Life in Words

Today as I thought about all the circumstances in life that happen that leave me wondering why or when, I was reminded about Elizabeth, John the Baptist's mother. She was very old and well past child bearing years when she finally became pregnant with baby John. In those days, a barren woman was thought of as less than. Surely there must be a reason in her life for her barrenness. Not being able to conceive and bear a child was a great emotional burden for her I am sure. I can imagine all the years she spent wondering why God... why have I not been blessed with a child? Why did I not get the blessing of being a mother? What sin is there in my life that holds this blessing back? What will happen to me when I am old? Then one day her husband has a miraculous meeting with an angel in the temple. (Read the full story in Luke chapter 1) He is struck mute because of his unbelief that his wife would bear a son. I can only imagine Elizabeth's questions after that day. God, not only ...

"the Maker of heaven and earth.." I am often astonished by great works of art--be it paintings or music or writings or architecture. To think that someone not only created this magnificent piece but also had the mental capacity to first think about it. The original thought process, idea and then application of that idea into something so amazing makes my mind give a moment of silent awe. Isn't it truly incredible how some are so gifted? The realization, the deep conviction of the word "Maker" struck me today as I read Psalm 121. He is the maker, the creator, the designer, the architect, the scientist, the poet, the musician, the brains behind the world. He not only thought about it but He made it with just a spoken word. Every detail, every atom, every particle, every neuron, every molecule, every droplet, every organism, everything... it's all His design. He made the heaven and the earth. This great Maker, has said that He will keep me safe... th...

To be insignificant. To live a life unworthy of notice. To simply be a vapor--here one second and gone the next without any other notice. I find that this fear of insignificance is a BIG one for many people. No one wants to be insignificant. No one truly wants to go through life alone. No one would pass up a moment of fame if it were offered to him. It is so interesting that deep inside us there is this need to be noticed and to be included. This is where comparison comes to taunt, hurt and manipulate us--making us wish that we were someone else. Comparison can create a desire to want to look like, sound like, act like and be like someone else. Yet, there are no two people exactly the same. Each one of us has unique fingerprints, DNA, mental processes, emotions, thoughts, hopes and dreams. There is no one who is not unique. Each one of us has something that no one else in the whole world has--your spirit. For the body is but an outer shell--a casing if you will. That body is not re...

Life as a parent teaches you many things. In fact, I would dare to say that I have grown in my understanding of God and how He must view us, exponentially more than I ever did before I was a parent. After all, He is God our father. There are so many times as a parents that I think to myself, "why don't you listen to me more?"; "why do you insist on making the same choice over and over again?"; "why in the world world would you think that was a good idea?"; and lastly, "don't you trust me?" More than they know, I want my kids to go through life with the least amount of pain possible. I want them to be happy, content, healthy, smart, strong and safe. There is absolutely no part of me that ever wants to see them suffer. None. Zero. Yet, I know that if they persist in making a wrong choice, a painful consequence is inevitable. How do I know this? Simply because I have been around longer than they have and have already learned some life less...

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:16) The word "lonely" stands out to me. It is a word that at a few different points in my life I would have used as the main adjective for my life at that time. It is a word that has a definite connotation to it. There is no apathetic reaction to this word. To qualify as being lonely, this area would have to have been desolate, empty, silent and far removed. Absolute solitude. This is what He sought when He needed to pray. Note that a few words before lonely, the verse says "often." Meaning that this was not a one time occurrence or even just a now and then, but something that happened on a regular basis. From my finite mind, this makes me think that Jesus might have been something like me--an extroverted introvert, or so I label myself. Someone who enjoys being around people and is not shy to make a public appearance but once that energy reserve is gone, absolutely needs to retreat to a pla...

Mistake: "an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, etc" (Dictionary.com) Mistakes are not my favorite. I tend to lean toward the personality of wanting everything to be done correctly and efficiently the first time. You can imagine how well this personality bend has worked as a mother of young children. God is gracious in His living life examples and endurance training. Frustratingly, part of this personality trait also lends itself to self shaming. When I do make a mistake I was (I say was because God is working on this with me) the most brutal judge, jury and journalist to myself. Mentally replaying the mistake and how I could have corrected it, until I am completely disgusted with myself. Then of course comes the next logical cycle of condemning myself to a life void of meaning and influence because how could God possibly use someone so riddled with faults? Yet, to my great relief, the Bible...

Silence... nothing but the sound of the wind moving through the trees. It almost brings tears to my eyes. Solitude.. Time alone and still to clear my mind and the highway traffic of thoughts. How good it is to sit quietly and hear the nothing of a place untouched by the business of life. I see the waves of the wind move through the branches as they ebb and flow from one part of the world to the next. "Be still and know that I am God." (Ps. 46:10) There is a reason He wrote those words. We need that time of stillness to feel the breathe of God flow back into our lives. The lights and sounds and excitement of the fast paced life can be alluring. As a teenager I didn't understand the need to stop and be still. Why not keep going? Why not  move as fast you can and always have noise and always fly from the one exciting event to the other? I had not found the beauty in the stillness of nature. The way the voice of God whispers to you there. Elijah was weary of his rushe...