livinglifefromahigherperspective

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-22T13:46:00.000-06:00

How's Your Outlook?

2008-11-06T14:52:00.000-06:00

By Definition: Outlook: n. 1. Attitude; or point of view; 2. Likely future; expectations with respect to a particular situation.

What are your expectations for today?
When you got up this morning—what was your outlook?

Depending on your personality, you may be more optimistic or more pessimistic by nature or somewhere in between an incurable optimist and a total pessimist! Do you sing “Oh what a beautiful morning…everything’s goin’ my way!” from Oklahoma…or quote Murphy’s Law, “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong!”

We can look down in disappointment, around in judgment, within in self-pity or we can look up in expectation and in hope!

When things don’t go our way, we mumble and grumble and have temper tantrums (at least inwardly) and can sulk in self-pity as well as any two-year old! With high expectations, link-by-link we construct a chain of obligation that will bind us in a dungeon of disappointment and depression and put others on a guillotine of guilt if we allow it!

In II Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, hears that a vast army is advancing intending to annihilate all in Judah. Now that is a very bad day! Wisely, Jehoshaphat looks UP! He goes to the Lord, acknowledging that only He is all-powerful and that none will be able to withstand HIM! Power!

Jehoshaphat further pleads to Almighty God that they alone do not have the power to face this vast army, that they do not know what to do, but “Our eyes are upon YOU.” And we see God give his answer, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but mine….You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you; do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow and I will be with you!”

Jehoshaphat assigned singers to sing and to praise God and as they did, they saw the LORD set ambushes for those attacking Judah. When they looked over the scene, all they saw were the bodies of their enemies lying on the ground. No one had escaped!

I don’t know about you, but I can begin to look at a particular circumstance and start feeling uneasy, sad, worried, and upset. Looking around for others to blame, taking on false guilt or rationalizing why it isn’t our fault does no good! But when I look up to my God, it puts everything into perspective! We have a very big God! It’s easy to get caught up in our daily lives looking all around at those who may “surround” us! We need to remember to LOOK UP! That is where our Help will be!

Reflect and Respond
1) What was your OUTLOOK today?
2) Where are you looking? Around, within, down? Or UP?
3) Spend a few minutes in prayer, asking the Lord to change your outlook!

Oh Lord, help me to lift up my eyes to You daily to get your perspective! Amen.

Mirror, Mirror..WHO ARE YOU???

2008-02-03T14:31:00.000-06:00

If you are like me, that image in the mirror looks more like a stranger on the street than what your own mental image says you are!

Did you know that Barbie turns 50 years old in 2009….and if she is anything like the REAL US, I know there must be several new-“old” Barbie’s on the drawing board:
• Bifocul Barbie—blended lenses with 16 designer colors; neck chain included
• Hot flash Barbie- just watch her face turn red; tiny drops of
Perspiration appears under her nose. Personal fan and tissues included.
• Mid-Life Crisis Barbie—She’s outgrown Ken; comes with a personal trainer who’s abs just don’t quit; red sports car and a B&B reservation in Wine Country!
• Divorcee Barbie—She gets Ken’s car, Ken’s house and Ken’s boat
• Menopausal Barbie—poor Babs cries a lot, forgets where she put her car Keys, and wets if she sneezes or laughs too hard; come with Kleenex and Depends…
• Bunion Barbie—all those years on high heels have taken its toll; comes with pumice stone, portable foot spa; and terry slippers.

Well, perhaps you are not as old as I am, but no matter how old you are, you are not as young as you once were! You may be a wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, business owner, care giver, bible study teacher, … I am most of those things, but in my HEART, I am still the same gal I have always been. You may notice the added pounds, the fuller face, the crows feet, the tired feet, but in my mind, I am just about 35. Of course, that gets harder to pull off when I know my oldest daughter is older than that, but if I focus real hard I see the good ole’ days much better than they ever were, and I have successfully forgotten the really bad stuff, like the hair-do’s, the bell bottoms and the platform heels! Have you noticed they tried to bring some of that back? It wasn’t great the first time!

Though my heart and mind demand I continue to do the things I know I can do, my body protests that kneeling hurts, and if I insist on doing it, I may be down there longer than expected. Skiing while exciting, thrilling and wonderful, quite frankly would be suicide; in fact, just sitting for too long means that upon standing, anyone close by may hear creaks and definitely a groan. I “sigh” much more than I remember doing in my younger years! When I go shopping and catch my reflection as I stroll up to my favorite store I am sure it is my own mother I see! Yes, there she is! Definitely beyond middle age, pear-shaped, hair flying, sun glasses askew! And who changed the inventory inside my store? There was a time when anything I picked up would please me, now someone has replaced all my favorites with miniature versions that, oh dear me, look like they are intended for the “ladies” that walk the street at night, not for Jake’s grandma…. Oh well, it was time to find another store anyway!

