Busy As a Bee

What year is it? I've lost all sense of time.

But I did find some lovely cedar branches at the flea market!

They're now lookin' purty here and there in the house and on the front porch. We're all aglow with twinkly lights and happy smells and the sound of doggy toenails on the floor and Silent Night on the stereo and dirty dishes in the sink and party leftovers on the dining table and gift wrap on the guest bed (more on that later) and candles in the windows and passages from Isaiah on the brain (Isaiah's a terrific book to read in December).

Despite my best efforts, I find myself struggling to keep my eye on the prize and my mind on the Savior. But Isaiah is doing his part, and God has His ways of getting my attention back where it belongs!

The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,
    he is the one you are to fear,
    he is the one you are to dread,

and he will be a sanctuary;
    but for both houses of Israel he will be
a stone that causes men to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall.

--Isaiah 8:13-14

Lights and parties and greenery don't have much of any eternal value, and God's pretty serious about how we should view him. I love the contrast in that first verse - he's to be feared and dreaded, AND he's our sanctuary. A formidable God in whom I can find rest! (And I'm all about rest right now, whew.)

Thankfulness {Day Three}

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who reigns above

 Whose wisdom is my perfect peace

Whose every thought is love

For every day I have on earth

Is given by the King

So I will give my life, my all

To love and follow Him!

{Song: My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness, by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend}

Thankfulness {Day Two}

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who walks beside

 Who floods my weaknesses with strength

And causes fears to fly

Whose every promise is enough

For every step I take

Sustaining me with arms of love

And crowning me with grace!

Thankfulness {Day One}

My heart is filled with thankfulness

To Him who bore my pain

Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace

And gave me life again 

Who crushed my curse of sinfulness

And clothed me with His light

And wrote His law of righteousness

With pow'r upon my heart!

The Rhythm of Life

Yesterday a dinner party...

...today a funeral.

 Life's funny that way. Ups and downs, peaks and valleys.

Yesterday, too much homemade spaghetti sauce and buttered bread; 

today, grapefruit and fiber bars (ugh).

My husband's well aware of the peaks and valleys pattern. 

He has his remedies. 

Isn't it good to know this life doesn't have to be awesome, 

as if it were all we had? Something to cling to, to try to control and make as comfortable as possible? 

No Joel Osteen for me, thanks - I know I can't possibly control my life (what a hoot); I'm just prepping for the important one after this. Someone much smarter and more powerful than I has it all in hand, and He knows this isn't the peak! 

So what on earth do we do with this wacky life?

Our Maker lets us know: 

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, 

where moth and rust destroy, 

and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, 

where moth and rust do not destroy, 

and where thieves do not break in and steal. 

(Matthew 6:19-20)

There. No pressure. Enjoy the ups, be content in the downs, and lay up those treasures, folks!

If Walls Could Speak

Sometimes I read something (outside of Scripture, which does this all the time) that smacks me right upside the head. This is exactly what happened when I came across the above quote!

I am all replete with very me.

One of my biggest struggles is to keep the daily busyness and responsibilities of life from filling me up and squeezing my Savior over into a little corner. 

I long to empty myself of me, and it irritates me that I so easily fill myself up with nonsense instead. God has ways of helping me, though, to realize what's happening, and repent, and let HIM fill me up, which is so far superior in every way to my pitiful attempts!

I had some printable canvas and decided to frame this gem. Some time back I bought this picture below at {guess where} Victory Home Thrift Store. 

When I removed the print and put the canvas in its place, it was just a tad short.

I remembered buying these little tin strips for a whopping quarter at that same wunnerful store, and after searching all over the house for them - my lot in life - I located them and rubbed them with a little copper craft paint.

Now I have a handy reminder to pour myself out for Him!

And while I was on a roll, I did the third painting for the dining room, after walking past that wall for a month and telling myself, "Self, you need to crank out that third painting - the wall does NOT look right."


There, that's better. Disproportionate walls and art throw off my groove.

