Monday, August 25, 2014

Shaking

At 3:20 am on Sunday, Steve and I woke up to a jolt. Our bed was shaking and the doors were rattling. Earthquake! I declared, sitting up in bed. I walked through the house, but detected no damage. Our main concern was a tidal wave, as we live about 2 blocks from the beach. When there is a tidal wave, a loudspeaker announces it and there is a loud siren. I know this because they do a drill on the first Wednesday of every month at 10:00 am. I didn't hear a siren or a loudspeaker telling me to run for my life, so we went back to sleep. 

I’ve lived through lots of earthquakes, so they don’t scare me too much. When I first moved to North Carolina, the thunderstorms scared me, but after experiencing many of them, they didn’t scare me either.

Life is full of surprises that are often frightening, trying or painful. Difficult changes require flexibility and optimism, but after we learn to face challenges in faith, we have a much greater tolerance for life’s hurdles. So that eventually we can say, like Paul, in Romans 5, “. . . we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

I’m still not hoping for another earthquake to wake me up, though!

Barbara

Monday, July 28, 2014

Life & My GPS

I am one of the most directionally challenged people you might ever meet.  I rarely go somewhere new that I don't also have to ask my GPS to take me home too!  But one thing that is so hard for me, when it comes to following my GPS, is that it only shows me the next turn!  I want to see the whole route to my destination!  I want to be able to alter the course, if I don't like the way it's taking me.  But it has occurred to me more than once, that's exactly the same thing I struggle with in day to day life, when it comes to following Jesus!

I want to know God's will for my life, I want to obey Him, I want to fulfill my calling, my purpose, but I want it all now and I want to know exactly how I'm going to get there.  But rarely does God work like that...  He calls us to live this life one day, one step at a time.  He shows us the next turn, but rarely beyond that.

But here's what I'm learning...  every step in life has a purpose, every turn He directs us to, is leading us closer to and preparing us for another part of the journey.

So what does that mean for right now?  Are you struggling to know your calling/purpose?  Are you frustrated because you think you should be doing more with your gifts?  Do you feel like what you're doing is small and insignificant?

Let me suggest that you change your lens for how you view your life...  Nothing in God's plan is small and insignificant, no part of the journey is less important than another.  The people you encounter each day along the way are part of your purpose.  Don't be so focused on what's to come that you miss the opportunities that are right in front of you to bless others and to show the love of Jesus to them.

Instead of worrying and fretting about what comes after the next turn, live this part of the journey to the fullest.  "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31.  You never know how God will use the lessons and experiences of today to prepare you for what He has for you someday.

Happy journeying,
Sharla



Wednesday, July 23, 2014

elusive contentment

{found via pinterest}


we are supposed to be content with what we have. we are supposed to be content whatever our lot is in life. we are supposed to do a lot of things. and honestly? i come up short in the vast majority of the "supposed to"s. i also know that we're kind of supposed to come up short because we can't do it on our own. we are broken people. we are born broken. [if i ever doubted this before, i look at my 21 month old, and no longer doubt...]

and to top off the fact that we try to do it all on our own and get frustrated when we cannot, and only when we're completely unraveled do we come back to God and ask him to fix it, to fix us, to weave our unraveled mess back together; to top it all off, we live in a culture that could easily define itself as the antithesis of contentment.

have you noticed that they started selling bathing suits in what? march? that back to school supplies make their way onto the shelves of stores on july 5th? that fall clothes will pop up as soon as august hits [if not before]? that back-to-school gives way to halloween shortly thereafter, and then christmas decorations come out even before the halloween paraphernalia makes its exit? magazines send out the issue for the next month when you've hardly entered the one before.

we are constantly pushed toward what's next. we are constantly encouraged to move on to the next thing. to strive for more, and to strive for what's coming instead of taking the time to enjoy the thing we strived for moments earlier.

we live inside the antithesis of contentment.

and yet we are called to be content whatever our circumstances. we love and serve a God who says "my timing is perfect" and that timing doesn't always match up with our own. we love and serve a God who sometimes calms the storm, and sometimes calms the child while the storm rages on. it is hard to stay content when we want something counter to the plan God has for us. but he calls the shots because he is actually in control. we are not.

and in my limited experience things tend to go a little bit better if we go with his plan instead of trying to come up with a better one ourselves.

contentment is a struggle, yes. contentment eludes us. but God does not elude us.

too often we feel we have to figure it all out, and then go to God. i often feel lost and wonder - where does God want me to be?

a wise woman once told me: "God wants you at the center of his will more than you want to be there."

God is not all about tricking us. he wants us to follow him even more than we want to follow him. he wants what is best for us even more than we want what is best for ourselves.

so breathe, and be content with that.
God wants you at the center of his will more than you want to be there.


xo,
katie

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Give Poetry a Chance!

OK, so we've all been burned by studying poetry in some English class where we had to analyze "Ode to a Grecian Urn" or explain some obscure Shakespearean sonnet (PS - I don't speak Elizabethan English).  If you're like me, it kinda makes you give up on poetry -- such a bizarre art form that is more trouble than it's worth.

Yet over the years friends have shared poems with me that are particularly moving and impactful - in times of joy, struggle and sorrow.  Surprisingly, I have found many poems quite compelling and comforting.  One of my favorites is by Wendell Berry:

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
— Wendell Berry 

As I found my own personal renaissance with poetry as an art form, God reminded me that poetry is used throughout scripture to communicate His truth and love.  Because God is so Holy and so Other, it makes sense that poetry communicates something about Him that is outside of our common use of language.

