Hearts of Christian HomeKeepers™

Enough Stuff
“Wouldn’t a new chair look wonderful here?” my mom commented as I showed her the extra rooms we had just added to our house by deciding not to rent out the adjacent apartment. Our four children were growing and our little home was becoming increasingly crowded so my husband and I decided to open up the doors between the two living spaces. “No mom, we have more than enough stuff, what we need is more breathing room.” I replied. It felt so good to have some empty space to move around in my home. I didn’t need to add a thing, just reorganize what I already owned.
As we started to move things around our “new” home I realized I had more than enough stuff and started my “donate to the church yard sale” pile. The pile grew larger with each room we cleaned and rearranged. I began to see how all this stuff owned me instead of me owning it. No wonder I had felt suffocated in my home. How much time was I using tending all this stuff instead of enjoying life?
As the home transformation continued I became pickier about what to keep and resolved to evaluate before I added more stuff. I had a revelation. All those homes I envied because they were so neat were that way because they didn’t have an abundance of stuff. Knowing when enough stuff was enough I was on my way to a more streamlined home. When friends stopped over I won’t cringe because of the piles of mail, laundry, whatever on the table waiting for me to decide where they go.
. Now that I have room for my sewing machine I started a quilt from my girls’ out-grown dresses instead of keeping them in the attic. As my family changes with the seasons of life the amount of stuff we require will change. I hope I can continue to be sensitive to how much stuff I need. It’s hard to not keep the treasured dollhouse or train set for my grandchildren but all those plastic toys don’t need to stay.

Enough Time
I’m exhausted, it’s late and I still have so much to do. Make the flyers for the spaghetti dinner, type up the Sunday school lesson, correct school papers for the kids, iron hubby’s shirts, sew a costume…the list goes on and on. How do I find enough time for everything? The answer is I don’t. The Lord has blessed me with only so many hours each day. I need to be a better steward of my time. I need to prioritize.
Prioritizing is not an easy task. I needed help so I enlisted family input. I asked each of my children what it was that mom does that no one else can do. I figured that would be a good place to start. Their answers surprised me…snuggle with a favorite story book, sing Broadway show tunes with them really loud, give them guidance in difficult situations, correct them when they need it, know who they really are, pray for them. Sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most. The big “up-front” time stealers like keeping the neatest, cleanest house or doing laundry every day are not the most important. Those things still need to be done, but not at the expense of time to dream with your loved ones.

Enough Input
As I run my errands I put the radio on to catch up on what’s going on in the world. The talk show host goes on and on about things that really rile me up or frighten me. I bring in the mail and magazines bring new views on homemaking, fashion, current events and trends. That night I read the newspaper and become saddened by all the bad news being reported. The Internet brings me more opinions and information that I think I need to live in today’s world. I talk to neighbors, friends and colleagues at work and find more outlooks on situations than I can comprehend. All this input overwhelms me and I find myself becoming depressed. My brain just wants to shut off, but I have an information addiction. How much do I really need to know? How many sources should I be turning to? While I’m listening to all these voices how can I hear God speaking to me? I need to sort through all that is offered by using God’s filter and His Word. That would be the only way to know when enough is enough and I will be truly filled and satisfied.

It is canola season around here. The fields are waking up from their winter nap and turning a brilliant color of neon yellow. It is canola. You know, that stuff you buy in bottles at the grocery store, next to the shortening and olive oil.
Canola is a fairly new crop around here. For decades, all you ever saw in this part of NW Oklahoma was wheat. Hard winter wheat, to be exact. It was brought to this area about 150 years ago by Russian Mennonites who immigrated into Kansas and Oklahoma. They had developed this particular strain of wheat to withstand the hard Russian winters. It was perfect for the climate of these Southern Plains and served us well. It turned the fields from Texas to North Dakota into what is lovingly referred to as the Bread Basket of America.
But things started to change a few years ago. Farmers have always recognized the benefits of crop rotation. They will rotate what years they plant a crop in a particular year, or leave it barren all together, for a year so the soil can rest and replenish itself. For example, a farmer will plant a field of alfalfa several years and then plant turnips for a year. The deep taproots of the turnips drill down and break up the roots of the old alfalfa. In just the last few years, farmers have begun experimenting with canola as a good rotation crop, giving the soil a chance to replenish and also to be profitable at the same time. What has resulted is a brilliant show of yellow canola blooms that grace the landscape every April. Imagine a giant quilt made of bright green, rusty red and brilliant yellow squares. That is what you would see if you flew over NW Oklahoma right now.
Why am I giving you a course in Agriculture 101? Because the whole idea of crop rotation got me to thinking. Our hearts are supposed to be the fertile grounds of our faith, right? What we plant in our hearts nourishes our souls. But are we really getting the benefit if we continue to plant the same thing year after year? Are we getting all the good out of the fruits of our labors? Maybe it is time to think about planting something different for a season. Now, I’m not suggesting you venture off the path too far. Just maybe think out of the box a bit. Out of your comfort zone. Volunteer for a new project at church. Talk to your neighbors about Christ. Start a card ministry. Sew some new seeds today. You might be surprised what comes up in your field next spring.

