The Value of Tradition

I love Christmas....I love the message of the season; I love the unity it brings; I love the love that is shared amongst family and friends.

I love the traditions.

Tradition....it is the glue that holds one generation to the next.

 A young mother is preparing a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

Her daughter watches with interest as the mother slices off the ends of the turkey before placing it in the roasting pan. 

The young girl asks her mother why she did this.

The mother pauses for a moment and then says, "You know, I'm not sure. This is the way I always saw my mother prepare a turkey. Let's call Grandma and ask her."

So, she phones her mother and asks why they always slice the ends off the turkey before roasting.

The Grandmother thinks for a moment and then says, "You know, I'm not sure why either. This is just the way I always saw MY mother prepare a turkey." 

Now the two women are very curious, so they pay a visit to the great-grandmother in the nursing home.

"You know when we prepare a turkey," they explain, "we always slice off the ends before roasting. Why is that?" 


The old woman replies, "I don't know why YOU do it, but I never had a roasting pan that was long enough."

These women all had something in common...the way they prepared the turkey. Even though the reason (for cutting the ends off) became non-existent after one generation; the next simply followed because it brought an identity and a comfort that "I come from something of value." 

As a child, my family always opened Christmas presents on Christmas eve after my father read the Christmas story. Thus, with my own children we have followed in the same manner. My children all think it is silly to wait until Christmas morning, but that is simply because they value "tradition."

Christmas is celebrating the birth of Christ and by sharing gifts and love with one another, we take note of the great love that was shared with us some 2,000 years ago. Traditions pass this message; an enduring one for all generations.

I have a red "you are special" plate that is used to celebrate birthdays in our house (another tradition). On Christmas Eve after we open gifts, we simply have cake and sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus. An open spot sits at our table with the red plate sitting for Jesus.

Some traditions may not pass from one generation to the next simply because they were not of lasting value, the message is not passed, or one does not value tradition and wants to create his own way. May we be careful in tossing aside that which gives life its rich meaning.

Our girls received an ornament each year as they grew. Upon marriage, I have handed that box of their ornaments to them to hang on their Christmas tree.

The tradition of love and family being passed down. Most years the ornament depicted a life event; now they have a visual diary of their childhood.

I sigh with utmost gratefulness for the traditions handed down to me and new ones created with my girls....they create a sense of belonging....belonging to the One that created family and love.

Traditions celebrate who we are and where we have come from.

May your Christmas envelope you with the love of that tiny babe; celebrate His goodness, maybe revive that which you loved as a child? Ah, yes....mom made caramel rolls on Christmas morning....it really isn't the rolls, but the connection to mom that lives on. :)

I have learned the value of tradition.

Growing in Grace

As we travel this road of life, God grows and stretches us, conforming us to the image of His Son.

For many years, that entailed my becoming a "better" person. Shedding bad habits, thoughts, and actions. I don't think I am any further along in accomplishing this. Yes, I may have changed that thought or action, but another faulty one just replaces it.

Life is about growing in His Grace, not becoming a "better" person. In Christ, we possess all the goodness of Him.

The goodness of Grace.

We stumble, Grace picks us up. We hide, Grace finds us. We cower, Grace makes a shield. When we lose our self-control, Grace puts the pieces back in place. Think we know it all? Grace humbles us. And when we seem to lose all hope, Grace comforts us.

When all was lost in the Garden, Grace made the way back. In the form of a tiny babe.

Grace, that undeserved favor, drives love into our hearts.

Love propels us.

Love changes the heart and changes the actions.

When our children were baptized we gave them each a Precious Moments Figurine titled, "Growing In Grace." I loved the notion of "growing in Grace," but did not comprehend the depth of that until just the past few years. I am thankful His Grace was present in raising my children, even if I didn't realize the significance of some things at the time.

Grace finds us....right where we are.....and wraps His arms around us.
 
Your Grace Finds Me (Matt Redman) (click on link)

And all we need to do.....is say thank you.

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Cor. 9:15

I only learn because of His grace.

Focus...On His Goodness

I never thought I would be using my skills I learned as a childbirth educator to aid my daughter in getting through the pain of a kidney stone.

The pain was excruciating. The pain meds would not stay down. As her husband drove the ten miles back to town to get another prescription, we began breathing exercises.

"Focus! You must focus! Look at me....breathe in.....breathe out.....  Yes, the pain is out of this world, but you can ride it. Breathe in....breathe out..... Focus on my face. Breathe in comfort, exhale tension. Picture something soft, cuddly. Breathe in.... breathe out..... Focus." And it continued for an hour.....

Yes, I may have sounded strange, but research has shown that we can reduce the sensation of pain by focusing our thoughts away from it. This was at the heart of the childbirth classes I used to teach.

We must choose our focus.

