I’ve been thinking about my list that we talked about earlier. I began to compile some entries of things I would like to accomplish, places I would like to see, and just some general things I would like to experience. Then I was interrupted by some philosophy on the subject.

As a whole I think lists of these kinds are a good thing. Life gets busy. Perhaps it’s good to have some of these things recorded lest a lack of being able to focus and see them before me would cause me to miss an opportunity to achieve a God-given desire of the heart.

However, I know people who allow their lists to keep them living a life of want. Their hopes, dreams, and wishes are not winged preparing them for the future. Rather they serve as weights that keep them in perpetual discontent.

I have had seasons of discontent. For me continual dissatisfaction is not way to move forward. This kind of thinking is frustrating and stagnating.

In Philippians 4:12-13 Paul says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

1 Timothy 6: “But godliness with contentment is great gain.

However, there is the other side of the coin. Contentment can also be used as an excuse for becoming spiritually and physically dormant. I have also been plagued by the “good enough for me” mentality. This also has never proved to be a philosophy useful for moving forward.

God has a lot to say about contentment in the Bible. Contentment in Him. However, as far as I can tell God’s contentment is not about living at a standstill but about action.

I'll put a few of these things at the top of my list:

1 Timothy 6: 11-12 (Paul's Charge to Timothy)

• pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
  
• Fight the good fight of the faith.
  
• Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Philippians 4:8-9

• Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
• Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 3:12-14

• Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.
  
• But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and
  
• straining toward what is ahead,
• I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 37

• 1 ^[a] Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
• 3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
• dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
• 4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
• 5 Commit your way to the LORD;
• trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

• 7 Be still before the LORD and
• wait patiently for him;
• do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
• 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;

So having said all of that here is the rest of my list in progress:

• I would like to travel to Ireland where it surely seems that God’s favorite color is green.
• …and to the Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan, where God proves he doesn’t pick favorites.
• I would also like to visit Australia (I love the accent) and tour Europe.
• I have had my sights set on a hot air balloon ride for years.
• I plan to become a published author.
• Finish my college education
• Learn to make stained glass
• Build bird feeders with my sons and take up watching the birds on short winter days
• Whale watching
• Disney World. . . to be continued. I would love to hear some of yours.

Have a great day.

Shakespeare in the Parks

To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. ~ Henry David Thoreau

“I’m going to take the time to do that one of these days.”

One of these days . . . is such a presumptuous phrase. I assume I’ll be given all the days I want to do those things that I want to get around to. This week an opportunity knocked to do one of those things that I've been going to do for a long time.

Every summer Montana State University goes on the road to present Shakespeare in the Parks. Each performance is offered at no charge to the public. It was a fantastic experience. The first evening I sat with my sons in a local park which was transformed into a wonderful outdoor theater. We watched and listened as the cast brought Shakespeare’s “Alls Well That Ends Well” to life.

In the distance you could here children playing in the park. Birds fluttered and twittered about in the nearby tree branches. Clouds rolled in and out creating an ever changing backdrop for the stage.

The second evening my husband joined us for “Macbeth” in a nearby town. It started out equally as wonderful. However, we soon discovered that outdoor theater is not without its drawbacks. The play included some stormy scenes and thunderous sound effects. About half way through the performance there was no more need for sound effects. Nature provided all the stormy elements. The play was called due to lightening followed moments later by a torrential downpour. Maybe you’ve heard of the curse of Macbeth.

Anyway, I was so blessed to be a part of Shakespeare In The Parks. The performances were wonderful and I soaked up the culture of the arts like a sponge. Perhaps best of all is that I was in such good company. Being joined by my teenage sons and later by my husband (. . . and of their own free will) was awesome. On the way home we talked about the plot and the characters and how some of the characters reminded us of people we know. Of course I thought to myself,“What took me so long?"

Talking isn't doing.
It is a kind of good deed to say well;
and yet words are not deeds.
William Shakespeare

Roots

Job 14: 7-9

7 "At least there is hope for a tree:
If it is cut down, it will sprout again,
and its new shoots will not fail.

8 Its roots may grow old in the ground
and its stump die in the soil,

9 yet at the scent of water it will bud
and put forth shoots like a plant.

It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.

~Robert Louis Stevenson






Jeremiah 17: 7-8

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."

