Recently, there has been much talk about Harbingers or disasters in our country and our world. Around the globe, there are so many natural disasters occurring that it seems we hear about 1-2/week. Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, as well as Tsunami's in Haiti and Japan, just to name a few. Tornados of catacylismic size in Joplin, MO and Moore, Oklahoma were devastating to our country. Other disasters have been in the news over and over in the past few years - shocking us into reality! The school shootings at Columbine and Sandy Hook were and are so deplorable that we cannot fathom a world in which they do not occur anymore. The world of "Leave it to Beaver" from the 1960's is over.
A few years ago, there used to be a shooting like was rare, now they are much more frequent and happen on a weekly/monthly basis. Environmental, social, and national disasters are happening at a fast and furious pace in today's world.
Have you ever thought about why we are having these natural disasters? Yes, I know the theory of global warming and the fact that the population around the world has increased so much that we are distressing the earth's resources. We are going beyond the natural boundaries in so many ways. Yes, duly noted. But, it is so much more......
A Harbinger is a precursor or forerunner. Many times it is a forerunner of doom or disaster. It can be considered a herald or omen of the future as well. Our country experienced one of the most horrific "harbingers" ever imagined on September 11, 2001. The world trade centers were destroyed along with thousands of lives.....none of us can ever forget that fateful day in the United States of America. All of us remember exactly where we were or what we were doing the moment we saw the trade centers exploding. It is a daunting memory.
Two summers ago, I read a book called The Harbinger. It impacted me so greatly, that I wanted to buy 100 copies and give it to everyone I know! I could not afford to do so, but it has come up again recently in a call to pray for our country by Anne Graham Lotz.
Our country is in serious disarray. The decay in our social, moral, financial, religious/spiritual, agricultural, and emotional well-being is profound. Most of you who know me, know that I am not a "doom and gloom" type person. I don't dwell on the negative and instead try to live my life in a positive, life-affirming way. But, we must face reality and wake up!!! We are succumbing to the ways of destruction and it is mostly due to our own ignorance. Yes, it is our own fault. Yep, you read that right. We are causing our country and our world to fall. Little by little, day by day, one compromise at a time.
To me it starts with the decay in our families. The decay of our families in the USA have proven to be so disastrous, yet it is second nature in our society. Divorce is so common place that most people don't even blink an eye anymore if a person has been divorced 2-3 times. That is a disaster for us, for our kids and for future generations. Unfortunately, my parents were divorced back in 1973 and I have been divorced since 1980. It is grueling to go through. It has impacted my own emotional state as well as my son and 3 nieces and 2 nephews. Three out of four siblings in my family are divorced. What in the world has happened to us as a family? Brokenness. Feelings of insecurity. Feelings of failure. Yet, "picking ourselves up by the boot straps" is common place in our society. It is a disaster. It is sad. It is ugly.
This nation was founded with a Declaration of Independence and a Pledge of Allegiance. "One nation under God." Yes, that's right. Under God. He was our first priority at one time. We have "In God We Trust" on all of our money in the USA. But, do we really trust Him anymore? I think not. It is very apparent that our world doesn't trust God anymore than we trust each other. Look at our world, look at our culture, look at our families. What do you see? Do you see love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self-control anywhere? Not very often. What we see on the news more often is hatred, rioting, impatience, road-rage, abuse, unfaithful people, harshness and absolutely everyone doing whatever they want when they want to do so.....the rule book has been thrown out and we do as we please. No matter what. It is a disaster. It is sad. And, it is ugly.
On 9/11/01 people screamed out: "Where is God?" Well, think about it!!! We have shoved God out of our homes, our schools, our government, and our society so much over the past 50 years, why should He answer us anymore? He is a gentleman, not a thug. He won't force us to believe in love, mercy, forgiveness or grace. Those are His gifts to us, not mandates.
We need to wake up America!!! We need to get back on track. We need to pray for this country and for our families. We need to ask God for help. We need to ask God to be in our relationships, in our motives, in our thoughts, words, deeds, actions, reactions, but mostly our responses. We need God in our homes, our schools, and yes, our government. We need a light to shine on our country. We need Godly leadership. We need people who are going to stand up for what is right - not submit to what some "politically correct" agenda is saying. We need our God and we need Him NOW!!!
Micah 6:8 says: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does He require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
That is my fervent prayer: Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God.
Please pray with me - it is an urgent call!!!
Tips on how to DeStress and enjoy life more!
Monday, May 18, 2015
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Quality Time....
I hear a lot of people talking about quality time these days. We all have the same 24 hours in a day and the same 7 days in a week. So, that adds up to 168 hours in the week.
