Living in the Extreme

As if Father’s Day itself doesn’t bring about a myriad of emotion for so many of us, we’re all still digesting recent, unimaginable tragedies and heartbreak among God’s people. It just seems our entire country is experiencing everything these days to the extreme.

We’ve got extreme heat and out-of-control wild fires blazing here in California while much of our east coast is sweltering in heat, humidity, rain and thunderstorms. Sorry for that brief weather update, but I think we could all use a little sweetness in our lives in one form or another. A pure and simple, refreshing peace that centers us and reminds us that God knows. God sees it all, shares in our suffering and offers His presence during every single drop-to-your-knees-and-pray moment.

He brings the rainbows, but not until the storm passes.

He brings the cool, quiet evenings, but we have to endure the scorching heat of day.

He brings reassurance and relief, but only after the flames die down.

Everything has its season. In fact, it seems everything has a beginning and an end…except one thing: God’s extreme love for His children. His love knows no season. It’s unconditional and from the purest of hearts.

Normally, I would head out to the garden when I want to collect my thoughts and find some sort of balance, but yesterday (the heat kept me inside) I found solace in my kitchen. I came home from grocery shopping and as I put everything away, I cleaned pantry shelves, consolidated food items, cooked up last little bits of things to get them out of the way and had a great time just being busy at home (Titus 2:5). And all day I found myself praising God; praising Him for His provision, His peace and His love for me.

Oh, and then these happened. I can’t take credit for this recipe, though. This is from Ree Drummond (the Pioneer Woman). These are so delicious and easy to make. This recipe sort of takes the extreme out of the day, as it requires you to press the crust evenly across the pan reaching all four corners. I think any recipe that calls for the use of our hands to fashion or mold has a natural way of resetting the soul. It just helps to sort of shut out the craziness, the chaos and uncertainty of life. And for that, I am extremely grateful.

" to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, 

and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will 

malign the word of God." (Titus 2:5 NIV)

To Catch a Dream

    I remember spending countless hours as a little girl watching a red and white bobber float along still waters. After awhile, I’d get impatient, reel it back in and cast out to yet another “perfect” spot.

    I soon realized that the weight of the bobber alone wasn’t enough to carry my line out very far, so I learned how to add little round split shot weights to my line so I could cast out farther and stand a better chance at some of the bigger fish.

    It doesn’t take much effort to keep casting our line close to the shore, does it?

    It seems that if we only have faith enough to toss our line within reach, we can only hope to catch the smallest, youngest fish. Sure, it’s safer and easier that way, but there’s really not much of a challenge in dreaming of the small and attainable when there are so many big fish out there.

    It takes the weight of faith on our line, faith big enough to cast our dreams and our goals way out beyond the lapping waves and into waters swirling well over our head where the biggest fish swim.

    It's the strength of that faith that grabs that line and makes it soar way out beyond where we're able to reach on our own. And it's the weight of our faith that allows us to think beyond the shoreline and into the unknown because God's hands fashioned both the shallow and the deep waters.

"In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied

by action, is dead." (James 2:17)

    I want to encourage you, sweet friend, to add the weight of faith to your dreams. Cast out far beyond the break of waves and into the deepest unknown. You may have to cast out many, many times before you catch what you’re looking for and you might even snag your line in the undergrowth. But don’t let that keep you from trying. Because of Jesus, we have the power and the authority to think far beyond the attainable, reachable goals and into the open waters of possibility. Praise God!

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 1428-31)

Photo credit

The Waiting Game

So, I’m playing the waiting game right now...and I don’t like it. I’ve submitted a few articles to be considered for publication in various sources and I’m trying to pretend it doesn’t bother me when junky, spammy emails land in my inbox instead of an acceptance note.

I wasn’t wired with patience, so playing this game when I want answers instead is agonizing for me.

I try to busy myself with other things because as a writer, we’re told to “write and submit, write and submit and repeat.” Great advice, actually. Once we send off little bits and pieces of our heart and soul to a publisher, it’s done. It’s gone. No more editing. No more chances to shine up that first impression. It is what it is and we’re left with those heart-stopping moments at 2am when our eyes fly open and we gasp, “Did I remember to put a title on that thing? Oh, I just know they’re going to hate it. That’s it. I’m washed up. Done. I should just sell my computer and forget about ever writing another word.”

But really, the only thing we can do is move on to the next dream. The next thought and goal. Why? Because it’s what we do. We’re not writing for someone else, really. We’re writing because we have words that kick and wrestle to breathe, to pull back the curtains of our very soul and give light to that which God Himself has nestled deep down in the very heart of each one of us.

God's Word tells me in Romans 12:12:

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

So, I shall.

 

Pour Yourself Out

    The words spin around these days as I struggle to form them into what is probably the most difficult article I’ve ever written. It comes from the deepest part of me where the words are few and tossed about by crushing waves of emotion. It’s a frustrating place to be, having this need to bring it all to the light of day, to see it on the surface and let it breathe, yet it’s bound up tight.

Are you struggling with what to write? What to do? What to paint? What to sing? What to create? What to say? What to be? Where to go?

Open your heart and pour yourself out!

    These are the words I’ve heard whispered throughout my day today and I wanted to share them with you.

    When it’s your story, your song, you taking steps in a particular direction it’s not up for approval if you and God are in agreement over it. It’s from your heart and there is no right or wrong. It’s not out there for scrutiny.

