Category: Ordinary Moments

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Checks&Balances

Just the other day I walked into the bathroom and prayed, “Lord please help me to check my emotions and help me to be balanced in my responses”.

It was an honest prayer. It was a clear minded prayer. It was desperate, but not selfish. I truly wanted to not be affected emotionally by the reactions I was receiving so I could respond with kindness and clarity. I didn’t want to spew or have a patronizing tone. The Lord reminded me of a quote I came across a few years ago that has 100% opened my eyes. Let me share…

“You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.” -Warren Buffett

The first Scripture that comes to mind when I read this quote is 2 Timothy 1:7 (TPT) that says, “For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.” He has given us the power through the Holy Spirit to have self-control- aka- restraint.

Okay, so I haven’t wrote in a while and I log on to once again dig deep into my creative soul and begin a new blog post. To my surprise, I had begun this post and never completed it. So, here I find myself in the same place, but today I went and took a shower to pray and wash away all my frustrations. Here I am, being reminded to once again, practice restraint upon my own feelings and emotions. So, here we go. I’m ready to complete this post with fresh eyes, but still in this present struggle.

No Joke! I am now coming back for a third time to finish this post, months later. Today was a good day. My shower was uneventful not containing desperate prayers or pleads to our Lord, but just a thankful heart. Now yesterday… that’s a different story. Ha!

I think what the Lord is always showing me and teaching me and trying to sink down deep in my heart and my mind is to freely and joyful give the grace, mercy, and love to others (particularly my babies) that He so graciously gives to me every moment of every day.

There it is – simple, plain, and seriously uncomplicated – but not always as easy as it sounds.

It’s always, ALWAYS, a heart issue. Where’s my heart at? Check it. If it’s off, balance it. Just like a check book back in the day. Sometimes it takes some hunting and other times it’s right there plain as day.

Psalm 139: 23-24 (NIRV) “God, see what is in my heart. Know what is there. Test me. Know what I’m thinking. See if there’s anything in my life You don’t like. Help me live in the way that is always right.”

Today, I finally finish this post with a smile on my face. He is so good to me. Always has, always will be.

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A Little of This & A Little of That

Balance. Moderation. Discipline.

Hardest. Thing. Ever.

Why is it so easy to indulge in what is “bad” for us? My daughter just said the other day, “Why is crap so good?”. Of course what she meant by this-McDonald’s French fries and her favorite, ice cream. Yes, these things are crap and yes, these things are delicious. Okay, okay, in moderation they can be beneficial to our souls, because it really is just so good. Enough about fries and desserts. Let’s get into the real reason I’m sitting in the California sunshine typing to you all.

Cake.

Ha!Ha! Seriously, cake is delicious and one of my favorite things to make. I have shared with you in the past about how God speaks to us in our own language and through the desires He placed in us. Well, He gave me the desire to bake and cook. I was thinking about this today when I was challenged once again with the need to bring balance back into some areas of my life. Our current world situation truly is difficult, but no longer (for me) can be used as an excuse for my over indulgence and lack of discipline. I don’t know about you, but during this crazy year I have, and continue to have, my ups and downs that have taken my routine right along with them. We are going to have days like this, but I want to shake off this yuck of the unknown and begin to thrive.

Back to cake.

God brought to my mind how you bake a cake. You need flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, eggs, milk… you get the idea. These are basic ingredients most cake recipes call for. What if we put 2 cups of baking soda instead of flour, and only 1 Tbsp of flour instead of baking soda? It would apparently not turn out well. It would not be the consistency that we hoped for. It would not be cake! Jesus, gently showed me the areas of my life that haven’t been “turning out well or the consistency I hoped for” was because my measurements have been off.

Alright. Lord, show me where I’m off. Reveal the choices I’m making in flour proportions that should be baking soda amount. Do I add milk or make it dairy free? What makes up my cake? Every morning, may I wake with great expectation. What are we going to do today, Holy Spirit? Guide me to add a little of this and take away a little of that. Balance me out in only the way You can. Help me remember that Your ways are not my ways and it may seem like there’s way too much of something, when actually it’s the perfect amount. Encourage me in the things I know I need to put first. At the end of my day, when I lay my head down, my deepest desire is that you are pleased and proud of my delicious cake.