I know the physical, emotional, and spiritual vibrations of being uprooted.

Thankfully I also know the assurance of being rooted in God’s love. A heart (or a tree) can survive the most difficult storms if God’s hand is gripping the roots.

When it rains, it pours

When it rains, it pours! The last couple of weeks I have been smack dab in the middle of a downpour of blessings.

I have been told that the two weeks of rain earlier this year brought portions of Wyoming more precipitation than we normally get in an entire year. It’s been wonderful. The desert is a lovely shade of green, forest fires are at bay, and the crops look promising. The small lakes have water and the rivers and streams are flowing.

It’s a great head start on the season. Though nature has made provisions to make it last through mountain run-off, much of the early moisture will be long gone by the end of summer. It is evaporated, absorbed, and used. The head start, however, provides strength for the growing season and relieves effects of arid weather making future precipitation more beneficial.

I belong to a very small church in an area of Wyoming where Christianity is not necessarily in the majority. For the third year in a row we have been the destination of an amazing team of missionaries from Arizona. We now fondly refer to their time here as Arizona Week. This year Arizona Week was actually two weeks of sweat, friendship, and awesome accomplishment. We had the opportunity to work along side these folks as they rewired electricity, plumbed, cleaned, prayed, laughed, built, painted, and coached.

One of their primary goals was to help us hold a sports camp for children. Along with the teaching of soccer and basketball skills the “coaches” taught biblical truths to our young sports enthusiasts. It was a great (and exhausting) experience powered by God.

The “Arizona Team” is an awesome example of selfless love and servitude. Their time here affects my spirit much the same way that the uncharacteristic rains this year affected the Wyoming desert. Working along side of them gives me strength and encouragement for the journey and relieves the effects of spiritual dryness. I see in them the potential each of us has in being children of God.

Like a Thanksgiving feast, I take in as much as I can. The nourishment is needed for growth and I thank God for them. Also like Thanksgiving dinner and the ample rain showers I really can’t get enough to last all year. Now that I have once again been given a burst of blessings I need to continue onward and upward toward the goal. I want to be prepared to absorb the moisture when and where it is offered and to pass it on at every opportunity.

Staying in Shape

We began each day of sports camp with stretching and warm-up exercises. Sounds easy enough. I am quite active in my daily routine at work and in the garden. I live a relatively healthy lifestyle. However, it was here, at the very beginning that I realized how out of shape I had become. At first, I thought I was keeping up pretty nicely. I could meet all of the necessary requirements for warming-up. . . I thought. It was then that I discovered that I had aced the introductions to the exercises. I was not really prepared for the, “O.K., now let’s do ten of those” portion of the program.

I can’t help but make the comparison to my Christian walk. It doesn’t usually seem too tough. I am able to do all of the “necessary” things. Then I wondered. Am I prepared for what God has planned for me? Am I ready for the real application where the rubber hits the pavement? Or am I terribly out of shape despite my daily activities?

Like A Well-Watered Garden

Isaiah 58: 11

The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.

A couple weeks ago I finally got a vegetable garden planted. It has been one of things that has taken up permanent residency on my list of things I want to do. I haven't had much luck in the past. Okay, it's not so much about luck. I just haven't done a very good job.

I have had these grandiose ideas about how to fill my sizable garden plot. I've been known to spend hours searching through seed catalogs and way too much time at the local green house. I have even used graph paper to design the vegetable rows and squash hills. I have discovered that with some creative hoeing you can make the water between the rows run up hill (well, sort of). I learned that having grand ideas for my garden does not make me a great gardener. It doesn't take long until I am overrun by weeds and unable to take care of the daily maintainence that such a splendid design requires. I temporarily gave up and have not planted anything the last couple of years.

While on my gardening hiatus, I realized that I missed
it. I missed working in the dirt, planting seeds, and waiting for them to come to life. Gardening puts me in the center of God's handiwork. In the garden I can clear my mind, get dirt under my fingernails and wait for the miracle of every bloom.

This year I planted about an eighth of the available space. My husband tilled the soil. My son hoed the rows and together we planted a few tomatoes, peppers, and bean plants. And zucchini . . . because zucchini pretty much grows itself.

I also ventured a little deeper into the flower bed with some marigolds and sunflowers. I was filled with excitement to discover that every sunflower seed had poked through the soil. Now I can watch with anticipation as they grow noticeably every day.