As I lay in bed after the fact, I thought about how we handle the trials of life. So many times, we tense with frustration, anxiety, worry, and even anger. This will only intensify our pain, much like thrashing on the floor when in physical pain.

Can we apply this same principle to life that I taught women in navigating the pain of labor? To focus? Focus our thoughts on something other than our pain?

Yes...

Rather than dwelling on the trials and tribulations of life, we can choose to focus on God's goodness. His faithfulness to us in all moments of life.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations. ~Psalm 100

Focus...on His goodness....His love. 

Breathe in....the knowledge that you are His. 

Breathe out....praise to Him.

We enter His gates with our thanksgiving and praise. Our days will be brighter, the pain a little duller....when focusing on Him.

My daughter told me later she focused on our textured ceiling...she counted the bumps. Counted....count (focus on) the ways Jesus is good to you. Trust me....you will see joy springing forth.  

Breathe in....the knowledge that you are His. Breathe out.....praise to Him.

I am learning to focus....on His goodness.

Thanksgiving: A National Holiday

I love Thanksgiving...not only the turkey and the fixin's, but the family and friends that gather together and...

.....give thanks.

Most of us when we think of Thanksgiving, think of the first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims and Indians held; but did you know that President Lincoln, during the Civil War, instituted the fourth Thursday of November as a national holiday? A day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father?" I was so moved when I read his decree that I deemed it worthy to post in hopes that we look at this holiday in the light for which it was instituted.

 

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:29

May we give thanks not only on the fourth Thursday of each November, but every day of the year.

....and his decree was on my birthday! :) How neat is that?! I now have another item to be thankful for on my birthday!

The Proverbs 31 Woman

Many have expounded on the Bible passage of the Proverbs 31 woman. It has disheartened women of all ages, for who could ever achieve all it says? And yet, it is a guideline for what God has created the woman for....

The home.

A woman is the key to a happy home. :)

Women are to be managers of the home. It is a vocation that is not talked about much in our culture or even a lot in the church. The line between masculinity and femininity has been blurred. Male or female, we are told, can be whatever they wish like to be.

Before I continue, I want to make one thing clear. I am not referring to the aspect that a woman should not work outside the home. (The above passage alludes that the woman will be about the marketplace.) There are situations where this is warranted and even necessary. What the purpose of my blog entry is the attitude that we women carry as we go through this life. Is our first priority managing our home? Do we value our female God-given responsibilities?

Proverbs 31 directs our hearts toward the home....

...the heart of her husband trusts in her

...provides food for her household

...she looks well to the ways of her household

...her children rise up and call her blessed

...not afraid of snow for her household, for they are clothed....

A Proverbs 31 woman is busy with the task of nurturing.....

...opens her hands to the poor

...teaching of kindness is on her tongue

Above all, she fears the Lord and is known for her strength and dignity. She is highly valued!!!

I myself, read Proverbs 31 and am simply overwhelmed. I am far from all it espouses, nor do I think I ever will attain those virtues in my own strength. But I am a woman, created in God's image, for a specific purpose:

To be there for those God has entrusted to my care.

What would life be like if women had more time to minister to their families, the hurting, the sick, the lonely? If she had more time to work with her hands and feed the poor, clothe the needy? We wouldn't need the myriad of social programs or wonder where our children are.

I have been blessed in that I was able to stay home with my children (and my mother stayed home with me). What saddens me is when I look around and see so many families in chaos simply because they want more material things.....or be involved in more activities....so we take on extra jobs for.....what?

"I just couldn't handle being home with my kids all day." My heart nose-dives when I hear that.

Is it possible to reclaim and give credit to our God-calling? To realize that our God-given gift of caring and nurturing others is a heavenly calling?

This is for all of us...both male and female. Men must appreciate this in a woman; not look at her as beneath him or as another bread-winner for the family. (If a woman does work outside the home, may men realize that her heart is with her family and make provision for that.) Women must know that we are just as important as the men in our calling and gifts even if we are not paid monetarily for them. God never uses a paycheck (for either gender) to determine our gifts/callings; we are privileged to be given the responsibility.

Yes, ladies, we were not meant to be the one in the front. That is man's job; to guide, provide, and protect. We are the behind-the-scenes person; managing from behind the curtain. Is it easy? No. But look up, God will give strength for the day, and promise for the tomorrow.


An excellent wife, who can find? She is more precious than jewels.  ~Proverbs 31:10

"Behind every great man, there is a great woman." Take pride in that! :)

Some may call me old-fashioned; but I have learned to appreciate my God-given role as a woman.

Balance

It has been a month since I last posted....and I am learning balance. My energy was not only depleted with a cold, but we acquired a new family member, a 75 lb. puppy. Actually, he is a year-and-a-half, but is still a puppy in many ways....I have lost track of the chewed-up items!