When did all those changes take place? Somewhere between making lunches, teaching women’s Bible study, running off to work to “find myself” and contribute to our income tax bracket, (about the time when my kids were either in high school or college); writing whenever I could; and speaking many weekends a month-- that’s when!

My roles changed, also. I was an empty nester, the mother of married daughters, then grandma, mother of a divorced daughter, business owner, partner to a retired husband, partner to an entrepreneurial husband; writer, speaker, friend. Roles changed and lifestyle changed and sometimes attitudes changed! Sometimes I felt unwanted, unneeded; other times I felt unappreciated and misunderstood, which led to tears; sometimes powerful (hormones were the culprit, I am sure, now). My own mother had died of breast cancer at 62 years of age, so I really missed being able to ask her if what I was feeling was “normal” or early signs of mental illness, senility or perhaps Alzheimer’s. As it turned out it was quite another change..change of life!

Some of my dear friends have had to learn to be a single person again, either because of divorce or because of the death of their mate. One of them told me upon the death of her beloved husband, “The spiritual investments we’ve made through the years have their greatest dividends when we suddenly face life alone. Am I close to God now? Am I serving God in ministry? Are my relationships with friends meaningful? Do I share Jesus with them as our foundation?” Good questions to ask ourselves, regardless of where we are at the moment!

I received an email recently from one of my “girlfriends” that basically said, “Don’t forget your girlfriends!” It was a story about a young woman who married, and her mother gave her that advice the week she was getting married. At the time she thought it strange. Later years showed the reason why. We always need another woman to be a friend, a sounding board, a confidant, whether or not our husbands live a long healthy life, or whether we are cast aside in divorce.

One of my fondest “girlfriend” moments was when two of my very ”best-est” friends and I met in London, England for two weeks of “girl time.” We “punted on the cam” (boated down the Cambridge River) with a “punter” directing us, and we saw all the cathedrals and colleges along the way! We sang do-wop and danced in my friend’s living room on the Isle of Man, and celebrated an early birthday of the other. We have great memories, and while we are separated now by 1500 miles, we call and email one another still. None of us will ever share those same memories with any other friend. They are ours. With other friends I’ve gone to retreats and conferences and had a ball, giggling late into the night like teenagers. These are wonderful things to ponder when we are apart! And a great reminder about what friends can be when we are looking for “new friends” when we’ve moved to a new place!

We can age like fine wine, or be a whiner! But, if we ask, why?” The answer has to be because that is what Life is! It changes, we change, things change! Get use to it! And get over it!

God says in Proverbs 16:31 “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it comes from leading a righteous life!” Personally, I will always cover mine up…blonde is what God intended for me, I am just sure! So where do we go from here?
Titus 2:3ff says, “Teach the older women (me?) to train younger ones to be
A) Reverent in the way they live
b) Not slanderers
c) Not addicted to much wine
d) To teach what is good
e) Love their husbands and children
f) Be self-controlled and pure
G) be busy at home
H) Kind
I) subject to their husbands, so none will malign the word of God.

Who are the younger ones? It could be your daughters or daughters-in-law. Or, perhaps your neighbor, your bible study partner, your friend, the gals who attend the study you go to, your small group at church, just about anyone! And the older we get, the larger that group becomes! So enjoy it!
It is God’s plan and it can’t be bad! Think of the effect we can have on those around us! We can mentor daughters, granddaughters, grandsons, friends, and just about anybody who is observant! “Children are an investment, grandchildren are the dividend!” Our influence on our grandkids is immeasurable. We stand in the gap for them…we usually have more Time, and more Money than their parents do at this stage, and we are one generation removed from the “disciplinarian” and gain the ear of the child. We are their ally. So, older? Yes. Wiser? Let’s pray so! How are we spending our time? We are either: Wasting it, Hoarding it, or Investing it!

If we are investing in the lives of others, we will always have purpose, a call on our life---whether it is an active helping involvement or the physically passive, but Spiritually active life of PRAYER for those around us…..

SO….Mirror, mirror on the wall….
NO matter what I THINK I SEE,
God has created me to be…
To carry out HIS PLAN and
To answer HIS CALL….
Mirror, mirror on the wall
Let HIS REFLECTION be evident to all!

*copyrighted 1999
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beauty of a Woman
This poem was written by the late educator-humorist Sam Levinson for his grandchild and read by Audrey Hepburn on Christmas Eve, 1992.