The garden is full of simple and precious lessons for me. For example: Over planning beyond my means and ability just to fill space is not a good idea. Acknowledging God's roll in everything that grows, including friendships, children, and my relationship with Him is imperative to being blessed by the results. The weedy things are much easier to handle if you tackle them as they come rather than letting them get out of control.

Have a Great Day
~Lisa

Some thoughts on lists and busy-ness

This is the time of year when I am most susceptible to the onslaught of the busy-ness virus. I’m not exaggerating when I say that busy-ness can be a viable disease in my life, especially spiritually speaking. I'm not talking about the productive and meaningful kind of busy. I'm referring to the unfruitful, running around in circles kind.

The illness of busy-ness first attacks my priorities causing me to temporarily alter the importance of things. Then, once my priorities are “adjusted” it’s easy for infection to set in. The primary symptoms of incoming toxicity are frustration, irritability, and poor workmanship. Then the nutritional deficiency (a.k.a. less Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship) begins to have effect. With these factors in place the unfavorable environmental factors become poisonous and balance is just a memory.

In short, it is much easier to nip busy-ness in the bud than it is to stop it once it’s started. I’ve found some preventative measures that seem to be working for me. First of all, when I start to feel the frenzy I spend more time being nourished by the Bible and prayer. Staying tuned in tends to give my priorities more immunity. More recently I’ve started making lists.

Lists are good for short and middle term things that I need to keep organized. Checking off the list gives me a sense of accomplishment and hope that I am making progress.

Another Kind of List

I’ve also become increasingly aware of another kind of list. Long term lists of goals, hopes, and dreams. We recently watched “The Bucket List” on DVD. It was a lot more thought provoking than I had anticipated. Without giving too much away I’ll try to say something about what I got out of the movie. The “bucket list” itself started out as a philosophical assignment to create an inventory of things to do before one “kick’s the bucket”.

I’ve never made a real “bucket list” but I have a rather rough and incomplete draft of one that simmers somewhere in the back of my mind. The list of things we want to do or to accomplish in life would be very revealing of what is in the soul. I wondered, if I had such a list, how in the end, my list of “wannas” would compare to the list of things that I actually did accomplish. In the movie the list boiled down to what brings us joy and what gives joy to others. Hmmm, something to think about.

Last year I read “101 Things You Should Do Before Going to Heaven”, by David Bordon and Tom Winters. The title pretty much tells what it’s about. I got it back out as my mind turned to the concept of lists. There are some things listed in the book that I probably wouldn’t put on my list, but it helps me get the wheels turning. Here’s a few chapter headings: Eat Cheesecake for Breakfast, Be An Answer to Prayer, Grow a New Friend, Read the Classics, Clean Someone Else’s Toilet.

I’m going to start an official list of my own. I don’t think it can hurt to record the desires of the heart. Maybe bringing these things forward a little with some focus and attention will open my spiritual ears to better hear the plans God has for me. I expect some things on the list will change as I change and my hearing becomes sharper. I also expect that some things on the list will never change.

I’m not going to make a lot of rules and regulations for my list. I’m going to allow the frivolous and impractical to sit with the heartfelt and soulful. Then I plan to listen.

1 King 19: 11-12 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

The prescription I've written myself for the prevention of busy-ness is to be still before the LORD. For me this is the most challenging and most important aspect of my lists, my thoughts and my actions.

As the list or lists develop I will share them here. Are you a list maker? I would love to hear about what's on your list. Thanks for stopping in. - Lisa

Lord, let it be so!

John 15: 1-3 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

Jeremiah 17:7-9

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.

8 He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit."

Keep Your Lamps Burning

The World of Queue

I recently read that the average person will spend about three years of life waiting in line. There are all types of lines to wait in. For example: amusement parks, grocery stores, the DMV, doctor’s offices, restaurants and of course the much loved automated phone systems. Please press two.

This statistic wasn’t too surprising. I was a little taken aback, however, when I discovered that waiting in line has developed an entire industry. These queues (lines of waiting people) involve everything from telecommunications to traffic flow. Queuing theory is the mathematical study of waiting in line. I’m not making this up. An industry has evolved whose primary purpose it is to cut down the time in lines and to keep us happy while we are waiting. It seems we are happier if we are being entertained, informed or in some way distracted while we wait.