Do you remember the song “Fill My Cup Lord”?  My first recollection of that song was in Lewisville, AR at a church my dad pastored.  The words and music are by Richard Blanshard.

Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy:
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
“Draw from my well that never shall run dry”.

• Chorus
  Fill my cup Lord,
  I lift it up, Lord!
  Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
  Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more
  Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
  There are millions in this world who are craving
  The pleasures earthly things afford;
  But none can match the wondrous treasure
  That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.
• Chorus
  Fill my cup Lord,
  I lift it up, Lord!
  Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
  Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more
  Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!
  Is your life like a beautiful, delicate glass but you find it empty?  This dear lady the song is about met up with the Living Water.  In John 4 you read about a lady who was searching for something or somebody.  She didn’t even realize herself what was missing.
  She was searching for something or somebody to fill the void in her heart.  That empty, lonely place in her heart.
  Wanting to feel cared for, secure, loved, wanted, and just trying to survive in life,  she went through five husbands.   Jesus told her the man she was presently living with was not her  husband.
  Then, here she stood at the well beside Jesus.  JESUS  - that Living Water.   In verse 14 (from The Message Bible) Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”
  Her spirit just seemed to leap within her.  She got excited realizing she’d found what she’d been searching for!   The divine meeting she had with Jesus that day changed her life forever.  She was never the same after that.
  One encounter with Jesus and the pain, emptiness, loneliness, broken hearts, disappointments, hurts seemed to all grow dim.  Something came alive on the inside of her.  Jesus is life!
  Today, if you find yourself like the woman at the well, please remember that Jesus loves you.  He has passion and compassion for  YOU.   You’re His creation and you’re very dear to Him.
  Jesus died on the cross for you.  The Bible says  that the thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  But JESUS came to give you life more abundantly!  A beautiful life full of hope and a good future.  He did all of that on the cross for you.  The most significant thing is that He rose up out of the grave on the third day!!  HE GOT UP!
  We celebrate Resurrection Day this weekend.  Take your empty cup, hold it up to Him and tell Him – Fill my cup Lord!  Fill me full to overflowing.  What happens when a cup overflows?  Whatever is in that cup flows out to the people around you.  Your husband, children, parents, friends, family.
  
  Happy Resurrection Day!!
  

Five Years from Now

I’ve heard it said that you are the same person you will be five years from now, except for the people you associate with and the books that you read. Now at first glance, this seems like some kind of motivational pitch; however, as I’ve pondered the statement over the years, I’ve come to value the depth of its truth.

I was taught, as I’m sure most of us were, that you have to get a good education in order to get a good job. You have to study hard and get good grades in high school in order to get into college, where you will again have to study hard and get good grades in order to get the degree that you want. While in school, it will serve you well to be affiliated with the groups, clubs, sororities or fraternities, athletic teams or other societies that will put you with the “right” people as you move toward beginning your career. But here’s what we weren’t told: All of these things will shape us as we pursue our goals.

With our eye on the prize, we are often negligent of the price. The books we’re required to read and the people we associate with while pursuing our education will leave an indelible imprint on us and shape us at a time in our lives when we are most susceptible to change. Being away from home and in an adult world where we are considered peers catches many of us just plain full of ourselves and we foolishly forget the warnings of our parents, pastors and other mentors.

While we are industriously pursuing our diploma in any state institution of higher learning, we must listen to professors who will teach us what they think we should learn, and this will be from their own world view. Some will go far beyond teaching to indoctrination into their own social, political or religious ideologies. We must listen to their lectures, for we must pass their tests if we’re to get the grades we desire. We will also have to write papers that are designed to demonstrate how well we’ve learned the material. We need only to walk past the newsstand to see how well our generation has been “taught”–and it all happened in increments of five years or less!