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in
the clothes she wears,
the figure she carries,
or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman
must be seen from her eyes,
because that is the doorway to her heart,
the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman
is not in a facial mole,
but true beauty in a woman
is reflected in her soul.
It is the caring that she lovingly gives,
the beauty of a woman
with passing years—only grows.

Love is a Powerful Thing!

2008-01-20T13:59:00.000-06:00

“A mother’s love is a powerful thing but it can’t ‘own’ a child nor can it even keep a child safe.” That is certainly true. I cannot control someone else’s safety if they choose to step out from the protective umbrella of God when they try to escape stresses by drinking or taking drugs, or participate in other lifestyle choices to avoid doing the right things.

I can love my daughter with all my heart but if she walks away from safety, she’s taken herself into very dangerous territory. I cannot make her do what is right. She now must choose to help herself by submitting to counseling, rehab and to God himself. Right now it doesn’t appear that she will do that anytime soon. But I am praying that she will change her thinking and turn to God. And for myself that I will yet see the hand of God on her life. As my friend reminded me just this week, I need to pray and see her in my mind as God would have her, whole..rejoicing in Him.

“God is our refuge and strength; an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea..” Ps 46 God is always permanent and stable; He NEVER changes. Corrie ten Boom said, ”In order to realize the worth of the Anchor, we need to feel the stress of the storm.”

When will our daughter feel enough of the stress and chaos and turn to the only Anchor that will hold her steady—Jesus Christ? Heb. 6:18 says “These two things cannot change; God cannot lie when he makes a promise and he cannot lie when he makes an oath. These things encourage us who came to God for safety. They give us strength to hold on to the hope we’ve been given. We have this Hope as an Anchor for the soul, sure and strong!” Lord, save her from herself!

You, O Lord, are the only One who can bring this to pass..I will stand on my watchtower and await your powerful hand in her life!
*copyrighted 2006

Those Restless Nights!

2008-01-20T13:56:00.000-06:00

“ I lie down and sleep; I wake again because the Lord sustains me.” ( Ps 3:5)

Are you ever fearful? Does it keep you up at night? Have you ever considered that everything looks and feels worse at night? If you have ever been ill for several days at a time, you probably have dreaded trying to fall asleep. Everyone else seems to be at peace; snoring right next to you or down the hall dreaming sweet dreams.

There have been nights like that for me. I remember when I lay awake at night thinking about the next morning’s outpatient surgery, running many different scenarios through my head. Would the lab results come back cancerous or benign? Having lost my mother to breast cancer, the seed of unease is ever ready to bloom forth with fear and loathing.

There were the nights when a child was away from home because of poor choices. I didn’t know where she was laying her head as I tried to close my eyes on my soft pillow. I knew that as parents we were doing the "right” thing, but it felt terribly “wrong” now by cover of night wondering about my child’s safety. I remember praying in that situation, “God, You alone know where she is tonight and whom she is with. Guide her back safely to YOU first and then to us. Help my unbelief; because I don’t know how all of this will turn out. Help us all to REST safely in You, Lord.” I did sleep that night knowing the Lord was watching over my child, no matter where she was. I can cry out to God when I can’t even cry out to a close friend.

My Lord watches over me when the enemies of fear, worry, frustration, doubt and anger surround me on every side. God will do that for you also. He will slap each one of those enemies in the face, insulting them for accosting you and will remove the hold of panic on our hearts. He replaces my enemies with peace and safety for His name’s sake and allows my mind to REST in His keeping. Let Him do that for you today, also.

PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, that we can come to you and expect you to give us your peace, if we have given our hearts to you. Help us to remember to turn to you immediately when situations arise, so we can lie down and sleep at night.
*copyrighted 2005

When Patience Wears Thin

2008-01-20T13:53:00.000-06:00

“How strange that men should try to outwit God..O kings and rulers of the earth, listen while there is still time. Serve the Lord with reverent fear; rejoice with trembling.” (Psalm 2:1; 10-11)

It isn’t just kings and rulers who try to outwit God. Unfortunately, it is a common disease that infects the everyday man or woman also. God is patient to a point with those who try to outwit him. But eventually our time runs out, and at some point, at His discretion, we meet the end of the rope.

My husband was in law enforcement and can tell you first hand his many stories along those lines. His patience as a cop can run out also. There was a teenage boy whom Bob had tried to reason with and win over. He tried to talk some sense into the boy before he got into worse trouble because of the “friends” he was spending time around.

He had even called the boy’s parents to explain what the consequences would be if their son continued down this slimy path. The parents were receptive, but clearly had lost control, unable to persuade their son to “come clean.” Eventually time had run out, without this boy making the right decision. He had knowledge of the whereabouts of another young man who was wanted by the police, yet he would not be the one to turn him in. So, as happens sometimes, a task force rounded up all friends of this boy and carted them all off for “harboring a criminal”. It took this dose of reality to bring the boy to his senses. Contact with the wrath of the police, brought the reality that he had best make some changes in his life.

