Month: November 2014

Black Friday Reflections

Posted on by Wendy
We have the option to be at peace, no matter the circumstances. Let's choose that option today.
We have the option to be at peace, no matter the circumstances. Let’s choose that option today.

Today is known as Black Friday. Yesterday, we basked in thankfulness and family. We may have enjoyed a beautiful meal with friends. But, today, we will risk life and limb to be the first in line for the door buster deal. Black Friday is the official beginning of the holiday shopping season for many retailers. Once the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade concludes with Santa at the end, it’s off to the races.

Many retailers even decided to open on Thanksgiving Day, which I personally think is terrible. I think everyone should have the opportunity to have a day off and enjoy their family. There are twenty larger retailers who have taken a stand and refused to open on Thanksgiving Day. I have included a link to the list. But, some of them are TJ Maxx, Sam’s, Costco, Home Depot, Publix, and Dillards. I would like to encourage you to spend some of your Christmas shopping dollars at these stores. Let’s reward them for taking a stand for family.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/59725/20-stores-refuse-open-thanksgiving

On another note, if you decide to brave the madness today, I would like to encourage you to say a prayer before you leave your home. Those fruits of the Spirit come in very handy on a day like this, peace, patience and kindness top the list. Pray that the Holy Spirit will prompt you to extend some grace to those who do not extend grace to you. We all have the option to choose peace over pushing and shoving.

Let’s try to remember that some of those people out shopping really need that deal. They may be desperately trying to provide for their own family and living from pay check to pay check. They may have absolutely no extra money for Christmas presents, yet they still want to provide gifts for their children. Let’s try to extend some grace and remember that we have no idea what circumstances have brought each person out today.

Let’s try to remember to extend some grace to the sales people who are working. Many have been up most of the night. Many had to leave their own families at home to come and assist aggressive, unappreciative crowds. Let’s try to offer some kindness to these people, even if we may find them less than helpful. We have no idea what they have endured on this crazy day.

As Christians, let’s take the opportunity to be the face of Jesus today. Let’s be at peace. Let’s extend kindness. Most of all, as we search for that awesome deal, let’s remember the true reason for the season, when God became man to save us all to come and live with Him in eternity. In light of that huge sacrifice, let’s try to remember who we are today and what we stand for.

Y’all have fun and be careful!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on by Wendy
Happy Thanksgiving! May your day be truly blessed.
Happy Thanksgiving! May your day be truly blessed.

I just wanted to take a moment to wish all of my readers a Happy Thanksgiving! We have much to be thankful for in the U.S. Even in our darkest times, we are much better off than the vast majority of the world.

A Google search showed that some version of the word thanks or thankful turns up 139 times in the Bible. As Christians, no matter our circumstances, we can be thankful because we know what eternity holds for us. Whatever we are going through here on earth is temporary. We know that we are treasured and loved by the One who called the universe into being, the One who calls the stars by name. We know that one day we will be reunited with those we have lost, those who we may have celebrated Thanksgiving with in times past. Knowing that gives us peace.

Before you sit down for your Thanksgiving feast, please join me in a prayer for those who are struggling this year for whatever reason. The holidays can be really tough for those who have suffered a loss of a loved one. Please remember those members of our military who can’t be home with their families because they are fighting to keep us safe. Remember their families who miss them terribly. Please remember those doctors and healthcare workers who are still in Africa fighting Ebola as well as all of the medical and law enforcement personnel here at home, who can’t be with their families because they are keeping others safe.

If you are struggling this year, please know that you are loved beyond your wildest imagination and that God has big plans for you. The Bible tells us so. Just lean in close and let Jesus cover you with grace and healing and peace.

If you are entertaining a bunch of family today, remember that everyone carries a certain amount of baggage with them. It’s usually best to let any offhand remarks go. Peace is a choice and usually a good one. Pray about the fruits of the Spirit today, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Sometimes you may need a double helping. I feel like God understands that and He sends it to us when we need it.