What does spending quality time with someone mean to you? What does it mean to a relationship? What does it mean for our kids and families? What does it mean to our career world?
The definition of quality is a characteristic element or attribute or a degree of excellence of a thing.
What does quality mean to you? Is it a trait? Is it goodness? Is it a grade or rank to you? When does quality enter into your world?
Now add the time frame. What is quality time? A hour a day? A week? A month? Spending hours on end on a specific project? Spending quality time with a loved one or a person whom you enjoy their company? Spending overtime at work so that you can get that promotion?
What is on your calendar? Who is on your calendar? What ranks highest in your world? And, how do you define that?
It is all about priorities. It is all about our choices. When do you decide to spend more time with your kids or family instead of working overtime? When do you choose to take extra time with someone you love? How do you know when you are spending enough time to build a relationship that lasts?
What consumes your calendar? Who consumes your calendar? Are there adjustments that need to be made to prioritize something important to you?
Since we all have the same amount of time in a day and/or a week, how do we determine where to spend the most time? How do we prioritize the things that matter most? How do we arrange items in an order of importance where we are not feeling tugged here and there? How do we stop the pushing and pulling on our emotional strings so that we feel we can breathe again?
It all gets down to getting clear in our head about what is most important and what is most urgent. Some things must take a priority for a period of time. Other things can be put on the back burner for a brief amount of time. How can we possibly make our world sane? And, how do we show those we love how much they mean to us?
Try this little exercise. Write down these titles on a piece of paper with four quadrants:
Most Important/Most Urgent
Least Important/Least Urgent
Give yourself space for each quadrant and start to name the priorities in your life.
Define for yourself, your kids, your spouse (or significant other), your boss or whomever you feel you need to prioritize specific items within your day or week and see what comes up.
Define for yourself what you need. How much time is enough? When you become clear about your own needs, wants, and priorities, they will become clear in your life - In your families, in your relationships, in your work and thus, in your world. Some things that you spent your time on before used to be enough for you. Now, you need or want more time for such and such. Ask specifically, how much time do I want for this or that in my life? Choices. We all have to make them. When we define those choices, we will increase our quality time with whatever our priorities are and our world will become a much more pleasant place to be!!!
What does spending quality time with someone mean to you? What does it mean to a relationship? What does it mean for our kids and families? What does it mean to our career world?
The definition of quality is a characteristic element or attribute or a degree of excellence of a thing.
What does quality mean to you? Is it a trait? Is it goodness? Is it a grade or rank to you? When does quality enter into your world?
Now add the time frame. What is quality time? A hour a day? A week? A month? Spending hours on end on a specific project? Spending quality time with a loved one or a person whom you enjoy their company? Spending overtime at work so that you can get that promotion?
What is on your calendar? Who is on your calendar? What ranks highest in your world? And, how do you define that?
It is all about priorities. It is all about our choices. When do you decide to spend more time with your kids or family instead of working overtime? When do you choose to take extra time with someone you love? How do you know when you are spending enough time to build a relationship that lasts?
What consumes your calendar? Who consumes your calendar? Are there adjustments that need to be made to prioritize something important to you?
Since we all have the same amount of time in a day and/or a week, how do we determine where to spend the most time? How do we prioritize the things that matter most? How do we arrange items in an order of importance where we are not feeling tugged here and there? How do we stop the pushing and pulling on our emotional strings so that we feel we can breathe again?
It all gets down to getting clear in our head about what is most important and what is most urgent. Some things must take a priority for a period of time. Other things can be put on the back burner for a brief amount of time. How can we possibly make our world sane? And, how do we show those we love how much they mean to us?
Try this little exercise. Write down these titles on a piece of paper with four quadrants:
Most Important/Most Urgent
Least Important/Least Urgent
Give yourself space for each quadrant and start to name the priorities in your life.
Define for yourself, your kids, your spouse (or significant other), your boss or whomever you feel you need to prioritize specific items within your day or week and see what comes up.
Define for yourself what you need. How much time is enough? When you become clear about your own needs, wants, and priorities, they will become clear in your life - In your families, in your relationships, in your work and thus, in your world. Some things that you spent your time on before used to be enough for you. Now, you need or want more time for such and such. Ask specifically, how much time do I want for this or that in my life? Choices. We all have to make them. When we define those choices, we will increase our quality time with whatever our priorities are and our world will become a much more pleasant place to be!!!
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Happy Mother's Day!!!
Happy Mother's Day to all those wonderful, marvelous, loving mother's out there!!!
