Traveling Towards Home

Long ago, on the day of our marriage, Rodger and I heard these words, “Jesus doesn’t just have the answers to life, He is the answer.” While many of the other words and memories have faded or been forgotten, that truth has stuck with me.   Life’s problems seek an answer. As Christians we are uniquely equipped with the answer. Now maybe I’m over simplifying this, but I don’t think so. We forget so often that heaven is our home and we should have the eyes of our hearts and minds set on that home.   In the meantime, we have to live in this old world. Sometimes it is sweet, and we press our lips to the heads of sweet babies and drink in the love and beauty of God’s creation. But then disaster strikes; that sweet baby has a rare disease, the love of our life is tragically taken away, our secure, recession-proof job is cut, our bank account shrivels or disappears, and on and on the disasters of life attack us, These disasters and troubles leave us reeling and stunned. If o...

  Good morning!  I was encouraged to get back to blogging by circumstances.  It's a place to share thoughts, encouragement, inspiration, in the messiness of everyday life. Life doesn't always go according to plan.  That goes without saying, doesn't it?  My kids in the past jokingly called me "Captain Obvious."  I like to make sure that my point, no matter how transparent, ia acknowledged by those I'm speaking to.   Here we are, coming out of the mess of the pandemic, and life is not what we were expecting at this time.  If you, like me, thought that it would take weeks or even a few months, raise your hand!  I totally did not think that we'd still be using sneeze guards, wearing masks in public, and  'social distancing.'  But here we are, working our way to a new way of doing things.  Look around the world today.  It is spiraling out of control.  Even those we expect to uphold the foundations of moral and ethical beha...

Change is inevitable.  Life is a journey and we cannot see the road ahead.  We plan, we plot, we strategize and organize.  Then some element changes, throwing the entire plan into chaos.   How we respond to that change makes all the difference in the outcome.  What happens when our well-thought out plan is no longer workable?  Do we throw up our hands and give up?  Do we lament and moan and weep over it?  Do we begin working on Plan B?  None of these is a 'wrong' answer as long as we don't get stuck in one too long.  How important is it for us to grieve the loss of our first plan?  It's important and necessary even to mourn for what isn't going to happen, or even the loss of what could be.   Rodger and I planned for me to be a 'stay-at-home mom.'  He never liked coming home to an empty house when he was a kid.  But I think that the stronger motivation was having one of us to be there for our children...

I know, you thought I wasn't coming back, didn't you?  :D I have to say, it's been a while since I had time to think about writing.  But I don't want to talk about me.  Today, I want to talk about Mom's.  Mother's Day isn't the only time we should remember the one who nurtured and loved us through childhood and beyond.  But it's a lovely time to highlight the joys and sorrows of motherhood; to be thankful for those who played this role, whether by birth or friendship! I'm thankful for a mother who modeled motherhood for me.  Some of my earliest memories of her, next to her ceaseless care of her family and her home, was her attention to Bible study and prayer. Mom would start the day with coffee (smart woman!) and then get her family out the door.  Then I remember her sitting down with her Bible, a pen, a notebook, a fresh cup of coffee and breakfast (she loved a vegie omelette with cheese.) That example made a huge impression on this girl.  I ...

Recently I signed up for my first 5k.  I've been walking and running for about 10 years.  Some young friends talked me into trying it.  I started slow, and in my 'much older' sisters words, I just tapered off.   I decided I was never going to get faster and if I didn't try to finish a 5k now, I'd never do it.  I guess my impending 60th birthday is making me feel like I need to 'do' something;  something I can say, "I always wanted to do that!" So a few days a week I get my workout clothes, my 49ers cap to keep my curls out of my face, and turn on my Nike running app.  I don't always feel like doing it.  Sometimes I hurt, or I'm tired, or I just have too much to do.  I want to give up.  But when I make myself keep going. . . one foot in front of the other, tired legs or not, ragged breathe.  I always feel better at the end.  I know that powering through the difficulties will make it worth it in the end. This made me think...

"Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren, "   ~ Deuteronomy 4:9 ~ I'll be honest.  It's been hard to write lately.  Bursts of inspiration seem to come at the most ackward times.  We have been adjusting to our new home and we love it.  But the emphasis is on 'adjusting.'  No matter the circumstances, it is not easy to move a family even a short distance.  My mom used to said she preferred a good long move over short ones. The mental and physical preparations made it easier for her. I have to agree.  Even though we moved less than 100 miles, I had no idea where we would land, so the preparation, while a little stressful, was neater this way.  I was packing like we were moving to Timbuktu (and for those who are curious, yes, I checked that spelling and it's ...

Photo by Charlotte Duren   We recently moved to a new community.  In all the preparation for holiday celebrations and then the move, getting settled in our home and community, my quiet time dwindled to a few prayers on the run and scattered thoughts on the word.  Add family to the mix and it occurred to me how easy it is to neglect those things which are most important.  If my relationship to God is hurting, how much more so the relationship to my husband and children must be suffering!   The natural ebb and flow of life is never a steady stream, but sometimes a rushing torrent, sometimes a trickle in the desert.  If we women don't carve out time for our own daily study, the whole family suffers and our marriage is not the best it can be. Each of us has the same amount of time.  We have today.  No one is promised more or less.  But we much make a conscious choice how we spend that time.  Now we don't all have the same responsibilit...