Poetry is all around us - beauty in words, language, experience and intense emotion.  Through poetry, I have found the truth of another idea expressed by Henry Miller, "Art teaches nothing, except the significance of life."  God gave us art (even the odd form of poetry) as a way of getting past the practical and pedantic parts of life and helping us find the significance of our existence.

Glad that I gave poetry a chance, I am affectionately yours - Cynthia   



Monday, July 7, 2014

Shouldn't Good Count For Something?!

Last week I was out running errands with Abby, our 12 year old daughter, and we pulled up to the Dairy Queen for a treat.  And right behind me was a policeman, lights flashing, he even blocked me so I couldn't make a run for it!  I wanted to laugh out loud... a middle aged mom, with her daughter in the front seat, driving a Terrain...  yep, a real threat!
 
I knew for sure I hadn't been speeding (I saw him when I passed him and double checked my speed)...  The light was green when I turned, what on earth was the problem?  And EVERYONE was staring!!  A little girl even stood eating her ice cream riveted through the whole thing!  Turns out my tag was expired and somehow, when we bought our car last year, it never transferred properly in the system, so we never got a notice about renewing the tag.
 
I was so frustrated...  I am a good driver...  nothing on my record...  careful, no accidents...  I go to church...  I volunteer...  I... I... I...  shouldn't good behavior count for something?  But when I go before the judge in September (yep, have to go to court), all my good deeds and good behaviors won't matter...  it won't even matter that the DMV messed up...  I was in violation of the law.  I think my best plan will be to just own it with the judge and pay the fine.
 
But as I considered all that, it occurred to me, someday in the future, I will have to stand before THE Judge, and on that day, none of my good deeds or good behavior will matter either...  I would be guilty as charged...  BUT God, rich in mercy, while I was still a sinner, gave His Son for me...  And because of what HIS Son Jesus did, He will pour out His mercy on me and I will owe NOTHING for my sins, because they've all been paid for!
 
The fine that I will have to pay when I go to court will be small compared to what God demands as payment for our sins and I am so thankful that my Savior declared that my debt has been paid in full!  

Grateful,
Sharla

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

lumps of coal

a few days ago i was looking through my phone for music, and came across an album that i hadn't listened to in a while. so, i had a listen, and came back across a song that i love: plumb's "nice, naive, and beautiful." if you've never heard it you can have a listen:


the end of this song is the part i think of and sing over and over every time i hear it. 

if you've been there you know
if you're still there hang on
we're all dealt our lumps of coal
what you do with it can turn beautiful

well there's a life outside of your madness
and there's a face behind every scar
but there's a love overflowing with gladness
get out of that place that's restraining your love.

there is a beautiful truth to that - and in that sense the name of the album is apt. beautiful lumps of coal.

we all have something to deal with in our lives. we are all broken people. our humanness means that we are broken. those two things go hand in hand. but it's the next line -- yes, we all have our lumps of coal; we are each dealt a share of "stuff," but it's the part about what you do with it. that is the beautiful part. coal is ugly and dirty. there is a reason why "naughty" children get coal from santa at christmas.

but it doesn't have to stay ugly and dirty. it can be refined. and redeemed. we can be refined and redeemed. too often i miss that on a daily basis. i forget that i have been redeemed. i forget that i'm in the process of being sanctified.

the other piece of this is the reminder that there is a face behind every scar. we have to stop looking at people and getting scared off by the scars. we all have them - visible or invisible. we need to stop acting like we don't. and more than that, today and everyday we need to remember the love that's overflowing with gladness.

get out of that place that's restraining your love.


xo,
katie

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Takin' my own advice....

Very often when my children, friends, mentees (is that even a word?) and others tell me they are stressed out, I ask about the commitments they have made.  When my children were in grade school, I felt that if my children were involved (church, sports, school, social activities) I needed to volunteer or be involved.  You can see where this is going.  I was totally stressed out by running around trying to be super-woman (e.g. - tutoring, class-momming, cub scout coordinating, teaching, craft doing, mentoring, meal making, et cetera) -  you get the picture.  God let me know that a need doesn't constitute a call and life needs margins to be lived well.  It's been said before and more often than not when God was speaking to me it was the lips of my husband and friends that were moving.  Consequently, I often advised others regarding that lesson I had learned.

Over the past several months I've gone through a period of time when I over-committed my time - in a big way.  After I emerged from the harried malaise, I looked back and realized that I did exactly what I have done at various points in my life.  I have a very bad habit of over committing.  But why is this a bad thing?  Well, having an over scheduled life prevents me from taking the time to have that extra cup of coffee with a struggling friend, sitting with my kids and catching up, being available for someone in need.  Most importantly, it prevents me from keeping in touch with the Holy Spirit.  When I am so consumed with my to-do list, my focus shifts from listening and looking for God to concentrating on 'what's next.'

Each of us has a tendency toward behaviors that keep us from God.  Whether it is being overly-committed or overly-lazy, both distract us from seeking God throughout the day.  Our lives are His but when we are too lazy to look for Him or too distracted to pay attention, we are no longer the salt and light Jesus asks us to be.  It's an ongoing process and as disciples of Christ a process we must continually work through.

Takin' my own advice - Cynthia

   

Monday, June 16, 2014

Simplicity

Sometimes the simple things are the ones that
get neglected.  Last week I traveled with Steve 
to Washington, D.C. He was at a conference, 
and I got to hang out with my daughter. We 
walked down the Capital Mall and discovered 
the Butterfly Garden. The plants are so lovely 
there, and one lotus flower we loved was almost 
hidden behind the huge green leaves.