I’m so thankful that you join me here each day and take the time to read my words. I’m thankful for all of your comments and all of your kind encouragement. I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope your day is truly fabulous!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Being a Blessing Draws Blessings

Posted on by Wendy
Working with someone who tried to look at people the way God does, is truly a blessing.
Working with someone who tries to look at people the way God does, is truly a blessing.

I have this awesome part-time job at a dress shop downtown. I happened to walk in there at the end of the summer looking for a homecoming dress for my daughter and I instantly loved it. The owner, Frances, is what I would describe as bubbly times ten. She met us at the door and welcomed us. She then went on to say that the store had a platform of girls and self-esteem and they stood strong on anti-bullying. She also said that no one who walks through her doors is allowed to speak negatively about themselves and if she heard negative words, whoever said them would be placed in a time out until they could say three positive things about themselves.

I loved her instantly and I loved her boutique. She had formal wear of all kinds, homecoming, prom, ladies wear, bridal gowns and tuxedos. She had brand new items and consignment items as well as vintage dresses. It was such a fun and uplifting place, I hated to leave. My daughter found a dress. I friended Frances on Facebook.

I did a little sewing for her because that’s all I know how to do and then I started working in the store when she needed the help. Watching her work has been amazing. I think she truly sees women through the eyes of God. She can pick out something beautiful in every woman or girl who walks through the door and she points it out. Most ladies leave with a pep in their step and holding their head a little higher than when they arrived.

Frances is a strong Christian. I knew it when I met her, long before we discussed it. I could see Jesus in the way she treats people.  She seems to innately seek out the good in people and try to be a blessing to them. She in turn, gets blessed by them. It’s a beautiful cycle to watch.

Last week when I was in the store, a bride came in. She was discouraged. She was on a budget and had been unable to find anything. She was self-conscious about her weight. She wasn’t a size 6, but since the average size of an American woman is 14, she shouldn’t have been. Frances got to work and it wasn’t long until our bride was glowing. We all knew the moment that she put on the perfect gown. She was stunning.

Her gorgeous blue eyes danced with joy. She didn’t want to take it off. So we chatted a while and took some pictures with her in her dress as Frances picked out the perfect dress for her mama to wear. She shared with me some pictures of her wedding decorations. Then she floored me.

They are doing their wedding reception in a rustic barn. But, the ceremony is going to be in front of a simple wooden cross. I was so moved I got teary. I told her if she and her soon to be hubby will keep God in the center of their marriage, they will always be happy and their marriage will be blessed. Then she got teary as she told me she thought she would never get married because whenever she tried talking to someone she was dating about God, they weren’t interested and she wasn’t budging on her faith.

Then, God sent her this man. He loves God too. I was thrilled for this stranger who I felt had become my friend. When she and her mom left the shop, they  were two beautiful women with two beautiful dresses and I felt blessed beyond words. I think they did too.

Watching for God in the people and the world around me never fails to amaze me and bless me. Care to join me?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Spirituality of Slowing Down

Posted on by Wendy
Spending any amount of time in Creation makes it difficult not to be thankful to the One who crated it.
Spending any amount of time in Creation makes it difficult not give thanks to the One who created it.

Sunday  was a yucky day here by all accounts. It rained all day long. It was cold and dreary and there were even some tornadoes in the area. Monday started off dreary as well. But, then suddenly, the clouds parted and the sun came out and it was beautiful. I felt drawn to go and take a walk, which is a good thing because I hadn’t done cardio in over a week.

I’m definitely a walker, not a runner. I run between mailboxes to get my heart rate up, but I walk more than run. My exercise time has become as much a spiritual time for me as physical. I pray when I walk as I bask in God’s Creation. It’s very difficult not to be thankful when I feel the warm sun on my face or a cool breeze when I’m hot, or when I see the leaves changing colors and birds searching for worms on the ground. Creation always makes me thankful and it leaves me in awe.

If I were to run instead of walk, I would miss it. If I were to listen to music in my ipod, I would miss it. My hubby has one of those Fitbits. It counts his steps and tells him how quickly he ran a mile. People take to Facebook and record their times. There are even apps where people can compete with each other on how fast they ran and how much ground they covered. I can’t imagine why.

