Month: April 2018

Enjoying the Roller Coaster

Posted on by Wendy
There’s a freedom and fearlessness that comes from letting go.

When I was growing up, my sweet mama would take us to Six Flags every single summer. We would get there when the gates opened and we would stay until they closed. It was a long day, but she took us every year.

As I got a little older, I couldn’t wait to ride the roller coasters. I would walk up to the measuring spot and stand up as tall as I possibly could. I remember being disappointed when I wasn’t tall enough to ride. Then finally one summer I was.

I was tall enough to ride one of the smaller coasters, but not the biggest one, the Scream Machine. I wanted to ride that coaster so badly. The next year, my mama’s friend who had little ones, joined us on our Six Flags trip and I was finally tall enough. Mama’s friend reluctantly agreed to ride with me.

It was so much fun. I held on for dear life as we raced up and down the hills.

I later learned from a friend, that the Scream Machine was even more fun, when you raised your arms above your head instead of holding on tightly to the bar. You actually came out of your seat, but you were still safely strapped in.

Once I learned that trick, roller coasters were never the same and I just loved to ride all different kinds. I was fearless.

As I was sitting and thinking about another birthday coming up, and reflecting on this past year, it occurred to me that life really is like a roller coaster. There are ups and downs. Sometimes it’s really rough and sometimes it’s smooth. There are times when you wonder if you will ever reach the top of the hill and there are times when you wonder if things will ever slow down. There are even times when you find yourself completely upside down or find yourself afraid of running off the track entirely.

There are all kinds of ways to handle the coaster of life. We can hold on for dear life, white knuckling it, holding our breath and waiting for the situation to calm down and coast to a stop, dreading the next hill. We can even convince ourselves that we can control the ride when we do that.

But, there’s another way. We can raise our arms in surrender and enjoy the ride, knowing that we have no control over the hills or twists and turns, but God does. There’s a freedom that comes from surrendering control and a fearlessness as well.

A birthday and a childhood memory reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

No Post Today

Posted on by Wendy

Due to an exhausting week with two migraine headaches, I don’t have a post today. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I’ll see you back here on Monday.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Miraculous Living

Posted on by Wendy
We can choose to see everything as a miracle.

I recently read the last verse in the Gospel of John. I’ve read it before, but this time it really made me think. “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them was written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:25

Ponder that thought for a moment. Apparently John just gave us the highlights and those were pretty phenomenal. Just imagine all of the lives Jesus touched while here on earth. Imagine all of the lives that were forever changed. The Gospels tell us some amazing accounts. But, there were more. With Jesus, there always is.

As I was thinking about John’s words, I came across a quote from Einstein that said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is.” Since scientists seem to really enjoy trying to disprove that there is a God, I found that particularly interesting.

One quote was from the spiritual realm and one was from one of the smartest scientists who ever lived. Both point directly to God. As people of faith, we are called to see God in everything and even when we can’t see Him, we are called to know that He is present. That’s what faith is.

The Book of Hebrews tells us, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were condemned for.” Hebrews 11:1-2

We sometimes still get condemned for it. Don’t we? Just turn on the news and there’s usually a story of some kind of clash between people of faith and modern, progressive thought. But, Scripture reminds us that the struggle is not new, nor will it end until Jesus comes back.

There will always be a struggle between good and evil on this side of eternity.

But, until then, we can take comfort that God is with us and we can choose to live as if everything is a miracle. We can seek God in every situation and if we do so with open hearts, He will show Himself. Sometimes He’s right there, in neon lights too big to miss and sometimes we can’t see Him until some times has passed, but He’s always there, always at work.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Supernatural Love

Posted on by Wendy
Churches are called to be people who give and receive supernatural love.

Last Sunday, our special music was performed by a husband and wife team. I always enjoy watching them perform. Their words are always so heartfelt and there’s a beautiful humility about them. The wife has been sick recently, and the congregation has been praying for her.

They’re a little older, both sporting a little gray hair. I was blessed to be able to attend their wedding. It was a second wedding for them both. They came up after church service ended, one Sunday and were married in the presence of the congregation. I don’t know if I’ve ever attended a more heartfelt ceremony.

