A Bunch of CRAP (Renovation #5)

There's something about moving that makes you realize just how much crap you have.  There's a "weight" to it that goes far beyond the pounds in the boxes. 

And there's something about living with only life's bare necessities for 6 months that makes you question just how much of it you really need. 

Alot of it really is necessary. 
And some of it is treasure.
But a good portion of it is just a bunch of crap.

Doesn't it feel so good to let go of all that stuff??
Isn't it freeing to open your closets and cupboards and actually have SPACE??
You wouldn't think that things could add stress to your life, but I'm convinced they can. 

There's a song that makes me smile called "Suitcases" by Dara McClean.  It's come to mind often as I stare at the mound of boxes before me.  Here's a link if you'd like to listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdWO88ZVurU

Stuff.

We all got it.

Some necessary.  Some treasure.  Some just plain crap. 

Come with me into this visual of gathering all the crap that weighs you down... that clutters the very mind of your heart.  Box it up.  Seal it with yet another roll of packaging tape (insert here the oh-so-familiar-sound of the tape gun). 

Now let's go for a walk.  To the cross.

Some of you may be skipping along, lightly tossing your box up and down in one hand as you go.  Others may be down on all fours pushing, shoving, grunting, groaning, in an all-out sweat by the weight of what's in your box.

Either way, boxes of crap are welcome at the foot of the cross.  There's always room.  Just leave them there... turn and walk away.  Done deal.  Handled.  Forgotten.

Next time you open a closet and you find yourself sighing at the sight of too much stuff,  consider taking just a couple minutes to clean it out.  Keep the treasure.  Share the good stuff with others.  Get rid of the crap.  While you're doing so, whisper for the Holy Spirit to prompt you on what needs to be cleaned out on the inside of YOU. 

Christ wants YOU to be FREE of it.

OH GIVE ME A HOME.... (Renovation #4)

I am tired.

Not just tired.

T-I-R-E-D.

I’m tired of messes.

I’m tired of boxes.

Tired of packing and unpacking.

Tired of dirt.

I’m tired of being a vagabond.

Even though I'm thankful for a roof over my head, 

I'm tired of having no real home.

I have moved 4 times in the last 6 months.

I have slept on the floor on a blow up mattress for 4 of those months.

90% of the jewelry I own can be picked up in one large knot.

I may have forgotten how to cook.

And my car looks like I live out of IT.

If you inventoried what’s in my front seat alone, you would find empty egg cartons,
wine glasses, old sheets (clean or dirty?? don't remember), a bag of rotting tomatoes, 

a Christmas present for my son, towels, a lone earring, and some artificial stick things I regret buying.  And that’s just what I can see without moving anything. 

What I long for is a HOME. 

And don’t we all???

I’ll be moving into my new home soon.  
Yes, it’s pretty cool.  
And yes, I’m SO thankful for it.  
But over the past 6 months,
I’ve come to realize it’s just one more case of “temporary housing”.  

My real home after all… the one I truly long for deep in my soul… isn’t in Holland.  

Not in Michigan either.  

Not even in our beloved US of A.

It’s back in Eden. 

And it’s what I was created for.

 

(More later).

Keep Pedaling

The Tour de France has been on for the past several weeks and I will admit to finding it quite fascinating… in a boring sort of way.   Yet what other sport has a single competition that lasts for 3 weeks!!  Truly it is a physical feat to be respected even though it doesn’t hold the popularity of the NFL, NBA or even yes…. Nascar. 

Both of my boys have taken up biking in the past couple of years and more recently, my husband and daughter-in-law.  Through their stories, I have become somewhat familiar with what’s involved.   While watching one of the final legs of the tour this week, there was a spectacular finish (or at least as spectacular as biking gets).   The leader had broken away and was “going it” on his own for some time.   He looked good and really strong for quite a while, but as the finish approached another biker was creeping up on him.  Again, a solo.  They were neck-in-neck… bikes and bodies thrashing… giving it their all…  when out of nowhere came a rider that literally just FLEW right past them.  Blew them away.  “Slingshot” was the official term the media used.  He crossed the finish line, hands in the air in victory. 

I was talking to my husband about what that was all about.   He said he was drafting with another member of his team.  Drafting is when you tuck in behind the person in front of you – your front wheel riding in very close proximity to their rear wheel.  So close, that two bikes virtually become one.  The result is a force that literally pulls you along, making your use of energy more efficient.  Giving you a chance to rest a bit, recoup, and get ready for a dash to the finish.  I’ve seen the benefits of this time and time again in both bike and car racing.

As our conversation ended, I got up from the sofa to get a glass of wine and asked my husband “And are you drafting Christ”???  He looked at me and smiled.  He had never thought of it that way.

In life we face many hills.

Some headwinds seem too strong to bear.

As we look into the horizon, some roads (while flat) simply seem endless. 

BUT, my friends, WE WERE NEVER MEANT to travel this road alone.

Tuck in behind Christ. 

He WANTS to carry you to the finish… to victory… through HIM.  

Aaawwww..... NUTS!!! (Renovation #3)

When we started this renovation project, we knew we were bound to run into unexpected “issues”.  The unseen.  But little did I know the unexpected would come in the form of… nuts!!  Acorns, to be exact.  Typically, I like squirrels and chipmunks.  The nervous nature of those cute, furry little creatures really cracks me up.  Lord knows I’ve watched enough of them during my years in my hunting blind.  Even named a few.  But when a carpenter cuts a chunk of drywall out of your ceiling and down comes an avalanche of nuts, well… NOT SO CUTE!!  And when the electrician finds an area of chewed up, exposed electrical wiring in a wall cavity along with (you guessed it) more acorns… NOT SO CUTE!!  They (the carpenters) chuckled at my moment of panic.  They told me that they rarely ever tear into an existing home without finding SOME sort of hidden “treasures”.  