Thankfully, he was in church the following Sunday with his parents. I pray he will turn away from this troubled path he had been on and turn his life over to God before it is ultimately too late. God will be patient with us to a point. The problem is, do we know what point that is? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go so far down the wrong path that I can’t see “the light” anymore. As my friend Patsy Clairmont’s Aunt Pearl used to say, “There ain’t nothin’ like a whoopin’ from the Lawrd.” “Oh the joys of those who put their trust in HIM!” Psalm 2:12b

PRAYER: Lord help us when we put too much of our confidence and security into the things of this world. Remind us Lord that it is you we need to depend upon. Help us to get alone with you and pour out our hearts.

*copyrighted 2005

Lacking Wisdom You Say?

2008-01-20T13:48:00.000-06:00

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

Do you worry about your future and wonder how you will get by? Will we be able to exist if the Social Security benefits evaporate? Do you wonder if your stock plans and 401k’s will pay off? It seems nothing is for certain these days, with the world stock market and economies wreaking havoc in the newspapers and on our lives. Maybe our dependence and focus has shifted in directions that cause us to go round and round, never getting to our destination. And if we do arrive there, we are so confused and disoriented we are of little use.

Perhaps we need to get alone, out of the hustle and bustle of our everyday world, and seek some solitude and silence. Maybe we need to lift our voice, weak as it may be and begin to concentrate on the Creator who is always with us. “For every animal of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are Mine.”(Ps. 50:10-11 ) NIV.

And though not many of us could do it like the great psalmist, David, nor like Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music; we must open our mouths and cry out to the God who understands us intimately and loves us just as we are! Insecurities, inabilities, warts and all, God cares about our welfare and is just waiting for us to call upon Him for the answers we so desperately need.

PRAYER: Lord help us when we put too much of our confidence and security into the things of this world. Remind us Lord that it is you we need to depend upon. Help us to get alone with you and pour out our hearts.

*copyrighted 2005

My Wee Mee

2008-01-04T16:09:00.001-06:00

The Tree God Plants

2008-01-02T21:20:00.000-06:00

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river and will not fear when heat comes; buit its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

"The wind that blows can never kill the tree God plants;
it blows east and it blows west,
the tender leaves have little rest,
But any wind that blows is best.
The tree that God plants strikes
deeper root, grows higher still,
spreads greater boughs, for God's good
will meets all its wants.

There is no storm hath power to blast
the tree God knows;
no thunderbolt, nor beating rain,
nor lightning flash, nor hurricane;
when they are spent, it doth remain,
The tree God knows
through every tempest stands
fast and from its first day to
its last, still fairer grows."
(Author Unknown)

Finishing Well!

2008-01-02T20:39:00.000-06:00

We all have seen end of the year articles which focus on setting goals, new year's resolutions, developing a "game plan" and establishing or re-ordering our priorites. Now, all of this is helpful, insightful and often necessary. We often need a "push" to get off the dime; it can be a major task, depending on what kind of year you have just ended.

What about "finishing well"? It's at the opposite end of what many have strived for on New Year's Day as they recite their resolutions. For those of us in business, we have all read the Five Minute Managers, the Five Minute Salesmen, we've seen 30 second commercials, and at home we've seen the mini-series (which drags out into 14 episodes); we've purchased the abridged editions of epic novels, popularized by Reader's Digest, we studied Clift Notes in school to complete an assignment that should have been done weeks ago!

Too often we'd rather quit early than stick it out, or we'd rather take a short cut if it just doesn't fit into our schedules. Dieting and exercize sound like the right thing, but two days later we find they were overrated! Finishing anything can be work, so we bail out and blame others or find a convenient excuse to hang our lack of motivation upon. We want results and we want them now, but we are unwilling to pay the price for it.

Things of value don't come about without putting in time (the PITs)~~ spending time in the pit reaps results, and there really is no other way to accomplish it, other than putting in the time. Sometimes it is the pits, we feel unappreciated, misunderstood, taken advantage of, discouraged, disillusioned, depressed even! But don't quit--it won't always be the best, there will be the lows--but don't quit, don't become the "spectator"--be a participant!

