(above photo is from Zion National Park, Utah. Taken August, 2010)

I have been offline intentionally; college son home for the holidays; AFS German son in town for two weeks; high school son home during break. Enough said.

I have found time for reading though and am musing a bit about what I’ve read and what the Biola student has shared from his courses this fall. This post’s title sums it up: Already and Not Yet. This references the inaugurated Kingdom of God actually. I am already a part of God’s Kingdom through the completed work of Christ at Calvary. But His Kingdom has also not yet been completed in our time frame and I am also not yet complete in my sanctification. I am no theology student but my take aways from my listening have been deepening me as I think more about what I have been reading.

Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas is a book written to encourage and help each one of us to discover the spiritual route we were individually made to travel, marked by growth and filled with the riches of a close walk with God. I don’t know about you, but whether I am greedy or it’s hungering and thirsting for righteousness, I want more of God! I don’t want more head knowledge; I want Him.

In Thomas’ book he shares 9 different pathways of connecting with God. Now lest you think this is merely a metaphysical book, his foundational premise is the Word of God. The full counsel from Genesis to Revelation showing the Trinity in action and His people relating to Him throughout time. In fact, one particular statement referencing Mark 12:30 has prompted me to share my musings and invite you into the conversation. (go read the link; it will make sense of what follows!)

Quoting from Sacred Pathways: “Complete Christians-which all of us are called to be- should exhibit adoration, belief, divine guidance and service.”

Part of this mysterious journey called “Life” is discovering what it looks like for me to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I like Thomas’ words: adoration, belief, divine guidance, and service. I want to explore each of these ideas to identify ways for me to acknowledge God throughout my day. For example, in what real, practical ways can I or do I show God that I adore Him?

How about you? Please let me know what ways you adore God in your days. Join me in this journey!

The first week of Advent is almost over. What have you been doing in the area of preparations?

If your life is like mine, you’ve spent time converting the seasonal colors from golds, oranges, browns and reds to your family’s traditional holiday colors and decorations. Could be lots of busyness or it could be a sweet time of memories and reflections.

The season of Advent is intended to help us slow our rhythms down and focus our hearts toward Christmas. The first week’s emphasis is on HOPE.

I am full of HOPE for a quiet season inside me. I want to go deep under the surface of activities and be at peace. Today has been a terrific start of that internal peace for me; walk on the beach, time of reflection and time of recognition of the One Who calls to me in the middle of the hustle and bustle quietly.

So what do you HOPE for at this time?

You may know I love learning! I also like to know answers to “Why…?” Lately on Facebook there have been posts to a food court impromptu singing of the Hallelujah Chorus. I got to thinking about why that piece of Handel’s Messiah has become so famous and why we stand at its singing. So here is a little history for you…

And now a different treat courtesy of singers in Philadelphia:

What is the difference between Advent and the Christmas Season?

I had the opportunity to spend an evening at Disneyland during Veteran’s Day weekend earlier in November. Although my phone photo is a little blurry you might be able to make out the Christmas tree on Main Street. Everywhere we looked there were Christmas decorations! White lights, colored ornaments, bows and Disney characters in their Christmas attire made the experience so festive! I look forward to the annual transformation from fall decor to Christmas decor at Disneyland. The little kid in me gets so excited about the coming season!

The word Advent means “coming” or “arrival.”
For Christians who follow the liturgical church calendar Advent is the beginning of the year. As some protestant churches have left traditions behind, the meaning and emphasis on the seasons of the year have also been lost. Advent has traditionally been a time of preparation: hearts and homes making room for the celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus.

I have a question for you: is it possible to enter into both the Christmas season and the season of Advent at the same time? How do you integrate Advent traditions with childlike fun and frivolity?

Oh my! I just looked up and a month has passed since the last time I blogged!

Life has been a little like this photo from a hillside near our home. Somewhat shady and comfortable but full of distractions on every side! Some beautiful distractions, some messy but it’s been hard to stay the path and keep moving forward. Yet here it is, a month later.

I have had the privilege of preparing to teach at our church’s women’s Bible study so a lot of this month has been full of reading, study, prayer and writing in addition to being my normal self (that’s a relative statement!) Just today I have had sweet, intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit as I sat in the doctor’s office having some multi-syllabic word for cancer carved out of my arm. Now I have a Frankenstein gash/stitch that will heal (Lord willing) and only leave a 3 inch line on my arm! But my time there was so sweet as I talked with the doctor of his time living in San Antonio and being a part of worship teams at his church; all the sweet distraction from the activity and centered on the work of the Lord in this world! What a gift! As my friend Sue reminded us this morning, “God is in the details”. He knows us so well!

Where have you seen God at work in your life lately? How much has changed in your life in the last month?

Don’t have a photo for this post; you really need the authentic image of me in my lycra with my bike helmet to fully appreciate this adventure!

You may or may not know this about me, but I make a habit of feeling fear and facing it down. I am not talking about doing crazy antics but facing a fear that keeps me paralyzed from living life fully. Everyone around me gets to hear about how scared I am about whatever it is, but I have found dealing with fear face to face has helped me develop trust.