If I had a flower
for every time
I thought of Mothers,
I could walk
through my garden
forever...
My mom who is in Heaven now, was a gardener. She gave each of us four kids the gift of loving of gardening and being outdoors. She taught us to enjoy every gift of every season!!!
One time when I was in Ohio visiting, mom was going to the grocery store and I went along. She meandered along several streets until I finally asked: "Aren't we going to the grocery store?" Mom replied, "Yes." Then, my question was: "So, did you know the grocery was just up that street we just passed?" And, of course, she smiled and said: "Yes, I know, but I wanted to see if my neighbors garden was in bloom yet...."
Ahhhh....what a gift she gave me that day! To journey through life and meander this way and that, to find the surprises along the way and to enjoy each beautiful, precious moment that God gives us each day!!!
Thank you, Heavenly Father for my incredible mom!!! I miss her SO very much, but will always have her with me in my heart and soul......thank you, thank you, thank you Mom for ALL the wonderful gifts you gave my heart!!!!
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Waiting....
Waiting.....one of my LEAST favorite things to do - how about you? Waiting has many aspects of its definition. See below:
1) To remain inactive in anticipation
2) To delay, postpone
3) To serve as a waiter or waitress
4) To attend, as a clerk or servant
5) The act of waiting or the time spent waiting
6) To watch
7) To remain until something expected happens
8) To be ready
9) To await
10) Expectation
11) To bide one's time
12) To wait in hopeful expectation
Which of those definitions do you like? Which one fits your situation in life right now? If you are anything like me, it is very difficult to wait. Patience may be a virtue, but it is not one of my strongest suits.
Waiting can mean waiting for a child to be born, waiting for the doctor to come in while you are at the doctor's office, waiting for school to be done this year, waiting to turn 21 years old, waiting for a new relationship to come into your life or waiting for a current relationship to move forward, or waiting for a new career to reveal itself to you. Whatever it is that you are waiting for, it is sometimes very hard to wait.
It may mean waiting a day, a week, a month, a year, 3 months, 6 months, 3 years or as in the Biblical days 40 days or 40 years!!! That is a LONG time to wait in the desert....
I encourage you that if you are in the desert right now, look up all the scriptures in your concordance on "wait, waiting, or waits." It is quite a lesson and revealed a lot to me about my own perceived inability to wait. Try it - it is very enlightening!!!
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Isaiah 40:30-31 which says:
"Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall, but those who wait upon The Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not be faint."
And, a new verse I just learned recently is:
Habakkuk 2:3 which says:
"Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay..."
Wow! I have so much to learn.....
Now, to encourage anyone in the desert right now, as I am on many levels, take heart! The Lord has a great plan for your life...believe it and wait upon The Lord to reveal it to you. It will be worth the wait!!!
1) To remain inactive in anticipation
2) To delay, postpone
3) To serve as a waiter or waitress
4) To attend, as a clerk or servant
5) The act of waiting or the time spent waiting
6) To watch
7) To remain until something expected happens
8) To be ready
9) To await
10) Expectation
11) To bide one's time
12) To wait in hopeful expectation
Which of those definitions do you like? Which one fits your situation in life right now? If you are anything like me, it is very difficult to wait. Patience may be a virtue, but it is not one of my strongest suits.
Waiting can mean waiting for a child to be born, waiting for the doctor to come in while you are at the doctor's office, waiting for school to be done this year, waiting to turn 21 years old, waiting for a new relationship to come into your life or waiting for a current relationship to move forward, or waiting for a new career to reveal itself to you. Whatever it is that you are waiting for, it is sometimes very hard to wait.
It may mean waiting a day, a week, a month, a year, 3 months, 6 months, 3 years or as in the Biblical days 40 days or 40 years!!! That is a LONG time to wait in the desert....
I encourage you that if you are in the desert right now, look up all the scriptures in your concordance on "wait, waiting, or waits." It is quite a lesson and revealed a lot to me about my own perceived inability to wait. Try it - it is very enlightening!!!
One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Isaiah 40:30-31 which says:
"Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall, but those who wait upon The Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not be faint."
And, a new verse I just learned recently is:
Habakkuk 2:3 which says:
"Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay..."
Wow! I have so much to learn.....
Now, to encourage anyone in the desert right now, as I am on many levels, take heart! The Lord has a great plan for your life...believe it and wait upon The Lord to reveal it to you. It will be worth the wait!!!
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Always remember....
I saw a sign tonight in a magazine that said the following:
Always remember
You are
Braver than you believe,
Stronger than you seem,
and
Smarter than you think!!!