Life becomes so busy. We forget to sit and talk to friends, family. We bypass beauty. Prayer and meditation suffer. Older people and people who are sick may travel more slowly and our fast pace leaves them behind. These things may be very dear to us, yet they get smothered by everyday needs and activities.

I guess I’m suggesting we take time to smell the roses, or in my case, the lotus blossom (no Zen references here, just a lovely flower made by our heavenly father). And summertime is such a great time for reflection and rejuvenation. There is much peace in nature, in listening to others, in listening to God. Of course peace is a fruit of the spirit, along with love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22).

I need more of these qualities, because I need more of God – and I often find fellowship with Him in the simple moments. Peace to you all – I miss you! Barbara

Monday, June 9, 2014

amid the crazy

{found via pinterest}

for most people summer is a crazy time. this summer that statement could not possibly be more true for our family. no, we're not at the place in our family where summer means the kids are home when they're normally at school and our whole world gets entirely upended in that sense. however, this summer means buying a house, [hopefully] selling a house, and oh, right, having a baby in 11 weeks.

we closed on the new house today, our current house should be on the market within the next 10 days, and 11 weeks from tomorrow our daughter is scheduled to arrive. oh, and did i mention that the new house needs a bit of work?

okay, so every summer - every season for that matter - has its fair share of crazy. i'm sure your life includes its own. but what's the point?

the point is this: God is still God amid the crazy. God is still in control. he still holds the world together with his own two hands.

it's really easy to get caught up in the urgent, but unimportant things that smack us in the face everyday. it's really easy to put God on the back burner and let other things edge him out. but he still sits on the throne. he still reigns.

in this world we don't get any constants. everything changes all the time. even if we do things the same way everyday, we still grow and we still change just by virtue of the fact that we are finite beings in this life. if nothing else we get older.

but God is unchangeable and unshakable.
he is the great I AM.
he is the only constant.

may we not get so carried away by the craziness in our own lives that we forget who he is.
even amid the crazy.

xo,
katie

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Power?!? Yeah Baby!!!

Our human nature often draws us to power.  Other words to describe this status include forceful, important, influential, dominant, authority and the list goes on.  In the popular culture of the USA, the idea of power drives politics, advertising and pro-sports just to name a few.

As a Christian, I would argue that God is the ultimate power.  Yet, often I don't live this way.  Has culture influenced me adversely?  I think so.  Too often I rely upon my own skills and abilities to get through my day.  Too often I judge my own importance rather than the work of God in me.  Too often I discount myself as a servant of God because I am not dominant or authoritative in some area of life. I am a stay at home parent with a bunch of kids, dogs and cats - not a position of power to say the least.

However, even when I am not aware of my own entrapment in the mire of this culture in which I live, God reminds me that it is not about me, it has never been about me.  My life is the story of God and his work in and through me.  Because that is truth, I can live in peace knowing I am important to God.  And that's the key -- my worth does not lie in the values of the culture -- my worth lies in my value to God.

Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12 that "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  How good is it to serve a God that gives us his grace and has no expectation that we live up to the standards of our culture?  It is very good!

Living in the sufficiency of HIS grace - Cynthia

Monday, May 19, 2014

Devil's Slide

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The other day Steve and I hiked on a local trail along a high cliff above the ocean. This trail was really fun to walk on because it once was a road where we used to drive - a very treacherous road that washed out often. More than once in the winter, parts of the road slid down the cliff onto the jagged ocean rocks below. That is why the place is called “Devil’s Slide.” 

Now it has been shored up to be a safe walking trail, and the road for cars leads away from the cliff through a tunnel. This construction took many years to complete. During that time residents had to drive about 15 miles around the back of the mountain to get to the next town.

This reminds me of some of the exhortations in 1st and 2nd Peter – where we are encouraged to continue in the faith, make “our calling and election sure” and finally, to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

When we face trials and difficult situations in life, we learn to trust him more. After a while, those places become easier and easier to maneuver, like walking on a firm path instead of driving on a precarious road on a high cliff. God teaches us to persevere, to grow, to depend upon him. After a while, knowing him better even becomes the highlight of our walk - the scary cliffs aren’t so scary anymore. Happy trails! Barbara

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

remind my soul

{via the entertaining house}

things have been a bit crazy around these parts. crazier than normal for me. i feel like spring is pretty crazy for everyone, honestly. kids start to get antsy to finish school and have their summer, and everything starts buzzing in anticipation.

for us, this spring means buying a house, and attempting to sell our house. and that means lots and lots of projects. it means an increasingly large pregnant belly, and a toddler developing more and more of his personality. it means playoffs for the soccer team i'm coaching. it means there is always something going on from day to day. always.

it means there is usually more on my list than i have the time to do.

and that means that i need constant reminders. not just a reminder posted on the fridge kind of reminder, but a reminder for my soul. my soul needs to be reminded daily, not just of who i am, but of whose i am.

yes, i have things to cross off of my list, but those are not the most important things in life. i need to be reminded that i am the daughter of the king, and i am not the protagonist in this story.

my body, and my mind, and even my heart get tired. so i need a reminder for my soul. remind my soul of the goodness, and the love of a God who gave himself up for me.

remind my soul.

xo,
katie

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Jesus Loves Me This I Know....

This is song we hear as children, teach to our kids and is a sentiment close to our hearts.  Yet, have you ever stopped to think about it?  I mean, really stop and think deeply about what it means to know the love of Jesus.  Not the Jesus loves me "when I study the Bible," not Jesus loves me "if I am doing my best, " not Jesus loves me "if I am living a moral life with Christian values."  Jesus loves me.  This is true regardless of what I am doing or not doing, saying or not saying, being or not being.