Can you tell it's nighttime by the horrid lighting? I'll try to improve on that pic once we get sunshine again, which should be in a few days (drat).

Aren't these little birdie salt and pepper shakers aDORable?? 
I believe I came across them at Cracker Barrel for about $2.99 each.

A little birdie's telling me it's time to toddle off to bed. 

Tomorrow is a big day for us...we're in for some changes...

...excited about the future, 

and doing our best to stay empty of us and full of Him!

Peculiar in Pink

It's a hoodie-footie kind of night.

So I'm channeling Ralphie Parker, and spending the evening curled up in front of the woodstove, with an assortment of dogs and family members and blankets. And Fig Newtons! (Never underestimate the comfy-ness of Fig Newtons.)

I love Sundays. We dress up, we worship, we rest, we spend time together.

 How lovely is your dwelling place,

 O Lord Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.

Better is one day in your courts

than thousands elsewhere...

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

the Lord bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

from those whose walk is blameless.

--Psalm 84

 Isn't He GOOD to us!

Who, Me?

I saw Jupiter the other night.

It was just a-sittin' there in the night sky

all bright and shiny.

I reached out to touch it; it was so very small

next to my large hand.

But then it was huge

and I remembered I am just a speck.

And I marvel

that the Maker of this giant planet

lives in me, an insignificant girl

in an aging woman's body.

Guess this kind of thing was on King David's mind, too, a few thousand years ago...

"O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?"

What a privilege to be known
by the GOD OF THE UNIVERSE!

Bowling and Bypasses

There's something comforting about simple, earthy pleasures during times of stress or even grief.

My friend lost a dear friend yesterday to a sudden illness.

"...and all I wanted to do was eat your bread," she wrote me (I had taken her a homemade loaf the day before).

And today, while my father-in-law was having open-heart surgery, we bowled.

"Way to go, Beth!"

(I wonder if they've stopped his heart yet.)

"Grrrr...that stupid 10-pin."

(Hope those doctors got a good night's sleep.)

"Steee-rike!"

(We never learned how many bypasses...when will it be over?)

It was over around three o'clock and Mike's dad was resting comfortably shortly after. We bowled more lightheartedly for the next hour (Monday bowling special: All-You-Can-Bowl for the price of one string. Ever throw a 10 lb. ball for three straight hours?? That's why I've been sprawled on the sofa for two straight hours.).

Life is hard. Sometimes it makes you want to cry, sometimes it makes you want to eat, and sometimes it makes you want to roll a heavy hot-pink ball down a greasy lane to knock down a couple of plastic penguins.

This old guy, a few lanes down from us, doesn't take life too seriously.

Yep, he's bowling backwards. And he wasn't half bad.

In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart!
I have overcome the world.
--John 16:33

What More Could One Ask?

Give thanks to the Lord, says the writer of Psalm 107, and then he reminds me why:

He is good
His love endures forever
He delivers me from my distress
He leads me by a straight way
His love is unfailing
He does wonderful deeds for men
He satisfies the thirsty
He fills the hungry with good things
He heals with his word
He rescues from the grave

Consider the great love of the Lord!

In Psalm 111 I'm reminded that:

His righteousness endures forever
He is gracious and compassionate
He provides food for those who fear him
He remembers his covenant forever
The works of his hands are faithful and just
His precepts are trustworthy
He provides redemption for his people

To him belongs eternal praise!

Psalm 116 tells me that:

He hears our cry for mercy and saves us
He is gracious and righteous, full of compassion
He protects the simplehearted
He has been good to me
He has delivered my soul from death
...my eyes from tears
...my feet from stumbling

I have SO MUCH to be thankful for!

I could never repay the Lord for all his goodness to me.

Instead, I will call on his name and walk obediently with him all of my days.

I love the Lord,

for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

--Psalm 116

Now there's a deal that CAN'T BE BEAT!

What's That Smell?

There was a lovely smell in the air today. A warm front has swept in, after a week of freezing temps, and it was wonderful!