Honestly??  I’m tired of the tear down phase.  I’m ready to rebuild.  I think mentally, I know that when they start hanging that drywall… they’ve found all they believe there is to find.  All the issues have been exposed.  All the issues have been addressed.  And the experts are comfortable with zipping the place back up.  It’s a turn from the negative (tear down)… to the positive (rebuild).  Like I said, I am READY.

We had decisions to make along the way on HOW these issues would be addressed.  Choices needed to be made.  Settle for the less expensive band-aid fix and hope for the best??  Or do the permanent solution that will take time… and many more dollars.  The end result would cosmetically look the same.  

If you’ve been following my blog, you know my life, as of late, has been a time of renovation.  A time of asking God to reveal any and all areas in me that need to be exposed, that need to be addressed, that need to be repaired.  I expected to come across some things, since as scripture says “we ALL fall short”.  But just like with the house, at times I’ve wanted to scream “enough already!!”  I’m tired. 

And just like with the house again, I’ve been faced with choices on how to repair what God exposed.  I can apply a quick fix to these areas of my life and hope for the best.  Be a better person, give more, attend church more regularly, DO more for Christ.  Outwardly, I’m sure it’d look just fine.  Or, I can take the painful route and ask the Holy Spirit to show me more.  Dig deeper.  Expose the root of the problem.  And then allow Him to HEAL… and rebuild. 

We re-wired the entire house. 

We re-did the flashing around the atrium.

We tore down more drywall and foamed the walls, permanently sealing off access for those cute, furry little creatures.

With anything that really mattered, we chose the permanent, more costly solution.  Why?? Because when we live in our house, we don’t want it to look all pretty on the outside, yet still question what’s lurking behind the walls.

I will do NO LESS with my life. 

p.s.  Drywall starts tomorrow.    

PILLOW TALK

I was up at 2 a.m. last night.  Couldn’t sleep again.  Read a couple chapters in my awesome book “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan… and was starting to get drowsy.  As I rolled over in an effort to wrap my arms around my husband – a simple act of intimacy – something was in the way.  A pillow.  Not just a little one either… a king-size pillow that he had his standard tight grip on.   I could hardly see him under it.

I tried wrapping my arms around the pillow AND him, but you know what?? There is ZERO intimacy in that.  I tried wedging my arms between him and the pillow, but there really wasn’t room for me.    

I lay there and grinned as God nudged me on this.

How often is God longing for intimacy with ME… but I have a death grip on something I’m holding on to??  There’s a difference between simply knowing He’s there – and truly experiencing the intimacy of His presence.   For TRUE intimacy, we need to surrender all that we’re hanging on to.  Nothing can stand in the way between us and our God.  Nothing.

Think about your own relationship with God.  Do you feel Him at an intimate level?? Be honest with yourself here.  Does it feel like something’s in the way??  Something so big you can hardly see yourself behind it - or maybe a few small things you clumsily hang on to??  Ask His Holy Spirit to reveal it to you.  And when He does, release it – lay it down – and open your arms wide to freely embrace Him. 

Stop whatever you’re doing and just ponder this for one minute.  Ponder the fact that the God of this amazing universe wants INTIMACY with YOU!!!  He wants MORE than just you knowing He’s "there for you".  He wants MORE than just church on Sunday and quiet times during the week.  He wants more than random acts of kindness.  He wants INTIMACY… in the purest sense of the word. 

Do you really want to miss out on that??  On ANY part of what that means??

I don’t…

EXPOSED (Renovation #2)

It was demo week last week.  

Floors have been ripped up exposing what lies beneath. 

Drywall has been removed revealing wiring, ductwork, and piping. 

Supporting walls have been clearly identified. 

We now can see potential problems that will need to be addressed. 

A few things that looked good on the surface, proved to be handyman-fix-it-jobs underneath. 

As the layers were peeled back, our new home took on a new look.  It felt “exposed”.  Exposed down to its bare bones.  Exposed for both it’s strengths and weaknesses.   By doing this, however, we are able to get a more accurate quote as to what this renovation is truly going to cost.   Oh, we had a rough idea, of course… but we had to get down to the basic structure before we could find out if our dreams for this house would be worth it.  Worth the work.  Worth the cost.     

As expected, the demo was messy.  One could even argue whether it looks more like we gutted the place rather than a little renovation.  A stranger passing by, however, would never know.  The basic structure still looks the same.  Strong.  Solid.  The only giveaway at this point is the sign in the front yard identifying who the carpenter is.  

Not everyone will look at this house and see it’s beauty - it’s worth.  Eyeballs already have rolled.  Sure, it has its quirks.  Sure, it’s not the same as everyone else’s.  It even has an interesting history.   But we love it and feel it’s worth.  We believe it has potential.  Most of all, we feel God led us here.  

With demo finished this week, the rebuild begins.  It won’t be neat, clean and tidy either… but seeing our dreams and visions unfold for what this house could be has us filled with anticipation.  Even in its current state, we love sitting still behind this house – our new home – listening to the birds, dreaming of what could be, and taking time to just BE.

The Holy Spirit has been doing the same in my life.  I’ve asked Him to expose my problem areas, help me make sense of how I’m wired, show me where my strengths are… and reveal my weak points.  There are days when I feel like His work in me is more like gutting than renovating, but I’m filled with anticipation at what His dreams are for me.  What His vision is.  I know my basic structure is solid because I AM a child of God.  I know I am unique and beautiful in his eyes.  I am worthwhile to Him.  Worth His life.  

So how about you?? Are your walls down?? Have you spent time sitting STILL with the Holy Spirit, listening for HIS movement - HIS song - HIS guidance - HIS plan for you??  Have you asked Him to show you which areas in your life He wants to renovate??  Are you open to the possibility that some areas may need to be gutted??  Depending how much work needs to be done, demo may leave you feeling downright exposed.  Be ready for that.  But oh, my friends, what beauty awaits… your dreams come true… when left to the master carpenter.  