Fatigue + Highly Energetic Dog = Not much else done!!

We can plan, but life always has its surprises. So...my noggin wasn't putting too many thoughts together the last few weeks. The third chapter of Ecclesiastes (vs 1-8) was brought to mind:

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, 

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

The last month was a time to heal, and a time to bond with (and keep an eye on) our new dog. Some things got pushed to the back burner (like this blog), but that is okay...there is a time for everything.

a time to spend and a time to save,

a time to sleep and a time to be awake,

a time to work and a time to play,

a time to wear pajamas and a time to dress up, 

a time to be a child and a time to be an adult,

a time for the ordinary and a time for the extraordinary,

a time to forgive and a time to be forgiven,

a time to learn and a time to teach,

a time to hug and a time to be hugged,

a time for children and a time for grandchildren,

a time for this and a time for that.....

Life is not an emergency. May we be grateful for each "a time", knowing God is writing the perfect story. 

It is all in His time.

I am learning to follow His timing.

To Think...or Not to Think

The very first day our family embarked on our homeschooling journey, I wrote the following quote on the chalkboard: "Thinking is the hardest thing you will ever do." ~Henry Ford.

Winnie the Pooh seems to agree....

A.A. Milne (author of Winnie the Pooh) says, "The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking."

Do you t..h..i..n..k? Most people today don't want the hard work...they simply go with the flow (third-rate). Or they do not want to "go with the flow," so they take the opposite path (second-rate). To have a first-rate mind is to employ two things:

     1. Realizing the mind is a battlefield. Two forces vie for the control
         seat....good and evil.

     2. The heart is the control center for the mind.  

The devil knows that if he can control the mind (and subsequently the heart), he will control the world. The reason thinking "is the hardest work you will ever do," is we are to be on guard to what our minds are absorbing, waging the battle in filtering out the lies so the Truth leads us.

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Phil. 4:8) God gives us the focus for our thoughts. How do we know what is true, noble, right....?

HIS WORD!


"Do not conform (follow) to the pattern of this world, but be transformed (metamorphose) by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)  God's Word first transforms the heart (view my previous post), then renews the mind....a mind that knows God's will for our lives. A first-rate mind thinks according to what God says, not what man says.

Your mind in knots? Open your Bible....we do not have all the answers....and never will...but God does.


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

I have learned that a happy mind is one who is thinking on God's precepts, the Truth.

Butterfly Moments

One of the most incredible feats of nature I have observed  is watching a caterpillar morph into a butterfly. My daughter loved to bring monarch caterpillars in from the outdoors, place them in a fish tank (without water of course ☺), and then we all observed the metamorphosis from worm to beautiful butterfly.

This morning during my devotional time, God gave me a "butterfly" moment. Let me explain.

The Bible is the only book that can transform you. "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) God's Word is active, it pierces where no other words can. It is the hand of the Great Surgeon, giving us a new heart, with new attitudes and desires; shaping us into the image of Jesus.

Today, as I pondered the Word, I thought of the metamorphosis of the butterfly. Don't you want to fly? Not be burdened by the cares of this world....maybe you feel trapped by a job, marriage, life's circumstance, maybe even your own skin? Or life is simply boring, like a worm, who doesn't get anywhere real fast, and is subjected to ground level.......take heart, God is working.

The monarch caterpillar simply eats and eats and eats. My daughter supplied plenty of milkweed leaves for her caterpillars, it was amazing what they ate. The caterpillar was preparing for what lay ahead.

Life is a journey...on our "wormy" days, are we eating? Reading and digesting our spiritual food? God doesn't just plop what we want on our laps, he is transforming us into the image of Jesus. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." (Prv. 3:5-6) Even when we can only crawl, and life seems boring....we need to eat and trust....and keep moving forward.

At the appointed time, the caterpillar attaches itself to  a branch and hangs in what appears to be a "J". It will hang this way for several hours. In what then looks like a painful process (for when I observed it, that is what I thought) the caterpillar begins contorting and then his skin splits open and underneath is a chrysalis!

"Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) The caterpillar waits...and God does the work. The process of transformation is never easy. There is usually pain involved. But God tells us, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18) Focus your eyes upward. God is working.

 As the days pass, the chrysalis walls become thinner and you see a butterfly tightly wrapped. 

On those days when all seems a loss and you are feeling trapped remember, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6) God is changing you from the inside out. Scientists have now been able to do scans on the chrysalis and have observed how the organs change day by day until the caterpillar becomes a functioning butterfly!

When it is time for the butterfly to emerge, the chrysalis will split and the butterfly will hang for over an hour or so, flexing its wings. We once thought to help the butterfly in this process and it died. Time is needed for the wings to dry off and its systems to begin functioning in the new environment. When ready, we let the butterflies crawl onto our fingers, then took them outside and let them fly! It is a beautiful moment!

