Author: Wendy

Saying No to Fear

Posted on by Wendy
From across the pool, something completely harmless, appeared threatening.

Over the Memorial Day weekend, my family was blessed to spend the weekend with my parents. More specifically, we spent the weekend at their pool and with a record breaking heat wave, we were especially thankful.

My first day in the pool, I checked the skimmer carefully, like I always do. Anyone who has ever owned a pool, knows the importance of that task. On most days, a skimmer will have leaves and dead bugs in it. But, sometimes there are dangerous critters like snakes, that aren’t really trapped and can get back out into the pool.

After my skimmer check, I hit the water. I was floating along, minding my own business, when something in the skimmer, caught my eye. Something blue was hanging down behind the face of the skimmer. I couldn’t see it when I looked inside from outside the pool. It was only visible from the pool. It looked like the tail of something and I immediately reported it to my parents as I paddled a safe distance away.

My Daddy, the reliable slayer of unwelcome skimmer intruders, got on his knees on the scorching hot cement and attempted to investigate. He couldn’t see anything. I kept telling him he had to be in the pool to see it. He tried to splash the area,but it didn’t move. He finally informed me I would have to get closer to direct him to the interloper.

I reluctantly obeyed. I paddled over timidly, just waiting for a ten foot python to come coiling out of the skimmer. But, as I got closer, I realized it was something else entirely.

The intruder that had filled my heart with fear and had Daddy on his hands and knees, was a sliver of their new pool liner that hadn’t been cut closely enough.

At first, I was filled with relief and then I felt incredibly foolish. Daddy was a good sport about the ordeal and moved on to other projects he had to work on.

But, the skimmer incident stayed on my mind long after I got out of the pool. We have become a society obsessed with safety. From helmets, to seat belts, to car seats, to cell phones, to cameras on our front porches. We seem to live with a certain amount of fear on the edge of all we do.

What opportunities are we losing due to our safety obsession? What trips do we pass up? What job opportunities do we turn down? What dreams do we pack away? How many opportunities to serve God do we turn down because of fear?

Sure, a certain amount of fear is useful, but there’s a reason that the Bible tells us over and over to, “Fear not.” When we walk with Jesus, we are called to walk with courage, not with fear.

A pool skimmer reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Squeaky Hinge Reminders

Posted on by Wendy
Take time this summer to slow down and enjoy the ordinary.

Yesterday, I had a day off, the first in a much needed extra long weekend. I was exhausted from work life and personal life. My youngest just graduated from high school and while it was a wonderful celebration, it was emotionally draining as well.

We did pictures with grandparents and attended the ceremony. We went to dinner and opened gifts. The following day, we met with friends for more pictures and went to an arcade/restaurant with those friends and their parents for more celebrating. As I was walking around taking photos of him with his friends, I was reminded of birthday parties of the past when I did the same and I found myself fighting back tears.

I would have never believed when he was five, that I could love him even more at seventeen or that I would still consider photos with him and his friends just as precious as when they were little.

On Sunday, our church recognized him, presented him with a Bible and a gift card and prayed over him and I found myself tearing up yet again, feeling the love and support that surrounded him.

Yesterday, when I woke up, I tiptoed downstairs for a cup of coffee and some quiet time. I had had very little quiet in the past week. My mostly grown kids, were still sleeping and I gave a prayer of thanks that they were both home and safely tucked away. As I headed out to the porch to soak in the quiet cool morning, the hinges on the door, made their usual high pitched squeak.

I smiled as both dogs came running.

We’ve been in our house for fourteen years and that door has always squeaked loudly. I used to try to get my hubby to fix it, but I’ve grown used to it and these days it signals that the porch is open for business and by business, I mean sitting and visiting, resting and chatting, and enjoying Creation and each other.

The dogs went right to their preferred spots on the porch, like they always do this time of year, one right by my side and the other at my feet. On the weekends, my hubby joins us and the kids head straight out there when they wake up. We sometimes sit out there for hours talking and sharing stories, dreaming and remembering.