And He is that, isn't He.  

     

It's Friday, BUT....

Yes, I'm well aware that it's Saturday.  But I heard a reference to this on the radio yesterday, looked it up this morning and feel it's worth sharing.

Easter has always been such a reason for celebration.  It's the foundation of our faith:  Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins and rose again from the dead to defeat the grave and offer us eternal LIFE with Him.  Hallelujah!!!  Rejoice with me!!!  I am SO thankful; so humbled.  But hearing these 5 simple words on the radio yesterday impacted me.

5 simple words of Easter.  

5 simple words of Easter for our every day lives.  

5 simple words of Easter that offer hope.  Endurance.  Promise.  

5 simple words of Easter that meet you where you are.  

5 simple words of Easter that will carry you through the valley's of life.

5 simple words:

It's Friday....

BUT SUNDAY'S COMIN'

I hope you'll take 3-1/2 minutes to watch this clip.  Maybe there's a message in it for your life too.  

http://www.rpmministries.org/2011/04/its-friday-but-sundays-coming/

Happy Easter. 

Taking... and Giving... POSSESSION (Renovation #1)

We recently purchased a new home.  Much to our surprise, it was an existing structure.  Our previous two homes were new builds - starting from the ground up - and that’s what we expected to happen this time as well.  But after searching and praying for a piece of land to build on, God clearly had something different in mind.  HE chose… a renovation.

We had closed on the house some time ago, but it was still occupied.  So when we finally got possession this week, it was a big deal.  FINALLY, we can get into the house freely.  FINALLY, the contractor can begin to tear into it and see what’s behind the walls… what stays; what goes.  FINALLY, we can lay the blueprint out on the counter and dream.    

FINALLY… real work can begin. 

As I pondered this sense of relief at finally taking possession of our new house, it occurred to me that God must feel much the same way about me.  How long have there been barriers to His work in my life?   How long has He been wanting to bust into the walls I'd constructed to reveal what should stay and what needs to go?   How long as He just been itchin’ to show me the blueprint of His dreams for my life?  

FINALLY… He has full possession of me.  

FINALLY… He holds the sole set of keys to my heart.

FINALLY… real work can begin.   

There’s a lot of renovating to be done in this house.  But it has a good solid structure and the setting offers the peace we've been longing for.   I’m ready to dig in.  I'll let you in on a little secret though - I don't think this house is the only thing being renovated.   

Join me on the journey.  A journey of renovation.

Born Again

There was a storm in Northern Lower Michigan a couple weeks ago in the area of my family’s cottage.  Can you imagine 2-3 FEET of wet snow accumulating within 2 hours??  It was said you could hear an orchestra of tree branches cracking off in the hills that surround the lake.  While up there checking things out this past weekend, a waitress told the frightening story of her 2-1/2 hour journey from the restaurant to her home…. a mere 6 miles up the road.  Branches and trees were fallen every direction you turned.  Some locals were just having their power restored.  And much to my personal dismay, two of the trees that held some of my most cherished childhood memories were cracked off, uprooted, and lying in the water.  


But then came the unexpected.  What had seemed like winter at it's very worst was replaced with  unseasonable warmth. Humidity.  Sunshine.  Spring.... a month or two early.  Destruction was replaced with growth.  Fields were blushing green.  Trees had buds just aching to unfold.  Daffodils were showing their faces.  Ferns on the forest floor were the most vivid color you could imagine.    


LIFE.


Yes... LIFE.  


New LIFE.  


In the midst of destruction.


It reminded me of a book I really enjoyed by an author I so admire.  The book is "Bittersweet" by Shauna Niequist.  Allow me to share part of the prologue:

bittersweet

"The idea of bittersweet is changing the way I live, 

unraveling and re-weaving the way I understand life. 

Bittersweet is the idea that in all things there is both

something broken and something beautiful, that there is a 

sliver of lightness on even the darkest of nights, a shadow of 

hope in every heartbreak, and that rejoicing is no less rich

when it contains a splinter of sadness.

Bittersweet is the practice of believing that we really

do need both the bitter and the sweet, and that a life of

nothing but sweetness rots both your teeth and your soul.

Bitter is what makes us strong, what forces us to push

through, what helps us earn the lines on our faces and the 

calluses on our hands.  Sweet is nice enough, but bittersweet

is beautiful, nuanced, full of depth and complexity.

Bittersweet is courageous, gutsy, earthy.

Nearly ten years ago, my friend Doug told me that the 

central image of the Christian faith is death and rebirth, that 

the core of it all, over and over again, is death and rebirth.  I'm 

sure I'd heard that before, but when he told me, for whatever

reason, I really thought about if for the first time.  And at

the time, I didn't agree."

I'm thankful Spring came early this year.  I'm not sure what April and May will bring, but for now I'm praising God at every turn... for every flower in bloom... for every drop of sweat on my brow...  every ray of warmth on my skin... every field of lush green I pass.  

I'm praising HIM for new growth after destruction.  

For rebirth after death.  

For LIFE.   

"Behold... I make all things new again".      

SING TO ME

I slept with the windows open last night.  Certainly rare for a mid-March evening.   Record setting temps allowed that special treat.

As my sleepy senses woke this morning, I heard the tree frogs singing their song.  It has to be one of the most soothing sounds in nature to me.  I can get absorbed into it.  Bask in it.  I love just lying still and listening to them... their song quiets my soul and brings my heart peace.  I beckon the sun not to rise just yet so I can listen a little longer before the day begins.


What's that I hear, though?? Oh yeah, highway noise in the distance.  Man, that's certainly loud today.  Lots of trucks on the highway this morning.  Certainly is loud.  Someone's blaring their horn.  Wheels spinning.  Mufflers blaring.  Heavy metal cutting through wind.  Seems extra loud today.  There's no peace in sound pollution.