I’ve been fortunate. I haven’t had to endure the world of queue much lately. My last big wait was for spring. For no particular reason this past winter seemed to be very long and spring teased and sneaked its way in between the snow squalls.

It’s now June 1st and I am convinced that this is spring. The days are pleasant with cooler evening and mornings. There’s not much threat of snow and it’s raining more than usual. April 1st I started noticing the first signs of spring. Green blades of grass poked through the dead lawn and the early birds were growing restless. I began my annual ritual of awaiting the bloom of the lilac tree. The full light purple blossoms are a treat to my eyes and the sweet aroma is a gift from God. I decided to record its progress. At first there was little or no sign of advancement. However, I knew that on the inside it was changing.

This is not the first time that I’ve waited for signs of change. If you’ve ever told anyone about your faith in Jesus, you’ve probably hoped for results. If you’ve ever offered the world’s greatest advice or tried to make a difference in a life through teaching, loving, praying, or coaching you may know the angst that sometimes follows as you wait for results. And if you're a praying person you know what it's like to wait on the Lord.

I find that I don’t always get to see the changes taking place beneath the surface. I am simply asked to be obedient. I can plant and water, but God does the real work in his time as only he can do it. I just have to except that change is taking place weather I can see it or not, just like with the lilacs.

Not being able to see or know everything that I may want to also has benefits. It plants faith and makes it grow. Because I am given faith I am given hope and I have no desire to live in a world without hope. “We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us.
(Hebrew 6: 18-20 The Message)

The Bible talks a lot about waiting. It tells about waiting patiently (Romans 8:25), waiting in hope (Psalm33:20), waiting eagerly. (1 Corinthians 1:7), and waiting to the point of embarrassment (Judges 3:25). “God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.” (1 Peter 3:20)

As God’s children we are called to wait. Romans 8:23 says, “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the LORD, be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

God’s Queuing System

I believe God has a queuing system of his own. His is not a systematic plan of distraction but of use and purpose. We are not to sit motionless, tapping our fingers with impatience and boredom. “We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.” (2 Thessalonians 3:11)

The Bible is full of things to do while we wait for the LORD. Luke12:35-37 sums it up pretty well. "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them."

Psalm 37:3-7 gives some great advice on how to keep the lamps burning. “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit you way to the LORD; Trust in him and he will do this. He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;”

They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain." Job 29:23

- Lisa

Up Hill Both Ways

Up Hill Both Ways

Have you traveled the up hill slopes of life? I know that I have. My up hill treks vary in length and their degrees of steepness. In some aspects of life I seem to be continually straining upward and yet never ascending. I've done it enough to know that up hill exercises on stationary paths are exhausting and fruitless.

Ahh, how I have longed to hear, “Well done, it’ll be all down hill from here.” However, God makes me no such promise. He promises peace when my mind is steadfast on him (Isaiah 26:3) and He promises to make me steadfast (1 Peter 5:10). He promises rest when I am weary (Matthew 11:28), and direction when I acknowledge Him (Proverbs 3:6). He supplies a sufficient amount of grace (2 Corinthians 12:9) and promises to go before me and with me and to never leave me or forsake me (Deut. 31:8). Even equipped with all that I could ever need or want I still find that the journey is not always easy. I still

tend to wander off in my own direction and wonder why part of the walk seems to be an up hill battle . . . both ways.

Tests

John 6:5-6
"When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Life is full of tests. I’ve heard it said that life is a test. All of the answers have multiple choices. In all of our circumstances we will act or react. We will say something or pray something

I am convinced that God is not waiting anxiously to see what my response will be to any given trial or temptation. I do not believe He is surprised by my weaknesses, strengths, growing spurts or back slides. He already knows. Why all the testing, trials, and tribulations then. They are always honing and refining experiences. They give me a report on my progress or lack thereof. God, in His perfect wisdom, gives me a snapshot of areas in out relationship, humbles me, lifts me up and infinitely gives me another chance to get it right.