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; -2 Corinthians 2:15

I want to be a fragrance to those thriving and those suffering. Jesus, let me see that my daily disciplines extend to those around me. The world needs You now more than ever. Help me to see past the disappointments, my own ups and downs, and to realize what an opportunity it is to live in these days-even though corruption and evil is prowling, yes this is true, but You are good. Let my light shine brighter and my fragrance be even sweeter.

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Helpfulness

We are doing a new thing this school year with our children. We have decided to dis-enroll our high school freshmen son and fifth-grade daughter from the school district we absolutely love (a major deciding factor in our move here to Minnesota) and enrolled them in a Christian online academy. Many of you reading this may very well have done the same thing, finding yourself in a role that you never imagined or desired. It had crossed my mind a few times to homeschool, but nothing caused Russell and I to go for it-until now. No matter your decision for your children’s school experience this year, it was a hard one to make. Each family is unique and needs to do what is best for their home.

With this decision, the opportunity has clearly presented itself to teach our children things we have always wanted to, but just haven’t for whatever reason. Chores have become more consistent and they are improving on them daily. We are working together better than we ever have, learning to forgive quickly, and taking our deep breaths when we are frustrated.

One thing I decided to add to our curriculum (life really) is a Monday Manner accompanied by a Scripture to back it up. It’s definitely a manner of sorts, but it’s a life skill I hope to instill in my children. This is a simple and consistent way to pour into them.

Let me tell you what-I need these reminders.

This week our “manner” is helpfulness. Be helpful! Philippians 2:4 (MSG) says, “Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”

Instead of being more aware or looking for opportunities to be helpful, I have found myself realizing how much help I do not get. (Insert forehead slap!) This is the exact place the enemy wants me to be. He wants me turned inwards, obsessing with my own advantage. He wants me angry and irritated.

As I have mentioned before, one of my favorite roles of the Holy Spirit is that He is our Reminder. He reminded me of the Scripture and held me accountable. He brought awareness to my emotions. Thank You, Holy Spirit! How I desperately need You. Once I realized what was happening in my own head, I was able to stop and make a choice. I did not want to be angry, irritated, or even worse turned inwards. Ultimately, He helped me. This is the promise Jesus gave us in John 14:16:

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-“ (NKJV)

When the kids and I were discussing helpfulness, we not only talked about helping others, but also being helped. I had them answer a personal question each day. Two in particular were: How do you like to help? What do you like help with?

Just like listening, I believe help is a gift to give and to receive. I want to be aware of how I can help while also being willing to ask for it. No one is a mind reader-thank heavens so, let’s not pretend they are. Even when we feel that it is 1000% obvious we need help, may we be so humble to just ask without attitude or belittling.

Look at those around you today for moments to lend a helping hand. If you’re on the receiving end, accept it graciously. If you need to ask for it, just do it. Ask. May we be surprised and blessed by a new awareness of what we can offer. It’s simple, beautiful, and truly unforgettable when someone selflessly gives of themselves. Honestly, doesn’t it just make your day when the door is held open for you by a complete stranger? How about when you drop something and a friendly someone hands it to you? Oh my goodness, when you can’t get the computer to do what you need it to and that someone in your life fixes it before you throw it out the window! Let’s switch sides now… You are out shopping and the person behind you in the check out line only has a few things and your cart is full- you insist on them going ahead and they accept with gratefulness. How about the pay it forward in the drive thru at Starbucks when you get to treat the car behind you by paying for their coffee?

SEE! Oh what a gift it is! A pretty easy one too, if we aren’t living inwards.

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Listen Linda!

The older I get, the better I listen and the more I desire to. Just today I had the rare opportunity of uninterrupted time with one of my favorite people. Now, don’t go crazy thinking I didn’t talk, I surely did. But my favorite part wasn’t talking or what I had to say or my excitement to tell her something. The best thing was just listening to her. She is frankly honest while remaining tenderhearted. It’s something I have always admired about her.

