Hearts in Service

Dan and I were jolted awake at 4:30 a.m. by a knock on our bedroom door.  Nathan's windshield wiper snapped off his car and he needed help with it in order to get to work since it was snowing.   So I'm sitting here earlier than I wanted to be, reflecting back over the past year and looking forward to the new year. There were challenges in 2017 but it was still a good year.   ❤ I fractured my lateral tibial plateau in my left leg and spent months in a leg brace and crutches. ❤ I had to close my brick and mortar store due to being unable to drive myself anywhere or put any weight on my leg. (Obviously, these first two were some of the challenges - lol) ❤ I experienced miraculous healing from the above injury after the prayer of a lovely young couple. ❤ Attended our denomination's national conference ❤ Organized three retreats ❤ My daughter graduated from high school. ❤ We enjoyed a graduation party with family and friends. ❤ I tore ...

I spent the past two days cooking and baking, getting ready for today's party.  I wasn't quite sure how many to expect since not everyone RSVP'ed but with those that did respond, I had about 25 coming. I've been doing a much better job at being calm before we have company.  I used to think everything had to be perfect and felt like a drill sergeant, barking orders at my family. However, I realize that people aren't here to see my house, but me and while I want things to be reasonably clean, it doesn't have to be spotless.   Today I felt really peaceful and was looking forward to our company.  The party was supposed to start at 1 and at noon it was sunny and beautiful.  I looked out the window close to the time it was to start and saw this. When a lake effect storm comes up, it really storms. We got about 5" of snow in an hour and it snowed most of the afternoon.  One by one, my guests started canceling.  In years past, I would hav...

Some of the best conversations Dan and I have are while we are driving in the car together.  Yesterday afternoon, we braved the roads and headed out to go grocery shopping for our party on Saturday. I shared with him a video that someone had sent us of a worship team. It was a great song, but when I looked up the song from the original artist, it was done in the exact same way even down to the light show.  And that got us off on a bunny trail about how so much of what goes on in the church today follows secular marketing strategies. If you read the websites of many churches, they read like something straight out of the same brochure.  They use many of the key words: passionate, vision-oriented, transforming, and on and on. Each pastor has the same "look" and uses the same lingo. I'm not bashing these churches because many of them are being extremely effective in reaching people, especially millennials.  But the problem often comes when other churches try t...

On this fourth day of Christmas, I will be busy getting ready for an open house/party we are having on Saturday. The open house is from 1-8 p.m. and people can drop by any time to visit, have a cup of something to drink and a bite to eat. It's a way to take a few minutes out of busy schedules and sit and chat with friends. My plan today is to watch "White Christmas" since it seems fitting given the 3+ feet of snow we received. We are at the point where we have no place else to put the snow.  Our plow guy is planning on coming back with a back hoe and moving some of the snow.  Dan and the boys spent about 3 hours outside yesterday clearing off cars, walkways, the deck and roof raking the edges of the house.  Snow is fun but too much of it can be a pain. I came up with the menu for Saturday and the plan is to go grocery shopping for all I need today so I can spend tomorrow prepping.   A ppetizers Maple-Bacon Smokie Sausages Cranberry Brie Bites ...

I told Dan yesterday that I didn't watch any of the Christmas movies I usually do because I had been so busy with preparations.  But then I realized that technically it was only the 2nd Day of Christmas and I could continue the celebration! So I decided to watch one a day and drag out the festivities. So today's movie is "It's a Wonderful Life."  And that is exactly how I feel.  I do enjoy my life even though it's difficult at times.  I'm doing what God has called me to do.  I have a husband and children who love me.  What more could I want? We are snowed in for the day with 17" falling overnight and it's still coming down hard.  Lake effect snow is a wondrous thing.  You can be getting hammered and just a few feet down the road they either get nothing, or twice as much as you!  At the northeastern end of the lake, they've gotten about 4 feet since Sunday.  Yesterday we had sunshine and nothing.  You never know what you a...

I've had a couple of opportunities to reflect on my attitude towards my personal space the past couple of days.  I love being in ministry and I love using my home for that purpose, but with one small caveat.  I want my home open for ministry when it's convenient for me. Ouch.  As much as I admire people who have an open door policy, I struggle in this area.   This weekend was wonderful and we had a very large attendance on Sunday morning for our children's program.  I was still feeling the "high" from that as I prepared all afternoon for our Christmas eve dinner, as well as getting the church set up for our candlelight service that night.  I could feel myself starting to lose steam by that evening and was looking forward to the end of the service when I could go home and put my pajamas on. Then I hear the words from my son, "I invited Austin to come over for a couple of hours."  A flash of irritation went through me and then Stephen said...

It was a dirty, smelly, thankless job.   Shepherds who were rough and crass, were out taking care of their sheep one night.   Joy was not a characteristic used to describe them.   They got up each day and spent long hours out in the fields, went to bed and repeated it all again the next day; day in and day out. On this night, however, something happened. As they sat around their campfires, swapping stories, the sky lit up as if it were day.   Angels, thousands upon thousands, were in the air bringing good news of great joy! A Savior had been born! These strong and viral men were terrified and quaking at the sight.   Just as they had appeared, the angels suddenly disappeared.   The men slowly shook themselves out of the stupor they were in and began to talk about what had just happened.   “Let’s go and find this baby!”   So off they went, leaving their flocks with a caretaker.   They made their way into the village of Bethlehem ...

Twas three days before Christmas And all through the house The furnace was humming And so was my spouse I am wrapped and toasty In my warm fluffy robe While the precipitation floats down like inside a snow globe My chicks are all home And tucked into my nest At last I can relax And put my worries to rest The gifts are all wrapped And tucked under the tree My cards are all sent And I am full of glee The cookies are baked And I went way too far Fifty dozen in all They won't fit in my jar The advent readings have been written with care Christmas eve service is coming Not sure what I'll wear The children at church Are ready to sing They have practiced hard and will let their voices ring Today I make goodies to give our church family Each year I enjoy this And do it so happily My prayer for you Three days before Christmas Is the gift of our Lord Brings your soul full of His richness Have...

I leaned over yesterday morning to put something in my refrigerator and in an instant found myself unable to straighten back up without a tremendous amount of pain.  The only thing I can remember doing is moving a piece of furniture on Friday so I'm not sure if that is what triggered my back injury or not.  No matter what, I'm hurting at the moment. Last night as we were getting ready for bed, I learned of a family situation that is causing a fair amount of frustration.  Bam!  Just like that I felt myself getting worked up and anxiety-ridden.  Between the anxiety and the pain of my back I didn't sleep well last night.  Then I woke up and read the following.. Lamentations 3:22-26 ~ Because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who s...