Pretty apropo, wouldn't you say? Think about how many times you second guess yourself.
"Perhaps I shouldn't do such and such...." or "Maybe I am not as smart as my co-worker, friend, sibling, spouse, so I shouldn't do _________" or "I could never do that!"
We talk ourselves out of taking part in an activity because we don't think we can or because we don't believe we have the talent or where-with-all to go the long distance to accomplish a specific task, or because we have never tried such and such. Yet. What makes us second guess our abilities, talents and perseverance? That little voice in our head or is there a voice from long ago who told you that you couldn't, wouldn't, or shouldn't?
Do you remember the movie called The Help? It was brought out to the movie theatres in 2011 and it was wonderful!!! A slogan by Aibileen Clark from the main theme in the movie is:
"You is kind
You is smart,
You is important."
You is important."
Do you believe that about yourself? If not, have you ever asked your why or why not? Go back to that memory - whether it is from childhood, young adulthood or just yesterday that got stuck in your brain or subconscious that said: "Nope! I can't do that! Or, "I am not good enough" or "there's no way I can complete that daunting task."
Somewhere down deep there is a reservoir that says you "can!" You may just have to muster up enough gumption to prove it to yourself! Or prove it to your boss, a neighbor, or a parent that is no longer able to tell you that you "can't...." Some of those old memories are just flat wrong! Some may have been right back then, but what about the adage: "Try, try, try again?" Or, "Practice makes perfect!" Or, "Wow, maybe I can accomplish this in my life!"
We have so many wonderful traits, attributes and abilities that lay dormant because of an old thought pattern or emotion that is "stuck" in our subconscious or unconsciousness. The next time you hear that old voice in your head saying no, stop and say "YES! Maybe! or "Absolutely I can!!!"
Joyce Meyer has a wonderful slogan that says:
"Miracles come in CANS: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!"
One of my favorite scriptures is exactly that last part of her slogan: Philippians 4:13. Look it up. Read it often. Memorize it. Say it out loud to yourself every morning until you believe it!!!
And, always remember you are braver, stronger and smarter than you thought yesterday....
Sunday, April 26, 2015
In Awe of Daily Miracles...
I just got done reading one of my daily devotions from Living Faith magazine and I just had to share his thoughts!!! Steve Givens is one of my favorite writers in this devotion. Here is his article for today:
In Awe of Daily Miracles
Psalm 118.23
"By the Lord has this been done;
It is wonderful in our eyes."
There have been times in my life when I have been left speechless by the wonder of what I saw before me, such as my first glimpse of the Grand Canyon, my wife walking down the aisle at our wedding, and the birth of our two children. I had no words. What I saw before me was so awe-inspiring that I knew the hand of God had to be at work.
Einstein said: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." We can see each sunrise, each newborn child, each encounter with beauty and chalk them all up to chance, or we can stand back in wonder at these daily miracles and choose to see the hand of God. The first option is a yawn; the second is a gasp. You choose.
Prayer:
Lord, fill my life with wonder and a sense of you....
(by Steve Givens, 2015)
In Awe of Daily Miracles
Psalm 118.23
"By the Lord has this been done;
It is wonderful in our eyes."
There have been times in my life when I have been left speechless by the wonder of what I saw before me, such as my first glimpse of the Grand Canyon, my wife walking down the aisle at our wedding, and the birth of our two children. I had no words. What I saw before me was so awe-inspiring that I knew the hand of God had to be at work.
Einstein said: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." We can see each sunrise, each newborn child, each encounter with beauty and chalk them all up to chance, or we can stand back in wonder at these daily miracles and choose to see the hand of God. The first option is a yawn; the second is a gasp. You choose.
Prayer:
Lord, fill my life with wonder and a sense of you....
(by Steve Givens, 2015)
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Ten dads and their boys....
I was walking through a local park one evening this week with all the beautiful sounds and smells of Spring surrounding me and what did I come upon? A small baseball field full of ten dads and their young sons! I had to count them because there were so many!
As I walked past the field, some of the dads were pitching to the little guys while other dads had the boys forming 2 lines so that they could try their hand at catching. Another set of dads had a T-ball machine set up on separate part of the field, so that another set of boys could learn how to hit the ball.
There were dads calling out to the boys as well as the sound of the ball hitting the glove over and over...practice, practice and more practice. Laughter, laughter and more laughter. Coaching, coaching and more coaching. And, there were Moms on the side-line with babies in carriages and other moms romping in the grass around the field with the toddlers just barely able to walk. It was so fun to watch and I marveled at the activity and the team work being utilized to teach these boys how to play baseball. There were Major League Baseball players in the making.......or perhaps, just little league and high school ball, but nonetheless, boys were being coached by the dads who wanted to be by their side. Dads who wanted to be actively involved in their son's growth and development. And, moms were on the side-lines cheering their boys on. Wow - it was quite a sight to see!