It didn't take long - or much effort - for the paradigm to switch.  Soon all I heard was highway noise.  The frog's gentle song had faded to the background as I focused on the sound of the trucks.  The peace I felt was replaced with the sounds of chaos.  Quiet broken by noise.  Yet they were both there all the time weren't they??  Of course they were... my focus had just shifted.   When I was focused on the frog's song, I didn't even acknowledge the pollution in the background.

It's the same for me with God's voice.  At times I am SO focused on hearing Him that it overwhelms me with peace.  I want to sit and bask in His presence.  He feels so close.  So real.  But then, what's that??  The voice of the evil one begins to creep in disguised as worry, anxiety, doubt, busyness, fear... distraction.  Things he likes us to simply label as "life".  Before long, the paradigm switches and My Jesus' voice fades to the background.  My focus shifts to what the evil one wants me to focus on instead.  Peace is broken... heaviness sets in. 

I read a simple sentence in a book awhile back that stayed with me.  It said "If God feels far away... it isn't Him who moved".  I'm learning - sometimes the hard way - that HIS voice IS always there.  HE is always present.  It all depends on what I CHOOSE to focus on.  Who's voice I choose to hear. 

Zechariah 3:17 says "For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs".

Today, he delighted over me with the songs of tree frogs.

Thank you God, I love you too. 

FOLLOW

This is something I wrote in the fall of 2010.  The first thing I ever wrote actually.  So, yes, it's out of season... but still wanted to share.

I am a hunter.  Some people think hunters must not care about deer… but quite the opposite.  Hunters typically are nature lovers who have a respect for animals.  Of course, there are certain people who will shoot anything that moves and not care, but those people are “killers”… not hunters.  So, that’s why when I shot an 8-point this week and couldn’t find it… it was very upsetting to me.  Seemed like a beautiful buck wasted… at my hand.

ANYWAY… brother Jon came out to help me track (thanks, Jon!! You’re awesome…), seeing how the rest of my “home team” was out of town in one place or another.  At first, the blood was very light (typical as they bolt) and we were searching hard for each spot.  Then it became very heavy… to the point of just walking along at a good pace next to the blood trail.  At that point, our spirits became optimistic and our conversation was something like “yeah!! This is what we’re looking for!!”… but when the trail got sparse again, I was getting frustrated and Jon told me that the tracking… the search…  was his favorite part.  Me??  I want to go straight from the shot to the prize.  We kept following and the trail got heavier again… then down to just a few small spots… and then it stopped.  We stood there with our flashlights… searching intently in the dark in every possible direction for a clue as to which way the trail led.  After a long search, brother Jon said “getting kinda quiet out here…” and I told him I was very discouraged.  We had followed the blood trail for 2 hours… and then it stopped.  We couldn’t find any more blood to tell us what direction this buck had gone… so we called it a night at 10:30. 

I went back yesterday and re-walked our toilet-paper-marked-trail… looking for any pattern in the trail that would give me a clue what direction he was heading.   As I was literally down on my hands and knees looking for the next drop of blood… searching every leaf and blade of grass for any clue as to which way the blood trail led to my “prize”… a thought crossed my mind very clearly that I want to share with you.  I asked myself how often I search THIS HARD for the path God wants me on in my life.  Do I put as much effort, intensity and passion into finding God’s will as I have in finding this deer??  Do I take time periodically to look back and re-evaluate the path I’ve been on thus far??  How often do I dig into His word… pray… study… keep my ears and eyes open to where he wants to lead me to the ultimate prize of hearing Him say “well done good and faithful servant”??  Life can be like tracking deer.  Sometimes the trail is very obvious and easy to follow… and other times, it’s less clear.  At times, it may appear to have no direction whatsoever and it can be very discouraging.  But during those times, do we get down on our hands and knees before God?? Do we search desperately for any sign of which direction He wants us to take??Are we willing to walk through the briars, the thick stuff, to crawl under, over and around anything in our way to find His direction??  Do we treasure the search?? Or just want to head straight for the prize.

9 hours later, utterly exhausted, scratched up, and bruised… I never did find that deer.  Breaks my heart.  Seems like this buck’s life was wasted then… but maybe not totally after all.   God works in mysterious ways, they say… I guess it’s true.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Additives and Preservatives

Ever wonder how much sickness, disease, and just plain ole’ feelings of lethargy/fogginess would go away if we simply lived on the foods that GOD gave us??

On a few occasions for health reasons, I’ve had to eliminate all foods from my diet that were not basically God given.  I lived on fruits, vegetables, meats and fish, certain grains, non-dairy milks, and water… for 6 months at a time.  Never felt better in my life!!  I could pile my plate FULL of these things, eat as much as I wanted, and yet was leaner than I’d ever been before.  My head was clear and my body just - “worked”.   I found myself choking on the sweet juice that bursts out a plump grape.  Colorful vegetables were exploding with so much flavor I couldn't get enough of them.   Diving into a delicate piece of fish was a savory sensation… why would I ever want to fry one??  And without worry about counting calories, I could even enjoy the simplicity of sweet cream and salt in a concoction we call... butter.  The grocery store became a new experience. I loved looking down into my cart knowing everything I had in it was for my benefit.   It wasn’t easy though.  I still craved the foods my body was used to.  The ones it became literally addicted to.  And it was hard at times to watch other people indulging in whatever looked good to them on the menu.   

Did you ever notice how all the “healthy foods” are typically around the perimeter of the grocery store??  It’s because they need refrigeration.  And why do they need refrigeration??  Because they don’t have additives and preservatives.  God given foods are meant to supply what our bodies need… NOW.   