Afterwards, we had a potluck lunch in the fellowship hall where everyone was invited to stay. They even had a first dance, after the lunch. It was s simple affair, but incredibly meaningful, two people who have traveled around the sun enough times, who know how very important it is to have God at the center of their marriage and a church family to cheer them on.

I’ve thought of their simple ceremony often and how these days, we like to spend thousands of dollars on wedding ceremonies without even inviting God to be there, and then we wonder why the divorce rate is so high.

After they performed, she took the microphone and said she would like to say a few words. She shared that she recently had a mental crash of sorts and that she struggles with bipolar disorder. She said through some tears, that she was much better and that she wanted to share with the congregation because she was so thankful for the prayers, but that she also knew that there wasn’t one of us who hadn’t been touched by depression, or anxiety, or other mental struggles in our own families.

She wanted to remind us that these struggles were nothing to be ashamed of.

I fought tears listening to her and then again, as everyone gave her a round of applause. I thought about how a Christian community is supposed to be one that encourages and loves one another through the good stuff like weddings, baby showers and baptisms, but also through the bad stuff like funerals, sickness, and struggles of all kinds.

I admired her courage to share her struggle with her church family. There could easily have been someone who needed to hear it and know they’re not alone. The Bible tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

We get that wrong a lot. Churches are made up of broken people. Mistakes are made and God gets blamed for human failures.

But, we get it right sometimes too and when we do, I believe that there are cheers in heaven. A heartfelt thanks, reminded me that there’s a supernatural strength and love within Christian community that we are all called to give and receive. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Embracing Every Season

Posted on by Wendy
There’s beauty in every season of the journey.

Yesterday, the former assistant principal of the school where I work, popped in for a visit. She is now the principal of a different school and she was on spring break. She looked fabulous. Her hair was different. Her eyes had a sparkle. The change for her was clearly a good one.

It seems that change has been in the air this spring. We have five teachers retiring and quite a few others leaving, but all for wonderful reasons. One is moving to be closer to family and spend more time with a new baby. One has a baby on the way and wants to stay home with him or her. Our cafeteria manager is leaving because she’s going to run the cafeteria at a brand new school.

While it’s sad to see so many people that I have come to hold dear, move on to their next chapter, it’s impossible for me not to be excited for them too. They are all following dreams of some sort and embracing a new season.

Last year was my first year working full time in seventeen years. I walked into a group of people who embraced me with open arms even thought the person I was replacing had been loved by them. She had chosen to start a new chapter too.

I share my office space with two other people and one of them is the school nurse. Last year, I was blessed to get to know and to become friends with, our nurse Ivy. She had been diagnosed with ALS, but was determined to keep working. We prayed together every morning and my other coworker and I, worked hard to help her keep working. It was a heartbreaking year, watching her grow a little weaker everyday to a devastating disease that she eventually succumbed to. But, my friend Ivy knew Jesus and I’ve no doubt she’s running marathons on two strong legs in heaven.

I learned so many new things and lessons last year, but perhaps the most important one, was finding the beauty in and embracing every single season I find myself in, whether it’s a hard one or an easy one. There are daily blessings showered upon us on every leg of our journey and when we cling too tightly to where we are and refuse to move ahead, then we are missing some breathtaking new scenery as well as new adventures.

I’ve been a lifelong hater of change. It’s taken me a long time to learn that when we let go of our need to control and learn to trust that God has a plan, we can live in an indescribable state of peace. I’m learning the beauty of letting go and enjoying the ride and to cheer on others as they do the same.

A visit from a friend reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Peace Plant Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” John 8:37

As I walked by my son’s studio space, a wilted plant caught my eye. Uhoh, I thought, I forgot to water it and it looked like it was beyond salvation. However, this particular plant, is a Peace Plant. It’s what I like to think of as a little over dramatic. When it gets thirsty, it droops like it’s dead, but a good dose of water perks it right back up.

I ran and got it some water and then I went about my business. I haven’t always known that Peace Plants behave this way when they don’t get the water they need. The first time it did that, I thought it was dead for sure. It was a call to my mama that assured me it would be fine. She told me it was simply its way of letting me know it needed water.

That Peace Plant reminded me of how our hearts and souls can get sometimes when conditions have become less than hospitable. When we go too long without the right amount of spiritual nourishment, we can wilt like the little plant. When we stop praying, when we neglect reading the Bible, when we stop attending worship service or when we stop spending time with other Christians who can build us up, we can develop a spiritual wilt of sorts.