What does it feel like to know that Jesus loves me?  I often have a hard time turning my head knowledge into understanding and feeling in my heart.  I know a lot about Jesus and believe that He loves me, yet so many times I don't feel loved.  I think that is because I don't take the next step -- thinking about Jesus loving me.

When I stop and think of those who have loved me best -- my husband, my mom, my sister, my best friends, my kids -- my heart is filled.  So I tried something:  I imagined the best love that I have experienced by each of the people in my life.  Then I combined all that love into one big mass.  Next I took the mass of love and wrapped it in a snuggly-soft blankety-type material.

Then I realized that regardless of how well I have been loved on earth, Jesus is the best expression of love there is.  Because Jesus invented love (agape=unconditional love / eros=romantic love / philia=brotherly love / storage=parental love) he is the culmination of all the love I have known.  So now when I think "Jesus loves me this I know," I feel the snuggly-soft blankety-type nugget of all the loves that are from Jesus -- and what I know I also feel -- it warms my heart and fills my soul.

May you know Jesus loves you best this day and always - Cynthia

Monday, April 28, 2014

Imprints On The Heart

Over the years, one of the lessons that the people of Africa have taught me on my mission trips is "interaction before transaction."  I have watched them in the market place, in the shops, out in the community and they almost always take the time to ask about you and create a connection with you before starting to do business with you.  I have worked to make sure this principle is at work in my life, but I often struggle with it.  I get focused on a task and stops and starts are hard for me.  In the grocery store, at the bank, selling jewelry at an art festival, wherever I am, I constantly have to remind myself, "slow down and SEE the people...  love them...  be a blessing to them."

But today I want to tell you about a man who lived this principle maybe better than anyone I've ever known...  I am sad to say I am writing this as a tribute to him as he went home to be with Jesus last Tuesday.  He was the father of one of our son's closet friends...  we spent time with him at many wrestling events and he was our dentist.  And the thing that struck me about Dr. W. in every area of life that we interacted with him was that he always, ALWAYS had time for people.  He always took time to be interested in our lives, to encourage us, to have conversations of substance about faith, family, parenting, etc.

I knew when I scheduled a dentist appointment to schedule plenty of time to sit and talk with him.  He didn't just provide excellent care for our teeth, he also took time to minister to our hearts.  He was more concerned with interaction than transaction.  He listened if there was a struggle to share, he encouraged if he sensed discouragement, he opened the door to tough and challenging conversations and he was always ready to offer wisdom about a variety of topics, if asked.  And most of all, he was a great friend and mentor to our son.  He always had time for the boys whenever they stopped by, either at his office or at his home.

And most of all, he always made sure we knew we were appreciated...  Whenever I went to the dentist, or took one of our children to see him, I never left without a big bear hug and his saying, "I appreciate you. I appreciate your family."  And I heard that same story from many others too.  We all loved Dr. W.  We will all miss him...  he touched our hearts and left an imprint that won't be forgotten.

So take time this week to remember to really see people...  love them...  don't just think about how much you appreciate them, tell them...    And if you would, say a prayer for his sweet wife and their 3 sons.  I can't imagine the hole his departure left in their lives. 

Have a great week!
Sharla

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Coincidence?? I think not....

Spoiler alert! -- Yes it's a blog about Easter and Spring.  It's a shocker I know.

I love how Easter falls during the Spring season when all things are 'made new.'  We can look around and see the dormant reviving, seeds sprouting and the emergence of life (even if some of the 'emergence' are the bugs that appear in the Spring).  Springtime is a daily visual reminder of the work that God did to renew our lives and give us eternal life.  Yet, unlike Christmas which was a holiday put on the calendar, Easter is a holiday tied to a historical reality.

Easter is linked to the Jewish Passover, since is was the Passover that Jesus celebrated with his disciples prior to his crucifixion.  Easter is not a set date because Passover is not a set date.  Passover is determined by the Jewish calendar which is based on the lunar cycle.  Passover and Easter usually coincide (although there is an exception because of leap year).  Because Passover always occurs in the Spring, Easter also occurs in the Spring -- and that was God's plan to remind us of His work.




One of my kid's favorite TV shows when they were little was Blues Clues.  It was a story about a dog that would find clues that would lead to a message.  Because of that show they would look around for 'clues' which were usually just objects out of context or random trash but they would enjoy finding things or seeing 'clues.'




I love how God loves us so well by giving us hints and clues in our daily lives to see Him.  Just as Easter and Springtime are concurrent to remind us of God's ultimate work, I believe God sends us reminders of His work in our daily lives.  Sometimes it might be a 'coincidental' call or email, perhaps it is an unexpected kindness, maybe it's a thing of beauty in an unusual place or possibly just a cool breeze on a hot day -- just like my kids looking for 'clues'  we must be present, we must be aware and our eyes must be open to seeing God.

May you see a 'clue' of God's love today - Cynthia

Monday, April 14, 2014

not as it should be.

