Timeline, Lifeline

Some of us have "bucket lists." Some of us simply take it day by day, grabbing joy whenever we can. Some do both.

My father lived to be 99; my mother died at 85. If I average this, I could live to be 90+. Dividing my lifetime into quarters.... my timeline would look like this:



0-23 --The world was full of wonder. I learned to walk, talk... I went to college, I got my first real job, I fell in love, I got married.











24-46 -- I had four children, worked on and off outside the home, went back to school, moved four times, tried to survive financially, emotionally, physically, and, yes, spiritually.









47-69 -- Four children graduated college and became fully employed. Grandchildren arrived. Retirement opened new chapters of life: part-time jobs, travel, illness issues, time with parents who ultimately passed, new friends. 

70- ? --



My life has been very full. Knowing this, I should be awed by the on-going possibilities God holds for me. If one ever thinks, "Is this it? Is this all I have to look forward to--the same old, same old?" Then, perhaps one needs to change things or consider another way of thinking about one's life. We have to "keep walking" no matter what.

Why not keep walking in God's space? After all, that is all there really is.
Everything is HIS space. He is our lifeline. We are on His timeline.

Heavenly Father, life can be both wonderful and frustrating, disappointing, hard. Things are not always the way they ought to be. May we remember that we were created for a reason. We would not be here if it were not so. Giving you the glory, always. Amen

God Does Not Need Email....

I grew up in a house where the phone was attached to the kitchen wall right above the steps leading to the basement. We were on a line that we shared with several neighbors. Each ring was slightly different, and we knew who was getting the call by the sound of the ring. On a particularly boring summer day, if mother was out doing chores, I might pick up the phone to listen to our neighbor's news.

When we made a call, we dialed the number or dialed 0 for operator assistance. A real person answered and gave us the help we needed.

When I could not talk to someone on the phone because it was long-distance and expensive, I would get out stationary (does anyone know what this is anymore?), a pen, and write a letter starting with "Dear ______."

Text messages, emails, voicemail make all this sound very primitive. Emails and texts fly through the air in a second or two. All this quickness makes a huge difference in how the world works--in both our work and personal relationships world, with some good results and some not-so-good.

God does not need email, nor does he text. He has no need for my I-phone, I-pad, or computer.
He's just there, right there, inside my head, inside my heart and soul, all around me.
Before the words and sighs leave my fingertips or my lips, He knows....

Before they call, I will answer;

while they are still speaking,

I will hear.

Isaiah 65:24

The Girl On the Train

If you like psychological suspense, the book, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, by Paula Hawkins could be your cup of English tea. (Author lives in London... )

Out of the six characters in the book, four of them are mentally unstable. All six of them have made colossal mistakes in their lives.

Why is it, that such a book draws a huge audience? We want to be happy, we want to be successful in our endeavors, and, yet we are drawn to suspense, danger, and dysfunction in our reading and movie choices--with happy endings, of course.

Perhaps we are relieved that our own lives are better, some one has it worse than us... And, yet, we can relate in some way to the frailness of the human spirit because each of us struggles in some way.

My confirmation verse, memorized over 50 years ago, was Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter: 5:8 {King James}

 

I'm not sure why I chose it. Was it the imagery of the language? My draw to interesting words--even then--vigilant, adversary, devour.

Verses 10-11, continues on a positive note with And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. {New International Version}

The inside cover of the book reads, "There she sits, the girl on the train. What she sees, gazing out the window, will change everything."

Hopefully, what we "see" is God's grace and goodness in all things in spite of the difficulties and sometimes, downright messiness, of life.... knowing it will change everything.

I am dependent on the grace of God

 everyday for power

and the blood of Jesus for cleansing.

Too Much Scripture

At a recent book event, another author shared that a book that I had written, The Secret Is, had too much scripture. Unfortunately for her, I was surrounded by three other Christian authors when she stated it.

I have to admit that each of us, created by God who loves uniqueness, enjoys different genres for our reading material. My husband enjoys Lee Child's books. A friend reads only non-fiction. Some, who do like fiction, find my books too suspenseful. Do I feel badly that they do not choose my books to read? Actually, no. I guess I write what I like to read, myself.

But the comment about "too much scripture" got me to thinking. Is there such a thing? To me, this is like saying, there is too much air. God is everywhere and in every thing-- rock, tree, you and me. Scripture is His Holy Word. Man was created by God's breath and His Word. There would be no life without him.

