Hearts in Service Blog

I have to brag a bit on my husband today. We are celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary and this morning he put a card on my chair. When I opened it, I found a list of 30 things he loves about me. What a sweet way to start the day! I'm so thankful that he came into my life all those years ago. God put us together and I can't imagine being with anyone else. I have my own list of 30 things I love about him. 1.   He makes me laugh. 2.   He is thoughtful 3.   He is kind-hearted 4.   He is smart 5.   He is a wonderful father 6.   He keeps his commitments 7.   He is merciful 8.   He never gets angry 9.   He knows God's word. 10. He loves music 11. He puts others first 12. He is committed to his family 13. He is a good provider 14. He loves people 15. He loves to talk 16. He is not moody; and always happy 17. He doesn't hold grudges 18. He forgives easily 19. He is easy to please 20. He loves ...

I Corinthians 13:1-3 (HCSB) ~ If I speak human or angelic languages but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. Hundreds of s onnets have been written about love.  People speak the words, "I love you." all the time.  Everyone is searching for it.  And yet, many people have difficulty showing it. The most thoughtful gestures, and the most beautiful good deeds mean absolutely nothing if  they are not done in love.  What good is being able to communicate eloquently and yet, continually rip apart another person with your words or even your thoughts?  You can have multiple spiritual gifts and use them and yet, it counts as noth...

Yesterday was so oppressively hot and humid. Even with air-conditioning, I found it hard to do much of anything. Of course, a lot of that could be the fact that it was Monday and I was coming off a busy weekend. Today, I woke up to temperatures about 20 degrees cooler and very little humidity. A cool breeze is blowing and my motivation level has gone up tremendously. My plan today is to get a lot checked off my list before my doctor's appointment this afternoon.  Here is the plan today: ✔ Finish up my friend's quilt ✔ Make a batch of cookies for high school baccalaureate service tonight ✔ Dust living room/dining room ✔ Deep clean both bathrooms ✔ A load of laundry ✔ Weed a small patch of my flower beds ✔ Work on PowerPoint presentation ✔ Put together a different presentation I'm giving this weekend Most of the afternoon will be taken up with my appointment and then an allergy testing appointment for Nathan. It feels good to be busy around the hous...

  Mondays are always kind of a "dragging" day for me after the busyness of the weekend but today was especially that way. However, it was also a hit the ground sprinting day too because Nathan had a 9 a.m. appointment at the agency for adults with disabilities. It was kind of a disappointing appointment as we struggle through red-tape and a series of "no's" and as he has to adjust to his reality. Emily is home for the week as she needed some adjusting of her own after breaking up with her boyfriend. It was the right decision, but she is hurting and we are helping her work through some of the emotions. My retreat this past weekend went very well and it was such a wonderful time of encouragement and challenging one another. But it also had its hiccups. My tooth broke during the very first meeting and I now have a gaping hole where the filling had been. Unfortunately, I cannot get in to see the dentist until Wednesday. I am coming to...

I'm so thankful this morning for all the many blessings that came my way this week. I'm still in Colorado and will be leaving mid-day for the flight back home. It's been a wonderful weekend of being encouraged, motivated and ready to get back and hit the ground running (well, maybe not running lol). While it is fresh on my mind, I want to write out my Multitude Monday list. This week I'm thankful for blessings # 3,280 - 3,293. 3281. Getting everything completed that was on my list before I needed to go. 3282. A husband who is so incredibly supportive of the activities and roles I do and have. 3283. Meeting with other district directors from around the country and being encouraged. 3284. I reinjured my knee two days before I was supposed to leave and could barely walk. I'm thankful that I survived the trip, though at one point I did need to ride in the wheelchair through the Chicago airport. I'm so thankful that it feels so much better for ...

When I was in college, I came across this poem and something about it struck a chord with me. At the time, I didn't realize how much of it I would have to learn to live out in my own life as a woman in ministry. Ministry life either makes you strong and learning to lean on the Lord, or it can destroy you. I've known many a pastor and ministry leader who are no longer in that position because they couldn't take the stress and criticism. My son has just started this road and is already seeing how difficult it can be, and how much criticism comes at you over non-sin issues. People's preferences reign supreme and it can muddy the waters of ministry. So my prayer for him is the following poem. My prayer is that he can learn grace in the midst of criticism. That he would listen, weed out the bad, accept the good and not let it discourage and destroy him. There is a lot of truth in that little two letter word, if.  If by Rudyard Kipling If you can keep your hea...

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 (NLT) ~   For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. I have a challenge for you today for Wednesday Words of Encouragement. Sometimes the people in our lives need to hear some encouragement. So today make a point of saying one encouraging thing to someone in your life. It could be a friend, a co-worker, a family member.  Let them know how much you appreciate them. Don't assume they know. They may need to actually hear it so use your words to say it today. Let's build each other up! You never know if your encouragement is the very thing someone needs to hear to keep them moving forward today.