Encouraging Deep Roots

My stomach has been in knots lately.  Every time I turn on the news or open my Facebook page there is nothing but conflict, anger and aggressiveness. And all because some football players are making a statement about racism and inequality in this country.   Before I go any further let me say, "I love my country."  I am thankful that I live in a country where I have the freedom to state my opinion.  That's what makes us free, and yet, I think many people forget that. I also need to say that my family and our opinion about race in America has been shaped.  Shaped by our experiences.  All of my children have been extremely upset by the words coming out of the mouths of people.  They hurt for their friends. My children grew up in the inner city.  Their friends were African-American, Latino and Muslim.  In fact, they were the only white children in their church, their school and their playgrounds.  Nathan was 7 years old when he ...

It's been a long while since I've done a giveaway on the blog and I thought it was time.  One of the things that I've been doing this year on Facebook is coming up with one thankful thing each day.  I've gone through 267 of them and it helps to keep me focused on what God is doing in my life.   So in order to enter this giveaway, you need to comment either here or on Facebook under this post and tell me ONE thing you are thankful for as you comment.  See how easy that is?  The winner will receive one of my books of YOUR choice from my sidebar, as well as some autumn goodies! Leave a comment between now and Saturday, September 30 and I will draw a name and announce it on Monday, October 2nd.   Have a wonderful day!

I'm finding it a bit of an adjustment to be in this new stage of my life.  It's different without a house full and everything seems just a little bit strange.  It's not bad, just different.  I miss my children, but they are doing well and happy. I have been doing is a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  As long as I have activities to occupy my mind and hands then I'm good.  I've had people over for lunch a couple of times this week.  I've gone for walks.  I've done some baking and I've done some sewing. I've poured a lot of time into a retreat that's coming up next weekend, and I've also been doing some writing. I've been working on some strengthening exercises for my knee and I've been creating some new dishes to try out on Dan and Nathan. My days are busy and full.  I fall into bed each night to read and without fail can't make it past a few pages.  There is a rhythm to my days and t...

I picked up the glass from the table for about the millionth time.  Sometimes, it's left on the table and other times on the freezer top which is near the door.  Still other times it's on the coffee table or end table.  It's never left on the counter by the sink, where it belongs. I felt irritation rising in me because really, how difficult is it to just walk a few feet further, and place it where the dirty dishes go?  My husband downs a glass of water or juice each morning and wherever he drinks it, is where the empty glass sits. But just as quickly as that irritation rose up, I thought about the fact that some day there may not be a dirty glass to pick up.  There may not be water splashes to wipe all over the bathroom counter because he is no longer there. And suddenly, those little, silly quirks will be missed.  As I thought about that this morning, the irritation melted away.  The very fact that I have to walk an extra 2 steps to p...

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ~ "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Do you feel weak today? Do you feel like giving up? Have you worked at changing attitudes, patterns of behaviors, family situations, dieting or something else for a long time, and it feels like a never ending task that isn't working? God gives us what we need. No matter what we face, He is enough. In our weakness His power is manifested. The last part of verse 10 seems like a contradiction - "when I am weak, then I am strong". However, it's when we are at our weakest that we cry out to the Lord. We have nothing to rely on but God and it's then that His power is so prevalent in us. If y...

Psalm 18:1-3 ~ How I love you, Lord! You are my defender. The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; he defends me and keeps me safe. I call to the Lord, and he saves me from my enemies. Praise the Lord!  When people hurt me, I want to lash out.  I want to defend myself and set them straight.  At the very least I want to state my side of the situation and at the very worst of times, I want to hurt  them back.  And I definitely want to share with the world how I've been wounded. But all that does is keep the fires stoked and burning.  It keeps the hurtful words churning in my mind and the pain alive in my heart. I feel like crawling up in a ball when these things happen, especially when they are unprovoked. But then I remind myself that God is my defender.  He sees the situation and he knows my heart, just as he knows the heart of my critic.  H...

Philippians 4:6-7 ~ "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.   And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. "   Prayer is so important in the life of a believer, yet, so often it is the thing that we use as a last resort.  We'll talk to our spouse, our friends, our neighbors, or our therapists but we don't bring our concerns to the Lord!  He is the only one who can work in the midst of the situation, but we act as if He has no power at all.   There are roughly 400 references to the words, "prayer" or "pray" in the Bible so obviously it's  something of importance.  I love these verses in Philippians because as we pray, we will gain peace in the midst of the situation.  And it is a peace which is beyond understanding.  I don't know about you, but I love that peaceful feeling of ...

Dan is 54 years old and I am 55 years old, which doesn't seem very old to me.  In my mind I'm still as young as I ever was, but my body is starting to slow down a bit and doesn't always work the way it should.  We have both noticed that our energy level has slowed, but overall we feel young. I n the ministry world, we've noticed a shift.  Churches want to hire young pastors with young families. We are the older ones in many settings and it's strange!  In our own church, we've noticed that it's much more difficult to reach this community as a middle-aged couple with adult children than it would have been when they were little and we were active in school activities. So the connections we would have made when we were younger just aren't there.  Don't get me wrong, we have been able to get to know many wonderful people, but our ministry definitely isn't the same as it was ten years ago. I am also slowing down in ministry, and the things that I ...

Ever since I've been in ministry, my life seems to have been about programming.  Run this program, head up this outreach event, do this new thing.  And while I've loved doing all this, I'm not sure it's always been effective in the grand scheme of God's kingdom.. I have been in self-reflective mode the past few weeks as I'm entering in this new stage of my life.  Emily was home for the weekend and we take her back to college today and then won't see her again until sometime in October.  Stephen leaves tomorrow morning for his last semester.  It'll just be me, Dan and Nathan, and the house will seem different.   At times, it's goods to re-evaluate things and see what's working and what isn't.  To see what needs revamping and to shake out the chaff.  As I was having my devotions this morning I read the following passage. Philippians 1:9-11 ~ And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of disc...