We live far from our family so visits are typically 5-10 days and just seem to fly by. We are currently blessed to have an extended visit with them and let me just say I am in absolute heaven on earth. What I want to do the most of during this precious time is to – listen. I want to hear stories and hearts. I want to learn and absorb each word those I love have to say. As I write this, it excites me to talk a whole lot less and just be still. I think listening requires a stillness we don’t practice enough. Our current state of stay at home orders and social distancing and literally the covering of our mouths is not what I’m referring to. Our nation, our roads and highways, our stores, our community gatherings have been not only still but put to a complete halt. That doesn’t mean our minds, hearts, opinions, and judgments have been. To be honest, mine have been loud and angry and all over the place – the complete opposite of still.

In my study and meditation on listening I have concluded, it is a gift. A gift both to give and to receive. My favorite synonym of listen is the word accept. See, to truly receive a gift you have to accept it and when you give a gift your joy is in their acceptance of it. How beautiful is that!

I have also been thinking a lot about the difference between hearing and listening. Hearing takes no effort; it’s just sound received by our ears. Listening requires active attention; it takes action. The definition of listening is this: to give attention with the ear; attend closely. So, when people say they want to be heard-I think they really want to be listened to. Just like the little guy from the famous YouTube video “Listen Linda” (oh my goodness, if you have not seen it, stop right now and go watch!) he did not want her to just hear him, he wanted her to LISTEN!

Right now our world is in such division. Let’s be a people who choose to truly, actively, and respectfully listen-even when we don’t agree. Actually, especially when we don’t agree.

Here are a few Scriptures to encourage us:

But whoever listens to Me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. Proverbs 1:33 (NIV)

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy, and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; Isaiah 55:1-3a (NKJV)

Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights. Proverbs 18:15 (MSG)

Answering before listening is both stupid and rude! Proverbs 18:13 (MSG)

A question I need to ask myself is who do I not want to listen to or even whom am I unwilling to listen to? Sometimes it’s a distinguished individual, but more often than not, it’s my kids or a close friend or a new friend. I listen to and read much of Jennie Allen’s work and one thing right now that is sticking out to me from her is: Keep the End in Mind. I can only see right in front of me sometimes, only what is going on now and how I do or don’t like it; how comfortable or uncomfortable the situation or conversation can be. Let’s take Jennie’s advice. Let’s be willing to listen because it’s not just the right now that we are listening for; it’s the trust we are building with others so we are a safe and trustworthy place to come to. Listening is a big deal – people! Let’s be known for being good listeners.

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More

I’m not sure about you, but when I want to make a change for the better in my life it always seems to come in the form of… LESS. Less bad food, less TV, less caffeine, less shopping. The sound is so negative and depriving.

A few weeks ago I realized I wasn’t drinking enough water which led to the thought I need to drink less of the other beverages I ingest. In that minute I had a moment of such clarity. I just need to drink MORE water. The Lord showed me in my humanness of overcomplicating everything to just drink more water. I don’t need to freak out and go completely overboard and quit drinking the other liquids I enjoy. In the act of drinking more water I will naturally drink less of the others. My body will be satisfied and hydrated and I will by default not crave the others as much. Now, this is still a choice. I have to chose to drink more water.

I felt in my spirit that this applies to so much in my every day life. Don’t think so much about what I need to do less, instead focus on what to do more of. Not sleep less, but have more time during the morning. Not eat less chips and salsa, but eat more fresh fruits and veggies. Not less of me, but more of Him. Not less TV, but more walks and playing with the kids. Not less shopping, but more treasure hunting and repurposing. Not less worrying, but more fixing my heart on what I know is true. Not less frustration, but more restraint and self-control. Not less wishing the past good times were my current reality, but more storytelling, journaling, and catching up with friends. Not less aching for a gathering with those I love, but more sacred time around the table with those I am able to cluster with.

