Weeds

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

They pop up in the most undesired places.  We spot them, and immediately label them persistent, invasive intruders snaking around the garden eager to kill, steal and destroy all that is beautiful and good.  Left uncontrolled, weeds visually strangle the very life from the garden; some forming long, spider-like tendrils that stretch and creep, deliberately detracting from the hard-earned beauty of our outdoor spaces.  They’re jealous enemies, determined to steal the show and demand our attention.  

Luckily, some bear shallow enough root systems which allow them to be easily plucked, while others plunge their roots down deep, threatening to burden and hinder indefinitely.

It seems no matter how diligent we work to rid our gardens and our lives of these annoying elements, one has to consider the possibility that God chooses to let some weeds remain. 

But why?

Do they in some strange way add character to the garden?

Do they somehow make us stronger?  Live longer?  Look younger? 

It’s a given that the Christian walk isn’t without its trials.  Inevitably, the storm clouds will gather and the challenges will be many, but remember John 16:33:  

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

So, why does God allow the weeds to remain in our lives?  Perhaps the answer isn’t ours to learn - God owes us no explanations.  However, whether in the garden or in our life situations, the deepest-rooted weeds are best dealt with on our knees. 

Just Pray!

Good morning! 

Uh-oh.  You look a little discouraged today.

Have you prayed about it?

I know that sometimes when we pray, it feels like we’re just speaking words into the air, not thinking beyond our own aching heart.

But God does hear, and He knows the emotion and angst behind each one.  1 John 5:14-15 tells us “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.  And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

I’ll share a secret with you.  I spent years frustrated with myself; no that’s an understatement.  I was caught up and strangled with an inner turmoil that only God could unravel.  I struggled with wanting to do more.  Wanting to BE more.  Of course, I was thankful for the many blessings God has granted me, but deep inside I knew I was not living a completely fulfilled life.  I cried out to God in prayer many times with no response.  Until finally one day, His answer was almost audible.  Why?  Simply because I changed the way I prayed.

I’d just dropped my daughter off at school, and like every other day, I began praying to God on the way home.  I spoke words I thought He wanted to hear.  The stuff you hear everyone else pray. 

“Thank you, Lord for this day….yawn.  Please be with my family.  Be in all I do and say, yada, yada, yada…”  yawn…..

I mumbled the words over the top of my travel mug just like every other day until it struck me:  what an insult to God to give Him the mundane!  Here He was, as He was all those other mornings waiting, ready to receive my prayers and to receive so much more than that, and I chose to give Him about as much authority over my prayers as I would my dog!

I am a child of the most high God.  He wants all of me, and he doesn’t want it half-heartedly.  He deserves so much more than a pathetic request yawned over a travel mug.  He alone has the power to change it all right then and there, so that gives us the opportunity and the power to

Pray from a heart of victory; not a spirit of defeat.

That’s the day – the very moment the Lord told me to write for him!  All my creative energy belonged to Him to be used for His purpose – MY struggle was over.

Of course, that revelation alone did not lift all the clouds away, but it certainly released me of the burden I’d carried far too long.

We can pray like we mean it – after all, we’re praying to the One who conquered the grave!  Know, without a doubt, that the cries of your heart are being heard by the Creator.

Give it all to Him.

Don’t take it back.

And through His strength, His power and His love for You, He will lift you high above all that weighs you down in this world.  He hears your prayers, and when you release that authority over to Him, trust Him to help you learn to float on the breath of God.

Check out my article on Gifted Women at:  http://giftedwomen.net/articles/20100809_2

Hiking Trip

Good morning.  Come have a seat and join me - just poured 2 cups of coffee, so you're just in time.

My husband and son are away on their annual week of male bonding in the woods. They’re part of a small group of men, engineers mostly, who enjoy the escape from work and wives to commune with the great outdoors.  It’s their once-a-year opportunity to drive up a 2-lane road, straddling the yellow line at whatever speed they choose, compare “manly” noises around the campfire well into the night and snore the bears away without the nuisance of being jabbed in the ribs and asked, ever so sweetly, to flop over and face the other direction.