We love to compete. It seems to be somehow wired within us. We can’t exercise for pleasure. There has to be a winner. But, I don’t think that’s God’s way. I think we are supposed to stay fit. Our bodies are a temple. I think friendly competition is no big deal and running races for fun is fine. But, if every time we leave our house to exercise, we are trying to beat our last time or someone else’s doing that activity, I think we may have missed an opportunity to worship.

We are busy people. I often hear people say they don’t have time to read the Bible or they don’t have time to pray or to exercise. But, there is a way to combine some of those things. I feel like whenever we are outside, it’s a perfect time to talk to God and to listen for His voice. Maybe if we aren’t in such a rush, we may learn something or see Him in an unexpected way.

While I was walking on Monday, my neighbor from across the street, pulled over and chatted with me for a few minutes about Thanksgiving. Every conversation with her is a blessing. She is a light to me and my family. After the brief stop, she wished me a Happy Thanksgiving and drove away. She might not have stopped if I had been running. I’m glad she did.

When we slow down a little, not only do we see and hear things we might have missed otherwise, but we encourage others to seek us out and share. We encourage interaction and contact. We get the opportunity to let our light shine and allow others to shine theirs.

As this season gets ready to really get cranked up into turbo speed, I think it my be worth it to intentionally take some time to slow down. We may be surprised at what we learn.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy  🙂

 

A Matter of the Heart

Posted on by Wendy
If we strive to be like Jesus and keep him in the heart of all we do, then we will always be on the righteous side.
If we strive to be like Jesus and keep him in the heart of all we do, then we will always be on the righteous side.

Yesterday, my pastor preached a sermon on Matthew 25:31-46. It was about Judgement Day. Most of us don’t like to think about that day too much. It makes us nervous like a visit to the principal’s office, whether we did anything wrong or not. It’s kind of like when I’m driving down the road and I see a police car in my rear view mirror. I know I’m not speeding or doing anything against the law, yet still I panic a little.

Just the term, Judgement Day, makes us squirm a bit, or at least it does for me. This particular parable is the one where the King separates the sheep and the goats. The sheep are the righteous ones and he tells them, “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” Matthew 25: 35-36 The goats don’t fare so well.

I’ve read this parable many times before. But, what the pastor said next, really caught my attention. He said that the key word here comes in the next verses, and that word is, “when.” The righteous ones don’t even remember doing all of these things and why not? Are they suddenly struck with some type of dementia? Nope. Doing these things has become part of their character, part of who they are.

When we do good things for others as part of a check list, it doesn’t count. You know like, there’s a yearly can drive, I’ll give cans, check. It’s Christmas time and I really should contribute a toy to some needy child, check. Doing those things are good, of course. But, why do we do them? Do we do them because it’s a particular time of the year? Do we do them because we are supposed to?

The pastor went on to say that as we walk with Jesus, we become more like him. When we become more like him we just naturally do things like he would. We help others in need, whatever the need, physical or spiritual, just because that’s who we are, who we have become. Helping and loving others, becomes second nature to us, so much so, that if we were to be asked when we did things like feeding the hungry and tending the sick, we would ask when, because we do it all of the time.

What a concept. The whole point of accepting Jesus, is to become more like him. If we strive, daily to be more like him, then we will have nothing to fear. We are the righteous in the parable. But, I believe the key here is the heart. If we have a pure heart in our quest to serve others, a heart that has Jesus in it, then we will always be on the righteous side and I find that very comforting. How about you?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A New Perspective

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes little detours can change our perspective.
Sometimes little detours can change our perspective.

My hubby went with our pastor and another gentleman, this week to meet with a man to discuss a summer mission trip. The small church we are attending, hasn’t had a huge interest in mission projects and with a staff of one and no one to head them up, they haven’t been a priority. When I sent our pastor an e-mail inquiring about the possibility of a youth summer mission trip, he replied that they had been praying about it for some time, but hadn’t had anyone willing to be in charge of it. He went one to ask the question, “I wonder where we would find such a person?”