Some lessons seem pretty cut and dry. Choices are made and consequences, both good and bad, are received. It’s the proverbial routine of live and learn. God, as I am growing to know Him, is anything but routine and predictable. By nature, I tend to attempt a viable understanding of God’s system of weights and measure. Grace is free and God does not play favorites in any circumstances. His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. (Romans 2:11; Isaiah 55:8)

Shortcuts

I know (Romans 8: 38-39) and am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Still, I have seen caught myself trying to tip the scales. I don’t think it’s conscious. I have seen my attempts to drag the “give more and hope to get more” mentality of the world into my relationship with Him. It occurred to me that I have a desire to take shortcuts.

Romans 8:28-31 says: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

With all of this going on, I’m looking for shortcuts. It sometimes amazes me that God would give me the time of day. But he does. All the time of every day, day after day, without fail. I am grateful that I don’t get what I deserve nor do I deserve anything that He gives.

And still I know I have plenty of good hearted, well intentioned company when I say there are times when I would prefer to have my own way. I long to understand the inconceivable character of God. I think there are times when my faith in His infinite ability magnifies the implausible “why” questions.

Focusing on the “whys” of the inconceivable rattles my faith and alters my prayers. It affects my relationship with my savior and leads to the temptation to take matters into my own hands.

I have found this is generally the starting point for walking up hills both ways rather than allowing Him to guide me gently down the other side.

Deut. 8:1-3

Do Not Forget the LORD

1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. 2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

Colorado Christian Writers Conference

I have just returned from a six day “cloud seeding” extravaganza in the rocky mountains of Colorado. The Colorado Christian Writers Conference, held annually in Estes Park, is a convergence of writers, editors, publishers, and others from the writing industry.

My soul was nourished in so many ways. Gathering with a couple hundred people with similar goals and faith has a way of calming and stirring the desires of my heart at the same time. I think it is comparable to putting your hopes, dreams, prayers, petitions and praises in a pot together, bring to a rapid boil, reduce heat, and simmer.

To a writer there is maybe nothing more desirable than to present your message with truth and grace in God’s perfect timing. This was a common theme throughout the conference. Saturated with thoughts like these, standing on the ground among the elk, looking up at mountain peaks that extend into the clouds, my faith was elevated. It’s inevitable. The scenery demands that I remember how small I am and how awesome God is.

I am amazed by the willingness of the staff to share their knowledge and their know-how with others. All of the people I talked with and met with were willing to go above and beyond their call to duty. My continuing session workshop, Communicate to Change Lives, was lead by Jim Watkins. If you are a speaker, writer, or in some other way wish to communicate to change lives I encourage you to visit his website at jameswatkins.com and check out his newest book, “Communicate to Change Lives in person and print.”

I will be sharing some of my ponderings and experiences from the conference over the next couple weeks on this blog.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping in - Lisa

Celebrate

Psalm 118:24
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Every new day is a cause for celebration. I'm feeling particularly celebratory lately. It's one of those times when it's easy to have an attitude of gratitude.

Spring seems to finally have sprung. It's been a long anticipated season.
My oldest son is coming home from his first year of college this week. I am so excited to have him back home. Sending him off was harder than I ever had imagined. I've grown and groaned a lot in the process.

In a couple weeks I am heading to the Colorado Christian Writers Conference. I'm so excited about the prospect of meeting new people with a common interest. There will be instruction and worship and scenery that you would have to see to believe.

I've just become a team captain in our local Relay for Life event (through the American Cancer Society). I'm really excited about the opportunity and the privilege to play even the smallest role in this annual fund raiser.

I could also make a list of things which I am not so apt to celebrate. It's easy to let these things take over my thoughts and drowned out my joy. Some days I just don't feel like celebrating. The rain on my parade can wash away my joy.

However, God says, "look on the bright side." Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Luke 15 is brimming with cause for celebration. In the parable of the lost sheep Jesus said "Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Likewise in the parable of the lost coin, "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God."
And of course the lost son. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

I'm working on some simple ways to make everyday celebrations.

When I turn on my cell phone in the morning I am greeting with the message, "today has great potential." It's a good reminder.

I found some great plates in the dollar bin at the grocery store. They are decorated with a swirling pattern of rainbow colors and I love to use them. I also have some china. Sometimes it's fun to pull it out and use "just because."

I could stop at the store on the way home and pick up a balloon. When my bewildered family asks what it's for...I've got a golden opportunity to start a conversations about the wonders of God or to say that I've just been considering how blessed we are that all of our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20...but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.)