I think my guys brought a total of 4 changes of underwear between the two of them.  Not sure what else they stuffed into their packs last minute, but I’d bet you a cup of coffee it wasn’t deodorant!

I have to say the house is much quieter with them gone – well, sort of.  They left me here with my very moody 15 year-old texting machine and her booked up social calendar.

Of course, I miss my men and pray for their safety…but it is rather nice/wonderful to watch an entire TV show without the threat of someone’s trigger-happy finger eager to channel surf between every sentence!

I’ve caught up on some reading, some writing, some cooking, some simple, do-nothing moments where I’m quite content to listen to the rhythm of the hands ticking away on the clock.

Soft jazz and classical music have temporarily replaced the 7:30am trumpet scales that normally blast through the house, force us all awake (like it or not) and send the wild golden finches scrambling Heavenward.

In these precious few days of peace and tranquility, I’ve had time to think.  Time to dream.  Time to hear God’s voice and meditate on His Word.

Do I feel guilty for enjoying the men’s annual hike as much as they are?  Of course not.  God knew how much we all needed to power down for awhile, so He ordained this time for each of us to recharge and renew in our own way.  I’m good with that.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

—John 14:27

Check out my article on Gifted Women at http://giftedwomen.net/articles/20100809_2

Answer To Prayer

Hi there!  So glad you could stop by and join me this morning.  Pull up a seat and relax.

I’ve been sitting here thinking about something I touched on the other day:  I love the thought of floating on the breath of God.  Don’t you?  If you envision yourself floating on the breath of God, your feet no longer touch the ground – it’s impossible to do both, right?  It means you’ve chosen instead to completely surrender your will, your purpose and your plan to God’s.  You’re soaring with the One who created you.  The One who knows you.  The One who loves you like no other.  The One who has either already saved you or is offering salvation.

I know – you’re thinking that by surrendering yourself to God that somehow it’s a sign of weakness.  Like you’re throwing in the towel and sighing, “Here you go, Lord – maybe you can make sense out of this mess, because I sure can’t.”

But that’s not the case at all.  Choosing to walk in God’s light only proves you’re tired of scrambling, searching, wringing your hands with worry and self-doubt and wondering what to do next.  In essence, it shows obedience, a physical sign of your faith and trust.  Yes, it shows strength.

Sorry if I sound a little preachy this morning.  I’m just so excited that the Lord has answered my prayer with such a beautiful phrase.  I’ve been frustrated with myself lately and hitting roadblocks in my way of thinking.  I’ve called out to Him in prayer, whispered my struggles under my breath and in the meantime, I’ve been thinking in a rut, unable to waver or even consider any other possibilities beyond what my little mind can fathom.

So, for me, the idea of floating on the breath of God is my answer to prayer.  I’m done asking for His intervention and direction assuming my own way is also His way!  I’m soaring with the Lord now, excited to be truly trusting in Him. 

I love that this phrase alone keeps ringing in the back of my head; spoken to me in those first precious, quiet moments of the morning; before distractions, before conversations cluttered the air waves, before demands, before problems or people beckoned my attention. 

I have to wonder how many times throughout the day the Lord is quietly offering His direction….if I would only silence myself before Him….and listen.

“Give ear to my words, O LORD, 
       consider my sighing.

 Listen to my cry for help, 
       my King and my God, 
       for to you I pray.

 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; 
       in the morning I lay my requests before you 
       and wait in expectation.”

(Psalm 5:1-3)


Check out my article on Gifted Women:  http://giftedwomen.net/articles/20100809_2

Good morning!  Come on in and sit down.  I'm glad you made it back to the cafe.  I'm sorry if it's a little confusing - I know I just posted an article about God's grace (previously published on "The Cypress Times), but something else has popped into my head this morning, and I really want to share it with you.

