What Does Your Home Say About You?

Posted on by Wendy
Shells picked up from trips to the beach
Shells picked up from trips to the beach

A friend once told me that there should be something from the sea in every room in your house. I don’t know where she heard that from, but since she is a fabulous decorator and I am not, I went home and took a look around. It just so happens, that my family loves the beach and picking up shells, so we do have shells in various places.

But, that had me asking myself a deeper question, what does my house say about me? Now, I’m not talking about whether it’s a mansion or a small apartment. I’m talking about what the inside conveys to the casual visitor about me and my family.

Skip over the dust bunnies and clutter that come from actually living in a home. I’m talking about what hangs on the walls. What color are the walls? Is the furniture comfortable? I have friends who live in houses worthy of Pottery Barn catalogs, but do I feel like I can sit down on the couch and prop my feet up and have a cup of coffee or do I feel relegated to their perfect kitchens?

Are there pictures spread around of good times had with family and friends or is everything perfectly posed or are the walls completely bare? I asked myself all of these questions, because I feel like we are all created by a God who is creative and who wants us to create. But, for many reasons, we are shy about our creativeness. This usually stems from comparing ourselves to others and their abilities, which is not we are supposed to do.

 

This hangs on our porch. Our entire family spent a Saturday afternoon creating it. We all had a part.
This hangs on our porch.My entire family spent a Saturday afternoon creating it. We all had a part.

What about who we worship? If a repairman were to walk through my home, would he know who I worship? I’m not saying there should be a crucifix hanging in every room. I’m just wondering, would it be obvious to the casual observer that I am a Christian. Are there Bible quotes anywhere? Is there a Bible anywhere in plain view?

While we allow ourselves to be constantly bombarded by the electronic world, what does our real, three-dimensional world look like? What does our nest feel like? Is it comfortable? Is it welcoming? Is there a place for reflection and contemplation? Is it inspirational? Do we and those who live with us, feel free to create?

Notice, I never asked if it was perfect. Striving for perfection this side of heaven, is a losing game. I feel like if I’m going to try to live a meaningful and intentional life, then I should surround myself with things that inspire me and make me happy along with things that help to remind me of what really matters. These things don’t have to cost much.

Wall Cross
This hangs on the wall in our kitchen.

 

They are simply things that speak to me and help express who I am and since we are all God’s creations, we should embrace who we are and what we create. So, I challenge you to take a look around your house and unleash the creativity that God has placed within you. Make your space happy, not perfect and watch inspiration take off.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Responsibility

Posted on by Wendy
The bee takes its responsibility very seriously.Just try to stop it and see what happens!
The bee takes its responsibility very seriously.Just try to stop it and see what happens!

I recently saw a re-run of the movie, Dirty Dancing. (the original of course) We all remember Patrick Swayze’s famous line, “Nobody puts baby in a corner.” But, Jerry Orbach, who played the dad, also has an awesome line at the end of the film when he realized that he had made a mistake in accusing Swayze’s character of doing something he didn’t do. He said, “When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong.”

Wow, who would have thought, that a teen dance  movie from 1987, would be quote worthy over twenty years later? I have noticed that no one is ever wrong anymore or more precisely, no one admits to being wrong anymore. Once upon a time, responsibility was a cornerstone of our society.

People made mistakes. They owned up to them. There were consequences and then everyone moved on. How many of you reading this, took candy or gum from a store and your mom made you take it back and apologize? I did and my mother marched me right back into Woolworth’s and made me apologize to the cashier. It certainly wasn’t a pleasant experience for me and I’m sure it was embarrassing for her, but it was the right thing to do. She was teaching me responsibility.

There was also a time when we were involved in a car accident, that we immediately apologized to the other driver and admitted fault. We don’t do that anymore. Neither driver ever admits fault even if it’s obvious to every single person involved. Why is that? What has happened to us? Well, we could blame the lawyers and while that’s always fun and they do have some blame, I think the problem runs deeper.

Our politicians are never wrong anymore either. Whether they steal or have extramarital affairs or simply lie to their constituents, they never admit wrongdoing. Our leadership refuses to accept responsibility for their actions.

Part of the foundation of Christianity is repentance. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, we can be forgiven for anything, but, (and this is a big but), we have to admit the sin and ask for forgiveness. God can’t forgive us for something we refuse to admit and therein lies the rub.

Nobody likes to be wrong. We make excuses to make ourselves feel better about what we are doing and we can always find someone else to blame. “It was my parents’ fault.” “I wasn’t raised any better.” “He cheated me first.” This is one of those endless lists.