To the casual onlooker, we can look beyond repair. But, there’s nothing casual about God and His relationship with His children. He knows that we are never beyond repair and that when we reach for Him all things are possible.

So, He sends His water in various ways, a call from a from a friend, an unexpected card or e-mail, a random Facebook post, an impromptu walk out in nature, a song that tugs at our hearts, or an invitation to church, could all be examples of His way of reaching out to us and reviving the spiritual wilt.

If we allow Him to, He will remind us that we are loved and we are never beyond repair, no matter how far we may have strayed or how dry and desolate our lives may feel.

“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow within them.” John 8:38

When I passed by the little plant the next day, it had perked back up and was ready to take on the world. It reminded me that the same can be true for us if we reach for the right water. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Azalea Inspiration

Posted on by Wendy
Late bloomers are no less spectacular than the early ones.

Last weekend, we were blessed with gorgeous weather on Saturday. I went out for a walk, not only for exercise, but also to bask in the warmth. There were so many beautiful trees and shrubs blooming in my neighborhood, that I wish I had a camera.

One thing that I kept noticing, was that while many of the azaleas were finished blooming, the ones in the shade of the trees, were going strong. They were just getting started. As I came back to my own house, I could see that my huge pink azaleas that had been beautiful just a few weeks earlier, had turned brown.

It always makes me a little sad every year, when they go from beautiful to brown. Their time had passed. But, then I glimpsed my azaleas that were underneath the oak trees. They were vibrant.

I thought about those azaleas all afternoon and into the evening. I thought about how in nature, different plants bloom at different times. Sometimes it has to do with the season. Sometimes it’s dependent on the amount of water and sunlight they are getting, and sometimes it simply has to do with where they are planted.

The azaleas in the shade bloom just as spectacularly as the ones in the direct sun; they just do it later. The late bloomers are just as beautiful and significant as the early bloomers.

The azaleas remind me that people are similar. We rarely bloom at the same time. Some of us hit our sweet spot very early and some of us don’t find it until much later in life as a second act. But, either way, we all have the opportunity to bloom and share something beautiful with the world.

The azaleas also remind me that sometimes we bloom and contribute and feel very much on track for a season and other times we are just barely hanging on. Yet with patience and perseverance, we can come back to a season of blooming, just like they do every single year.

If you woke up today, God is not done with you. He still has things to teach you and you still have beauty to share. It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, or what season you may find yourself in, or even where you have been planted. The possibilities are endless when we allow God to grow us.

Some azaleas reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Iris Inspiration

Posted on by Wendy
Love always remains.

Yesterday after work, I was standing at my kitchen sink, rinsing some dishes, when a glimpse of yellow caught my eye. As I took a closer look, I could see that my yellow irises were blooming. I was thrilled and I rushed outside to examine them and snap some photos.

Yellow irises blooming in the spring time may not seem like anything special, but those particular yellow irises have a history, and hold some wonderful memories for me.

My maternal grandmother died the month before I was born, so I never got to know her. My granddaddy later met a woman everyone called Kittie. Although she wasn’t related to me by blood, she became a grandmother to me. She had no children of her own, but she and I formed a bond that lasted until God called her home.

She and I exchanged letters every week when I was in college and I would visit her when I went home. She was at my high school graduation and was seated as my grandmother at my wedding. She was one of the first people to visit when my babies were born.

She loved to grow things, but irises were her favorite. She entered different varieties every year in a flower show. She would sometimes lament that a cold snap killed her best ones. But, one year, one of her yellow ones, named, Money, won the prize. She was so proud and I was thrilled for her.

After she passed, I was visiting with her sister and I asked her if she minded if I dug up some of Kittie’s irises to plant at my house. She readily agreed and I drug my hubby and a shovel, over to the very overgrown yard. We had no idea what types we were digging up because they were way past blooming.

We took them home and planted them and to my dismay, they didn’t bloom the following spring. I bought a little cat with angel wings that reminded me of her and placed it in the bed. The next spring, just in time for my birthday, the irises bloomed and to my delight, the were the Money, variety.