It's like the story about the famous composer, pianist, Ignace Jan Paderewski. It is said that he was about to give a recital, a performance for which the theater was rapidly filling with his devoted audience. A young mother had brought her young son, whom she was hoping would be influenced by the great Paderewski. It had been difficult to get her son to practice, but he had enjoyed playing chopsticks. The lights began to go dim, and the mother looked around to find her young son, not on the seat next to her, but sitting on the piano bench on stage. The crowd had begun to murmur and peer about for the young lad's guardian. Just then the young boy began to play chopsticks, much to his mother's dismay. However, before anyone realized what was happening, the Master, Paderewski had sat down on the bench beside him and was saying in his ear, "don't quit, don't quit, keep going!" while he played a countermeasure complimenting the lad's chopsticks. When they were done, the crowd stood to their feet shouting "bravo, bravo!" The distraught mother was overwhelmed and the young boy received a standing ovation, along with the Master!

Do you sometimes feel you have practiced and practiced this piece of music called "life" and it only sounds like chopsticks? There is One, the Master, who will come alongside us and He is saying "Don't quit, don't quit! You are doing great! Keep on!" He plays the "countermeasure" that makes our chopsticks sound like a concerto! We give up too quickly! We don't want to practice those difficult pieces, we just want to play chopsticks... Jesus knew it would be difficult at times and so he sent us Someone to "come alongside". He said He would have to go in order to send us the One who would lead us into all truth, guide us, remind us of His words, and pray for us when we can only groan in agony of heart. He knows what we need before we even speak it... Listen! He is saying to you and to me, "Don't give up! Keep going! You're doing great! I am right here beside you, don't give up!" So as the New Year begins, perhaps you have wanted to quit... remember His words and listen for that beautiful melody being played in countermeasure by the One who loves you most! (Adapted from Chuck Swindoll)

The String of Pearls

2007-12-30T17:23:00.001-06:00

After my mother died in 1990, I was the heir to her things she left behind. Other than her wedding ring set, none were of great monetary value, but all were treasured in my heart. One that I deeply cherished was a string of pearls. Mom had worn them regularly to church and functions that took her outside our home, be it PTA or dinners in restaurants. No, she wasn’t June Cleaver of Leave It to Beaver fame, but she loved wearing them!

So, it was an experience of nostalgia every time I wore those pearls in the first days after she was gone. It was while I was wearing that necklace (the “oh honey, just wear a string of pearls and a smile and you will look terrific!” pearls) that it happened! They were well-worn and had become too frayed to hold together. One by one, they rolled across the floor in front of me!
There have been times in my life when I have felt like those undone string of pearls—frayed at the edges, about to lose adhesiveness emotionally; so hurt in my heart over circumstances or relationships that I feel like each facet of my being has rolled across the floor out of my reach and out of my power to control!

My mother’s death was one of those times I felt out of control; I lost her when she was only 62 years old from breast cancer. It is never the right time to lose a parent! There was so much we would miss together: my girls weddings, births of her great-grandsons, and just talking by phone daily. But more recently it has been a daughter who has made devastating choices and decisions that have affected each little pearl in her life (and ultimately, ours): her husband, her boys, her sister, her business, her home, her finances and certainly all of our emotions and hearts.

While we pray for a revival in her heart, we are not in control of it. While we can suggest a plan to help her, we cannot implement it. We can pray and trust the One who can! Only Jesus Christ can restring the pearls of our lives, we cannot. Only He can put us back together. And only Jesus can heal a mother and father’s heart.
*copyrighted 2006

My Focus Determines My Destination

2007-12-30T17:14:00.000-06:00

Hebrews 11:8 tells us that Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterwards receive as an inheritance. He didn’t know where he was going, but he believed the God who was calling him. He leaned upon the Promiser, not just on the promises. He had unwavering confidence that true to God’s word, he would arrive safely.

What is my focus? Is it on the daily struggles or seeming trial I am going through, with little hope of being fixed? Or is my focus on the One who holds my future? The One who appoints my course? During the era of World War II, war ships from our coasts left the docks under sealed orders. No one knew for certain their destination ultimately. They sailed believing they had an appointment somewhere “out there” of great importance, which was awaiting them; perhaps to be heroes and face the enemy at sea, or be the support for others awaiting them to rescue them!

Our Spiritual lives are like that in a way. Standing on the shore, God calls us and we have answered his call, we have asked him into our heart. Now he will lead us and direct us. We may be of the opinion that WE have a plan for our lives and how it will go, but after we have set sail, we realize that HE has a plan for us; it may be entirely different than we had surmised it would be. In effect, we have set sail on our journey with God, under sealed orders. We know our Captain, but not the route. We must release our own plan, edit it, add to it, or perhaps even tear it up, and start from the beginning again. Sailing with God’s plan means trusting Him and resting in the fact that He can get us safely to our destination without our interference.