I'm going to clean up a bud vase for a single cut flower and attach a note of praise. A young friend of mine just completed her GED and is looking forward to graduation. I'm going to dig out my craft supplies and make her a hand-made card of congratulations.

The possibilities are endless. Our attitudes (both the good and the bad) are contagious. Though I am usually prepared to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep, my goal is to actively celebrate a lot more often and to spread a grateful and joyful attitude. If you have any ideas for some "every day kind of celebration" let me know.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Thanks,
Lisa

Cast Your Cares

Psalm 55:22
Cast your cares on the LORD
and he will sustain you;

The spring winds are still having their way around here and sure enough the signs of a new season are popping up all over. I am also aware of the signs of a new season moving within me. I expected it, much as I expect the change of any season, because I've seen and experienced it many times before.

However, this pattern of see and believe doesn't always work for me. I know from experience that I am not in control. God has shown me time and time again that He is in control and it always comes as such a relief. Repeatedly he has carried the load, mended the heart, and given grace for the day at hand. I know from experience that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Still, I occasionally find myself believing I've got everything under control. I get tired from carrying the load. The poisonous gases of anxiety and worry seep in. Faith is a journey that takes a lifetime. Meanwhile, I have found a good visual that helps me out. Literally putting my hands on a concept of faith helps me to build faith.

I discovered this exercise when I was a youth group leader. All you need is a helium balloon, a felt tip marker, something fairly heavy like a rock or a brick, a wide open space and faith that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

On the balloon, write down whatever is weighing you down. Maybe it’s a need to forgive someone or to be forgiven. Maybe it’s a load of responsibility that you just can’t carry by yourself anymore. It might be a loved one in trouble whom you feel powerless to help, a boss on your last nerve, or a dream that seems infinitely out of reach. Whatever it is that you long to give to the Lord, write it on the balloon.

Secure the string of the balloon and the brick in your hand and hold it straight out. While you’re doing this begin praying. Praise God for his ability and willingness to take the weight off your shoulders. Pray about the issue at hand. Ask for the strength to not retrieve it from him once you’ve given it to him. Pray what is on your heart. Before long, your arm will start to ache from the weight. But as in real life, you will be able to hold out a little longer. Eventually, your arm will give out and the rock will fall to the ground.

The balloon carrying your weighty words, however, is on its way into the sky and out of sight. Take a moment to weave the meaning of the symbolism into the fabric of your soul. I hope you feel lighter. I do.

This doesn’t mean that I’ll stop taking action or being concerned about this or that thing. Hopefully it means that my actions will be more fruitful unlike the exhausting re-actions that wear me out emotionally and physically. My concerns will motivate me to be closer to God rather than worries that lead me away.

...like this child

Matthew 18: 3-5

3And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."

Throughout life there are always any number of problems to solve and profound thoughts to be pondered. In the midst of it all I strive and struggle not to forget simplicity.It's easy to lose the ability to see life through the eyes of a child if we don't continue to hone those skills. I think this inability is as disabling in life as any other ability I have lost with age (or have never gotten around to trying at all).

I recently came across some poems which my mom has been saving. I loved them as a child. "My Shadow" which I'm including below was one of my favorites. I didn't know of Robert Louis Stevenson or his impressive list of literary accomplishments. I only knew that I enjoyed the words. I loved sitting next to my mother as she read and reread the children's books and poems to me. As I read over the poems I was transported to a simpler time and that familiar feeling stirred in me.

Whatever our work or our ministry we hope that it will make a difference. As a writer I hope that my words will touch lives. As a Christian I hope that I will do all things to His Glory. When I wrote my first "books" as a youngster, I simply wanted to tell a story. Story told...mission accomplished. It occurred to me that when my work on earth is weighed on the Kingdom scales it will not be the quantity that tips them one way or the other. It won't matter how many copies I've sold or how many articles I'll have had published. Nor am I convinced that it will be the relative quality. The real weight will be in the love, faith, and obedience involved in the work. With those things factored into my writing, the words will have no choice but to be effective in what ever way God determines.

My Shadow
by Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow-
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make of fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he's a coward, you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleep head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Fences

Fences are built on cloudy days
By the strong hands of many men
Fences are built with fallen trees
To keep things out and keep them in.