It’s an ordinary, yet extraordinary recognition of who we are, where we have been and where we are going. But, then life has taught me that the extraordinary is often found in the ordinary.

As summer officially kicks off this weekend, I’m going to try to slow down as much as possible and take in all of those ordinary moments, keeping in mind that in hindsight, those moments often become extraordinary. Some squeaky hinges reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

This summer, I’m blessed to have both of my kids at home. I’m not sure when that will happen again, so in order to enjoy every possible moment of family time, I’m going to only post on Fridays.

A Family Week

Posted on by Wendy

Due to a wonderful Mother’s Day visit that lasted much longer than we planned, that resulted in a late return home, I don’t have a post today.

My youngest graduates from high school on Friday and there are quite a few activities planned this week. It’s a bittersweet time for this mama. I’m choosing to be fully present and soak up every moment with my family over the coming week, so I won’t be posting this week. I hope that you seek and find God in the world around you this week remembering that He’s always present and always working.

Have an awesome week!
Wendy 🙂

Making a Difference to Someone

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Every act of faith and kindness matters.

Last Christmas, I received a bracelet from the people I work with. It was engraved with the words, “it made a difference to that one.” It came with a starfish charm and was attached to a card with The Starfish Story.

I love that story. I remember vividly the first time I read it. It was part of a collection of stories found in the book, “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” It was over twenty years ago and a very dark season for me. My soul was in desperate need for some light and that story really resonated with me.

It’s about a little boy walking down the beach. The tide is going out and there were starfish stranded on the sand. He would pick one up and throw it out to sea and move on to the next one. A man asked him what he was doing and he told him that if he didn’t throw them back they would die. The man told him there must have been tens of thousands of them and that he wouldn’t be able to make a difference. The boy bent down and picked up one and threw it as far as he could and looked at the man and smiled and said, “I made a difference to that one.”

There’s nothing like the faith and enthusiasm of a child. It’s something that we are gifted with when we are young, but tend to lose as we grow up.

Jesus recognized and appreciated it. “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3

What things do we not even bother to do or try because we don’t think we can make a difference? Things like the giving of our time or money to a cause that really touches our hearts, might not fix a problem, but will it a help a person? We might not be able to stop world hunger, but can we feed one child? Can we educate one mother? Can we offer to assist one elderly person in need? Can we give to a stranger in need?

Christianity teaches us that our faith is individual. Jesus cares about the person. So if we can help one person along the way either physically or spiritually or both, then we have followed Christ’s example.

We may never be able to completely grasp God’s economy. It’s just so different than our own, but we do know that all things are possible with Him and that every soul matters, so every person matters.

A treasured story reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too. Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Watching for Faith Lessons

Posted on by Wendy
I fill it up because I want to, not because the birds do anything to earn it.

This time of year, I have to replace my hummingbird feeder nectar about once a week to keep it fresh. I don’t have a lot of hummingbirds right now and they aren’t drinking that much. The weather isn’t very hot yet and they haven’t established nests. When the sugar water sits in the sun for a week, it gets cloudy and sour and so I replace it with fresh sugar water.

My son always picks at me and tells me that I’m just feeding freeloaders. They have done nothing to earn my time and care. I chuckle and continue doing it anyway.

He’s right of course, but the little birds delight me and I feel led to feed them.

I was thinking about his words last weekend while I was refilling my feeder when I was reminded that refilling them regularly just because they make me happy, is a tiny bit like grace.

We can do nothing to earn God’s grace even on our best days, yet He gives it to us freely. He fills us up over and over as often as we come back to Him, with hearts and souls thirsting for more.

Ideally, we in turn, give thanks for it and extend the love and grace that we are given to those around us who desperately need it. That’s how the Kingdom grows and how we can delight our Maker just as those little hummingbirds delight me.