Lord, You aren’t done with any of us, yet! We are in the process of becoming what you’d have us to be. You designed us and the specific plan for our life. We can squirm, and struggle to avoid and escape the pressure or pain of the “process.” But when we realize, it is the very hand of God upon us to mold us and “finish and complete us” we must stop squirming and trust you to bring about your desired end. Often we just want to stop the discomfort, the difficult circumstance and the emotional pain that it can bring. Lord help me to endure with joy and expectation what you are working out in my life, even when it just looks dark and bleak. Help me to see your hand and be thankful; lead me to praise you every day, no matter what color the sky looks at that moment and wherever you lead me!

* copyrighted 2005

Finding Rest for our Souls~~

2007-12-30T17:06:00.000-06:00

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find REST for your souls..’” Jer. 6:16

When we’re overburdened the world seems a colder place—the sun could be shining but from our vantage point (because we are so tunnel-visioned with our own problem) we never even notice! The birds may be singing, but all our ears hear is the tune of our own grief—our heart crying out our pains, weariness and sorrows.

When we are self-absorbed in our own dilemmas, it puts distance between ourselves and others, and between us and God. Oh he is still there, but the distance is one felt by us because we are not calling on Him, because we are too self-absorbed.

The weight of all our life’s concerns can become such a burden that it’s difficult to be at REST. It may be unmet expectations, finances, relationships, fear of the future—but calling out to us is the Voice of God with an invitation to REST in Him!

He wants us to trust Him to take care of us, to work on our behalf—to ask at our crossroads, “where is the good path?” and then to walk in it. If we do this, He will give us REST for our souls. “My soul finds REST in God alone!” Ps. 62:1

* copyrighted 2006

Have You Seen This Little Girl?

2007-12-30T16:54:00.000-06:00

Fall 1991

Have you seen this little girl? No, she isn’t a run away. She is not a photo on the side of a milk carton, but she is missing. She lives here, occupies space here, does her laundry here and sometimes even eats a meal here, but this little girl is missing.

Where is the innocent little face that used to look up into mine and smile and say, “I love you, mommy.” Where is the little girl that hunted for Easter eggs and waited on the stairs to get her first glimpse of Santa’s visit? Where is the little girl who went happily to Sunday School and couldn’t wait to tell mommy what she’d learned? Where is the little girl who raised her hand to ask Jesus into her heart?

Have you seen this little girl? Now she seems to care less about what mom and dad say, because they are from a different generation or even a different time zone. This little girl, who used to believe in her mommy, now, thinks mom is out to ruin all her fun, her day, and her life. This little girl who used to love to have mommy help her clean her room, now hates mom to touch anything of hers. This little girl who would listen as mommy and daddy told her about strangers and dangers in this world, now seems to enjoy toying with things that bite, go bump in the night and potentially could hurt her.

Where is the little girl I nursed as a baby, the one I walked the floors with many a night when she was sick, the one I comforted through the fears of kindergarten and making new friends, the one I sat with for days on end when she was hospitalized. Where is the little girl I prayed for and taught Bible verses? This little girl is missing. Have you seen her? Where has she gone?

Someone seems to have taken her place, and she is missing. I search for her only to find someone else I don’t recognize. But I will keep on looking, I am almost without hope of ever finding her again, but I will keep on searching. If you see her, tell her I miss her and long to hold her in my arms and kiss her and love her.

Perhaps someday she will come home to me. Perhaps I will never see my little girl again… because she’s a teenager now and I am only her mom.

* copyrighted 1991

The Shipwrecks of Life!

2007-05-22T19:36:00.000-05:00

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." My soul thirsts for God, the living God..living not one who's dead and cannot act! Put your hope in God~ for I will yet praise Him, My Savior and my God...my soul is downcast within me, therefore I will remember You.

Deep calls to deep in the roar of the waterfalls; all Your waves and breakers have swept over me~~ by day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me~ a prayer to the God of my life! Lord, Your waves have swept over me.... until I feel capsized ~ bailing as fast as I can before the next one hits. Far from the shore and safe harbor, drifting away from where I want to be, bailing, sinking. But I cry out to you Lord, whom else do I have to save me? Throw me a life preserver, help me to drop anchor, light up the beacon on shore so I can know which direction to head~ and if it pleases you, calm the waters. Let me hear "Peace be still!" Send forth your light and your truth and let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell." When I feel shipwrecked, let me see your light..the beacon of Hope I search for across these many waves~ How, O, Lord did I get off course? It was perhaps a "rogue" wave, unseen, bearing down and throwing me in the wrong direction! You say: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea."

But sometimes it is others who have shipwrecked us, not us ourselves. And then it is out of our control, we are broadsided by the waves of torment from their choices! Help me to listen to your direction and in hearing them, to obey. Again you say, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. FOR, I AM the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Though difficulties, situations and circumstances may assail me my God will be there to walk me through them. They won't destroy me to the point I cannot go on. As soon as I can look UP and get my focus on Jesus, then I will be okay and make it through to safe harbor-trusting that my Anchor will hold!