When I do more things that bring my bones to life and sets my heart on fire there’s no room for less.

MORE.

Jesus, I want more. I no longer want to fixate on what I do wrong and how to not do it. It’s not working. Thank you for Your never ending grace that pours out like a rushing waterfall overwhelming me in the utmost way. You are a God of more. You are a multiplier, not a subtractor.

“I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you.” -Hebrews 6:14 (HCSB)

The author in Hebrews is reminding the Jewish Christians of the promise God made to Abraham all those years ago. He is a God of blessing and multiplication. He is not a God of bad fortune and decrease. Just as the Jewish Christians needed reminding, so do we. So, if you will allow me, let me humbly remind us that our God is big and holy and the only One of true authority. He is good and honest and the author of integrity. He desires to give us more.

More peace.

More hope.

More joy.

More freedom.

I need more of all of these things, in doubles and triples and beyond what I can imagine. He promises this too.

“God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” -Ephesians 3:20 (MSG)

In my imagination and my wildest dreams it’s never less, it’s always more. And it says He will do far more than that!! Let’s be a people of more. Not only in our own disciplines and internal processing. Let’s be more to those we love and strangers alike. Let’s be more kinder and more forgiving. I know I could use more kindness and forgiveness myself.

Here’s to the movement of MORE. I’m ready. Are you?

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In the Struggle

Struggle has been a common theme around our house lately. It’s often been my husband telling the kids and I we need some struggle in our lives. To quote him, “You guys need some struggle in your life. It’s good for you!”

I’m not exactly friends with struggle nor do I ask it over for dinner, but I do have to say sometimes I find myself yearning for it a bit. Just like in a good work out you know the struggle is only temporary and the results are tremendous. I have to share a story that most of you will roll your eyes at, but here it goes anyhow – my recent confrontation with struggle in a physical sense… A few months ago it snowed and enough that the driveway needed to be shoveled. I decided that morning that I was going to shovel the driveway for my man so he did not have to do it when he got home from work. I. Don’t. Shovel. I have a husband, a strapping teenage son, and an overly eager bouncy daughter who all do this strenuous chore. I don’t want to do it. I don’t have to do it. I wanted to do it to serve him and relieve him this particular day. I almost talked myself out of it several times and then I just went out, looked like a fool, sweated my butt off, and shoveled that whole dang thing. There was not a spot of snow or ice on that gorgeous drive!

What I have to admit was the pride and accomplishment I felt.

Some struggles are a choice. These struggles I would define as work or effort needed to accomplish one’s will. You may not know when you begin something the difficulty it will induce, but you know there will be some. For instance, say you want to learn how to play the piano. There will be struggle, effort needed. It may come naturally to you or not, but some work is required. This, we are somewhat prepared for as we consciously made a choice to learn a new skill.

Other struggles are not a choice. They come at us with a force we did not know existed. We have no control over the nature of the struggle itself. I would define this kind of struggle as a clashing war, strife.

Both are rough and painful, harsh and demanding. Oddly enough, both require the same thing from us. Whether we put ourselves up to the task or the battle shows up at our door unannounced – we were made to fight. We were made for struggle.

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” -James 1:2-4 (MSG)

Struggle is a gift. I guess maybe I should invite it over for dinner. James makes it sound almost fun and whimsical. I think maybe it can be. Perspective, I guess. My favorite is the next few verses…

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get His help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believing, without a second thought.” -James 1:5-6 (MSG)

We don’t even have to know what we are doing or how to do it! Hallelujah!!! We just have to talk to our Heavenly Father and simply ask. We do need to believe. That’s really all He wants from us anyhow, to believe. Believe He loves us. Believe He is on our side. Believe He wants to help us through the struggle.