As a parent, I’ve gone from pushing my resistant eldest children toward college to now resisting its pull on my youngest. This change took place as I attended classes at our local community college as an adult with grown children. In every class, from English and Speech to Math and Biology, my values, life experience, politics and faith were denigrated and mocked–and that’s only when they were not being raged against! I am not timid, nor am I shy about entering a discussion when the situation calls for it and I was often pleased that many others would voice their own dissenting views; however, I don’t remember more than a couple occasions in which someone else took a stand first. The pressure is too great. Most people–even those who aren’t fresh out of high school–just want to get through the class and move on. So, the indoctrination goes unchecked and unchallenged most of the time. I still believe in education, but I want better than that for my children and grandchildren!

There is a better, albeit less promoted, pathway to “higher learning” that I plan to pursue–that is, the path God has marked for us. He has given us books to read as well–sixty-six of them–and through various authors He has written every one of them for our benefit! By way of God’s written word, we are introduced to the history of mankind, to prophets and kings. We see dynasties raised and great empires brought down. We learn of ancient prophecies and see them fulfilled. In this holy Book we are confronted with our sin, introduced to our Savior, and by the gracious work of the Holy Spirit are brought to repentance and given the gift of faith that leads to salvation. Only through the Bible, can we come to understand our world and its philosophies and not walk in their ways.

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.       Eph 5: 15,16

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.     Col. 2:8

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Rom 12:2

It is through the testimonies of godly men and women–both historical and contemporary–that we find the most worthy companionship. Finally, it is only through our union with Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we can we be what we are meant to be, do what we are meant to do, and find the satisfaction and fulfillment that our hearts are meant to have. That’s what I want to spend the next five years doing and I sincerely hope it shapes me to be more like Christ!

I am the vine, you are the branches…apart from Me you can do nothing.     John 15:5

I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.   John 8:12

But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth;     John 16:13

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk  in them.    Eph. 2:10

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. ¹¹When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. ¹²Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

¹³And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13 (New International Version)

I remember the reading of this passage on my wedding day as if it was yesterday.  My then 15 year old future-sister-in-law read this passage during our 36 minute wedding service.  I remember the excitement of deciding which passage to choose, although I didn’t realize the significance of that passage until much later.

To this day, my wedding to my husband was the best thing that has ever happened to me, with the birth of my sons a very close second.  The thing about my marriage is that I wasn’t just marrying a man, I was also marrying my best friend, my partner, my confidant, and my protector.  It was more than just two people becoming one in the eyes of the world.  Sure, that day it became official, on paper. But we were united in spirit, and heart, long before that ceremony in front of our family and friends.

To this day, my marriage is one of my highest priorities.  Someone at work recently asked me what made our marriage work so well.  I didn’t hesitate when I said that we loved each other.  But it’s more than that.  We laugh together, we cry together, we celebrate together, we sit quietly together.  The defining factor of this is that we do things together. It took me quite a bit of time to really grasp that concept because I never had that kind of role model growing up.  My parents were never really together, and when they were, they were still apart.  We also laugh together.  We have fun together, even if we are just playing video games, watching tv or reading.

If anyone has seen the movie, Jerry Maguire, there is a scene in the movie where two people are in the elevator, and the man signs to the woman that “she completes him”.  That is how I feel about my husband, he completes me, he makes me whole.

Treasure your marriage, as it is God’s gift to you.

My mother is a quilter. I am not. Or at least I did not think I was. Turns out I was wrong. My quilts are not made of fabric and tiny stitches. Instead they are made of memories held together with love. You see, I am quilting the fabric of my son’s childhood.

Andy is six years old and he is my only child. The other evening I was helping him get out of the bath and I commented to him that he has come a long way from the screaming days. When he was about a 8 months old, he went through a phase where he hated to take a bath. I would set him in the warm tub and frantically scrub while he screamed and wailed like stuck pig. Apparently I had never told Andy this story and he was captivated. He wanted to hear all about his screaming fits, why he didn’t like the water and every last dripping detail. He loves to hear stories about his babyhood. I have told him the story of his birth a hundred times. This was when it occurred to me that this is the fabric of his life. These are the personal facts and antidotes that he will remember for the rest of his life. The beginning stories he will tell his grandchildren.
When Andy was born, he had a small hole in his heart that did not close upon birth like it was supposed to. When he was a week old, we went back to the hospital and I laid my precious infant on a cold machine and cried tears of joy when that machine told me the hole in his heart had closed on its own. Andy knows this story and refers to it often. He needs reassured now and then that his heart is okay and that the hole won’t come back. This is his history. His story.
We are all quilters of our children lives. Somedays we may not think twice about what we say to them or what we do to them but those words and actions are going into the weave of who they are. Take care with these little stitches. Our children will need these quilts for the rest of their lives. Let them be their comforters, their security blankets. Their stories.