{found via pinterest}

here's the thing about this week: it reminds us that we are great sinners, and it reminds us that we have an even greater savior.

this world is not how it should be. that doesn't mean that wonderful things do not exist within it, and it certainly doesn't mean we shouldn't be grateful for what we've received from a gracious God. but it is a reminder that we are broken. we are reminded that christ alone can make us new, because christ alone could go to the cross for us. christ alone could conquer death and sin for us.

this world is not how it should be. we as people do not live in perfect union with our creator. plain and simple. but the above sentiment is just as plain and simple: you are not the mistakes you have made. our God is big enough to redeem them. every. last. one. of. them. no matter who you are, and no matter what you've done.

it's easy to think that people are too far gone for God. it's almost automatic in a way. it's not that we think that about everyone, but we do think it for some people. for certain people. "that's just the way s/he is," "s/he'll never change; i should have known better." but the thing is, miracles happen every day. and our God is a God of miracles. there is never anyone too far gone for God.

this week is about sacrifice - the greatest sacrifice ever made - and the opportunity for redemption. at some point we were all too far gone, but God didn't leave us there. he came and found me in my too far gone place, and he brought me to himself.

no, this world is not as it should be, but take heart - we serve a God who has overcome the world. we serve the great redeemer.


happy easter!
xo,
katie

Monday, April 7, 2014

The Simplest Lessons...

Some weeks it's just hard to write a blog post...  when I get focused on a task, trying to divert my energies is like trying to change the course of a rushing river, almost impossible.  This was one of those weeks!  I am in "get ready for an art festival" mode and 98% of life feels like an interruption (just keeping it real).  And yet, God gave me SO much I wanted to write about...  this could have been 'pages' long!

But just yesterday, I was reminded of such a sweet truth...  I was telling Amanda Mascara about something that happened a couple of weeks ago with their adorable son, Knox.

It was after Sunday School and I was chatting in the fellowship hall.  Knox was trying so hard to keep up with the 'big' boys and it took about 30 seconds for him to get run over, literally.  As he got up, you could tell he was trying so hard not to cry, but he was hit hard and as we started to move towards him, he spotted his daddy standing nearby.  He wanted nothing to do with us 'stranger' ladies...  he only had eyes for his daddy.

Tim stopped his conversation, comforted him and before long, Knox was back in the midst of it...  And about 30 seconds later (again), it happened a second time... and he went straight back for his daddy.

It didn't hit me at the time, but yesterday when I was relating the story to Amanda, I realized how profound the simplest stories can be...

Where do you run when the world runs you over?  I hate to admit it, but too often I get distracted by "strangers" (aka. idols) who can't really comfort me...  comfort food...  comfort shopping...  comfort television... any escape to distract me from the pain...

But what if I set my sights on my Abba Father and didn't let any other promise of sympathy, comfort or relief pull my focus from Him?!  I bet I would find the strength to get back in the game as quickly as Knox did.

Why don't you take a minute and ask God to show you where you tend to run when life runs you over?  I'll leave you with these verses from Psalms that I love so much (Psalm 73:25-26)  "Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Let God be your strength...  your refreshment...  your everything!

Sharla

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Wilderness - what do you see??

Years ago there was a list the US Forestry Service put together that were actual comments left on comment cards at wilderness areas.  Some of the ones that I really liked:

"Trails need to be reconstructed.  Please avoid building trails that go uphill."

"Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs.  Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests."

"Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them."

There were two things I noticed about these comments (after I snickered for a while).  First, they all have to do with making the individual's visit better.  Sometimes I find myself doing this in my daily life - rather than look around at the many blessings I have - I want to things to be better.  I chose to be frustrated by traffic, schedules, my to-do list and people who frustrate me.  How much better would my days be if I were thankful that I have a car to drive, children that have things to do, the ability to get things accomplished and the privilege of being in a community where I am only frustrated by others and not physically harmed by insurgents, suicide bombers, or an oppressive military.

Second, I think the people who made the comments failed to see the reality of the situation.  Wilderness is called WILD-ER-NESS  precisely because it is "wild-er" than other areas.  The same goes for the world around us.  We are subject to sin and it's effects all around us.  While that can be challenging, uncomfortable and less than optimal, it is the nature of our surroundings.  However, just like there is beauty and goodness to be found in the wild -- there is beauty and goodness to be found all around us.  We just have to be willing to focus on the right things.

God clearly advises this in Colossians 2:6-7  "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

May you find joy in Christ by giving thanks for the blessings we have amidst the day - Cynthia

Monday, March 24, 2014

at a loss

{found via pinterest}


okay, i'll be straight with you. i'm kind of at a loss this week. i don't know what to say.

sure, i have a lot of ideas in my head, but none of them have come together to make any meaningful sense. and every time i start to write something about faith right now, i make God sound cliché, and the God of the universe is anything but cliché. the people of this world who try to describe him often make him sound that way - i have no doubt that i have done so on more than one occasion. we use our old standbys when we don't have anything else to say, even though the standbys sound hollow.

living the christian life is tough. well - attempting to live the christian life is tough. let's be honest, none of us do it super well, and no one does it perfectly. but God does not weary of us. and how great is that?

no matter where we are, or what we've done, what our past looks like, how we behaved 5 years ago, or 5 seconds ago, he will receive us with open arms because Christ finished the work a long time ago.

you may be like me today. maybe you're a bit at a loss. maybe you don't know why something happened, or is happening, or what is going to happen. maybe you feel alone or too far gone.

maybe you, like me, just need a reminder that the God of the universe created you, and loves you, and has a purpose for you. when you're at a loss it doesn't always feel like God sees you, even in the moment. but for all the times i've been at a loss - and there have been plenty - i can always look back and see him at work, somehow, some way.

he always finds us.

sometimes we have to come to the end of ourselves to realize who he really is, but nonetheless, he finds us. and he does not grow weary of us.