Fences are built in the blazing sun
Keeping within the property line
Fences are built lest we forget
What is yours and what is mine.

The strongest fences I've ever seen
Are the ones I saw in someone's heart
Maintained with precision and labored days
To keep this man and his Lord apart.

Waiting there where the grass is greener
I saw the Lord with grace throughout
And I knew the fence that wouldn't let Him in
Would someday soon never let Him out.

~Lisa Bose

The Winds of Change

Winds in the East...mist coming in...like something is brewin'...about to begin. I can't put me finger on what lies in store. I feel what's to happen all happened before. - (Burt just before Mary Poppins blows into town.)

The winds of change are dominating the weather. The morning breezes stretch as the birds sing and flutter from one perch to another. They are building their exposed nests on barren branches. They know the shelter of leaves is not far behind.

No two days are the same. The changes of spring are in the air showing themselves new and fresh every morning. Every moment of every day is filled with change.

I, too, anticipate the new life on the trees, the green grass, budding flowers, and warmer days. I've seen it happen every year. It is on faith, however, that I believe what I cannot see. The change is happening now. Life is steeping in the places that still look dead. It is all happening, unobservable to my eyes, under the watchful eye of the Creator, who never grows weary or tired.

By design people are proficient in sensory adaptation. For example: the aroma of the roast in the crock pot becomes all but undetectable to the cook who stays with it. But go outside for a short time and return. You'll get a great dose of what you've been missing. You are probably largely unaware of the watch on your wrist or the floor under your feet, until you focus on it.
These examples of sensory adaptation demonstrate that we generally need change to take notice. We tend to take in the world around us in ways that are most useful for survival and effective functioning.

It is change that captures our attention. Change makes us take notice and change is inevitable. And so it is with the seasons of my soul. Thankfully, I can rely on God for rest when I am weary. Also I can count on Him to stir me, lest I should become too complacent. Life is a journey of the soul towards Him. On the way we are promised enough grace for the day, strength for the task at hand, tests, trials, temptations, and rest. Change is inevitable. God knows how to get my attention for His purposes.

Sometimes it blows over me like a breath of fresh air and revives me. Other times change is forced upon me like a 60 mile per hour gust that takes my breath away and puts me too my knees in prayer.

I strive to remember that the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep will equip me with everything good for doing his will. (Hebrews 13:20-21)

Psalm 135:6-7
6 The LORD does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the seas and all their depths.

7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

I embrace change by keeping my eyes on the One who can measure the waters of this world in the hollow of his hand.

Be Still

Be Still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

The skies host the magnificent displays of the Creator. Every type of cloud adorns the clear blue backdrop. Swirls and wisps ballet around puffy flat bottomed clouds. It’s a treat for the eyes.

It’s spring in the mountains. The only thing predictable about the weather in these parts this time of year is the erratic inconsistency. The mountains, in their royal splendor, stand tall in the background playing games with the clouds pushing them here and there seemingly at will.

One minute I might be rolling up my sleeves to start some warm weather project outdoors and before the thought can become reality it’s squelched by a squall of snow, or rain, or any number of precipitation combinations. The wind is blowing. That much I can predict with a relative amount of certainty. I just won’t know how strong or from which direction, or the degree of the chill that will ride in with it.

It will some time yet before we start to see spring really make an appearance. For now I delight in the little things. The first robins who are brave enough to set up house early in the season, the green shoots of grass hiding cautiously under last years casualties, and the longer periods of daylight give enough hope to get me excited about the coming season.

I have even come to appreciate the Wyoming winds. Change is riding in on the wings of windy days and after a long winter, who isn’t ready for some change? I can even appreciate not knowing what to expect when I wake up every morning not to mention an hour from now. It’s a stunning reminder of the One who is in control. Sometimes no matter how noble my plans or how longingly I wish for warmer days God lets me know that He is the Creator.

Capricious conditions like these, in the changing Wyoming seasons and in the seasons of life, call me to slow down and take it in. I listen for the still, small voice that says, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) I muster the faith I need to be comforted by these words knowing that the God who whispers to me is the same God who said to the wind, "Quiet! Be still!” in Mark 39. “Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”

Be Present Where You Are

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus. Alexander Graham bell

I recently heard about a tragic, head on collision in which a driver was text messaging while driving. I’ve heard several similar stories. The why questions (some of them seemingly unanswerable) and the errors that seem so obvious after the fact churned in my thoughts. Errors of distraction like these seem obvious, avoidable, and easy to judge.