But, if we want to live in the peace and joy that come from the Holy Spirit, we have to confess our sins to God. That means we have to take responsibility for our actions. While this can be very uncomfortable, it’s not negotiable. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:19

I think we need to really pray about personal responsibility and act on it. Then, we need to be sure that we are modeling it and teaching it to those around us. I think it’s time for a quiet revolution, one that can make a huge difference. What do you think? Feel free to comment.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

That Little Voice

Posted on by Wendy
This Magnum PI car is actually for sale on Hemmings.com
This Magnum PI car is actually for sale on Hemmings.com

One of my favorite shows in the eighties was Magnum PI. I just loved watching him ride around Hawaii in his red Ferrari. Tom Selleck was good-looking and he always got the girl and caught the bad guy. The scenery was gorgeous too and he had two besties that were in on all of his cases. What more could you want in a sixty minute show?

Magnum narrated parts of his show and he was always talking about the little voice inside his head. When he listened to the little voice, things turned out okay. But, he often ignored his little voice and it usually got him into trouble.

We all have a little voice inside our heads. We sometimes listen to it and we sometimes ignore it. Most of the time, when we listen to it, we are able to stay on the right path. When we don’t, we often find ourselves saying something like, “I knew I should or shouldn’t have done, (fill in the blank)” or “Something told me I needed to do (fill in the blank), but I didn’t.”

Has this ever happened to you? It has happened to me a lot and I started wondering about this voice and where it comes from. Is it some sort of imaginary Jiminy Cricket like Pinocchio had? As I began to ponder this, the story of Samuel popped into my mind. His story is found in 1 and 2 Samuel in the Bible.

Samuel was a young boy who was living in the temple with an old priest named Eli. He did a good job serving the Lord. One night when he went to bed, he heard his name called, “Samuel!” He went to see what Eli needed, but Eli hadn’t called him and he returned to bed. This happened three times and Eli figured out that it was God calling him, so he told him to go back to bed and answer, “Speak, your servant is listening.” Samuel did what he was told.

When God called him the fourth time, Samuel told him he was listening, and boy, did God start talking. He had a ton to say. Samuel became a famous prophet for the rest of his life. He was actually the one he anointed King David.

Why did God pick Samuel? Was it because he was doing God’s work or was it because he was listening? I think maybe, it was both. Maybe Samuel could hear God because he was serving God. I also think it’s important that someone older and wiser helped to point the way.

What does this mean for us? I think God speaks to us all of the time through that little voice in our heads. If we want to grow closer to Him, we have to listen. If we want to hear it loudly and clearly, then perhaps we should do more than listen; we should do. We should serve.

I’m going to try to do a better job at listening for God. What about you? What do you think about that little voice? Feel free to comment.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

An Evening With Old Friends

Posted on by Wendy
Visiting with old friends is like a day at the beach!
Visiting with old friends is like a day at the beach!

I just had the delightful experience of spending an evening with some of my oldest friends. I have known these ladies for over twenty years. Most of us went to middle school and high school together. One of the joys of growing up in a small town, is that you know just about everybody. Not only do you know everyone, you know their parents, grandparents and siblings. You know their back story and they know yours.

We did a lot of reminiscing. We talked about our favorite high school teachers. We talked about high school crushes and old boyfriends. We talked about high school pranks and shenanigans. We talked about our parents and what they did and didn’t know about the things we used to do. We talked about the horrors of riding the school bus.

We talked about our children and husbands and shared tons of pictures with each other. We posed for pictures on Instagram like a bunch of high school kids. We laughed and laughed until our sides hurt.

We shared stories of health issues that our parents are facing. We shared our own stories of the inevitable pitfalls that occur after turning forty. We have hormonal issues and weight gain. We have worries and wrinkles, but we also have wisdom.

We are all artists now in some way. We have a jewelry maker and two painters. We have homemakers and some awesome mothers. We all are creating beauty in the lives around us.

We grew up in a college town, and as we looked at all of the college students who were standing around, we all grumbled a little about feeling old. But, as I looked at those college kids,  I have to say, I felt gratitude for my forty-something trips around the sun. Sure, it would be nice to be carefree and wrinkle free again, but it feels pretty good to be comfortable in my wrinkled skin and to know who I am and what I believe.

And truthfully, as I look in the mirror these days at my brown spots and wrinkles, I try to ask myself, if I could trade all of those days lying in the sun with these girls for perfect, flawless skin, would I trade? The answer is an unequivocal, no. I have earned all of these crow’s feet and boy, was it fun!

I am very busy these days, just like everyone else. I had a hundred reasons why I didn’t have time to make the trip to Milledgeville for a visit, but I said yes. I had an aunt who died many years ago, of breast cancer. She always said that if a friend called her to do something fun, she went. She said the mop bucket would be there when she got back. Those were wise words.