After the 6-month elimination was up... I was "allowed" to add foods back into my diet.  I started slowly... trying a little of this and a little of that.  No harm done at first.  But it didn't take long until my body started craving those man-made foods once again.  Slowly the additives and preservatives entered my body... slowly my body started getting used to them... until slowly, the symptoms returned.


So the question is WHY.  Why would I trade the vast array of foods that God put on this earth for the ones that some guy is designing behind a computer screen??  "Whaddathink, Harry... do we need more orange #58 to make cheddar color look more real??".   Does it make any sense that I would put in my body what man makes to last on a shelf for years... when God's design of what my body needs is for NOW???

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Ever wonder how much sickness, depression, pain, and overall feelings of despair/desolation would go away if we simply lived by the guidelines God gave us???  

When we face the mountains, walk through the valleys, or are led into the deserts of life... we tend to go back to those basics.  It's what our souls NEED when our lives are no longer "working".  We long for the sweetness of His Spirit.  We sink our teeth into the richness of His Word.  We fill our emptiness with His presence and we feel FULL.  We are so HUNGRY for Him... we can't get enough.

But when things settle down and life starts clicking along again, it's easy to get distracted by the things of this world.  By the delicious offerings that distract us from the basics.   Every form of media tells us that where we will REALLY find satisfaction is in "adding" more of this and a little of that.  As we watch others around us indulge, the old cravings resurface. Our focus begins to turn from what made us well... to "preserving" the very way of life that made us sick in the first place.   We are left once again... feeling hungry.

So the question once again is WHY.  Why would we trade the abundant life... life beyond our wildest dreams... for what some guy in a marketing department is saying.  "Whaddayathink, Harry... if we tell them they'll be happier when they're thinner, richer, more famous, more accomplished.... think they'll buy it??".  Does it make one lick of sense that what "this world" says will make us happy eventually could even compare to what the CREATOR of the universe has for us NOW??  

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From the beginning of time in the garden and that first bite of "wanting more"... it has been human instinct to strive after it. But just like perimeter shopping at the grocery store, GOD has surrounded us with what we need. What we need physically. What we need emotionally. What we need spiritually.  Not only what we need to survive, but what we need to live life to the FULL.  When we examine those things God puts in our "cart"... we'll notice that what He's supplying is what we need right NOW.  He specifically tells us not to worry about tomorrow or next year.  He gives us what we need TODAY.  

No additives or preservatives.

Just HIM.

     

   

SIMPLE QUESTION

(The question is simple.  The answer may be life changing.)

Have you "added" Jesus to YOUR life?????

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is HE... your life.  

WHOA-HO!! What a ride!!

Jackson Hole.  Tetons.  Jenny Lake.

Man, I love that country.   To me, it's the true definition of “God’s country”. 

I had been through Jackson Hole a couple times before, but usually on two-wheels, so white water rafting was never an option…. until this past summer.   It was on my bucket list for this trip.  To tell you the truth though, I was expecting it to be about one step up from a float.  Apparently, “level 3” is a tad bit above that.  Okay, more than a tad.  I was nervous when I realized what I had gotten myself into.  I had one serious water-related incident in my lifetime… certainly didn’t need another.   When I found out it didn’t require helmets though, I calmed down and told myself this would be a good thrill, but safe.  “You can do this”.

Anyway, it was a blast.  The first rapids we came upon I thought, WOW!!  That was great!!  And then the guide said, “Okay everyone, our first rapids are coming up ahead”.   I looked down at my chest to see if ROOKIE truly was written there.   The first couple were warm-up and they got more aggressive as we went.  On our toughest rapids, we’d be looking UP the wave as we went into it… and at times, those of us who volunteered to be in front were completely under the water.   Whenever we approached the rapids, our guide would yell at us repeatedly to “check that your feet are secure!!!”…. “assume an athletic position!!!!”…. “keep paddling through the rapids at all times!!!”.  His instructions were clear… and they were for our safety.

There are photographers stationed at a certain point along the route.  Selling photos is a moneymaker for them.  But, it’s possibly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so who doesn’t want a photo to remember it by!!  So, yes… I had to order a few. 

Looking at the pictures, talking about the instructions, and thinking about the experience…. it really hit me hard how similar it was to life as Christians.  I was honestly a bit chocked up.  Tears welled in my eyes as I felt God showing me this message.   We will not be on a constant float trip, my friends… we’re going to hit some rapids.   Put yourself on that raft and picture yourself assuming an “athletic position”.  What does that look like to you??  I see perseverance.  I see claiming ourselves as children of God.  I see renouncing the evil one out loud.  Now hear with me your guide yelling at you to “check that your feet are secure”!!!  What does that mean to you?? To me, it means prayer… prayer… and more prayer.  It means a support system of Christian friends.  It means diving into God’s word.   What about the instruction to “keep paddling at all times”??  I hear “… and let us run with endurance the race God has put before us.” (Heb. 12:1)   

And yes, then there’s the guide.   Pretty obvious, isn’t it.  What actually struck me about this picture is that when we were battling what to us was this HUGE WAVE (albeit only a level 3)…  fighting to even stay on the boat at times…. doing our best to KEEP PADDLING in order to keep the boat upright… our guide was in the back doing just that.  Guiding.   He was in TOTAL control even though we felt so out of control.   At times he steered us around the rapids… and at times he steered us straight into them.  But at ALL times, he was in total control.    That, to me, is the picture of our one TRUE GUIDE:  The Holy Spirit.   We may not understand why He takes us where He does, we may be drenched, exhausted and sore... but He gives us the tools and instructions we need to get safely through the rapids.  

Don’t you find, though, that when you look back and reflect over this adventure called life….   you can see His Hand??  Can you see how He was there the whole time… in total control??   What a comfort that is.

I pray that for all of you, my friends. 

I also pray that in between the rapids, there will be plenty of beautiful times to just enjoy the float.   

What a ride, you know??

BURSTING

Bursting.

Literally.