Oh Lord, thank you that you are the Captain of my ship and that nothing blindsides you! You hold us and the answer in your right hand! Help me to fully trust that you are working even when I don't see the results in my timing...my times are in your hands, Lord! You are my PEACE! Amen.

http://www.pamelastephens.com

**copyrighted in 2006

A Pageant in Persia-The Story of Esther

2007-05-22T19:34:00.000-05:00

A Pageant in Persia
by Pamela Stephens

Our prolific parable opens at the palace, where a party has been planned for the Princes of Persia. Power and pride prevailed at this plush affair! The King proposed that the pretty Queen present herself so praise and applause would be his. BUT the Queen, prim and proper, preferred not to…it was her PEROGATIVE!

Those Princes in attendance pondered this problem and had a plan for the King: Produce a new Queen for Persia! So, a Pageant was proposed and all pubescent beauties from far and wide planned to be there. Esther, a pretty Jewess was one of them..much perfuming, primping and preening was perpetuated upon them so they could parade before the pagan King. Esther pleased him profusely and the pearl-seeded tiara was placed upon her head….it was PERFECT!

It was purported that a plot to replace the King was afoot and it was perpetrated by a cast of perilous evil-doers. The guilty pair was painfully disposed of by the powers that be! Put into a place of political power was a proud, prejudicial person named Haman! He prescribed that people should prostrate themselves before him…profusely…it was PROTOCOL!

This perplexing prospect put panic and palpitations into Mordecai’s pumper! He was a person with principles….it was a PRECARIOUS PREDICAMENT!

Haman persuaded the King with plunder aplenty to pass a proclamation persecuting the Jews, which sent pandemonium to this population. Haman was a parasite, but also a pillar of persuasion….oh, POOH!

At this particular pause in our story, the Patriarch Mordecai appeals to our pathos. He’s publicly pleading and pulling on his apparel…He’s upset and….it was PATHETIC!

Esther has pity on him and permits a messenger to prevail upon him to: Perk up, Patch up, and Pull up his Poise and quit this PESSIMISM! But when this Pollyanna teen Queen hears of the perverse plan put into perspective by her paternal cousin, Mordecai…..Esther turns PALE!

paternal cousin, Mordecai…..Esther turns PALE!
This pagan Haman plans a profit and Esther is PETRIFIED! To plead for pardon in the King’s palace could be precarious….she was a PANSY!

However, Esther, lying on her pillow upon pins and needles, ponders the perilous possibilities….paramount on her mind. This paralyzing preoccupation with fear pales when into her thinking process comes the idea that “Pleasing God is the pinnacle for which she was put there!” Thus, Peace and Patience along with Prayer became her Possessions! Providence and predestination play a big part in every person’s life!! Esther says to Patriarch Mordecai, “IF I perish, I PERISH!” It was Precious!

God’s plans pan-out because His people have purpose! He positioned people in places of power, providing a plan to procure protection by using a pair planted in the palace…..Who could’ve Predicted?

HE Preserved, they persevered and posterity penned forever the Pious celebration of PURIM… Paranoia departed, the perpetrator’s passion passed (As did Haman, I might add!)….Poor Persian!

The penitent people of Persia were peaceable and became proselytes…Praise the Lord and all Prospered! Which only goes to show you: It pays to participate in the plans of God…pity the poor person who practices pooh poohing them!

**copyrighted 1984

When Others Reject Us

2006-03-13T08:18:00.000-06:00

“Though my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” Ps.27:10

Have you ever felt the sting of rejection or been misunderstood by those who should know and love you best? That is a very difficult thing for us and it was a feeling that the shepherd, David understood very well. When Samuel was sent on a mission to find the next King to replace Saul, God sent him to the home of Jesse.

Jesse had eight sons. After hearing from Samuel’s lips, that he was there to anoint the King God had chosen, Jesse brought his first seven sons in for Samuel to get acquainted with. Samuel asked if there were any others. “Yes, there is another…the youngest,” Jesse stammered. In those days, the word “youngest” not only referred to his age, but also his rank. Jesse hadn’t considered David kingly material. The minute David walked into the presence of Samuel, God spoke to Samuel’s heart and said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” (I Sam. 16:12NASB) Samuel took the oil and wordlessly obeyed his Lord.

Perhaps feeling the lack of value from his own father and brothers prepared David for what was to come. This may very well be the setting for David’s words, “Though my father and my mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.” Ps.27:10

David’s heart had been prepared for leading God’s people because he had been tending his father’s sheep for years. Was it spending time alone with only sheep to talk to that made David sensitive to God’s leading? The solitude and quietness could have been factors which allowed David to hear God’s voice as He was shaping the heart of this sensitive shepherd to lead a very stubborn people.