The other night I was in complete agony...no, that's not what I want to share with you.  I was trying to get dinner together because I'm the mom around here, and that's what we moms do.

Anyway, I had the "mother "of all headaches.  If you've ever suffered a horrible migraine, you know what I'm talking about.  It's debilitating, to say the least.  It controls me.  I can't function.  The simplest of tasks are a nightmare to complete because all I can think about IS THE PAIN when I'm in the middle of it.

I realized that the same goes for other painful situations we encounter on a daily basis.  When we find ourselves tossed about in a storm, the waves controlling us, paralyzing us into thinking there's no way out, Jesus is extending his hand through the clouds. You've probably heard this analogy used before; comparing life's battles to a storm - well, it's true.  If you've ever watched a boat out on the ocean, you see that boat forced to go with the tide. It can't control the waves that carry it.  The waters swell, there's turbulence in the current below, yet the boat still floats and rides the waves.  However, the fiercest, most violent of storms is nothing to God.

I’ll never forget that day many, many years ago; while the rain poured outside, the real storm brewed inside.  There I sat, on the arm of the couch, staring through the window at my car left for dead at the curb.  My 3-year-old son worked and re-worked Lego projects in an attempt to defy boredom while my baby girl needed diapers and formula and fought a low-grade fever.  

I wiped away tears as I considered borrowing a neighbor’s car and floating a check at the grocery store to pay for what I needed, then pray to God it wouldn’t hit the bank for another 2 days (obviously back before the advent of the debit card).

I remember all too well those feelings of isolation, loneliness and desperation, and vowed to never again find myself on that narrow ledge.  At the time, my husband’s job took him away during the weekdays, allowing me only weekends to communicate with someone from the grown-up world.  During those 6 months, I got a taste of single parenting and found the experience to register in the red zone on the “Difficulty” scale.

But I look back on that day now in appreciation.  Certainly, I couldn't see beyond the storm.  I was in the middle of it, and God hadn't yet revealed what was on the other side.  There I was in the pain, in the reality of my circumstances, paralyzed in my way of thinking, but Jesus extended his mighty hand through the clouds and brought me through!  Praise God for supplying my needs.
Now that I'm a little more...mature/older and a little more grown up in Christ, I realize that the storms are necessary for us to have a testimony! I know that's the last thing you want to hear when you're feeling beaten up by life, but hold on.  There is hope in Jesus and a blessing right around the corner with your name on it.


Mark 4:35-40 tells us "That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." ³⁶Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
 ³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
 ⁴⁰He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

(Mark 4:35-40) NIV

If you're in the storm today, reach up and grab the hand of the One who calms the seas.  And then share your story with others so that you may bring glory to Him!

Grace, Grace, God's Grace!

         “Be a Proverbs 31 Woman”…really? 

The web site heading flashed on the screen and I felt my forehead crease.  I suppose it’s something to strive for, but to be quite honest, I must have hit a pot hole on the road to becoming “The Wife of Noble Character;” nor do my children arise and call me blessed!  In reality, I’ve been stuck for years at Proverbs 14:1 instead, which reads, “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”

No problem.  That just means some days I’m better at demo than construction!

          Seriously, I’ll admit I probably contribute to the tearing down of my home when I nag, become frustrated, lose patience, nag, raise my voice, insist things be done a certain way “because I SAID so,” etc….did I mention “nag”?

          Call it a weakness, but I naturally default to heightened emotions rather than take the slow, prayerful approach when my words sort of flutter through the air and land on deaf ears.

          To make matters worse, I’m convinced that my kids, like so many other teenagers today, suffer from “got-it-all-figured-out syndrome,” which also translates to “oh, my gosh, Mom - are you for real?”  It’s a well-known condition that takes years to develop until it reaches a feverish pitch in adolescence.  Their teenage hormones collide with my pre-menopausal state, whereby instantly transforming my home into a pressure cooker with no release valve! 