Have you ever felt like you were in a storm?  Maybe not a literal storm such as a hurricane or tornado.  But never the less, a storm.  A financial storm, a marital storm, stormy kids!

Sometimes the lightning from these storms of life can be so bright and the thunder so scary and loud!  The winds from these storms feel as if they’re going to break apart your ship or even blow you away!

The apostle Paul was in several storms in his life.  Trials, beatings, shipwrecks, a serious snakebite, people trying to kill him all the time.  Paul was definitely put through a few trials.

You know we read about the shipwreck in the Book of Acts chapter 27.  They thought this storm was going to kill all 276 people aboard the ship!  They couldn’t eat or sleep they were so scared.

The storm Paul and the people on that ship faced was so bad they gave it a name:  Euroclydon

You’ve got to remember that during the course of this storm, they had no clue how long it would last.  But Paul had a word from God!

An angel appeared to Paul in verse 23 of Acts 27.  The angel told him “Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

Paul’s response?  His response was key to receiving!  He said  ”Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. ”

Paul believed GOD not the situation or circumstance.  He held onto the Word that God had sent and had faith that what he was told would come to pass.  He still didn’t know the outcome of the storm.  But he knew God had His hand on them all.

The next time you’re in the midst of your Euroclydon, think about Paul.  Think about his strong faith in what the Lord had told him.  Did you know even though they were in a serious situation, not one of them perished!

In the midst of your trial, you have got to cling on to the Lord like never before.  HE is your lifeline.   He will not fail you.  God can do anything except fail!

God wants you to call out to Him.  He’s your lighthouse, that beacon of hope.  What He’s done for one, He’ll do for the other.  He’s no respector of persons.  You CAN trust Him.  He IS paying attention to you.

Your Euroclydon is coming to an end! So fear not and have faith.   When Day 14 of your storm comes and you realize the storm has ended, you will look back over it all and see where God’s hand was in the whole situation.

Be encourage in the Lord today!

Avoid Burnout…Get Re-Ignited for your Ministry as a Woman of God

There is so much going on in our world and so much to do that it’s easy to get burnt-out. Depression can set in when we don’t take time to see our Kingdom worth and let ourselves sit at the feet of the Lord regularly. Whenever I am feeling myself sinking into the ashes of burnout I re-ignite my ministry as a woman of God by remembering the following:

REACH BEYOND THE TASKS
See beyond the grocery list, laundry pile, school commitments and daily routine to the hearts you are called to reach. The tasks we do each day are important but only as tools to reach the hearts God has placed in your path.

ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER
Find friends who are women of God to be your closest friends. Seek to create a family team that works together to reach God’s goals. Be a unified ministry team by making encouraging each other a regular practice.

INVITE JESUS INTO DAILY MOMENTS
When your child is scared or a neighbor has a concern offer to pray with them right then and there. Just saying you will pray can sometimes sound like a hollow promise and doesn’t have the power of calling on the Lord right now.

GROW YOUR SKILLS
Look for resources to help you in your ministry as a mom, woman, wife, sister, neighbor, friend, and leader. Be a life long learner. Having a teachable spirit allows you to see what God has to offer you through others.

NURTURE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS
In order to keep pouring yourself into the lives of others, you need to keep filling yourself up with Jesus. Seek Him daily and build a solid devotional life.

IDENTIFY YOUR CALLING
Realize that the God of the Universe called you to introduce Him to very specific people. He has given you your family to be your first ministry. He has placed you in the community you are in for a specific purpose. He has arranged for you to work at your place of employment for His glory. You are called to His service wherever He has placed you.

TAKE TIME FOR JOY
Seek the joy in all circumstances. Children are the best at spreading love and laughter. If you are a mom, you are surrounded by children often. Rejoice and grab your share. Decide to be a joy bringer and let others see you embrace the positives in life instead of focusing on the negatives.

EMBRACE THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR MINISTRY
The world can be a real downer. If satan can cause you to believe that you have no impact than he wins. Believe you are important in God’s kingdom and that everything you do can bring Him honor and glory. Matching clean socks, sweeping the front porch, baking bread, holding a crying child, standing by the side of your husband, caring for an aging parent…this is true ministry. Ministry that changes the world. Don’t underestimate the impact you have.

DEEPEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE GOD AND THE NEEDS OF HIS PEOPLE.
There are changes in our culture, but needs of people are still the same. They communicate these needs differently and their lives may be much busier but they will always need Jesus. Know Jesus intimately so you can reflect Him to the people around you.

