Encouraging Deep Roots

Gratitude, thankfulness, thanksgiving, joyfulness These are such beautiful words and yet, so elusive for so many. How do you cultivate these in your life especially when things seem so bleak or you are facing hard times? Can one be thankful for cancer or children leaving the faith or bills coming due with no money to pay them? Can you be thankful when the days seem unending and you cannot see the light ahead? I think it is possible if we look at these things in a different light. When we begin to develop the ability to find gratitude for little moments it changes things. Those tiny little opportunities for thanksgiving snowball into an overwhelming gratitude even in the face of pain. My mother passed away from cancer 5 years ago. In fact, three days from now will mark that anniversary. It was a terrible time and yet, there are things about that time for which I can give thanks. The cancer diagnosis was horrible and her last days were so hard. But when I reflect on those days I have gra...

I was recently asked, "If you were to retire today what would you do?" At first, I thought I thought it was an easy question to answer, but the more I thought about it, the harder it became. My entire life centers around ministry activity and what will my life look like when I'm no longer in full-time ministry? I do know I would continue to volunteer in some way, but that wasn't what the intent was behind the question. What would I do with the majority of my time once I'm finished? And that isn't really that far in the future. It has forced me to begin to reflect on how much of my identity is wrapped up in my profession and caused me to wonder how will I react when I don't have that in my life anymore. I like to think it would be a fairly smooth adjustment, but I'm not always so sure. I'll be 64 in January so it's natural to start thinking of what life will be like when we are no longer in professional ministry. I have so many different hobbie...

My husband and I worked for an inner city parachurch organization for ten years, and one of the ministries we had was an early learning center for 80 children, ages 2 1/2 through Kindergarten. In order for incoming children to attend the school they had to be potty-trained and no longer using a pacifier.  The only exception to this rule were a couple of the staff's children who were transitioning into the classroom. We let their children start without the above criteria, but the goal was to get them to the point where they would be where the rest of the children were. There was a teacher in the school who happened to be a Franciscan nun, Sister Angela Francis. She was an older woman who could be quite strict, but she was so wonderful with the little ones and did something special for each one when it was time to give up that binky.  Sister Angela would hold a special ceremony and bring a special "treasure" box and would hold a "becoming a big girl or boy" ceremo...

I recently discovered that I have cateracts and will need cataract surgery in January. They've scheduled the two dates and will be working on my left eye first, which is the worst of the two. I've noticed the past year things have seemed a bit cloudy, but thought it just meant I needed new glasses. It's hard to read unless I either hold the book right up to my face or have a very bright light on it. I purchased a magnifying glass with an LED light built in which helps, but something definitely needs to be done. I'm amazed that modern medicine has made it so I will be able to see without glasses. I'm actually looking forward to not wearing them for the first time since I was 6 years old. I'm looking forward to having my dim sight be replaced with clearness. I'm looking forward to that spiritually as well. When I look  at different circumstances in my life it's easy to feel discouraged. I have to remind myself of how God is at work despite the difficulties...

  I've been doing these almost daily posts on my Encouraging Deep Roots page on Facebook this month. It's the month of Thanksgiving and I was reflecting on how to create joy in one's life.  The first way to do this is to cultivate a heart that actually finds things to be thankful for in your life. Look around you each day and find one thing, no matter how small or how large, and thank the Lord for it. Start a list or write it on a piece of paper and put it in a jar. Pull out them out from time to time or on New Year's eve and thank the Lord for His many blessings in your life all year long.  Is your spouse or family not interested in this? It's okay. This is not about them; it's about cultivating a heart of thankfulness in YOU! You may find it's contagious and it will definitely change your attitude. I'm developing the list of ways to do this as I go, but thought I'd share what I have so far here. 1. Reflect on God's forgiveness.  Psalm 32:1-2 sa...

Hilary of Tours ~  "Busyness is a blasphemous anxiety to do God's work for Him." I've shared this quote here before and it is a good reminder for me as I continually seek to create space in my life. At times my busyness in ministry is an internal sense that if I don't do a particular activity then it will seem as if I am ineffective.  But here is the lesson I'm learning. God does not need my activity to work and accomplish His will. He is at work despite my busyness.  Jesus says the following in John 5:19-20, "I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed." Jesus Himself stated that He could not do anything independently from the Father. He came alongside the Father to work in tande...

It's Monday, I didn't sleep well and have been up since 3:30 a.m. I could start this week out on a grumpy foot, but am choosing thankfulness. And maybe getting a nap in later! 😉 Today I'm thankful for the following: 💓 The wonderful scents of autumn. 💓 A productive week. 💓 Family gatherings. 💓 More light in the morning. 💓 Getting some yardwork done and cleaning up my flower beds. 💓 Fun sewing projects. 💓 Hearing how God is at work around the world (yesterday, it was specifically in Peru).  💓 A weekend at home which was the first in 6 weeks. 💓 A wide choice of food avaiable which is not the case for many people around the world. 💓 A beautiful day to get out and walk yesterday. 💓 A warm and cozy house. and finally... 💓 The beginning of my favorite time of the year! 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ~ Rejoice  always! 17  Pray constantly. 18  Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I'm currently sitting on my back patio and attempting to write this outside even though it's only 46 degrees. I was out and doing yard work this morning and because I was moving around it seemed like a good idea. However, the sun has been swallowed by clouds and soon my cup of hot tea will be gone so I may need to move back inside. I've been doing a lot of reflection lately on the sin of self-pity. I know for some the word, sin , may seem harsh, but I'm going to call it what it is because it truly is rooted in self and I recognize it as a generational pattern in my own family history.  One of my earliest memories is my father driving us back home after a visitation with him. He had been drinking all day long and was a weepy drunk. He was crying and saying that no one loved him, not even us children. That is a heavy burden to lay on ten, eight and six-year old children. His choices were his own, but he would always play the blame game.  My mom, as well, would dwell on th...