How can I not be??

It's been a week of God revealing Himself.  Revealing His love.  Revealing His presence.

Over the past week, I've been reminded of times where God said "NO MORE" to disease and took home a loved one.  I've been reminded of times where God said "THAT'S ENOUGH" to evil and spared a precious life.  I've been reminded of times where God took unspeakable circumstances and said "I WILL REDEEM THIS".  I've been witnessed to by a friend about the amazing power of the Holy Spirit through healing prayer.  I've been renewed with visions of Him holding out His arms, saying "YOU are MINE".

All of these things came rushing down on me as I read a passage in my morning quiet time today:

"The Lord your God is with you, 

He is MIGHTY TO SAVE.  

He will take great delight in you, 

He will quiet you with His love, 

He will rejoice over you with singing".

Zephaniah 3:17

I hope as you go back in your mind and identify events that were at that moment tragic, painful, heart wrenching, not-the-way-you-wanted-them-to-turn-out... that you can SEE HIS PRESENCE in them.  Can you see how He redeemed them??  Ask Him to show you.  Then spend some time sitting quiet as He does.

I can't hardly listen to this song without singing at the top of my lungs... without raising my hands... without jumping up and down.  But seriously... why not??  He certainly is worthy!!

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iB-yX5p0p4I  

BURSTING... is a wonderful thing to be.  

Thank you God. 

I love you too.

AND the winner IS....

Mary, from Holland!!  Congrats, Mary and thanks for following.  I'll get the CD in the mail to you ASAP.

DECADENCE - cont'd

YUM.....

So there you go... Chocolate Pate' with Raspberries (recipe in prior post).  

While I'm not really "into" Valentine's Day... there are a few ideas I'd like to pass along.   

Tradition is important to me and I started one many moons ago with my boys.  I started giving them one of those HUGE Russell Stover Foil Heart boxes of chocolate when they were in... oh, I'd say middle school.  They are grown now and not at home, but still to this day... they will get a foil shaped heart just "from mom".   I always thought that was more important to me than to them... but one year when I was late in getting it to one of my boys, I got a "where's my heart"?? text.  He thought I had forgotten.  Don't underestimate the value of little traditions... and I encourage you to start some of your own. 

Did you know that dry erase markers work great on mirrors??? How fun to have your kids walk into their bathroom in the morning and see a big heart and message just for them on their mirror.

Nothing says love like chocolate chip pancakes.... yum (are you sensing a chocoholic here??).  I never was very good at "pouring" a heart shape with batter, but putting chocolate chips in the shape of a heart works great.  ESPECIALLY in banana pancakes.

Why not take a minute to go through your contact list on your phone... and send a quick text saying "I love _____ about you" to your closest friends.   Their smile?? Their spirit?? Their heart?? Their friendship??  Whatever... but a fun, low cost, low effort way to celebrate a day set aside for love.

One more idea.  If you made the recipe in the picture above and the prior post... I'd highly suggest you grab a plate and a glass of wine... and dig in.   Right now.  

Happy Valentine's Day everyone....

DECADENCE

I love to cook.

I love chocolate.

Chocolate Pate' with Praline and Raspberries??  

Pure decadence.

This is my all-time favorite dessert recipe.  And I've made plenty.  There's nothing difficult about it, but I would suggest that you have everything laid out before you start.  And plan a big hour to make it.  Butter needs to be softened, chocolate needs to be melted, an orange needs to be zested, praline powder needs to be made, and eggs need to be divided.  Again, nothing hard.  Just detailed.  While it may take a while to make... there's no baking, so that makes up for it.  Go ahead... give it a try!!

Let's start with the Praline Powder that should be made first:

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Place the sugar in a saucepan with water, stirring until dissolved.  Over medium heat cook the sugar until it is smooth and lightly brown.  Stirring continuously, add the almonds and cook another minute (warning:  probably not that long).

 Pour onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and let cool.  Pulverize in a food processor to a fine powder.

Set this aside for use later.


Now for the Pate':

     1-1/3 cups water                     

1/2 cup sugar

12 ounces soft butter

2 cups cocoa powder

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 orange, zested

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (I use Countreau instead)

2 whole eggs + 4 egg yolks

Praline Powder (that you made above)

Raspberries

Cool Whip

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve.  Heat to just the boiling point then cool.  Cream the butter and cocoa in a food processor, scraping down the sides often.  Slowly add the sugar water.  Add the melted chocolate, scrape the sides down, add zest, Grand Marnier, then eggs & yolks, scraping the sides down often. 

Fold in Praline Powder.  Line a 1-1/4 quart terrine mold with plastic food wrap (this recipe also fits nicely into a standard loaf pan lined with plastic wrap).  Fill the mold with the chocolate mixture, cover and refrigerate overnight.  

To serve, invert on a serving platter (personally, I like to use white for this one.. with a dusting of cocoa powder first).  I like to place raspberries in tidy rows on the top and serve with a bowl of cool whip.  A sprig of mint looks pretty on top as well.  

This recipe was taken from the Savor Michigan Cookbook.  It features recipes from a variety of Michigan restaurants.  This one came from the Five Lakes Grill in Milford.  The cookbook makes an excellent gift for anyone who likes to cook... so keep that in mind.    

Since this recipe needs to sit overnight, I'll be posting pictures of the final product tomorrow.  It would make a great valentine's dessert...  so here's an idea: why not tackle it tomorrow... refrigerate it overnight... and call some friends up for an impromptu valentine's dessert night!!  Pairs perfectly with a nice red wine.  

What a great way to spend valentine's:  friends, red wine, and a decadent chocolate dessert!!

Check back tomorrow for pics and for a few other simple ideas for a day set aside to celebrate love!!    

Old Friends

I wish I hadn't thrown them away.  Do you have some too??

My favorite ole' hiking boots.  I threw them away... in Colorado.