I laughed out loud as I read it. I shared on another post recently, that I had been praying the prayer, “use me.” So far, it’s put me in a Christmas Cantata and in the church choir. Now, I’m looking into summer mission trips. I find it kind of interesting up to this point, that God hasn’t plugged me in doing anything that I already know how to do, but that’s usually what it’s like when you decide to walk with Jesus.

Of course, I roped my hubby in. He may not be praying the, “use me” prayer, but he’s getting used too. Thankfully, he doesn’t mind. I couldn’t make the trip on Monday, so he went. Turns out, there had been a total mis-communication, because we were very clear about staying within the United Sates to do mission work and preferably in the Southeast. We feel there are plenty of people right here who desperately need the help of the Christian community.

The man they met with had only done mission work outside of the country. He shared with them some of what he had done. He told the men that one of the trips he went on was ten thousand dollars per person, for the airfare and ten people went. As my husband was telling me this, I interrupted him saying something like, “Why didn’t they just send the people there, a hundred grand? I mean, what a waste of money to fly!”

He told me he thought the same thing, but he listened. Oops! That’s what I should be doing too. The man shared that while they did some physical work there, they also ran a Vacation Bible School program. The children and parents there had never seen anything like it. And the most touching part of all, was that they couldn’t believe that there were people out there who cared enough about their tiny poverty-stricken village, to fly around the world and tell them and show them about the love of Jesus,

I have to admit, I never thought of it that way. On the other side of the coin, the man they spoke with is looking for an opportunity to do something here in the United States, but he hasn’t found the opportunity, so he wrote down all of our men’s information.

In the end, I think we all got a new perspective. I still hope to take the teenagers as well as some adults, on a summer mission trip here at home. My daughter’s experience in South Carolina last year, on her first mission trip, was truly life changing. But, I’m going to look at these out of country youth trips in a different way too. I’ll definitely pray for the financial success of those attempting to go and I’ll contribute if I can. Who knows? I may go on one myself one day.

I think in the end, that little meeting this week, that seemed like a detour, may have been exactly what God had planned all along. He’s always full of surprises.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

P.S. If you are doing the Thanksgiving challenge, you should be on number 19 today! 🙂

The Cheers Phenomenon

Posted on by Wendy
Church community is vibrant like a forest in the fall, because it's made up of so many different kinds op people.
Church community is vibrant like a forest in the fall, because it’s made up of so many different kinds of people.

One of my favorite old sitcoms is the show, “Cheers.” It took place almost entirely, inside a bar in Boston. It ran for eleven seasons and took us from the early eighties into the nineties. The owner, was a character named Sam Malone, who was a retired baseball player and coincidentally, a recovering alcoholic. The show’s theme song had the words, “Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name and they’re always glad you came.”

The same characters came by the bar on a daily basis. When one character, by the name of Norm, came in every night, the entire bar called out, “Norm!” The show didn’t really tackle any serious issues of the day. It was just a fun show about a little community. I suspect that was a huge reason for its popularity.

I think there’s a desire inside all of us to walk into a place where everybody knows our name and they’re always glad we came. The world can be awfully chaotic and dark at times and I think we all long to be known and appreciated just the way we are.

The world is also full of quirky characters like the ones on “Cheers,” yet those people can come together and create really vibrant communities. Those communities can come from working together or being neighbors. They can be created  through people who have the same interests. They can also be created in church.

We sometimes meet people in church that we would have never been friends with anywhere else. They may be older or younger or have babies or grown kids or grand babies. They may have different political views. But, church community is particularly special and unique because it’s made up of people who are drawn to worship and serve God in a similar way. The members sometimes have little else in common, but that’s what makes it strong.

Another big buzz word in churches these days are small groups. It seems like all churches try to set them up from the large mega churches to the small community churches. But, whatever the size of the church, the goal is the same, to plug members in with a community. Community supports each other when someone is sick or suffering. Community celebrates together when times are good.

Community can also hold each other accountable. We don’t like that word much, do we? We are all individuals and we want to do what we want when we want and we don’t want anyone to tell us we are wrong. If we want to skip church six Sundays in a row to go to the lake, then we don’t want to have to answer to anyone. No one is the boss of us.

