Learning Along The Way

Can Your Family Find Fun & Curiosity Together?

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Short answer? Yes.

Longer answer: you may want to practice living by some Disney song titles.

Let it Go

Routines are great; rigidity is not. Allow yourself some relaxing of rules; the ones you can live with. Pajamas for days. Or leggings. Or sweats or yoga pants. Cereal for dinner because you don’t feel like cooking. (Feel like cooking? Not sure I know what that is!) Losing your patience and reasonable frame of mind while you’re all at home isn’t a good look or is it good for your relationships. Keep the health routines, relax what you can and are willing to. Let it go, Mom and Dad.

Do the Next Right Thing

This song is not yet as well known but the title is perfect for keeping your people moving forward on school, chores, family interactions, all of it. You may experience some overwhelming stress from all the demands of work, their work, the noise, the mess, the incessant questions; you get what I’m saying. You may well lose track of what your goals and objectives are at that moment of overwhelm. Just stop, breathe deeply, exhale fully, and do the next right thing. I emphasized right because it implies there are other types of things, like a wrong, hurtful thing. Losing your temper is an easy thing in these trying times. Try not to do the easy thing. Choose the right thing. All this change is stressful. You may find you need more support than reading a blog post or scrolling Instagram. There are many supportive resources available. Maybe your next right thing is reaching out. Please do. Then, the next time you are faced with the stress try this: Pause. Consider the age and stage of the person who is in front of you. Think about your facial muscles and prevent future wrinkles by smiling instead of frowning. Hum the previous song. Then do the next right thing.

Hakuna Matata

A rough translation of this Swahili phrase is “there are no worries”. This doesn’t “feel” like a time when there are no worries. Yet, gaining a moment by moment perspective can bring us to what is real and important. Checking in with what is true at your living space: breathing? Good. No blood? Good. No broken bones? Good. Sometimes we need to break it down to basics and then build from there to gain a realistic perspective. I expect all of you reading this are familiar with this song from Disney’s The Lion King. I was parenting a six-year old when it released in 1994. This was my generation’s “Let it Go” theme song; give yourself permission to say it out loud. Hakuna Matata. No worries. Something gets spilled (again) hand the towel/rag/broom etc to the culprit and tell them Hakuna Matata. Your sanity will hold and they will learn more responsibility.

It’s Friday. How have you celebrated Fridays on previous weekends? What can you do to acknowledge you’ve made it this far and have fun with it? Get curious with your kids; what is something they want to do that you can do at home? Stretch a little. It will be okay. Hakuna Matata.

Why is Saying Yes So Scary?

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Good Morning! I hope this finds you well and in anticipation of great leftovers from Thanksgiving. Maybe your day is filled with family still or everyone is heading out to start Christmas shopping. Or perhaps, like me, you avoid the crowds and stay home to begin the conversion from fall decor to Christmas! Wherever you find yourself this morning, I hope you’re feeling brave.

Feeling brave isn’t necessary to be brave.

In fact, feelings are one of our biggest distractions from leaning into the life we’ve been given. 

Years ago I read a little book with a tempting title: The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life. Doesn’t that sound like a magic pill that will solve all our problems? The author, Hannah Whitall Smith, published this book in 1883. The writing style matched the period as did the illustrations she used to encourage her readers. (Every once in a while I like to challenge myself to read “harder” books in order to keep up my language usage. It’s challenging!) An illustration that stuck with me was in regards to our emotions and how much we allow them to impact our decisions. I read this book at a time when my feelings were the only thing that seemed to have a say over my Yes or No.

Here’s my paraphrase of her illustration:

Imagine you’re looking at an old-fashioned steam engine locomotive with a coal car and a caboose. Each of those three represent Facts, Faith, and Feelings in order of engine, coal car and caboose. When we allow our Feelings to be in charge of the train of our lives the result is we’re out of control. If have the engine of Facts (Truth) in front, fueled by our Faith then our Feelings have their proper place. 

If we let our emotions make our decisions we can miss out on amazing opportunities. Hear me out, our emotions have a place and there’s nothing wrong with emotions; God gave them to us, you know. It’s what we do with them, how we handle them that makes a difference.

Sometimes saying Yes brings change or challenge to our lives; making a move for a job or agreeing to the need for surgery are some big ones. 

“If the yeses feel scary, take comfort in knowing that if you are seeking God, if you are asking Him to lead you, He hears you and is doing just that! If you are living in obedience to Him, and He brings opportunities into your life, you can trust that He will take care of you when you say yes.”