As I observed this welcome site, I had to stop and remember all those times I watched my son, Matt play ball: practices each week, some games played during the week, and many games every weekend. Sometimes there were double-header games during the week or tournaments on the weekends. Rain or shine, they played ball!!! Cool weather or hotter than Texas summers, they played ball!!! It was pure fun!!!
One summer, Matt was pitching and threw 8 strike outs in a row!!! I had to keep asking the other parents: "Is that really Matt???" I was floored at how accomplished Matt had become at pitching. Then, his batting started getting better and better.......When Matt hit his first home run, he waved at me as he ran the bases....it was quite a sight to see!!!
Learning to play baseball was something Matt loved....he never wanted to miss a practice, so that he could improve his game. Dad after dad stepped up to show him and his teammates how to cultivate the talent they saw in each player. I thank every dad and baseball coach who helped my son learn how to play baseball. As a single mom and not a baseball player myself, I had to rely on those special dads to teach Matt. They did an excellent job....they took the time to be there week after week, game after game to mentor the boys and be there for them.
Wow! What a gift that was to observe and take part in....I loved watching Matt play ball and loved going to every game - rain or shine! Hot or cold - it was a blast to be a part of his life all those summers.........I will miss those now that he is 19 almost 20 years old and in college. But, the memories will never fade because other boys keep stepping up to the plate to bat and many young men stand on the pitching mound to pitch every summer at 3&2 baseball fields at Shawnee Mission Park. Other dads step onto the practice field and on the game field to coach, teach and be a part of the lives of these boys.....And as I walk through the park or drive past 3&2 baseball fields each summer, I can watch and remember.......and, I can say: Thank you, Lord for these dads and their boys!!!
As I walked past the field, some of the dads were pitching to the little guys while other dads had the boys forming 2 lines so that they could try their hand at catching. Another set of dads had a T-ball machine set up on separate part of the field, so that another set of boys could learn how to hit the ball.
There were dads calling out to the boys as well as the sound of the ball hitting the glove over and over...practice, practice and more practice. Laughter, laughter and more laughter. Coaching, coaching and more coaching. And, there were Moms on the side-line with babies in carriages and other moms romping in the grass around the field with the toddlers just barely able to walk. It was so fun to watch and I marveled at the activity and the team work being utilized to teach these boys how to play baseball. There were Major League Baseball players in the making.......or perhaps, just little league and high school ball, but nonetheless, boys were being coached by the dads who wanted to be by their side. Dads who wanted to be actively involved in their son's growth and development. And, moms were on the side-lines cheering their boys on. Wow - it was quite a sight to see!
As I observed this welcome site, I had to stop and remember all those times I watched my son, Matt play ball: practices each week, some games played during the week, and many games every weekend. Sometimes there were double-header games during the week or tournaments on the weekends. Rain or shine, they played ball!!! Cool weather or hotter than Texas summers, they played ball!!! It was pure fun!!!
One summer, Matt was pitching and threw 8 strike outs in a row!!! I had to keep asking the other parents: "Is that really Matt???" I was floored at how accomplished Matt had become at pitching. Then, his batting started getting better and better.......When Matt hit his first home run, he waved at me as he ran the bases....it was quite a sight to see!!!
Learning to play baseball was something Matt loved....he never wanted to miss a practice, so that he could improve his game. Dad after dad stepped up to show him and his teammates how to cultivate the talent they saw in each player. I thank every dad and baseball coach who helped my son learn how to play baseball. As a single mom and not a baseball player myself, I had to rely on those special dads to teach Matt. They did an excellent job....they took the time to be there week after week, game after game to mentor the boys and be there for them.
Wow! What a gift that was to observe and take part in....I loved watching Matt play ball and loved going to every game - rain or shine! Hot or cold - it was a blast to be a part of his life all those summers.........I will miss those now that he is 19 almost 20 years old and in college. But, the memories will never fade because other boys keep stepping up to the plate to bat and many young men stand on the pitching mound to pitch every summer at 3&2 baseball fields at Shawnee Mission Park. Other dads step onto the practice field and on the game field to coach, teach and be a part of the lives of these boys.....And as I walk through the park or drive past 3&2 baseball fields each summer, I can watch and remember.......and, I can say: Thank you, Lord for these dads and their boys!!!
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