Unlike last Sunday's nap, this afternoon's nap was mah-velous. I attribute it to that smell, wafting in through the ill-fitting (closed) window.

The smell of fresh air seems to give me that elusive, yearning joy that C.S. Lewis wrote about, and I find myself thinking thoughts of eternity.

"All joy...emphasizes our pilgrim status; always reminds, beckons, awakens desire. Our best havings are wantings."

I think heaven must smell like fresh air, only greatly enhanced. After all, God made these earthly whiffs, perhaps to give us a taste,

a yearning,

for that home which awaits those who will embrace Him.

Breathe it in!

Stuffed. Turkey-style.

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts!

(Psalm 105)

If I had 24 uninterrupted hours to tell of God's wonderful acts in my life, it would not be enough to get past the "A"s.

If I had an entire case of paper and a whole box of pens, it would not be enough to even begin to write what He has done for me.

If I sang every praise song ever written, they could not express the thanks that He deserves for His faithfulness and unfailing love!

We enjoyed a relaxing day off yesterday, eating all kinds of yummy food - I was particularly partial to the stuffing. And the rolls. And the squash. And the potatoes. And the stuffed eggs. And the pumpkin pie.

There was leisure time to read. I spent a little time in this old book.

"The air smells of windfall apples and the musty sweet of pumpkins and squash. Nights are crisp, and we keep the fire burning in the ancient fireplace, but days are warm gold...."

I also found time to decorate the small tree in the dining room.

I've been collecting vintage ornaments for it over the last few years. Most of the ornaments are plastic or fabric, which is helpful when I knock the tree over (at least once a season).

We enjoyed eating leftovers and watching "Elf" in the evening with a couple of friends. (Please excuse the poor camera work! Oh, and don't look at Flutterbug - she doesn't appreciate being filmed without warning, so I told her I'd have everyone ignore her. So help me out here.)

I went to bed feeling a bit euphoric. Thanksgiving night signals the beginning of the Christmas season for us, and even at the ripe old age of 44, I get that yuletide tingle!

Buddy Study (No. 2)

Buddy looked so cute the other day as he sat in the doorway of my bedroom, head cocked to one side, watching with interest as I put on my earrings.

As I walked toward him, though, I spotted something on his face. Took a closer look. Ughhhhh. His entire mouth was outlined in cat litter.

You'll be happy to know I didn't take a picture.

Some people look good from a distance, too. They appear to be doing well, to be living right, to be moving forward.

They have a steak dinner in one hand (beautiful family, caring friends, good job) complete with baked potato, Alaskan king crab legs and buttered roll,

and a used, stinky, cat litter box in the other.

And they look at the steak dinner,

and they look at the litter box,

and they dump the steak dinner in the garbage and
go for the cat poop.

I see it all the time, working for Victory Home.

And, if I am to be truthful, I do it too.

God says, “I have a beautiful plan for you. All you need to do is abandon the litter box and obey me.”

But sometimes the litter box looks good!

C.S. Lewis said it beautifully: “We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with sex and drink and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Why spend money on what is not bread,

and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
--Isaiah 55:2

Isn’t it time we chucked the litter box and ran to the arms of the One who is JOY unparalleled?

I'm Stayin' Put in the Fortress

Here's my lovely daughter, who was excited to cast her first vote for president today!

We're pursuing a bit of escapism tonight, watching old Due South episodes instead of the constant flicker of numbers, and the disappointing increase of blue over red.

Talk about a Psalm for our times, check out these exerpts from Psalm 94 :

How long will the wicked, O LORD,
how long will the wicked be jubilant?
They pour out arrogant words;
all the evildoers are full of boasting.
They crush your people, O LORD;
they oppress your inheritance.
They slay the widow and the alien;
they murder the fatherless.
They say, "The LORD does not see;
the God of Jacob pays no heed."

Take heed, you senseless ones among the people;
you fools, when will you become wise?

Does he who implanted the ear not hear?
Does he who formed the eye not see?
Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
Does he who teaches man lack knowledge?
The LORD knows the thoughts of man;
he knows that they are futile.

Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD,
the man you teach from your law;
you grant him relief from days of trouble,
till a pit is dug for the wicked.
For the LORD will not reject his people;
he will never forsake his inheritance.
Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?
Unless the LORD had given me help,
I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death.

When I said, "My foot is slipping,"
your love, O LORD, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought joy to my soul.

Can a corrupt throne be allied with you—
one that brings on misery by its decrees?
They band together against the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
But the LORD has become my fortress,
and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

It's GOOD to know that my family and I are safe in the fortress of our God during these uncertain times!

If you don't know God's protection, don't wait until it's too late.

--Repent of your sin

--Understand that Jesus sacrificed His life to pay the penalty for your sin

--By faith, abandon ALL and follow Him

Your life will never be the same, and you can relax, knowing you're safe in the shelter of the all-powerful God of heaven and earth!

All Who Are Weary...

I was in our little ole' church sanctuary today, arranging the autumn centerpiece, humming away. Didn't even notice the guy lying in a pew, bundled to the eyes in a floral comforter.

Our sanctuary isn't particularly pretty. It's small, and old, and on any given day the pews are littered with bookbags and backpacks, jackets and ball caps. And the occasional man wrapped in a floral comforter.

This guy just arrived today to check in to Victory Home, and very likely he was suffering from drug withdrawal symptoms.

And I thought of the word SANCTUARY. It may not be pretty, or dignified, or perfectly clean, but our little church building is a sanctuary.

A lot of times I forget that fact, as I elbow my way past ten men in the narrow hallway to get to the bathroom, or when I hear them in the next room eating, and belching (men!). Or when I want time alone in the sanctuary to play the piano for a while, but there are men everywhere!

But that's okay. It's a sanctuary! An asylum, a haven, a refuge, a safe place.

It's what God is to his children.

"You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat."

Let them come! Let them meet God, and let them rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Come On, Synapses, Get Snapping

I'm in a funk. It's nothing that a nice big bowl of Breyer's Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream wouldn't cure, but, you know, it's sugar. Whatever. I'm thinking of giving up all gray food instead (liver, ummm...raw shrimp, overcooked greens, etc.)

It may be the dreary weather. It may be that we have to run the heat tonight (hear those cash register sounds?) It may be that there's a dog next door who is starved for attention - it brings tears to my eyes. Of course, they've been burning anyway - my husband's been cooking, and he only cooks with one temperature - HIGH.

So the doors are all open to let out the smoke, and the heat's running to make up for it, and we're coughing while we enjoy the most delicious Shepherd's Pie.

We used a pastry brush to spread butter from the puddle in the microwave (a stick softened on HIGH) onto our bread.

But I think I just have a "Joe Versus the Volcano" brain cloud. Why else would I have left the car running in the church parking lot and LEFT IT OVERNIGHT, hopping into my husband's car for us to leave together. I wondered the next morning where my keys were.... The car was low on gas, at least. After running out of gas, the battery died, since the keys were in the "on" position.

I reminded Mike how much he loved me before I confessed that one!

Clearly the synapses aren't snapping properly. Usually that's an indication that I need to regroup, refocus and reprioritize. Sometimes I get too caught up with the busyness of life.

Maybe I should turn off my computer now. Maybe I should go to bed early tonight. Maybe I should give God my burdens, even the little ones, and let Him carry them, like he offers!

Maybe I should. Most definitely I will.

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.

--Psalm 68:19

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

--Matthew 11:29-30

I AM a Girl, You Know...

Well, I’m not going back to that day spa anytime soon, so I did it myself.

Waxed my upper lip, I mean.

Nearly waxed an eyebrow off, too.

And I foolishly did all this right before leaving the house. Fortunately, I have an old tube of heavy duty makeup (and I do mean heavy duty – it could hide an elephant), so I was able to cover my new red moustache before heading off to church.