much love to you.
katie

Monday, March 17, 2014

Remembering Stones

Yesterday in Sunday School, we talked about when the Israelites crossed the Jordan river to go into the Promised Land (Joshua 3).  I loved learning more about the culture and all that God's power over the Jordan would have meant to them.  But it's what happened, after they crossed the Jordan, that I want to write about. 
In Joshua 4, God instructs them to choose 12 men, one from each tribe, to take up 12 stones from the middle of the Jordan and put them down where they would stay the first night.  Verse 7 says they were to be a memorial to the people forever.  I've always thought of them as remembering stones and I think the principle is essential to us today.
More than once, the Bible tells us to remember...  Remember the wonders of the LORD...  remember what He did...  Remembering God's faithfulness to us in the past can give us the courage to be obedient Him in the present...  Remembering God's works, His sovereignty and power, can encourage us when our world seems like it is spinning out of control...  Remembering God's past work in our lives can reassure us and encourage us to persevere, even when God seems distant or silent.
One of my most precious remembering stones is on our oldest son's leg (it's really his remembering stone, but as his mom, I claim it too!).  About 2 1/2 years ago, Zack was working his summer landscaping job when he tripped and fell while operating a 1500 pound piece of landscaping equipment.  It ran up the lower part of his leg and when he pushed it off, the treads cut down into the lower part of his leg.
I'll spare you the gory details, but I have to tell you one thing that's essential to this story...  The treads cut down right between the two arteries that run down the leg.  Doctors were amazed that they were untouched.  If one had been cut, it might have been tragic, but if both had been cut, as one nurse said, "short of a miracle, it most certainly would have been tragic." 
I don't see the scar on his leg that I don't also see the hand of God...  Just yesterday (with no idea of what we had talked about in Sunday School) Zack said, "Mom, it's strange, I can feel my heart beat through the scar."  Another reminder that I don't have to live in fear...  I don't have to constantly worry while waiting for our children to come home... God holds life in the palm of His hand.  It doesn't mean that nothing bad will happen, but it does remind me that God is in control of all of our days.  Psalm 139:16 tells us that God ordained all of our days, before one of them came to be.  All of my worry won't change a moment and God is far more capable of protecting those I love than I'll ever be.  And as much as I love them, He loves them far more, so I can trust that too!
Remembering stones come in all shapes and sizes, much like the stones they would have chosen from the middle of the Jordan.  They are simply the stories of God's work, His love, His faithfulness, His redemption and restoration in our own lives.  They can come from answered prayer, a life experience where God redeemed a story of heartache for good, or other stories of God's provision, protection, etc.  But here's one last thing about remembering stones, they can be used to encourage others and to teach others about our Great God!  In Joshua 4:6-7, God told them to tell the story to their children.
So, do you have a remembering stone?  I would love for you to share your story with us.  You never know who might need a word of encouragement today!
Happy remembering!
Sharla

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Walking A Mile

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes.  That way when you critize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.   Jack Handey


I think this is a funny quote.  Although, it is said that truth is often found in humor.  This truth is not the 'Big T' truth of God, but the 'little t' truth of reality.  Too often we are critical of others, try to justify our own critical natures and fail to treat others as Jesus asked us to treat them. 

The idea of walking a mile reminds me of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount which instructs us on many things.  For me, one of the most convicting instructions is found in Matthew 5:38-42:
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,[h] let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

This passage very clearly tells us how to react when evil is done to us.  Those are hugely radical statements.  Yet in our culture we have qualified, excused, explained and reasoned around them.  Did Jesus really mean what he said?  If he did this is what he asks us to do:

  • When someone hits you, don't hit back.
  • When someone sues you, give him and extra amount.
  • If you are forced to do something for someone, double the work.
  • Give to those that beg from you.
  • Lend to the one that asks to borrow from you.

As a follower of Christ, it gives me a lot to think about Cynthia



Monday, March 3, 2014

building a kingdom

{found via pinterest}

every day i wake up, get keane out of his crib and proceed to get us breakfast. there are a million little things i do on a daily basis, and i do most of those things to benefit me somehow. most of the day, most of the time i do things for me. even if what i'm doing is also for someone else, there's usually something in it for me too.

at the end of the day, i'm ridiculously selfish. we're all pretty selfish when we get right down to it, and we can easily get caught up in pushing our own goals through to fruition.

and that's the thing. no matter who we are, or what we do, or even what we believe about God, we work every day to build some sort of kingdom. we may work toward building our own individual kingdom, a kingdom for our family, a kingdom for our company, or any other number of kingdoms. but the point is, we serve someone. we set someone or something up on that pedestal and we live our life for it.

sometimes we live for money. sometimes it's fame. sometimes it's family. sometimes it's for someone else's agenda. sometimes it's politics. sometimes it's simply to chase happiness. and sometimes it's God.

personally conviction has set in over the last couple of weeks. how often do i really live to serve God? and who or what do i put in his place? and why do i live like that other thing matters more?

i know i cannot work simply work harder at it, and live a better life out of my own ability. and i know that living more for God will not change how much he loves me or accepts me. i know there are many things in my life that i must simply surrender to God over and over and over again [x(a million)]. but i also know that in building his kingdom i can rest in him, and his perfection and his sovereignty and his justice and his holiness. i know that his kingdom is the only one truly worth building. and though one day he will build a new heaven and a new earth, his kingdom will not pass away.


xo,
katie

Monday, February 24, 2014

Two Natures Within...

I have to admit, there was a show on Netflix last year that I really enjoyed...  Now this feels like a confession, because there was nothing, I mean NOTHING, redeeming about this show.  But it had some of my favorite actors and the story lines each week were fascinating...  I didn't realize this last season, but as I look back, it seemed to explore the depths of the darkness of the human heart, left to its own devices and schemes.  I was watching for when the second season would begin, which was last week...