A butterfly moment is beautiful! The heart soars with joy! You feel weightless. Some are small moments and others so grand you find it hard to contain the excitement. A butterfly moment is simply grand because one persevered to get there.

But these moments are proceeded by patience, trust, and oftentimes pain. Sometimes the metamorphic process is short, other times it may be years. But it is a process, and it always involves the transforming power of  God, who comes to us through the Bible, His Holy Word.  God gives us many "metamorphic" cycles in our lives; these are the peeling off of the layers so that in the end, we are transformed into the image of His Son. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Cor. 5:17) It is not our work, it is His.  Trust the process. Jesus only wants the best for you, His love gives us more than we could ask or imagine. And when we try to do it our way, we mess things up, much like when we tried to help the butterfly get out of the chrysalis faster.

My butterfly moment? For the last several weeks, I have felt trapped. Trapped by life's circumstances. Trapped by wondering what God is trying to do. Trapped by negative news all around me. Trapped by the pain in this world. As I was reading His Word this morning...the image of a butterfly popped into my head...a weight lifted....

The ability to fly rests in Jesus: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:29-30)  He takes our burdens and carries them. We can then fly. 

I am learning to let go of that I cannot control. Jesus let me fly this morning. :) 

Self-Control

 Do you ever have those "aha" moments? I had one when reading this blog entry by Mark Buchanan, author of Your Church is Too Safe.  I know the difference between control and self-control, I just had never thought of them in the context of immature and mature behaviors. I opted to quote the entire text, since I cannot do it justice in my own words.



"I was in a coffee shop the other day and a mom announced to her little guy – maybe 2 and a half years old – that it was time to leave.

Little Guy didn’t want to leave.

At first he ignored her, then he defied her, then he assailed her.

To her credit, she remained calm.

She spoke quietly. She stood her ground. She didn’t bargain.

In the end, magnificently composed, she carried Little Guy out the door, a wild banshee of a boy, thrashing and wailing as he went.


It got me thinking about the difference between control and self-control.

These two things – control and self-control – stand at opposite ends of the maturity spectrum.

The toddler was a live-action reel of a fierce effort to control his mother.

And he was a spectacle of immaturity.

The mom was a breathtaking portrait of impeccable self-control. And she was the epitome of maturity.

Toddlers brim with the impulse to control (even as they bungle the execution). A 3-year-old will resort to wild-eyed tantrums, incessant whining, ear-piercing screams, coy manipulation, and flat-out demand to try to get their way: to control their parent, or sibling, or playmate, or the situation at hand.

But as the toddler’s attempts to control things escalate, his ability to control himself deteriorates. His need to be in control makes him more and more out-of-control. The results are not pretty.

This all looks different in adults – usually.

Of course, we’ve all met 28- or 33- or 59-year olds (sometimes in the mirror) who, in an increasingly desperate effort to control people or situations, throw tantrums, power up, make threats, emotionally blackmail, withdraw into icy silence, and so on.

But most of us, by age 19 or so, have an epiphany of sorts: that the louder we shout, the less others listen.

That the more we manipulate, the further others back away.

That the more we toss a fit, the more others look at us and think, “What a sad strange little man,” or, “What a drama queen.”

That’s the epiphany.

But what we do with it matters a great deal. It determines whether we really grow up or not.

The truly wise become deeply humble. They realize that the only kind of control the Bible endorses – indeed, commands – is self-control.

The New Testament has 16 separate exhortations to be self-controlled. It’s a major theme.

So the wise heed that, and work with the Holy Spirit to get a grip on themselves. They receive the comfort, the rebuke, the strength, and the instruction of God himself to discipline their thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and actions.

They give up trying to control others and step up being in control of themselves.

The lovely irony is that the self-controlled exert wide influence. People listen to them. Heed them. Seek them. Follow them.

In other words, the self-controlled accomplish the very thing the controlling desperately want but only ever sabotage.

Here’s what I’ve learned: Every impulse to seize control — is the Holy Spirit’s invitation to practice self-control.

Every nerve jolt to freak out, melt down, start yelling, fly into rage or panic is a divine cue to slow down, breathe deep, start praying, and lean into God.

Every instinct to control something is God’s nudge to control myself.

I don’t always get it right. When I don’t, I not only lose self-control: I lose influence. I lose respect. I lose dignity.

When I do get it right, I gain all around.

Lord, help me get a grip on myself."  

I learned that to control is immature; to have self-control is maturity.


***excerpt is from http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/07/what-to-do-when-you-may-or-may-not-be-a-control-freak/ 

Caramel Rolls

I simply love bread...and combined with sticky, gooey, caramel sauce, I am simply in heaven.