Two things I want to be clear on–
1.) I don’t trust myself–I have grown in my trust of God.
2.) You can’t be brave without being afraid

So how has facing fear helped me to trust God? I literally remind myself of several truths about Him:
* I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Phil 4:13)
* My times are in His hands (Ps. 31:15)
* Perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn 4:18)
…to name a few.

You can’t be brave without being afraid. This statement has become a family truism over the years. When our eldest was 10 he would NOT go on roller coasters. A family friend took him aside at a theme park and asked him if he believed that God is all powerful and all knowing. Matt said yes… and the friend encouraged him with the fact that nothing is outside God’s awareness so go ahead and take the risk; if it is your time to go, you’ll go!

SO my big scary fear that I faced on Tuesday (and will face again I am sure) was riding my new road bike. This may sound really ridiculous to some but I am less afraid of riding the tandem with my husband than I am of riding my own bike! I have learned to trust him! Remember, I don’t trust myself! The anticipation of traffic, mechanical issues, high speed wobbles on downhills, all gave me a sick stomach ache! But rather than allowing my fears to paralyze me and keep me from getting out there and riding, I confessed my fears to several people, asked them to pray for me and then I went out to ride.

I rode 20 miles without my husband anywhere around! (He was watching me via satellite though and he knew when I had arrived at Starbucks!)

Thankfully for my first venture there were no issues! A good friend was there to encourage my progress and be patient with me.

Will I do it again? Absolutely!

Will I be afraid? Probably until I get more comfortable with handling potential issues.

Did I get to know God more through this? Indeed! The peace that passes all understanding guarded my heart and my mind.

How about you? What fear is keeping you from participating in life fully?

I don’t know about you, but for me every once in awhile something that I thought I understood suddenly takes on a whole new meaning. A light bulb moment goes off in my brain.

I had one of those experiences this weekend as we sat outdoors listening to the ancient words of King David in Psalm 63:

“O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”

We were sitting in the shade on a well watered lawn, but the surrounding campground area was a dry desert. With that vista it wasn’t hard to imagine the wilderness where David was hiding from his conspiring son Absalom. The entire psalm, or prayer, flows in a progression of praise to God, not because of David’s circumstances but in spite of them.

It was pointed out that David was characterized by seeking God through the whole course of his lifetime, not just when things were tough. We were reminded of what Samuel said of David in 1 Samuel 13:14 ” The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart,…”

That’s when it occurred to me: David didn’t follow God perfectly to be “a man after God’s own heart” like I had previously thought. David was after God’s heart. David wanted to know God. He wanted to have God’s heart for His people, for his enemies. David was seeking God.

And that’s what God wants! A heart that is sincerely seeking Him! Not a perfectly behaved, Norman Rockwell kind of a woman (or man in David’s case) but a person who really wants to know God and to love Him and glorify His name through their days.

Wholehearted pursuit. Not “well maybe I will try this out and see if this Christianity thing works for me” but really being ALL IN. Following Him is an adventure of epic proportions. And it’s okay to make mistakes along the Way! God expects us to actually. That’s why He sent His Spirit to guide us on the Way.

So really, it’s all about God. He desires a wholehearted relationship with us, He provides the means through His Son and He provides the strength and guidance for us to actually follow! And He gives us a heart of flesh and not of stone that we are able to love Him even a little. What a fabulous God we can serve!

I want to be a woman after God’s heart. How about you?

Do you ever find yourself using a phrase again and again? I’ve been told I have “signature” phrases I use repeatedly:

“There is that” (in agreement with someone in a conversation)

“Be that as it may” (acknowledging a point in discussion that I probably don’t agree with)

“Nevertheless” or “Regardless” (listening to our sons but then laying down the law)

I turned my daily prayer themed calendar today and the saying is pithy (good economic word–look it up)

“Let prayer be the key of the morning and the bolt at night” quoted of Philip Henry (1631-1696; British Nonconformist clergyman and father to Matthew Henry renowned Bible commentator)

His simple words give such a clear picture of the importance of prayer: unlock your day with and to God and close the door to the day locking it into God as well.

Now I would much rather be known for reminders to pray or to look to God in faith through life’s challenges.

How about you?

It’s that time of year… Back to School.

Conflicting emotions abound for mothers. Some are rejoicing that they will have time to themselves without being the Great Entertainer.

Some will be shedding tears as their too soon grown to Kindergarten age child goes off to school for the first time.

Some are panicking over the realization that they have taken on the daunting task of home schooling their child(ren).

And some, like me, are wistful for the little hands that are now able to hold mine rather than the other way around. For the times when walking to the mailbox together was a big adventure. When seeing a butterfly caused a moment of silent wonder that would be followed by a conversation of foundation laying faith.

Now our conversations include doctrine and theology or statistics for Giants baseball. Bigger ideas and passions. Man sized concerns. This is how it should be.

I would not trade who they are now for the little boys they were then. But I do miss them.