I smiled as I turned the concept over in my mind, thankful for the faith lesson. Turns out, they weren’t freeloaders after all. They were put in my path to teach me something.

I was glad I was paying attention and didn’t miss it. Perhaps you needed a little faith lesson today as well.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Standing Amazed at God Winks

Posted on by Wendy
There are never coincidences when we walk with God.

My hubby facilitates an adult Sunday school class. We’ve been in the Old Testament for a long time now. We’ve traveled through Genesis, Exodus and Joshua. He was pondering what to do next and was considering Jeremiah when I suggested that maybe he should switch gears and do Acts next.

It’s in the New Testament and it’s the story of the birth of The Church after the Resurrection. It’s full of a very active Holy Spirit and miracles, lots of action, and fun to read. I don’t really know why I suggested it. But, we have a new pastor coming in July and it just seemed appropriate.

New leadership always involves some change and transformation and Acts has lots of both.

My hubby pitched it to the class and they liked the idea, so on Sunday, we were set to get started. Sunday, was May 5th. Right before class started, the new pastor and his wife came strolling in the door unannounced. Did I mention they came all the way from Indiana and no one had any idea they were coming? They weren’t due until July 6th.

They came to close on their house and they hadn’t told anyone.

What are the chances that on the day we began the new study on Acts, that the future pastor shows up out of the blue from over 700 miles away?

I found myself once again in awe of God’s timing and His plan. I’ve heard these situations referred to as God Winks. When those who are faithful are praying and watching, He gives us signs that we are in fact on the right path and He is in fact at work. They happen all of the time. We just tend to miss them in our busyness.

Yet, if we slow down, we can be amazed on a regular basis just like I was on Sunday. I need to be amazed more often and reminded that He’s always at work. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Wherever You Are

Posted on by Wendy
Jesus meets us wherever we are on our journey.

Last Sunday, our sermon was about seeing Jesus in the world around us, which is one of my favorite topics. Part of the sermon was about the travelers on the road to Emmaus found in Luke 24. Most people who are familiar with the Gospels know the story.

Two men are walking along and talking after witnessing the Crucifixion and hearing rumors about the Resurrection. The Crucifixion was real to them. They saw it. It was tragic, but it made sense on a physical level. When a body dies, it stays dead, to believe anything else would have been a giant leap of faith.

But, Jesus joins them and begins explaining scripture to them, yet they don’t recognize Him. Our pastor noted that they didn’t really recall if He caught up with them from behind or they joined Him walking ahead, but He fell in step with them.

That little detail stayed on my mind long after Sunday. Jesus met them where they were. The Resurrection was supernatural and so Jesus could then be anywhere at anytime. He was no longer hampered by His human form. The glory of grace is what He chose to do with the power.

He could have chosen to stay right there at the tomb and wait for everyone to come to Him. He could have gone to the temple to show everyone that He was who He said He was, but He didn’t do either of those things.

He went and met the people who had earnestly sought Him all along. He found them where they were, cowering behind locked doors, walking along the road, in the cemetery and fishing, to name a few mentioned places. He appeared to men and women and to people who were doubters. He encouraged and He forgave.

He still meets those who seek Him, right where we are. Whether we are traveling or settled, bold or cowering, rejoicing or mourning. It doesn’t matter if we have walked with Him for many years or are brand new to the faith, or whether we have stumbled somehow.

Jesus walks with those who love Him regardless of where we are on this earthly journey. A Sunday sermon reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Remembering to Pray

Posted on by Wendy
A bad day got immediately better as soon as I remembered to pray.

Earlier this week, I had to get my son registered for freshman housing college. He’s going to be attending a really big school and the housing registration process was in three parts. We got started the very first day available and he was really not very interested. But, he was much more enthusiastic a few months later, for the second phase, when he got to choose roommates. It didn’t take him long to be a part of a group of four and they were all set.