I made a lot of people gasp tonight, as I tripped over a seam in the sidewalk and pitched forward, but I didn’t fall down. This has got to be a record stretch of time between falls. I did stub my toe this week (badly enough to still be hurting after two days) and I burnt my tongue pretty badly today, on a low-fat French bread pizza that so wasn’t worth the pain, and of course, there’s the raw upper lip, but where are the falls lately???

I’m going to lose my reputation as a faller…although, now that I think of it, tripping without falling is a good thing.

After all, I trip along the narrow road all the time - but Jesus is keeping me from actually falling! It's a good thing, too, because I know ME well enough to know that if I could fall, I would fall. It's just in my nature. You know, the nature that Jesus died to save me from.

And one day, He's going to joyfully set me before God, WITHOUT FAULT, and it's only because He held on to me every time I tripped.

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!
--Jude 1:24-25

The Domino Effect

I have an ENEMY.

It takes many forms and disguises itself well at times.

Here it is naked:
And here are several of its more attractive outfits:



I was reading The Inept Aspirant's blog tonight, and she is obeying God's instruction to her to give up SUGAR, which He's also been convicting me about for far too long. So I'm going join her and lay it down. I've tried to just eat it in "moderation" and it ain't workin'. It's time for me to get serious, and to be obedient to the One I claim to love.

John 14:15 is pretty clear: "If you love me, you will obey what I command." Yikes!

This is what I need from you, dear readers:

Pray for me!

And don't offer me Junior Mints - knowing my fleshly nature, I'd be likely to quote Luke 6:35: "Love your enemies!" and grab them from your hand. And then you'd be an accessory to crime. And then God might make you give up Junior Mints, too. And I'd hate to see my friends cranky and irritable - I'll have the corner on that market for a while!

Flow, River, Flow

There's somethin' 'bout the river at night. Especially in the fall when there's a nip in the air and the scent of fajitas wafting in the breeze, like last night.


It may be the sight of the huge ships in the dry docks,

or it may be the smell of the fajitas.

It may be the pretty lights reflecting on the water,

but it's probably the fajitas.

Love that little Mexican restaurant on the river.

We took our friends to it last night. And then walked along the river, working off a good .5% of the meal. Probably about one tortilla chip's worth.

It's a dirty river, but I don't care as long as no one pushes me in or serves it as a beverage. I can smell its saltiness from home sometimes when the wind is right, and I can hear the ferry horn blow. (And some mornings, at 8am sharp, I hear "Reveille" played from some nearby military post. Makes me feel like I'm back at summer camp!)

Cranes are a permanent fixture on the horizon, loading and unloading ships, lifting and moving parts for repairs.

In the summer, the fireworks and city lights combine for a great show.

All in all, it's nice to live near a river. But it's nothing compared to the river I'll someday live near,

the river of the water of life,
as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
down the middle of the great street of the city.
No longer will there be any curse.
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city,
and his servants will serve him.
They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
There will be no more night.
They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun,
for the Lord God will give them light.
Behold, I am coming soon!
Whoever is thirsty, let him come;
and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

Shine, Jesus, shine.

Grace Rains Down

What a wonderful day! Just a simple day, nothing profound, nothing exciting, but a day

arranging books at the thrift store (my favorite responsibility)

eating leftover pizza and ice cream (what could be better)

welcoming my hubby back home from an overnight conference (now maybe I can get some sleep)

taking a long nap on the sofa, with the wind howling outside (and Buddy periodically jolting me awake with a frenzied bark at a nonexistent threat)

leisurely preparing a supper of beef stroganoff and peas

laughing at a favorite TV program with the family, Buddy tormenting Kiki nearby.

Our Saturdays are usually frantically busy times of last-minute preparations for Sunday, long hours of work, and food on the run. Thanks to Hanna, who wasn't much more than wind gusts and drizzle, everything slowed down, some things shut down, and we had a good excuse to relax.

But the real thanks go to my loving Father, who keeps us under the shadow of His wing, providing

love

and rest

and all that we need

right when we need it.