. 2421.  I'm so thankful that I didn't get Dan's stomach bug.  I was concerned because there were a few days that I was definitely feeling queasy, but so far I'm fine.  It was a concern because I don't want to make my grandmother sick. 2422.  Very thankful that Nathan's work schedule worked out in such a way that he is able to go to a conference with Dan today through Wednesday.  He always has to work on Monday and Tuesday so it was definitely a blessing that he was off. 2423.  I feel so blessed t

Stephen called me last night, excited that he was offered a summer job at a camp in the Adirondacks.  He had applied back in the winter and had a few phone interviews but they seemed to be taking their time about getting back to him.  So he finally heard and will be working there from June through the beginning of September.  These are exciting times for him and I often feel wistful as I remember the excitement of just starting out and being free to go and do whatever I wanted to do.  I also feel a bit nostalgic at times when I realize that he is leaving the nest.  I'm so happy for him and I want him to go wherever the Lord leads but it's a strange feeling when your children start growing up and leaving home. Emily turns 16 this month and is starting to look at colleges.  Colleges?  How did this happen?  My baby is growing up too. I could spend my time feeling really sad about this or looking at it as the doors are opening for me to spread my own wings and see what God

I always do a birthday post for my family and today is no exception.  Nathan turns 24 today.  It's hard to believe I have a child that old! Today I thought I'd do an acronym to talk about his character.  It's a bit difficult given the letters in his name, but I will do my best.  lol N  = Nice.  He really is a nice guy.  If you ask him to do something for you, he is willing.  He would give you the shirt off his back.  He will often take the unkindness of others without defending himself or being mean back.  In this day when so many are rude and unkind, it's a refreshing trait. A  = Affectionate.  Nathan generally likes people and is kind.  He never leaves the house or ends a text without telling us he loves us.  When he feels comfortable, he is warm and friendly.  He is loyal to his friends and family. T = Tries his best.  Nathan works hard at everything he does and it frustrates him when he makes mistakes.  Yet, he never gives up and keeps working h