There is something about fully living the moment. Each moment. A cup of coffee, a caramel roll.....aaahhhh...I believe you are smelling it as you read.... :)

My mother wisely told me, "Enjoy the journey, not just the destination." As I get older and time seems to be speeding up, I am disciplining myself to slow it down. To stop and smell the roses on the journey of life so to speak.

"If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves." (Maria Edgeworth)  I don't believe God meant for our lives to be just happenstance. Rather we are to be intentional about our days and embrace the moments He grants us, fully enjoying His goodness. Granted, there are moments I wish would not darken my life, but I trust God allows them for a reason. If nothing else, I am being taught to lean on Him. His Grace overshadows each moment....may we simply learn to LIVE each one.

 I came across a little book*, it lies on my coffee table. I am learning much about how to "live in the moment."

#45 Right here-"The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet." ~J. Oppenheim

#166 Be a good pupil-"Learning without thought is labor lost; and thought without learning is perilous." ~Confucius

#433 Thank you!-People in the service professions often feel invisible. A show of gratitude to the mailman, road-sweeper, or trash collector could be a bright spot in their day.

#695 Quick and easy-We speak of bearing a "grudge" and this word is accurate: resentment is a burden.  Forgiveness offers an instant way to lighten the load of your heart.

And #546....Quiet time-Don't allow TV or computers into your morning routine.  Sit still for a while, and look out of your window.  Eat your breakfast quietly if you can. Enjoy rare peace, and a sense of potential, before the day's intrusions begin.

Brew a pot of coffee and enjoy a caramel roll.....

 
Caramel Sauce:
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. butter
1/4  bag miniature marshmallows

Bring ingredients to a boil and pour into two 9x9 pans.

The Dough:
 Roll out two loaves frozen white bread dough (thawed) to 1/4" thickness. Spread butter, sugar, and cinnamon on dough. Roll lengthwise and cut into 18 rolls. Place in pans. Let rise 25-30 min. (or until doubled in size) and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until brown on top. Invert onto cookie sheet or plate, cool.

Note: Make sure rolls are done before removing from oven. If not, the center will be doughy. They will be a goo-ey roll, so enjoy that! :)When inverting, use caution as some of the sauce may leak...I always do this over the sink. :) You may use regular homemade bread dough, two standard loaf pans worth.

These are the best....maybe it is the marshmallows....or that it is a family recipe and I love revisiting the memory in my mind..... :)

Enjoy the moment. Live the moment. Savor His Grace.

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

I am learning to slow down and live in the moment.


*I love books, but don't always agree with the author's viewpoint in the entirety of the book. This is a neat little resource in giving ideas to "live in the moment," but there is a lot of eastern religion presented. Some I agree with, others I pass over. Use what applies to you and your values.

Designed to Create

People have always said I am a creative person. I laugh and say that I am not a creative person, but a resourceful person. I glean ideas from all around me, rarely does an idea pop into my noggin all on its own. (Yes, I loooove Pinterest!)

Create (verb): to bring (something) into existence. In reality I do create. I take ideas from other sources, and bring them together in a project of my choosing...and then I smile....or rework it until I smile. :) God was (and is) the ultimate Creator, He breathed the world into existence. He is the only being that can create something from nothing. But even he was resourceful....he used his own dirt to create Adam....and what a creation it was!! :)

I am a Sunday School teacher. I love it when a lesson comes together and the objective of the lesson is driven home. I love to celebrate birthdays.  I love to find the perfect antique for the perfect spot in my home. I love to make my Christmas cards....and have all the Christmas gifts wrapped the same. I love to scrapbook....when a page comes alive, I smile. I love leaves, and love serving a salad/dessert on my "oak-leaf" plates. I love Kraft paper, I now am making a few general "kraft-paper" cards with photographs I have snapped. I delight in the wonder of God's resources!! ♥

After reading "Tower of Babel" the students built a tower as high as they could with marshmallows and toothpicks. :)

Guitar cake made for my musical son-in-law's birthday

Each gift had the recipients initial on it...thanks to my Cricut!

Love capturing the memory of joy!!

 






 

An Easter salad....see the bunny ears poking through the greens? :)

To create is a God-given gift. We are designed in the image of God. God is the master Creator, and has given us this trait for His glory. Our "creations" speak to His majesty and power. You are probably thinking, "No way..., what I do and create is not anything great at all." Yes, it is....God created you for a purpose, for the good of mankind...may you discover what that is, and delight in it.

I came across a wonderful book that I am enjoying working through, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She states: "Creativity is God's gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God. When we open ourselves to exploring our creativity, we open ourselves to God: good orderly direction." If you wonder if you have any purpose in this life, read this book. It is a book full of good quotes and exercises to help you discover that "artist" within you. Although I highly recommend this wonderful resource, I add this disclaimer: there are numerous "new-age" thoughts and quotes....read with the attitude that "every good and perfect gift comes from above," (James 1:17) and you will be fine.