While that is all true, a vibrant, loving community will contact members who go missing, not out of condemnation, but out of love and concern. True community misses its members when they are gone. They reach out to each other because they are missed. Like the show “Cheers,” neither  the community nor the church is the same when someone is missing.

That missing person has a part to play within the community as well as in the fabric of God’s plan.

As I think of all of this, I want to encourage anyone who isn’t plugged in to a church community to find one or start one. We weren’t meant to walk alone. God has people who want to walk with us. Jesus said, “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.  For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:18-19

Community is important. We all need to be a part of it. We should all get to play the part of Norm in real life and to do that, we have to seek community.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Call to God’s Choir

Posted on by Wendy
Even though I don't read music, I have been welcomed to the choir.
Even though I don’t read music, I have been welcomed to the choir.

I recently began singing in the church choir. It’s a very small church with a very small choir. The first night I attended, I had two different people ask me if I was an alto or a soprano. I told them I had no idea. I told them I didn’t even know if they could use me at all. I was assured that they could.  When the woman who leads the choir and plays the piano arrived, she was very welcoming. (and quite brilliant) Before she asked me the dreaded question, I looked straight at her and told her I had no idea if I was an alto or soprano. She laughed and told me we would figure it out.

She then asked if I could read music, again, my answer was, “no.” I mean, I can look at the lines and read, “Every good boy does fine.” But, how is that any help at all?

That was four weeks ago. I did learn that I am a soprano, but I often feel like a foreign exchange student when I attend practice. They use phrases like, take a breath at the rest and crescendo and I’m thinking, huh? The director likes to “walk us through,” a song before we sing it, which apparently, means reading the notes and singing slowly. Did I mention I don’t read music? The pastor’s wife even handed me a pencil at one point, in case I wanted to take notes. I gently smiled and asked her, “What would I write?” She burst out into laughter and explained it.

But, here’s what I’ve learned. I can listen to the experienced members sing the song a time or two and then I have it. I don’t have to know all of the ins and outs of reading music because I have these awesome, patient mentors with a great sense of humor, sitting next to me,who help me along. They don’t make me feel like I’m an idiot or unusable or unworthy because I’m uneducated in music.

Nope, these ladies have all welcomed me into their fold and they have helped me along with patience, grace and some laughter. The laughter is good because I am certainly laughing at myself on this musical venture. When the leader told us last week that we were doing great and that we knew the song, I timidly asked her if she was really sure about that? The rest of the ladies roared in laughter.

This new experience could have been very intimidating for me if I hadn’t had such sweet and patient mentors or if everyone was super serious. But, instead I’ve been welcomed in Christian love. It got me to thinking about how we welcome new members to our faith. There’s a lot of terminology and tricky concepts. Things like the trinity and the difference between faith and hope and why is Good Friday good?

Those of us who have been on our walk a bit longer need to be very vigilant about being welcoming and open to new Christians. We need to be willing to be mentors and we need to be able to have a sense of humor. We were all new to this walk at one time. Most of all, we need to show our newest members love and grace. We all fall or hit a wrong note. We all are still growing and learning.

The choir experience has reminded me what Christian love to those who are new, is supposed to look like. I’m hoping to do as well welcoming others as those choir ladies have done with me.

How about you? How are you doing at welcoming others to the faith?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Risky Business

Posted on by Wendy
We are called to leave the world around us in better shape than it was when we found it.
We are called to leave the world around us in better shape than it was in when we found it.

On Sunday, our pastor told the parable of the talents as found in Matthew 25:14-30. I’ve heard the story before and you probably have too. It’s about a master who gave one guy five talents, one guy two talents and one guy one. He then left on a long journey. I always got a little lost in the parable. I don’t even know what a talent is. I have heard it explained as we are supposed to use our “God-given” talents to serve Him, but our pastor explained it in a different way.