We are all in a struggle right now. All experiencing it, but each in our own unique way. My prayer for us all is that we come out of this struggle with a new story in our life book. It doesn’t have to be a remodeled kitchen or twenty pounds lost. It doesn’t have to be a new found hobby or an immaculately cleaned home. Maybe it’s a newfound (or rekindled) love for hand written letters or your competitive spirit has been reborn during family game time. Just maybe you have a desire or gifting you didn’t even know about until you actually were still for a minute to feel it. Can you imagine coming out of this time in history more passionately in love with your spouse than ever before? How about a friendship revived through a phone call. We don’t always have to think so grand and big and extravagant. Lets think about what will really matter at the gates of Heaven when we get to see our Jesus face to face. What if this story we are writing right now read this –

I truly fell in love with Jesus and received the gift of trusting in Him with my whole heart. I opened the Living Word and had so many conversations with the Creator of the universe. I loved my family and those close to me because I couldn’t contain the love that Jesus was pouring into me. I stopped long enough to steep in the presence of the Almighty Father God. I learned to hear Him in the noise of my household (to hear Him in the silence of my solitude). I learned the things that comfort me and strengthen me. As I learned I did. It wasn’t always easy, but it was worth it to make the choices that eventually became custom to me. It became my nature.

Cheers to the struggle! Cheers to coming out on the other side brighter, lighter, and full of vigor!

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Abundantly Above

God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! Ephesians 3:20 (MSG) In the NKJV it translates – to Him who is able to do exceedingly ABUNDANTLY above all that we ask or think.

These words hold so much anticipation and expectation. Just like hope, these words can also, at times, cause us to feel unheard and invisible. I’ve been there.

But…

The following verse in the Message says this, “He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us.”

This happened to me just the other day. I can’t wait to tell you all about it. This is how much Jesus loves ME!!!

I had a few errands to run, one which was to pick up my daughter’s school supplies through a contactless drive-thru. (Insert sad face) There were two days, Thursday between 2-6pm and Friday from 6am-6pm. Sixteen total hours of availability. Well, I decided to run my other quick errands first and then head to her school. I just had the thought, “It would be really cool if I saw a fellow mom (our daughter’s are friends) and I could just wave to her”. Even a wave to a familiar face is like pure heavenly bliss right now in our current quarantine life. Just a quick thought. Leave it to my Jesus to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I could ask or think. I pull into the line behind two other cars. I give the sweet teacher my daughter’s info and pull up to the next point and pop open the trunk just as the van in front of me does the same. But then, the love of Jesus poured out on me – on this earth. The van driver’s door opened and out steps my fellow mom! In a sixteen hour window with a thought of maybe I’ll see her and I can wave – NO – He went abundantly above, far more than I could have requested and favored me with ten minutes of six-feet apart face to face conversation with a friend. Come ON! This was no random occurrence, it was the Word of God in real life. Oh how He loves me.

See, the thing is He tells us that He works this in us deeply and gently. He isn’t loud or obnoxious. He’s kind and so willing to do anything for us. He’s wild about us and He is passionate about the hunger in our hearts – because He put them there! I think we can so easily read this verse and claim it and then quickly feel like He doesn’t even hear us. It’s deep and gentle. So many times for me He’s subtle and if I did not chose to see it as His love for me, I would have missed it. I’m not sure how you hear Jesus or how you know His love for you is great, but I would like to share mine with you. It’s in my mind’s ear. I will have a thought: to say hello to that person – to tell the cashier her earrings are cute – to pick up that piece of trash in the street – to always return my grocery cart (even in the snow) – the words that will flow out of me in a conversation parenting my children that were not of my own wisdom – a friend pops in my head to text – to stand in a certain line at Trader Joe’s. These are things that are deep in my spirit, but oh so gentle. They aren’t crazy things, most of the time, but everyday ways that He turns my ordinary moments into sacred ones.

My dear friend, you may not ever know how quickly my very ordinary day turned sacred the moment you stepped out of your van. It’s cliché but the absolute truth – in these days more than ever – the little things are not so little.

I earnestly and wholeheartedly pray you have ordinary moments straight up turned sacred because you open your heart to the pure awesomeness of how much Jesus loves you. Have a thought – they’re prayers – He’s always listening and He wants to blow you away!