Visiting with old friends is like a trip to the beach. It’s fun and refreshing and you can’t wait to go back. They “get you” like no one else can and that is priceless. I am going to make it a point to say “yes,” when friends call, because friends are one of life’s greatest blessings and enjoying them is a way of saying thanks to the One who gave them to us. What do you think? Feel free to comment.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Posted on by Wendy
A hawk always demands respect!
A hawk always demands respect!

Respect seems to be in very short supply these days. Husbands and wives don’t respect each other. Children don’t respect their parents. Adults don’t respect their leaders. We don’t even seem to have much respect for the clergy anymore.

What is going on with our society? While I can’t say for sure, I think it starts at home. How do we speak to each other and treat each other within the four walls of our homes? When we disagree with one another, do we respect our differences or do we spiral into name calling and belittling the person we disagree with? Is “your way,” always right?

Do we criticize our spouses in front of our children? If we don’t respect each other, then how can we expect our children to respect us? I once heard a pastor say, that if he couldn’t teach his son to respect his earthly father who was standing right in front of him, then how in the world, was he going to teach him to respect a heavenly father that he couldn’t see?

I think he made a very good point. Should our children respect us just because we tell them to or do we have to earn it? While we can make them behave in a certain way, we cannot make them respect us.

Respect is an attitude, not an action. There are actions than stem from it or lack of it, but respect itself, is an attitude. So, how do we go about earning it? I think we start by respecting God and His rules. The Ten Commandments are always a great start. How are we doing with the top ten?

The New Testament gives all kinds of examples of how we are to love and treat each other as well. Ephesians, chapter six, tells children to obey their parents and fathers not to provoke their children to anger in they way that they treat them. (I think it’s safe to say mothers are included in this as well.) That means don’t treat them harshly for no good reason. It goes onto say, “Bring them up in the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” That mean teach them God’s laws.

Jesus tells us to, “Love each other as I have loved you.” John 13:34.  I think that if we really make an effort to follow God’s blueprint for our lives, we really begin to respect those around us because we begin to respect that we are all His creations and He never makes mistakes.

If we start with respect at home, then it carries over to friends, co-workers, bosses, neighbors and teachers. We can learn to respect differences and not insist on the other person bending to our way. We may find that we end up living with a sense of peace that we haven’t known before.

I think this may be worth a try. What do you think? Feel free to comment.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Life’s Oyster Bars

Posted on by Wendy
That tiny bit of something on the surface is actually a big oyster bar.
That tiny bit of something on the surface is actually a big oyster bar.

When you look at the picture above, what jumps out at you? The sun is really bright and the water is really calm. The photo was taken in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico. An unseasoned boater who is out enjoying the beautiful weather and calm waters might plow right over it. That would be really bad.

Here is the oyster bar at low tide.
Here is the oyster bar at low tide.

What looked just like a little place in the ocean that you could just go around and miss, is actually the tip of a large mass of coral type oyster shells. They are very sharp and very hard and could completely destroy the bottom of a boat, leaving the occupants stranded or worse.

When you go out into the ocean, it’s always best to pick a seasoned captain who knows how to navigate the waters that you want to travel in. I wouldn’t want a river boat captain to take me out in the ocean, but I wouldn’t want a seasoned Pacific Ocean captain to take me out in the Gulf of Mexico either. Every body of water is different with different hazards that only a seasoned captain can know.

I think life is kind of like that. When you run into rough waters in particular areas, you don’t always seek advice from the same person. I may have a very close friend who doesn’t have kids. Would I ask her advice on how to deal with my teenager? By the same token, if I were having marital problems, would I seek advice from someone who has been divorced three times? Probably, not.

We were made for community. I believe that God sends all sorts of people into our lives at different times for different reasons and seasons. He even sends some of the same people in and out at different times while He’s weaving the tapestry that becomes our story.

I think when we really need advice, instead of just looking to our closest friends, we should seek out people who we consider wise in the matters that we need help with. The Bible has a lot to say about wisdom. Proverbs 8:11 tells us, “Wisdom is more valuable than rubies.” James 1:5 tells us, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God and he will give it to you.”

What does all of that mean? I think it means that God respects our need for guidance and He puts people in our lives who can help us along the way, but it’s up to us to recognize them. There’s a lady at my church who has been a member forever. She raised her kids there. When I started having concerns about church, I prayed about it. Her name came to mind. I picked up the phone and called her. She was incredibly helpful and she gave me wise advice. God put her in my path, but it was up to me to seek her out.