It was if I had received a birthday gift from heaven. So, yesterday, when I saw that Money, was once again blooming, I dropped everything and went to take a picture and to give thanks that even thought those we hold dear are sometimes no longer with us physically, their love remains with us forever.

Some yellow irises reminded me that when it’s our time to go, we can’t choose what we take with us, but we can choose what we leave behind. Those irises inspire me to leave as much love and beauty in my wake as I possibly can. Perhaps you needed reminding today too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

The Pollen Principle

Posted on by Wendy
The messy pollen has a purpose.

Yesterday, when I walked out on my porch to let my dogs out, I once again grumbled to myself about the thick coat of pollen that covers everything this time of year. You can literally wipe it off of any surface and within a few minutes, there’s another thin layer.

More than once, I have attempted to do a thorough cleaning of my porch before the pollen is done flying and more than once, I have found myself incredibly frustrated. While I might have been ready to move on to the next season, nature was not. It still had work to do.

The yellow pollen that makes such a mess is from pine trees. They produce lots and lots of pollen to ensure that all of their seeds get fertilized and that their species survives. There’s an actual reason for the mess.

It doesn’t matter how much I sweep my porch or wash my car, the pollen will fly until it’s time for the next season. Nature does not run on my time table.

Consequently, it doesn’t matter how much I complain about it either. Pine pollen is part of living in the deep south.

As I think about the pollen, I think there may be a lesson in the mess. I think we have all had times in our lives when the pollen seems to keep flying. As soon as we clean ourselves off, we find ourselves and our world covered again in a mess of some sort. We desperately want to move onto the next season because we are just plain weary of the mess.

Most of us have wondered things like: will the baby ever sleep through the night, or will the toddler ever be potty trained, or will the morning sickness ever stop, or will the puppy ever be house trained, or will I ever finish school, or if the sadness will ever ease, or if a broken heart will ever mend?

The list of the different messes that we find ourselves in on this side of eternity, is close to endless. But, like the pine pollen, many of what we consider at the time, to be frustrating messes have a purpose. Many of them are simply a phase along the journey. Many of them are ensuring our growth.

When we look back upon them, many of them end with some beautiful blooms and a season of calm. The Bible tells us that there is a season for everything. When you think about it, that has to include the pollen times.

That thought gives me a little more patience and hope. Maybe you needed some today too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Removing the Buildup

Posted on by Wendy
True transformation requires some prep work.

Last week the school that I work in, had spring break. My hubby and I, used the time to paint our kitchen cabinets. It just so happened, that the week also marked thirteen years in our house, so an update was badly needed.

The cabinets were a dark oak finish and my first instinct was to slap some white paint on them as soon as possible to lighten everything up, but I had done my research, there was some prep work required.

The very first step was to clean the cabinets with a degreaser. While this seemed like a simple step, it turned out to be incredibly time consuming. I would spray the cabinets and wipe them with a cloth. An amazing amount of built up gunk would come off of them. This wasn’t that surprising.

But, what was surprising, was that after spraying them a second and third time, I was still getting dirt off of them and then there were the corners. I would spray and scrub and spray and scrub with a toothbrush. It took hours to get them ready for the next step.

It was tedious and boring work, yet totally necessary if I wanted to truly transform my cabinets. If I didn’t take the time to remove all of the old grease, the new paint, no matter how pretty, or different, or expensive, would never stick. It might stay on them for a little while, but with regular use, and let’s face it, kitchen cabinets get regular use, it would bubble up and come off, leaving a bigger mess than I started with.

As I scrubbed those cabinets, I thought about how we can let all kinds of gunk build up in our hearts over time. We can let things like past hurts, disappointments, anger and frustration, form an invisible coating that keeps us from moving forward into new opportunities, new relationships, and fresh starts.

The problem is, that often, just like the invisible coating that was on my cabinets, we don’t even know it’s there. The only thing that truly removes that buildup is to prayerfully turn our hearts over to God and ask for strength and healing. Sometimes we need strength to forgive, and to forgive is the only way to heal. Sometimes we need strength to take the next step. Sometimes we need peace.

Thankfully, God knows what we need, even when we don’t and if we are patient, He will provide it and the outcome will be stunning.

Some old cabinets reminded me to be mindful of the buildup that can accumulate in our hearts. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