Do you feel the flicker of passion coming back? Fan that spark, so that it can be a huge flame that warms others and spreads the love of Christ.

I Want to be  a Mary!

I love mornings! I love them very early, dark, and completely quiet. I don’t particularly care for them any other way. If I sleep late and everyone is up and running before I am, it sets my whole morning askew and can, if I let it, put me out of sorts. It’s like being in gym class and running at the rear of the pack, trying to keep up with the crowd while struggling to put one foot in front of the other. When you finally arrive at the end of the course, everyone else is rested and fresh while you’re still staggering and disheveled. For me, that’s not a good way to start the day.

I admit I like to be in the front of things. I like to have time to prepare for my day, to spend time in God’s word, to pray, and journal my thoughts. Without taking my morning nourishment from my Father’s provision, I am ill-prepared to meet the challenges of my calling. I need this time to surrender the day to my heavenly Father and to surrender my heart anew. I know this–both from the Word and from experience; however, I confess that I fail to come to His banqueting table more often than not. Before I lay my day at His feet, I find myself puttering around the kitchen, putting things away or starting a batch of laundry, making coffee, starting a fire in the wood stove–all the while “getting ready” to spend time with Him. In effect, I take charge of things rather than letting them go.

Once the family arises and conversations begin, breakfast must be prepared and eaten, chores must be assigned, schoolwork laid out and supervised, and just like in gym class–I’m at the back of the pack wondering how everything got away from me. Why is it so much easier to putter around in preparation for devotions than to ignore everything else while I meet with my Master? The truth is that I suffer from the sin of procrastination. Yes, I’m calling it sin because that’s what it is in my life and I need to simply confess it. Instead of obediently following my Father’s clear instruction and the perfect example of His Son, I pick up other things. They do not rob me of time with the Lord; rather, I sacrifice the time!

I am chagrined that I am far more like Martha than like Mary:

“…and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations…the Lord said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’”

Everything that I am bothering with will pass away, will be undone before tomorrow, or will certainly wait; but the part I am sacrificing–the good part–would never be taken away!

Oh Father, teach me to take up the good part and to let everything else wait~ Keep me from allowing the responsibilities you’ve given me to take priority over my first responsibility, which is to sit at Your Son’s feet to listen to Your word and to be obedient to it! Amen.

In July 2006, I had a headache which lasted several days. When I mentioned to my family doctor that my father had died at age 51 of a brain aneurysm, she immediately ordered an MRI. The day after my MRI, she told my husband and I that I had a small brain tumor. I took the news calmly.   It wasn’t until I was in the neurosurgeon’s office some weeks later that it hit me, hard. The neurosurgeon began talking and I suddenly felt sick and had to lie down. He continued talking to my husband. I guess he’d seen that sort of reaction before. When I recovered, he asked on the way out if I’d like to see the MRI films, and I said yes.

The neurosurgeon removed a 1 inch meningioma, a benign tumor in the outer covering of the brain. My pastor and several friends, ladies from our church, came to sit and pray with me and my husband prior to and during the surgery. Other families from church cared for our two children while I was surgery. Perhaps it sounds strange, but I consider that day a very special gift from God to me and my family. My physical birth was in 1966, spiritual birth in 1979 and another chance at life in 2006.

God comforted me and my family in so many ways during that trial. He provided for our every need through our church, family friends, doctors and nurses and even this board. You dear sisters prayed and I’ll always be grateful.

Last year about this time, I was evaluated by a neuropsychologist due to short term memory loss. It was a very frightening and emotional time for me. I also had difficulty finding words for things.

As someone who loves words and earned a BA in English, this was very frustrating and upsetting to me. The doctor also determined I was having difficulty getting information in in the first place, as well as suffering from mild to moderate depression. I had several sessions of cognitive therapy to learn soem coping skills and strategies. I visited a counselor for one session but was reluctant to place my care in the hands of someone who looked to man rather than God for answers. Eventually, I agreed to try a low dose of a newer antidepressant and it’s been helping me. I also have the name of a Christian counselor I intend to see in the near future.

There is still a stigma attached to mental health problems. People are afraid of what others will think or say. Am I losing it? Am I really going crazy? How will my problem affect my family? Will I have to be locked up somewhere?

The scripture says everything done and said in the dark will be brought into the light.

“For nothing is concealed except to be revealed, and nothing hidden except to come to light.” Mark 4:22

The sooner we allow God to shine the light of His Truth in the dark crevices of our hearts, the sooner he can begin healing and restoring us.