All scripture is God-breathed and useful for instruction.... 2 Timothy 3:16

Creator God of all that is good, may we find wonder, joy, and awe in your Holy Word, knowing that it, too, was created for us. Amen

The Gift...

A young married couple's lives are thrown into a harrowing tailspin when an acquaintance from the husband's past brings mysterious gifts and a horrifying secret to ...I read to my husband. It was the  promo for the movie, "The Gift." Want to go? I asked.

If you like psychological thrillers (Alfred Hitchcock style) without the blood and gruesome-ness of some, you may like this movie. Also, if you want to eliminate bullying in your high school, encourage your local district to show this movie to students. It may be more effective than any other tactic.

It reminds me of Galatians 6:7... Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

On a more positive note, it reminds me of James 1:16,17....Do not be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

We live in a world where there is a lot of ugly (in various forms). Some day, some day, all this will not be so. There will only be good. No more bullying, no more psychological thrillers, no more shifting shadows. Only good. Thy Kingdom come: the ultimate gift!

Thanks be go God.

Reunion Thoughts

I don't consider myself old; however, my husband and I attended his 50th class reunion, and there were some old people there. Some had canes; many had health issues; many left before the dance started. Hmmm....

I do receive social security, Medicare Benefits, and am a grandma. So, if I am not old now, I'm headed in the direction with no U-turns, detours or STOP signs ahead.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his "Letters and Papers from Prison," 1953, wrote "Time is the most precious gift in our possession.... Time lost is when we have not lived a full human life, time unenriched by experience, creative endeavor, enjoyment, and suffering. Time lost is time we have not filled...."

Through my conversations at the reunion, I discovered that many were determined to "live a full human life" in spite of health concerns and additional birthdays. One couple was starting a new chapter of their lives by helping baby boomers discover their ENCORE. Another wanted to write a book. Vacation destinations were numerous. Volunteer projects were high on the scale. I also witnessed a feeling of connective-ness. It didn't matter of if you were a cheerleader, the football captain, in the band, or someone who simply struggled to get through--or were one of those who felt like you never fit in. Everyone seemed very accepting.

Along with getting older, we have spiritual gifts that mature with time... if we allow it.

If there is a 55th reunion, we will be there.
God is good in all things.

No Superheroes Needed.

I have read the gospels, and in them Jesus doesn't spend much time hyping the media superstars of his day. Rather, he celebrates the little people, the ordinary folks--a widow who gives one small coin from the treasury of her heart, a woman who spends precious money on ointment to soothe the weary feet of someone she loves. Ann Boaden, "His Loving Kindness" as printed in The Lutheran Journal, V0l 81




James reads...Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in distress... He's not telling us to be superheroes. He's asking us to take care of each other, take care of His creation. What he wants you to do is probably right underneath your nose.....

It does not need to look great in any one else's eyes because we live dependently on the grace of God for any power that we have. When all is said and done, little ol' you and little ol' me will have done something great for God's kingdom.





 Creator God of all that is good and beautiful, fill us with your kindness and forgiveness that we may share the gifts you have uniquely given to each of us and reflect your love. Amen.

An Imperfect Backyard (An Imperfect World)

From my writing desk, I look through the rain-splattered windows. I don't like what I see. Purplish carpet is covered with the left-overs of a robin bird's nest from the above deck. The plant in front of the iron gate is only one-half there. I pulled out the dead part a day or so ago. Thistles are scattered across the rocky landscape. A metal trailer obscures the neighbor's attractively landscaped corner.

Is this supposed to be my creative spot?... Is it the cluttered landscape that is causing minor depression or is it my attitude? Thinking this is a glass one-half-empty versus glass-one-half full issue, I take a second look.

The geraniums are a vivid red against the primitive, garden gate. What is left of the one-half plant is thriving and lush. The trees beyond sway with the breezes as birds above flit and flutter. Cloud strands complete the picture as the hanging chimes plink, bing, bong....

I guess it's up to me to "see" the positive aspects of my backyard. It's not perfect, but there certainly is a lot of wonder out there. Neither is our world a perfect place, but, in the same way, it is up to me to "see" the positive aspects of it. There is a lot of wonder out there--nature's beauty everywhere, a small miracle down the street, a surprise in the morning, contentedness at the end of the day.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9