Traveling Towards Home

Genesis 8:22 "While the earth remains,Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat,And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease." I just love Fall. It is my favorite time of year. Not only is the earth a riot of color, but the special times with family are nearly here. I just love the crisp air, the bright clear skies. I love the rainy days as well; the soft patter of the drops as they soak the soil and clean up the atmosphere. Autumn also reminds me that God has promised the cycles of the seasons, and He does it with such artistry! With the tilt of the earth, even the sunlight changes the way things look; shadows and light appear sharper, more brilliant. It amazes me how each detail, even the way leaf and acorn fall to the earth, becomes a work of art. He never fails to keep his promise whether we remember Him or not. But don't forget to stop and and be thankful for the beauty that surrounds you. And then thank Him for his faithful attendance to th...

Well, we are 'here' and loving it. Almost all the boxes are unpacked, faces are becoming familiar and sometimes I can even put names with them! :o) God is good and He brought us to our new home safely. We are settling in and making our nest comfortable. We thank God for a home and loving church family. Now, to get to work. . . . more later!

Sometimes we are so focused on the future or a result of some work, that we fail to enjoy the present. It is with difficulty that we slow down to see the smaller moments and treasure the little things like the color of the lingering fall flowers, the smell of the earth after the rain, or the touch of a loved ones hand. Lately I've been so focused on when and where we will end up, that I've forgotten to appreciate the here and now. But in my haste to be somewhere, I've forgotten the precious gift of the present. God is able to wrap wonderful gifts up in the strangest paper sometimes. Rodger's joblessness this past 6 weeks has given us opportunity to spend time with our son and his wife. Their gracious sharing of their home has given us the time to get to know our daughter-in-law better and to be of service to them as well. The time spent eating together, running an errand, scrubbing a floor or straightening a room has been a blessing to all of us. I know that Rodg...

Perhaps you have experienced times in your life when you just wanted to give up, to throw in the towel, just call it quits. You felt that you could not go on. I have moments like that. Yesterday Rodger and I were blessed to speak with a dear friend who has been through incredible health issues. Recently both he and his wife have faced life-threatening illness. Today, he is thankful for each day, a gift from God to be thankful for. Our conversation focused on his gratitude for the little things; their jobs, their home and the once-overlooked joy of walking down the street. In pondering on our phone call, I thought on the obvious idea that God has a different view of our life. He can see the conclusion of the situation we are in. Although we cannot see it now, He has given us what we need to stand firm in our faith and face what the future brings. If we are truly His, we have the strength from God within us through his Holy Spirit. I recently read this quote by Helen Keller, ...

This morning, one of the sales blogs I follow asked this question. He went on to explain how attitude can make or break your sales. It isn't just about a good gimmick, or sales pitch. He used as illustration his delightful one year old daughter, who is happy to just 'be.' She spreads sunshine just by enjoying her little world. Just so, attitude can make or break our influence in every aspect of our life. We know that circumstances can make us unhappy, cranky, even belligerant. If we do not have a heart full of joy and gratitude, we can become selfish and demanding. I sometimes feel obligated to be angry and upset, because the world is just not a nice place. I begin to think I have a right to react negatively to it's rough and tumble treatment. But I find that is not what Christ wants from me. As His child, He asks me to supercede my selfish wants and desires. He asks me to act, not react, to the world. I don't mean that I am putting on a performance. It...

Some years ago, my dr. noticed I was very tense and suggested, "When in doubt, breathe!" I laughed and relaxed. At times of tension and stress in the years following, I have remembered those 4 simple words. Sometimes I have to consciously stop holding my breath and take the next breath. It's a simple act, but it helps to clear my foggy brain. Fresh air and fresh thoughts begin to fill my head and I can clearly see the next step. Once I can think, I am able to hear God as He directs my steps. Proverbs 16:9 "The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

Sunday night following our visit with the Lonestar congregation, our youngest daughter tapped her father's shoulder. He thought she would say she was getting hungry, as it was late and we hadn't eaten supper yet. But she surprised him by saying, 'Dad, I want to be baptized.' He came to get me and I burst out crying . . . tears of joy, but also of surprise. She has always been aware of things more than many her age, but I was not expecting this. We try hard, being a minister's family, not to push our children beyond their years, and yet, it is inevitable that she would hear and think on the spiritual things. That, indeed, has been one of our goals. I said long ago that if I entered heaven and did not find my own children there, I would have failed my mission in life. As a mother, my first and foremost goal is to bring my children up to love God and honor him with their lives. I can't make that happen, of course, but I can guide, teach, admonish and ooint...