Closets to Clean Out

Have you ever had a closet that was a disaster? And you finally tackled the daunting project, sat back and looked at the great job you did? Later in the day you went back, opened the door and smiled -- reveling in the fact that you completed such a huge feat, and patted yourself on the back for what great organizational skills you have!

You have two or three other closets that need re-doing, but for the next few weeks you keep going back to that beautiful closet, opening the door and smiling. "I'll get to the others soon," you say, and yet keep passing them by.

Isn't this just like sin in our lives? We're willing to get rid of one sin - and then we want to rejoice in the fact that that one is gone - but ignore the others because they're just too hard to let go of. I see an endless hallway of closets in my mind - and one by one - He wants me to clean them up. Not just clean it and then stand back and gaze at my handiwork . . . but to gently prod me on to attack the next closet.

I use this illustration a lot as I think about our Christian walk. Every day we are supposed to be learning and growing in the Lord -- getting closer to Him each day -- and as we learn and grow, we see the imperfections that He wants us to work on. The closer I get to the Lord, the more I find. Some are very minute, but He wants to help me work on them -- one at a time. Until I am a pure reflection of Him. James 1:2-4 is a perfect passage for this -- the end of the verses say this, ". . . perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Wow! I want to be mature and complete! But to do that, I must persevere. I haven't done the greatest job at that. I have back-tracked, side-tracked, zig-zag-tracked, and every other kind of off-track you can come up with. I am however, determined to keep on. I must clean out all of my closets, one at a time. And not go back and dwell on what a great job I did -- but to keep moving forward, knowing that He wants to finish a work in me.

Cake Anyone?

This past week I've planned, lived and breathed (literally- but we'll get to that later) - a wedding cake. Joe and Kendra are about the sweetest young couple I've met and they are like family to us. Little did I know what an adventure their cake would turn out to be.

This particular cake reminded me of the body of believers. The analogy of the "body" - and all of us being different parts and given different talents is one of my favorites (i.e. - You may be a hand, I may be a foot - but we are all important parts and useful- it's in the Bible guys, go look it up!) Anyway, as I was making this cake I thought of all of us. Twenty different layers of cake had to made, cooled, leveled, iced, and smoothed. All the buttercream icing had to be made (and I inhaled so much powdered sugar it's not even funny). Hundreds of roses were made by hand, petal by petal, dried and then placed precisely in their spot surrounded by 400 piped in leaves. All the tiers had to be placed on special boards, and packed in separate boxes to make the arduous journey up a winding mountain highway and then a dirt road to the mountain resort. Hours before the wedding - came the daunting task of assembly. One by one, all seven tiers took their place. Lots of icing was used to make the final border on each tier - ribbon, butterflies and petals were added. It all came together to make a beautiful creation.

As Christians, we should be doing the same - coming together to be beautiful and do beautiful work for our great God. When you are making a cake, icing can fix just about anything. Sometimes, some of us need a little more "icing" than others - meaning a little more encouragement to hold us up and keep us from falling apart. :)

So, my question is this: What can we be doing for each other that would help us come together to make the beautiful creation He has intended us to be? Maybe we need to spend a little more time encouraging one another. Maybe we need to spend a little more time praying for one another. And maybe, we need to spend a little more time loving one another.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Chocolate chip pancakes, homemade strawberry syrup, fresh whipped cream . . . Are you hungry?

Every once in a while, I go all out and make this ooey-gooey, sweet, chocolatey breakfast. The kids love it and we all enjoy piling up the plates. This picture is actually from July 4 - not only a special day, but one that holds special significance to me because God taught me another lesson.

We have a rule in our house that there is no whining, grumbling or complaining. (There's actually a 5 cent fine for the kiddos!) Well, on the morning of July 4 as we were preparing to have our "indoor" parade and fixing up all of our goodies for the day -- I watched Holly as she ate her chocolate chip pancakes. She enjoyed every little bite, closing her eyes as she savored the flavors, licking her lips and sighing. (Did I mention that she's an adult?) I chuckled as I watched her and was reminded that God gives us so many of these experiences. Every moment of every day should be an act of worship - and we should cherish every little thing that He so graciously gives us -- even something as small as eating a plate of chocolate chip pancakes. But . . . do we?