It was a snowy in day April.

2011.

Really wasn't much left to them.  The soles were about worn through.  Arch support?? Non-existent.  There was no finish left on the leather whatsoever.  Laces were pieced together... knotted here and there... because new one's just wouldn't be the same.  Those boots and I traveled many miles... for many years.  They'd walked fields, sat in hunting blinds, tromped through mud, stood ankle high in water, and literally froze their laces off in snow for me.  They've tended gardens, walked dogs, run from snakes, climbed trees, searched for antler sheds, and found morels.

Yep.  My hiking boots.  I miss 'em.

Sound silly??  Maybe so.  But don't some things you look at just tell a story??  Are there things you own that, although you know they're just "things", hold special meaning because of the hours you've spent together??  Do you agree that sometimes it's the tatters, tears, and scars on things that make them all the more endearing to you??  Make them.... "familiar"??

My boots have been gone now for 9 months... 17 days... and 3 hours (before you think I've truly lost it... JUST KIDDING!!)  They truly were dumped though... in Colorado... to make room in my luggage for a shiny new pair.  So why now am I thinking about my hiking boots??  Because of some women I've bumped into lately.  I noticed their Bibles.  Worn.  Tattered.  The shiny gold stuff on the edges of the pages was all worn off.   Pieces of paper stuck here and there.  I saw endless notes written in the margins.  But mainly it was the leather I noticed.  It reminded me of my old boots.  And it reminded me of the shiny new Bible I was carrying.

I wish I could say that I had bought a new Bible because the old one was SO worn that the pages were falling out.  But that wouldn't be the truth.  And we aren't supposed to lie.  And lying about your Bible?? Hmmm... that seems to cross another line now doesn't it.  Truth is, I bought a new Bible because I wanted a different translation, which I do love.  I still have my old one.  I was quite surprised when I dug it out and dusted it off after WAY too many years of very little use (they have Bibles in church pews, after all) to find old notes, scribbles, and underlining.  Even though it had been a long time, I recognized my handwriting, knew what stage of life I was in when I wrote certain things.  I had used that Bible... way back when.  It made me sad to realize how I had neglected it for so long though.  How many journeys I had been on in my life and left it tucked away in a drawer.

The Bibles I saw those women holding stood out to me.  I wondered what stories they saw when they look at them.  What memories flowed from the leather through their fingers as they held them.  They had obviously been through many years together... traveled many miles... probably shared some celebrations and sopped up many tears.  Dare bet those Bibles even saved a life or two.   Something so "loved" must be very precious to them.

You can buy boots that look old when they're actually brand new.  I've seen Bible covers that have that weathered look also.  But I don't want that for my new Bible any more than I want a "vintage" looking pair of new boots.  I want my new Bible to earn it's scars.  I want it to weather with me.  I want to know it so well I would recognize it as mine on a book shelf of thousands.   I won't mind if there are tear stains on the leather... or if the edges are frayed.  You know why?? Because I want to see my life when I look at it's worn pages... knowing it's been part of the journey.  MY journey.

I'd love to insert a picture of my old boots here... you'd see their story... but I can't.

I threw them away.    

Say CHEESE!!

Did you have braces growing up??  I didn't.  Probably should have.  But do now!!

I'm wearing the Invisiline type braces.   Great for an adult that doesn't want to walk around with metal hardware in their mouth.  But I think I had this vision that fixing my smile would be a breeze.  WELL.. it's not.  They hurt at times.  They're uncomfortable.  They impair my speech.  And while I was hoping they wouldn't be noticeable to others... they are.  I'm supposed to wear them 21 hours per day, but haven't been very faithful to that.  I seem to think that I'll be able to get by with just wearing them at night.  But last I checked... I didn't graduate from dental school.

As I shoved them back in my mouth yesterday and felt the discomfort, I had to chuckle.  I can be the same way with my life.  There are things I know need correcting.  There are things that I know God tells me I need to do differently.  There are things I hope no one else notices.   I have the "instruction manual of instruction manuals" available to tell me what to do.  And I'm not receiving my guidance from one of many who graduated from some school.  My guide is the one who created me!!  But it hurts sometimes.  It's uncomfortable.  It reveals my imperfections.  Sometimes it impedes the way I'd LIKE to live my life.  And just like thinking I can get away with wearing my braces only at night... I want to think I can get away with following Him MOST of the time... when it's convenient and when it's comfortable.

The dentist is offering me a great smile if I follow his directions and allow the correction to take place.  MY JESUS is offering me a beautiful LIFE... if I follow HIM and allow HIS correction to take place.

If you bump into me on the street, I'm really not that concerned that you notice my straight smile.  I did that more for me than anyone else.  I DO hope you notice a smile on my face, though.  And I HOPE that smile radiates the love of our Jesus in me.  I have chosen to follow Him for ME... but want to share Him with YOU.

Beauty In Brown Eggs GIVE AWAY!!

I've been told that in the world of blogging, it's quite trendy right now to do one of two things.  One is a "What I Wore On Wednesday" weekly post.... and the other is to do a "Give Away".  Since I'm quite sure that none of you really care what I wore on Wednesday, I've decided to have some fun with celebrating Beauty In Brown Eggs' 2000th page view and do a giveaway!!

So what am I giving away??  Jeremy Camp's "STAY".  It's my favorite DVD that has been my "go to" music when I want to tune everything out and spend time with God.  Thank goodness I live on a few acres, because I've been known to belt the songs out while working in my garden.    Amazing music... inspiring lyrics.  Even has some good beat to it if you happen to be a jogger.

I hope to do this quarterly, but we'll keep the first one simple.  No challenge questions.  Just leave a comment with your first name, general location, and how you found Beauty In Brown Eggs... OR email your entry to:  beautyinbrowneggs@gmail.com  One entry per person please... but let me know if you're one of the members and your name will be entered twice!!  The winner will be drawn and posted on Feb. 15.  We'll touch base by email after that for mailing instructions if you aren't local.