The oceans of our lives are bound to have oyster bars. We have to learn to navigate around them. From time to time, we need to seek advice. It’s up us to seek it from those who are wise, but luckily, if we pray about it, God will point the way. Have you ever needed to seek wise advice? Feel free to share.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

The Spirituality of Beautiful Places

Posted on by Wendy
Egmont Key, Florida
Egmont Key, Florida

Do you ever wonder what it is about the ocean that calls to us? Is it the vastness of God’s creation as we look over the horizon? Is it the mystery that it holds? Maybe it’s something deeper and more spiritual.

When we go to the beach, it’s usually for a vacation, for a break from the everyday busyness of life. We take time to enjoy our spouses and our kids. We relax. We laugh. We rest. For a very short time, we remember who and what matters most to us. We take photos and make memories.

Then, we pack up and go home. We get busy again and stress sets in as our tans fade. We get consumed with everyday living. But, we dream of returning to the beach. We make plans six months or more ahead of time for the next trip. We save our money to go. Our kids get excited about going back year after year.

I think there are some places that are simply spiritual because they are glaring examples of God’s beautiful creativity. The oceans are mentioned in the Creation story right at the beginning. He didn’t have to create sugar, white sand and crystal clear waters, but He did. The rhythmic sound of the waves can soothe even the most ornery soul. The beach appeals to all of our senses. I doubt that is by chance.

Blue Ridge, Georgia
Blue Ridge, Georgia

The mountains is another place that feels spiritual to me. I can see so much of God’s handiwork in all of the natural beauty that surrounds them. The endless vistas that stretch on for miles really make me want to sit down and drink it all in. The quiet serenity there is like a comfortable blanket. I feel close to God when I’m there.

I think we have an inborn desire to be closer to God and closer to each other. When we visit beautiful places, there is no denying that God is here with us. His fingerprints are everywhere. When we feel closer to the One who created us, then we naturally feel closer to the ones He created to walk with us. Our families are gifts from God, just like the mountain vistas and sandy beaches and they are just as beautiful.

There are certain places that help us remember how much we love each other, how special family is and how time flies when we aren’t looking. They are gorgeous reminders that we are loved by the One who flung the stars into existence and we are to love the treasure of family that has been given to us. I just love being reminded of my blessings in beautiful ways. Don’t you? Feel free to share.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

God’s Quilt

Posted on by Wendy
Check out all of the tiny pieces.
Check out all of the tiny pieces.

My husband inherited this fabulous quilt from his grandmother. Some quilts have very intricate designs and some tell stories. But, most of them are works of art created for warmth from whatever scraps the seamstress had access to. Once upon a time, not so long ago, people didn’t throw things away when they got worn. They re-used them in a different way. Recycling was born.

From clothes with holes to flour sacks, if it was made of fabric, it was usable and it was used. Those tiny pieces of scraps created something beautiful and useful. People saw the possibility in what seemed to be trash.

God is a lot like that with our lives. We make huge mistakes and messes that stem from bad decisions and the Master Weaver takes our garbage and creates something beautiful and useful.

In my own life, I had a disastrous marriage in my early twenties that ended in a painful divorce. I remember being on my knees praying that God would forgive my mistakes and lead me back into His will for me. He did. I prayed more and listened more. I began to follow His lead, not mine and he sent me a fantastic Godly man to share my life with. Then, He blessed me with two great kids.

Next, He lead me to teach a Sunday school class which was kind of intimidating, because there was no curriculum and it was middle schoolers and I had toddlers. I reluctantly answered the call. I really had to start reading the Bible and I enjoyed the class and the kids and what I was learning.

We changed churches and my hubby and I got to participate in an adult class for the first time and we enjoyed it too. We learned a lot together. Then, there was a need for someone to teach the middle schoolers. This time, we both answered the call. We have learned so much about God and grace from the kids and from each other.

I would have never believed in my twenties that I could have been so fulfilled and useful in my forties, but God knew. Just as He knew with Ester, when she agreed to stand up for her people or Ruth, when she decided to follow her mother-in-law to a foreign country, even though her husband had died.

These women had some hardship to overcome and they had difficult decisions to make. But, God was able to take their scraps and weave a beautiful story that eventually produced a savior. Who would have known?

My hubby's grandmother's quilt
My hubby’s grandmother’s quilt

God is the greatest recycler of all time. Give Him your mess and watch what He can create. Just be prepared to be amazed! Feel free to share how God has used your mess to make something beautiful.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

God Rejoices When We Get it Right.

Posted on by Wendy
Smile! God loves you.
Smile! God loves you.