Eventually, my train of thought took me to another kind of err in judgment. What about the more ambiguous results of distraction?

It is no secret that my focus needs fine tuning. Alright, sometimes I’m not even on the right station. I catch myself thinking about what I’ve got to do at work when I’m at home and about all kinds of things at home while I’m working. No matter what I’m doing, it seems one buzz of the phone can transport me to any number of other areas of thought.

My “quiet time” and prayer time are not immune to distractions. In fact sometimes deciding to participate in these uninterrupted and focused snippets of time is just asking for trouble. I can be focused and less distracted, but it takes effort.

Even Jesus’ disciples had problems like these. In Matthew 26:36-40 for example:

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

When I’m praying, and my mind is playing back tapes of the day rather than focusing on the privilege at hand, how does this change the results? When I’m with my family and my unfocused mind takes me elsewhere, I am missing something, perhaps even altering the course of events. If I’m working and my mind is working on something else, I am clearly not doing the best job that I could be doing.

The work of our hands and the desires of the heart, planted and tended by a powerful God with a still quiet voice, require my attention. He is continually speaking, guiding, and directing me. I wonder how many times I’ve missed it because of busy-ness. Distractions, on the other hand, fall like assorted sizes of hail stones. Some are more damaging than others but it is unlikely I’d be hit by one and not notice.

If a driver can miss a car coming head-on towards them because of distraction then I could certainly miss an answer to prayer. What blessings have slipped past me without my noticing? How many opportunities to be a blessing have evaporated because of inattention?

Easter is a good season for new beginnings. I will be making a conscious effort to be present where I am and to watch for His hand in the details. Thankfully, His compassions are made new every morning.

That's Interesting

Jonah 4:10 But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight."

“That’s interesting.” I say it quite a bit and I hear it said even more. It’s true. A lot of things interest me. However, in today’s fast paced, over scheduled, information packed world I think it might help to be a little more particular about what I give my attention to.

At some point I considered the possibility of “that’s interesting” being an overused and slightly abused little phrase. The concept stirred me and I decided to delve a little deeper. In the process, I checked my trusty Merriam-Webster dictionary. A little way down the list of definitions I found one that grabbed my attention: “readiness to be concerned with or moved by an object or class of objects.” Since then, I have weighed a lot of interests by asking if something provided me with that readiness.

Of course, things I find interesting tend to get my attention. However, all too often I think it has just been whatever attention I had to spare for that moment. Then what happens? I guess, according to Merriam-Webster, I become uninterested which they define as “not having the mind or feelings engaged.”

This “discovery” moved me to be more conscious of what sparks my interest and a desire to be active in what moves and concerns me. Maybe it sounds like a no-brainer, but, the more I thought about it the less obvious the concept seemed. There are times when interests fall by the wayside while life revolves around necessities and the expectations of others. I fully understand that sometimes these things just can’t (and shouldn’t) be avoided and priorities have their rank. Then there's the risk of trying to be engaged in everything and everyone. Somewhere out there, balance exists. Without proper attention to what is in our hearts, I believe circumstances can readily be used as shovels to dig ourselves into ruts.

The nightly news is filled with dilemmas we face as a society from random shootings to global warming. I am considering the possibility that many of the issues on the news and others that manage to touch our lives might have some root in being uninterested or its close relative “indifferent.”

The following is an Elie Wiesel (holocaust survivor) quote:“The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.”

It’s a lot to think about. Does it interest you? It interests me. I have a readiness to take some kind of action. I have a pretty good list of excuses (a.k.a. good reasons) for not having done more. I have my fair share of time and financial restrictions. (We’ll talk more about that later.) Regardless, I want to take more forward steps, no matter how small. It beats running around in circles, which I have caught myself doing (figuratively, of course.) I’m not ready to save the world. I just want to be moved and concerned by what interests me; the things I find taking root in my heart. Please join me. I want to use this site to share interests and ideas for taking action. I would like to share with each other what we’re trying, what we’re doing, what’s working and what’s not. I look forward to sharing some of my ponderings and to hearing yours.

-Lisa