Loneliness and rejection or a lack of value in the eyes of others can be very devastating. When we feel this way, we need to remember David’s words in this verse, “the Lord will receive me.” The Lord did receive him. He chose him as King, a King after God’s own heart. God has chosen You to be His child! “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My Name, He may give it to you.” John 15:16 Rejoice in that truth! Thank you, Abba Father, that you love me so much that nothing can separate that love! Amen.

*copyrighted 2001

How Do You Spell Relief?

2006-03-12T18:49:00.000-06:00

“…God is near. Be anxious for nothing, but with prayer and supplication, along with thanksgiving, make your requests known unto God, and the peace of God, which surpasses human understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and give you His peace.” Phil. 4:5b-7

How Do You Spell Relief? P R A Y E R

My friend and I had just walked into the kitchen from outside.
It was February and even for Southern California, there was a definite winter chill in the air. We sat down to have a warm cup of tea in my kitchen, but soon my five-year old daughter, Jenny, interrupted our conversation.

Jenny had strep throat and we were medicating her as the doctor had prescribed, but she still wasn’t feeling well and showed me a “sore” on her neck. It was a very large, two-by-two inch blister, which prompted me to call our doctor immediately. After describing what I saw, he told me she’d be fine over the weekend. But, when they opened Monday morning, we met the doctor at his office. He was amazed at her condition, and walked her across the street to the hospital right then.

The diagnosis was Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, brought on by an allergic reaction to the medications, and or the disease of strep itself. My husband and I were in a panic…in tears and very confused. We watched as they donned hospital gowns and masks and placed Jenny in “reverse isolation” so that the now-exposed raw skin would not become infected by any of us. They treated her by soaking her four times a day in saline solution (salt), just as they would do for a burn patient and administering drugs to keep this allergic reaction under as much control as possible. Every time they came in to soak Jenny, she would plead with me not to let them “do that to her again!” But there was nothing I could do, except feel helpless and totally out of control.

The second day I was out walking in the hallway to escape for a few minutes, while my husband sat next to Jenny, and I remembered a verse I had been memorizing, “Be anxious for nothing, but with prayer and supplication, along with thanksgiving, make your requests known unto God and the peace of God which passes all human understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7) I recall saying in my heart to God, “how can I not be anxious over this little child’s situation?” “Please heal her “ I muttered and said “but if you choose not to, I will accept that but help me!” Even though I was so distressed at that moment, as I prayed I began to feel relief. A weight was lifted from me.

I had felt just like a teapot turned on high! I began churning, bubbling and finally blowing my top. I was helpless as we carried Jenny into that hospital and watched as they began to treat her illness. But when I prayed, I felt the pressure fade, replaced by the peace of God. Just as one of my favorite verses declares, “the peace of God which passes all human understanding shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and give you peace.” Prayer can relieve your pressure too! It’s as close as the next whisper of His name…JESUS!

** Copyrighted 1999

Dear Daughter

2006-03-12T18:29:00.000-06:00

When I think of my youngest daughter, Sheryl, this is what my heart cries out:

Dear Daughter~
I gave you life
But I cannot live it for you.
I can teach you things
But I cannot make you learn.
I can give you directions
But I cannot always be there to lead you.
I can allow you freedom
But I cannot account for it.
I can take you to church
But I cannot make you believe.
I can teach you right from wrong
But I can’t always decide for you.
I can buy you beautiful clothes
But I cannot make you lovely inside.
I can offer you advice
But I cannot accept it for you.
I can give you love
But I cannot force it upon you.
I can teach you to be a friend
But I cannot make you one.
I can teach you to share
But I cannot make you unselfish.
I can teach you respect
But I can’t force you to show honor.
I can grieve about your report card
But I cannot doubt your teachers.
I can advise you about friends
But I cannot choose them for you.
I can teach you about sex
But I cannot keep you pure.
I can tell you the facts of life
But I can’t build your reputation.
I can tell you about drink
But I can’t say NO for you.
I can warn you about drugs
But I can’t prevent you from using them.
I can tell you about lofty goals
But I can’t achieve them for you.
I can let you babysit
But I can’t be responsible for your actions.
I can teach you kindness
But I can’t force you to be gracious.
I can warn you about sins
But I cannot make your morals.
I can love you as a daughter
But I cannot place you in God’s family.
I can pray for you
But I cannot make you walk with God.
I can teach you about Jesus
But I cannot make Him your Savior.
I can teach you to obey
But I cannot make Jesus your Lord.
I can tell you how to live
But I cannot give you eternal life.
Love, Your Mom (anonymous)