Monday morning came, the kids were back in school and I was working on a jewelry project that made it possible  to watch and work at the same time...  But God has a wonderful sense of timing!

Earlier on Monday morning, I read Acts 3.  In Acts 3, Peter and John heal a lame man and the people are astounded, so Peter addresses the people and gives a powerful presentation of the gospel.  But it was verse 26 that grabbed my heart and mind, "God, having raised up His servant, sent Him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness."

God sent Jesus to bless us by turning us from our wickedness...  Jesus said that He came that we might have life and have it to the full...  Therefore, turning from our wickedness is necessary to live the abundant life!  Seems like a 'duh' moment when you spell it out like that...  but too often we live like we believe that pleasure, fun, satisfaction, the abundant life are found in the things of this world...  not the things, or the ways, of God!

So back to Monday morning...  I turned on the new episode and I started to watch.  I don't think it was any darker than last season, but something was different.  As I watched the episode unfold, a sense of uneasiness settled over me.  As the episode ended, I just sat...  The darkness of the story in that episode was oppressive...  People doing anything necessary to get what they want, including murder.  And as I sat God's word came back to mind...  Jesus came to BLESS us by turning us from our wickedness.  It is a BLESSING to turn away from wickedness, to reject it...  Then why on earth would I immerse myself in wickedness for the momentary pleasure of a tv show? 

Let's just say, that show is OFF my watch list, and in the future, I'm going to be more careful about what I add to my watch list...  Here's why... 

I was relating this incident to a very wise friend of mine and she started to recite a quote she remembered,
"Two natures beat within my breast,
The one is foul, the one is blessed
The one I love, the one I hate
The one I feed will dominate."  (Author anonymous)

I long to live the abundant life, not just experience it occasionally.  But if that's going to be true, I have got to stop feeding the old nature within...  I can't immerse myself in wickedness and be transformed (Romans 12:2, Be transformed by the renewing of the mind.)

The nature I feed is truly the nature that will dominate...  What I read, watch, talk about, think about, listen to, it ALL matters!  It's not about following a set of rules...  it's not about legalism...  it's ALL about the practices that will help me live the way I long to...  the way Jesus paid such a high price for me to be able to.

As I finish this blog, I'm resolving to get an index card to put a question on my bathroom mirror...  Each morning, I want to be reminded to think about, "Which nature will you feed today?"

Have a great week!
Sharla

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Logos & Labels -- Or Not

Several months ago, the hottest mobile device game was an App called Logo Quiz.  The point of the game was to identify logos by their color and shape without any identifying words.  My children were very 'culturally savvy,' progressing very quickly through the logos.  After some thought, I found it somewhat disturbing how good my children were at this game.  First and foremost because their 'expertise' was rather condemning of my parenting skills and the amount of media they were consuming.  However, the more troubling aspect was that they could easily identify an entire company and/or product by virtue of its label.

In our culture, marketing has done a great job in communicating very succinctly the images, emotions and ideas tied to a particular logo or label.  That is fine for a shoe or drink but when we try to reduce a multi-national company or a complex organization down to a label we dismiss a lot of information.

The same is true of people.  All too often, we try to reduce people to a label - a single aspect of their entire personality by which we define them.  And yet, the reality is that people are the Imago Dei - which is the image of God.  God is so complex and multifaceted that He has many names to describe His character, countless attributes which demonstrate His nature and all of history to reveal His work in the world.  Likewise, when God creates each person, he gives them a multitude of qualities, character traits and talents.

Jesus should be our example in this.  He never reduced anyone to one aspect of their entire being (a label).  Rather, Jesus always saw the person for the unique individual they were created to be.  It is difficult to be like Jesus -- after all, he was perfect -- but He has called us to follow in His steps.  To love as He loved is to see the complete person and the entire individual, not just the most prominent or easy to identify trait.

Blessings - Cynthia


    










Monday, February 10, 2014

rest

as a culture we kind of pride ourselves on being busy. we expect everyone to have a lot going on in their lives [maybe even too much]. and we're pushed toward that. if we have any free time, we must not be doing enough. i mean, how dare we take time to rest?

and if you ask me, all of this is compounded by that fact that we women have a whole other host of expectations placed upon us. [i'm not arguing that our male counterparts don't, but the expectations look different from one side to the other.] we are not only supposed to be "successful" with a spotless house, well-groomed and stylish children, either a great job or happily stay at home with the kids - depending on which side of the coin you live on - and a stylish wardrobe, perfect hair, zero wrinkles or any other indication that we may be getting older, flawless skin, the perfect body, and anything else you'd like to add to the list of unattainable, but actually expected expectations.

so let's get real for a minute. really real.
our culture is full of crap. and no matter how hard we try to attain the unattainable list listed above it's not going to happen. and frankly, if you somehow do make it happen, you'll kill yourself getting there, and you're still not going to be happy.

so what does all this mean? it means we can all breathe a sigh of relief and be really honest with each other.

we all need grace, and God is gracious enough to give us his grace. when he looks at us he sees that our price has been paid. we have been bought with the blood of Christ, and he sees us as perfect standing before him.

that means we can rest. we don't have to try to impress God. and we couldn't if we tried. but we don't even have to try. we can simply rest in him.

and we can be honest with each other about our struggles. big or small. we can honestly say that the expectations of our culture are ridiculous and unattainable and push back against them by letting our lives be defined by God and the fact that we are his children, rather than by the size of our houses, the niceness of our cars, and how well we measure up to the standards set by everyone else.

we can be honest with each other when everything is not great and wonderful and rest in the prayers of the saints lifting us up.

we can rest in the arms of our heavenly father knowing that we are perfectly accepted and perfectly loved regardless of our circumstances. regardless of what life is handing us. regardless.

xo,
katie

Monday, February 3, 2014

The Dance

The last time I wrote, I shared what's been on my heart about it being a year when I really learn to do life my Father's way, instead of my way.  A week or so after I wrote that, I was having coffee with a friend and we got into a conversation about what it means to abide in Jesus...  to live life His way... to do nothing apart from Him.