Can you say a brave Yes today?

Can I Live a Brave Way and Complete Something?

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I have struggled with finishing what I start. ALL.MY.LIFE.

Significant adult voices called me lazy. A quitter. Undisciplined. Not a lot of encouragement there.

Perseverance has been a personal struggle; one I push toward in many areas daily. Finishing books can be a struggle. Creative projects. Housework. Conversations.

And blog series.

I began this summer a sharing a series of reflections on Matthew 11:28-30. A series that I have written and loved…but didn’t finishing sharing with you! So in effort to live in a brave way, I’m going to finish. Here goes:

Picking up in my reflections on Matthew 11:28-30

The last passage of our study is

My burden is light

I spent some counting time as I looked for ways other versions translated this passage. Did you know that Bible Gateway lists 53 versions of scripture that are translated in English? O those 53 only 13 translated this phrase differently. For fun I’m including them below:

AMPC My burden is light and easy to be borne.

ERV The load I give you to carry is light.

EXB the load I give you to carry is light.

GNT the load I will put on you is light.

ICB The load I give you to carry is not heavy.

MSG Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.

NCV the load I give you to carry is light.

NET my load is not hard to carry.

NIRV my load is light.

NLV My load is not heavy.

NLT the burden I give you is light.

WE What I give you to carry is not heavy.

WYC my charge is light

Matthew said it straight. Jesus’s Way of relationship faith instead of religious rules is a light load.

Why do we make it so hard? How has being a Christian become such a negative thing? Lots of reasons I’m sure but in the context of this verse my answer is we’ve added on things that Jesus never said were needed.

Maybe you’ve heard me say Paul was the first commentator of scripture; he unpacked what Jesus said within the context of the Hebrew scriptures and what Christ’s finished work means. Paul kept telling all the churches to live under the grace and freedom from the Law. In our passage of study, Jesus is contrasting the burden of the Law to the burden of grace. He was preparing His followers to walk alongside Him, to be in step with Him and not to work out their salvation through the rules of the Law. That work was finished on the Cross. Now we have right standing before God because of Jesus’s perfect, holy sacrifice.

My burden is light.

He carries the weight. IF we keep in step with Him we won’t feel the burden much at all. If we get out of step then we bump into the yoke and we feel and see our circumstances as if we are alone and overwhelmed.

Just like He said to Peter, Jesus says to us

Come.

We can walk above our circumstances, in step with the Holy Spirit of God and amazing things will transpire. Our attitude shifts. Our worries and fears fade. Our wounds and hurts get cared for by the only One who can truly heal us.

My burden is light.

Our job is to get in the yoke and keep in step. He gives us what we need in order to do that. He carries the weight.

Because of LOVE.

We can learn to live in a brave Way because we’re LOVED. Not shamed in our ways. Loved, forgiven and encouraged to let go and lean in. Hanging out close to Jesus is worth the effort of change.

Live Brave friends.

30 Days of Giving Are Completed. Now what?

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This photo was shared by Christine Caine on Instagram
This seems like a next good endeavor. Drinking good coffee and reading good books. When I read this graphic, I couldn’t help but think of two academics who would spend hours in this occupation (although the preferred beverage was either tea or stout depending on the time of day) and whose written works I have respected and enjoyed for decades: J.R.R.Tolkien and C.S.Lewis.
Everyone has their preferences for styles of writing and types of books to read. I get that. But I really think you would benefit from reading at least one of these books soon. Yes, even in this potentially busy season; it is important for you to sit and read a good book.

The Hobbit is coming out as a film with part two in two weeks. I know I would be hard pressed to finish that book in two weeks of occasional reading, but if you have time to really get lost in a good book then take it up. Fanciful characters of great imagination come to life under Tolkien’s masterful care. Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit, and his adventure is Tolkien’s main character with a vital supporting character in the wizard Gandalf. Dwarves, elves, a dragon and all manner of characters you won’t meet on the street are woven through the story of restoring a kingdom to it’s former glory. Smaug the Dragon sweeps in and takes over and well the rest is history. Why is this book an important read? The words. The images. The mystery. The adventure. The character transformation from self-focus to other focus. The redemption. All aspects that make any book a good book in my humble opinion.

I love to re-read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S.Lewis. It’s one of the titles in his series The Chronicles of Narnia. Lewis is quoted thus: “It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one until you have read an old one in between.” There is comfort in the familiarity. There are increasing bits of awareness that come as I re-read the progression of the lives and adventures of the characters. Good parts become quotable and they begin to change the way I think.
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30 Days of Giving #9: Breathe

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Today I am blogging remotely so I don’t have my regular, daily photos. Sorry! But I really wanted to meet my personal challenge of 30 Days of Giving. Here is my offering today.