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Opportunity in the Disappointment

March 26th is not only the milestone of fifteen years of marriage between Russell and I, but also fourteen years of our miracle baby’s departure from the NICU. Let me tell you, our first anniversary was nothing short of an unquenchable sense of hope, new life, and freedom.

I need to admit something to you all.

I have been in quite a state of denial over this COVID-19 crap. (Can you hear my attitude?) My day of come to terms with it was just a few days ago. I am such an optimistic, glass half full, life is good even when it’s not – that I could not let all this in – because I finally felt like I was making some kind of progress. You know when you finally feel like you are headed out of the valley and into the high places? (My daughter and I are reading Hinds Feet on High Places and I definitely recommend it!)

So, this is what I did.

I wrote down all of my disappointments. I left a few lines between each one to journal all the feels. I allowed myself to grieve them. Then I wrote out why I was disappointed and angry. My example – I am disappointed the gym closed right after I started actually enjoying it, making progress, feeling stronger, and working out with my husband. I’m angry because I have struggled all my life being consistent with exercise and taking care of my body. Finally I have a GREAT routine and boom! it’s gone. Now I felt the Lord speak to my heart that it is so good I am afflicted and have things I am saddened over because that means I have life in me and I’m living it. In this it shows my character, progression, and fight! My example – Being upset about the gym closing shows my progress in taking care of my body. I mean I could be happy about getting out of exercise when now I ache for it. Progress! Booyah! I love the time with my husband sweating it out and caring for ourselves while pushing each other. The fight in me, in us, turned our unfinished basement into a “home gym” with stuff we just have. We are using moving straps as TRX bands, furniture dolly for ab crunches, my yoga mat for floor routines, and a strap I hadn’t opened yet from a Vikings Women Workout.

This journal entry is not a one and done thing. These misfortunes will continue to arise along with new ones. I will not always choose to see the good in them. Some of them I will just be sad and angry about and then allow Jesus to help heal my heart. The gym closing, that had a solution. I fixed it and made a way to take care of my body. Some don’t have this luxury. I had a trip planned that isn’t happening. There’s no fix to it. When the day arrives I was suppose to get on a plane, I’ll be sad and angry and need a moment. Then I’ll remember why I feel this way. I am all about relationships. I was eager to be with people I love and miss. That’s a good thing.

I will never forget being in the NICU with our son and feeling like we were never going to be released. We were seeing other babies headed home and reacted in fear and jealousy. We had a nurse look us in the eye and tell us with such conviction, “But you ARE going to go home. I can’t tell you exactly when, but you WILL get to take your baby home.”. We would take our son home. And now we have come to a similar place of not knowing when, but that it WILL come to an end.

We acknowledge, process, lament, modify, give thanks, and do what we can do. In the Message it translates John 15:4a & 9 like this – “Live in Me. Make your home in Me just as I do in you… I’ve loved you the way My Father has loved Me. Make yourselves at home in My love.” We are physically stuck in our homes. What an opportunity to genuinely learn to live in His presence and make Him our home. There’s no time better than now.

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The Parable of the Dishwasher

I wrote this in March of 2017. Who knew I would be posting it on my blog – not me. What I do know is that God is so timely and always relevant. What He so sweetly spoke to my heart three years ago is still emboldening me today. I wholeheartedly pray this draws you to the peace and wonderment of God’s love for you.

There are two kinds of dishwasher people in this world – the ones that wash their dishes before loading and those that carelessly put crusty dried on food right into their machine, which must be magic! Okay, so you must know by now. Yes! I wash my dishes before putting them in the dishWASHER! What’s wrong with me?

You are probably wondering why in the world I’m talking about this. Well, let me tell you. Our God is a personal God. He is a real, loving heavenly Father who knows how to speak my language – your language. He speaks to us in ways we will hear and understand. That’s what the parables were, right? In Matthew 13, Jesus tells the parable of the sower – He was talking to FARMERS! They sow seed! He knew they could relate and that they would understand. How personal our God is!