We had a great conversation, but I continued to think it about long after we parted.  This week I want to share with you what has been on my heart regarding abiding in Christ.  This is the imagery that was so vivid to me...

I love to dance with Scott (my husband) more than anything!  I get so excited when we have a wedding, or some event, when I know there will be an open dance floor.  I don’t like the usual "young people (or "young at heart") dancing, but I love it when he takes me in his arms and leads me around the dance floor.  

In the moments, when I can forget myself and any self-conscience thought about others watching, I totally relax and the dance is effortless.  I feel so graceful (even though I’m not) and it’s so easy…  I’m completing trusting him and letting him guide me.  And it doesn’t take much to guide me, a slight shift in the direction of his shoulders, the change of the pressure of his hand on my back, the nudges are so subtle, no one else can see them, but it is so easy to follow him.  I don’t worry that we’ll run into anyone, no matter how crowded the dance floor is, because I trust him to guide me.  I go where he goes, my steps perfectly mirror his.  And the really cool thing is, I’ve been married to him so long, I’ve danced with him so many times, it just gets easier and easier because I know him so well and I care less and less what other people think! 

But over the years, there have been many times when I’ve remembered where we are and what we’re doing and I tense up and start worrying about getting it right.  It’s then that I trip over his feet, lose my step or cause us to run into someone.  In other words, I try to take over the leading and it becomes somewhat of a tug-a-war!  It’s awkward, uncomfortable and not so much fun anymore.


There is an interesting question though…  While Jesus is the one with the responsibility to lead, I am not without responsibility.  How do I live the life He’s called me to, without taking the lead?  When am I following His leading and when am I taking matters into my own hands?  I think the word that sums it up might be intent.  When I dance with Scott, I have to be intentional about letting him lead, I have to choose and then willingly submit to him.  I have to resist the urge to control our direction, or worry about the obstacles around us.    I have to pay attention and realize when I’ve taken over the dance and choose to follow again.  And if we dance often, his guidance becomes more and more natural and easy to follow.

And it's the same with abiding in Jesus...  the longer we dance with Him (abide) the easier it becomes to sense His guiding, His subtle nudges, His gentle shift in direction...  We can trust Him to lead us through life's obstacles and when we stumble, or try to take over, we don't have to leave the dance floor, we just have to relax back into His Spirit and let Him have the lead again...  every moment holds a choice, will I abide with my Savior?  Or will I take control and do it my way?

May this be a year we all learn to dance!

Blessings,
Sharla

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Winter Storm Warning!!!

 


So, today we wake up to a warning for a 'major winter storm.'  If your children are anything like mine, there was much rejoicing.  When they were younger, they would use methods to ensure the coming of snow: putting spoons under their pillows, wearing their pjs inside out, flushing ice cubes down the toilet and repeating a snow chant -- yes, this is the cumulative wisdom garnered from the 8 year old sages at school.  On the other hand, parents are pulling out shovels, finding the 'big coats' and making sure there is enough food to last a day or two.

Yet, don't we do the same things in life.  We anticipate storms in our life and either look for the good or prepare for the worst.  For 'life storms' I would offer different advise: prepare for the storm and find the good.  Not to minimize the impact of storms (whether they be financial, relational, physical, et cetera) because I know that life storms can be some of the most brutal.  All I'm saying is whatever advanced preparation you can do (although occasionally time is part of the storm) may be helpful. 

Before my mother passed away from cancer, she had several bouts with that disease.  One thing I remember is 'wig day.'  When the day came that Mom needed to get a wig, my mother and her best friend had 'wig day.'  In the morning, they scouted out wig shops and shopped until they found the right one.  Then they went out and 'tested' it at lunch.  Don't get me wrong, there were still tears and it was not a 'happy go lucky' day but it was a way of making a very awful part of the storm bearable.  

Years later, I spoke with Mom's best friend and she told me that it was one of her hardest yet most embraced memories.  The other thing she told me is that from the time she left her house to pick up Mom and throughout they day, she prayed.  She didn't simply try to cover up the bad with a diversion, but put it into the hand of our loving God and knew He would walk beside them.

I don't know if you are facing a storm, in the middle of a storm or enjoying a time of peaceful breezes but from my experience with 'storms' I have learned a couple of things.  You can't avoid storms - you don't control life.   You can't pretend that a storm is not raging around you - you must walk into it with strength knowing God will guide your steps.  You can't obsess about the likelihood of a huge 'storm' coming - you can't predict what may or may not happen.  The biggest lesson of all: talk it over with God.  And I don't mean offer up lofty prayers with stilted holy language.  I mean pour yourself a cup of your favorite beverage (tea, coffee, juice, bubble water....), find a comfortable place (preferable private....audible conversation with God can be disconcerting to others) and have a conversation with God (actually speak to Him because he is in the room).  

May you find our God faithful in all your storms -- Cynthia