A talent was worth a ton of money. The guy who got five would have been a multimillionaire today. So the guy who got only one would have been given a large sum of money too. The master is gone a long time and he comes back to see what the servants have done with his money. The first two put their money to work, meaning they took risks with it. The third man buried his just to keep it safe. The master is thrilled with the first two servants. They weren’t afraid to takes risks with what they had been given in order to make more. The third guy, who lived in fear of risk, didn’t fare so well. The master took his one talent and threw him out into the darkness.

This was always the point where I was kind of scratching my head. I mean, he didn’t lose what he was given . Wasn’t that enough? The answer is no. Here’s why; we are all given resources from God. How we use them matters. Playing it safe and avoiding any hard work, or risk, or ridicule, when it comes to sharing the Kingdom of God with others, is not acceptable.

He put it this way. After our lives are over and we stand before God, it isn’t acceptable to say, “I left the world just the way I found it. It’s no worse and it’s no better.” In other words, if we just choose safety by taking our kids to church on Sundays, sitting in the pew an hour, giving our tithe to the offering plate and return next week to do the same, what kind of difference have we made for the Kingdom of God?

I never thought about it that way, but the three teenagers with me were stunned by the message and totally got it. Sharing our faith can be risky. People may ridicule us for it, but as Christians, we are expected to share our faith with others. How do people see Jesus in us? Do we act any differently than the atheist down the street? Are we sharing our resources? Do we invite others to church? Is there anything about us that sets us apart from the crowd?

And there’s the rub. We like to blend. Being set apart from the crowd isn’t always easy. It’s risky, but still, that’s what we are called to do. In the end, if we are doing God’s work, it doesn’t matter what any single member of the human race thinks about us. What matters is what God thinks. If we want Him to say, “Well done, faithful servant!” then we have to be willing to take risks.

How do you do with taking risks? How are you leaving the world around you better than you found it? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Being Thankful is a Form of Worship

Posted on by Wendy
This little creek is beautiful in the fall.
This little creek is beautiful in the fall.

I had a million things to do that day. I had toilets to scrub and floors to vacuum. Still, I could feel God beckoning me outdoors. There was a cold front moving in and the temperatures were expected to drop drastically over the following days.

I had been planning to take some fall leaf photos, but I had planned to take them over the weekend. However, I knew if it was really cold, I would not likely go outside. I’m a Southern girl to the bone and if it’s less than sixty degrees outside, it’s too cold. But, this day, it was still in the seventies outside.

I finally turned off the vacuum cleaner and pushed it to the side and grabbed my camera. I’ve really been working hard on listening to God’s call and obeying it. I’ll admit, when I get busy or focused on doing something, it gets harder to hear and even harder to obey. But, I did.

As usual, I was rewarded for any act of obedience. My neighborhood is breathtaking this time of year. As much as I love the spring, fall runs a close race in the beauty of God’s creativity. When I go out with a camera to specifically look for the beauty, I’m so amazed at what I see. I’m also kind of ashamed at what I miss and take for granted in my daily rush.

You just can't appreciate the color of a single leaf from a car.
You just can’t appreciate the color of a single leaf from inside a car.

The beauty of a single leaf just can’t be appreciated from inside a car. I don’t really appreciate it when I’m taking a brisk walk or running either. No, there’s something about taking a camera and looking for the beauty, seeking out the beauty in the world around us. I felt like I could feel God whispering into my heart, “look at my Creation and appreciate it.” And I did and I do, I just sometimes forget to slow down and look.

God could have made leaves just turn brown and die and fall off, but instead, fall provides us with such a beautiful array of color. I think appreciating that creativity is an act of worship. I think remembering to thank God for the beauty is an act of worship. I think slowing down is an act of worship.

This season of fall passes quickly. In another month, the leaves will all be gone. The branches will be bare. It will be cold and the days will be long and dark. It won’t be long until we are all shivering and anxiously awaiting spring.

But, for now, maybe we could take a moment and really drink in the beauty of fall, the beauty that God has created in our lives, in this season, at this very moment and give thanks. While we are giving thanks for the beauty in nature, maybe we could look around and give thanks for all of the beauty in our lives at this very moment. I think maybe, that’s worship in it’s purest form.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