When we create, we delight in the work of our hands; we delight in our great God. When we delight in our great God, we pass that delight on to others and are able to genuinely encourage them to find their delight. It is when we realize how God has blessed us, that we are able to bless others, both in word and deed.

Creating is discovering the artist within you...we all possess it....do not let other's opinions stop you, it is for God's glory...enjoy the journey of you!

Since you are like no other being ever created since the beginning of time, you are incomparable. ~Brenda Ueland

I have learned the delight of creation.

We Declare...(Part III)

In the Declaration of Independence, our forefathers declared, "....that (men) are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

My previous two posts contain my thoughts on our right to life and liberty. As my fingers typed, the wisdom of our country's founders became more apparent. I've come to recognize that without God as our country's foundation, this "land of the free, home of the brave," is going to crumble. And as we look around us, it is.....

God gives life. No one else has been proven to do so. God gave us freedom. Freedom to love and glorify Him for His abundant goodness. He has provided for the seen and the unseen circumstances we find ourselves in. We were created to magnify His existence....to testify to His majesty and power. When we fell into sin, He provided our rescue. Yes, God only wants the best for us. He has given us the right to the pursuit of happiness.

We each desire happiness but "to the colonists, happiness was not equated with hedonism, it did not have to do with a person's emotional state. For them, happiness was the freedom to use their time, talent, and resources to live a life that they believed would bring them the most satisfaction, and would benefit their family, friends, fellow man, and future generations the most." (unknown source) They would be free to pursue the purpose God created them for, that which gives life meaning.

To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness.. Ecc. 2:26
 

Slowly over the generations God has been removed from the public sector. Just as darkness is the absence of light, evil is simply the absence of God. When God is taken out, evil steps in. Man desires that which is God's (control). We have witnessed moral decline all around us. Our God-given rights seem to be eroding around us. The value of life has diminished, our freedom (in Christ) is mocked and ridiculed, and our pursuit of happiness is being hindered by promoting "governmental care."

I end my post with this thought: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are inalienable rights; life is for God to give and take away, no one can take away the freedom Christ gave us, and God's purpose and plan will go forth. He is still in control and always will be. In Christ lies our happiness. In a world that is full of deceit and turmoil, His light will continue to shine, for man cannot take away those gifts God has given us. May we hold our heads high and continue to defend that which our forefather's instituted.

I am thankful for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We Declare....(Part II)

In the Declaration of Independence, our forefathers declared, "....that (men) are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

These guys (Duck Dynasty) have something to say!!

 
In my last post (We Declare...Part I) I related to that wonderful gift called life given to us by our Creator. Today I am jotting my thoughts on the right of liberty. In this series of posts, I Declare, I am interchanging the terms gifts and rights. I believe our forefathers did not want to withhold (or feel it was not correct in doing so) those gifts that God has bestowed on His children. We have the "right" to them.

When we read that we are endowed with "the right to liberty", we think of a free society, not being controlled by the government. Yes, I do believe our forefathers intended this, but this freedom comes from a greater root. God has given us the gift of freedom through His Son, Jesus Christ. We are each born sinful. (Psalm 51:5) Sin enslaves a person in that there is no good found in him. (Romans 3:12) Sin is opposition to our Creator, the God who gave us life. We inherited it from Adam (the first man to walk this earth) and continue in it through our disobedience. But God sent His Son to die on the cross to FREE us from the yolk of slavery. We are now free to pursue all that God has for us.

Sin blinded us from God's beauty, it oppressed us with guilt. Sin gave our world decay, and made man want to rise up and be better than his neighbor. Sin instilled hate, crime, war, and poverty. Sin says I am better than God, I am better than you. It is a horrible disease that infects all.

We will always live in this sinful world, but those of us who believe God has rescued us, are promised a perfect home upon death, and we are promised to have life here on earth that is abundant and full of joy! That is freedom! We are free from the chains of sin (although since there are those still in this world that embrace sin, it will always be a sinful world), free to look to God and enjoy all He has for us....to embrace the purpose He created us for.

Love = Freedom. God loved His children so much that He sent His Son to die for them all. (John 3:16) We are now free to love, not hate. Free to look to our neighbor and not one-up him, but help him. Free to give to others out of the goodness God has given us, not steal from others. Free to put our pride aside and know that God created each of us equal and we are on this journey together. Free to lay our head on the pillow each evening knowing it is not I that is in control but our Heavenly Father. Freedom is Peace! We now operate on the law of Love, not the Law of Slavery (to sin).