I always look forward to the children’s sermon every Sunday. Whoever the lucky member of our clergy happens to be, is usually in for a surprise. I’m sure he or she puts a lot of planning into the little message and tries to anticipate how the children may answer the questions posed to them. But, it’s  always a huge gamble when dealing with children. Like Forrest Gump said, “You never know what you’re gonna get.”

There is a particular little guy, named Hunter, who always raises his hand and always asks lots of questions and tells lots of stories. He’s five and there’s not a shy bone in his body. Once, the pastor asked him if he would like to help and preach the morning’s sermon. I don’t think it occurred to him that Hunter would say, yes. He did and then the pastor had to gently explain to him that he was just kidding.

This Sunday after the children’s sermon as the kids went off to children’s church, Hunter forgot something in his pew in the back of the church. He went to retrieve it and then went running to the door to catch up with the others. He fell with a loud thump. The entire congregation gasped collectively as the mom in the pew closest to him, scrambled over to check on him.

After no more than a couple of seconds, he popped up and gave the congregation a smiling thumbs up and yelled out, “I’m alright!” Everyone burst out into laughter and a few folks clapped for him as he headed out the door. It really struck me at that moment, how as a congregation, we all care about our children. For just a moment, we were fearful for him, but then rejoiced with him when he recovered.

I think Jesus feels just like that about us when we fall, both physically and spiritually. He tells us in a parable in the Book of Luke, about a woman who has ten coins, but loses one. She  searches all over the house until she finds it and when she finds it, she calls her neighbors and asks them to rejoice with her. “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.” Luke 15:10

What does that mean? It means when we mess up, and we all mess up, there is rejoicing in heaven, when we make it right. God wants us to ask for forgiveness, get up and keep going. The very next parable Jesus tells is the Prodigal Son which really should be called the Loving Father.

When the son asks for his inheritance, the father gives it to him. When he loses all of it on partying, think: drinking and chasing women, he goes home and humbly asks his father if he can work as a servant for him. Does the father start lecturing and say, “I told you so?” Nope. He throws him a party. He rejoices. It’s not about the wayward son. It’s about the all loving and all forgiving father.

So, wherever we are, no matter how far we have wandered off the path to God, we can always turn it around. There are no exceptions to this rule. If we ask for forgiveness, God will welcome us back with open arms. There will be rejoicing in heaven. Now there’s a scenario that makes me smile and gives me hope. How about you?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Learning to Wait

Posted on by Wendy

I just spent the day subbing in the media center at the local elementary school. You remember the place; it used to be called the library. I rarely visited the school library when I was growing up, unless I was working on some type of research paper or project.

Finding a book was rather cumbersome. You first had to navigate the card catalog and then there was the ever intimidating, Dewey Decimal System. Sometimes you had to look up articles on something called microfilm. It was cutting edge stuff. Not to mention, you had to be quiet, something I was never really good at.

Boy, how times have changed. The media center I spent the day in had five student computers, plus one for checking books out, one for checking books in and one connected to a Smartboard. The card catalog is long gone and with a computer, the search for a book is instantaneous. The kids can search by author or subject and it will even tell them exactly where to find it. Done. No fuss. No muss.

This is a much better way, right? But, then I start to wonder, while no one misses the card catalog, didn’t using it teach us patience and perseverance? As a society, I think we’ve become like that bratty little rich girl, Veruca,  from Willa Wonka. Her main line was, “I want it now!”

I often talk to the middle schoolers in our Sunday School Class about the vending machine attitude towards prayer. We want to say a prayer and have it answered now, thank-you very much. We want prayer to be like putting change into a vending machine and pushing the button, for instant results. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.

The Bible gives us plenty examples of the fact that God’s timing is different than ours. Abraham was seventy-five years old when God promised him he would be the father to many. He was one hundred years old when Isaac was born. It took the Israelites forty years in the desert to make what should have been a fairly short trip to the Promised Land.

In the New Testament, Jesus tells his disciples that he must go up to heaven so that the Holy Spirit can arrive. They watch him ascend into heaven and walk back to town and lock themselves in a room, praying non-stop for seven days before the Holy Spirit comes roaring in with a big whoosh. Seven days may not sound like a long time, but have you ever prayed non-stop for seven days?

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that patience is a fruit of the Spirit. Waiting can not only be difficult, but excruciating at times, especially if we’re waiting on news from a loved one or for test results. But, waiting is a part of life and if we have faith, we can grow our patience and with faith and patience, the waiting isn’t nearly as hard. Patience is a lifelong quest for most of us, but the peace that comes from it is well worth it. How about you? How well do you wait? feel free to share.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