“Let my life be rooted in the ground of your peace, O God, let me be rooted in the depths of your peace.” Celtic Benedictions by J. Philip Newell

This morning my hubster and I were driving and discussing this quote (it is always good to talk with a husband or son in the car where you are not facing them directly; much more willing to open up, fyi).

What does it mean to be rooted in his peace?

Taking a slow, deep breath that fills my lungs is letting my life be rooted in His peace.
If I breathe fast, shallow breaths those are incomplete. Anxious. It’s how we breathe when we’re stressed. When we try to take things into our own hands. You know, be in control.

Ann Voskamp shared the expression of YHWH, the Hebrew transliteration of the most holy name of God, as being the inhale and exhale of breath. english Bibles add vowels YahWeh. Try this. Breathe in …Yah. (pause at the top) Breathe out…Weh. Slow in Yah…slow out Weh.

He is the breathe of life. Being rooted in His peace is like breathing. Slow in, slow out.

YHWH

Breathe.

30 Days of Giving-Day 2 Blueberry Muffins!

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Gloucester Cathedral doorThe saying goes: “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

I’m pretty sure the context is supposed to be the winning of said man’s heart.

Well I have been thinking of that saying differently since last April when my man had a heart scan that showed some plaque in an artery.

We changed our eating habits. Immediately. So the way to my man’s heart being healthy really is through his stomach!

Today, Day 2 of 30 Days of giving, the giving came in the form of blueberry muffins.

photo(59)Gluten free, dairy free, sugar free. Yep. What would this woman do without the internet and sites like The Gluten Free Vegan?

Great recipes and fairly easy to put together.

I know there are many people who have health issues and need to make adjustments in the way they eat.  It’s challenging to make changes of any kind but when you have to make hard changes (like eating habits) it’s so good to know there is someone else who is doing similar things and are willing to share what they’ve learned.  So I share this site with you today and Megan’s recipe for blueberry muffins.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. brown rice flour

1/2 c. sorghum flour

1/2 c. tapioca starch

1 1/2 t. xanthum gum or guar gum

1/2 c. coconut sugar

2 t. baking powder

pinch salt

3/4 c. unsweetened non-dairy milk

1/2 c. melted coconut oil

1/4 c. applesauce + 1/4 t. baking soda

1 c. fresh blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

2. In a large bowl sift together brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, xanthum (or guar) gum, coconut sugar, baking powder and pinch of salt.

3. In another bowl combine melted coconut oil, non-dairy milk and applesauce-baking soda mixture. Whisk together to combine well.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine well.

5. Fold in blueberries gently.

6. Measure out evenly into the 12 muffin cups.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until tested done.  Let cool in muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack – or eat them warm!

I hope you’ll hop over to Megan’s site. It has many savory as well as other sweet recipes to try!

Life Lessons: Learning in the Classroom of Mom

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Have you ever stopped to take inventory of what you life lessons you’ve learned from your Mom?  I don’t mean the lessons where she told you “I want you to know how to do this”.  I mean the lessons that were “caught” not “taught”.

I have.  They are many.  I confess I am not as good at them as she was in doing them.  But I learned from her the most important value.

Invest in people.

My Mom was an Educator.  She taught English and Journalism and Leadership.  She inspired students to go to college; to step out of their comfort zones; to dare to go beyond what they thought they could do.

She invested in her colleagues in the same way.  She gave without asking for any favors in return.  When she was in charge as a high school principal she made sure others had opportunities to step forward in their careers.

She invested.  I watched.  I learned.

 

 

She built up her teaching staff through involvement in site and district wide professional development.  Life long learning was something she modeled and preached.

She invested.  I watched.  I learned.

 

 

My Mom loved her friends.  She invested herself in life long friendships. This particular group were friends in college. They laughed. They cried. They traveled. They remained friends to the end. The three of this group who remain all came alongside me during my time of grief.

She invested.  I watched.  I hope I have learned.

 

My Mom LOVED her grandsons.  She invested in them. Every. opportunity. she. had.  She read to them.  She played with them.  She encouraged their imaginations.  She fostered their creativity.  She taught them about far away places. She took them there.  She inspired them to be great men.

 

She invested.  I watched.  I was blessed.