They bug.  They perfect the art of annoyance.  They argue back because now that they’ve achieved the abilities to drive, successfully combat an acne breakout and text while riding a skateboard, they feel confident that they now possess more knowledge than Mom!

          This, of course, creates friction in the home; hence, a mother-sized melt down of staggering proportions!

          So how do we, as moms, stand any chance of becoming the Godly women Proverbs 31:10 speaks of when the frustrations of life show no sign of letting up (or getting a job and moving out on their own)?  How do we overcome reactions of hostility and frustration and learn to first reach within rather than lashing out at those we love? 

          Two words:  God’s Grace!

          When my own grace has been wrung out like a dirty dish rag, it’s God’s amazing grace I pray will somehow kick in.  God’s limitless, boundless, abundant grace is available to us all if we simply ask for it.  Sounds easy enough, right?  But how in the world can God expect us to think beyond our own tempers to quiet ourselves before Him? 

It helps me to remember that, even in the heat of the moment when I’m staring in the face of defiance that God loves and cares for that person even more than I do.  While He’s offering His grace to me, He’s also loving my son, daughter, husband, or whomever so much more than I ever could.

As we grow and mature in our faith, so will our human reactions diminish allowing God to take the wheel.  He can do a much better job of handling the rough seas than we ever could.

          1 Peter 4:10-11 says, “ Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. ¹¹If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

           It’s God alone who can and will prevent us from blowing the lid off that pressure cooker…..if we only ask.

          Pray this:  Lord Jesus, help me to be the woman you’ve called me to be.  Help me to glorify You in all that I do and say.  When frustration and anger overtake me and I’m tempted to speak hurtful things, I pray for Your intervention. Help me to first seek Your grace when I have none to give.  Fill me and cleanse me.  Make me completely Yours.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Remember the Dream

Hello there!  I'm so glad you could make it.  Come on in and have a seat.  Let me pour you some coffee.  It's so good to see you - you look great, but let me ask you a question: Are you happy? I mean, are you truly happy from the inside out?  Wouldn't it be great if we could close our eyes and imagine ourselves living out the dream we've always had for ourselves?  
I wanted to get together with you today to remind you that we all have dreams.  Whether single or married, youthful or well seasoned; from false eye lashes to false teeth, we each possess a passion uniquely ours.  

Your dreams matter because God put them there.   He created you, a vibrant, beautiful and intelligent woman to live out a particular purpose, and he equipped you with everything necessary to do so.  Isn’t that an awesome thing to consider?  No matter what stage of life you find yourself, you are still an integral part of God’s perfect plan.
So, what's holding you back? Money? Time? Energy? Family? That little voice of negativity that says you'll never finish a God-sized dream like the one you've managed to stuff away until someday rolls around?  

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,

"plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

God has hand-picked you to live out your dream.  He wants to see you succeed.  He's cheering you on, strengthening and encouraging you from the sidelines - after all, you have the power of the One who conquered the grave on your side, so you can't go wrong!  

I know of many women who have been given a second chance at life.  They've come through the fiercest of battles drained of all energy and enthusiasm to even go on...but they're still here!  There's a reason for that.   There’s a reason…the accident didn’t claim their life.   There’s a reason…they came through the surgery.  There’s a reason…the chemo worked and they’ve been declared cancer free.  There’s a reason…they’ve survived an abusive situation.  There’s a reason the Lord has taken away and forgiven our sins of the past.  Yes, you may be scarred and discouraged from the battle, but since the Lord has brought you through the storm, it's time to live your faith out loud!  If you’re still here, there’s still work to be done, and God wants to accomplish it in you one step at a time!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd

of witnesses to the life of  faith, let us strip off every weight

that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.

And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.  We do this

by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish."

(Hebrews 12:1)

I want to hear from you.  Leave a comment and tell me about the dream God has called you to fulfill.