Our forefathers knew that the Law of Love would build a greater country than the Law of Slavery (Authoritarian). Simply, when we are governed by our Creator, we will live a quiet and peaceable life......looking out for one another. When man lives to please himself, tyranny (read how this takes place here) will eventually take over.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14

I have learned our freedom is a great gift. May we defend it always.

We Declare .... (Part I)

In the Declaration of Independence, our forefathers declared, "....that (men) are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Unalienable adj. Not to be separated, given away, or taken away. Those that signed that document meant with all of their being that God has bestowed these rights to us. I am humbled. Our forefathers spent a great deal of time and thought in drafting the documents that would guide our country's future. Where we are at present in relation to what they envisioned is a topic for another post.  Today, I am considering our right to life.

Life is precious, precious because man cannot produce it. We have never been able to create life on our own. Life is given and sustained by God Almighty, our Creator. I often think of the story below when man thinks they can one-up God.☺

One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him. The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost." God listened very patiently and kindly to the man and after the scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this, let's say we have a man making contest." To which the scientist replied, "OK, great!" But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam." The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt. God just looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

God created life with no raw materials. He simply spoke it into existence. (Genesis 1-2) There are no words to comprehend his majestic power.

He....spoke....

....and you and I came into being.

We have a right to life simply because He granted it.  Our lives aren't valuable because of what we do, how we look, what material goods we attain, our status, they are only valuable because of Who He Is.

God creates scientists, landscapers, mothers, fathers, accountants, programmers, secretaries, football players, child-care workers, teachers, pastors, students, salesmen, stock clerks, veterinarians.....and the list goes on. Our forefathers knew that God gives His gifts and talents to all men, for all walks of life, in all situations, for the benefit of mankind and to His glory.

When we try to control life, erase life, mess with God's design, all chaos breaks loose. For if you take away God's purposed life, you take away what God intended for good.

Life begins at conception ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Dr. Suess) and earthly life ends at our appointed time. (Psalm 139:16) Each day between conception and death is a gift, no matter what life holds. If there is breath, there is life. You are a treasure simply because you are His.

God gives life. May we defend that right for all mankind.
  
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14

I have learned that life is to be treasured.

Prayer

Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name....." Those of us who have been raised in Christian homes have heard this prayer countless times. We also may have been taught to pray before meals, pray before bed, pray as we awake....it was noted deep within our being that prayer is important, a vital part of our Christian walk.

In conversing with others about prayer, inevitably the question arises, "If God knows everything, knows already what will happen tomorrow, why do we pray? We really can't change His mind, can we?"

I do believe the above is true. God does know everything, what will happen and what we need. And therein, lies our dilemma. Why pray? Really, why do I pray for someone that is sick to be healed? Why do I pray for relationships to mend? Why do I pray for protection, for my daily needs? Why pray when God already has his plan in place?

We pray for us. For you and me, for our benefit. God is God, and because He is God, we cannot begin to fathom His ways. I serve a God that is bigger than my understanding, bigger than my finite mind.

There are several passages in the Bible where it appears that man changed God's mind. It was only after prayer that God granted the request. I can't wrap my mind around that, for God's plan will go forth whether we pray or not. BUT....God's greatest desire, and His reason for creating man, was to have relationship with Him. What could be greater than a heavenly Father being able to grant His child's request? To know His children want relationship with Him and want to talk to Him? To share this walk of life now and then eternity together?

Prayer is our response to God's greatness and goodness. To his mighty power and protection. It is saying "You know what is right and good Lord, lead me on the path of righteousness." We acknowledge our dependence on our Creator, knowing we are nothing without Him. And...prayer acknowledges our trust in our Heavenly Father.

Think of a small child. Of the relationship between father and child. The child gladly gives his requests to the parent. The child exuberantly tells of his exciting day, or tearfully, his sad one. And the father will move in such a way that is the best for the child. He will rejoice in the joys and comfort the sadness. He will give abundantly for the benefit of the child. But he will also discern the childish or selfish ways and deny the child these wishes....all for the good of the child.

Prayer is powerful....powerful because it brings us into a closer relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is total dependence. I learned this lesson greatly when scheduled for brain surgery. I had many praying for me as I faced the removal of a brain tumor. A dear friend told me to imagine Jesus standing right beside me. Not once during the whole ordeal did I fear anything...and I know it was because of prayer. Not only myself, but all those around me were trusting that God was in total control and He was there beside me. I was totally at peace. 

The Lord's Prayer is found in the book of Matthew, Chapter 6. It is a beautiful prayer, one that is a guide for all our prayers. It acknowledges His holiness and our dependence on Him. We are to pray. Does it change God's mind? We will never know the answer to that question. But it does move His heart. God talks to us through His Word, we talk to Him through prayer....relationship. May you be blessed in talking to your heavenly Father. ♥ 

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer. I Peter 3:12

I have learned the power of prayer.  

