Hearts in Service

Ephesians 2:20-22 (MSG) ~ God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home. What a beautiful word picture.  God, the master mason, uses us as bricks and stone and fits us together into a holy temple.  No matter what your gifts, talents or personality, you fit snugly into this building and He is creating a masterpiece where He will dwell. That is why we need the body of Christ.  There are so many lone rangers out there.  People who think they don't need the church or don't need other Christians.  Yet, verse after verse in scripture says the opposite.  We are all necessary in order...

  What a beautiful week this was and my heart is full of blessings!  It was a week of lovely sights, sounds and experiences.  Sometimes, words fail to express what's in my heart.  So today, on this Monday of a multitude of blessings, I'll let my photos do the talking.  

    This has been a quiet week and I've mostly been focusing on my home and family. It was a good week.   It was a week of baking.         A week of making meals for my family.   A week of finishing up the last of my soy wax to make candles which I'm bringing with me to a retreat this weekend.    I went to Emily's tennis match and school open house yesterday afternoon and evening and it was relaxing to sit and watch and cheer on my daughter.   I have to confess that so often I feel pulled in a hundred directions.  There are so many people and activities that demand my attention and I've had people get upset when I cannot do what they want.  And then I feel extremely guilty.    But I just cannot do everything.  I cannot be everything to everybody.  And if I attempt to please everyone, I'm going to burn out and get extremely stressed....

2 Peter 1:3-11 ~  We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God’s own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness.  God made great and marvelous promises, so that his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world. Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding,  self-control, patience, devotion to God,  concern for others, and love.  If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful.  But if you don’t grow, you are like someone who is nearsighted or blind, and you have forgotten that your past sins are forgiven. My friends, you must do all you can to show that God has really chosen and selected you. If you keep on doing this, you won’t stumble and fall. T hen our Lord and...

          After church yesterday, Dan and I headed out to one of our favorite spots to walk and talk.  I'm trying to squeeze in every moment I can outdoors before the weather turns cold.  Yesterday was beautiful.  Sunshine, cool temperatures and the signs of fall.  Autumn is my favorite season!   I'm looking forward to pumpkins, apple picking, cider and donuts, and beautiful colors.  One of my most favorite things in September is our women's retreat that our district has each September.  That's coming up this week and I'm taking an extra day and a half to go down and spend some time writing.  I'm trying to get a book finished and it's coming together very slowly.   I've been fighting down the crafting/sewing urge because I have inventory everywhere and am resolved to stick with decision to end the business at the end of the year.  But it's very strange because for the past ...

  It really has been such a strange, difficult week in so many ways.  When I feel overwhelmed by emotion, busyness or stress, it helps to steal away alone and just breathe in some beauty.  This afternoon I was able to do just that and it truly helped to clear my head.        When I first begin, my thoughts are shouting at me so loudly that I really can't see anything except the path before me.   But after a time of walking, prayer and reflection, I start to notice little hidden beauties.   Some could go unnoticed if I wasn't observant.     The longer I walk and pray, the more my thoughts begin to slow so I can hear what the Lord is trying to say to me.  I can hear His voice as He speaks to me.  I begin to get clarity and a feeling of peace comes over me. I'm so glad that I have a place to go that allows me to connect with the Lord as I take in the beauty of my surroundings.   ...

    Sometimes I struggle with my new role I seem to have now.  Two of my children are adults; one is out of the house.  Emily is 16.  I kind of feel out of sorts.  I've never liked transitions. Last night, I was having a discussion with Dan about feeling frustrated about a phone conversation I had where someone was trying to convince me to take on a bigger role in something outside our church and district ministry that I didn't want to do.   Emily piped up, "I don't want you to do that."  "I want you to be my mom!"   Awwwww.  That melted my heart because sometimes I think no one really needs me anymore.  My kids are growing up/are grown up.  My role in this church is so totally different than in the last one and my husband has a wonderful board he works with so I'm not really needed there.  I don't have many who call me and ask me for advice, or anything at all for that matter, as they did in our other minist...

Psalm 119:105-107 (HCSB) ~ Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. I have solemnly sworn to keep Your righteous judgments. I am severely afflicted; Lord , give me life through Your word. Pitch-black darkness.  A s a child I was afraid of the dark.  Before there were night lights, I would lie awake at night, terrified of the unknown dangers lurking where I couldn't see them. The fear would paralyze me and I would quiver and shake in my bed for hours. As an adult, I still don't like the dark though I don't react to it like I used to do. However, when facing a dark situation, my emotions can evoke those same primal feelings of fear, terror and despair that the physical darkness used to do as a child. Yet, when any of us face those situations we don't have to live in fear of the dark times.  God's word provides all the light we need to see our way in a dark world.  We just need to trust, obey and follow the light. David tel...

Overwhelming problems  Death.  Destruction.  Evil.  Sickness.  Disease. What is one to do in the midst of a big world full of huge problems?  It can make you feel overwhelmed and small.  How can I help?  What good is my life in this little corner of a massive world?  Not much if I expand my horizons too far.  Yet, if I look around at my little circle of influence, there are many ways that my light can shine through.   I can reach out and hug someone.  I can listen to one person.  I can pray with and for a friend.  I can make a meal, write a note, or give a gift.  I can inconvenience myself to help my neighbor.  Imagine what would happen if every person reached out to just one or two other people in their lives.  It would be world-changing.  You don't have to try and meet every problem in the world.  Just meet the problem right next door. Look around and see who y...

The leaves have a hint of color starting here in Central New York and will start changing rapidly in the weeks to come.  A sign that summer has ended and autumn is beginning.  This is my favorite season.  It's the season of apple picking.       Brilliant colors.   Crisp, cooler temperatures.   Beautiful decorations.     And wonderful smells and tastes.       It's a time of enjoying the splashes of color before the blanket of white hits.  For me, it's also a time of reflection.  Am I splashing the color of God's love to those around me?  Do I reflect the beauty of Christ to those in my life?  Do I walk my talk?  I try to do that and sometimes I do but often I fail.  As I reflect, I want to see if my colors are showing. I want to splash the red color of courage and strength.   Do I show Christ's strength in my life when I'm facin...

I haven't yet seen the movie, The War Room, and I'm not sure if I will get a chance and usually I just get annoyed at some of those type of movies for more reasons than I can list here.  But I do like the idea of having a place to do battle before the throne of God.  Mine tends to be outdoors. As I walk and breathe in the scents and see the beautiful sights and feel the lovely breeze on my face, I spend time communing with my Lord.  Yesterday, I took some time walking, photographing and praying.  I did battle for a friend's sorrow and stress as she deals with a family member who has cancer. I poured out my heart for a situation that one of my children is facing. I walked and prayed about our upcoming fall festival, asking for a good attendance, great weather and that hearts would be touched. I prayed for my husband as he leads this group of people, and I prayed for different ones in our congregation. There were so many other th...