Okay, so here it goes, my parable…

I decided a few days ago that I was going to just put in my dirty, crusty, unwashed dishes into this magical machine, turn it on and see what happens. To my utter amazement, it did it’s job! Crazy! I could hardly believe it. That’s when I heard the sweet voice of my personal Savior, my God, speak so gently to my heart.
“Just as though you do not trust the dishwasher to clean the dishes and you take control and do it, just in case, you have been doing that with Me. I am your God, your Savior, and your King, but just in case I don’t come through, you have been doing My job for Me. Give these areas over to Me. Let me have the control. TRUST Me to do what I say I will do. Trust the dishwasher to do what it was made to do.”

He met me in my world. My stay at home mom dishes world. He spoke my language to me so I could hear. So, how do I release control and let God do what only He can do? I pray Romans 12: 2 over myself. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Every time I want to go back to washing my dishes before loading them, I will go back to my parable.

Trust.

Release Control.

Let the dishwasher do it’s thing!

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HOPE

This word holds weight. It’s heavy. It’s good&bad, lost&found, scary&bold. I don’t know about you, but my day can carry so much promise and great expectation one moment and in the next crash into disappointment and despair. Hope: it’s a loaded emotion, statement, proclamation. It can be spoken and felt with true belief or with almost a begging-you have nothing else to hold on to. It brings joy, anticipation, giddiness and at other times tears and frantic prayers.

Hope lies in the simplicity of trusting the sun will rise tomorrow.

Hope is conceived in the expectation of goodness.

Hope is birthed in the daring to believe that there is goodness despite the painfully dreadful things in this life.

Hope grows in the faith that there is a season for everything.

If Minnesota has taught me anything, it is the truth of Ecclesiastes 3. I get to experience and delight in the absolute authenticity that seasons are legit. California family and friends, this is a public service announcement: There are four seasons to every year. These include Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. I guess I kinda knew this, but not really. I mean, I did see my first icicle on our drive here. One day we were out and one of the kids asked what the temperature was and I answered, “It’s not very many degrees.”. It has become a common phrase in our house. But you see, this too shall pass. Another common phrase that people say to comfort us or encourage us, but ultimately just makes us even more angry about the too that we are currently in. And how do you know this will pass? I’m suppose to just hope it will maybe someday? This is not the hope I’m talking about, but the hope I think the majority of us feel most of the time when we have been hoping for something so long we think the longing won’t pass and the season won’t change.

Hope, it’s loaded – like a gun. Assurance of protection or angst of harm. Blissful hope turns quickly to anxious hope as though our feelings will determine the outcome.

Here’s the danger of relying on feelings instead of truth. Hardest. Thing. Ever. I don’t know about you but my emotions can be large and in charge when I allow. I have to remind myself that I allow that. I am not saying feelings and emotions are not real. They are definitely, most assuredly, legitimately, utterly, wholly, absolutely, without doubt – for real. With that being said, they are not always true.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. -Ecclesiastes 3:1

Not much emotion to this. Just the straight up truth. When we read further down, here comes all the feelings…

But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does? I’ve had a good look at what God has given us to do – busywork, mostly. True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in it’s time – but He’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether He’s coming or going. I’ve decided that there’s nothing better to do than go ahead and have a good time and get the most we can out of life. That’s it – eat, drink, and make the most of your job. It’s God’s gift. I’ve also concluded that whatever God does, that’s the way it’s going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God’s done it and that’s it. That’s so we’ll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear. Whatever was, is. Whatever will be, is. That’s how it always is with God. -Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 (MSG)

Let me share why this brings me so much peace and joy. God just wants us to hope in Him. Here’s the deal: life is what life is. There’s no way around this. Yes, we have choices that get us to where we are going, but so much is not in our choices, it’s in our hope. God has given us a gift and it’s called celebration. He’s given us this gift in every single season we will ever be in. Good, bad or indifferent we have a choice to receive this gift. We get to have a good time and make the most out of life. Laugh, eat, drink, and simply worship Him because He loves you. This is hope. Spring time will come. Winter does not last forever. But in winter, we can eat yummy warm soup and drink hot cocoa after a victorious snowball fight!