 

In the desire for balance in all things, I would be remiss if I did not account for the life lessons my Mom showed me.  I learned to push past my fears and hardships to take steps forward in ways many others have not been encouraged to do in their own lives.  I definitely would not be the woman I am without the influence of my Mother.  God knew what He was about in the design of this woman who was my Mother.  He knew what I needed to be able to grow and change; to learn to be my utmost for His highest.

I am still learning in the classroom of Mom.

What about you?  What is one life lesson you’ve caught from your Mom?

 

Santification and the Parking Lot

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I’m pretty sure a parking lot is the place to find out how you are growing emotionally and spiritually.

Let me explain.

Near our house is a “center” where a grocery store, a CVS, Michael’s, Dollar Tree, assorted fast food places and a Starbucks all come together, plus an assortment of smaller businesses.  A “quick stop shopping center” designed with convenience in mind.

Except for parking.  There just aren’t enough front row spots for all of us!

What makes matters worse is everyone is there for a “quick stop” which implies not having to wait for your front row parking spot to be available.

You’d be amazed at how many times people will sit and wait for a front row spot while a “quick” left turn would take them into an entire row of parking spots.  But those aren’t front row.

Isn’t that the way of the world?  It’s “Me First” from our children’s mouths as they dash to get the favorite spot in the car.  We want the front row parking spot; the shortest line in the store; the first to have a new tech device of all our friends; the nicest car; the biggest house; the most, the biggest and the best.

Is this what life is about?

Before you say a quick “No!” think about the parking lot.  Try an experiment this week.  Be aware of your response when someone zooms into the spot you were hoping to get.  Notice your reaction when you have to wait longer than you expected.

There is the way of the world and then there is the Way.

The parking lot is a true test of your sanctification along the Way.

Let me know how your experiment turns out!

 

 

The Work of Training

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Here you see the result of training.  Not the act of training, the result of it.

 

The person who did the training had tools, time and energy that had to be used to get to this point in the growing season.  It was a lot of work and will continue to be a lot of work.  Some days are more demanding than others, but truly, year round there is work that needs to be done to maintain healthy strong life in the vines.

 

I see all of life through the lens of a garden.  It’s just the way God’s made me.

 

What season is your life in right now?  A season of rest?  Of lying dormant with no evidence of life? An active season of preparation?  A season of waiting?  The thing about seasons: they change.  But do we?

 

Any season you find yourself has its joys and challenges.  That is what is consistently true of life.  The training and preparation we go through before we’re called upon to bear fruit is so important.  Summer is a season of balance: watering, weeding, dead heading, maintenance, and waiting for the plants to bear.  Some days it looks like nothing is happening.  But the efforts will pay off.

 

Reading, studying, and memorizing God’s Word is much like the balance of gardening in the summer.  Sometimes no one sees or knows of your efforts but God Himself.

 

What are you in training for?   Does it frustrate you that no one sees your efforts?  Or are you like these vines, showing the evidence of training?

 

What if you’re not sure?  What if you’re feeling a longing to get busy and make a change in your life? Ready to get your hands dirty but don’t know what step to take?

Let’s talk! I’ll listen.

 

 

Weeding in the Garden

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What is growing in the garden of your life that you’re not paying attention to?  We get busy with the day to day routines: cooking, cleaning, laundry, shuttling kids, changing diapers, cleaning messes, working outside the home, caring for aging parents, the list goes on.

Tending to the garden of our hearts takes time, energy and focus, all tools you may feel you don’t have in your garden tote.  In different seasons the weeds grow more rampantly than others.  When I have allowed the weeds to go, the work to remove them is overwhelming.  When I have been too busy to be consistent in tending the garden, it shows.

What to do to get back a tended, well watered garden (think life)?

1. Start weeding.

What’s there that isn’t helpful?  What’s getting in the way, crowding out the good things you want to see in the garden of your life?  Get rid of whatever that is for you.

2. Ask for help.

Weeding takes a practiced eye; knowing what is a weed and what is a good plant can be confusing if you’re not used to the practice of tending the garden.  You might need a mentor, a seasoned gardener, to help you recognize what doesn’t belong.

3. Adjust your priorities

Everything cannot have #1 priority.  Really hard for an over-achiever to hear, I know!  Learning to know the difference between what things are ‘have tos’ and what things are ‘want tos’ also takes practice.  In different seasons your time must be spent in particular ways and in other seasons you’ll find there is more discretionary time.  But the fact remains, a little regular attention to the garden is the better practice than only one day a week or once a month!

Start.

Who knows, once you get in there you may discover the Master Gardener has planted something in your life that you weren’t aware of!

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