It’s you sharing a piece of you.

Plain and simple you.

God’s design in action.

Pour yourself out, my friend.

“Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
    We are the clay, you are the potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.”

- Isaiah 64:8

5 Steps To Help You Release Objects From a Painful Past

It wasn’t just any piano. It was the piano given to me with a promise attached to it; a promise to never let it leave the family and to hand it down from one generation to the next. It was supposed to be forever special and I was supposed to forever cherish it.

That was a tall order.

For years I’ve grappled with the thought that “a promise is a promise.” How could I possibly get rid of something I’d vowed would never leave my possession despite all the dark and painful memories associated with it? Yet, there it sat like a loud, obnoxious and very unwelcome house guest in the corner of my living room, taking up space and soaking up a bit of my joy with every glance.

So, when the opportunity came recently to trade my piano for a very old baby grand, I realized it was time to put my faith in action and actually let it go. In that decision alone, I regained control over the situation and reclaimed what this inanimate object held over me for so long and you know what? It felt great!

I know how difficult it can be to let go of something held onto out of obligation or perhaps a false sense of commitment and I would like to share my observations taken from my own personal experience:

1. Recognize that it’s unhealthy to keep objects around that represent an unpleasant time in our lives, especially if God is healing us, drawing us out and away from the grip of painful memories.

2. It’s much easier to get rid of an object if we release it emotionally first. This is tough to do when anger or resentment have built up, but if we first come to terms with it emotionally, we can release it with strength and confidence.

3. Understand that something that may have represented grief and pain in your life could actually be a blessing to someone else.

4. Give praise to God when the object physically leaves your possession! Praise Him for the feeling of release it brings and enjoy the wonderful freedom of no longer being bound by the painful memories it represented.

5. Share your testimony! Tell others how God has helped to bring you this far in the healing process.

God doesn’t want us held captive by inanimate objects nor by any other reminders of a painful past. Joel 2:25 tells us, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you.”

Is there something you possess today that should be released? Something from a painful past or a promise made? God knows what brings the pain and sadness in your life. Rise up and take control of your healing process and remember Luke 10:19, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”

Seek Him. Seek His guidance and direction and release all that hinders you today.

Happy Mother's Day!

Guilt-Free Moments

Just gonna be real here….

So, I got off work at 3pm. Came home, checked on all the animals because there are eggs to collect, dogs to love on and a semi-sick diamond dove who’s been hanging out at the bottom of the cage since yesterday and I’m a little worried about her.

Then, there’s the “storm”…an afternoon of cold wind and clouds and a brief but powerful downpour…and then it was gone (?)

Then…I’ve had a recipe for Navy beans and ham hocks running through my head all morning, so I diced this and chopped that and tossed it all in the pressure cooker (see the end of this post) and headed out to pick up dear daughter from work (because dear son needed the car and it’s always a game to see who drives what).

Conversation was a little edgier and harder hitting than usual, so I was glad to dump her off at home (lol) and then watch her quickly leave again for concert band practice at the college.

Then…I’ve been in a quiet battle with a low-grade fever and sluggish/sick feeling for the past few days and when dear son headed off to the library to study with his friend who happens to be a girl but not a “girlfriend,” that’s when I heard the almost angelic tones of “The Pioneer Woman” theme song on the TV which told me it was already 5 o’clock. I figured…hmmm…I’m gonna make myself a cup of coffee and…dare I say….SIT DOWN and watch one of my favorite shows!

And you know what???

 I did!

Please understand….I just don’t do that during normal daylight hours.

I feel guilty if my backside lands on the couch before 8pm, ESPECIALLY with a cup of coffee in my hands!

Why is that?

Why is working and accomplishing and doing and checking off all the boxes SO important and SO engrained in my brain to the point that I’m worried to have someone actually walk in and see me “wasting time” during the middle of the day? And if someone actually does happen to walk in, I’m quick to defend myself with many reasons why I’m taking a break and not scrubbing, folding or sweeping something???

Uggh!!! Stop the madness!!!!

April is my birthday month.

 I celebrate ALL month long…especially THIS one. Ummm…I’ll just say it’s a big, ugly number and it’s hitting me kinda hard this time. But really, who’s counting, right?

I’m just happy to be where God has me even if I am a little worn and weary from life’s lessons and experiences. I am His and He is mine – I really couldn’t ask for more.

I think that now (as a birthday present to myself) is a good time to make the decision to allow myself time outs; moments to just stop, sit, maybe enjoy that afternoon cup of coffee or glass of tea or nothing at all and just let my mind…escape for a little while.

Guilt-Free Moments!

I never like saying that I’ve “earned” something or that I “deserve” something because I’m humbled and blessed with ALL the ways God shows Himself to me throughout the day. But when I’m tired, when I’ve worked hard at something, when my feelings are a little shredded and I just don’t have the strength to keep tying up the loose ends of the day and smiling through the process…I’m going to allow myself those guilt-free moments.

I hope you will, too.

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place

and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had

no leisure even to eat. (Mark 6:31)

Navy Beans and Ham Hocks

Used 1 large ham hock
8 oz. dry Navy beans
1/2 red onion, diced
1 1/2 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Tony Chachere's seasoning
about 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
Dissolved 3 tsp. Knorr chicken flavored bouillon powder in 6-7 cups warm water.
Poured it all in the pressure cooker and let it go for about an hour and a half.

Delicious!