Memories

A few weeks ago I received the news that Creative Memories, a scrap-booking company, was declaring bankruptcy and may no longer produce the wonderful albums and supplies I have used for years. I LOVE scrap-booking! It is one of my favorite hobbies. It brings out my creative bent, but it is for a deeper purpose that I scrapbook.

Memories. Some are good, some are not-so-good. Some are downright exhilarating, some still cause a knot in our stomachs. But all are of times through which we have loved, shed tears, laughed, been silent, never wanted to end, or maybe want forgotten. They are the minutes we have LIVED. And life is precious. Every moment is one to be thankful for.

Many times we don't realize the value of a moment until it has passed. In the hum of life, the days flow one into another. When I began scrap-booking, it simply was to have fun and get my pictures organized and into an album. As the years passed, my children began looking at the albums I had created saying, "Oh, I remember that," or "That was so much fun." It was then something began to stir in my heart. Memories....

My daughter drew our home.....

Our dog that died and left a hole in our hearts.....

My daughter's first garden and she grew an 80lb. pumpkin!

A first spelling test....

Memories are not meant to be worshiped, but to point to the One who is. Joshua 4:20-24 reads: "Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”  Jesus also told his disciples to carry on the practice of the Lord's Supper "in remembrance of me." God wants us to remember. He wants us to look back and see how He has guided us. To thank Him for His goodness. This gives us faith for the future.

Scrapbooks are just one way the memories and stories of life are preserved. I also have saved a few items that have meaning to me: my baby booties are bronzed and sitting on my shelf, my grandmother's teacups are in the cupboard, a poem my sister wrote for me graces a wall, and my husband's great-great grandmother's rocking chair has been refinished and sits by our bed. Pictures, words documented, special objects....they all carry a story. 

A story of the past and God's faithfulness.

I have some numbness on my face from brain surgery three years ago. I hope it never leaves. It reminds me of how God worked through a situation "more than I could have asked or imagined." It is my "stone" of remembrance. :)

I have learned the value of a memory....and to Whom to give the credit.


p.s. I do hope Creative Memories comes back....if not, I will still find a way to document memories. :)

Life Is

I came home from the antique mall with a simple little purchase....



















My family asked me, "What is this?" I told them I am learning that life just....IS.

It is what it is.

Do we say thank-you for what we have, or do we wish for more? Or wish for less, as in not wanting the circumstances we find ourselves in, or not liking those who have been planted around us. I tend to analyze life....well, if you were to ask my family, I over-analyze life. I needed a reminder that life simply IS. To accept that which I have been so graciously given and trust that God is working through all.

I recently came upon the full version of the Serenity Prayer. Most of us have heard the first few lines, but I was blessed reading it in its entirety.

Serenity Prayer  

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it IS, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next.
Amen.

~Reinhold Niebuhr

Trust = Serenity

God IS always working for our good.
God IS always loving us.
God IS always beside us.
God IS moving in ways we can't even begin to imagine.
God IS God.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

I am learning that Life IS. Or....maybe that God IS. It is He who brands himself on our hearts. (The rod hanging in the above picture is a branding tool with the word "is" on the end.) My life IS His.

The Discovery of Blessings

I love reading H. Jackson Brown Jr.'s Life's Little Instruction Book(s). In his introduction to Volume II, he writes, "Life is a process. We are all works in progress--green tomatoes ripening on the windowsill of life.  As I experience more, learn more, and contemplate more, I often think of what use my discoveries might be to my son, Adam."

So, begins my journey of blogging, the discoveries that God has revealed to me. Psalm 23 in the Bible states that "His goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." God's goodness and mercy, His unrelenting grace, can be seen in the everyday and the ordinary. My goal is to chronicle what He has shown me and what I have learned. As these words hit the page, may my heart say "thank-you"....for everything. I thank you for coming along on this journey with me. May the words and thoughts that follow bless you.

I discovered Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts a little over a year ago. It will revolutionize a life. It is a book about finding the blessings that are so abundant in our every day lives. A friend challenged her to find one thousand "blessings" and write them down. Yes, write them down. She challenges her readers to do the same. I smile as I look over the entries in my "Blessings" journal....giggling, recipe for my grandmother's hotdish, stoneware mugs, calculator, a kind nurse at the clinic, scrapbook sale, warm shower, encouraging words.....and the list goes on. I have jotted over 1,600 "blessings" for 2013, and I continue to write more. Contentment (simply being thankful for what we have) is so missing in our culture today. By simply stopping, breathing, and becoming aware of the blessings in our life, we start to become aware of the goodness and mercy that God has placed in our lives. I often wonder what would happen if, when we turned on the nightly news, we only heard about the good in the world?

The unthankful heart discovers no mercies....but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings. ~Henry Ward Beecher

I am learning to be thankful.....