GOOD LUCK!!  and thanks so much for following.

ASK YOURSELF THIS...

I have a quick question for you today.  But first, spend a few quiet moments going back in your heart to people/things that you are completely head-over-heels in love with (past & present).

Is (was) it a romantic relationship??  Possibly you're seeing the faces of your children.  Or maybe your thoughts even include the big puppy dog eyes of a favorite pet.

Are you there??  Got all those head pictures and emotions rounded up??  Is your heart swooning??

Now ask yourself this honestly:

HOW DOES YOUR REACTION TO YOUR JESUS COMPARE??

Is your heart overflowing??  Are you giddy with excitement anticipating the next time you meet Him?? Are you glowing visibly??  Do you find yourself babbling uncontrollably about Him??

Sure, sometimes love is a decision.  A commitment.  A choice.   But if your honest answer to the above question left you feeling slightly "flatline"...  if a sense of "duty and commitment"was your dominant reaction... or if you "know about Him" more than you "know Him"... I'm here to tell you that there is SO MUCH MORE!!  It IS possible to fall head-over-heels in love with our Jesus!!    

One thing I've learned and experienced over the past couple years is that no matter if you're male or female... Jesus Christ desires a "sacred romance" with us.  He desires that we literally fall in love with Him.  He wants MORE than the dutiful feelings that come with settling for a "show up on Sunday and do good deeds" type approach to our faith.  How cool is that!!!!

If you desire to take things to a more intimate level with your Saviour... TELL HIM so!!
Ask Him to show you how.
Ask Him to show up in your day today.... and then watch for Him.
Ask Him to speak to you through Christian music... and then listen for Him.
Talk to Him intimately from your heart when you pray... and spend time in silence to hear what He's saying back.
Get to know Him better by reading books by reputable authors.
Dive into HIS book with a childlike openness.
If you don't already, try praying out loud!!
Ask His Spirit to actively move in you.
Spontaneously tell Him "I Love You!" throughout your day.  

Well now... I'm chuckling.  This post was intended to be a simple one-line question.  HA!  I guess I got carried away and started babbling again.  I can't help it though....

I'M IN LOVE!!!!  

JUNK DRAWERS

So here we are… the last week in January.   How many drawers have you cleaned??  How many closets have you reorganized??  It seems to be an instinctive need we have at the beginning of a new year to “clean house”.   Retailers are well aware of this tendency and market their organizers, plastic tubs, and books.   Endless strategies are offered in book stores, on t.v., and online.

Getting rid of junk feels good, doesn’t it.  Sometimes the messiest spots are the hardest to tackle though.  I’ve opened junk drawers like that, took one look, and simply closed them again!!  The task seemed too daunting….  maybe later.

I cleaned house last week.  Not my house in the literal sense, but instead… I cleaned “MY house”.    I asked God through an very extended, focused prayer time to expose to my mind and heart any area in my life that needed to be hauled out, gone through, evaluated, and/or eliminated.  Some of what I found in those deep, dark closets surprised me.  Like finding an old sweater from high school that you didn’t even remember you still had possession of… or discovering a grade school artifact that you had totally forgotten about.   These things were part of your life.  They represent the person you were.  They played a role in who you became. 

While high school fashion may make you laugh and grade school art may bring a smile to your face…. not everything you find in the deep dark corners of your heart will.  But opening those places and then just shutting the door to them again because the task is too daunting won’t make them go away.  They’ll still be there…. collecting even more and more dust. 

God brought things to my mind from way back when.  Silly things, I had thought… but when I hauled them all out and laid them side-by-side, I could see the pattern that God wanted to reveal to me.  Patterns, that unbenounced to me, had played an important role in who I am today. It was good at that point to literally ask God to go back into those situations with me.   It was amazing how in those “corners” where I was crying, I saw Him crying beside me.  In the “drawers” I opened where I felt ashamed or laughed at, He revealed Himself as having been there with His arms open wide saying “You are mine”.  And in those “closets” that exposed times where I felt rejected, I saw Him smiling at me, saying “Sandy... I CHOSE you”.

It’s a good feeling to have a clean house, isn’t it.  But, I wish there was a way to keep those freshly cleaned LITERAL drawers and reorganized LITERAL closets clean.  To the best of my knowledge, there isn’t any full proof product or strategy on the market as of yet.  Eventually, they will become disorganized and messy once again.   

   

The GOOD NEWS is there IS a way to protect our spiritual and personal house.   And it’s part of the cleaning process that I had missed before.  After hauling things out, sorting through them, dumping the crap, and at times handing over treasures… I asked the Holy Spirit to literally move into those places inside me that were now left exposed.  I asked Him to FILL THEM so those spaces were now occupied, and that particular junk could never return to them.  Of course they’re always be new junk to contend with, but those old spots are now FILLED… and sealed off forever… with the Holy Spirit.   I’ve never in my life felt cleaner... and can honestly say I've never felt closer to God.

 

I have to admit that it makes me grin how all this happened in January… the month notorious for cleaning house.  Ha!!!  Our God is SO awesome, isn’t He. 

Thank you, God… I love you too.   

PASSION

NO... I haven't disappeared.  Just going through a bit of a block and also had been at an amazing conference on the power of the Holy Spirit!!!  Can't wait to share ways God is working. 

In the meantime, I encourage you to check out this amazing you tube video clip from the book "Crazy Love".  Francis Chan REALLY expresses the passion for Christ that I wish for all of you... and for myself. 

Here's the link:  http://www.crazylovebook.com/videos.html  From there, click on "more videos" at the bottom and then on "Just Stop and Think". 

WHO said Christianity needs to be boring!!  Let's fall CRAZY IN LOVE... with the lover of our soul!!