When he finally got issued a time for the final phase, when they would pick out their unit, he got issued an early slot, but it was during his school day, so I had to do it. I carefully got all of the information on what they wanted and logged on with no problems. I chose the complex they wanted and hit submit.

I was really proud of myself until I saw the term chosen was summer. Had I really just signed my son and three strangers up for summer housing? There was no way to back up or cancel. I called the school and was told someone would call me back. I sent an email and I stared at my phone all day. I waited from 10:30 until 3:00 and heard nothing.

I was panicked. What if I had messed up their housing? What if they got a bad dorm because I did something wrong? Would the other boys be angry at my son for my mistake? I felt helpless and stupid. I don’t know why I didn’t stop to pray in my panic, but when I got in my car to drive home, I literally cried out to Jesus and asked for help.

When I arrived home, I sat down at my computer and logged in again, then I picked up the phone and called again. I was on hold for a long time and as I waited, I got a notification that someone had commented on my blog post from Monday, which was interesting because it basically said, I had been so busy with family over the weekend, that I was too tired to post.

But, this sweet woman, who was clearly an answer to my prayer, wrote that she appreciated my honesty and transparency and my balancing priorities and love for family, friends and celebrating young people and that it was a great reminder for a Monday.

Tears slid down my face. My honesty about being completely wiped out had meant something to someone.

When I finally got to talk to the nicest person I have ever talked to, when I have called the school, she checked on everything and assured me all was well, that my son was in fact registered for fall not summer. She wasn’t sure why it said summer, but the dates that were listed were correct. I thanked her several times and we hung up.

I immediately said a prayer of thanks which was where I should have started to begin with.

A long stressful day, reminded me that prayer is where I should always start. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Long Weekend

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Due to a weekend that had me in the car for six hours on Saturday and getting home late and then a Sunday that included church and then helping to set up, attending and then cleaning up for a band banquet, that had me home in time to work on dinner and do some laundry, I have no post today. I had a great weekend doing things with and for some of the people I love the most. I feel blessed and I’m thankful, but exhausted. I hope your Monday is fabulous and that you see glimpses of God all around you.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂

Hearts that Overflow

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When our hearts are overflowing, sometimes we have tears.

I work in an office at an elementary school and from time to time, a couple of the teachers will send a child my way to help reinforce something they may be working on in the classroom. I’m always happy to help. I often get a glimpse of Jesus when I talk with children. I used to tell my own kids when they were little, that children were His favorite people.

There’s a little boy who was coming in for a short while to read to me for a minute. He was working on fluency and every little bit helps, so he would come in and read a short passage and we would count his words together. It was always so fun to see his eyes light up when he read a little bit more than the day before. I think I enjoyed his progress as much as he did.

I hadn’t seen him in a while, but he popped in a couple of days ago with a new page to read with more difficult words. I was happy to see him. I’d missed his excitement and little stories. But, this time he had something on his mind. He didn’t miss a beat when he told me, “He had tears.”

I found that a strange expression for a little guy, but I waited as he went on to tell me he had tears because he was going to be leaving his teacher and going up to second grade.

My heart ached for him. Change is hard at any age. I remembered having teachers in my own life, who left footprints on my heart and I had been really sad to leave them, even though I was moving forward. I remembered my own children having teachers who left their footprints on my babies’ hearts and my own as well.

I have come to appreciate what a gift it is when we become so touched by the people in our lives that leaving them, gives us tears, to borrow my little friend’s expression. Those tears are simply evidence of the lasting, beautiful effect that those people will always have on our hearts. Those people change us forever and help to shape the people we become.

I reassured my little friend that he would get to see his teacher next year and that I was sure he would love second grade. That seemed to be enough for him. He took a deep breath and began reading and went a little further than the day before.

This time of year often brings lots of change, grade changes, school changes, graduations and weddings are just a few things that tend to occur in the spring. Those events while happy, often lead to us having tears, but the good news is that those tears mean we’re alive and our hearts are full, so full that they are overflowing, and that is truly a blessing.

A little boy reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