How many adults do you know that whine and grumble and complain? I know quite a few - and I'm ashamed to say, myself included. Oh, you may not hear it - it may just be that I'm whining in my head - but, I'm whining just the same. Chocolate chip pancakes that day reminded me of the rule I have for my children. I would never let them say, "Why does she have more chocolate chips than me?" or "My whipped cream isn't touching all the pancakes!" But - Wow! Have you listened to some of the adults around you lately? How about yourself? Ouch.

The Bible tells us to do all things without grumbling or complaining. (Don't you like my emphasis?) How are you doing on that one? Maybe we should all make signs (like the one in my schoolroom) - and fine ourselves for whining, grumbling or complaining. We have SO much to be thankful for and yet, we focus on what we don't have or what we can't do or how hard life is!

What kind of examples are we being? And what do others see in us? Are they going to walk away from us and think, "Whew, she sure is a complainer!" Or will they see that we can worship and glorify God even through the tough times?

I'm challenged to work on this, how about you? And suddenly, I have a hankering for chocolate chip pancakes.

Running... out of time

I'm always amazed at how time flies! Our beautiful daughter had brain surgery 11 months ago; it feels like it was just yesterday, and it also feels like a lifetime has passed since then. Where did the time go? My kids were babies just yesterday . . . weren't they? My beautiful sister reminded me that my son will be a teenager soon . . . let's just NOT go there! :)

In the midst of homeschooling and everyday life (and all of the chaos from the past couple of years) -- I actually have people who think since we are home all of the time that I have lots of time on my hands! To this, I have to laugh. Yes, we don't go anywhere and we don't get out of the house much - but, we CAN'T. Our lives are different from everyone else. Kayla must live in a constant temperature - to change that could put her life at risk. Our world is inside our home. And our lives are VERY busy. Homeschooling takes up a huge amount of time, but we love it.

Well, I digress. I'm a musician and I love music and all my training, but I feel the Lord has called me to write. I have been writing for about 10 years now - but for the longest time was afraid to even tell anyone! I basically thought it was a good outlet for me - you know for all of this creative energy and thought that we "artsy, creative" types have. :) (My husband teases me about my "wheels" always turning and that I can't shut them off- I try, but I fail . . . every time.) Anyway, several very influential people helped me to see that I was hiding in my fear. So, I ventured forth. Tracie, Jim, Heather, Mary, Polly, Carrie and many others have been there to encourage and are ready to prod me along-- even to give that occasional "kick in the pants" that I really DO need! :) God is so good to provide just what and who we need at the right times.

My title for this was: Running . . . out of time. Aren't we all running? Shouldn't we be running? Hebrews 12:1-3 says this, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart." (NASB)

So yes, I'm running. And I'm running out of time - we ALL are. I'm running the race set before me and as the enemy tries to steal my time (especially my writing time, it seems) I'm going to keep ON running. How many more people will God place in my path? I don't know - because I don't know how much time I have left -- but I DO know that He wants me - and all of us - to be lights for Him, use the gifts that He has given us, and keep running the race.

Throw off those encumbrances, get rid of that sin, fix your eyes on Jesus and let's run with whatever amount of time we have left.

Legacy of Love

I'm working on a story idea that is inspired by my grandparents. I wish you all could know them because they are incredible people. They have been married 65 years and pass down a legacy to us that could never be duplicated. (We can try, mind you, but we'll never achieve it.) Every morning - and I mean EVERY morning - for all this time -- they have prayed for each member of our family and our needs. (And let me tell you, that is no small feat as there are more than 50 of us now.)

So, as I am working on a contemporary Alaska series right now - this idea keeps popping in my mind and I've added more and more to the file - Legacy of Love. (David Phelps - my favorite Christian Artist - has a song entitled by that too.) It brings me to this question: What are we (you and I) passing on to our children? ... to others around us? Are we just going through the motions - doing just enough to make it through the day? Do we look back at the past days, weeks, months, even years and say, "Where did the time go?" And to those of you who know us and all that has gone on in our lives the past few years understand how easy it would be to just keep saying, "I just have to get past ______". It's true, I've said it many times!

Personally, I desire so much more than that. I'm praying that I will keep my focus. That I will concentrate on things of eternal value and not those that are wood, hay and stubble. And as I bask in HIS amazing Grace and Love - to be reminded that I am forgiven and need to run the race that is set before me.

My Grandparents have been a true and living example of that. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa.